Music Is A Universal Language That Transcends Time And Space. Some Songs Are So Iconic That They Become Part Of Our Collective Memory And Culture.
But Sometimes, A New Artist Can Take An Old Song And Give It A Fresh Twist That Makes Us Appreciate It In A Different Way.
Whether It’s By Changing The Genre, The Mood, The Lyrics, Or The Arrangement, A Cover Song Can Be A Creative Expression Of Admiration And Inspiration.
In This Blog Post, We Will Explore Some Of The Best Covers Of Classic Songs By Modern Artists That Improve On The Originals Or At Least Offer A Unique Perspective.
Table of Contents
1. Miley Cyrus – “Black Dog” (Led Zeppelin)
Miley Cyrus Is No Stranger To Covering Rock Legends, From Joan Jett To Metallica. But One Of Her Most Impressive Performances Was Her Rendition Of Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog” At The 2014 Iheartradio Music Festival.
Cyrus Transformed The Hard-Rock Anthem Into A Bluesy, Soulful, And Powerful Showcase Of Her Vocal Range And Attitude.
She Also Added Some Feminist Flair By Changing The Lyrics From “A Big Legged Woman Ain’t Got No Soul” To “A Big Dicked Man Ain’t Got No Soul”.
Cyrus Proved That She Can Rock As Hard As Any Of Her Male Counterparts With This Cover.
2. Yungblud – “Wild Horses” (The Rolling Stones)
Yungblud Is Known For His Rebellious And Energetic Style Of Alternative Pop-Rock. But He Also Has A Softer Side, As He Demonstrated With His Cover Of The Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses” For Spotify Singles In 2020.
Yungblud Stripped Down The Classic Rock Ballad To Its Bare Essentials, With Just His Voice And An Acoustic Guitar. He Sang With Raw Emotion And Vulnerability, Capturing The Longing And Regret Of The Original Song.
He Also Added Some Subtle Changes To The Melody And Phrasing, Making It His Own Without Losing The Essence Of The Original.
3. Halsey – “Dreams” (Fleetwood Mac)
Halsey Is One Of The Most Versatile And Eclectic Pop Stars Of Today, Blending Elements Of Indie, R&B, Electro-Pop, And Rock In Her Music.
She Also Has A Knack For Covering Songs From Different Genres And Eras, Such As Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” And Juice Wrld’s “Lucid Dreams”.
One Of Her Most Stunning Covers Was Her Version Of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” For Bbc Radio 1’s Live Lounge In 2017. Halsey Delivered A Haunting And Ethereal Rendition Of The Song, With Her Airy Vocals And Atmospheric Synths Creating A Dreamlike Mood.
She Also Added Some Personal Touches To The Lyrics, Such As Changing “Thunder Only Happens When It’s Raining” To “Thunder Only Happens When You’re Lonely”.
Halsey Paid Tribute To One Of Her Musical Influences While Also Making The Song Relatable To Her Own Generation1.
4. Weezer – “Happy Together” (The Turtles)
Weezer Is Known For Their Catchy And Quirky Power-Pop Songs, But They Also Have A Penchant For Covering Classic Hits From Various Genres.
In 2019, They Released An Album Called The Teal Album, Which Consisted Entirely Of Cover Songs From Artists Such As Michael Jackson, Eurythmics, Tlc, And More.
One Of The Highlights Was Their Version Of The Turtles’ “Happy Together”, Which They Infused With Their Signature Guitar Riffs And Harmonies.
They Also Added Some Fun Twists To The Song, Such As Incorporating A Snippet Of Green Day’s “Longview” In The Bridge And Ending With A Distorted Guitar Solo.
Weezer Turned The 60s Pop Tune Into A Modern Rock Anthem That Still Retained Its Charm And Optimism1.
5. Twenty One Pilots – “Can’t Help Falling In Love” (Elvis Presley)
Twenty One Pilots Are Known For Their Genre-Bending And Innovative Music That Combines Elements Of Rap, Rock, Pop, Reggae, And More. They Are Also Adept At Covering Songs From Different Artists And Styles, Such As My Chemical Romance’s “Cancer”, Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”, And Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness”.
One Of Their Most Popular Covers Was Their Version Of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love”, Which They Recorded For A Fan Video In 2012.
The Duo Used A Ukulele And A Piano To Create A Simple And Intimate Arrangement Of The Song, With Tyler Joseph’s Raspy And Emotive Vocals Conveying The Sincerity And Romance Of The Lyrics.
The Cover Became A Fan Favorite And A Staple Of Their Live Shows, Often Involving The Audience Singing Along.
6. Patrick Stump – “In The Air Tonight” (Phil Collins)
Patrick Stump Is Best Known As The Lead Singer And Songwriter Of Fall Out Boy, But He Also Has A Solo Career That Showcases His Diverse Musical Influences And Talents.
In 2011, He Released An Album Called Soul Punk, Which Was Inspired By The Sounds Of 80s Pop, Funk, And R&B.
