10 Of The Best Cover Songs That You Should Be Listening To

After Bruce Springsteen surprised everyone by covering Lorde's 'Royals', what other cover songs should you be listening to - if you aren't already?

If you haven't heard it by now, then you should. Bruce Springsteen decided to cover Lorde's hit song 'Royals' - while he was, of course, in New Zealand. The jury's still out on whether or not it's an improvement on the original - and the Boss even changed a few of the lyrics up - but don't worry, because we've got 10 more cover songs that, if not improvements, are definitely close to it.

The art of the cover song is a tricky one. Artists never seem to know whether to go for a faithful reproduction of the original and do nothing new, or whether to try and put their own spin on it and run the risk of absolutely decimating it.

That said, here are some that we think you'll enjoy.

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Nine Inch Nails did this first, but you'd never know. Johnny Cash's cover of 'Hurt' is nothing short of iconic, and absolutely heartbreaking into the bargain. It's also incredibly depressing - Cash lived a troubled life, and manages to imbue 'Hurt' with everything that implies. From his drug problem to the fact that he was at the end of his life when he recorded this, it's almost impossible to listen to this and not be moved in some way.

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Originally by Talk Talk, this cover of 'It's My Life' takes us back to the days when No Doubt were actually good - seriously, let's just not 'talk talk' about that last album (see what I did there?). Gwen Stefani is at her best as a bleach blonde vixen, murdering one husband after another before thrashing her way to jail. How is it possible to look that good in an orange jumpsuit? The cover puts an electric shock through the original, and we love it.

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Yes, this is Miley Cyrus – but no, don’t give up on the list just yet. Forget about the twerking, the tongue and the terrible wailing noises that come out when she opens her mouth, and just give this one a listen with an open mind. Cyrus should really take on country more often, because she gives Dolly Parton's 'Jolene' her best. The only thing missing is some life experience but despite that, it's still a joy to listen to.

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This one's by no one you've ever heard of, but it's the Motown cover of Avril Lavigne's 'Sk8r Boi' that you really didn't know you needed. Okay, so it sounds like a ridiculous but there's something about it that works incredibly well - and maybe it's a little bit to do with the sheer enthusiasm of the tambourine player. Still, it's a definitely new twist on a 00s classic, and we dare you not to enjoy this.

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Radio 1's Live Lounge can be pretty hit or miss when it comes to covers, but the Arctic Monkeys managed to knock it out of the park with their cover of Drake's 'Hold On, We're Going Home'. It's a perfect example of a band doing something new - gone are Drake's smooth vocals - without absolutely butchering the original. Besides, we're pretty sure that Alex Turner could make anything sound cool.

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It's not possible to improve an Outkast song, but Tame Impala certainly give it a go. Their cover of 'Prototype' is another track that sounds like it shouldn't work, but still just somehow does. It's a perfect tribute to the American hip-hop duo, with Tame Impala's own chill spin on it. It may be somewhat slowed down, but it should be 100% turned up.

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Everyone's sick of 'Get Lucky' covers, which is fair enough, but there's something a little special about this one. It's not even that it's necessarily the best, or the most original - and metal covers of pop songs are so passé these days. No, the thing about this song is that it instantly provokes images of female warriors getting ready to ride into battle, and I just can't hate that. Halestorm's 'Get Lucky' cover makes it into the list.

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And we're back in the Live Lounge with Gabrielle Aplin's cover of One Direction's 'Best Song Ever' - no, come back, it's good! Another slowed down version of a pop song, yes, but Aplin manages to give it a meaning that was definitely missing from the original. It's easy to believe that she could spend all night dancing to the same song and not remember what it was - and it's nice that she didn't feel the need to change the pronouns, either.

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We were sick of Emeli Sande just like the rest of you, but we can't deny our love for this cover of Beyonce's 'Crazy In Love'. Maybe it's the fact that the Bryan Ferry Orchestra are involved, and they can do no wrong, or maybe it's just the sheer difference of it. The Great Gatsby soundtrack was the perfect update to the music used to emphasise opulence in the jazz age, and Emeli Sande's cover only complements that further.

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No matter what you think of Morrissey, the fact remains that his cover of Lou Reed's 'Satellite of Love' is one of the best. He included it in his set at the Nobel Peace Prize concert as a tribute to the star's recent passing, and did it justice in a way that not many could. Touching and beautiful, this cover is definitely still up there as one of the best.

And yes, there are tons more covers out there, possibly more deserving of this list. Obviously classics such as Jimi Hendrix's 'All Along the Watch Tower' and so on will live on in infamy, but here are some of the ones that you just might not have heard of. (Except, of course, for No Doubt and Johnny Cash. We just felt like putting those in anyway.)

Enjoy!