The 100 Greatest Cover Songs of All Time

Cover songs—modern music is practically built off of them. Artists interpreting other artists’ work has been around since the dawn of compositions, and they’ve been particularly popular here in the United States since World War II. A common practice among traditional pop spheres, folks like Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong built much of their legacies off of taking someone else’s song and turning it into their own unique wonder. Years ago, the Paste staff compiled a “50 covers better than the original” list and updated it in 2022, but the music section has opted to take it all one step further and chart over 70 years of modern music and decide which translations are the best of the best.

And we’re taking everyone into consideration here. Heavy hitters like Johnny Cash, Whitney Houston and The Beatles are here, as to be expected, but we’ve also got less immediately obvious names on here like Cayetanna, Animotion and, yes, Michael Cera the actor. And, just a head’s up, some really famous covers are outside the Top 30—and that’s because we are also taking into consideration the distance in quality between the original song and the cover in question (here’s looking at you “Hurt” and “Hallelujah”). The question then becomes: Who took a track and made it so iconic and so impactful that most folks don’t remember who even recorded the first version? The answer, we hope, lies in this ranking.

As a caveat to keep in mind while reading: For this list, we will not be taking songs like Nico’s “These Days,” Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want To Have Fun,” CSNY’s “Woodstock” and Wilco’s “California Stars” into consideration, as they are, in fact, the first released studio iteration of the track, not a cover of a song already on a 7” or an LP somewhere. And, in the case of “Girls Just Want To Have Fun,” especially, demo songs do not count either. Doing this makes everything more streamlined and clears any mud from the water. So, from The Drifters cementing their legacy on “White Christmas” to synth-pop heroes Naked Eyes taking a crack at a Burt Bacharach song to Natalie Imbruglia setting the earth on fire with “Torn,” here are the 100 greatest cover songs of all time. —Matt Mitchell, Music Editor

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100. Rascal Flatts: “Life Is a Highway”

Though it was originally recorded by Tom Cochrane in 1991, “Life Is a Highway” fully belongs to pop country titans Rascal Flatts. The trio made their own rendition for the Cars soundtrack and you’re out of your mind if you try arguing that this song is not an absolute, un-skippable banger. Rascal Flatts took it all the way to #7 on the Hot 100 and it’s a tune that rivals Pixar originals like Randy Newman’s “You’ve Got a Friend” and Idina Menzel’s “Let It Go.” I’ll blare this track any day of the week. It’s still better than 95% of the pop country music songs being released right now. —Matt Mitchell

99. José Gonzalez: “Heartbeats”

Who knew turning a synth-pop classic into a classical acoustic arrangement could be such a slam dunk? José Gonzalez covered The Knife’s “Heartbeats” for his debut album Veneer in 2003 and his career would explode in the UK and US in the next few years after. It’s a striking rendition of a song that was already monolithic in its own right. —MM

98. Pearl Jam: “Last Kiss”

Originally recorded and released by Wayne Cochran in 1961, Pearl Jam took the teen tragedy story of “Last Kiss” and made it contemporary. They performed it for the No Boundaries: A Benefit for the Kosovar Refugees charity album in 1999 and it would top the Australian and Icelandic singles charts while also peaking at #2 in the US and Canada—their highest-charting entry to date. “Last Kiss” is a heartbreaking tale for any generation, and the ache of watching a lover die too soon still reverberates. —MM

97. Neil Young: “Four Strong Winds”

The closing track from Neil Young’s 1978 album Comes a Time, “Four Strong Winds” was originally recorded by Ian and Sylvia in 1962 and released into the era of Greenwich Village folk music that spawned folks like Phil Ochs, Joan Baez and, of course, Bob Dylan. When Young got his hands on it 16 years later, he fashioned it into a more contemporary, country-inspired duet with his beloved collaborator Nicolette Larson. The song is a far and away one of the brightest standouts on Comes a Time, and it makes you wish Shakey had churned out more cover tunes in his prime. —MM

96. Bananarama: “Venus”

“Venus” is low on the list because Shocking Blue’s original 1969 version is incredible. But, Bananrama did hit #1 on the singles chart in seven countries, including in the States. “Venus” is one of the few songs in history to have multiple iterations hit #1 on the Hot 100, which cements its legacy as one of the most important pop tracks ever. While Shocking Blue spun the tune into gold for the counterculture generation, Bananarama gave Gen-Xers something to holler about. —MM

95. Tricky: “Black Steel”

It didn’t take much to turn Public Enemy’s sinuous masterpiece into something even nastier and more serpentine. All you had to do, according to the artist known as Tricky, was turn the Bomb Squad beat into an almost industrialized palpitation, complete with thrashy guitar work, and put the masterful words of Chuck D into the mouth of Martina Topley-Bird. Through her, the voice of a furious Black man forced into a penitentiary for dodging the Vietnam draft and ready to break free becomes insinuating and sleek, as if he could slip through the bars of his prison cell and smack down a few guards before he got to the chorus. —Robert Ham

94. Michael Andrews & Gary Jules: “Mad World”

“Mad World” began as a synth-coated Tears For Fears ‘80s classic, which stands alone with the atmospheric vocals of Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal. However, the dark wave lyrics were turned into a haunting ballad by Michael Andrews & Gary Jules for the 2001 psychological thriller Donnie Darko. The lyrics “And I find it kind of funny / I find it kind of sad. The dreams in which I’m dying / Are the best I’ve ever had” deserved to be slowed down and drawn out to truly be devoured—we can thank a movie about time travel and a deranged rabbit for this sorrowful expression of loneliness. —Olivia Abercrombie

93. Charles Bradley: “Changes”

Listening to the late Charles Bradley perform “Changes,” backed by The Budos Band, it’s hard to remember that this song was ever anything other than a soul classic—that it was a cover of Black Sabbath and not James Brown. But even the original was drenched in emotion, a pretty piano ballad strangely sandwiched between the heavy fuzz of “Tomorrow’s Dream” and amusicality of “FX” on the band’s 1972 album Vol. 4. But even Ozzy can’t compete with Screaming Eagle of Soul, who took the novel track and made the breakup song one of his signature live numbers and the title track for his third album. When he sings, “I feel unhappy, I feel so sad / I’ve lost the best friend that I ever had,” you feel the depth of sorrow in Tommy Iommi’s lyrics. —Josh Jackson

92. Galaxie 500: “Ceremony”

Like every piece of music this Boston trio produced, Galaxie 500 took the post-punk drive of this brilliant song by Joy Division / New Order and slowed it down to a sensual slow ride of psychedelic purring and garage pop undulations. Heard for the first time, it’s a disorienting shift, but once you find your feet, this new take on an instant classic becomes a majestic ride on a steadily building wave of guitar drones and drummer Damon Krukowski’s steady yet exploratory rhythms. —RH

91. Ramones: “Baby, I Love You”

Made famous first by the Ronettes in 1963, “Baby, I Love You” is one of the best pop songs of its time—due in large part to a combination of Ronnie Bennett’s vocals, Phil Spector’s arrangements and instrumentation by the Wrecking Crew. However, in 1980, NYC punk pioneers the Ramones would cover the song for their middle-of-the-road LP End of the Century and completely rewrite the book on it. At the time of its release, critics hated it. Kurt Loder wrote in Rolling Stone that it was a “sludged-out rehash of the Ronettes antiquity.” Contemporary assessments are more of the same, with Evan Minsker of Pitchfork calling it a “pound-for-pound attempt to relive Spector’s golden years.” I disagree, though. I think it’s one of the most charming takes on a pop classic—emphasized even more by the fact that a punk band is responsible for it. I’m not saying a full Ramones record of doo-wop tunes would’ve been a whopping success, but I can’t like: Joey Ramone sounds incredibly good here as he labors to get the words out. Both versions of the song are equally important to me, personally, which means nothing—but I couldn’t let this list go on without a mention. —MM

90. Cayetana: “Age of Consent”

While New Order’s original rendition of “Age of Consent” endures as one of the greatest songs ever, many have tried their hand at replicating the magic—including Arcade Fire, Buffalo Tom and Built to Spill. But only one group has managed to cover the song for the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before soundtrack and make it stick, and that’s Philadelphia rock heroes Cayetana. Allegra Anka adds an extra flavor to the legendary bassline originated by Peter Hook, while Augusta Koch’s vocals take Bernard Sumner’s haunted, spectral singing and turns it into something full of hope. —MM

89. Michael Cera: “Clay Pigeons”

Michael Cera’s cover of “Clay Pigeons” was great before TikTok users made it a popular audio. The Canadian actor released his debut album, true that, in 2014 on Bandcamp and it’s a pretty great lo-fi folk record. Folks initially compared the album to Jason Schwartzman’s band Coconut Records, but they exist in such separate universes. Cera’s songs feel like they were never meant to be heard or, at the very least, were last-minute recordings he opted to put on the internet for the hell of it. But in the thick of sublime balladry and instrumentals is “Clay Pigeons,” the track made famous by Blaze Foley and then again by John Prine decades later. Prine’s rendition is likely the consensus favorite but, given where indie folk is now, Cera’s tune still feels impressively urgent and lovely. —MM

88. The Marcels: “Blue Moon”

The Marcels’ “Blue Moon” is so famous that you wouldn’t be off-base for thinking it was their song to begin with. But, it was first recorded by Connee Boswell and Al Bowlly in 1935, and then it became a hit twice in 1949 when Billy Eckstine and Mel Tormé each struck gold. Elvis had covered it in 1954, but it stalled at #55 on the Hot 100. It was in 1961, though, when the Pittsburgh doo-wop group made it eternal. It went #1 in the States, UK, New Zealand and Canada and remains one of the most recognizable and cherished songs of its era. Bobby Vinton, Sam Cooke, Dean Martin, Cyndi Lauper, Bob Dylan and even the Chromatics would give it a shot at various points in history, but no one has been able to replicate the magic The Marcels found 62 years ago. —MM

