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Some songs are so good, they deserve to be reimagined with the volume cranked up to eleven! Join us as we count down our picks for the greatest rock and metal cover songs of all time! Our countdown features iconic tracks transformed by legendary bands, turning pop classics, folk ballads and everything in between into hard-hitting bangers. Which rock or metal cover is your all-time favorite?
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00:07Welcome to WatchMojo, and today, we're counting down our picks for the top 30 songs that had
00:13their energy dialed up to 11 with a rock or metal cover version.
00:2630. I Love Rock and Roll by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Original by the Arrows
00:33Some of you might be surprised to hear this is not actually a Joan Jett original. In fact,
00:39I Love Rock and Roll was written and recorded first by the Arrows in 1975.
00:4831. One listen will be enough to tell you that the spirit and feel of the song
00:52was very much kept alive by Jett when she and the Blackhearts got a hold of it.
01:02What they did do was succeed in introducing this previously obscure song to the masses,
01:07elevating it to a level of one of the great 1980s rock songs.
01:1131. I Love Rock and Roll,
01:14It's gonna be time and dance with me!
01:16Critics did note that Jett's voice and attitude fit the track perfectly,
01:20and she deserves a lot of credit for making the song her own.
01:2432. I Love Rock and Roll,
01:26It's gonna be time and dance with me!
01:2932. Bullet the Blue Sky by P.O.D. Original by U2
01:41Who knows what U2 intended when they originally created Bullet the Blue Sky for their Joshua
01:46Tree album in the 1980s. But when P.O.D. covered it in 1999, it became something else.
01:58The song gets injected with new metal and rap rock vibes, making it almost sound like it could have
02:04been a rage against the machine song in parts.
02:0633. You take the staircase to the first floor
02:09You turn the key and slowly unlock the door
02:12It's a truly transformative cover that doesn't lose sight of the original's core identity.
02:18When it explodes on the chorus, it certainly takes the energy higher than Bono and company would
02:23ever dare to go.
02:31Number 28. Behind Blue Eyes by Limp Bizkit Original by The Who
02:37The idea of Nu Metal Giant's Limp Bizkit taking on a classic from Brit Rocker's The Who,
02:52probably seems like a disaster on paper. However, it's pretty fair to say that Fred Durst surprised
02:58a few people with his vocal performance.
03:00No one knows what it's like to be the bad man, to be the sad man.
03:10Though critical reception at the time was pretty negative, in the years that have passed,
03:14it eventually got its flowers, especially with fans looking for a serving of nostalgia.
03:19But my dreams, the arm is empty
03:25It doesn't go to the explosive place that The Who's original does, but Limp Bizkit managed to
03:31find their own path here, and it ended up working quite well.
03:35My love is vengeance, let's never free
03:41Number 27. Cats in the Cradle by Ugly Kid Joe Original by Harry Chapin
03:47Who knows how many people in the 90s hard rock scene had heard Harry Chapin's
03:51Cats in the Cradle before Ugly Kid Joe put their stamp on it.
03:55And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
03:58Little boy blue and the man in the mold
04:01It is certainly a cover that takes the original foundation and builds something fresh.
04:06You said I'm gonna be like you, Dad You know I'm gonna be like you
04:14Despite already securing an international hit single with Everything About You,
04:18Ugly Kid Joe outdid themselves with this one, hitting the top 10 in several major countries.
04:24To this day, it remains their signature song, and a favorite at live concerts.
04:28When you're coming outside, I don't know where We'll get together then
04:33Truly a cover pick that came totally out of left field, and somehow managed to work out perfectly.
04:40The cats in the Cradle and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man in the mold
04:46Number 26. Rolling in the Deep by Linkin Park Original by Adele
05:00On the long list of musicians who have covered Adele, Linkin Park certainly stand out,
05:05not only because of the major difference in sound and genre, but also because they did an amazing job.
05:11There's a fire starting in my heart Reaching a fever pitch and it's bringing me out the dark
05:21The late, great Chester Bennington let his voice carry the brunt of the weight with his version,
05:27stripping things back to the bare minimum. Accompanied by just a piano,
05:31Chester doesn't need anything else to get his point across.
05:34We could've had it all Rolling in the Deep
05:44In hindsight, the poignant performances he gave us hit even harder now,
05:49and Rolling in the Deep is an especially raw and powerful one.
05:53We could've had it all Rolling in the Deep
06:02Number 25. Every Time We Touch by Electric Callboy Original by Cascada
06:08Classic club hits don't often end up getting a second life in the way that Cascada's Every
06:14Time We Touch did in the hands of Electric Callboy. I'll still hear your voice when you sleep next
06:21to me This truly wild cover goes to some places you may not expect on your first listen, and trust
06:28us, the music video is also worth a watch.
