Here Are the 10 Best Cover Songs
Sarah Hyland/Boyce Avenue, “Closer”
βThe cover gurus andΒ βModern Familyβ star teamed up to create perhaps the most viral cover of 2016, which gaveΒ The Chainsmokers‘Β chart-topping hit a second wind just as it was starting to dwindle from the topΒ spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
Panic! At The Disco, “Bohemian Rhapsody”
After covering theΒ QueenΒ classic in concert for quite some time, Brendon Urie and his boys finally got the chance to recordΒ their version ofΒ “Bohemian Rhapsody” as part ofΒ theΒ Suicide Squadβ soundtrack.Β The songΒ might not haveΒ quiteΒ the same affect as if you were to hear it in person, but the recorded rendition still brings on the chills.
Sturgill Simpson, “In Bloom”
One of the more unrecognizable covers from the year, country rockerΒ Simpson took onΒ Nirvana‘s 1992 single as if he were the original artist to sing it, turning it into aΒ muchΒ chiller version.
Childish Gambino,Β “So Into You”
Donald GloverΒ has championedΒ hip-hop as his rapping alter ego, but when theΒ AtlantaΒ star took onΒ Tamia‘s ’90s R&B slow jam, he showed fans that his voice can also soundΒ smooth as silk.
βRihanna, “Same Ol’ Mistakes”
Rihanna‘s take onΒ Tame Impala‘s “New Person, Same Old Mistakes,” was literally a form of flattery, as she simply wanted to cover the song because she loved it — which resulted in a flawless RiRi rendition.Β It even warranted a shout-out from the OGs of the trippy track: “We’re all really happy with how the song turned out, love it!,” Tame’sΒ frontmanΒ Kevin Parker said in aΒ statement toΒ NME.
Calum Scott, “Dancing On My Own”
The British singer revealed the despair of the lyrics toΒ Robyn’s danceyΒ pop hit, turning it into a heartbreakingly slow-tempoedΒ track for his own version. As fun as the originalΒ may be, Scott’s painfully truthfulΒ cover apparentlyΒ resonated with Robyn fans and beyond — his coverΒ has more than double the views of Robyn’s recording.
Local Natives, “Ultralight Beamββ”
If there’s one type of group to cover aΒ Kanye WestΒ song, an indie bandΒ isn’t exactly the first to come to mind. But whenΒ Local NativesΒ sang theΒ Life of PabloΒ track while paying a visit to the Spotify Studios in NYC, they proved that wrong.
Dixie Chicks, “Daddy Lessons”
Like many listeners probably caught upon hearing Beyonce’sΒ βLemonadeβ, “Daddy Lessons” definitely has a country undertone — and theΒ Dixie ChicksΒ took that and ran with it when they performed overseasΒ in May. It was clearly an effective cover, as the country trio got toΒ perform the songΒ with Yonce herself on the Country Music Association awards just six months later (and there’s now a single version of the duet).
VΓRITΓ, “Somebody Else”
The Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter begins her version ofΒ The 1975‘s heartbreaking ballad in similar fashion to the haunting opening that the British rock group provides, but she quickly makes the song her own by giving it a bass-infusedΒ pop beat.
Shawn Mendes, “Fake Love”
The most recent addition to the cover bunch, Mendes decided to try adding rap to his resume by covering someΒ DrakeΒ in the BBC Live Lounge. Except instead of channeling his fellow Canadian’s swag, Mendes put his soulful heartthrob touch on the track to turn it into a song that could easily be mistaken for a tune that’s heard on his albumΒ Illuminate.
BONUS TRACKS
Because these three covers were done by the people who had a hand in writting the songs, we couldn’t count them in our official list. But because they’reΒ thatΒ good, we couldn’t let them go unmentioned either.
Taylor Swift, “This Is What You Came For”
A somewhat controversial choice after the ghostwriting drama her Nils SjΓΆberg pseudonym caused with Calvin Harris, Swift added the Rihanna-sung hit to her setlist at the Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, in October.
Ed Sheeran, “Love Yourself”
While it was no secret that SheeranΒ co-penned the No. 1 song with Justin Bieber, the British singer never sang his own version (partially due to his year-long hiatus he was on when the song came out).Β During what was his first performance in more than a year at a charity event in London, SheeranΒ decided to give it a go — and said that it may be the only time he’ll ever do so.
@edsheeranΒ performing the song he wrote forΒ @justinbieberpic.twitter.com/oPTif59Hux
β Mike (@miketomlinson)Β November 30, 2016
Bruno Mars, “All I Ask”
Following an interview where Mars called Adele a “diva” when talking about their songwriting process for one ofΒ herΒ 25Β heartbreakers, he put his own flair on the track in the BBC Radio 1Β Live Lounge.