87. Fiona Apple: “Across The Universe”

Seven years and a baker’s dozen albums into their career, The Beatles released “Across The Universe” on Let It Be—a gorgeous, poetic track that John Lennon believed the band phoned in with out-of-tune guitars and singing, yet the song’s spiritual message immediately connected with fans. Almost 30 years later, Fiona Apple gave the track the thoughtful recording it deserved. Her delicate vocals were carefully crafted around the meditative lyrics of the original, and the production of woodwinds and soft acoustics accompanied the song’s mellow rhythm, completing the song with careful consideration in a way I’m sure John Lennon would have adored. —OA

86. Cat Stevens: “Another Saturday Night”

A Top 10 hit single in 1963 for Sam Cooke, “Another Saturday Night” is one of the catchiest, most energetic soul songs of its era and even features all-time great drummer Hal Blaine on percussion. 11 years later, folk singer Cat Stevens would record his own version and watch it peak at #6 on the Hot 100. It was one of the only non-album singles that would net Stevens so much success, as he rode the momentum of albums like Tea for the Tillerman and Teaser and the Firecat straight to the bank. “Another Saturday Night” is one of the most dynamic songs in the modern music canon, as it exists as an R&B romp and a dazzling fit of easy-listening rock radio. —MM

85. Animotion: “Obsession”

Another one of those “Wait, this is a cover?” moments, “Obsession” was originally a duet sung by Holly Knight and Michael Des Barres in 1983. A year later, Los Angeles synth-pop wunderkinds Animotion would make it a charting hit, as it peaked at #6 on the Hot 100 in October 1984. Consistent, frequent MTV airplay helped propel Animotion into the mainstream—though they wouldn’t score another Top 20 hit until 1989. “Obsession” would come back into cultural conversations in 2002 when it was featured in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and it was even recently used in the first teaser for Ti West’s MaXXXine. —MM

84. Jefferson Airplane: “Somebody to Love”

From the failure of one rock band, a hit song and a new vocalist arose. In 1966, a small-time acid rock group called The Great Society released their only single, “Somebody to Love”—originally called “Someone to Love.” After finding little to no success as The Great Society, their vocalist, Grace Slick, left and joined Jefferson Airplane following the departure of Signe Toly Anderson. Slick brought the song with her, along with the original melody, which Jefferson Airplane dialed up to 11 to create the smash hit we all know and love. —OA

83. George Harrison: “Got My Mind Set on You”

A late-career #1 hit for George Harrison in 1987, “Got My Mind Set on You” was first recorded by James Ray in 1962 under the title “I’ve Got My Mind Set on You.” Harrison reconfigured the track for his Cloud Nine album and the rest was history. He and ELO’s Jeff Lynne co-produced it, and it’s got some immense, almost painfully elaborate pop rock oozing from every second of its runtime. “Got My Mind Set on You” feels like it came from a completely different lifetime than songs like “My Sweet Lord” and “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth).” But, while Paul McCartney was making the crossover into the pop realm on duets with Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson, Harrison was doing his best to keep rock ‘n’ roll alive while adopting some of the relentless pop archetypes of the 1980s. I’d say it was a success. —MM

82. David Bowie: “Sorrow”

After putting out Hunky Dory, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and Aladdin Sane consecutively across three years, David Bowie closed 1973 with Pin Ups—a…covers record? It was meant to be a “stop-gap” album to appease RCA, but it exists largely as a misfire in the middle of Bowie’s reign on rock ‘n’ roll. The one bright spot is his cover of “Sorrow,” a McCoys B-side from 1965 that had largely made no noise on the charts. Bowie’s rendition, however, would hit #1 in three countries and peak at #3 on the UK singles charts—which was just his fifth-ever Top 3 hit at the time. It’d be four years until he soared that high commercially again, but “Sorrow” is the one bonafide, shining piece of redemption from the mishapen slog of Pin Ups. —MM

81. The Black Crowes: “Hard to Handle”

This Otis Redding track wasn’t released until 1968, a year after his sudden and tragic death. In 1990, Atlanta southern rock revivalists The Black Crowes breathed new life into Redding’s smooth, sensual composition. They enlivened the pace and brough the electric guitar to the forefront of the song, letting the guitar wail in tandem with Chris Robinson’s gritty, rapid fire vocal delivery. If Redding’s arrangement was smoldering embers, then the Black Crowes set the track on fire, giving it the sonic energy to back up its cockiness. —Madelyn Dawson

80. Blondie: “Hanging On The Telephone”

Although the original song, written and recorded by the short-lived band The Nerves, never garnered any commercial success, the bones of a hit were there. As Blondie was working on their debut, Jeffrey Lee Pierce of the Gun Club sent them a cassette of the track, and after watching their taxicab driver in Tokyo tap along to the beat—and finding out The Nerves broke up—they decided to record it for Parallel Lines. “Hanging On The Telephone” remains one of Blondie’s biggest hits, which goes to show that one band’s trash is another’s treasure. —OA

79. The Raincoats: “Lola”

The joy in a great cover can be provided by something as simple as flipping the gender of a song’s protagonist. When the all-female post-punk ensemble the Raincoats took on this track from the Kinks they did just that, throwing Ray Davies’ child-like tune about hooking up with a transsexual into stark relief and, assisted by their rough vocal harmonies and sawing guitar chords, turning the song into something boldly transgressive. —RH

78. John Prine: “Nine Pound Hammer”

A railworker song dating back to the 1870s, “Nine Pound Hammer” has been covered by everyone from Scott McGill to Mississippi John Hurt to John Fahey to Lead Belly to Odetta. John Prine’s rendition, which serves as the closing track to his 1973 LP Sweet Revenge, is the best—but that’s largely because it’s one of the best-sounding recordings we’ve got. The song’s imagery takes inspiration from the story of John Henry and is coupled with vignettes of wayward travel and romance. “I’m going to the mountain just to see my baby and I ain’t coming back,” Prine belts out. It’s a labor anthem—punctuated by the line “And when I’m long gone, you can make my tombstone out of #9 coal”—that Prine makes soar. —MM

77. Quiet Riot: “Cum On Feel the Noize”

First written and recorded by Slade in 1973, “Cum On Feel the Noize” became infamous when Los Angeles hair metal outfit Quiet Riot covered it for their 1983 album Metal Health. While Slade’s OG version was, at the time of its release, the first song since The Beatles’ “Get Back” to hit #1 on the UK singles chart in its first week, Quiet Riot’s cover is legendary and, largely, their greatest song to date. It would peak at #5 on the Hot 100 and become certified gold, moving over a million units in North America. As it sits, “Cum On Feel the Noize” is one of the most important glam songs ever made, and it largely stayed within its own sub-genre across both renditions. VH1 would rank it as one of the greatest one-hit wonder songs of all time, though that’s only technically correct (“Bang Your Head (Metal Health)” was a Top 40 hit the same year). Either way, when you think of Quiet Riot, you think of “Cum On Feel the Noize.” When you think of glam metal in the 1980s, you think of “Cum On Feel the Noize.” Respect. —MM

76. Frank Ocean: “Moon River”

I went back and forth on including “Moon River,” given just how singular Audrey Hepburn’s original recording is in the history of modern music. Written initially by Johnny Mercer for inclusion in the Breakfast at Tiffany’s soundtrack in 1961, Hepburn made it immortal. And, while many have tried their hand at doing it justice—like Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Rod Stewart and Barbara Streisand—only one performer has ever captured the same magic: Frank Ocean. He covered the song on Valentine’s Day in 2018, and it debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard R&B chart upon its release. Ocean brings a glowing sense of ache and longing to the track that exists outside of the delicacy Hepburn originally captured so purely. There’s a sense of boyish charm and sensuality to Ocean’s reprise, showcasing just how brilliant a cover can be through a shift in attitude and charisma—as his instrumentation largely sticks to the same pacing as Mercer’s composition arrived with 62 years ago. —MM

75. The Youngbloods: “Get Together”

I didn’t know “Get Together” was a cover, either. Originally written and recorded by Chet Powers in 1963 (though it was not officially released until 1996). In actuality, the song first caught audiences’ attention when the Kingston Trio covered it in 1964 for their live album Back in Town. Without a doubt, though, the song belongs to The Youngbloods now. The Greenwich Village psych-rockers covered it in 1967 but it didn’t get popular until 1969, when it would re-enter the Hot 100 and peak at #5. It’s not just a counterculture anthem for the Vietnam War era; it’s one of the greatest one-hit wonders of all time. —MM

74. Thin Lizzy: “Whiskey in the Jar”

“Whiskey in the Jar” might be known to you as a roaring, anthemic rock song by Thin Lizzy, but did you know it was originally conceived as a traditional Irish song about a highwayman in Cork and Kerry counties? Irish folk band The Dubliners recorded it originally, for their 1968 album More of the Hard Stuff, but it was Thin Lizzy who made it so legendary in 1972. It would go on to be a #1 hit in Ireland and peak at #6 on the UK singles chart—their most successful single in England ever. Led by Phil Lynott’s enigmatic vocal bravado and a glittering, guitar-driven instrumental, “Whiskey in the Jar” remains one of the greatest rock songs of its era. —MM

