There's something special about a cover – an artist gives someone's song their vibe and energy in their own way and style. Sometimes it's a challenging task, but someone makes a massive breakthrough every now and then, thanks to an already highly-acclaimed hit. This top ten list of remarkable hits will remind you that they are actually covers, and we believe some of them will surprise you!
10. "Fix You" by BTS
Did you expect these seven hip-hop guys slaying a touching ballad?
When it comes to this example, you obviously know that it's a cover since Coldplay's "Fix You" hits hard. Chris Martin's emotion and smooth voice, especially falsetto, are unmatched. However, hearing seven men sing this one like a hymn made some of us really stan BTS!
BTS has many hits on their own, so a cover as successful as "Fix You" was just a cherry on top of their incredible career. Subtle lights, a dark atmosphere, and all of them feeling the lyrics made this an unforgettable experience for everyone who heard it. The song is unique, and their talent is undeniable as well!
9. "Be Natural" by Red Velvet
We wish people knew this side of Red Velvet's discography better
SM Entertainment loves covers, so it's not a surprise that their girl group reached this list as well. Red Velvet kicked off their career with a decent song, "Happiness," and then came back with an incredibly sexy, smooth, and professionally arranged "Be Natural." If anything proved how huge they're about to be, it's this cover of the S.E.S track of the same name!
The way the ladies look so natural in how they dance on the chairs in sexy suits is a life goal for any of the kpop girl groups today. Red Velvet is better known for its cute and "weird" concepts, but we'd be happier if this one had billions of views. It's not even a vast contrast compared to the original one. Still, the rap part definitely hits differently in the RV version!
8. "The Power of Love" by Céline Dion
Which version do you prefer? They both slay, and that's true!
The love songs were obviously the best in the 80s, and "The Power of Love" is just one example. This 1985 hit was actually recorded in 1983, so it's way older than you think - Céline Dion topped the charts with it a decade after. Still, it was Jennifer Rush who made it an 80s love ballad!
It's true that the wonderfully smooth lyric "Cause I am your lady / And you are my man" in the chorus is usually linked to Céline because it fits her voice like a glove. However, Jennifer Rush's original version got its breakthrough, making this song famous twice. Hence, people aren't sure anymore who recorded it first!
7. "Mambo No. 5" by Lou Bega
Lou Bega is known only for this song, even though he didn't write it
Lou Bega is undoubtedly a one-hit-wonder, but a very beloved one, since "Mambo No. 5" will be played anywhere and everywhere forever! However, we guess you had no idea that this German singer got his breakthrough with a song that isn't even his own… This addictive melody was actually composed by Perez Prado!
Because of this, Perez Prado actually got the nickname "King of the Mambo" and not Lou Bega, but it's fair enough. As a Cuban bandleader, he knew how to make your hips sway to a tune, so he invented a song we'll dance to forever. Thanks to Lou Bega, we sing along to it as well!
6. "So Hot" by BLACKPINK
No hate on other girl groups, but "So Hot" fits BLACKPINK, and that's a fact
"So Hot" counts as another hit that you surely knew it's a cover, but you definitely loved this one the most. When BLACKPINK takes a song to do its cover, every other artist withdraws and doesn't dare to do the same (even though TWICE did it before)! It just seems like Lisa was born for the "I'm so hot, hot" concept, and no one can change our minds.
Since we mentioned Lisa, her rap with Jennie here has to be the song's absolute highlight. And we don't even have this part in the original track because BLACKPINK made it themselves! Their sassiness, exemplary flow, and "gang in high heels" concept make this song perfectly suitable for their thin but amazingly worthy discography!
5. "If I Were a Boy" by Beyoncé
It's such a shame that BC Jean didn't get a chance to make this iconic on her own
A perfect cover for a song like this must touch your soul and be entirely in it, with your heart and voice simultaneously. Here, Beyoncé made it look so easy with her high notes and the heavy breaths on every heart-warming lyric. Wait… Is it a cover? Actually, it is because the song belonged to BC Jean!
BC Jean sang and wrote "If I Were a Boy," so it feels heart-breaking that her company ditched her because they didn't like her version, even though they liked the song. That's how the number ended up in Queen Bey's hands, so hear both versions if you're curious about who gave their heart to this song better!
4. "Next Level" by aespa
You'd have no clue this isn't the freshest Korean tune if we didn't tell you!
Even though they are a new Korean girl group, their expressions, dance, rap, and vocals are so on point that you'd believe they trained and worked in the industry for a decade! SM Entertainment bought this tune from Fast and Furious's "Hobbs and Shaw" OST, so we guess they've heard that Fast and Furious movies have superb soundtracks!
When aespa presented this single first, not many people knew it was a "bought" song, and we totally understand why. This is a far cry from the very first version, not only because of the Korean lyrics. They literally added their iconic rap and adjusted the verses to their imaginative world. Everything screams so aespa, and this makes the song truly theirs!
3. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper also stayed authentic for the song that isn't even hers
Cyndi Lauper became a huge female empowerment icon in 1983 when she released "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and topped the charts. After this song, her other tunes flopped or slayed again. Furthermore, she obviously influenced the biggest pop stars we have today, and she's remembered as a crucial LGBTQA+ activist.
So, where's the trick about the cover song? Yes, "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" isn't really Cyndi's song; we're sorry! Actually, it was first recorded in 1979 by American musician Robert Hazard, which probably isn't a name that sounds familiar. Listen to both versions, though, to find out which one fits you better!
2. "Beggin'" by Madcon
There is not one but two remarkable covers of "Beggin'"
If you asked anyone on the streets right now about this song, they'd probably tell you the Norwegian hip-hop duo Madcon is its author. We have to surprise you since this song has existed since 1967, and the Four Seasons band made it! Nonetheless, Madcon made this tune top the charts, and the rest is history!
"Beggin'" is destined to stay a hit even after years and years since Måneskin, 2021 Eurovision winners, made it relevant again. Their fame after Eurovision is not a joke, and the popularity of their "Beggin'" cover shows precisely that! Damiano David has a voice that everyone in the industry envies. This man is a whole package, with iconic looks that break boundaries and stereotypes and vocals that cut glass!
1. "Torn" by Natalie Imbruglia
A good song with an artist that fits it the most – this is the key to her success!
At least 99% of us didn't know that "Torn" is actually a cover, and that just shows how iconic Natalie Imbruglia's emotion here is. From head to toe, she looks like someone who would produce and write these hurtful words that we all felt at least once in life. "Nothing's fine, I'm torn," sounds like a simple phrase, but the way she delivers it will be remembered forever.
Unfortunately, Imbruglia disappeared shortly after releasing this number, making her a one-hit-wonder outside of the UK and her native Australia. Nevertheless, making a much more beloved cover than the original taught us one crucial rule in music – sometimes, it's not the song's quality only. Sometimes it's about the artist who connects with the song on an incredible level!
After all, it doesn't matter who made the song famous – the good thing is that we now have these top ten hits on our playlists! All these songs are massive for a reason, so if you didn't know any of them, go and check them out immediately. A song speaks for itself, sometimes more than the artist!
Did you know that these musicians don't originally perform all these songs? Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments section!
Photo: YouTube Screenshot