5 Best Music Covers of all Time
January 4, 2016
YouTube is famous for crazy stunt videos, musical covers, and just about everything else. If there is any possible thing you would like to watch, I can guarantee you that it’s somewhere on YouTube. According to YouTube statistics, there are 300 hours of video added every minute, but somehow, I will find the top 5 music covers on YouTube.
- Coldplay – Paradise (Peponi) African Style (ft. guest artist, Alex Boye) – ThePianoGuys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cgovv8jWETM
Now, you may have already seen this video, considering it has over 42 million views. This video is a personal favorite, as I’m also a huge fan of Coldplay. They took this Coldplay hit and completely made it their own African style. Every single part of this video is absolutely breathtaking, the strings, the piano, the various percussion, the vocals, the beautiful landscape, and even his dance moves.
- Somebody That I Used to Know – Walk off the Earth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9NF2edxy-M
This particular cover was pretty popular in 2012. Now the peeps in this video are pretty fantastic. Somehow there are five people playing one guitar fantastically. They took this Gotye song and added beautiful harmonies and interesting ways of adding percussion and bass. However, this video would not be complete without the facial expressions of the guy in the far right with the beanie.
- Yaël Naïm – Toxic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqKZ_WIK5ms
I absolutely love Yaël Naïm and the way her voice sounds. In this particular song, she experiments with Britney Spears’ “Toxic.” This cover is hauntingly beautiful; the way her voice echoes and the background vibraphone just melts together. This song shows the obvious Bjork inspiration with the instrumental style and the strange vocals. Now, this is my personal favorite of this list, so I highly advise you to listen to this beauty.
- Bryson Andres – Secrets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrKHAsnkF8A
I found this gem on the internet a few years ago, and ever since then, every time I watch it, I’m completely in awe with the beauty of this song. A street performer, Bryson Andres, took One Republic’s Secrets and using his electric violin and loop pedal, made the most beautiful cover. He even uses the violin as percussion, which is pretty inventive. If you enjoy instrumental covers, I would definitely take a look at more of Bryson Andres’ covers.
- Billie Jean – James Hill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u778gSi94N4
James Hill is the master of ukulele. He covers Michael Jackson’s hit, “Billie Jean,” and somehow manages to play every part of the song on one instrument. He covers the percussion, melody, and bass on the ukulele at the same time. Of course, he also sings very well, too. If you enjoy this Michael Jackson hit, I would definitely listen to this one.