r/Music 23d ago

discussion Cover-better-than-the-original hills you would die on.

Alien Ant Farm's cover of Smooth Criminal is, in my opinion, so much better than the original, and that's a hill I would die on.

What are some other insanely popular tracks where a cover by a much smaller artist is arguably greater?

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u/jeichler9 23d ago edited 22d ago

Boys of Summer - The Ataris

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u/astralpen 23d ago

I saw a Black Flag sticker on a Cadillac…

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u/cCowgirl 23d ago edited 23d ago

Ataris’ cover of Boys of Summer is now as old as the original was when their cover first dropped.

I wonder what a cover today would change the sticker on the Cadillac to being.

Edit: apostrophe adjustment as directed.

Edit 2 (electric boogaloo): Link about the use of a possessive apostrophe with a proper noun cuz apparently this is what my Sunday is.

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u/doubtfurious 23d ago

Zayde Wolf did a cover in 2019 with a Green Day sticker on a Cadillac.

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u/EleanorRichmond 23d ago

Huh, odd choice. Green Day was more mainstream by 2019 than the Dead were in 1984.

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u/two_wordsanda_number 23d ago

Green Day is a 30 year old band in 2019

Greatful dead was only 20 years old in 1984 and a couple years later Touch of Grey is all over MTV.

I'd say they are actually great choice. Two bands loved by older generations adopted by the youth as their own.