And don’t get cute and do songs people don’t know are covers like I Will Always Love You or Torn
Hurt by Johnny Cash - much better than the NiN version, to the point that Trent Reznor basically said “yea, it’s his song now, he nailed it”.
And then I have some more controversial takes…
-Faith by Limp Bizkit (instead of George Michael). Yes, I know, but seriously, it slaps.
-99 Red Balloons by Goldfinger.
-Gin and Juice by The Gourds.
There used to be this guy who would always do these really unique remixes and mashups of different songs that you would never think would work, but they were always really amazing.
He would upload them to his YouTube account during the 2010s, but he seems to have disappeared. I’m pretty sure he went by Tae-K and his account was something like TKRmx?
The most memorable ones for me were a mashup of Wale with the 90’s X-men theme song and Ella Fitzgerald with Wiz Khalifa.
Edit: Oh shit NVM, found it! X-men+Wale
There was this other guy who made an 8-bit remix of Danger Mouse’s Grey album, but I can’t remember his name. It also seems to have disappeared.
ZOMG, no one has mentioned this version of What’s up by 4 non blondes
Its sung by he-man and friends and is catchy AF, even in 2026
This was my introduction to this song, and for the longest time I thought it was original content.
homelander looking disgusted at “original content”.jpg
Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal
I’m going to save this for later, but then never check my saved threads
Here’s your reminder!
Faith No More’s cover of War Pigs is so much better than the original Black Sabbath version.
I’d say it’s hard to beat original War Pigs, but T-Pain’s version comes close.
Hallelujah
Written and originally sung by Leonard Cohen:
But it was Jeff Buckley’s hauntingly beautiful cover of it that made the song known to the world:
I’m pretty sure it was pretty big by Cohen and Cales version (the one Jeff would use) and I don’t think it was before Jeff’s death his version really exploded and then subsequently through Shrek did it become everyone’s song.
But Jeff really revitalised the song with hiss masterful voice. Leonard was a master in many areas but his voice wasn’t his big strength.
Fun trivia: In the movie it’s Cales version but on the official soundtrack it’s Rufus Wainwright performing it, who happens to have a child with Cohen’s daughter.
I love k.d. lang’s version
Kelly Clarkson covered Taylor Swift’s Better Man in her TV show a couple of years ago and it was an entirely different song. Like she felt it in her bones. She elevated it.
Postal Service turned Such Great Heights from a low-fi, indie-folk coffee shop vibe (originally done by Iron & Wine) into 100% millennial optimism pop.
Hilary & Hayley Duff covered Our Lips Are Sealed and I’m just kidding that one was actually terrible.
Iron & Wine’s version is the cover - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Such_Great_Heights#Track_listing
Wow haha thanks for the info!
- Sinead O’Connor’s version of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U”.
- Joe Jackson’s version of Fleetwood Mac’s “Oh, Well”.
- The Ramones version of the Spider-man TV show theme song.
Ramones version of California Sun is also better than the original
Nirvana - The Man Who Sold The World
Mad World
I was shocked when I finally heard the original after hearing like 3 or 4 covers of it first. Tears for Fears’ original version is just… It’s not bad, but it’s the least good version of that song. Lol.
Holy shit I could not disagree with you more. Tears for Fears’ original version is far superior to any cover I’ve heard, including and especially Gary Jules.
You’re welcome to your opinion but wow I can’t stress enough how much I hate it.I admire your courage to speak your truth ;)
Cake - I will Survive
This is my answer. Such a fine album, too.
The cake version slaps hard. I love it
Pet Shop Boys, Always on my mind, IMHO much better than the Elvis Presley original.
Axel F
That frog lives rent free in my head.
Black History Month (Death From Above 1979), remixed by Death From Above 1979
Hurt (Nine Inch Nails), covered by Johnny Cash
The Cash version of Hurt is the definitive one.
Johnny Cash did a great cover of Soundgarden’s “Rusty Cage,” too.