73. Tiffany: “I Think We’re Alone Now”

Few artists have as peculiar or as tragic of a peak as Tiffany did in the late 1980s. She signed her career away to George Tobin in 1984, when she was just 13 years old and, after the first single from her debut album Tiffany, “Danny,” failed to chart in 1987, Tobin and MCA sent her on a nationwide tour of shopping malls instead of something more immediately glamorous. It was there, however, where she blew up and became a superstar. Her cover of Tommy James and the Shondells’ hit song “I Think We’re Alone Now” hit #1 on the Hot 100 and would lead to two more Top 10 entries by the end of 1988. I love the Shondells’ original, but so few songs encapsulate their era as well as Tiffany’s cover of it does. “I Think We’re Alone Now” would ensure that Tiffany Darwish would be a household name forever, but she was, sadly, one of the many pop voices that would never catch another ounce of momentum once alt-rock and hip-hop took over in the 1990s. —MM

72. Julian Cope: “5 O’Clock World”

British rocker Julian Cope wasn’t much for cover songs before he made his 1988 album My Nation Underground and hasn’t recorded many since. As well, he generally looks at this song and the record it’s on as a huge misstep on his part as he tried gamely to capitalize on the success of his previous LP. For this writer, Cope did something marvelous with this song, giving it a steel-edged jumpiness and adding a touch of the romantic with his interpolation of the chorus of Petula Clark’s “I Know A Place” into the bridge. As a result, Cope helped keep this song in the working class pop song canon alongside “Earn Enough For Us” and “Up The Junction.” —RH

71. Red Hot Chili Peppers: “Higher Ground”

I’ll admit, I do feel weird including any cover of a Stevie Wonder song on this list. But, “Higher Ground” making an appearance here is absolutely not a declaration that the Red Hot Chili Peppers outperformed him in any way. This is more to say that I think Stevie is, largely, uncoverable. All of his hit songs are untouchable, but no artist has ever made something as good as what the Chili Peppers cooked up on “Higher Ground” in 1989. Mother’s Milk became a breakout hit record for the Los Angeles funk rock heroes, largely shouldered into success by “Higher Ground” and their ability to reintroduce a new generation to Stevie’s 1973 classic. Take Flea’s monstrous bassline and Anthony Keidis’ charismatic lead vocal, and you’ve got a triumph that’s only going to happen once—and the Chili Peppers happened to take that achievement and parlay it into one of the most commercially adored careers of the last 30 years. —MM

70. Uncle Tupelo: “No Depression”

Not many cover songs get a magazine named after them or become synonymous with a whole musical genre. But a cow-punk band from the Midwest recording an Appalachian country classic was as good a “ground zero” for the new alt-country movement as anything. The original Carter Family version was a plodding, straight-forward gospel tune. Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy and company energized the song, while keeping their tongues out of their cheeks. It’s a faithfully acoustic cover, but Farrar’s earnest vocals get to the root of what makes roots music connect with listeners no matter the decade. —JJ

69. The Drifters: “White Christmas”

Christmas songs are pretty low-hanging fruit for this kind of list, since everyone is covering everybody in that genre. I’ve largely avoided them up until now in the ranking, but it’s time to throw the holiday hits crowd a bone. “White Christmas,” written by Irving Berlin for the 1942 film Holiday Inn, is the clear favorite, no matter which way you look. It’s been covered by everyone from Michael Bublé to the Glee Cast to Meghan Trainor to Bette Midler. The Bing Crosby rendition is the most famous, no one is disputing that. But, it’s not the best. No, that designation belongs to The Drifters, who boasted the singing talents of lead vocalist Clyde McPhatter and their bass vocalist Bill Pinkey in 1954. The track would peak at #2 on the Billboard R&B chart. Because of radio segregation at the time, “White Christmas” was mostly popular in the Black community. Its use in films like Home Alone and The Santa Clause would help it find larger audiences and endure as the greatest doo-wop Christmas song of all time. —MM

68. King Harvest: “Dancing in the Moonlight”

One of those “Wait, this is a cover?” tracks, “Dancing in the Moonlight” was written and recorded by Boffalongo in 1970 and then would become a Top 20 hit for King Harvest two years later. Harvest’s rendition is eternal to the point where it wipes the Boffalongo original clear off the map. In the 51 years since, it’s been certified platinum six times across the globe, moving over 3 million units. It’s a supernatural delight, indeed. —MM

67. Whitney Houston: “Greatest Love of All”

Written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed and recorded by George Benson in 1977, “The Greatest Love of All” is now, undoubtedly, a Whitney Houston song. She recorded it for her 1985 eponymous debut album and it, of course, became a massive hit—peaking at #1 in four countries and finishing at #11 on Billboard’s year-end pop singles list. She dropped the “The” and it became a definitive piece of her discography, living in the same echelons of “I Will Always Love You” and, if you ask this cowboy, suprassing her signature song’s legacy. This was Whitney Houston before she was Whitney Houston, and she completely transforms the attitude and resonance of the song altogether. “Greatest Love of All” builds into an incredible climax of soul and gospel—so much so that you’d be forgiven for forgetting that Benson sang it first. —MM

66. Cowboy Junkies: “Sweet Jane”

Cowboy Junkies discography is peppered with great rendition of other artists’ songs, but none of them can compare to the soul melting brilliance of their take on the Velvet Underground’s “Sweet Jane.” Recorded, as everything else on their 1988 album The Trinity Session was, around a single microphone in the sanctuary of a Toronto church, the quartet gives such a dynamic performance here as they reduce Lou Reed’s lyrics down to the bare essentials and boldly wind back in a bridge section (the “heavenly wine & roses” part) that was disappointingly removed from VU’s original take. After hearing this cover, Reed realized the error of his ways and returned that part to the song when he played it live for years after. —RH

65. Björk: “It’s Oh So Quiet”

One of the Icelandic indie legend’s biggest hits, Björk’s version of Betty Hutton’s 1951 standard “It’s Oh So Quiet” is an absolute masterclass in wrangling extremes, in the most artful, oddball way possible. The track was released as the third single off of Björk’s second album Post and, in a rare moment of seismic weirdness, reached #4 on the UK charts. She takes dynamics to their most vehement intensity on this track, oscillating between scant whispers and full swing band shrieks. Back and forth she pulls you, letting loose completely by the track’s end with a wordless scream—just to draw you back in with a barely audible shh. It’s totally out of left field, yet still underscored by an eternally familiar jazz sensibility. The song shouldn’t work but, infuriatingly so, it does —and so, so well. —MD

64. Sandy Denny: “Candle in the Wind”

I never could bring myself to love the original version of this song, nor Elton John’s treacly rewrite in honor of Princess Di. But I’ve certainly learned to respect its craftsmanship thanks to this lovely cover by the late folk-pop artist Sandy Denny. Dripping with strings and a truly electric guitar turn by Denny’s former Fairport Convention bandmate Richard Thompson, the song has its sorrowful rumination peeled away and a tone of triumphal brassiness applied in its place. In Marilyn Monroe, Denny seemed to recognize a fellow artist forced to make serious compromises at the behest of the men in her life. This cover wishes Norma Jean stuck around long enough to, with Denny at her side, kick against the pricks that kept holding her down. — RH

63. Amy Winehouse & Mark Ronson: “Valerie”

The slower tempo of the original recording of “Valerie”—done by English rock band the Zutons—explains the angsty lyrics of the Amy Winehouse version. It always gave a sad boy early 2000s rock vibe, which makes sense as that was its origins. It’s hard to compare the mellow indie-rock vibe of the Zutons to the vocal powerhouse Amy Winehouse—they both deliver the song in such different ways. The twist of the song coming from a woman’s perspective— —OA

62. Patsy Cline: “Walkin’ After Midnight”

It’s hard to beat the uniqueness of Pasty Cline’s croon, and in the case of “Walkin’ After Midnight” she wins—no contest. Lynn Howard and The Accents recorded the original version in 1956, and it was a much more modest arrangement. Howard’s voice was deeper and felt more like a wail. Cline warmed up the track with her yodeling tone and her band added a steel guitar to give it that country twist. The song requires that longing tone but it feels more authentic coming from Cline with her yodel—it’s no mistake that the single version sold over a million copies. —OA

61. The Band: “Atlantic City”

Bruce Springsteen is Bruce Springsteen, but The Band gave “Atlantic City” a brand new life in 1993. The solemn Nebraska tune was fashioned into a full-bodied country gem on Jericho. Between Levon Helm’s lead vocal and mandolin performance, Garth Hudson’s accordion patterns and the harmonies from Rick Danko, you’d never know that bandleader Robbie Robertson is absent from the arrangement. “Atlantic City” became a cornerstone of The Band’s reunion album, as they transformed it into a source of jubilant hope—which felt like it came from a completely different planet than Springsteen’s pinnacle of sorrow 11 years prior. Helm would continue performing “Atlantic City” live at his own concerts up until his death in 2012, and it’s one of the few times where Springsteen was largely outdone on his own song. —MM

60. Sonic Youth: “Superstar”

Penned by Leon Russell and Bonnie Bramlett for Delaney and Bonnie and made famous by The Carpenters in 1971 (their version may as well be the definitive original, given how singular it is), “Superstar” is one of the prettiest songs ever imagined. A tale about a groupie sleeping with a rockstar, the lyrics tell a dynamic tale about love and power dynamics that are still as complex as ever in 2023. While Russell and Bramlett’s original lyrics evoke the perspective of the woman obsessed with the performer in a devotional way, artists like US Girls have written arrangements around the story as a means of turning it into something empowering. However, Sonic Youth’s cover in 1994—for the If I Were a Carpenter tribute album—is the most palpable, as Thurston Moore’s spectral vocal gives a haunting, terrifying gloss to an already worrisome narrative. It’s a completely unique take on The Carpenters’ poppy rendition that taps greatly into the atmosphere Russell and Bramlett first wrote the song around. —MM

