All Time Greatest Cover Songs

Steps to making a good cover song: 1) Start with a song that is already good or has potential to be good 2) Improve on the original version or make the song live up to potential and 3) do something special to make the song your own. Whether through better musicianship, vocals, emotion, etc. a great cover version takes the original song and gives it a new life.

This is a collection of the cover songs that were most certainly better the second time through. Don't agree with the list? Place your vote or if you are a logged in, add a new item for others to vote on.

1) Rock & Roll - Heart (Led Zeppelin)

“Its on HEART’s Greatest hits CD.Not the CD from the 80’s the one when HEART was a real rock, Band 1975-1980.”

jerryw08

“Its on HEART’s Greatest hits CD.Not the CD from the 80’s the one when HEART was a real rock, Band 1975-1980.”

jerryw08

“Roger Fisher is one of the great guitar players of all time and shows it as he lays down some Jimmy Page.”

» more comments on Rock & Roll - Heart (Led Zeppelin)

2) Something - Shirley Bassey (The Beatles)

“Shirley Basseyâ€™s cover of George Harrisonâ€™s Perfect Ballad actually has sold more copies than the original Beatles release >>> which is â€™Somethingâ€™ in itself! Harrisonâ€™s song was the perfect vehicle for Basseyâ€™s emotionally charged and powerful range /register vocal abilities. See Shirley Bassey sing this song, live, on Youtube)”

3) To Feel The Fire - Gackt (Stevie Wonder)

“like better than the original ^^ really good song. maybe not to well english pronunciation. but still the song rocks!”

4) Dust in the Wind - Sarah Brightman (Kansas)

“I actually like Sarah’s version better than the original. She’s a genius.”

tarot_contralto

“When Sarah covers a piece of music, the unique beauty of her voice and the sensitive emotional phrasing she brings to it leave her name forever inscribed on that song.”

timhatcher

5) All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix (Bob Dylan)

“This whole site is biased and mainstreamed towards sarah brightman. Horrible. This cover is ridiculously amazing. It’s a cover and it’s one of hendrix’s best songs, and it’s hendrix.”

jewunit69

“Jimi Hendrix was very talented.”

wsl777

“Brilliant throughout”

kingmadmushroom

» more comments on All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix (Bob Dylan)

6) To Love You More - Sarah Geronimo (Celine Dion)

“her version was better than the original”

freddie60

7) Turn The Page - Metallica (Bob Seager)

8) Man Who Sold The World - Nirvana (David Bowie)

“better than the original”

gberisha

9) Walk - Avenged Sevenfold (Pantera)

“A7X’s version is like almost as awesome as Pantera’s”

HighSkoolArtist

“perfect rendition of the song. syn’s solo couldn’t more exact”

“Best ever!”

» more comments on Walk - Avenged Sevenfold (Pantera)

10) Knockin' on Heavens Door - Guns N Roses (Bob Dylan)

“GNR has brought emotion into this song n made it lively”

Joyrider

“Best song, ever. Covered by the best band ever. Anything better? no”

Matis

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Choices Not In The Top Ten

11) It's My Life - No Doubt (Talk Talk)

12) Hurt - Johnny Cash (Nine Inch Nails)

“The cover has a completely different feel, but is still on par with the original.”

Ekolod

“Johnny Cash owns nine Inch Nails”

Miles101

“Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor now calls it the song thats no longer his. He is right”

13) Feeling Good - Muse (Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse)

“moving cover version by a legendary rock band”

14) No Quarter - Tool (Led Zeppelin)

15) My Perogative - Britney Spears (Bobby Brown)

“Incredible song. It characterises Britney Spears.”

16) Whiskey In The Jar - Metallica (Thin Lizzy)

“Metallica has a grammy for that song!”

kkkppp

17) Satisfaction - Britney Spears (The Rolling Stones)

“Britney has the amazing ability to take a song that was initially written for another artist and turn it into her own style. Satisfaction is awesome through her unique voice.”

18) Hallelujah - Jekk Buckley (Leonard Cohen)

19) Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds - HYDE (The Beatles)

“No one else can do a better version of this ever.”

20) Higher Ground - Red Hot Chili Peppers (Stevie Wonder)

21) Sweet Dreams - Marilyn Manson (The Eurythmics)

22) I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye (Gladys Knight)

“This has got to be the greatest original and cover song of time. Both #1 hits.”

23) Blew - Miyavi (Nirvana)

“A fierce performance, with furious acoustic guitar - I think the boys of Nirvana would be entertained by Miyavi, because he is on fire! and happily insane.”

24) Love Song - 311 (The Cure)

“Great reggae version, but I’m sorry, Nick Hexum is no deuche.”

Lemonjelo

“For as much of a douche as Nick Hexum is... this song has an amazing groove.”

25) Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O’ Connor (Prince)

26) Stone Cold Crazy - Metallica (Queen)

27) Oops...I Did It Again - Children Of Bodom (Britney Spears)

“Best cover ever because it turned one of the worst songs ever made into something decent, well-composed and not just pop crap.”

28) I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston (Dolly Parton)

“I find it crazy that Iâ€™m adding this. Maybe itâ€™s because everyone thinks that it was her song.”

29) Louie Louie - The Kingsmen (Richard Berry)

30) Land of Confusion - Disturbed (Genesis)

“Epic.”

31) You Really Got Me - Van Halen (The Kinks)

32) It's All Coming Back To Me Now - Celine Dion (Pandora's Box)

“Noone can deny the fact that the first time the person listened to this song would really feel the power and the greatness of the song. Wrote by famous songwriter Jim Steinman, "It’s All Coming Back To Me Now" has proven itself that it is the greatest song ever. Great arrangement. Great vocals from Celine Dion, Fantastic lyrics, bundled into a very classic, unforgettable and enthralling song. This song has made an indelible mark both in music and on human memory.”

RLAAMJR

“Not a shadow of doubt that Celine’s version of this song is way better and more baeutiful.”

RLAAMJR

“Celine has a voice that no one has and it is a god giving talent and its the song ever she has a range that no one can top not even Mariah Cary can top plus she is the number one singer in the world and can belt out any song with so much power that it knocks the socks right of your feet. Plus she is a real person and is not fake or full of them selves unlike some famous people I now who think there the greatest thing since slice bread plus she gives some her money to charity and is a greacious, kind, funny is a great person and a amazing mom to her son and has a loving relationship with her husband for a long time and no one can top that no matter how hard they try.”

» more comments on It's All Coming Back To Me Now - Celine Dion (Pandora's Box)

33) Mony Mony - Billy Idol (Tommy James & the Shondells)

“Best ride the pony song ever.”

biscuits

34) Master Of Puppets - Trivium (Metallica)

“Great Song already Trivium just added a youthful energy to it”

35) Bringing On The Heartbreak - Mariah Carey (Def Leppard)

“this cover is best of original becausE MARIAH IS THE BEST!!!!”

36) Wild is the Wind - Cat Power (Nina Simone)

37) Lake of Fire - Nirvana (Meat Puppets)

“Outstanding!! My favourite cover of all time! This song is truely emotional to listen to. R.I.P Kurt”

38) Where Did You Sleep, Last Night? - Nirvana (Leadbelly/Appalachian folk song)

“My girl, my girl, don’t lie to me,
Tell me where did you sleep last night?

In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don’t ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
(shiver for me)

Nirvana gave a haunting rendition of "Where Did You Sleep, Last Night?" during their Unplugged performance for MTV.

Apparently, Kurt Cobain had originally heard this song performed by Leadbelly. But when I went to find out, for sure, whose song this was, I found that it dates back to at least the 1870’s, as an Appalachian folk song, and that it is more commonly known by the title, "In the Pines." Even someone who researched the song was not able to find its creator.

In any case, to Kurt Cobain, it was a Leadbelly cover. He sang it with heart.

For those interested:
"How did Kurt Cobain discover "In the Pines"? Long before Nirvana’s rise, he and Mark Lanegan, leader of the Seattle rock group Screaming Trees, formed a friendship around a mutual love of Leadbelly. Mr. Lanegan owned a copy of the original Musicraft 78 rpm of "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" that Leadbelly recorded in 1944. "My father gave me the record when I was a kid," Mr. Lanegan says. "He was a schoolteacher, and he found in the attic of an old school a box of blues records." Mr. Lanegan and Mr. Cobain recorded an EP of Leadbelly tunes, but only "Where Did You Sleep" was released on Mr. Lanegan’s 1990 album, "The Winding Sheet," with Mr. Cobain playing guitar."
- From The New York Times (November 13, 1994) Section 2; Page 36, "A Simple Song That Lives Beyond Time," By Eric Weisbard

”

39) Twist and Shout - The Beatles (Topnotes)

“amazing. i never knew it was a cover song.”

40) I Wanna Hold Your Hand - T.V. Carpio (The Beatles)

41) Last Kiss - Pearl Jam (Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers)

42) Love Hurts - Nazareth (Roy Orbison)

43) Come Together - Aerosmith (The Beatles)

44) Simple Man - Shinedown (Lynryd Skynrd)

“love this song great words to live by”

45) I Love Rock 'n' Roll - Joan Jett (The Arrows)

“this is the version everyone is probably most familiar with”

46) Power Of Love - Celine Dion (Jennifer Rush)

“I’ve always heard "The Power Of Love" played on the radio before and I really didn’t like the voice because the singer’s voice was shrill. When I’ve learned that Celine sung this song too, I decided to know her version ’cos even if DJ’s mistakenly name the singer of the song as Celine, I know that it wasn’t her ’cos the voice wasn’t beautiful. And when I heard a better version of this song, I immediately recognized Celine’s voice. And I was right ’cos when i finally got her "The Colour Of My Love" album, I knew that her own version was the best one. The Power Of Love has also become a hit especially that Celine also sung a high note at one part of the song. Great lyrics.”

