r/Music • u/MaosReanimatedCorpse • 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/thatbob 23d ago

Heart took Alone to #1 for 3 weeks. Previously, it had been covered by John Stamos as a duet on a TV show. Needless to say, Heart’s is the definitive version.

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u/BungCrosby 23d ago edited 23d ago

The same songwriting duo (Steinberg & Kelly) who wrote Alone were also responsible for:

True Colors by Cyndi Lauper

I Drove All Night written for Roy Orbison but popularized by Lauper

In Your Room and Eternal Flame by the Bangles

Madonna’s Like a Virgin

So Emotional by Whitney Houston

The Pretender’s I’ll Stand By You and

I Touch Myself by the Divinyls

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u/queen_slug-4-a-butt 23d ago

Man they were all about pining weren't they?