As consumers, we are drawn to new and creative things. As consumers of music, there is nothing more inviting than when an artist releases something new, especially if we’ve heard it before.
BBC Radio 1 started its iconic Live Lounge performances with a cover of Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie” by The Zutons in 2007. Since then, there have been countless other amazing covers throughout the evolution of music.
I’ve curated a ranking of some of my favorite old and new performances that will never get old.
- Harry Styles – “The Chain” (Fleetwood Mac Cover)
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Rounding out the bottom half of this list is Harry Styles’ cover of “The Chain.”
Following the release of his first solo album “Harry Styles,” the former One Direction member headed to the Live Lounge to cover “The Chain.”
When he broke out into his solo career, Styles debuted with a sound far different from his boy-band roots. His self-titled album was rooted in a soft-rock sound, much like “The Chain.”
This Live Lounge performance helped Styles show the world his new sound and solo talent. This cover not only exposed older generations to Styles, but also newer generations to Fleetwood Mac.
- Arctic Monkeys – “Hold On, We’re Going Home” (Drake Cover)
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Arctic Monkeys has an extremely unique sound, which they did not lose in their cover of Drake’s “Hold On, We’re Going Home.”
Their rendition of this Drake classic adds a charming effect, as lead singer Alex Turner’s tone is anything but rap. It is hard to describe his tone as it is not like any other.
He has an entrancing voice that brings listeners in for more and makes this cover a classic, which was voted for the top 10 Live Lounge covers.
- Harry Styles – “Wet Dream” (Wet Leg Cover)
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A recurring artist on this list is Styles. Styles is a natural-born performer, as he has been performing since 2010. His visible enjoyment of performing live makes him extremely engaging to fans.
Wet Leg opened for Styles during the European leg of his tour, titled Love On Tour. Styles covered “Wet Dream,” which gained extreme popularity, garnering over 12 million views.
Styles’ natural adaptability to various genres is what makes this cover enthralling and gave both him and Wet Leg even more popularity.
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Good Luck, Babe!” (Chappell Roan Cover)
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Sabrina Carpenter hopped on the Chappell Roan wave and took a stab at Roan’s viral hit “Good Luck, Babe!”
What makes this cover so special is how Carpenter interpreted the piece. She starts the song off slowly, as it is in the original, but follows that tempo through the first chorus. She then brings the song back up to speed during the second verse.
This technique is what makes her cover so addicting to watch. It’s a strategic and creative way to engage listeners through this melodic story.
Carpenter also taps into her country, twang-like sound, which can be heard on her most recent studio album, “Short n’ Sweet.”
- Olivia Rodrigo – “Stick Season” (Noah Kahan Cover)
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On her second studio album, “GUTS,” Olivia Rodrigo explored her range by tapping into her folk sound along with a mix of pop-rock.
She continued to dazzle fans with her artistic ability after covering “Stick Season” in the Live Lounge.
With her clear enunciation, paired with her talent for storytelling, Rodrigo delivers a cover worth remembering. The set design also conveys the woodsy, folk vibe the song captures.
Rodrigo’s cover was well-critiqued and went viral with over 11 million views.
- Harry Styles – “Juice” (Lizzo Cover)
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Following the 25th anniversary of BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, Styles’ cover of “Juice” was voted in the top 25 Live Lounge Covers, and for good reason.
During Styles’ performance, you can see how genuinely happy he is to be singing this cover. His enjoyment helps skyrocket the performance to an entirely different level.
The connection with his band also solidifies the chemistry in the room which highly contributes to the performance.
Styles later went on to perform “Juice” with Lizzo at the Sirius XM & Pandora Opening Drive Super Concert Series.
- Ariana Grande – “Them Changes” (Thundercat Cover)
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Known for her chart-climbing pop songs, Ariana Grande’s cover of “Them Changes” amplifies her talent in different genres. In this case, R&B/Soul.
Much of what makes this an outstanding cover is the support from her band and background singers.
The bassist carries the entire beat of the song and is the body of the rhythm. Grande’s background vocalists perfectly compliment her tone and support her throughout the song.
This cover was so heavily praised that Grande later went on to perform this song with Thundercat at the Adult Swim Festival.
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Late Night Talking” (Harry Styles Cover)
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Carpenter’s rendition of “Late Night Talking” similarly mimics the style of her fifth studio album “Emails I Can’t Send.” The song choice is perfect as it fits with songs in her catalog and allows her to showcase her vocal authenticity.
Live Lounge covers are special because artists get to showcase their creativity. Carpenter took a complete genre shift from the original song and made it R&B.
Bonus points for her dreamy makeup and Y2K-inspired outfit that perfectly correlate with her version of “Late Night Talking.”
- Noah Kahan – “Lacy” (Olivia Rodrigo Cover)
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Just short of the top spot on this list is Noah Kahan’s cover of “Lacy.” Kahan covered this song after Rodrigo covered “Stick Season” which holds our number six spot.
Kahan is known for his indie-folk style, and he did not stray away from that during his Live Lounge cover. He perfectly adapted his style to Rodrigo’s song to create his spin on it.
It is refreshing to hear a song performed by a different voice because listeners can hear the lyrics in a different form than before. Kahan showcases Rodrigo’s unique and impressive lyricism.
- Miley Cyrus – “My Future” (Billie Eilish Cover)
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Miley Cyrus captures the essence of a true storyteller. The rasp of her voice and her emotion when she sang Billie Eilish’s lyrics created a completely different story, which is why this cover is ranked number one.
During Cyrus’ performance, you can tell she resonated with the song and told her own story through the original lyrics.
Eilish’s version is delivered in a whimsical, dreamy tone that provides a sense of hope for youth. Cyrus took the same lyrics yet delivered them in a wiser journey of growth.
Will any future covers top these? We will wait and see!
For now, I hope you enjoy these absolute cult-classics.