I love cover songs! Sometimes the best covers are the ones that
describe a song in a different style. One of my favorite cover is the
acoustic cover where a song is stripped down to the bare basics and even
if done similarly, can sound completely different.
In
order to receive votes in this category, the track had to be a cover
song and stripped down from the original format featuring prominent
acoustic instruments. In a rare feat, all songs receiving votes were
included in this list.
"We Are Young"- Attaloss (originally by Fun).
Attaloss out of Los Angeles released their solid self-titled debut
album earlier this year, where it peaked at #1 on the Alternative New
Artists Albums Chart. Here in this acoustic cover, lead singer Danny
Aguiluz gives a very impressive cover of Fun's song, despite this song
not really being a song that goes along with Attaloss's sound, which is
actually quite impressive. Their debut album is not available on iTunes.
Also, check them out at
www.attaloss.com. The single from Fun off of their album
Some Nights actually went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYzVC5BzHwM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv6dMFF_yts
"Firework"- Lawson (originally by Katy Perry). Katy
Perry continues to be a guilty pleasure, but this song is such a great
song to cover, and is a great song period. British band Lawson gives
this song a great whirl here in this video. This is one of those songs
that I think was meant to be stripped down from the beginning in my
opinion. Lawson has already released their debut single "When She Was
Mine" which peaked at #4 on the British Singles Chart, and it will be
included on their upcoming debut album. I really hope this version is on
that album, because this is seriously a great arrangement of an already
great song. This famous original off of Perry's album
Teenage Dream went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Dhb2Xet6L0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGJuMBdaqIw
"Use Somebody"- Paramore (originally by Kings Of Leon). This is a great cover of Kings of Leon done by Paramore for Great Britain's
BBC Radio 1 Lounge
gives a great alternative arrangement of a song by a kinda similar band
that's even based out of the same hometown. Always cool to see songs
done in a different perspective even by a similar band. The way Hayley
Williams sings this song, I almost want to believe this was originally a
Paramore song. This track is actually available for purchase on
iTunes.......guess where I'm headed right now? This widely popular song
by Kings Of Leon and breakout single for the band off of their album
Only By The Night peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGaZyw8UPRY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnhXHvRoUd0
"The Only Exception"- Naya Marie (originally by Paramore).
Speaking of Paramore! I can't believe I've never featured this Naya
Marie cover before. This one was kind of a stretch seeing how the song
was already acoustic, but this version is seriously too good to leave
off. Naya Marie has a voice of an angel and this black and white video
made with Australian artist John Vella with Naya in such a casual
setting really sets this mood for this track. I hate to compare this one
to the original because I love Hayley Williams so much, and she's
pretty unduplicatable (if that's a word), but this version here
definitely gives me chills. This great song was originally featured on
Paramore's album
Brand New Eyes and peaked at #24 on the Billboard Hot 100, and still remains a Paramore fan favorite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W2m4NYOfPQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J7J_IWUhls
"One"- Howie Day (originally by U2). This is a super cool clip of Howie Day before his break out album
Stop All The World Now
doing a great rendition of U2's "One". I'd really like to see Howie Day
become even a bigger star because he's super talented and has some
great songs that fly under the radar. The pride of Brewer, Maine may get
a bad rap for some legal troubles. I'm impressed that he picked such an
awesome song to cover as well. This classic song from U2's 1991 album
Achtung Baby
peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100, and remains one of their most
famous songs, also covered by the always awesome Mary J. Blige with U2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjoBse_0sDI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftjEcrrf7r0
"California King Bed"- Priscilla Renea (originally by Rihanna).