59. Cream: “Crossroads”

Originally titled “Cross Road Blues,” “Crossroads” was written by Delta-blues pioneer Robert Johnson. He recorded two versions of the song in 1936 and released one of them a year later. Afterwards, many bluesmen would make their own covers, including Elmore James. But the most enduring version comes courtesy of UK blues-rock group Cream, who recorded it for Wheels of Fire in 1968. Led by Eric Clapton’s unmistakable opening guitar riff and Ginger Baker’s high-hat metronome. Clapton largely abandons Johnson’s twelve-bar progressions and open-tuning, instead adopting Johnson’s duple shuffle and boogie bassline. Cream’s version of “Crossroads” is a complete reinvention of the song, one of the few definitive examples of how to properly interpret a blue number. —MM

58. Cat Power: “Sea of Love”

On 2000’s The Covers Record, Cat Power opens by simplifying and slowing down The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” showing that—on the spectrum from “faithful rendition” to “making the song my own”—she would be operating far towards the latter. And it works beautifully well, especially on closer, “Sea of Love,” originally recorded by Louisiana native Phil Phillips as a surprise swamp-pop hit. Cat Power’s version is a languid, dreamy thing with nothing but her vocals and slow-strummed guitar. It’s an invitation to another world where there’s nothing outside of her love. —JJ

57. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts: “I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll”

First recorded by The Arrows in 1975, “I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll” would become one of Joan Jett’s most popular and recognizable songs. Backed by her beloved Blackhearts, she covered the track in 1981 and would see it peak at #1 on the Hot 100 and become platinum-certified. Jett’s version is so essential that it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2016. It wipes the Arrows’ OG release completely off the map, and Jett’s take is one of the greatest hard rock performances of its era. Vaulted by a dangerously perfect opening guitar riff, “I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll” is an anthem for the ages. I’ll put another dime in the jukebox for it any day. —MM

56. Sid Vicious: “My Way”

Everyone knows Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” It’s been synonymous with popular music for 54 years now. It was written in 1967 by French composer Jacques Revaux and lyricists Gilles Thibaut and Claude Francois, while Paul Anka wrote the English lyrics. Sinatra made it famous in 1969 and it’d hit #27 on the Hot 100. Folks like Dorothy Squires and Elvis Presley would cover it, too, but the best rendition came via Sex Pistols’ bassist Sid Vicious in 1978. I first discovered it via the ending of Goodfellas, and I’m sure you did, too. Vicious took Sinatra’s opus and inserted words like “fuck,” “cunt” and “queer” and completely upended any sort of sentimentality you might’ve held about the tune. Where Sinatra’s version was punching down, Vicious’ cover was punching up and throwing up a million middle fingers in the process. I mean, if your version is what makes a guy like Leonard Cohen enjoy it, then that’s enough reason for a high ranking alone. —MM

55. Elvis Costello and the Attractions: “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding”

“(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding” was originally recorded by Nick Lowe for his band Brinsley Schwarz in 1974, but the most famous version belongs to Elvis Costello and the Attractions. Costello took the song’s country rock roots and transformed them into a dazzling display of power pop. It would land on the North American edition of his album Armed Forces and become, almost immediately, Costello’s signature song—and without much commercial success, too. But what’s even greater about Costello’s rendition of “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding” is that Lowe himself produced it (just as he had all of Costello’s albums up until then), so there’s a strong continuity running through. Both songs co-exist, yet Costello’s soars. —MM

54. Vanilla Fudge: “You Keep Me Hangin’ On”

I am notoriously a Supremes mega-fan. Diana Ross is the greatest vocalist never included in all-time lists. But, there’s a cover of “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” that upends the Motown legends’ own original hit and it’s not Kim Wilde’s or the Glee Cast’s. In 1967, a year after the Supremes released the song, a brand new, Long Island psych-rock band called Vanilla Fudge made a seven-minute version that turned the track into an epic, spectral, chilling masterpiece. With Mark Stein’s bluesy, captivating lead vocal and Vince Martell’s guitar pumping the instrumentation full of aches and breaks, “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” is, on one hand, a pop-R&B classic. But, it’s also a deeply unsettling rock concerto made by a band that never made anything quite as ambitious and larger-than-life ever again. Vanilla Fudge’s cover would peak at #6 on the Hot 100 and helped solidify Carmine Appice as one of the coolest and loudest drummers on Earth. —MM

53. Nirvana: “The Man Who Sold the World”

Nirvana’s episode of MTV’s Unplugged was everything that show should have been. Here was a band near the peak of their commercial powers throwing the concept of the program—artists performing mostly acoustic versions of their material—on its ear. Rather than strip back their hits, the band opted to dig deep into their catalog, put the spotlight on friends like Curt and Cris Kirkwood of Meat Puppets and try out some curveball covers—like their now iconic take on the title track to David Bowie’s previously underappreciated 1970 album The Man Who Sold The World. With judicious use of Cobain running his acoustic guitar through a fuzz box and triggering a pedal to make it sound electric—and the beautifully droning cello of Lori Goldston—Nirvana kept true to the song’s glam-psych roots while adding in the perfect amount of punk sneer and spit. Their version caused a big enough cultural splash that Bowie was inspired to put it back in the setlists for his live shows. —RH

52. Guns N’ Roses: “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”

Written in 1973 by Bob Dylan for the Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid soundtrack, “Knockin on Heaven’s Door” would go from being one of the best folk rock ballads of its time to a hard rock benchmark courtesy of Guns N’ Roses. It would be the second single from the Los Angeles sextet’s fourth album, Use Your Illusion II, and crack the Top 20 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart—but its legacy spans a greater distance than just radio play. The band had been playing the song at shows as far back as 1987 and a recorded version would appear on the soundtrack of Days of Thunder in 1990—two full years before Use Your Illusion II would release. It’s one of the great translations of Dylan’s work, arriving much more anthemic than “All Along the Watchtower” and obliterating the pensive delicacy of the Pat Garrett original. —MM

51. Johnny Cash: “Hurt”

Even Johnny Cash had doubts that he’d be able to do anything with Trent Reznor’s self-described “valentine to the sufferer.” But by the time he was preparing to record his American IV album, he’d come to trust producer Rick Rubin, who asked Cash to read the lyrics to “Hurt.” “If you like the lyrics, then we’ll find a way to do it to suit you.” Reznor’s lyrics, originally buried under the beautiful industrial noise of Nine Inch Nails, had already connected with a generation of sufferers, and they connected just as powerfully with the country icon. He took them and Reznor’s melody and imbued them with decades of his own pain, his voice conveying the brokenness we’ve all felt at one point or another. It’s a song for the ages given new life from an aging legend, and it’s a gift for anyone who hurts. —JJ

50. Led Zeppelin: “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You”

We have Jimmy Page to thank for Led Zeppelin’s version of “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You.” He heard Joan Baez’s version of the track and was inspired to write his own—him being the lead writer for the song explains its guitar-heavy approach, which deviates significantly from the original. Baez’s version is operatic folk, with her beautiful vibrato stretching out the lyrics over a softly plucked acoustic melody. When Zeppelin recorded the song, they kept the opening verse but changed the rest of the lyrics, driving it away from the folksy ethos of a wandering traveler longing for the open road to a story of a toxic relationship that pulls you back in at every turn. So, essentially, it is a cover in the sense of idea and a singular verse, but each of the artists made the song completely their own. —OA

49. Run-D.M.C. ft. Aerosmith: “Walk This Way”

There aren’t many profound, everlasting covers in the hip-hop world—especially since samples are so crucial to the genre’s history. But, it’s undeniable that Run-D.M.C.’s cover of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way” is a landmark twice the size of the rock quintet’s original version. Run, D.M.C. and Jam Master Jay completely reinvented the song and put hip-hop firmly in the mainstream. What’s pretty great about the track, though, is that Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry returned to the studio to lend vocals and guitar work. It’s such a palpable convergence of worlds that became unbelievably crucial for the state of rock ‘n’ roll altogether. Not to mention, Tyler’s singing here sounds infinitely better than it does on the 1975 original. “Walk This Way” would peak at #4 on the Hot 100 and would help keep Aerosmith in the limelight and usher in a dominating destiny for rap music. So few songs have ever been this gravitational. —MM

48. Jeff Buckley: “Hallelujah”

Jeff Buckely’s 1994 version of “Hallelujah” falls into the category of covers that are just as good as the original. Each version is incredible for different reasons. Leonard Cohen’s 1984 original is a grand spiritual production with choral choruses and his whiskey-soaked vocals. It mimics gospel music in name and production, as Cohen wrote it in a similar rhythm to many of the genre’s songs. Buckley took a stripped-down approach, though, and allowed the poignant lyrics and the outpouring of emotion in his vocals to carry the track. He lets the human aspects of the music shine, including the scratch of plucking guitar strings and his own breath that add a layer of authenticity to the recording. Both versions fit the lyrics with Cohen’s religious take and Buckley’s intimate confession, showing different sides of how religion and love are about connection but are also extremely personal. —OA

47. Big Brother & The Holding Company: “Piece of My Heart”

I hope I am not completely alone in not knowing that this song was a cover, much less that the original was recorded by Erma Franklin, the older sister of Aretha, in 1967. In my defense, it was only a year after when Janis Joplin, still performing with Big Brother & The Holding Company, completely blew the top off the already electrifying track. It’s hard to imagine anyone other than Joplin herself howling the refrain, begging you to “Come on, come on, come on / And take it.” What I do sometimes forget, though, is how downright bluesy the track is. Guitarists Sam Andrew and James Gurley held their own against the otherworldly beast that is Joplin’s voice, going note for note with her on both grittiness and soul. What results is pure force. Of course it is—how could Joplin be bringing anything else? —MD