06:31Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling And every time we kiss, I swear I can fly
06:37What it does do is give you a welcome dose of nostalgia for this era of dance pop,
06:42while also injecting something new.
06:44I'm living on your love When you call me honey
06:48Call my love, talk more Every time in a day
06:51It wasn't an instant hit on the charts, but it gradually found its commercial success,
06:56gaining the group tens of millions of views in the process.
07:00Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling And every time we kiss, I swear I can fly
07:06Number 24. Knockin' on Heaven's Door by Guns N' Roses Original by Bob Dylan
07:12Knock, knock, knockin' on Heaven's door
07:17We're sure Bob Dylan was just as surprised as anyone else to see Hard Rock Heroes Guns N' Roses
07:23covering one of his most beloved songs. That said, Dylan's work has been adapted into all styles
07:29and genres, so who knows? G&R really did the numbers some justice, though, adding their own
07:35unique flavor and heaviness without distorting the message of the original.
07:45It was a decent hit for the band upon its release, but Radio Play allowed it to grow
07:50into one of their most beloved songs.
07:57As the story goes, while Dylan was not a fan of Guns N' Roses, he was quite happy with the
08:03money
08:03that this cover earned him due to royalties.
08:10Number 23. Blue Monday by Orgy Original by New Order
08:16The truly great songs can stand up in many different genres,
08:20and New Order's seminal hit Blue Monday can certainly be counted in that group.
08:24How does it feel to treat me like you do?
08:30Despite its electronic roots, it just so happens to work very well as a 90s industrial rock song.
08:37We know this thanks to Orgy's punchy cover of it in 1998.
08:41How does it feel to treat me like you do?
08:47The drums are more intense, the vocals less robotic, and it all comes together with a much heavier feel.
08:53Although there was a lot of restraint involved in New Order's original,
08:57the song very clearly works when the energy is dialed up.
09:07It would go on to become Orgy's best-known song, and their last to chart in the U.S.
09:19Number 22. Blinded by the Lights by Manfred Mann's Earth Band Original by Bruce Springsteen
09:26When Bruce Springsteen put out two singles from his debut album that failed to chart,
09:30it may have been seen as a failure to some.
09:32Turned up the band, and she was blinded by a light.
09:38Little did he know what he would eventually go on to achieve.
09:42And similarly, he had no idea that Manfred Mann would go on to score a number one hit
09:47single with his composition.
09:55Where Springfield failed to catch a spark, this cover succeeded, reinventing the track
10:00in the band's own unique style.
10:08In later years, the original has finally gotten its dues, and while Bruce doesn't play it every
10:13night on tour, he never truly let it slip out of his sets entirely.
10:24Number 21. Dazed and Confused by Led Zeppelin Original by Jake Holmes
10:38This is yet another example of a song that most people never knew was a cover.
10:43The problem with Led Zeppelin's Dazed and Confused is that it goes a lot deeper than a simple
10:48interpretation.
10:55Jimmy Page and Robert Plant were notorious for being a little loose with their songwriting credits,
11:00and so the original writer of this song had to fight tirelessly to get his credit and monetary
11:05compensation.
11:06It's a great cover, make no mistake, and Zeppelin makes some pretty radical changes.
11:18However, Jake Holmes wrote the outline for the song, and in a fair world, Page and
11:24Plants would have immediately given him his dues.
11:31Number 20. Another Brick in the Wall Part 1, 2, 3 by Korn Original by Pink Floyd
11:38Greatest Hits compilation albums can often be a great opportunity for bands to include some rare
11:44b-sides or cover tunes they'd played around with in the past. Korn's compilation of Greatest Hits included
11:51two covers, one of Word Up by Cameo, and Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd.
12:01The wild variation in styles between these two covers showcases Korn's wide array of influences,
12:08while the latter cover does a great job at modernizing Floyd's psychedelic rock sound.
12:13Korn's Another Brick in the Wall is dark, heavy, and mesmerizing, while also retaining the original's
12:20groove and atmosphere. This one's just great.
12:29Number 19. Careless Whisper by Seether Original by Wham! featuring George Michael.
12:35Spinal Tap sort of said it best.
12:38It's such a fine line between stupid and clever.
12:42And Seether's decision to cover Careless Whisper by George Michael and Wham!
12:46could have easily fallen into cringe territory, had the band not given the tune their all.
12:51This version of Careless Whisper is heavier, sure, but retains the original's melancholy melody.
