Awesome Covers

Multitalented musician Kawehi’s latest track is yet another wonderful cover version, made entirely her own. While it might not be immediately apparent, she’s transformed Led Zeppelin’s classic track Ramble On into a punchy electro-pop groove.

While digging around YouTube, we stumbled onto a true talent. Musician Christian Cuevas has a smooth and powerful voice that will pierce you to the soul, and won’t let go. Seriously folks, this guy deserves a major record deal. Check out more of his tracks here.

Guitarist Billy Watman turns in a fingerstyle rendition of Queen’s magnum opus which would be impressive if played by anyone, but it’s even more amazing that he’s just 14 years old and can play like this. More on Billy’s YouTube page. (Video by Tony Goode)

Sia, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots cover The Dixie Cups’ acoustic rendition of the Mardi Gras song Iko Iko, with the not-so-special participation of Natalie Portman, who seems to have mellowed down from her Lonely Island days.

8 Bit Universe has made hundreds of chiptune cover versions of popular songs across the ages. From Devo to The Eagles, from Journey to Beastie Boys. The also make 8-bit versions of TV and movie theme songs. Though we think the ones with vocals should be sung by a robot.

Vocalist Mike Tompkins teamed up with members of The Harlem Globetrotters to put together this fun a capella version of their theme song, using nothing more than voices, bouncing basketballs, and foot stomping to create the multilayered track.

YouTuber Grant Woolard performed and then arranged 57 classical pieces from 33 different composers. Now if you’ll excuse us, we’re going to have a nibble of caviar on blini while briséing on our way to pick up our doctorate in Serial Killing.

For Triple J’s Like a Version, musician Sarah Blasko paid tribute to the late, great David Bowie with a fantastic, soul-stirring rendition of one of our all-time favorite songs, Life on Mars. We’re buying all of her albums right now.

Jimmy Fallon dusts off his uncanny Bob Dylan impression to cover Drake’s transcendent hip hop single Hotline Bling to the tune of Positively 4th Street. The flowered hat is a nice touch, even though it looks awful on Jimmy.

A flowing and passionate cover of Bob Dylan’s song from the late Jeff Buckley. The track is part of You And I, an upcoming 10-song album of Buckley’s previously unreleased studio recordings from the ’90s.

Adam Ben Ezra turns in an awesome cover version of David Bowie’s classic, highlighted by his deft upright bass skills, and a fuzzed-out rhythm that breathes new life into the 1970 track. And if you never heard it before, be sure to check out his version of the Dexter theme.

Among the many David Bowie musical tributes that have popped up in recent days, here’s one we weren’t expecting – his seminal 1969 classic Space Oddity played on bells at the 634-year-old Dom Tower in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

An powerful and heartfelt rendition of Nirvana’s 1991 classic, performed soulfully by Washington, D.C. vocalist Comanaut. You’d never guess he could sing like this from the sound of his dope track Why I’m Not Where You Are.

Blind Covers is a new YouTube show where bands are given only one hour to make a cover for a song that they’ve never heard before. Here psych rock band The Mosaics (formerly Town in the City) covers country star Martina McBride’s Independence Day. Performance at 5:30.

Japanese musician 826aska demonstrates her impressive electronic keyboard skills with performances from Back to the Future, Star Wars, Mission Impossible III, and other famous movie themes with a rich and orchestral texture atypical of a single musical instrument.

We’ve heard music from Star Wars playfully performed on a piano and rocked out on an electric guitar. Here’s Rafael Aguirre’s lively rendition, which he performed at Alhambra Guitars’ 50th anniversary. Damas y caballeros, La Guitarra de Las Galaxias.

Back in 1978, Bill Murray added lyrics to the Star Wars title theme for his tacky Saturday Night Live character Nick the Lounge Singer. The Force Awakens’ Oscar Isaac rewrites the silly song and makes it cool.

While we might question the masks The Bottle Boys are wearing in their Star Wars music video, there’s no doubt about their musical talents, as they play a pitch-perfect remake of Cantina Band, originally played by Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes on Mos Eisley.

Musician Feanor X turns in an impressive performance of seven pieces from John Williams’ score from the Star Wars saga. While The Light of the Force features a great solo, there’s nothing more appropriate than a metal version of The Imperial March.

The incredible vocal talents of Puddles Pity Party and Haley Reinhart teamed up with Postmodern Jukebox to turn in a quirky, vaudvillian performance of Tears for Fears’ 1983 dark classic Mad World. Download on iTunes.

Musician Leo Moracchioli of Frog Leap Studios transformed the classic Gorillaz (or is it Bunniez?) track into a hard-edged rock arrangement. The behind the scenes video is worth a watch too. We’re amazed that the cameraman didn’t end up on his butt.

After wowing us with some Hendrix, musician Luna Lee dials it down a notch for a moving performance of the Radiohead classic Creep, played on her traditional Korean string instrument, the Gayageum.

Musician Samurai Guitarist created this unusual, but somehow just right cover version of the familiar Russian style theme song from the arcade classic, Tetris. We just wanted to shout Rawhide! at the end.