RLAAMJR

47) Sweet Jane - The Cowboy Junkies (The Velvet Underground)

48) Please Be With Me - Eric Clapton (Cowboy)

49) I'm Only Sleeping - The Vines (The Beatles)

“Simply Amazing. Any Fan of either the Vines or The Beatles should listen. Heck if you love music hear this song!”

50) Under Pressure- My Chemical Romance & The Used (Queen)

“I really like it.”

51) Run - Leona Lewis (Snow Patrol)

52) Crossroads - Cream (Robert Johnson)

53) Quinn the Eskimo - Manfred Mann (Bob Dylan)

54) Hair Of A Dog - Guns N' Roses (Nazareth)

“I love it”

55) I Love Rock 'n' Roll - Britney Spears (The Arrows)

“Britney claims that "I Love Rock ’n’ Roll" is one of her favoutite songs ever. I think she is right.”

56) I Fought The Law - The Clash (Sonny Curtis and The Crickets)

57) Since I Don't Have You - Guns N Roses (The Skyliners)

58) All By Myself - Celine Dion (Eric Carmen)

59) Somebody Put Something in My Drink - Children Of Bodom (The Ramones)

60) (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - Otis Redding (The Rolling Stones)

“Soulful... Brilliant.”

61) You're No Good - Linda Ronstadt (Betty Everett)

62) Rainy Night in Georgia - Brook Benton (Tony Joe White)

63) Love is the Answer - England Dan & John Ford Coley (Utopia)

64) Talk Talk - Alice Cooper (The Music Machine)

65) Always on My Mind - Pet Shop Boys (Willie Nelson)

66) Wicked Game - HIM (Chris Isaak)

67) Wish - Linkin Park (Nine Inch Nails)

“Really the best cover ever. I donâ€™t think the NIN version is so good, but Chester and Linkin Park really makes it have that angry, rough tone that NIN couldnâ€™t give.”

68) Jolene - White Stripes (Dolly Parton)

“A good rock version to an old classic.”

69) Pride and Joy - SRV (Jimi Hendrix)

70) Still Loving You - Sonata Arctica (Scorpions)

“The best cover of all times.”

71) Bridge Over Troubled Water - Aretha Franklin (Simon & Garfunkel)

72) Umbrella - Vanilla Sky (Rihanna)

“Fun”

73) We Will Rock You - Five (Queen)

“Lot of people like this song. I love this version.”

74) Live and Let Die - Guns N' Roses (Wings)

“Just listen to it”

“This is Truly a great song. It deseves to be in the top
”

75) Blue Monday - Orgy (New Order)

76) Hazy Shade of Winter - The Bangles (Simon and Garfunkel)

77) Boys of Summer - The Ataris (Don Henley)

“Don Henley sounds as good as the Ataris when his song’s sped up. Love his song.”

78) I Don't Want to Miss a Thing - Regine Velasquez (Aerosmith)

79) Blinded by the Light - Manfred Mann's Earth Band (Bruce Springsteen)

“SIMPLY THE BEST COVER”

80) Everybody's Talkin' - Harry Nilsson (Fred Neil)

81) Without You - Harry Nilsson (Badfinger)

82) Sit Down, I Think I Love You - The Mojo Men (Buffalo Springfield)

83) Handy Man - James Taylor (Jimmy Jones)

84) Mama Told Me (Not to Come) - The Animals (Randy Newman)

85) Outlaw Man - The Eagles (David Blue)

86) This Boy - Bruce Roberts (The Beatles)

87) Thing Called Love - Bonnie Raitt (John Hiatt)

88) I Shot the Sheriff - Eric Clapton (Bob Marley & The Wailers)

89) Blue Bayou - Linda Ronstadt (Roy Orbison)

90) Don't Leave Me This Way - Thelma Houston (Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes)

91) When Will I Be Loved - Linda Ronstadt (The Everly Brothers)

92) Lay All Your Love on Me - Information Society (ABBA)

93) You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling - The Four Tops (Righteous Brothers)

94) War Pigs - Sacred Reich (Black Sabbath)

“Everybody needs to hear this song. These guys really did justice to this song. I’m sure Ozzy gave props.”

95) Valerie - Mark Ronson & Amy Winehouse (The Zutons)

96) Love the One You're With - Stephen Stills (The Isley Brothers)

97) Hallelujah - Rufus Wainwright (Leonard Cohen)

“Truly the greatest cover of this masterpiece.”

98) Gringo en Mexico - Maria Muldaur (Wendy Waldman)

99) You've Got a Friend - James Taylor (Carole King)

100) Born To Be Wild - Steppenwolf (Mars Bonfire)

“Steppenwolf made this song famous! Much better than the original in my opinion.”