46. Nas ft. Ms. Lauryn Hill: “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)”

Some might call it a reworking, some might call it a cover. Either way, Nas’ interpretation of Kurtis Blow’s “If I Ruled the World” is one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time. Released in 1996 as the lead single from the NYC MC’s sophomore album It Was Written, Nas called upon Fugees frontwoman Lauryn Hill and, together, they became responsible for one of the most undeniable tracks of the decade. Interpolating samples and beats from Whodini’s “Friends” and the Delfonics’ “Walk Right Up To The Sun,” “If I Ruled the World” feels primitive and gracefully worn-in all at once—a testament to Nas’ construction abilities. The stakes were high after Illmatic arrived in 1994, and It Was Written nearly lived up to the hype—much of that truth coming via the eternal, relentless greatness of “If I Ruled the World.” —MM

45. Donna Summer: “MacArthur Park”

Originally recorded by Richard Harris, “MacArthur Park” was intended to be a haunting, grand ballad, but what’s the fun in that? Every song needs a little disco, and that is exactly what Donna Summer added to her version of the song in 1978. There are many versions of Summer’s “MacArthur Park”—the original eight-minute version, a shortened four-minute single version and a vast, 17-minute long medley that also incorporated her original songs “One of a Kind” and “Heaven Knows.” Only an icon like Summer could make a hit out of three different versions of the same song. She just had a flair that made every song electric and, while she kept the original orchestral intro when it bursts into a classic disco number with Summer’s soaring vocals, you can’t help but dance. —OA

44. Bryan Ferry: “Let’s Stick Together”

Bryan Ferry’s third solo album is weighed down considerably by the singer’s leaden takes of songs previously recorded by his band Roxy Music (broken up at the time). What keeps it from sinking completely are a few well-chosen covers, including this version of a tune from R&B artist Wilbert Harrison. Ferry hews pretty closely to the jumping tone of the original, but glams it up nicely with some sharp reports from a horn section and a vocal turn that has an archness and ironic tinge to it that suggests that this mustachioed lothario might not feel as strongly about monogamy and marriage as the lyrics attest. In Ferry’s voice and slick demeanor it becomes a bit of misdirection intended to help coax a less than willing partner into the boudoir. —RH

43. Ray Charles: “Georgia On My Mind”

The only entry on this list that is an official state song, “Georgia On My Mind” was written in 1930 by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell and recorded that same year by Carmichael himself. But no one pays much attention to Carmichaels original version, as Ray Charles turned it into one of his most beloved songs in 1960 when he recorded it for The Genius Hits the Road. In the 63 years since, “Georgia On My Mind” has remained one of the greatest ballads in the history of modern music. Ralph Burns would arrange and conduct the string orchestra that carries on behind Charles’ singing and piano-playing, and the tune still holds such an immense emotional ferocity. It would hit #1 on the Hot 100 and, against all odds, became the song most synonymous with Charles’ career—so emphatically to the point that Carmichael’s origins are largely forgotten in contemporary circles. —MM

42. Harry Nilsson: “Everybody’s Talkin’”

Written and recorded by Fred Neil in 1966, “Everybody’s Talkin’” belongs to Harry Nilsson now. It would peak at #6 on the Hot 100 in 1968 and earned a Grammy Award for its inclusion in the Best Picture-winning film Midnight Cowboy a year later. Nilsson had failed to score a hit song after numerous time spent in the industry, and it was in Neil’s folk tune that he finally struck gold. To this day, “Everybody’s Talkin’” endures as one of the greatest easy-listening hits of all time and would become certified gold in the UK. Folks like Willie Nelson, Liza Minnelli, Bill Withers and Louis Armstrong would all try their hand at the songs over the years, but none stand up quite as tall as Nilsson’s. —MM

41. Devo: “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”

Devo’s cover of The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” remains one of their most important songs—and one of the most unique covers in the history of modern music. It’s so distinctive that it stands out on its own damn near like an original recording. The spastic, pink-derived robotics that Devo injected into the rock ‘n’ roll classic came from experimentation, and their decision to deconstruct the song and patch it up into their own reappraisal was the result of a jam session. Jann Wenner and Rolling Stone hated the cover, positing Devo as having attempted to make a mockery out of the magazine’s namesake. However, the version that a couple of oddballs from Akron, Ohio put into the world and took to Saturday Night Live is firmly, and proudly, an all-time treasure. —MM

40. Kim Carnes: “Bette Davis Eyes”

Another song that falls into the “Wait, this is a cover?” category as delineated by my colleague Matt Mitchell. What you may not know is that this was originally recorded by popster Jackie DeShannon in 1974 with a blowsy, New Orleans-esque swing that worked alright for the time. Six years later or so, producer Val Garay grabbed the song and gave it a synthpop bath that the raspy L.A. vocalist Kim Carnes could luxuriate in. This dancefloor jam snapped listeners to attention who, in turn, kept the song locked into the #1 spot for nine long weeks. More than that, it gave a boost to the titular actor who thanked Carnes for bringing her into the modern era and giving her grandson something to brag about. —RH

39. Edwin Starr: “War”

Singer Edwin Starr may not be the most well-known Motown act, but his #1 hit single “War” is one of Motown’s greatest songs. Combining elements of funk and psych-soul, Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong put together a truly one-of-a-kind protest track at the apex of the Vietnam War. The Temptations had originally been the intended artist for the song, and they even recorded their own version of it—only for Whitfield to re-record the song with Starr, because Motown didn’t want to risk the Temptations losing their conservative fanbase. It was an ace decision by the label, as Starr’s version is powerful and singular. I can’t imagine any other singer belting “War, I despise, ‘cause it means destruction of innocent lives. War means tears to thousands of mothers’ eyes, when their sons go off to fight and lose their lives.” I don’t think those lines ring out in the same way from the guys who recorded “My Girl.” —MM

38. The Clash: “I Fought the Law”

First made popular by the Bobby Fuller Four in 1966 after the post-Buddy Holly Crickets put out their own version in 1960, “I Fought the Law” got the punk rock makeover it desperately deserved in 1979 when The Clash covered it for their EP The Cost of Living. Between Joe Strummer’s lead vocals and Mick Jones’ soaring, blistering, near-power pop opening riff, “I Fought the Law” sounds unabashedly linked to the era the Clash performed it in—which speaks to how timeless Sonny Curtis’ songwriting was and how it was the London punk quartet’s destiny to, 19 years later, make it their own. “I Fought the Law” was a crucial stepping stone to London Calling. —MM

37. Sufjan Stevens: “There’s a World”

Originally track seven on Neil Young’s 1972 album Harvest, “There’s a World” is overpowered by the sheer ferocity of songs like “Heart of Gold,” “Old Man” and “The Needle and the Damage Done.” It’s maybe the weakest song on the record, depending on who you ask. But, as a closing track on Sufjan Stevens’ recent album Javelin, it’s a perfect, heartbreaking coda enveloped by a delicate, soaring choir melody. “There’s a world you’re living in, no one else has your part,” Stevens sings in a whisper. “All God’s children in the wind, take it in and blow real hard.” Stevens dedicated the record to his late, longtime partner Evans Richardson, and “There’s a World,” in that very moment, transforms into a portrait of afterlife and eternal togetherness. When he echoes out the lines “We are leaving, we are gone, come with us to all alone,” there’s not a dry eye in the building. This is Sufjan Stevens’ song now, and may it forever make us weep uncontrollably. —MM

36. Ray Charles: “I Can’t Stop Loving You”

“I Can’t Stop Loving You” was initially written and recorded by Don Gibson in 1957, but it was turned into a country soul pillar by Ray Charles in 1962. The Georgia pianist had decided to make a pivot from R&B to the country tracks he’d grown up on, and Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music is one of the greatest albums of the decade. While his cover of Eddy Arnold’s “You Don’t Know Me” is just as monumentally precious and perfect, “I Can’t Stop Loving You” hit #1 on the Hot 100 and, for my money, is Charles greatest song. Through his weathered, impassioned vocals and the track’s gorgeous orchestral backing instrumentation and harmonies, the tune helped get new audiences interested in country music while simultaneously distinguishing Charles as one of the most dynamic and malleable artists of his time and beyond. —MM

35. Laura Branigan: “Gloria”

Laura Branigan’s “Gloria” is the first and only entry on this list to be a cover in translation. Branigan transformed Umberto Tozzi’s 1979 Italian hit and, sure, the actual translation was done that same year by Jonathan King and recorded shortly after by Tozzi himself, but it was the New York songstress who made it ready for pop radio in 1982—and brilliantly so. Branigan’s voice has an unexpected power; the iconic synth theme is the song’s clear centerpiece, as her clear harmonics just pick up energy as the song progresses. It’s synth-pop synergy at its most infectious, and we certainly have Branigan to thank for the iconicism that her articulation of “Gloria” has garnered. This one is going to be stuck in my head for a while after writing this; I’m sure it will worm its way into yours soon, too. —MD

34. The Shirelles / The Mamas and The Papas: “Dedicated to the One I Love”

Neither The Shirelles nor The Mamas and The Papas can stake claim to the origin of “Dedicated to the One I Love.” It was actually written originally by Lowman Pauling and Ralph Bass, the former of which recorded the first version with his band the “5” Royales in 1957. A soulful and saccharine version was recorded in 1961 by iconic girl group The Shirelles, featuring instantly gripping harmonies over a sparse instrumentation. The voices were the vessel, the beats in the background only serving to amplify the girls’ vocals in whatever directions they moved—most likely right into the hearts of anyone listening. Harmony was at the forefront of the track’s arguably better known cover, which was recorded in 1967 by The Mamas and The Papas. It was the band’s first track featuring Michelle Philips as a lead vocalist, of course not without the support of powerhouse singer Cass Elliot. This version is gentler and more paradisiacal, but it sacrifices none of the devotional promise that characterized the song’s earlier iterations. Rather, it solidified the tune’s covenant, reminding everyone that, when it comes down to it, the ties that bind us are and will always be those of love. —MD

