When the cover is better than the original (1)

 

 

Of course, it comes down to personal taste, but here are some obvious candidates:

 

Joan Jett:  “I Love Rock and Roll”  (The Arrows)

The original version had almost been forgotten when Jett got hold of it.  She turned it into one of the biggest rock hits of all time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPGG69wB4ys

 

 

The Pretenders:  “Creep” (Radiohead)

Chrissie Hynde is known for her goth look, punk vibe and occasional snarl.  So it’s a bit of a shock to see her turn in something this vulnerable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lML2N4xB9GU

 

 

Floor Jansen:  “Shallow” (Lady Gaga)

This was the hit from the soundtrack to “A Star is Born”.  Jansen is usually identified with her huge, operatic sound and her role as frontwoman for the symphonic metal band Nightwish.  Here, after weighing various options, she decided to go small, and ended up giving the song even more emotional punch than the original.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M68pe4a_9zk

 

 

Floor Jansen and Tim Akkerman:  “Shallow” (Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper). This time, Floor and Tim go big, and they crush it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pf7Xd3IVtU

 

 

Watch for more of these. If you have some you want to nominate, please send me links!