100 Greatest Cover Songs and Remakes
of the 1990s

Two record sleeves for Nothing Compares to U and Killing Me Softly with His Song
Definition:The term "cover version" originally referred to a rival version of a tune recorded to compete with the recently released version of a song. Eventually it went on to have a more general meaning including any performance or recording by someone other than the original artist or composer of a previously recorded, commercially released song. For sake of this list, versions of songs which fit the newer definition of cover version but not the original one are referred to as remakes.

Criteria: These cover songs/remakes of the 1990s are ranked according to their initial and lasting popularity, influence and acclaim, as well as their cultural impact. The greatness of an original record is not taken into consideration. To qualify as a cover version, the song has to be neither the first recorded nor the first released version of particular song.

Last Updated: 2022-04-07
Greatest Cover Songs 1990s
Cover Songs and Remakes 1990s collage image
Legend:
Song - Original Artist with first recording (year) | Great Cover Version/Remake (year)
  1. Nothing Compares to U - The Family (1985) | Sinead O'Connor (1990)
  2. Killing Me Softly with His Song - Lori Lieberman (1972) | Fugees (1996)
  3. Torn - Lis Sørensen (1993, "Brændt") | Natalie Imbruglia (1995)
  4. Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen (1985) | Jeff Buckley (1994)
  5. I Will Always Love You - Dolly Parton (1974) | Whitney Houston (1992)
  6. Hard To Handle - Otis Redding (1968) | Black Crowes (1990)
  7. Change the World - Wynonna Judd (1996) | Eric Clapton (1996)
  8. Last Kiss - Wayne Cochran (1961) Pearl Jam (1999)
  9. The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss) - Merry Clayton (1963) | Cher (1990)
10. (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You - Elvis Presley (1961, as "Can't Help Falling in Love") | UB40 (1993)
11. If I Ruled the World - Kurtis Blow (1985) | Nas (1996)
12. Cats in the Cradle - Harry Chapin | Ugly Kid Joe (1992)
13. Knockin' on Heaven's Door - Bob Dylan (1973) | Guns N' Roses (1990)
14. Without You - Badfinger (1970) | Mariah Carey (1993)
15. Easy - Commodores (1977) | Faith No More (1992)
16. Go West - Village People (1977) | Pet Shop Boys (1993)
17. Layla - Derek and the Dominos (1970) Eric Clapton (1992)
18. Wild Night - Van Morrison (1971) | John Mellencamp and Meshell Ndegeocello (1994)
19. I'm Every Woman - Chaka Khan (1977) | Whitney Houston (1993)
20. Baby, I Love Your Way - Peter Frampton (1975) | Big Mountain (1994)
21. Mercy Mercy Me - I Want You - Marvin Gaye ("Mercy Mercy Me", 1971) and ("I Want You", 1976) | Robert Palmer (1990)
22. Now That We Found Love - O'Jays (1973) | Heavy D & the Boyz (1991)
23. It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday - G. C. Cameron (1975) | Boyz II Men (1991)
24. Rhythm of the Rain - The Cascades (1962) | Dan Fogelberg (1990)
25. Waiting for Tonight - 3rd Party (1997) | Jennifer Lopez (1999)
26. Sukiyaki - Kyu Sakamoto (1961) | 4 P.M. (1994)
27. Don't Cry for Me Argentina - Julie Covington (1976) | Madonna (1996)
28. Jump, Jive an' Wail - Louis Prima (1956) | Brian Setzer (1999)
29. When a Man Loves a Woman - Percy Sledge (1967) | Michael Bolton (1991)
30. Crying in the Rain - The Everly Brothers (1962) | a-ha (1990)
31. The Star Spangled Banner - Traditional | Whitney Houston (1991)
32. Fly Like an Eagle - Steve Miller Band (1976) | Seal (1996)
33. Where Did You Sleep Last Night? - Traditional | Nirvana (1994)
34. Endless Love - Lionel Richie and Diana Ross (1985) | Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey (1994)
35. Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me - Elton John (1977) | George Michael and Elton John (1991)
36. Only Love Can Break Your Heart - Neil Young (1970)| Saint Etienne (1990)
37. The Man Who Sold The World - David Bowie (1971) | Nirvana (1994)
38. Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon - Neil Diamond (1967) | Urge Overkill (1994)
39. Time After Time - Cindy Lauper (1983) | INOJ (1997)
40. Theme from Mission: Impossible - Lalo Schifrin (1966) | Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen (1996)
41. American Woman - The Guess Who (1969) | Lenny Kravitz (1999)