This one is kinda different, but I'll count it. Priscilla Renea is seen
here performing a song she actually co-wrote but was originally
recorded by Rihanna (we'll see plenty of Rihanna on this list) at the
2012 ASCAP I Create Music Expo, and excuse me while I say I'd rather
listen to Priscilla Renea sing this song than Rihanna. Her debut album
Jukebox
is easily one of the most underrated albums ever, and most music
publications have echoed this sentiment. With that being said, I'm also
gonna say this video is also awesome for featuring a left handed guitar
player. This "original" was included on Rihanna's
Loud album and peaked at #37 on the Billboard Hot 100.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZi_oZkMCs8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhBorPm6JjQ
"Hey Ya!"- Obadiah Parker (originally by Outkast). Now this one took some courage. This Scottsdale, Arizona singer included this acoustic Outkast cover on his debut album
Obadiah Parker Live!
and earned the praise of many including Andre 3000. It's always
interesting to hear a song reinterpreted into a completely different
genre while keeping all of the same lyrics. This one was interesting
because this song by Outkast was not only a former #1 hit on the
Billboard Hot 100, but was also included on the mega album, 2003's
Speakerboxx/The Love Below,
which not only won the Grammy for Album Of The Year, but is considered
by many one of the best hip-hop albums ever made, and one of the best
overall albums of the 2000's.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c745E7T_Wvg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWgvGjAhvIw
"Gangsta's Paradise"- James Morrison (originally by Coolio).
Another interesting hip-hop cover here from a guy that goes big when he
does covers. First Michael Jackson, now this? Wow. This great rendition
was given live while he was on the Australian radio show "Fifi and
Jules". I'm sure that Coolio will probably find a way to complain about
this cover too ala Weird Al. This title track from Coolio's 1996 album
and anthem for the Michelle Pfeiffer movie "Dangerous Minds" was one of
the biggest and most controversial singles from the 1990's and went to
#1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was also nominated for Record Of The
Year Grammy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoavvAjTfbw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6voHeEa3ig
"Black"- Aaron Lewis (originally by Pearl Jam).
This former Staind front man gives a fantastic rendition of Pearl Jam's
widely popular song here live at the 2001 Family Values Tour Live
Album. I always liked this song, but isn't it easier to understand Aaron
Lewis instead of Eddie Vedder? Despite this song's immense popularity
off of Pearl Jam's 1991 critically acclaimed debut album
Ten,
this song was never released as a single by the band due to its
extremely personal nature. Aaron Lewis is not a bad singer at all, and I
think it sucks that Staind gets a bad name as being "too mainstream",
as Aaron Lewis is a surprisingly versatile performer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC6_WgraOBA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfhsRIDh1RQ
"She Will Be Loved"- Boyce Avenue (originally by Maroon 5).
The most popular cover band on youtube gives this Maroon 5 classic a
whirl with a little help from Tiffany Alvord. This South Florida band
also does a great job of breaking racial stereotypes of latinos not
being affective rock musicians, with this and all of their other tracks.
This single from Maroon 5's smash debut album
Songs About Jane
went to #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. This stripped down and slightly
slower version I think sounds better. This is just one of those songs
that just doesn't need the drums.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzDm2vMHabE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIjVuRTm-dc
"We Found Love"- Jessie J (originally by Rihanna). Rihanna sighting #2. This is a fantastic cover of Rihanna's "We Found Love" by British starlet Jessie J recorded on
BBC Live 1 Lounge,
and is a very interesting version that I kinda like. The tempo changes
add a great touch to this track, which is also available on iTunes. This
track was originally on Rihanna's
Talk That Talk album and was her record tying 11th #1 Billboard Hot 100 single.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X4pwCs28a0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg00YEETFzg
"Domino"- Queen Of Hearts (originally by Jessie J).
Speaking of Jessie J! This track for which she is most known for was
done spectacularly by Toronto girl trio Queen of Hearts here in this
pretty entertaining and candid video. The way they sing this song, you
almost want to think this song was originally a R & B ballad. One of
the criticisms of the original track (albeit, pretty unfair) is that
the song sounded similar to Katy Perry- there's absolutely no hint of
that here with an added vocal harmony that is a phenomenal blend. Every
time I listen to Queen Of Hearts I am blown away at how all 3 girls are
so different but sound so majestic together. This single by Jessie J off
her album
Who You Are peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100, and gave Jessie J her first major American hit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVMkHoIvSaI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJtB55MaoD0
"Hey, Soul Sister"- Angel Taylor (originally by Train).
