"Johnny Cash singing "'Hurt' by NIN."
 
iamzeecapt replied:
"Yes. It's unreal how different the same lyrics feel by 2 different artists."

"Jimi Hendrix's "All Along The Watchtower" is much better than Dylan's."
 
419_glaze_it replied:
"Even Bob Dylan himself admitted that Jimi's version was better."

"I like Alien Ant Farm's Smooth Criminal better than Michael Jackson's."

_Wendigun_ replied:
"Didn't he also record it in one take at like 1 am after the studio was supposed to be closed but he called and was very nice, so they let him in."
 
SenoraNegra said:
"It’s beautiful, but it also drives me up the wall because he mixes up the lines from different verses, so the lyrics make no sense."

"The Man Who Sold the World from Nirvana on MTV Unplugged."

Davidred323 replied:
 "Everything Joe Cocker did is a cover and they are all great. The Letter is my favorite."

"Tina Turner's cover of 'Proud Mary'."

"Janis Joplin - Me and Bobby McGee, by Kris Kristofferson in the beginning. Although Kristofferson's version is excellent, Janis' vocal performance elevated it."

"Nirvana's cover of Where did you sleep last night."
 
AlexJamesCook replied:
"Basically every cover they performed during the MTV Unplugged session was pure gold. We met Kurt at his primordial best; where his disdain for everything met his talent, met his desire to perform. That performance sums up Kurt tragically and beautifully."

"Tainted Love by Soft Cell."
 
7sodab0sc0 replied:
"I feel like I’m receiving the good karma from my life when I chance to hear this version. Makes my day every time."

"Better performed and most people just assume she was the original. It was actually Willie Nelson’s song he wrote and performed first, but just didn’t have the same impact as her singing it."

"The Clash's version of I Fought The Law."
 
_ferrofluid_ replied:
"For real, this was the first version of the song I heard. It’s the best."

"Mad World by Gary Jules, originally by Tears for Fears, are both great though."

"It was originally a Bruce Springsteen song that he wrote and performed, but for whatever reason, gave it to her. I heard the Springsteen/E-Street Band's original spin on it, and although it's amazing, Smith's rendition is otherworldly."

"The Bangles version of Hazy Shade of Winter."

"Probably not a popular opinion but I like the GnRs version of Live and Let Die. Yes, I am a Beatles and Paul McCartney fan."
 
AndImSuperKing replied:
"Also, Guns N' Roses Knocking' on Heaven’s Door."

"Valerie sang by Amy Winehouse. So much so that everyone forgets The Zutons ever even tried."
 
Fresnel_Zone replied:
"This cover is so good that you can slow it down to half speed to get a second really good cover."

FunnyYellowBird replied:
"Their cover of Doris Day’s “Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps” is one of my all-time fave songs."

"Natalie Imbruglia's version of Torn."
 
YupIzzMee replied:
"I listened to this song by Talk Talk so many years, and then it faded away. When I heard it from No Doubt I didn't even realize it was the same song!"

"The original is just very cheesy, and the singing sounds very flat and stilted compared to TMBG, almost like what a little kid sounds like when singing."

"I Will Always Love You — Whitney Houston. Written and originally performed by Dolly Parton. This is the best cover ever."

"'I need a hero', the Shrek version is better."

"I am not a Metallica fan but as a bartender that had to listen to the jukebox for hours at a time, I will take their version of Turn the Page over Bob Seger's."
 
eddmario replied:
"Even Seger loves their cover."

"I think 'Always on my mind' by Pet Shop Boys is amazing."

"Rage Against the Machine's — Renegades of Funk is far better than the original."
 
Consistent-Film-6926 replied:
"Everything on the album is great honestly, imagine being told in the 70s-80s that a rap rock group in the year 2000 would create a cover album of many songs released around that era in the style of their own third album and it'd actually be a great album."

"Kurt Cobain’s cover of the Meat Puppets' songs on Unplugged."
 
fd1Jeff replied:
"Also, Nirvana‘s version of the Man Who Sold the World. I am a colossal Bowie fan, but somehow their version is just a little better."

like_bookends repleid:
"I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS A COVER."

"'Take Me to the River' by Talking Heads."

"Eddie Vedder's cover of Hard Sun."
 
Mendoza8914 replied:
"The original song used to play on my local alternative hard rock station all the time, and after Eddie Vedder covered it I never heard the original again."

"Changes by Black Sabbath, covered by Charles Bradley."

CrispyChickenArms replied: "I'd say the same if the interrupters weren't so obscure. It's a shame ska isn't cool anymore."

"I love the original but this version was what I listened to in my friend's car during a stormy summer night. That slow calm drive with the rain hitting the roof and the soft blue light of the dashboard against the dark black night has to be one of my fondest memories."

linesinaconversation replied: "It's not really fair to say, for example, Alien Ant Farm's "Smooth Criminal" is better than MJ's if you grew up at the height of nu-metal. Based on those parameters, this is the one my mind immediately goes to. I'd heard The Kinks' version of "You Really Got Me" plenty. Always liked it. When I heard the Van Halen version? Game. Over. I'm not even huge into them, but they rocked it."

"Believe it or Not by George Costanza's answering machine."
 
Moonlitekilla replied:
"The 10,000 Maniacs version also is incredible."

"Fiona Apple’s version of 'Across The Universe' is so very sumptuous and so much warmer and fuller than the original."

samanthaspice replied: "The Night that the Lights Went Out in Georgia” was also originally recorded by Vicki Lawrence from “Mamas Family” and “The Carol Burnett Show”… she wasn’t really a signer but her husband had written the song and was convinced it would be a hit he just couldn’t sell it to any artists. When he felt he exhausted his options he said fine, this song is so good even my wife could sing it and make it a hit… and she did. Then Reba picked it up and now it’s one of her more well-known songs."

riverbanks1986 replied: 
"Happy to see this here, it’s one of my favorite songs of all time. Springsteen’s is haunting, but Levon’s is… recklessly hopeful. Also worth a listen is John Anderson’s cover, which is clearly a cover of The Band version and not of the original. A cover of a cover."

"The Wiggles - Elephant (originally by Tame Impala). It does not have the right to be as funky and awesome as it is!"
 
MastarQueef replied:
"When I first found this I just laughed and then I pressed play and I was like 'Okay The Wiggles need to collab with tame Impala."

Actuallawyerguy2 said:
"Almost everything from Leo Moracchioli. I'm not even a metal fan."

gr0nr replied:
"His Feel Good Inc. video got me HOOKED."

"Sea of Love Cat Power version."

calmhades replied:
"I didn’t know he covered this song. But I have to completely disagree with you. Magnetic Fields nailed it the first time."

Reddit's User replied:
"I grew up listening to the Ace version. In my ears, it is THE version of this song."

CharlieFiner replied: 
 "Fun fact: the cover is now as old as the original was when the cover was released. It's due for another."

"'Song To The Siren' as performed by This Mortal Coil. Originally by Tim Buckley.