From Glee to American Idol cover songs are everywhere these days, and sometimes, even performers who’ve written plenty of their own music can’t resist belting out another artist’s song. Kelly Clarkson frequently covers other musicians’ songs. This week, when her Stronger tour stopped in Los Angeles, she had a special surprise for fans. She performed an acoustic version of Britney Spears‘ “Til the World Ends.”
In recent years, plenty of other stars have paid tribute to their favorite artists by putting a new spin on their music. Here’s a look at some of the best:
Jimmy Fallon (as Neil Young) and Bruce Springsteen sing “Whip My Hair” by Willow Smith
Maybe Fallon and Springsteen weren’t exactly complimenting Willow Smith, but this skit from Late Night With Jimmy Fallon is one of the most hilarious covers ever.
Taylor Swift performs Eminem’s “Lose Yourself”
Few celebrities have less in common than Taylor Swift and Eminem, but Swift proved that while she may be a girly girl, she’s tough enough to rap about getting spaghetti barf on your favorite hoodie. Swift then went on to perform a bonus cover during the show of Uncle Kracker‘s “Smile.”
Coldplay performs Rihanna’s “We Found Love”
Who knew Rihanna’s hit single would sound so good with the dreamy Coldplay treatment?
Linkin Park performs “Rolling in the Deep”
You might be sick of hearing Adele covers by now, but Linkin Park’s take on “Rolling in the Deep” still stands out as one of the best (even if there’s no choreographed Gleek dance to go along with it).
Joseph Gordon-Levitt performs R.Kelly’s “Ignition (Remix)”
This certainly isn’t the most musically impressive cover, but it is the most charming. The best cover songs reveal something new about the original music, and Gordon-Levitt shows us the sweet side of “sipping on coke and rum.”
More:
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