Update Your Playlists with These 7 Cool Covers of Songs You Already Love

Sometimes there are songs that are so good you feel like you could listen to them on repeat indefinitely. Eventually, though, they start to get old. You may feel disappointed. You love this song so much, but you’ve listened to it enough times that you cringe every time you hear the opening notes. There’s a solution to this issue. Check out a cover of the song! It’s a way to hear a new interpretation of a song that may make you fall in love with it all over again. Sometimes, you might even find that you like the cover better than the original.

Here are some great covers for songs you may already know and like!

Halsey – Cover of “Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber

“Love Yourself” is a pretty inescapable song that’s still popular even long after its release. Halsey gives a fresh take on the Biebs’ big hit with her unique, ethereal vocals. The instrumentation of the cover is soft and subdued while remaining different from the original’s acoustic pop vibe. It’s a warm, cozy cover of an already memorable song. 

Lorde – Cover of “Solo” by Frank Ocean

One of the best parts of Lorde’s Melodrama World Tour was the various covers she performed, one at each concert. It’s hard to pick one that’s the best, but this Frank Ocean cover exemplifies why Lorde’s covers have been so good in the first place. It’s an extremely stripped down version of an already great song. Just the piano and Lorde’s vocals – the cover showcases the raw power of her voice. Fans of Melodrama will hear in this cover how songs like this influenced the album.

Khalid – Cover of “Love Galore/The Weekend” by SZA

Khalid and SZA are both popular, young, and creative artists right now, which is part of what makes this short cover so great. The interpretation is drastically different from the original versions of both songs. While SZA’s are a smooth, electronic-driven experience, Khalid’s only accompaniment is an acoustic guitar. This gives it a singer-songwriter, coffee shop type of vibe. Khalid’s fusion of two of SZA’s most popular songs (including her most recognizable lyric, “you’re like nine to five; I’m the weekend”) is innovative and fun. 

Vance Joy – Cover of “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele

This one’s a slightly older cover of a song that’s also older, but was and is extremely popular. When “Rolling in the Deep” was first released, it was an instant favorite across the nation. Take a short trip down memory lane with Vance Joy’s interpretation of the big pop hit. While Adele’s version is loud and takes charge, Joy’s reflects his own style of music. It’s acoustic-driven and puts the song in the gentle, mellow and slightly southern-influenced rock voice he’s known for. It still makes as much of a statement as the original does, but just a more tender one.

Dodie – Cover of “Into You” by Ariana Grande

There are plenty of YouTubers out there who post song covers. Dodie, however, uploads videos (for covers and her own original songs) that always have a unique twist to them. Ariana Grande’s original version of “Into You” is a sassy pop jam to which Dodie adds her sweetness. Her unique voice harmonizing with herself layered over ukulele, hand percussion, and dreamy keyboard tones turns the song to a sweet indie pop anthem sung to a crush. It’s an instance where the cover is a stark contrast from the original, but it works.

Chance the Rapper – Cover of “Feel No Ways” by Drake

This cover is an example of how an artist can take a song and make it sound like their own. Chance the Rapper removes the heavy percussion from the original Drake song and replaces it with low-key beats, emphasizing the organ influences that can be found in most of his work. Chance’s version is slow and soulful. The instrumentation combined with the articulation of his voice makes it sound like the song belongs on one of his albums.

Sara Bareilles – Cover of “Chandelier” by SIA

Ukulele covers can sometimes be cloyingly sweet and annoying. By picking a ukulele with a lower tone for this cover, Sara Bareilles has avoided that. Instead, the cover is an appropriate, different tribute to a beautifully written song. Bareilles hits all the high notes required of an ambitious SIA cover and the solo style of the song allows her voice to shine with just as much power as the original. Both the cover and the original version carry emotional weight, but in different ways. Each one is excellent, just for different reasons. 

What do you think?

Is there a cover you love of one of your favorite songs? Let me know in the comments!