1. “Baby”—Dirty Loops
If anyone could make a JB song sound so musically satisfying, it’d be Dirty Loops. This version is impeccably arranged and showcases the Swedish group’s talent well. These cats can play and continue to blow almost any mainstream American artist out of the water in terms of musicianship and vocal prowess.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjVGJ3YFDc8
2. “Maiden Voyage/Everything in its Right Place”—Robert Glasper
Loved amongst jazz enthusiasts, Robert Glasper combines hip–hop and jazz piano in this mashup cover of Herbie Hancock and Radiohead. This cover brought his album, “In My Element” to number three in top albums on iTunes for a few weeks. The song’s simplistic yet graceful combination of two tunes from dramatically different genres makes it so groundbreaking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDBxWQtgypY
3. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”—Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
There’s something magical about this version of the Wizard of Oz classic—the ability to make people both happy and sad at the same time. The crazy thing is that it was recorded in one take at three in the morning. Time and time again, though, Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s voice and a ukulele melt hearts all over the world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_DKWlrA24k
4. “A Case of You”—James Blake
Joni Mitchell fans might question the validity of this article at this point, but there is something about James Blake’s cover of this song that makes it incredibly powerful. It simply can’t be ignored.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJDSueNSMJE
5. “Kid A”—Punch Brothers
Try covering a Radiohead song with the instrumentation of a traditional bluegrass group. Yeah, this concept may be a little hard to grasp, but the eccentricities make it awesome.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jp0X2mMOwg
6. “Wrecking Ball”—Haim
Well, when the stripper elements of Miley’s song are taken out and only the music is left, there’s actually something good there! The Haim sisters do a great job at arranging this tune. The vocals are spot on, and the lyrics actually begin to mean something.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FCAzeMXln0
7. “Dirty Diana”—The Weeknd
It’s definitely tough to challenge the King of Pop, but Abel Tesfaye’s arrangement takes the rock elements out and focuses on his pristine vocals. The result is a more introverted tune, but one that’s as equally brilliant as the original.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LHt3JCk2RA
8. “Life Round Here”—James Blake feat. Chance the Rapper
He tours with Macklemore and now he’s teaming up with James Blake? It’s a dream come true for fans of these amazing artists. Chance kills this track, as usual. Worth a listen or 20.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaL5aMirnt0
9. “Free Fallin’ (Live)”—John Mayer
John Mayer can play finger–style guitar like no other, and his talent pays homage to Tom Petty’s classic tune. On top of that, his vocals in this live version create an edge that livens the song in a fresh way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Ov0cDPZy8
10. “We Can Work it Out”—Stevie Wonder
This is probably one of the most underrated covers. Stevie Wonder’s musical genius comes through in this version of the Beatles’ tune. One genius covering another set of geniuses? Only Stevie Wonder could exceed even the expectations of that standard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uznnHd5thXE
