Name: Top 10 Cover Songs that DESTROYED the Original
Uploaded: 2025-06-18T17:10:04.000Z
Duration: 13 min 37 s
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Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the covers that were so good because they outdid the original production, energy, and or cultural resonance.

Original, James Ray with Hutch Davey Orchestra and Chorus, cover, George Harrison.

Delving into early 1960s music history, George Harrison covers a song with a timeless hook.

He might bring more of a 1980s sound, but the essence of this great tune remains.

Harrison has a way of making this such a catchy and inviting version.

The stellar vocals only make the chorus more memorable.

It just goes to show that the former Beatle could bring some magic to somebody else's song.

In one of his last big hits as a solo artist, the musician reminds everyone that he delivers as well as his contemporaries.

It's the kind of music that's both sweet and unabashedly sincere.

Original, Bruce Springsteen, cover, Manfred Mann's Earth Band.

Cut loose like a deuce, another runner in the night

This is another case of a song that took on a life of its own after the cover.

It's one of the few Bruce Springsteen works that didn't take off as an original.

Many years later, Manfred Mann's Earth Band made it a 1970s rock staple.

With a bowler on my shoulder, feeling kind of older

This includes the often misinterpreted lyrics in the chorus.

No matter what you hear them say, you have to admit that this song is entertaining.

There isn't much Springsteen left in the second version, but it's still a fun experience that's endured in pop culture.

You might have heard it one too many times, and that is only because of its massive popularity.

Original, Tears for Fears, cover, Michael Andrews featuring Gary Jules.

Some people remember this song best from movies like Donnie Darko.

This cover is guaranteed to make you sad, or at least put you in a melancholic mood.

Michael Andrews and Gary Jules created the perfect rendition of a 1980s single.

The original Tears for Fears track doesn't have the same poignancy despite the compelling lyrics.

In the older version, there's much more reliance on sounds that contrast with the more serious message.

Andrews and Jules found a way to access the dramatic themes, taking you to another place and letting each note linger in your head.

Original, Gloria Jones, cover, Soft Cell.

What would the 1980s have been without this Soft Cell hit?

The duo brought synths to an old standard recorded by many artists like Gloria Jones.

With this cover from 1981, the band gives a dose of funky attitude to a track from the 1960s.

You'd be forgiven for needing to dance or tap your feet throughout this version.

To this day, the single has all the trademarks of a fantastic and fun pop tune from the era.

It's the kind of bouncy rhythm that'll be bopping around your head for hours.

While this new wave collective didn't have many hits, they certainly left an impact with this one.

Original, The Family, cover Sinead O'Connor.

Sinead O'Connor pours her heart out in a piece written by Prince.

It's the kind of track that can alter your state of mind in a few notes.

O'Connor gives the performance of her career in a profound love song.

It almost sounds like she's reading from a diary, making this feel even more personal.

Since you've been gone, I can do whatever I want

You have to wonder if it was destiny that brought her to the single and helped make her an even bigger star.

She manages to tear your heart out with some heartfelt lyrics.

While it might have been written by one of the best artists ever, the vocalist makes this version her own.

Original, The Zutons, cover Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse.

You may or may not remember The Zutons and their song Valerie.

Producer Mark Ronson then made it more famous as a cover, but he needed a talented singer to bring it to life.

Amy Winehouse just so happened to be the perfect choice.

The collaborators brought a throwback sound to the single.

Ronson supplies Winehouse with some awesome instrumentation to back her up.

The second she starts singing, the vocalist and her personality shine through and make you happier.

You can imagine this rendition being a hit in multiple eras with its timeless production values.

Original, Nine Inch Nails, cover Johnny Cash

Die-hard Nine Inch Nails fans might think otherwise, but Johnny Cash completely owns this cover of Hurt.

It's a fantastic and devastating trip down memory lane for the country star.