One Of The Bonus Tracks Was His Cover Of Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight”, Which He Performed With A Full Band And A Horn Section. Stump Added Some Funk And Soul To The Song, With His Smooth Vocals And Falsetto Matching Collins’ Intensity And Drama.
He Also Nailed The Iconic Drum Fill And Added Some Scatting And Ad-Libs To Spice Up The Song. Stump Paid Homage To One Of His Musical Heroes While Also Putting His Own Spin On The Song.
7. Cayetana – “Age Of Consent” (New Order)
Cayetana Was A Philadelphia-Based Indie Rock Band That Formed In 2011 And Disbanded In 2019. They Were Known For Their Catchy And Heartfelt Songs That Dealt With Topics Such As Relationships, Mental Health, And Growing Up.
In 2015, They Released A Split Ep With Camp Cope, Which Featured Their Cover Of New Order’s “Age Of Consent”. Cayetana Turned The Synth-Pop Classic Into A Guitar-Driven Rocker, With Augusta Koch’s Raspy Vocals Adding Some Grit And Emotion To The Song.
They Also Sped Up The Tempo And Added Some Distortion To The Guitars, Making The Song More Energetic And Urgent. Cayetana Gave A New Edge To The Song While Still Capturing Its Melancholic And Nostalgic Vibe.
8. The Killers – “Fame” (David Bowie)
The Killers Are One Of The Most Successful And Influential Rock Bands Of The 21st Century, Blending Elements Of New Wave, Glam Rock, Synth-Pop, And Alternative Rock In Their Music. They Are Also Big Fans Of David Bowie, Who Was One Of Their Main Inspirations And Mentors.
In 2016, After Bowie’s Death, The Killers Performed A Tribute To Him At The Brit Awards, Covering His Song “Fame”. The Killers Stayed Faithful To The Original Song, With Brandon Flowers’ Charismatic Vocals And Ronnie Vannucci’s Funky Drums Replicating Bowie’s Style And Groove.
They Also Added Some Flair To The Song, Such As Incorporating Some Lyrics From Bowie’s “Heroes” In The Chorus And Ending With A Confetti Explosion. The Killers Honored One Of Their Idols With A Respectful And Respectful Cover.
9. Whitney Houston – “I Will Always Love You” (Dolly Parton)
Whitney Houston Is Widely Regarded As One Of The Greatest Singers Of All Time, With Her Powerful And Soulful Voice That Could Deliver Any Genre Of Music.
She Is Also Responsible For One Of The Most Iconic Cover Songs Ever Recorded: Her Version Of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You”.
Houston Recorded The Song For The Soundtrack Of Her Film Debut, The Bodyguard, In 1992. She Transformed The Country Ballad Into A Pop-R&B Masterpiece, With Her Soaring Vocals And Emotional Delivery Making The Song An Instant Classic.
She Also Added Some Changes To The Song, Such As Starting It A Cappella, Adding A Saxophone Solo, And Modulating The Key In The Final Chorus. Houston’s Cover Became One Of The Best-Selling Singles Of All Time, Winning Multiple Awards And Accolades.
It Also Became A Signature Song For Houston, Who Often Dedicated It To Parton In Her Live Performances.
10. Robert Wyatt – “Shipbuilding” (Elvis Costello)
Robert Wyatt Is An English Musician Who Was A Founding Member Of The Influential Progressive Rock Band Soft Machine. He Is Also Known For His Solo Career That Spans Various Genres Such As Jazz, Folk, Pop, And Experimental Music.
In 1982, He Recorded A Cover Of Elvis Costello’s “Shipbuilding”, Which Was Written During The Falklands War As A Commentary On The Social And Economic Effects Of War On Working-Class Communities. Wyatt’s Cover Was Produced By Costello Himself, Who Also Played Guitar On It.
Wyatt Sang The Song With His Distinctive High-Pitched Voice, Giving It A Fragile And Poignant Quality. He Also Added Some Trumpet Solos By Mark Isham, Creating A Contrast Between The Melancholy Melody And The Jazzy Instrumentation.
Wyatt’s Cover Became A Hit In The Uk, Reaching No.35 On The Charts. It Also Became One Of His Most Acclaimed Songs, Earning Him Praise From Critics And Fans Alike.
Conclusion
Cover Songs Are A Fascinating And Fun Way To Explore The Diversity And Creativity Of Music. They Can Reveal New Aspects Of A Song, Challenge Our Expectations, Or Simply Entertain Us With A Different Interpretation.
In This Blog Post, We Have Listed Some Of The Best Covers Of Classic Songs By Modern Artists That Improve On The Originals Or At Least Offer A Unique Perspective.
Of Course, This Is Not An Exhaustive List, And There Are Many More Cover Songs That Deserve Recognition And Appreciation. What Are Some Of Your Favorite Cover Songs? Let Us Know In The Comments Below!