5 Metal Covers Better Than the Originals

It’s not secret that I am a huge metal/punk fan. My musical tastes tend to go deep rather than wide, so it’s not uncommon for me to find the metal cover of popular pop songs to be better than the originals. I know…that’s just, like, my opinion.

Stepping aside from my own biases, there are some covers that truly outrank their originals in my opinion. The emotion is ramped up, the vocals more driven, and the guitars more epic. Don’t just take my word for it. Have a listen and see for yourself.

5. Bad Romance by Halestorm

It is no secret that Lzzy Hale has vocal prowess for days. I have had the privilege of attending a Halestorm concert and her vocals are just…wow. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Halestorm knocks Bad Romance by Lady Gaga out of the park. Lzzy’s powerful and angry vocals align perfectly with the feel of the song. The driving guitar is the cherry on the top of this incredible cover.

4. Bye, Bye, Bye by Further Seems Forever

This cover, admittedly, may be tainted by a bit of nostalgia. What millennial didn’t have their high school days filled with the over-the-top boy band craze. I was a metal head then as well, but my friends? Not so much. Therefore, ear-worms such as Bye, Bye, Bye were unavoidable. When I first heard this cover by Further Seems Forever on a Pop Goes Punk album, it was a true marriage of my love of metal and my memories of my best friend in high school, who swore up an down she would marry Lance Bass. (If we only knew…)

3. Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm

This one almost was placed in the #2 slot simply because it may be one of the oldest covers in my playlist. While it’s hard to argue with the “King of Pop” himself, Smooth Criminal performed by Further Seems Forever wins the original vs cover hands down. Jackson’s version lacks the power captured in the cover. The beats and riffs are more noticeable and catchy in the cover, while they tend to blend together in the original. Let’s just say, when I went to compare the two, I barely even recognized the Jackson version given the preference of the Further Seems Forever cover on mainstream radio stations.

2. Careless Whisper by Seether

Growing up, my mom was a pretty decent George Michael fan. I heard Careless Whisper so many times growing up, I already knew the lyrics the first time I listened to the Seether cover. As with Bye, Bye, Bye, nostalgia may play a bit in this one being placed #2. That said, don’t let that bias discount how truly incredible this cover is. Seether replaces the haunting sax of the original with power electric guitar riffs equally as haunting. My favorite part of the entire cover is the bridge. The power and emotion in the vocals hits in all the right places leaving you feeling all of the anguish the songwriter intended.

1. Blank Space by I Prevail

When everyone you know is a Swiftie, you hear plenty of Taylor Swift songs. I’ve tried. I’ve really tried hop aboard the Swift train, but, try as I might, I just can’t. There are parts of her songs I like. Lyrics here, riffs there, but, as a whole, I just haven’t found the magic pull everyone else seems to find. Furthermore, in the effort of full transparency, I fell in love with this cover before I ever knew it was a Taylor Swift song. I knew I recognized it, and couldn’t place it. This one wins the top spot of a cover better than the original for finally making me like a Taylor Swift song.

Fun side note, the guys of I Prevail hate performing this song. They made that crystal clear when I saw them in concert and they performed it, but it is so highly requested, they give us the show we want anyway.