12:57Meanwhile, Seether recreated that iconic sax line with their guitars, lending their own stamp
13:03to this 80s pop classic. The end results avoid sounding like a novelty song. There's no winking or
13:18nudging here, but instead, a legitimately cool cover that works on its own musical merits.
13:23Number 18. Summer Breeze by Typo Negative Original by Seals and Crofts
13:30Some bands just possess a knack for releasing great covers. Typo Negative knocked it out of the park when
13:37they contributed Black Sabbath for a tribute album.
13:50Meanwhile, the Brooklyn goth metal group's third LP, Bloody Kisses, contained an unironic cover of
13:57the Seals and Crofts classic. The warm, sunshine pop of the original is replaced by Peter Steele's
14:02fuzzed-out bass and brooding voice.
14:05Summer Breeze makes me feel fine.
14:12Yet, Typo Negative never sounds as if they're taking the piss. Instead, their Summer Breeze feels like a
14:19natural part of their influences, with the final take speaking for itself. It's a banger.
14:24Number 17. Ride Like the Wind by Saxon Original by Christopher Cross
14:31The decision of a band to open up an album with a cover song can often be a dicey one,
14:36inviting criticism that they might be out of ideas.
14:39It's the night, my body's weak. I'm on the run, no time to sleep.
14:47Saxon's 1988 album Destiny definitely seemed to be intentionally seeking out commercial appeal
14:53via this cover of Christopher Cross's Ride Like the Wind. But you know what? The band totally makes
14:59it work. Despite the absence of those iconic Michael McDonald backing vocals, Saxon's Biff Byford
15:05instead decides to stretch out the syllables of Mexico, while the band performs the bridge vocalizations
15:13on guitar. It's catchier than the common cold and actually kicks off Destiny in fine fashion.
15:20And I got such a long way to go To make it to the border of Mexico
15:28Number 16. The Hunt by Sepultura Original by New Model Army
15:34Just as New Model Army's unique sound was impossible to pin down,
15:38So too were the influences of Brazil's Sepultura opening up back in the early 90s.
15:51The latter's Chaos AD album featured a cover of The Hunt by New Model Army, performed in
15:58Sepultura's classically aggressive style. The band's earliest influences played within bestial,
16:04primitive, black death metal, but Chaos AD started to explore Sepultura's tribal, Brazilian roots.
16:11The Hunt, as a result, feels right at home with this new feeling of experimentation. It's dark and
16:18moody stuff that rocks hard with an anthemic punch.
16:27Number 15. Come On Feel The Noise by Quiet Riot Original by Slade
16:33Metal Health by Quiet Riot was the first heavy metal album to top the Billboard 200 chart, but
16:39it didn't get there alone.
16:49This L.A. group had a little help from the UK, specifically Slade, whose hit Come On Feel The Noise
16:56was covered by Quiet Riot and released as a single. Metal Health, to be fair, is a pretty great album
17:02without the cover, but Slade's poppy arrangements, memorable melodies, and quirky lyricism made it
17:09tailor-made for metal treatments.
17:16Quiet Riot wouldn't stop there either, and covered another Slade tune, Mama We're All Crazy Now,
17:23for their next album, condition critical.
17:26Number 14. You Really Got Me by Van Halen Original by The Kinks
17:32This classic rock song is remarkably heavy for 1964. No wonder You Really Got Me and The Kinks so
17:39often get credited for writing the blueprints for future punk and hard rock. Knowing this information,
17:46Van Halen's classic cover of the tune feels natural. An example of a hot new band paying a little tribute
17:52to
17:53the old guard. Of course, Eddie's guitar playing manages to make this already rip-roaring cut sound
18:05even heavier, with that riff practically melting speakers from Note 1. Meanwhile, David Lee Roth's
18:11caterwauling wail further sounds the charge for Van Halen's sleek, hard rock attack. The boys had truly
18:17kicked open the doors with this one.
18:26Number 13. Got The Time by Anthrax Original by Joe Jackson
18:32Obvious choices have historically never been much of an option for Anthrax when it came to cover songs.
18:44This legendary thrash metal act actually thought outside the box, achieving hits with their covers
18:49of Antisocial by French metal band Trust and this tune from Joe Jackson. Anthrax actually changes very
18:56little from Jackson's frenetic original. Got The Time still boasts boisterous bass, a frantic pace,
19:03and energy to spare. This version just sounds more metal than New Wave or post-punk, while Joey
19:10Belladonna's clear vocals are a little different from Joe Jackson's snotty punk snarl.
