Musicians Face Off: Covers vs. Originals

By Amber James Posted Sep 21st 2009 12:30PM

Over the weekend, Kelly Clarkson and her backup singers decided to perform their own version of Miley Cyrus' single 'The Climb,' and it actually sounded pretty good. Imitation is the highest form of flattery but what happens when the cover sounds better (or terribly worse) than the original? Take a look at our top picks and decide which version you like better. After the jump, it's The Fray vs. Kanye West, Chris Daughtry vs. Lady Gaga, Rihanna vs. Madonna and more!

Kelly Clarkson vs. Miley Cyrus
'The Climb'

The Fray vs. Kanye West
'Heartless'

Chris Daughtry vs. Lady Gaga
'Poker Face'

Mandy Moore vs. Rihanna
'Umbrella'

Lily Allen vs. Britney Spears
'Womanizer'

John Mayer vs. The Police
'Message In A Bottle'

Plain White T's vs. Sean Kingston
'Beautiful Girls'

Rihanna vs. Madonna
'Vogue'

Paramore vs. Kings Of Leon
'Use Somebody'

Ted Leo vs. Kelly Clarkson
'Since You Been Gone'

Tags: chris daughtry, ChrisDaughtry, kanye west, KanyeWest, kelly clarkson, KellyClarkson, lady gaga, LadyGaga, madonna, miley cyrus, MileyCyrus, rihanna, sean kingston, SeanKingston

Comments

(8)

Monday 21 September

By JBaer

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Does anyone notice that, with the exception of "Vogue" and "Message in a Bottle," these songs were recorded in the LAST TWO YEARS? If you really want a good comparison of original vs. cover, you need to go back much, much further, when music was GOOD and actually had substance. And on a side note, the idea of Rihanna singing "Vogue" with that shrill voice...ick. (shudder)

By wrenogade

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I think the Kelly Clarkson cover of Miley Cyrus's song just proves where talent lies and where image lies in the music industry. Cyrus is product, not a talent. Clarkson is a talent that refuses to be a product. I much prefer listening to a voice than a pre-fab celebrity. Go Kelly. We need more "Talent" showing these wanna-be's that it takes more than look and attitude to make a true diva!

By Kiri

Kelly Clarkson has a beautiful voice, and she and her background singers sing "The Climb" much better than Miley. I love Mandy Moore's cover of "Umbrella", slowed down it sounds tons better than the skiddish original. And I don't know what it is about Lily Allen's Womanizer cover but I love it... maybe it's her British accent, idk. XD

By Meteo Xavier

Nothing screams "artistic integrity" like a nation of grown men and women hardcore music lovers hating on a teenage girl they have or will never know personally for doing what she does and being who she is.

Its a sickening double standard. The whole idea of being an artist is to project yourself into music. How does it work that wildly arrogant, atheist, anti-everything-but-my-music-empire, borderline criminals can get away with this excuse, but not someone who DID want to follow the rules and DID want to make music for casual, non-hardcore music appreciators?

You can't say you appreciate music art and then go on to blast popular people in music at the same time. Some people want to be products, some want to be artists. Just respect that either way they get to enjoy themselves and live their dreams as the paramount message of rock/pop music dictates and leave it at that.

Oh, so now if we comment on the lack of real talent shellacked (beyond their age) in a creative facade we are picking on a teenage girl? That same teenage girl knows how to use the media, her parents and the company that launched her in a way that seems unnatural for a "teenager". My comment was meant to point out that the acoustic version by Kelly and the back-up singers was better than any studio mixed version of Miley's because she lack REAL vocals and talent. She is a product (meaning look, style, appeal and marketability) made her who she is. If she wants to be taken serious, let's see her do an acoustic version of any of her songs. We saw Brittney do it, and prove where her talent really lies. Is she a bad PERFORMER...no. Is she a great vocalist...NO. Now if the "teen" cannot take the heat of criticism in balance with the glow of adoration, maybe she does not belong in the industry. Kelly takes knocks on her looks and style all the time. But she admits she is not into this for the love of the fame, but the love of the music.

By Jose

Its sad to see that creativity has been long lost. Are we really that talentless that we have to go about making a name for ourselves by copying someone else's work? I know covers have always been done, but it seems like now a days, a song is out one day and already has a cover next week. Lets start using our brains and come up with some new stuff.

By Be Real

I think these votes mostly prove that people have a preference for authentic acoustic versions of songs, versus overly produced pop. ESPECIALLY when acoustically performed by very talented singers. Nothing wrong with that, maybe music labels will take a hint. I especially LOVE JillandKate & Kelly Clarkson's take on the Climb, and Mandy Moore's take on Umbrella.

Tuesday 22 September

By Yo G Dawg

Everyone do yourself a favor and listen to Nickel Creek's version of Toxic. That is talent.

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