50. What’s So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding by Candi Staton (Nick Lowe/Elvis Costello)
49. Clampdown by Spoon (The Clash)
47 and 48. Maps (The Yeah Yeah Yeahs) by Lucy Daydream
It’s a sign of a great song that it can’t be covered badly. Yet another great version of a modern classic. And the runner up for best Maps cover of the year: Handsomest Ghost.
46. Owner of a Lonely Heart by Jenn Champion (Yes)
45. Virgin (Madonna) by Kendra Morris
Take Madonna’s sexparty song and slow it down, and make it serious, and here you are.
44. Return to Sender by Longshot (classic rock covers EP)
In addition to this 5-song EP with covers of The Who, the Stones, and others, Longshot covered Cheap Trick’s Southern Girls on a second EP containing original songs. “I Am a Rock” is my favorite of the bunch.
43. Harder Better Faster Stronger (Daft Punk) by Willa Amai
Turning an electro dance funk song into indie folk.
42. Ventriloquism by Meshell Ndegeocello
A truly eclectic collection of 1980s and 1990s R&B completely reinvented by one of the best artists to emerge from the late ’90s.
41. You Can Call Me Al (Paul Simon) by Eddie Berman
41. Mountain Men’s Lagniappe Session at Aquarium Drunkard.
In particular, their cover of “Slow Burn” off Kacey Musgrave’s 2018 album–one of the best records of the year–is fantastic. Go here to get it.
40. Time in a Bottle by Lykke Li
The 1970s AM corn classic with 2010 sensibilities.
39. It’s Just a Short Walk! by Say Sue Me (covers EP)
The cover of Blondie’s Dreaming brought me to the table. The Ramones cover had me staying past dessert.
38. Cornflake Girl by Florence and the Machines (Tori Amos)
37. You Don’t Know How It Feels by Liz Huett (Tom Petty)
36. Jump/Imagine (Van Halen/John Lennon) by The Foo Fighters
One of my favorite bands just fooling around in the studio and making something cool.
35. Fudge Sandwich by Ty Segall
A collection of very challenging, very different covers.
34. Muscle Shoals: Small Town Big Sound by Various Artists
A collection of covers of songs from the famous recording studio, including artists like Chris Stapleton, Willie Nelson, Michael McDonald, Aloe Blacc, Kid Rock(?!) and many others. Here’s a couple tracks.
33. I’ve Been Everywhere by Joy Downer (Johnny Cash)
32. The Howard Stern Show’s tribute to David Bowie (digital only covers album
Name bands and new bands take turns covering some of Bowie’s hits. The results were uneven, but some were wonderful–like Garbage, The Bleachers (doing a transformative slowed-down Ziggy Stardust), Ashes to Ashes by Car Seat Headrest and my personal favorite, The Jean Genie by Greta Van Fleet
Unfortunately, Sirius has taken down all samples.
31. Petty by Carpenter, Smith and Jones
Even if the majority of these are straightforward renditions, you can never have too many covers of Tom Petty–one of the top five rock and roll songwriters of all time.
Oooh! Next comes the top 30, which includes Madonna and Lauryn Hill!