19:20It all works though, and Got The Time remains in the Anthrax setlist to this day.
19:26Number 12. The Green Monalishi with the Two Prong Crown by Judas Priest Original by Fleetwood Mac
19:33The history of the British American Fleetwood Mac didn't begin and end with Lindsey Buckingham and
19:39Stevie Nicks. Their legacy as a blues and psychedelia-tinged band was secure long before that,
19:45just as Judas Priest's heavy metal story began long before their 80s heyday.
19:54The latter's influence from classic rock can be seen in their cover choices,
19:59such as Diamonds and Rust by Joan Baez or Max The Green Monalishi with the Two Prong Crown.
20:06Priest's 70s chops are set ablaze as they take what's already a cool psych number and amp up the
20:12valium. Fans responded too, and The Green Monalishi continues to be a Judas Priest set staple to this day.
20:24Number 11. All Along the Watchtower by The Jimi Hendrix Experience Original by Bob Dylan. A good song is
20:32a good song. It can transcend genres and songwriters, even those as generational as Bob Dylan. His version
20:40of All Along the Watchtower has almost certainly been eclipsed by the Jimi Hendrix Experience cover at this
20:46point, right? The latter's incendiary guitar pyrotechnics steal the show when it comes time for the solo,
21:00but Hendrix's All Along the Watchtower really just captures our attention right away. The arrangements
21:06here are evocative and groovy, hinging upon the rhythm section of Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding,
21:12who back up Jimmy perfectly. This is lightning in a bottle type stuff.
21:24Number 10. Bad Company by Five Finger Death Punch Original by Bad Company
21:30This heavy metal band from Las Vegas started out playing Bad Company to fill in time during some of
21:35their early live shows. Fans loved it so much that the track was eventually incorporated into their
21:412009 album, War Is The Answer.
21:44The company always on the run.
21:51Since then, it's become one of the band's biggest songs, receiving almost 200 million plays on YouTube.
21:57While the original is already a beloved rock song, this cover transforms Bad Company from an easy-going
22:04jam into an anthemic banger. When the heavy guitar riff comes in, you can't help but sing along with the
22:10familiar chorus. What's more, the band used this cover as an opportunity to thank American troops serving
22:16in Iraq. Number 9. Turn the Page by Metallica Original by Bob Seger
22:30Heavy metal legends Metallica have always made it a point to expose audiences to their musical influences,
22:37even going so far as to release a double disc covers collection back in 1998 titled Garage Inc.
22:49It was the band's cover of Bob Seger's Turn the Page, which served as the album's first single
22:55and video. A dark and disturbing clip starring adult film star Ginger Lynn as a single mother forced to
23:01make some difficult and desperate decisions in order to provide for her daughter. Meanwhile,
23:07Metallica approaches Turn the Page with a sense of reverence for Seger's original, while at the same
23:12time lending their own musical muscle and grits with the proceedings.
23:22Number 8. Painkiller by Death Original by Judas Priest
23:27The Sound of Perseverance would be the final album from extreme metal forefathers' death before their
23:33founder Chuck Scholdiner would succumb to brain cancer.
23:43The band went out on a high note with the album's closing track, however, a ripping cover of Painkiller
23:49from Metal God's Judas Priest. Scholdiner and company amplify the aggression tenfold on their version
23:55right from the get-go, thanks to Richard Christie's octopus-like drumming and Scholdiner's paint-peeling
24:01vocals. There's plenty of tribute here to Priest's fiery original, but make no mistake, Death made
24:08this metal classic their own, in a big way.
24:11He is the paint gun!
24:15Number 7. No Ordinary Love by Deftones
24:19Original by Sade. The Deftones are well known for their ability to tap into some serious sensuality
24:26with their atmospheric rock music, so it sort of makes sense that they would cover this classic
24:31slow jam by Nigerian singer-songwriter Sade. The band's take on No Ordinary Love keeps the mid-paced
24:45arrangement of the track relatively intact, using punchier drums and vocal effects over singer
24:50Chino Moreno's voice to retain the song's seductive sound. There's something to be said about being
24:56faithful to a classic song's heart and soul, and the Deftones manage this while at the same time
25:02leaving their own mark on this enduring hit.
25:13Number 6. Live and Let Die by Guns N' Roses Original by Paul McCartney and Wings
25:20The chances are probably pretty good that you've heard this cover plenty of times while driving in
25:25your car, as this Guns N' Roses take on a classic James Bond theme has been a rock radio staple
25:31for years.
