How Metallica ever envisaged this traditional Irish folk song – popularised by The Dubliners in the 1960s and later recorded by The Pogues and Thin Lizzy, among others – as fitting within their heavy metal mold is anyone’s guess, but they did. This is the definitive list of the 27 greatest cover songs of all time, from the creators of the first (and only) vinyl record club for full length cover albums, SOUNDS DELICIOUS. Sometimes cover versions can be even better than the original. At its best, a good cover song can be better than the original. Just imagine it being similar with extra Scottishness. Plus there are horns – and doesn’t love a good horn section? With its shimmering, ominous portent the song became Manson’s first big hit and was the first of many incredible covers. With 2018’s phenomenal fourth album, The Xcerts rolled up their sleeves to their shoulders to fully reveal their Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty influences and it was a truly magical, beautiful thing. Not our business. Fred Durst’s sounds like he’s in emotional agony when he first starts singing, before unleashing a series of deafening screams. – styled on blues legend Lead Belly’s 1944 take on it – that still sends shivers down the spine thanks to Cobain’s final anguished and despair-ridden screams that practically shatter his voice. The 50 Best Cover Songs Ever There's nothing better than hearing a great musician's fresh take on a classic song. For so many musicians, playing another band's material is where it starts, finding the inspiration to pick up an instrument in the first place. Penned by the prolifically talented Cole Porter, the track earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Song in 1936, and would go on to become a top ten hit for the Four Seasons some 30 years later. While it was actually recorded in 1990 for the Days Of Thunder soundtrack, they’d been playing it live for a few years before. The cover song: its something that appeals to musicians at any level and at any point in their career. And who doesn’t think a good horn section can improve pretty much any song ever – even a stone cold ’80s classic like this. Who doesn’t love a good horn section? In fact, it really works as a souped-up emo-punk anthem. Whatâs great about rock music is that a lot of the times, the guitar riffs arenât all that hard to play however they sound great and are perfect for impressing your friends. Pop songs covered by rock artists? Certainly not. Love cover songs and cover albums? Here are 25 of hard-rock's best acoustic rockers. 58. No particular order, just alphabetically: AC/DC The Pit in association with Nordic Spirit at Blondies, our favourite East London dive bar. Our purpose in this list is to highlight the very best covers of classic rock hits by heavy metal bands. Members of Metallica, Foo Fighters and RHCP to feature on new Ozzy Osbourne album, Rou Reynolds: “Essentially we’ve experienced the death of Enter Shikari to some degree”. Replacing the song’s iconic synth-led melody with a trumpet and trombone, Reel Big Fish successfully transformed the Norwegian pop band’s hit into a ska-punk classic. The follow-up to Ozzy Osbourne’s 2020 album Ordinary Man could well be a star-studded affair…, Enter Shikari’s Rou Reynolds joins in our rock star 2020 round-up, opening up on a year that could have gone two very different ways for the band…, This website requires Javascript to be enabled, Sometimes cover versions can be even better than the original. And while that fact irked them, they should be proud they made a brilliant song even better. 30. By Esquire Editors Jul 26, 2017 Getty Images Is ⦠Remember when Britney Spears covered this song in 2002, everyone thought it was a Joan Jett cover? Who knew, though, that the trio were fans of oddball Canadian hip-hop/alternative rock/trip-hop/dance collective Bran Van 3000? Higher Power played The K! The original version by the Scottish post-punks – released on their first and only album, 1980’s Colossal Youth – is an ice-cold, jittery and deliberately emotionless affair. I've listed them here, so you don't have to load another page, unless you wanna, to read their write-up. Instead they filled their set with six covers, including three by the Meat Puppets (whose Chris and Curt Kirkwood played with the band that night), a Vaselines track and a David Bowie tune. Criteria: These cover songs/remakes are ranked according to their initial and lasting popularity, influence and acclaim, as well as their cultural impact. Loudwire came up with the 40 Best Cover Songs by Rock Bands. Originally released in Born to Dance, 1936Originally conceived as an opening credits number for the musical film Born to Dance, âIâve Got You Under My Skinâ would later become a signature song for Frank Sinatra. Some are pure acoustic jams, others only start out out that way before ascending into grand opuses. ), but it is easily one of the best rock songs to cover for any band! With its sinister guitar line and demonic vocals, this cover – taken from Marilyn Manson’s 1995 EP Smells Like Children – gives the new wave classic by Eurythmics a wholly Satanic makeover. Rock romance never dies; from the 60s to the 80s and beyond, these beautiful, classic songs about love are as sweet today as they ever were. From metal Robyn to bluegrass Post Malone, math-rock Creedence to indie-rock Enya, Cover Me counts down the 50 best covers of the entire year. This place is great at criticizing lists, let's see how