00:00Welcome to MsMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best times rock bands
00:08covered pop tracks.
00:12For this 2021 side project featuring all the same members of the Foo Fighters, the rock
00:25band takes a disco detour.
00:32Covering the 1976 Bee Gees hit You Should Be Dancing, Dave Grohl and his bandmates deliver
00:37a faithful rendition which also forces the singer to bust out some of his highest notes
00:42ever.
00:43Giving audiences a funky groove, the group channels their heavier tones into a more delicate
00:47arrangement.
00:55It works both for audiences that love the original and want something a little different.
00:59If you're looking for a good time, you could do a lot worse than this unexpected cover.
01:08Revisiting the Cape Bush song, Placebo gives the track a meditative quality, allowing singer
01:16Brian Molko to handle the evocative lyrics with conviction.
01:25The slower and methodical production of this 2003 version remixes the original sound and
01:30includes a haunting piano line.
01:32With a spooky tone, the band charts a cause for inventive work that makes you think.
01:45Versions of the 1985 hit might even be taken aback at the new direction.
01:50It takes some amount of courage to tackle Bush's singular work, but Placebo's gamble
01:54pays off.
01:55Mixing an otherworldly experience with fantastic music, the British group brings this brilliant
02:00songwriting to a new audience.
02:058.
02:09The Boys of Summer – The Ataris
02:12If you've ever listened to classic radio, you likely know this 1984 Don Henley hit.
02:16It's a song that seems to perfectly capture the 1980s.
02:19The Ataris cover manages to update that sound for the 2000s.
02:30Charging it with a pop-punk sound, this version has a propulsive energy throughout, but it
02:35still carries a tinge of sadness and a burst of nostalgia.
02:39Henley's lyrics surprisingly work well coming out of a much younger performer.
02:50While it might not be everyone's cup of tea, this remake treads new ground and salutes
02:54the original artist.
02:56The cross-genre potential of this composition attests to its multi-generational power.
03:097.
03:10Africa – Weezer
03:11In 2019, these alternative rockers chose to take a time machine to the 1980s and beyond.
03:25They put out the Teal album, which includes covers of everything from A-ha to Toto.
03:30For their take on the hit Africa, which they had initially recorded a year before, Weezer
03:35did their best to capture the original hit's unique hook.
03:42They also bring enough vintage sounds and instruments to make this a loving tribute.
03:47The newer version might even make you appreciate the original even more, bringing a certain
03:51amount of the same musical magic.
03:53We're certainly glad that the guys decided to try something different for this entertaining
03:57tune.
04:006.
04:03Always Something There To Remind Me – Naked Eyes
04:06Sometimes a song can be completely reborn in a new genre.
04:10Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, this classic has been sung by many singers before
04:14Naked Eyes took the hit and reworked it into a new-wave single.
04:25This 1982 track includes some bouncy instrumentation and rhythms with a driving force that makes
04:30you tap your feet.
04:32There's also a lively vocal by Pete Byrne that encourages listeners to sing along.
04:41Always Something There To Remind Me creates an atmosphere that's totally 1980s, giving
04:46you all the synths your heart desires.
04:48Bacharach and David's musical vision remains intact while the band celebrates the sounds
04:53of their era.
04:565.
04:57Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon – Urge Overkill
05:02With an alternative twist, Urge Overkill overhauls Neil Diamond's 1967 hit.
05:14Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon easily becomes a heavier tune thanks to these rockers.
05:19The singer's husky voice is a far cry from Neil Diamond, but it also gives the song a
05:24much moodier and edgier effect.
05:33You might also remember hearing this song in Pulp Fiction.
05:35When placed in the iconic movie, this cover takes on an even bigger place in pop culture.
05:40The music itself also captures your imagination with its hypnotic rhythms.
05:45Using a great guitar riff, this 1992 rendition comes alive in a cool production.
05:544.
05:59Superstar – Sonic Youth
06:00Written in the late 1960s by Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell, Superstar is best remembered
06:05as a song covered by the Carpenters.
06:08Sonic Youth then made a daring move by churning out this amazing rendition in 1994.
06:23Singer Thurston Moore gives an unorthodox and emotional vocal, challenging listeners
06:27that are used to Karen Carpenter's pristine voice.
06:30Moore leads this unconventional performance that's both sombre and introspective.
06:39The band completely diverts from their roots in noise rock, putting themselves out there
06:44in an experimental cover.
06:46It also has a laid-back sound that redefines the pop focus of earlier versions.
06:553.
06:59Something Good – Muse
07:01Many people associate this song with Nina Simone, but the track receives another welcome
07:05cover by Muse, which infuses this show tune with a rock sensibility.
07:16With a confident style, they turn an already big musical number into an even more bombastic
07:21one.
07:22Matt Bellamy shows off his impressive range, using his high notes and control to create
07:26a perfectly modulated and exciting performance.
07:36This includes building to huge moments like a dynamic chorus, but also giving fans of
07:40earlier versions something to enjoy.
07:42The group doesn't waste any time showing that they can wow listeners in alternative
07:46ways.
07:502.
07:56Smooth Criminal – Alien Ant Farm
07:58It's hard to listen to any Michael Jackson song without hearing the artist's voice.
08:02Alien Ant Farm defies the odds and creates something that stands up on its own.
08:06In a surprising turn of events, this band scored a hit out of Smooth Criminal.
08:18They did so by transforming a pop production into a guitar-heavy arrangement.
08:22With a focus on the main riff, the group excels at bringing out the loudest cover they can
08:27muster.
08:35The result is an engaging mix of Jackson's work and the farm's bold style.
08:39In a fun performance from start to finish, this version sweeps you up into a musical
08:45vortex.
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09:081.
09:09The Sound of Silence – Disturbed
09:12You couldn't ask for a stranger transition from one version to another than this 2015
09:16release.
09:17The heavy metal group Disturbed updates The Sound of Silence with a beautiful arrangement.
09:27Carefully utilising the immaculate voice of singer David Draymond, they do justice to
09:32an extraordinary piece of 1960s music.
09:35It's also a spectacular way to honour the amazing songwriting of Paul Simon while still
09:39showcasing the diverse talents of metalheads.
09:51Some people might write off the idea of this collaboration before hearing it, but it doesn't
09:55take long for the song to captivate potential critics.
09:58And the gorgeous piano adds just the right colour to a staggering performance.
10:09Could we forget another rocking cover of a pop song?
10:12Let us know in the comments below.
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