25:39It's never exactly been commonplace for rock bands to cover songs from motion picture soundtracks,
25:45but Axl Rose and company did a great job at replicating Live and Let Die on their 1991 album
25:51Use Your Illusion 2. G&R keep the grandiose string section and funky rock backbeat intact on their
25:58version, creating a cover which may not offer many surprises, yet delivers the goods when it comes
26:04to respecting a true classic.
26:06Live and Let Die
26:09Number 5. Imagine by A Perfect Circle Original by John Lennon
26:14The next track on our list has been covered by numerous artists over the years, yet very few of
26:20them have done so with quite the same stylized darkness as A Perfect Circle.
26:24Imagine there's no heaven
26:28The all-star rock group featuring Tool's Maynard James Keenan released their cover of John Lennon's
26:34Imagine on their third album, Emotive, a collection of politically charged cover songs designed
26:39as commentary on the 2004 U.S. presidential election.
26:49Lennon's moods of optimism, realism, and hope are presented here by A Perfect Circle in a more
26:55provocative style. The classic piano chords are still there, only twisted and performed with a much
27:01darker and more sinister intent. Number 4. I Fought the Law by The Clash
27:07Popularized by the Bobby Fuller Four. This song may have originally been written by Texas-based
27:12songwriter Sonny Curtis of Buddy Holly's group The Crickets, but I Fought the Law was initially made
27:18popular by, well, a cover. The Bobby Fuller Four performed the first version of I Fought the Law,
27:23with which most people are familiar. However, it was a 1979 cover by the formative English
27:36punk band The Clash, which brought I Fought the Law to an even younger audience. Thanks to the group's
27:42musical urgency and infectious charisma, the rebellious, lyrical spirit of I Fought the
27:57Law fits in perfectly with The Clash's own political fire, making this a musical match made in heaven.
28:04Number 3. The Sound of Silence by Disturbed
28:07Original by Simon & Garfunkel
28:09Chicago's Disturbed have made their metallic mark on a number of successful cover songs over
28:14the years, including their expert take on the 80s Genesis hit, Land of Confusion.
28:27But Genesis aside, it's this fan-favorite cover which takes the number 3 spot on our list,
28:33thanks largely in part to Disturbed's talented frontman, David Draymond. The singer delivers
28:39a tour de force on Simon & Garfunkel's The Sound of Silence, turning what was a delicate folk ballad
28:45into an epic orchestral journey of cinematic proportions. String sections and booming percussion
28:51amplify guitarist Dan Donegan's tasteful guitar work, while Draymond lays down what may be the vocal
28:57performance of his career.
28:59Disturbed the sound of silence
29:05Number 2. Holy Diver by Killswitch Engage
29:10Original by Dio
29:11New England metalcore titans Killswitch Engage have always been known for possessing an irreverent
29:17sense of humor to go along with their memorable riffs and passionate vocals.
29:28The band truly outdid themselves, however, when it came to their cover of this 80s classic from Dio.
29:34Killswitch's version of Holy Diver turns on maximum crunch in the guitar departments,
29:38while former frontman Howard Jones switches effortlessly between screams,
29:42clean singing, and a most righteous falsetto. Meanwhile, drummer Justin Foley alternates his
29:48tempo between the song's original mid-pace and a quicker pickup section, adding to the cover's
29:54musical dynamic.
29:55Holy Diver, you're the star of the masquerade!
30:00The band also shot a humorous video clip for the track, a goofy but loving tribute to Holy Diver's
30:06mighty medieval past.
30:16Before we continue, check out this single from Sound Mojo's album, Balance.
30:21Classical music reimagined as rock, hard rock, and metal.
30:24Check out the full track and album below.
30:26Born in the sunlight, born in the rain, life is a rhythm, running through veins.
30:41Number one, Bathe by Limp Bizkit. Original by George Michael.
30:51Just kidding, the redemption arc of new metal has been greatly exaggerated. Number one,
30:57Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm. Original by Michael Jackson. Was there ever any doubt?
31:04Sure, Alien Ant Farm's cover of Smooth Criminal may be the California band's one major chart-topping hit,
31:09but what a hit it was.
31:12The band strikes a perfect balance between treating the original with respect, while placing their own
31:25particular stamp upon the king of pop. Lead singer Dryden Mitchell and bassist Ty Zamora trade off on
31:31Michael Jackson's trademark vocal style, while guitarist Terry Corso and drummer Mike Cosgrove offer a more
31:37aggressive take on the musical arrangements. Add to the mix of funny and funky video,
31:46and you have a recipe for cover song success. But what do you consider the rock cover of all time?
31:53Let us know in the comments below.
31:55Let us know in the comments below.
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