33. Al Green: “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?”

There’s no denying how important Al Green is to this cover of a track from Bee Gees’ 1971 album Trafalgar, but every time I listen to it, my ears go straight for the string section. Those players appear in this cover even before the mighty Green utters a syllable. They set the baseline for this ballad, letting listeners know that this one is going to hurt. And so it does as Green’s tender side comes to the fore, letting deep wells of pain color every line. He remains relatively restrained throughout this song, only giving over to the anguish sparingly. He and producer Willie Mitchell let the strings do the heavy lifting, as they replicate the sound of a burst of wind and color the edges of this song in many, many shades of blue. The brothers Gibb had a hit with this song but don’t nobody reach for their version when they want to get good and emo with their playlist. They head straight for this cover and let the tears flow. —RH

32. Stevie Wonder: “We Can Work It Out”

Only Stevie Wonder could improve a Beatles song that hit #1 on the Hot 100 chart. When he released his own cover of “We Can Work It Out” in 1971, it would peak at #13 and later garner a Best Male R&B Vocal Performance Grammy nomination. It was a highlight on his Signed, Sealed & Delivered album—nearly as perfect and brilliant as “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours.” If Wonder had wanted to build a career off of covering other artists, he likely could’ve—and would’ve—produced enough material to take up this whole list. But, he was a virtuoso and had a propensity for writing some of the greatest songs of all time. The fact that, amidst all of the noise, he took the time to interpret a Paul McCartney classic takes an unbelievable amount of genius. He knew his momentum could make anything soar, and “We Can Work It Out” somehow even transcended the heights expected of it. —MM

31. Linda Ronstadt: “You’re No Good”

First performed and recorded by Dee Dee Warwick for Jubilee Records in 1963, “You’re No Good” would become a #1 hit when Linda Ronstadt covered it in 1974 for her breakthrough album Heart Like a Wheel. The track soared to #1 and become one of Ronstadt’s most recognizable songs. In fact, her cover practically made her a household name altogether. To think that Capitol Records was initially unsure whether or not to release it as the lead single from the album is unfathomable in retrospect, as it’s one of those tunes that is, without question, an instant classic. Thanks to a tremendous, bluesy guitar solo from Andrew Gold, string arrangements from Gregory Rose and backing vocals from Clydie King and Sherlie Matthews, Ronstadt made “You’re No Good” so legendary that Warwick’s original version has been all but forgotten in the history of modern popular music. —MM

30. Etta James: “At Last”

“At Last” will always belong to Etta James. The unmistakable growl of her voice, paired with the joyous grandeur of a declaration of devotion, created a love song that gripped couples for decades. The song went through many iterations before James’s version. It was originally written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren for the film Sun Valley Serenade, but they didn’t add in vocals until it was recorded by John Payne and Lynn Bari (dubbed by Pat Friday). It was a simple, classic crooner rendition, a hallmark of the ‘40s. It wasn’t until almost 20 years later James gave the gorgeous track a soulful spirit that has long eclipsed any era. The music transcends from the first instance Etta James’ vocals come soaring in. —OA

29. Otis Redding: “Try a Little Tenderness”

The origins of “Try a Little Tenderness” date back to 1932, when the Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly and Harry M. Woods-penned tune was recorded by the Ray Noble Orchestra. Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra would do their own renditions, but it was in 1966 that it took on the greatest iteration. Otis Redding recorded it with Booker T. & the M.G.’s backing him up. Isaac Hayes helped bring the arrangement to life, and it went from a routine standard to an animated soul anthem. Redding was one of the most important vocalists of his time, and “Try a Little Tenderness” is a crowning achievement that centers his weathered, ferocious and piercing singing at the front of the pack. The song would later get sampled by Jay-Z and Kanye West on their Watch the Throne track “Otis,” bringing it back into the mainstream once again, 50 years after its peaking at #25 on the Hot 100. —MM

28. The Jimi Hendrix Experience: “All Along the Watchtower”

“It overwhelmed me, really. [Jimi] had such talent, he could find things inside a song and vigorously develop them. He found things that other people wouldn’t think of finding in there. He probably improved upon it by the space he was using. I took license with the song from his version, actually, and continue to do it to this day,” Bob Dylan said of Jimi Hendrix’s cover of “All Along the Watchtower” in 1995. What more needs to be said? —MM

27. The Beatles: “Twist and Shout”

In the early years of the Beatles, the Fab Four covered a lot of songs. Maybe too many, to be honest. They were playing tunes by everyone from Chuck Berry to Smokey Robinson to Carl Perkins to Buddy Holly while, simultaneously, forging their own unique, legendary blueprint. But the cover that stands above the rest will always be “Twist and Shout,” which was written by Phil Medley and Bert Berns, recorded by the Top Notes and made into a hit song by the Isley Brothers in 1962. A year later, the Beatles would put their own rock ‘n’ roll spin on it and make it the cornerstone of their debut album, Please Please Me. It would’ve gone #1 had the band’s “Can’t Buy Me Love” not already been in the top spot, so it stalled at #2—but it remains one of the most recognizable and adored cover songs of all time. —MM

26. The Flamingos: “I Only Have Eyes For You”

The origins of this song roll back to the days of film musicals as it was initially written for and performed in Dames, a 1934 comedy known best for its elaborate Busby Berkeley dance numbers. As with many of the covers on this list, it remains a mystery to me how the members of doo-wop group the Flamingos heard this song and its many sappy renditions and found within it the kernel of brilliance. Because in their multi-level harmonies and the minimalist production provided by Bell Studios, this quintet gave scores of young teenagers in the late ’50s and beyond the perfect smoldering ballad for slow dances and heated bouts of heavy petting. Even though this style of group singing has long since passed its cultural expiration date, this song still manages to hit that candlelit zone of lust and longing that never goes out of style. —RH

25. Ms. Lauryn Hill: “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You”

Originally recorded by Frankie Valli in 1967, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” is the Four Seasons vocalist’s most-recognizable solo song. It peaked at #2 on the Hot 100 and was certified gold, but it’s not the greatest rendition. No, that belongs to Ms. Lauryn Hill, who released her own version in 1998. Never put out as a single, the song still managed to climb to the top of Billboard’s Rhythmic Top 40 chart after it was featured on the soundtrack for Conspiracy Theory a year prior and radio jockeys were giving it major airtime. The song’s popularity got so big that Hill ended up making it a hidden track on The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, and it would get nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the Grammys in 1999. In turn, it’s not just one of the best cover songs ever; it’s one of the greatest hidden tracks of all time. —MM

24. Elvis Presley: “Suspicious Minds”

In 1968, Mark James wrote and recorded “Suspicious Minds” and it was a massive commercial failure. A year later, a guy named Elvis Presley picked the song up and transformed it into one of the greatest soul-pop productions in rock ‘n’ roll history. Elvis hadn’t recorded in his hometown of Memphis since 1955, but he took to American Sound Studio in 1969 after his ‘68 Comeback Special blew up and gave him a career renaissance. “Suspicious Minds” is a perfect song that has well-stood the test of time. It endures as Elvis’ greatest song this side of “If I Can Dream,” and the backing vocals from Donna Thatcher, Jeannie Greene and Ginger and Mary Holladay punctuate Glen Spreen’s string arrangements and the trumpet/trombone overdubs with such captivating grace. It would obliterate the charts and soar to #1, sell over 2 million units and become certified 3x platinum in the US and UK combined. “Suspicious Minds” was Elvis’ ast Hot 100 #1 before his death in 1977, and it’s the perfect embodiment of why Elvis was considered royalty. Not to mention, the out-of-nowhere, 15-second fade midway through the outro is one of the coolest mistakes ever caught on tape. —MM

23. Soft Cell: “Tainted Love / Where Did Our Love Go”

The only hit song for Soft Cell, “Tainted Love,” is a perfect synth-pop rendition of the Edward Cobb-penned track originally made famous by Gloria Jones. But the English new wave duo transformed the greatness of “Tainted Love” by giving it a contemporary shine that was a bold, formulaic masterpiece that hit #8 on the Hot 100 in 1981. The 12” single version included a medley that warped into a cover of the Supremes’ “Where Did Our Love Go,” making it one of the coolest interpretations of all time. Though Soft Cell could never replicate “Tainted Love,” their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is one of the greatest synth-pop albums ever made. Rihanna would sample “Tainted Love” on her song “SOS,” and VH1 called it one of the greatest one-hit wonders of the 1980s. I concur, and would go ever further by saying it’s one of the greatest electronic songs ever made. —MM

22. The Temptations: “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone”

The Temptations’ ultimate gift of psychedelic soul, “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” is the group’s 12-minute opus penned by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong and first recorded by the Undisputed Truth. For the Temptations, though, their rendition would top the Hot 100 and go on to be regarded as one of the greatest songs ever made. “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” is the track that marked the beginning of Motown’s decline in quality—but don’t get it twisted, the label still put out numerous hits; they just weren’t arriving in droves like they had been between 1959 and 1971. The Temptations’ magnum opus, however, is one of the last great instrumentals by the Funk Brothers and, arguably, the greatest orchestral piece that the Detroit Symphony Orchestra ever lent to a Motown track. It’s got one of the greatest bass performances ever, a tense backbeat embellished by a repetitive hi-hat and one of the most soulful hand-clap rhythms I can think of. “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” arrived on the charts at a mountainous seven-minute clip. It’s the fourth-longest #1 hit ever; it’s the suavest, most haunting vocal ensemble performance of the 20th century. —MM

