The top 15 best covers of all time
Mary-Anne Rielly

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15. The Shins covering “We Will Become Silhouettes,” by The Postal Service

Purely due to preference of their vocals, as well as the pleasing harmonies and more apparent use of the acoustic guitar, this cover manages to bring certain vibrancy to the lyrics which The Postal Office, I feel, does not invoke. ​

14. Iron and Wine covering “Such Great Heights,” by The Postal Service

Possibly pertaining to my aversion to most Electro-pop songs, or perhaps due to the fact that Iron & Wine are one of my favourite artists right now, there is no doubt in my mind that the original version of Such Great Heights simply doesn’t do the song justice. PS. @ThePostalOffice, it’s not personal..

13. Cat Power covering “Sea of Love,” by Phil Phillips and The Twilights

Cat Power’s rendition of the 1950s classic deserves a lot of admiration (despite the fact that personally, I prefer the original) as the beautifully controlled vocals transform the song into a very personal, sweet, and raw ballad.

12. Johnny Cash covering “Hurt,” by Nice Inch Nails

There’s really no need to justify the reason why I have chosen this cover; Johnny Cash has surely claimed the song through his brooding voice and nearly 50 years of experience.

11. Birdy covering “Skinny Love,” by Bon Iver

Birdy’s hauntingly beautiful cover of Skinny Love needed to be featured on this list- it’s a wonderful thing when an artist can invoke such emotion through their work, and an even greater thing when they can bring the words of others to life in the same way.

10. Ike and Tina Turner covering “Proud Mary,” by Creedence Clearwater

There’s no denying the talent of the sometimes dubbed “queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll” Tina Turner. Her gift is particularly exemplified in her famous cover of Proud Mary into which she injects vitality and energy, a trait which is simply not of the same standard in the original.

9. Bruce Springsteen covering “Jersey Girl,” by Tom Waits

Although Tom Waits’ coarse vocals certainly suit some of his other material, Springsteen’s smoother and more melodic approach to Jersey Girl makes for an all-together more harmonious version of the song.

8. Hozier covering “Whole Lotta Love,” by Led Zeppelin

Reminiscent of his debut album, HOZIER, this rendition of a Led Zeppelin classic boasts beautiful, harmonic vocals and warm percussion thanks to the cello. Although it doesn’t contain Jimmy Page’s iconic guitar solo, the cover certainly deserves credit.

7. Metallica covering “Whisky in The Jar,” by The Dubliners

You wouldn’t have expected thrash metal and folk to mix, would you? But thanks to James Hetfield’s strong vocals this tune has been completely transformed by the heavy metal group, from a traditional Irish Folk Song to an iconic Metallica tune. Impressive.

6. Soft Cell covering “Tainted Love,” by Gloria Jones

An exception to my aversion towards Electro-pop has to be made for this cover of the 1964 tune, which  went on to set a Guinness World Record for the longest consecutive stay (43 weeks) on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Need I say more?

5. Toploader covering “Dancing in the Moonlight,” by Thin Lizzy 

Although the original of this party favourite doesn’t need the help of a cover to bring the lyrics to life, Toploader have succeeded in bringing the song into a more modern music landscape (at the price of Scott Gorham’s epic guitar solo, however).

4. Whitney Houston covering “I Will Always Love You,” by Dolly Parton

I almost feel sorry for Dolly Parton- it’s not the nicest of feelings when your work has been completely blown out of the water by a cover. But when you listen to versions side by side, Whitney Houston and her outstanding vocal ability kind of makes Parton’s attempt seem a little futile (sorry).

3. Amy Winehouse covering “Valerie,” by The Zutons

Not many people know that perhaps Amy Winehouse’s most famous song was in fact a cover, but quite frankly, I don’t blame them; Winehouse’s iconic vocals have certainly claimed the song for themselves.

2. Sinead O’Connor covering “Nothing Compares 2 U,” by Prince

Don’t get me wrong- Prince is an exceptional artist and deserves no bad word said against him. However, there is something about Sinead O’Connor’s version of Nothing Compares 2 U that’s just, in my mind, unparalleled.

1. Jeff Buckley/Rufus Wainwright covering Leonard Cohen's “Hallelujah”

There’s a reason why Hallelujah is easily one of the most covered songs ever; Leonard Cohen’s pure lyrical GENIUS. Out of the many professional covers of the ballad, (not including the hundreds of unprofessional renditions) the two versions above have been selected due to their ability to give the song the justice it deserves. And for that, Jeff Buckley and Rufus Wainwright are very worthy of the top spot on my 15 Best Covers playlist.