john mayer

Top 50 Cover Songs of 2014 (50-26)

I'm not Melvin, but this picture is dope.

I’m not Melvin, but this picture is dope.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m expanding my favourite cover songs list of 2014 to 50 songs from the 40 it was last year, as 2014 saw a tonne of great, fresh takes on songs, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t link to as many of them as possible. Without any more preamble, here’s the list of My 50 Favourite Cover Songs of 2014:

(Original artist is in parentheses.)

Bonus cover:

KRNFX – Get Lucky (from 2013)

 

50. Jarvis Cocker – The Power Of Love (Celine Dion)

 

49. Bill Patton – Jenny From The Block (Jennifer Lopez)

 

48. Papertwin – Revelator (Gillian Welch)

 

47. James Vincent McMorrow – West Coast (Lana Del Rey)

 

46. Asgeir – Heart Shaped Box (Nirvana)

 

45. Mo – Say You’ll Be There (Spice Girls)

 

44. Lorde – Don’t Tell ‘Em (Jeremih)

 

43. The Holidays – Is This How You Feel? (The Preatures)

 

42. Cloud Control – Dammit (Blink 182)

 

41. John Mayer – XO (Beyonce)

 

40. Indiana – Ready For Your Love (Gorgon City)

 

39. Janelle Monae – Simple Irresistible (Robert Palmer)

 

38. Lucius – Everybody Wants To Rule The World (Tears For Fears)

 

37. Panic! At The Disco – Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)

 

36. Miley Cyrus – Why Do You Only Call Me When You’re High (Arctic Monkeys)

 

35. Walk Off The Earth – Shake It Off (Taylor Swift)/Rude (Magic!)

 

34. Tame Impala – Stranger In Moscow (Michael Jackson)

 

33. Shearwater – I Luv The Valley Oh! (Xiu Xiu)/Fucked Up Life (The Baptist Generals)

 

32. Banks – Are You That Somebody (Aaliyah)

 

31. Rufus – My Number/Charlotte (Foals/Booka Shade)

 

30. Haim – XO (Beyonce)

 

29. Kyla La Grange – Wrecking Ball (Miley Cyrus)

 

28. Passenger – Holocene (Bon Iver)

 

27. Twin Shadow – There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (The Smiths)

 

26. The Ragtime Gals f. Steve Carell – Sexual Healing (Marvin Gaye)

 

Top 30 Cover Songs of 2012

I’ll be writing quite a bit in subsequent posts, so without much ado, here is my list of the top 30 best cover songs of 2012:

30. Amanda Palmer – First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

29. The Maine – Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

28. The Knocks – Midnight City

27. Julio Bashmore – Troglodytes

26. Carly Rae Jepsen – Both Sides Now

25. Barricades Rise – Down Under

24. Walk Off The Earth – Roll Up

23. Yellowcard – Fix You

22. Easy Star All-Stars – Thriller

21. Antony Hegarty – Landslide

20. Azealia Banks – Slow Hands

19. Gavin Friday – The Fly

18. Mumford and Sons – Tessellate

17. GHXST – Dragula

16. Niia – Mad World

15. Active Child – Sweet Dreams

14. Brian Molko and Fiona Brice – West End Girls

13. Easy Star All-Stars – Beat It

12. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – Like a Prayer

11. Red Hot Chili Peppers – I Get Around

10. Katja Petri – Candy

(What a serene, pretty take on a teflon-strong melody.)

9. Paper Crows – Disarm

(I really like the reshaping of this classic song.)

8. Paul Banks – I’m A Fool To Want You

(Paul Banks as Sinatra. The look suits him Plenti well.)

7. The Weeknd – DD (Dirty Diana)

(Wow. Does music get more emotionally-charged than this? Maybe the only contemporary artist who could hold a candle to MJ’s impeccable original.)

6. Walk Off The Earth – Somebody That I Used To Know

(The omni-present. A career launcher.)

5. John Mayer – Video Games

(This is maybe the most beautiful, restrained and graceful thing playboy Mayer has ever done.)

4. Ellie Goulding – Hanging On

(The original is a stunner, and here Ms. Goulding gives it a synthy, chic, vital redo. Well done.)

3. Easy Star All-Stars – Human Nature

(This version could not be any more perfect. It is miles apart from the original yet so similar, warm and smooth, like a ray of sunlight taking residence on a wave that’s leisurely travelling the world over. This is so good I think I might even like it more than MJ’s version.)

2. Matt Cardle – First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

(Song starts at 1:40. What a stunning, jaw-droppingly gorgeous voice. The best reality singing show song I’ve ever heard.)

1. The Killers – Ultra Violet (Light My Way)

(Technically from last year, this might be the best cover they’ve ever done, and that’s quite a sentiment, as I think they’re the best cover band of this generation. Propulsive and heart-rattling, not contained by this world.)