Are covers ruining the reputation of 'classic' songs?

“Everything is a copy, of a copy, of a copy.” – Fight Club, 1999.

It is often said that the music industry is running out of fresh, new ideas to give to people. Bands are racking their brains on what songs to create, often not getting enough inspiration from the modern world. As with the film industry, there seems to be a lot more re-makes and covers being created, but are they unique or just an insult to the original band?

California-based record label Fearless Records are infamous for their contribution to cover songs. They have created many tribute albums, including ‘Punk Goes Pop’ and ‘Punk Goes Metal’, which involves bands on their label covering songs that are out of their comfort zone and usual genre. Many of the songs which are covered sound good and receive positive reviews from bands and critics alike, but some aren’t so successful. One example of this is Falling In Reverse’s cover of ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’. The rap song, originally by Coolio and L.V, was a huge success, unlike the cover. Ronnie Radke’s vocals sound awkward and the screaming breakdown doesn’t work with the style of the song. Many rap and metal fans dislike the cover, making it seem as though it is a parody, rather than a cover. Asking Alexandria’s cover of ‘Closer’ by Nine Inch Nails has received similar criticism, along with hundreds of cover songs over the years. Many fans cringe whilst hearing bad covers of their favourite songs, and many see it as the ultimate insult when someone says that they prefer a cover rather than the original song.

There are many successful cover songs which happen to do extremely well in the Top 40 music chart. Ellie Goulding’s cover of ‘Your Song’, originally recorded by Elton John, reached number two in the UK Singles Chart and it is one of Ellie’s most successful songs. Similarly, Lily Allen’s cover of ‘Somewhere Only We Know’ by Keane reached number one and was one of the most popular songs of the year. Covers seem to be used a lot in adverts around the Christmas period, and these are often the most successful. Covers are also good when used at a live show: for example, if a metal band covers a pop song fans enjoy it as it is something different and breaks away from the stereotypical set list.

The music industry is full of monotonous songs with no musical direction, and covers are often seen as being used when there are no more fresh ideas. When performed correctly, covers can be the ultimate tribute to an artist, but terrible song covers don’t seem to be disappearing anytime soon.