Sep 032021
 

‘The Best Covers Ever’ series counts down our favorite covers of great artists.

lady gaga covers

There was a time in this blog’s lifespan where a shocking percentage of the covers landing in our inbox and RSS feeds were of Lady Gaga songs. It only lasted a couple years, but for a minute there Gaga was doing Beatles numbers. Hell, even relatively minor singles like “Marry the Night” would dominate the covers world for weeks after people heard them.

As Gaga’s entered the Vegas-residency stage of her career, her new songs don’t get covered as often. But even still, there seems to be a respect from other musicians not afforded all her pop-star peers. A Katy Perry chart flop will get ignored. A Gaga chart flop will still likely land a few interesting covers.

Though the songs were never as weird as the outfits were, there was always some unexpected twist for other musicians to play with, from the rolled r’s of “Bad Romance” to the goofy theatricality of “Alejandro” to the best stuttering since “My Generation” (“pa-pa-pa-pokerface,” “stop telephoning me-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh”). Plus, even after a few years in the wilderness, everyone knew any minute she could return with a “Shallow.”

In our list of 30 covers below, all those big hits show up plenty. But even the more recent songs and album cuts make appearances. Lady Gaga’s songs are sturdy enough to remain infectious whether they’re performed as gothic metal or throwback rockabilly. See for yourself below.

The list begins on Page 2.

Oct 022013
 

Jared Leto is a hard dude to figure out. Some people still think of him as bad boy/dreamboat Jordan Catalano from My So Called Life, teens now know him as the lead singer of 30 Seconds to Mars, and others simply wonder what type of shampoo he uses for his luscious locks. In a surprise move on BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, Catalano Leto performed a touching rendition of Rihanna‘s “Stay.” Continue reading »

Jul 212011
 

Three years ago, 30 Seconds to Mars stunned their many detractors with a slow, foreboding cover of Kanye West’s “Stronger.” It turned unlikely source material into something at odds with the boastful original. Their latest cover doesn’t reach the same transformative heights, but that’s because it takes on a much more easily-digested song: U2’s “Where the Streets Have No Name.” Continue reading »

Jun 082011
 

They Say It’s Your Birthday celebrates an artist’s special day with other people singing his or her songs. Let others do the work for a while. Happy birthday!

There are a lot of ways to describe Kanye West: hitmaker, innovator, rapper, producer, fashion designer, philanthropist, controversy-starter, and (some would argue) egomaniac. This week Kanye turns 34, so we’re simply saying “Happy Birthday!” with five covers of his biggest hits. No matter what you think of his often inflammatory behavior, there’s no denying his musical talent. Considering the number of hits and amount of attention Kanye has had since releasing The College Dropout in 2004, it’s no surprise that a diverse and high-profile group of artists have covered his tracks. West is known for his diverse catalog of collaborators, and his admirers are just as widespread, from an emo forefather to a movie star turned musician. Continue reading »