Having hundreds of YouTube videos stashed away in a playlist, I have noticed that many of the songs I have saved are a wide variety of covers. Here are eight covers you need to stuff in your ears and enjoy ASAP.
1. Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden | Covered by Stories ft. Jennah Bell
I’m going to list two covers of Soundgarden’s ‘Black Hole Sun’, because these two versions are phenomenal and would be a near sin to not list them. The first is by a YouTube account called Stories and they feature a young, talented singer named Jennah Bell.
2. Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden | Covered by Norah Jones
The second version of this classic song is done by Norah Jones. Her performance, according a comment listed under this video, was done five days after the passing of Chris Cornell at the exact same location of his last show. Her version carries a weight of sorrow that you can hear in each note, but you’ll likely feel moved to smile by the beauty of her voice and piano playing.
3. Teardrop by Massive Attack | Covered by Aurora
I discovered this next artist through this cover. Aurora has some phenomenal songs under her belt, and in her own gorgeous and quirky way delivers on Massive Attack’s ‘Teardrop’.
4. I’m Only Happy When It Rains by Garbage | Covered by Kawehi
Kawehi is YouTube sensation, and she has made her mark on the internet with her one-woman-show-done-in-one-take performances. Her ability to loop riffs and create elaborate songs is a talent in itself, but on top of that, she also sings. I highly suggest checking out her covers of Nine Inch Nails, AWOLNATION, and Led Zeppelin. She also has some great original songs too. I digress…
5. Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers | Covered by John Mayer
Next on the list is from one of the greatest guitarists/songwriters in the world, John Mayer. In his cover of ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’, originally done by Bill Withers, he truly takes the song to a different level. Accompanied by his bands incredible rhythm and groove, Mayer captures his audience with his Stevie Ray Vaughan-inspired showmanship.
6. I Sat By The Ocean by Queens of the Stone Age | Covered by Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, Kevin Parker, and Kirin J. Callinan
Queens of the Stone Age is one of my favorite bands. I was hesitant when I originally clicked on this video, but thankfully I did. This is the best QOTSA cover to date. The synth bass in this cover is one of the elements that brings joy to my heart – it’s played so well.
7. No Diggity by Blackstreet ft. Dr. Dre, Queen Pen | Covered by Chet Faker
For a group of white boys, I feel this is a pretty solid version of this classic record. The bluesy nature of this cover and how smooth these guys play makes it unique, but doesn’t take away from how cool the original song is.
8. I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston | Covered by Scary Pockets ft. Olivia Kuper Harris
No one will ever match the greatness of Whitney Houston, but this is a fun and funky cover of her hit ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’. Scary Pockets rotates musicians, but they cover some great music. Have fun jumping into that rabbit hole!