good it is a CREATING a great cover band set list. It’s fair to say that most musicians get their chops by learning other people’s songs. Although it’s rare, it actually happens more often than you might think. Included on Hole’s 1994 second record, Live Through This, their cover of this Young Marble Giants song is a blisteringly breakneck number. Are we saying that the nu-metal titans’ cover of this gloriously feel-good 1987 tune by the former Wham! Over the course of rock history, some bands have even managed to improve upon the song they’re covering – in some instances actually creating the definitive version of the song in question. The lines below showcase a comprehensive list of the best rock songs with astounding bass. Combined with Wes Borland’s aggressive guitars and some heavy-handed scratching, the song – which was included on the band’s 1997 debut, Three Dollar Bill, Y’all$ – becomes a beast all of its own. The 50 Best Songs of 2020 By Paste Staff December 11, 2020 Bob Dylan to Release 1970 Sessions With George Harrison By Paris Rosenthal December ⦠There’s no denying that Bob Dylan is one of the greatest and most important songwriters of all time. Here are our picks for the rock cover versions that outshine the original version. But if youâd rather keep your rowdy and raucous reworkings to singles, please find the 30 best punk rock cover songs below. Miley Cyrus: her best rock cover songs, from Blondie to Nine Inch Nails The pop star's killer version of Blondie's 'Heart of Glass' is just the beginning of her rock prowess⦠By El Hunt Thing is, it’s never something you really grow out of, which is why even the biggest bands in the world will add covers to their live sets deep into their career. Disagree? The Donnas, âDancing With ⦠That honour goes to Sonny Curtis, who penned it in 1958 and recorded it the following year with The Crickets, after he replaced the late Buddy Holly in that band. And while covers of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ I Put A Spell On You, John Lennon’s Working Class Hero, Depeche Mode’s Personal Jesus and Gloria Jones’ Tainted Love (which was later covered and made famous by Soft Cell) all come close, the macabre majesty of this is truly hard to beat. Considered one of the first rockabilly songs, Carl Perkins' "Blue Suede Shoes" would later be covered by the likes of rock 'n' roll pioneers, such as Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran, and Elvis Presley. Courtney Love and co. however, amp up just about everything, and turn it into a frenzied, distraught and despondent number full of gloriously ear-shattering guitar feedback and Love’s guttural, desperate vocal delivery. Recorded less than five months before Kurt Cobain killed himself, Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged session was notable not just for the grunge icons showing off their less abrasive side, but because they decided to largely eschew their biggest hits. That Jonah Matranga, the man behind Far, Onlinedrawing, Gratitude and New End Original – all of them serious bands with deep, meaningful lyrics – would decide to cover Ginuwine’s salacious, heavy-handed but not-quite-explicit song about, well, fucking, is weird enough. Throughout the decades, it's also helped launch careers, especially in the pre-Internet days where a cover song was the entry point for new bands to gain radio exposure. Sadly there is no video available, because they didn’t actually make one so you’ll have to make do with the original on this one. The song was later re-recorded (and popularized) by the Bobby Fuller Four in 1965, but it’s this rollicking, rambunctious take that remains the definite version – after all, no-one sings it quite like Joe Strummer. That Far do it so well, is even weirder. Elvis considered his version, which was a massive hit, a tribute to his friend, Perkins. And while it probably shouldn’t work, it really does, capturing the reckless hedonism of the traditional Irish version, but adding a lot more muscle and, well, oomph to proceedings. 55 Best Metal Covers of Classic Rock Hits, Taylor Momsen: Starring in 'The Grinch' Made Me Want to Do Music. Yes, it’s raw and wobbly as hell and it sounds like the band don’t really know their way around the tune all that well, but that’s also what makes it so great and so fun. Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno has talked about Sade being one of his biggest influences and you can actually hear how it could easily be Deftones-ified when you listen to the original version. Pop songs? In other Whether youâre just starting to learn how to play the guitar or have a few years under your belt, learning a new rock song is always fun. Scroll through the gallery below to see the 55 best metal covers of classic rock hits and don't forget to check out the corresponding playlist (note: not all songs listed are available on Spotify). While the bare bones of the original are there, this version surges with anxiety and torment until, just like that, it comes to its abrupt end. But emotionally-wrought pop-punks The Ataris made it even better, speeding it up a bit and adding an extra bit of grit and urgency to the tune. NY Postâs 100 Greatest Cover Songs Of All Time Lists July 19, 2007 6:48 PM By Stereogum New York Post put together their unranked top 100 all time covers, and of ⦠But it’s this version of traditional folk song Where Did You Sleep Last Night? Well, if you downloaded their free cover of it in 2011, you would have done – and you’d know it’s absolutely brilliant to boot. The Best Cover Songs of 2018 May Be Better Than the Originals So good it hurts. Are we saying that Limp Bizkit are better than George Michael? Everyone loves bands that play cover songs. It makes perfect sense – if something inspires you to pick up a guitar, what better way to learn or hone your craft than by replicating the songs that first influenced you. We’ve compiled the best covers out to prove you wrong…. And that’s exactly what they did, adding layers of sumptuous instrumentation, while Chino, with a little help from Far’s Jonah Matranga, summoned fallen angels for his vocal performance. For sake of this list, versions of songs which fit the newer definition of cover version but not the original one are referred to as remakes. To be fair, there’s not much difference between the original and the Joan Jett version, but her take on it makes it an important anthem of unabashed female badassery. Here are the 20 best rock workout songs, energetic tunes that are sure to get your adrenaline flowing, your feet moving, and your heart rate up. Most lists were torched as tired, common, boring, worn out, etc. If we’re honest, there’s really just one good song on Eagles drummer/co-vocalist Don Henley’s second album, 1984’s Building The Perfect Beast, and it’s this one. Ever since there have been bands, there have been other bands, who come after and cover them live and on record. Some versions are straight-up, nearly note-for-note duplicates of the originals, while others take wild turns and are almost unrecognizable as the same song. Whether there's explicit intent behind covering a song or it's just for the absolute fun of it, it serves a lot of purposes. Well, it actually wasn’t – while Joan Jett & The Blackhearts made this song famous with their 1982 version, it was actually written and recorded by The Arrows in 1975. The cover song: its something that appeals to musicians at any level and at any point in their career. It might be one of The Clash’s most recognisable songs, but although it was recorded in 1979 Joe Strummer’s London punks, it wasn’t actually written by them. There are other covers on the collection, including songs by The Smiths, Jawbox, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Duran Duran, but this is by far the standout. I have read loads of threads asking for a critique of cover band set lists. Jimi Hendrix's cover of 'All Along The Watchtower' tops the list; Nirvana is only group to land two songs in top 10 In This Article: Jimi Hendrix , Rock and ⦠You've got our attention⦠Even if the worlds of rock, metal and hardcore ⦠When rock bands turn their attention to matters of the heart, they make songs that come in many shapes and sizesâsome tunes celebrate romance, while others mourn the loss of true love. Indeed, some bands (well, supergroups), like Me First And The Gimme Gimmes, have made entire careers out of covering other people’s songs, while Fearless Records’ Punk Goes Pop (and other genres) series shows how there’s money to be made from fresh takes of well-known songs. Rock songs with good bass bring a musical space that enriches the sound of other instruments when played. Disagree? The title track of Sade’s fourth album, 1992’s Love Deluxe, is a smooth, soulful, sensuous and slow R&B song. Okay, maybe not one for a first dance (unless you have a good sense of humour! The best cover songs make you forgot the first version existed (or turn you onto it and help to expand your musical palate). Mainly because the band somehow manager to inject it with even more layers of existential angst and abject melancholy, as the trio are wont to do. By Rachel Epstein ... Rock band Weezer decided to troll its fans and cover Toto's 1982 "Africa" after a ⦠Here are eight covers that rocked the â90s and gave each track a ⦠Salem – the band that features Creeper frontman Will Gould – played The K! Scroll through the gallery below to see the 55 best metal covers of classic rock ⦠The Best Of The Eurodance (90s and 00s) Suomi-iskelmä Suomi-iskelmä Master List More Jaakko Jäätmaa Listen to Top 100 Rock Songs of 2000s by Billboard now. With that in mind, here are the best 100 Greatest Rock Songs with Insanely Memorable Bass Well, it’s very close. Included on the Indiana band’s fourth full-length, 2003’s So Long, Astoria, it became – and remains to this day – their biggest hit. With that said, here are our top picks for the best R&B covers of rock and pop songs. And while the original version of this song, from 1973, is a classic in its own right, the way that Guns N’ Roses injected it with all the OTT excess of hard rock, not least Axl Rose’s histrionic singing and Slash’s soul-searching guitar lines, warrant its inclusion here, as does the fact it just pips Jimi Hendrix’s cover of Dylan’s All Along The Watchtower. But itâs Sinatraâ⦠But that crunching riff, the weird noises that punctuate it, Jonah’s hyper-emotional vocals and the fact that the songs manages to be both wholly serious and tongue-in-cheek (or somewhere else) at the same time make it as much of an absolute triumph of a cover as it as an unlikely one. But what makes these songs iconic is their elemental simplicity. Pit in association with Nordic Spirit at Blondies, our favourite East London dive bar. We're still not quite sure how that happened, but we're glad it did, just as we're glad to present our staff's picks for rock's best songs of 2018. 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