Awesome Covers

Musician Travis Netzer shows us how with a few effects pedals and the right technique, an ordinary tuba can sound like an fuzzed out electric guitar, as he performs a cover version of The White Stripes’ Catch Hell Blues from the 2007 album Icky Thump.

The Who’s Baba O’Reily isn’t an easy tune to play, especially given that the original’s rhythm was an organ effect. While we’re not exactly blown away by the vocals in Stewart Bozarth’s 2007 rendition, his piano playing is top notch. We love his drop-the-mic sort of finish.

A wonderfully executed cover version of Cher’s 1998 hit Believe, performed by Australia’s Oasis-esque rockers DMA’s. They sound great, but will surely annoy grammar Nazis with the seemingly unnecessary apostrophe in their name.

A vibrant cover version of Marvin Gaye’s classic which will have you marching down the street, spinning an umbrella along to the Dixieland jazz sounds of New Orleans’ Hot 8 Brass Band. Go figure that the video was shot in London.

A folksy, bluegrassy, and wonderfully fun cover version of Modest Mouse’s Float On, performed by the perfectly named Diablo Sandwich and the Dr. Peppers at Athens, Georgia hole in the wall The Lost Mirror.

Queen’s 1977 classic We Will Rock You is one of rock and roll’s (and sports’) greatest anthems. So the idea of a cover version is kind of sacrilege. But we’ll give this 1981 version a pass, since it was recorded by Queen themselves, and gives the song a whole different flavor.

Musician Luna Lee knocks another hit out of the park, this time covering Lynyrd Skynyrd’s classic Free Bird on her gayageum, an ancient Korean string instrument, not typically associated with rock and roll.

Nick Proch and his Metamorphestra perform a truly enthralling symphonic take on Tool’s classic Schism. One YouTube commenter smartly observed that it should be part of the soundtrack for a sci-fi film. From the upcoming album, The Ship of Theseus.

Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser yet again prove that cellos aren’t just for classical music, with this performance of AC/DC’s 1979 classic. They’re more like 2CELLOSANDADRUMKIT this time out, with Dusan Kranjc banging away in the rhythm section.

The light and lilting voice of Daniela Andrade powers this welcome addition to the long list of cover versions we’ve heard of The Pixies 1988 classic, and is a wonderful introduction to this young woman’s incredible talent.

It’s been over a year since musician Hanbyul Kang last posted a song to his YouTube channel, but his back catalog of smooth and soulful covers is too good not to share. Here’s hoping we hear more from Hanbyul down the road.

(PG-13: Language) Daft Punk produced the music for The Weeknd’s latest hit Starboy. But what if it was the other way around and Daft Punk invited The Weeknd to sing on their terms? YouTuber samuraiguitarist might have the answer.

All my friends are kitties, take it slow. Insane Cherry reworks yet another track, this time taking on Twenty One Pilots’ hit Heathens, and supplementing it with the barks, meows, squawks, and cries of animals.

Given all of the intricacies of S U R V I V E’s original version of the Stranger Things theme song, we think that musician Wandertalk did a great job replicating the sound on his collection of retro and analog synthesizers.

A slightly more toned down and twangy version of Ozzy Osbourne’s metal classic, performed live by bluegrass band Iron Horse, accompanied by Orchestra Sul Ponticello. From the album Black & Bluegrass.

Elefante Sessions presents a wonderfully different cover version of David Bowie’s classic The Man Who Sold the World, performed by Orquesta Raiz, a dynamic group of musicians with roots around the globe, and a Brazilian influenced sound. More great music here.

Musician 331Erock adds his own special touch to Daft Punk’s classic Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, as he rocks out some sweet heavy metal riffs to accompany the awesome Live @Alive 2007 version of the track.

CHOOSE LIFE with this hilarious, but somehow completely right heavy metal cover version of WHAM!’s cheesetastic 1984 hit Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, as performed by Leo Moracchioli of Frog Leap Studios.

Laser Time dug up this juicy nugget from an old episode of Muppets Tonight, in which Kermit donned a giant suit and proceeded to sing (er talk) a cover of Talking Heads’ classic Once in a Lifetime. You must stick around for Statler and Waldorf at the end. Same as it ever was.

Fans of the classic SEGA Genesis game Sonic the Hedgehog will immediately recognize every one of these tracks, redone with a metal edge by Russian musician Michael Sobin. Seriously, all these tunes are permanently ingrained in our brains since childhood.

Gogamusic has made a career out of turning popular songs into reggae versions. As we dug through his YouTube channel, we came across a few gems, not the least of which is this cover of Journey’s 1981 classic, which seems completely at home in Jamaican style.

A fun medley of tunes from Fleetwood Mac’s classic album Rumours, played on ukulele by musician Eat My Uke. While we miss the vocals, we’re reminded just why this is one of the greatest albums of all time, and must go put it on the turntable right now.

Folk/rock musician Ted Yoder recently turned in an amazing live performance of the Tears for Fears 1985 classic Everybody Wants to Rule the World, played on a hammered dulcimer. His Journey, Kansas and ABBA covers are equally wonderful.