21. John Coltrane: “My Favorite Things”

Adding this here feels like cheating somewhat. So much of the material recorded by jazz artists is renditions of showtunes and standards and other material previously recorded and performed by others. This, on the other hand, doesn’t feel so much like a cover as it does a full bore deconstruction. For 13 glorious minutes, saxophonist John Coltrane and his classic quartet chip away at the outer edges of a song written by Rodgers and Hammerstein for their Broadway hit The Sound of Music. At first, you can almost sing along with the group, adding your voice and the raindrops on roses and what not to Coltrane’s soprano sax. But there’s no keeping up with them as ‘Trane uses the foundation of that melody to dart around the stereo field like a bird in flight and pianist McCoy Tyner stabs and pounds on his instrument in these jarring staccato bursts. This ensemble owns this song and no amount of brown paper packages tied up with string can take it away from them. —RH

20. Johnny Cash: “Sunday Morning Comin’ Down”

Let’s go ahead and forget the truth that Ray “Everything Is Beautiful” Stevens was the first person to tackle this Kris Kristofferson song back in 1969. And we may as well wipe all other recordings of this song from our collective memory banks because there’s really no artist that was able to embody the pathos and head throbbing agony of this tune like the great Johnny Cash. For all the faith and penitence that informed his life and work, Cash knew from this kind of physical and existential pain having spent many a rip-roarin’ Saturday night boozing and popping Black Bettys. Sunday was the day to sweat out the poison and confess one’s sins and so Cash does with increasing fervor and some hazy memories of trading songs and cigarettes and swigs from a bottle the night before. There’s little relief from the aches and even God isn’t paying attention to his wish to be stoned. Through Cash’s rich tenor and weary tone, Kristofferson’s words come to knock-kneed, bleary-eyed life. —RH

19. Wilson Pickett: “Land of 1000 Dances”

The best part of Wilson Pickett is that about five songs could’ve slotted in here. “Mustang Sally,” “Hey Jude” and “Funky Broadway” would’ve all been great picks, but I’m hedging my bets on “Land of 1000 Dances.” R&B singer Chris Kenner wrote and recorded the original version, and it would later find some chart success for Cannibal & the Headhunters before becoming a career benchmark for Pickett in 1966. He recorded the track at the infamous FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, and it quickly became one of Atlantic’s premiere singles. “Land of 1000 Dances” peaked at #6 on the Hot 100 and achieved great crossover airplay at a time when radio segregation was still very much prominent in the States. Pickett’s band (Chips Moman, Jimmy Johnson, Spooner Oldham, Roger Hawkins, Junior Lowe, Charlie Chalmers, Andrew Love, Wayne Jackson and Floyd Newman) were so tight and otherworldly, properly cushioning his vocals with outlandish, ferocious sonic energy. It’s one of the greatest R&B songs ever made. —MM

18. Janis Joplin: “Me and Bobby McGee”

Penned by Kris Kristofferson and recorded by Roger Miller, everyone associates “Me and Bobby McGee” with Big Brother and the Holding Company vocalist Janis Joplin—and for good reason. It was the second-ever posthumous #1 single (after Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay”). Joplin was meant to sing this song; it just wouldn’t sound right performed by anyone else. Her whiskey-soaked, torn-up vocals perfectly compliment the story of two drifters hitching a ride through the American South towards California. It’s Joplin’s greatest musical moment, as her mezzo-soprano and acoustic strums swell into a ferocious, empowered, operatic explosion of folk-inspired psych-rock. Ken Pearson’s Hammond organ flickers beneath her intoning coda as John Till rips off a tremendous guitar solo, and you can hear every shred of magic the Pearl sessions produced. It’s a beautiful thing to lend your ear to. —MM

17. Talking Heads: “Take Me to the River”

Al Green’s original version of “Take Me to the River” is great—as most Al Green songs are—but the Talking Heads completely changed the song’s trajectory when they covered it for More Songs About Buildings and Food. Who knew the track was malleable enough to become a new wave masterpiece? David Byrne did, apparently. When you take into consideration the unbelievable rendition the quartet did during their Stop Making Sense concert film, nothing can stand in the way of “Take Me to the River” and eternal urgency. Folks were so into the Talking Heads’ cover that it hit #26 on the Hot 100—and that would remain their highest-charting single until 1983. The best cover songs, in my opinion, are the ones that shine across multiple genres. “Take Me to the River” has that versatility in spades. —MM

16. Natalie Imbruglia: “Torn”

Did you know that “Torn” was originally recorded by a Danish singer named Lis Sørensen? Me neither. Did you know it was then covered by a rock band called Ednaswap? Me neither. I’ve gone my whole life believing that Natalie Imbruglia wrote this song herself—it’s that incredible and monumental. Released in 1997 from her debut album Left of the Middle, “Torn” wasn’t a hit song in the States, really, because of Billboard’s then-weird rules about singles that had not been released physically not being eligible. So, when “Torn” was at the height of its powers, hitting #1 in Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Spain and Sweden, it stalled at #42 on the Hot 100. With how good and revered it is, I truly thought it broke all the records. I mean, it’s one of the greatest songs released in my lifetime and it sold 4 million copies worldwide. I’ll stump for “Torn” any day of the week, it’s perfect from beginning to end and Imbruglia is a star in my book forever because of it. —MM

15. Patti Smith: “Gloria”

Never has a song, an album, a career or a movement been so definitively ushered into motion than it was when Patti Smith growled the words “Jesus died / For somebody’s sins, but not mine” on “Gloria,” the opening track on her debut album Horses. Originally written by Van Morrison, in his days leading the garage rock group Them, the song was quickly recorded and performed by countless bands of the day, even making its way onto a Doors album. But it was Patti Smith’s reinvention that breathed new life into it. While in all senses a cover of the Morrison-penned tune, Smith’s version of “Gloria” also interpolates a poem called “Oath” she wrote in 1970. Her rendition was composed by accident: Smith and some of her bandmates were playing around with an old Richard Hell guitar they bought for just $40, when Smith’s reciting of “Oath” turned quickly into singing passages of “Gloria.” Instantly, the world was saved. Perhaps that is an exaggeration, but she sure did stumble upon the battle hymn for outsiders everywhere. Every word is steeped in a punk vitriol; her voice claws its way through the guitar riffing and cymbals clapping behind it. Still, when Patti Smith sings, you can’t possibly pay attention to anything else. —MD

14. Fats Domino: “Blueberry Hill”

Recorded and released by Sammy Kaye in 1940 for RCA, “Blueberry Hill” became a huge success for rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Fats Domino in 1956—succeeding internationally, including a stop at #2 on the Billboard Top 40 chart. Simply put, Domino’s version of “Blueberry Hill” isn’t just one of the greatest cover songs ever; it’s one of the greatest songs period. Before 1956, artists like the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Gene Autry and Louis Armstrong performed their own renditions. Since Domino’s release, hardly anyone has even attempted to put their own imprint on it. Perfect rock songs are like that—every generation born after it immediately recognizes that it doesn’t need to be revised any further. —MM

13. The Righteous Brothers: “Unchained Melody”

Before the Righteous Brothers made “Unchained Melody” one of the most beautiful songs of all time, it was the theme music for the 1955 film Unchained. Todd Duncan sang the vocals on the soundtrack and, ever since, it’s endured as one of the most covered songs ever—as folks like Elvis Presley, George Benson, U2, Cyndi Lauper and Orville Peck have tried their hand at. Elvis’ cover, which he closed his final concert ever with, is the only one that holds a candle to what the Righteous Brothers created in 1965. The vocals were performed by Bobby Hatfield alone after he won a coin toss against his singing partner Bill Medley. “Unchained Melody” would peak at #4 on the Hot 100 and endure as, quite possibly, the most emotional three-and-a-half-minute tunes ever. It’s unparalleled, and no artist has tried to mimic what Hatfield put together. With epic production and his tenor on full blast, “Unchained Melody” will last about a hundred lifetimes beyond this one. —MM

12. The Byrds: “Mr. Tambourine Man”

This won’t be the first time someone one-ups Bob Dylan, but The Byrds would release their own cover of “Mr. Tambourine Man” a month after Dylan’s Bringing It All Back Home came out in 1965. The track would soar to #1 on the Hot 100 and become the greatest jangle pop song of all time. Thanks to Roger McGuinn’s 12-string Rickenbacker, a Bach-inspired guitar intro and the band’s desire to replicate what Brian Wilson had achieved on the Beach Boys’ “Don’t Worry Baby” a year earlier, The Byrds became immortal players in rock ‘n’ roll the second “Mr. Tambourine Man” was released. It would influence records made by The Lovin’ Spoonful, Simon & Garfunkel and The Mamas & The Papas later in the decade, and you can even argue that The Beatles’ Rubber Soul took great inspiration from the instrumentation of “Mr. Tambourine Man.” It’s safe to say that, with one translation of Dylan’s songwriting, The Byrds helped transform an entire era of music. —MM

11. Naked Eyes: “Always Something There to Remind Me”

In its original incarnation, this classic from Burt Bacharach and Hal David was all hip swing and frug with vocalist Sandie Shaw taking it right to the dancefloor of Ready Steady Go! and straight to the top of the charts in her native U.K. in 1964. At the start of the ’80s, New Wave duo Naked Eyes took that same song and reconfigured it for the era of synthesizers and skinny ties. The sentiment of the song remained as pure as when the songwriting duo penned it, as we follow our protagonist as they walk the streets of their hometown and lamenting all the landmarks that trigger wistful memories of a lost love. Through the keyboards and rhythm machines of Rob Fisher, however, the music becomes curled with real longing and crackles with the electric sting of regret. All singer Pete Byrne had to do was lean into that sound, tap into his inner crooner and drink in the bitter and the sweet that Bacharach & David did so well. This is pop perfection made even more perfect. —RH

