And don’t get cute and do songs people don’t know are covers like I Will Always Love You or Torn
Johnny Cash did a good job with “Hurt”
I’m not saying you’re wrong but I do think the love of this cover is one of the most insane popular opinions in all of music. I will die on the hill that if it was anyone other than the man in black, everyone would agree.
It sounds so, so bad to me. People say you can really hear the hurt in his voice but he sounds no different than any old man who used to sing but hasn’t kept up the practice. It’s warbly and honestly sounds like shit. The instrumentation is equally boring
People (not you) say there’s more emotion than the original but Trent Reznor sounds like he’s actively going through withdrawals, expressing several different emotions as the song evolves.
Sorry for the rant. I’ll cap it off by saying it’s equally dumb to me that the song is about pain and regret but Cash’s music video just…aggrandizes his life with a montage of classic Johnny Cash moments.
You’ve just said what I’ve been thinking all these years. Except the video. I think that might be why people praised it. They knew he didn’t have long to live and the video is pretty heartbreaking when you think he might have chose the song because he was bitter about losing everything he ever worked for.
IMHO, the cover sucked but I do think it was from the heart.
I went back and watched the video and ehhh I dunno, it’s footage of old shows and concerts mixed with some really on-the-nose imagery. Though I don’t disagree with your final point.
I haven’t listened to it in awhile and I forgot the mix is pretty bad, too lol
Pretty much any song he covered ended up being the definitive version.
Yeah…but only because he’s Johnny Cash. No way the cover was getting radio play if it was just some random old guy who recorded it
He actually wasn’t an old guy his entire career.
Yeah and he was making good music until he became one
Also Johnny Cash with “The Mercy Seat”
It’s a toss up between Cave and Cash for me. Both are fantastic songs.
Smooth Criminal - Alien Ant Farm
All along the watchtower covered by Hendrix.
All Along the Watchtower covered by Bear McCreary (Battlestar Galactica).
Cool but disagree
There’s no way you actually like Dylan’s version better. It’s shit compared to hendrix’s version.
Hallelujah
Written and originally sung by Leonard Cohen:
But it was Jeff Buckley’s hauntingly beautiful cover of it that made the song known to the world:
I love k.d. lang’s version
ZOMG, no one has mentioned this version of What’s up by 4 non blondes
Its sung by he-man and friends and is catchy AF, even in 2026
Mad World
I was shocked when I finally heard the original after hearing like 3 or 4 covers of it first. Tears for Fears’ original version is just… It’s not bad, but it’s the least good version of that song. Lol.
Holy shit I could not disagree with you more. Tears for Fears’ original version is far superior to any cover I’ve heard, including and especially Gary Jules.
You’re welcome to your opinion but wow I can’t stress enough how much I hate it.I admire your courage to speak your truth ;)
Nirvana - The Man Who Sold The World
David Draimen is a bootlicking chud but I love Disturbed’s cover of Sound of Silence. Fuck
out of the loop, what’d he do?
He signed a bunch of Israeli bombs
David is awesome and their cover is awesome!
The cover is awesome, but he is still a bootlicking chud
VKTRS by TPotUSoA is neutral genre swap, probably a downgrade honestly. The original has a wistful, nostalgic tone that supports the content of the lyrics. I just binged all the covers I could find, and the only one that really does anything with it is Postmodern Jukebox.
I love the original, and I love The Presidents, so I have love for both versions.
Orgy “Blue Monday”
Kelly Clarkson covered Taylor Swift’s Better Man in her TV show a couple of years ago and it was an entirely different song. Like she felt it in her bones. She elevated it.
Postal Service turned Such Great Heights from a low-fi, indie-folk coffee shop vibe (originally done by Iron & Wine) into 100% millennial optimism pop.
Hilary & Hayley Duff covered Our Lips Are Sealed and I’m just kidding that one was actually terrible.
Iron & Wine’s version is the cover - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Such_Great_Heights#Track_listing
Wow haha thanks for the info!
Heatwave. Linda Ronstadt crushed it.
All Along The Watchtower, because Hendrix.
Chris Cornell’s cover of Nothing compares to you
And his cover of “Billie Jean.”
The Jennifer Saunders version of Holding Out for a Hero from Shrek 2
The Rufus Wainright version of Hallelujah from Shrek 1 (but the Jeff Buckley and John Cale versions are even better)
Comfortably Numb by Scissor Sisters
Ring of Fire by Wall of Voodoo
Rusty Cage by Johnny Cash
I Feel Love by Dengue Fever
All I Want/Heroes by Lightouts
Going to have to disagree on Comfortably Numb. To me that is a song that cannot be covered
