Alternative Nation: The Fediverse's Alternative and Indie Music Community

Smooth Criminal - Alien Ant Farm cover of Michael Jackson that SLAPS!

I would never claim that this is better than the original, but for me at least, Primal Scream's version of the 13th floor elevators song Slip Inside This House is the perfect cover because it retains the psychedelic 60's summer of love spirit of the original song while making it utterly contemporary (for the time it was released anyway, although to me it still sounds pretty fresh).

Original version: https://youtu.be/nwSA0Tckwbk?si=xGk5bIaVtU_ZVqHF

Did someone say bluegrass Radiohead covers? Chris Thile/The Punch Brothers have you covered. Here's a few selections. They have more if you dive into youtube.

2+2=5

Paranoid Android

Packt Like Sardines in a Crushed Tin Box

God this is hard. Ended up picking an old cover fave of mine, REM's "Wall Of Death" https://youtu.be/UuMWS3LsOos?si=_ju0wWXINkNkOPaA

https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/r-e-m-richard-thompson-wall-of-death/

"Alison (Demo)" by Green Day (Elvis Costello cover)

Rise Against -Anyway You Want It (Journey Cover)

Thrice -Helter Skelter (Beatles cover)

Me First and The Gimme Gimmes -Karma Chameleon (Culture Club cover)

Johnny Cash -Hurt (Nine Inch Nails cover)

Bayside -Call Me (Blondie cover)

In This Moment -In The Air Tonight (Phil Collins cover)

Disturbed -Land of Confusion (Genesis cover)

The HU -Sad But True (Metallica cover)

Stand Atlantic -Your Graduation (Modern Baseball cover)

Silverstein -Go Your Own Way (Fleetwood Mac cover)

Could keep going but this is good for now

hanne hukkelberg covering break my body (pixies)

Possession - Evan’s Blue (Cover of Sarah McLachlan)

In the Air Tonight - Nonpoint (cover of Phil Collins)

It's hard to beat Big Black's version "The Model" in this regard, but award for the most esoteric would have to be Atom and His Package covering The Mountain Goats "Going to Georgia", both great and totally different songs.

@ren https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-mYX0qKkB8

Muse - Feeling Good
As beautiful as the original is, this song gives me chills right from the opening notes. It is so well done.

K.Flay - Self Esteem

Love K.Flay's stripped-down cover version of The Offspring's classic song.

Here is a cover of Taylor Swift's Love Story by black midi. Their bassist who doesn't often perform vocals sings here. And they added a saxophone solo!

Love Story

This feels like an odd one, given it's an acoustic cover, but Frank Turner's cover of "Build Me Up Buttercup" sticks with me.

He also did a good cover of Tom Petty's American Girl, was fucking great to hear live, but I can't say it's better than the original.

System of a Down - Metro (Berlin cover) From the Dracula 2000 soundtrack

https://youtu.be/JuUYLhz3tvY?si=NQOQpuF3BGLmdDtc

While this may be a bit out of left field for most, I post this to commemorate the reaction that Goober and the Boys got from my friends and I the first time we heard it. We were loving the show already, but we all just burst out laughing, hooting and singing along when the boys started “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin. Dan and the boys always put on an awesome show.

Devo - (I can't get no) satisfaction

https://youtu.be/NrchYnlV2N0

The Cardigans -- Iron Man (Black Sabbath)

Scala & Kolacny Brothers - Creep (live)

[edit] aah well.. I did a vice versa

Here is one I was recently exposed through from Henry Rollins show on KCRW.

The Casual Dots - Bumblebee

A cover of a Lavern Baker song.

From their Bandcamp page

The Casual Dots are a trio formed in Washington, DC in 2002, featuring Christina Billotte (Slant 6, Quixotic, Autoclave) on vocals and guitar, Kathi Wilcox (Bikini Kill, Frumpies) on guitar and backing vocals, and Steve Dore (Snoozers, Deep Lust) on drums.

@ren

Life of Agony - Don’t You (Forget About Me) (1995)

https://songwhip.com/life-of-agony/dont-you-forget-about-me

Dark and moody opening, and heavy finish. I’ve loved this since it came out.

Mike Ness - Don't Think Twice

Now look, I love the original. Freewheelin' is a great album and Don't Think Twice is a fantastic song. But 9 times out of 10, I'm choosing the Ness version because musically it matches the mood of the lyrics so much better.

Smashing Pumpkins - Dancing in the Moonlight (Thin Lizzy)

Not sure it's better than the original but it's definitely moodier, and Corgan sounds fantastic!

The genre's are very similar, but the song Knowledge, by Operation Ivy was covered by Green Day on their debut album - I always enjoyed that version.

Also, another favorite was when The Presidents of the United States of America covered Video Killed the Radio Star original by The Buggles.

For fun, while I try to pick something - here's my gender neutral cover of "I'm Your Man" by Leonard Cohen

https://youtu.be/DYU__WdmXq0?si=a1TJnGxTunRnLoGA

Real happy with this one.