10. Whitney Houston: “I Will Always Love You”

Whether or not Dolly Parton wrote “I Will Always Love You” on the same day as “Jolene” or a few days apart, as she now says may be the case, the muses were quite content to focus all their attention on her tour bus somewhere in Tennessee in 1973. Parton’s version was already a gorgeous ballad for the ages, but Whitney Houston transformed it into one of the most powerful and heartbreaking proclamations of love and loss in pop music history. Houston was at the peak of her vocal prowess when she recorded the song for the 1992 film The Bodyguard and her performance That sax solo Kirk Whalum! That key change after the most pregnant of pauses! That quiet vocal-run in the outro! This is a masterclass in how to sing a soul ballad. —JJ

9. The Platters: “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes”

First recorded by Gertrude Niesen in 1933, “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” is one of the most emotional songs ever written—and that truth is punctuated by the Platters’ 1958 rendition of it. It was a #1 hit on the Hot 100 and cemented the group as one of the very best soul acts of all time. The widow of Jerome Kern, the man who composed the tune, actually hated the song so much she once considered taking legal action to prevent Mercury Records from releasing it. She didn’t, and the track went on to become the 211st most successful song in the history of the Billboard Hot 100. However, it was reported that producer Buck Ram maintained that initial lyricist Otto Harbach praised the Platters’ revival of the song. Tony Williams’ lead vocal on “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” is one of my favorite singing performances ever, and it’s such an immediately recognizable one at that. You might not know Williams’ name, but you know “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.” —MM

8. Ike & Tina Turner: “Proud Mary”

Don’t get me wrong, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s OG version of “Proud Mary” is terrific. But, and hear me out, Ike & Tina Turner’s 1971 cover of the song is better. Where CCR’s release found chart success—peaking at #2 on the Hot 100—the Turners found just as much—peaking at #4 on the Hot 100. What separates the two tracks, critically, is that the Turners won a Grammy Award for their performance and CCR did not. Ike and Tina completely obliterated John Fogerty’s initial composition, rewriting the structure into a funk classic that’s more uptempo and rides through numerous key-changes. Tina’s vocals begin patiently and sublime before erupting into one of the greatest soul climaxes in the history of modern music. This is how you rip apart a song and make it your own. Overnight, Ike and Tina went from opening for The Rolling Stones to being one of the most important R&B duos of their time. —MM

7. Aretha Franklin: “Respect”

Largely regarded as one of the single greatest songs ever written and performed, “Respect” was fashioned by Otis Redding in 1965 and appeared on his third album, Otis Blue. Aretha Franklin had been performing the song live for a few years until, in 1967, she laid down her own studio version that would change the course of soul, R&B and rock ‘n’ roll forever. “Respect” is larger-than-life, due much in part to Franklin’s once-in-a-lifetime singing. She was backed by the best Muscle Shoals band possible, including Spooner Oldham, Roger Hawkins, King Curtis and Charles Chalmers, and scored a #1 hit on the Hot 100. The song sold over a million units in the US alone and was certified gold. Franklin’s version is so recognizable that most musicians who have sampled or covered it since refer to her arrangement instead of Redding’s. It’s one of the few moments where Otis got upstaged on his own song. But Aretha was born to sing “Respect,” and she rewrote the destiny of popular music in the process. —MM

6. Joe Cocker: “With A Little Help From My Friends”

Joe Cocker was just a 24-year-old blues singer from Sheffield when his debut album came out in 1968. It was named after the song “With a Little Help from My Friends,” a beloved Beatles song from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. But Cocker wasn’t about to just rehash the psychedelia evoked by the Fab Four on their OG performance. No, he was going to make one of the greatest blue-eyed soul songs of all time. Taking influence from Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles, Cocker took the fluffy, bubbly buoyancy of Ringo Starr’s original singing and injected it with a slowed down tempo, heavy, rough-edged guitars and a vocal take doused in gravel. He’d perform the song at Woodstock a year later and then again at Isle of Wight two weeks after. In 2001, the Grammy Hall of Fame enshrined it forever and he even performed at Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee in 2002. “It was just mind blowing, [Cocker] totally turned the song into a soul anthem and I was forever grateful for him for doing that,” Paul McCartney once said of the song, after producer Denny Cordell presented it to him. And that’s all she wrote. —MM

5. Roberta Flack / Fugees: “Killing Me Softly With His Song”

Written by Charles Fox and Norman Grimbel and recorded by Lori Lieberman in 1971, “Killing Me Softly With His Song” is one of those tracks that has been covered by many but only perfected by two: Roberta Flack and the Fugees, 23 years apart. Flack’s cover was massive and would win a Grammy for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, turning the North Carolina singer into an overnight sensation. It also would obliterate the charts—peaking at #1 and clocking in at #102 on Billboard’s all-time Hot 100 chart. In 1996, the Lauryn Hill-led Fugees would cover the track for The Score, change the title to “Killing Me Softly,” sampled A Tribe Called Quest’s “Bonita Applebum” in the instrumental and reintroduce the song to a new generation of listeners. The Fugees had wanted to change the lyrics to be about anti-drugs and anti-poverty, but Gimbel and Fox said no. In a just world, we get that version. What we did get, however, was a #1 hit in the States and a track that became the UK’s highest-selling rap single of all time before winning a Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. —MM

4. Gladys Knight & The Pips: “Midnight Train to Georgia”

Released by Buddah Records in August 1973, Gladys Knight & the Pips’ “Midnight Train to Georgia” makes a case for being the single greatest soul song to top the charts in the 1970s. Written by Jim Weatherly, the track would win a Best R&B Vocal Performance By a Duo, Group or Chorus Grammy a year later, but not after solidifying itself as a monumental ballad woven from pure silk. Knight’s vocal performance doesn’t just stand alone, it stands the ultimate test of time. “Midnight Train to Georgia” sounds as fresh now as it did 50 years ago, and its story of cross-country devotion is earnest and beautiful—punctuated by the Pips’ harmonies. “I’d rather live in his world than live without him in mine,” Knight sings. The song has gone on to live a dozen more lives through various appearances in film and TV, but what a world it must have been to hop in the car, crank up the radio and hear “Midnight Train to Georgia” tumbling so beautifully from the speakers. Gladys Knight & the Pips made this song so terrific no one remembers that Jim Weatherly wrote it and Cissy Houston recorded it before them. —MM

3. Pet Shop Boys: “Always On My Mind”

No disrespect to the originators like Gwen McCrae, Brenda Lee, Elvis Presley and Willie Nelson, but none of their renditions of “Always On My Mind” even come close to matching that of the Pet Shop Boys. Released in 1987, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe completely transformed the song from a country staple to a synth-pop masterpiece. It peaked at #4 on the Hot 100 and moved over a million units globally, becoming certified gold in three countries. The harmonics on this track are unbelievable 36 years later, and it sounds like it could be a #1 hit in 2023. Tennant’s lead vocals are glossed in electronics and sound like they’re being belted down a long corridor. You can’t pretend your way into a performance like this; “Always On My Mind” was a calculated, intentional benchmark that so greatly encapsulates everything rich and lavish about the sonics of the 1980s. It’s no wonder why the Pet Shop Boys are one of the greatest pop duos of all time; everything they make drips brilliance. —MM

2. Nina Simone: “I Put a Spell On You”

“I Put a Spell On You” might go down in history as one of the most covered songs ever—it’s truly that infectious. Jalacy “Screamin’ Jay” Hawkins wrote and recorded the original version in 1956, oozing a soul and charisma that could only be the product of a drunken recording session. “I Put a Spell On You” was originally meant to be a slow, bluesy love song—but a late-night recording session that included liquor allowed Hawkins to let loose and growl out the lyrics, earn the “Screamin’ Jay” nickname and create the version that inspired Nina Simone’s soulful rendition. Simone added scatting riffs and a cleaner sax solo in her version that elevated the original accidental masterpiece into an effortlessly seductive R&B ballad—almost what I imagine the original sober version of “I Put a Spell On You” would have sounded like. The unique power and control of Simone’s voice cast a spell of their own, and her hypnotic version is hands down the best cover out of the hundreds that have tried to make this track their own, though Creedence Clearwater Revival earns some points, too. Hawkins’s version was also wildly successful, even with a ban in place against playing the track on radio stations because his screeches were “too offensive” for airplay, but the haunting, creepy tone was alluring enough to sell over a million copies. —OA

1. Sinéad O’Connor: “Nothing Compares 2 U”

It takes a certain kind of fearlessness to do what Sinéad O’Connor and her producer Nellee Hooper did in 1990 with “Nothing Compares 2 U.” The two artists looked at a song written by Prince, by that point an already established titan of pop songcraft, and decided they could do it so much better. To be fair to the Purple One, the blueprint was right there in the version he wrote and recorded with his band The Family for their 1985 self-titled album. O’Connor and Hooper simply took those raw materials and like true musical alchemists, turned it into a gleaming golden ring. And listening to it now, some 33 years after its creation, it still comes across as a tribute to Prince. A testament to his surprising way with words (the opening line is a stroke of Hal David-like genius) and his unholy gift for melody. But it still took O’Connor to lift those lyrics and that hook to the heavens. The desperation, longing and lust comes pouring out of her peerless voice like sacramental oil, anointing the foreheads of anyone who has suffered through the pain of watching an ex walk out the door and move on with their lives when you were nowhere near ready. The nerve that O’Connor struck — one that she clearly recognized deep within her own core — had worldwide resonance, taking the song to #1 in numerous countries across the globe. And its vibrations continue to thrum as anyone who would dare to record their own version of “Nothing Compares 2 U” like Chris Cornell and Aretha Franklin have been forced to reckon not with the original but this indelible rendition by an equally unforgettable artist. —RH

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Listen to a playlist of these 100 songs below.