Top 10 Bands Whose Biggest Hit Is a Cover

“Smooth Criminal” (2001)

The success of a recorded cover song as a single can often be a double edged sword for artists such as Alien Ant Farm. One one hand, their cover of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” became a musical calling card for the group. Yet, it was this breakout achievement that also became an albatross around the band’s neck. Alien Ant Farm always possessed a knowing sense of humor, evidenced by the fact that they titled their first two albums “Greatest Hits” and “Anthology,” respectively. Yet it was perhaps this irreverence that hampered fans from taking other Alien Ant Farm singles such as “Movies” seriously enough to solidify a commercial career. But, hey, we’ll always have that “Smooth Criminal” music video, right?

“Once Bitten, Twice Shy” (1989)

The world of 1980s hair metal was full of artists that took creative liberties after the success of their initial, more aggressive outings. Artists like Cinderella shifted to a bluesy approach after their debut album, and L.A.’s Great White followed a similar career path. The band’s first two records for EMI and Capitol Records were heavy ‘80s hard rock, [1] while “Once Bitten” from 1987 was Great White’s biggest studio success up until that point. However, a cover of Ian Hunter’s “Once Bitten, Twice Shy,” on Great White’s fourth album would forever cement their creative legacy. The cover was a certified chart success for Great White, despite subjective critical claims that their hardest rocking years were in the rear view.

“Red Red Wine” (1983)

Fans can pretty much take their pick as to which of UB40’s many, many recorded covers served as their best. What’s obvious, however, is how this English reggae-infused pop group is largely known more for these covers, than their own recorded hits. This isn’t to say that UB40 didn’t achieve recognition with songs like “Food For Thought,” but laypersons are probably more familiar with songs recorded by UB40 that they didn’t write. Neil Diamond’s “Red Red Wine” was a huge hit for UB40, as was their take on “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” which was popularized by Elvis Presley. Heck, the band even collaborated with The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde on a cover of Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe.”

“Hard to Handle” (1990)

Atlanta, Georgia’s The Black Crowes are NOT widely considered to be one-hit wonders of anything, with many fans having gravitated towards their soulful, bluesy roots-rock sound. That said, those unfamiliar with their work are probably most aware of The Black Crowes’ biggest commercial hit, a cover of Otis Redding’s “Hard to Handle.” This is probably due to how respectfully The Crowes recorded their cover, retaining all of the song’s gritty swagger and style, while adding their own, harder-edged rock spin to the arrangements. The results may have brought The Black Crowes into the mainstream, but it was their work ethic that kept them popular with fans.

“Cum On Feel the Noize” (1983)

The average pop fan could be forgiven for not knowing the history of Los Angeles’ Quiet Riot dating back to the 1970s. The group’s early work featured Randy Rhoads, prior to that guitarist’s tenure with Ozzy Osbourne. However, it would take until 1983 for Quiet Riot to fully adopt the rumblings of heavy metal, and turn it into major chart success. “Metal Health” made history as the first album of its kind to reach number one on the Billboard charts. It achieved this goal via the title track, but perhaps more tellingly a cover of Quiet Riot’s ‘70s contemporaries, Slade. “Cum On Feel the Noize” was a HUGE deal for the band, effectively making Quiet Riot’s heavy metal glam sound fresh for the 1980s.

“I Love Rock ‘n Roll” (1981)

It was Britain’s The Arrows that first recorded their glam rock hit “I Love Rock ‘n Roll” during the 1970s. A young Joan Jett heard that sung during her tenure with The Runaways, and used this as an inspiration for recording her own, eventual hit cover of the tune. Jett’s new group, The Blackhearts, recorded what’s largely considered as the definitive version of “I Love Rock ‘n Roll,” but Joan didn’t stop there. She and The Blackhearts also are known for songs like “Bad Reputation,” as well as yet another cover, this time of “Crimson and Clover,” by Tommy James & The Shondells. Yet, it’s “I Love Rock ‘n Roll” that’s most closely associated with the Joan Jett brand today.

“Blinded by the Light” (1976)

The career of Manfred Mann honestly didn’t need a hit cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Blinded by the Light” to achieve creative validation. The keyboardist’s achievements speak for themselves, whether it was early hits like the theme tune “5-4-3-2-1” to Britain’s “Ready Steady Go!” or heady jazz-rock trips recorded as Manfred Mann’s Chapter Three. That said, Mann just seemed to have a knack at picking great covers, whether it was Bob Dylan’s “Mighty Quinn” in his early days, or the aforementioned Springsteen tune with Manfred Mann’s Earth Band. This version completely eschews Bruce’s folky-rock vibe with full on, synthesized prog. It screams “NINETEEN SEVENTIES” in all of the best ways, and became a defining tune for the Earth Band.

“Tainted Love” (1981)

It’s remarkable how close the arrangements are between these two versions of “Tainted Love,” recorded twenty-five years apart. The 1964 Gloria Jones version of “Tainted Love” is a straight forward R&B jam with a righteous vocal, superb back-up singer work, and a driving, repetitive back-beat. Soft Cell kept most of this relatively intact in 1981 when they plugged in their synthesizers and drum machines to lay their own stamp on “Tainted Love.” The main difference is Soft Cell’s emphasizing the punchiness of the rhythm, plus singer Marc Almond’s vocal is a bit more dramatic and gothic…in the best possible way, of course.

“The House of the Rising Sun” (1964)

“The House of the Rising Sun” is a traditional Americana folk song with a history that dates back to the U.S.’s origins in England. Perhaps it’s fitting, then, that Britain’s The Animals achieved such chart success with their cover version. The Animals and their creative leader, Eric Burdon, layered “The House of the Rising Sun” with proto-psychedelia that was steeped in the blues. A 1940s recording of the song by blues legend Lead Belly is also a blues classic, but The Animals’ version became a bumper for the ‘60s British Invasion. Burdon would eventually get heavier into a blues-rock sound after this hit, but Alan Price’s spooky organ sound made this take on “The House of the Rising Sun” an atmospheric anthem.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

The Ataris, “The Boys of Summer” (2003)
Gave Don Henley a Pop-Punk Makeover

Los Lobos, “La Bamba” (1987)
A Soundtrack Cover Turned Them into Stars

Tesla, “Signs” (1990)
Hard Rock Goes Acoustic

“All Along the Watchtower” (1968)

There just seems to be something special about the songwriting prowess of Bob Dylan that makes his music so open to interpretation by other artists. The legacy of Jimi Hendrix has obviously lived on without piggybacking upon Dylan, yet we also cannot ignore the fact that The Experience’s cover of “All Along the Watchtower” was HUGE for the group. Sure, Jimi’s “Purple Haze” and “Fire” are amazing, but this cover captures the mood and zeitgeist of the turbulent 1960s like no other. Let’s forget for a minute how Hendrix’s incendiary guitar playing influenced heavy metal, or how The Experience’s albums possess tons of great deep cuts. “All Along the Watchtower” frankly just stands alone exemplifying The Cover Song as Transformative Art.


Do you like any of these covers more than the original? Let us know in the comments!