Someone please tell me how Angel Taylor did not win "The Voice"! Talk
about another underrate artist flying under the radar, and she gives a
very interesting cover here of one of my favorite songs of the last few
years. I'd actually like to see this song track included on Angel's
follow up to her debut album
Love Travels, and if you ever
wanna hear any more of Angel Taylor, just come in Sprint, as she's on
constant rotation with Priscilla Renea on the store sound system. This
track by Train off of their album
Save Me, San Francisco went to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and might be the best mandolin song ever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab5Rs4z4ZMk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVpv8-5XWOI
"Somebody That I Used To Know"- Tyler Ward (originally by Gotye featuring Kimbra).
Sometimes it's funny to see how songs become so catchy- and this one is
no exception. This is a very solid effort from youtube cover master
Tyler Ward of Gotye's worldwide smash off of his
Making Mirrors album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-0UXEE7REo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY
"I Won't Give Up"- Taylor Willis (originally by Jason Mraz).
This one was done for me! Hi five! This might be the most popular cover
song on youtube right now, but this is my favorite version of it. Not
only does Taylor keep the song close to the original, she adds her own
personal twist pretty effortlessly. This girl is so freaking talented,
and I was so glad to see this song covered by such a talented and left
handed artist! This widely popular song by Jason Mraz off of his album
Love Is A Four Letter Word peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BZc53e7ukk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1-4u9W-bns
"Ayo Technology"- Milow (originally by 50 Cent featuring Justin Timberlake).
This famous acoustic cover by Belgian singer Milow was his coming out
party and this also led to this cover being made into a music video and
being #1 in several European countries and was featured on his album
Coming Of Age.
Milow has since made a few American television appearances and will
continue to grow in popularity. This track with Timberlake off of 50
Cent's album
Curtis went to #5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo1gNtWs_So
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n93HrRfw4lg
"Umbrella"- Marie Digby (originally by Rhianna featuring Jay-Z). Our last Rihanna siting features the very beautiful Marie Digby doing the song that got her discovered, with her debut album
Unfold peaking
at #29 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart. This video remains one of
the most famous in youtube history and is a perfect example of current
artists using technology to be discovered. The single off of Rihanna's
album
Good Girl Gone Bad was one of the fastest selling digital download songs ever which helped propel it to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=589Mvlz6LWE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvBfHwUxHIk
"Poison and Wine"- Erin Kim and Ben Clement (originally by The Civil Wars).
This one here is freaking phenomenal. Erin Kim goes on back to back
lists with this unreal cover of this Civil Wars song with Ben Clement.
This video gets super bonus points for featuring Asian music, and the
previously mentioned Marie Digby song (WOW!),
and John Mayer in the background. Erin Kim has an unreal voice, and
even though I love her on the Gowe tracks, she is so freaking soulful!
This cover was super hard to pull off and I freaking love it! This title
track to the Civil Wars first studio EP gained popularity while being
included on an episode of "Grey's Anatomy".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjmfnd07eZ0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-6EwdDiopQ
BONUS VIDEOS- "Open Door"- Attaloss. Debut music video from Attaloss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXswKpViPgg
"Amish Paradise"- "Weird Al" Yankovic. The original reason Coolio got so mad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOfZLb33uCg
"City Love"- Priscilla Renea. Best track off of Priscilla's album
Jukebox.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35MNqd4ehtY
"One"- Mary J. Blige featuring U2. Classic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpDQJnI4OhU
Priscilla Renea
Attaloss
Lawson
Naya Marie
Queen Of Hearts