42. Turn the Page - Bob Seger (1973) | Metallica (1998)
43. It's All Coming Back to Me Now - Pandora's Box (1989) | Celine Dion (1996)
44. Love is All Around - The Troggs (1967) | Wet Wet Wet (1994)
45. No More "I Love You"s - The Lover Speaks (1986) | Annie Lennox (1995)
46. The Power of Love - Jennifer Rush (1984) | Celine Dion (1993)
47. It's Oh So Quiet - Horst Winter (1948, as "Und jetzt ist es still") | Björk (1995)
48. I'll Be There - Jackson 5 (1970) | Mariah Carey (1992)
49. Angel of Mine - Eternal (1997) | Monica (1999)
50. How Deep is Your Love - Bee Gees (1977) | Take That (1996)
51. I Say a Little Prayer - Dionne Warwick (1967) | Diana King (1997)
52. Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World - Judy Garland ("Over the Rainbow", 1939) and Louis Armstrong ("What a Wonderful World", 1967) | Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (1993)
53. Rhythm of My Heart - Rene Shuman (1986) | Rod Stewart (1991)
54. Don't Turn Around - Tina Turner (1986) | Ace of Base (1994)
55. I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor (1978) | Cake (1996)
56. When You Say Nothing at All - Keith Whiley (1988) | Ronan Keating (1999)
57. Betcha By Golly Wow! - The Stylistics (1972) | Prince (1996)
58. Live and Let Die Wings (1973) | Guns N' Roses (1991)
59. Because the Night - Patti Smith Group (1978) | 10,000 Maniacs (1993)
60. Step On - John Kongos (1971, as "He's Gonna Step on You Again") | Happy Mondays (1990)
61. Turn the Beat Around - Vickie Sue Robinson (1976) | Gloria Estefan (1994)
62. Words - Bee Gees (1968) | Boyzone (1996)
63. Where Do You Go - La Bouche (1995) | No Mercy (1996)
64. Lake of Fire - Meat Puppets (1984) | Nirvana (1994)
65. Relight My Fire - Dan Hartman (1979) | Take That and Lulu (1993)
66. How Soon is Now? - The Smiths (1985) | Love Spit Love (1996)
67. She's the One - World Party (1997) | Robbie Williams (1999)
68. Come and Get Your Love - Redbone (1974) | Real McCoy (1995)
69. I'm Not in Love 10cc (1975) | Will to Power (1990)
70. Blue Monday - New Order (1983) | Orgy (1998)
71. They Won't Go When I Go - Stevie Wonder (1974) | George Michael (1990)
72. Oh Carolina - The Folkes Brothers (1960) | Shaggy (1993)
73. Tragedy - Bee Gees (1979) | Steps (1998)
74. Love Me for a Reason - Johnny Bristol (1974) | Boyzone (1994)
75. Lilac Wine - Eartha Kitt (1953) | Jeff Buckley (1994)
76. I'm Goin' Down - Rose Royce (1976) | Mary J. Blige (1994)
77. Sweet Thing - Rufus featuring Chaka Khan (1975) | Mary J. Blige (1992)
78. Can't Get Enough of You Baby - ? and the Mysterians (1967) | Smash Mouth (1998)
79. Have I Told You Lately - Van Morrison (1989) | Rod Stewart (1993)
80. Love Can Build a Bridge - The Judds (1990) | Cher, Neneh Cherry, Chrissie Hynde and Eric Clapton (1995)
81. Why Can't We Be Friends? - War (1975) | Smash Mouth (1998)
82. Planet Caravan - Black Sabbath (1970) | Pantera (1994)
83. You Got It – Roy Orbison (1989) | Bonnie Raitt (1995)
84. There She Goes - The La's (1988) | Sixpence None the Richer (1997)
85. Ooh La La - Faces (1973) | Rod Stewart (1998)
86. Henry Lee - Traditional, originally called "Young Hunting" | Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and PJ Harvey (1996)
87. Cars - Gary Numan (1979) | Fear Factory (1998)
88. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana (1991) | Tori Amos (1992)
89. I Go Blind - 54-40 (1986) | Hootie & The Blowfish (1996)
90. Sweet Child o' Mine - Guns N' Roses (1988) | Sheryl Crow (1998)
91. The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead - XTC (1992) | Crash Test Dummies (1994)
92. Lay Lady Lay - Bob Dylan (1969) | Ministry (1996)
93. No Depression - The Carter Family (1936) | Uncle Tupelo (1990)
94. 32 Flavors - Ani DiFranco (1995) | Alana Davis (1998)
95. Head On - The Jesus and Mary Chain (1989) | Pixies (1991)
96. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) - Four Lads (1953) | They Might Be Giants (1990)
97. Dirty Deeds AC/DC (1976, as "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap") | Joan Jett (1990)
98. Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order (1986) | Frente! (1994)
99. Across the Universe - The Beatles (1969) | Fiona Apple (1998)
100. Signs - Five Man Electrical Band (1970) | Tesla (1990)









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