A great cover song does more than just repeat the lyrics; it completely reinvents the mood of the song for a new generation. A redditor crowdsourced the community on r/MusicRecommendations for the best ones, asking, “What’s your favorite cover song of all time?”
In the popular thread on r/MusicRecommendations, redditors debate the best cover songs of all time, highlighting the tracks that famously — and sometimes controversially — eclipsed the original versions.
1. “Nothing Compares 2 U” – Sinead O’Connor
It is the gold standard of covers, a ballad so thoroughly transformed by raw emotion that many fans don’t realize that originally it was a Prince song.
2. “Hurt” – Johny Cash
When a music legend covers your song at the end of his life, it stops being yours. Just ask Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails.
3. “Hallelujah” – Jeff Buckley
While “Hallelujah” is originally a Leonard Cohen song, Buckley’s haunting, ethereal rendition is often cited as the definitive version of a modern classic.
4. “With a Little Help From My Friends” – Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker’s version of the cheerful Beatles tune turns it into a gritty, soulful anthem.
5. “I Will Survive” – Cake
Gloria Gaynor’s high-energy disco anthem gets a monotone, deadpan rock makeover that somehow works perfectly.
6. “Man Who Sold the World” – Kurt Cobain
This unplugged performance of the David Bowie track, recorded decades after the original, remains one of the most powerful moments in ’90s rock history.
7. “Respect” – Aretha Franklin
Few remember that “Respect” was originally an Otis Redding song, but the Queen of Soul made it all her own.
8. “Smooth Criminal” – Alien Ant Farm
It started as a nu-metal novelty, but this high-energy take on Michael Jackson remains a playlist staple.
Whether they reworked a classic into a new genre or stripped it back to its acoustic roots, these artists proved that a great song can live many lives. What cover song do you listen to more than the original?
Want more music suggestions like this? Read the full thread in r/MusicRecommendations, and find more conversations like this in r/Music, r/ListenToThis, and r/Covers.
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