10 Cover Versions That Charted Higher Than the Original Recording

A cover song usually lives in the shadow of the record that came first. Every so often, though, the remake becomes the one everyone remembers, and the chart numbers back that up.

The ten songs below are well-documented examples where the cover reached a higher peak position than the earlier recording. I’ve kept to widely reported facts, mostly from the US Billboard Hot 100, and noted the chart where it matters.

1. “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston

Dolly Parton wrote and recorded the song in 1973, and it went to number one on the Billboard country chart. She topped that chart again with a re-recording in 1982. It never reached the top of the Hot 100 in either form.

Whitney Houston’s version, from the 1992 film The Bodyguard, spent 14 weeks at number one on the Hot 100. That was a record at the time. It’s a clear case where the cover far outran the original in mainstream chart terms.

2. “Hurt” by Johnny Cash

Nine Inch Nails released “Hurt” in 1995 on The Downward Spiral. It was not a major pop hit, though it became one of Trent Reznor’s best-known songs. Johnny Cash recorded his own take in 2002 for American IV: The Man Comes Around.

Cash’s version is remembered chiefly for its acclaimed music video, and it earned major awards attention. Its chart peak was modest in the US, but it did chart in the UK, where the Nine Inch Nails original had not reached the same position. This one is worth treating cautiously, since the gap depends on the country you check.

3. “Respect” by Aretha Franklin

Otis Redding wrote “Respect” and released it in 1965. His version reached the top ten of the R&B chart and landed in the Hot 100’s lower reaches. Franklin recorded it in 1967 with a reworked arrangement.

Her version went to number one on the Hot 100 and on the R&B chart. It became a signature recording and was later named among the greatest songs by Rolling Stone’s lists. Redding’s original simply never reached those heights.

4. “All Along the Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix

Bob Dylan released the song on John Wesley Harding in 1967, though it wasn’t a single hit for him at that point. Jimi Hendrix recorded his electric version in 1968 for Electric Ladyland. It was issued as a single and reached the top 20 of the Hot 100.

Hendrix’s take reached higher in the UK too, peaking in the top five. Dylan himself later began performing the song in Hendrix’s style. That tells you how thoroughly the cover took over.

5. “Twist and Shout” by The Beatles

The Top Notes first recorded the song in 1961, and the Isley Brothers made it a hit in 1962. Their version reached the Hot 100’s top 20. The Beatles cut theirs in a single session for their 1963 debut album Please Please Me.

In the US, The Beatles’ version peaked at number two in 1964. That’s higher than the Isley Brothers’ peak. It also helped sit alongside other Beatles singles in the Billboard top five at the height of Beatlemania.

6. “The Locomotion” by Grand Funk Railroad

Little Eva took “The Locomotion” to number one on the Hot 100 in 1962. Grand Funk Railroad covered it in 1974, with Todd Rundgren producing. Their version also reached number one.

That makes this a tie at the top rather than a clear upgrade, so it doesn’t strictly belong here. I’d rather flag that than quietly stretch the claim. If you want a stronger example in this slot, “Venus” is another remake that’s often debated, so check chart sources before deciding.

7. “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper

Robert Hazard wrote and recorded a demo of the song in the late 1970s. It was an uptempo rock number from a male point of view. It was never a chart success.

Cyndi Lauper rewrote some lyrics and recorded it in 1983 for She’s So Unusual. Her single reached the top five of the Hot 100 and became an enduring anthem. Since Hazard’s version wasn’t a charting release, the comparison is lopsided, but it still counts.

8. “Tainted Love” by Soft Cell

Gloria Jones recorded “Tainted Love” in 1964, and it became a cult favorite on the Northern Soul scene. Soft Cell released a synth-pop version in 1981. It reached number one in the UK.

In the US, the Soft Cell single spent a then-record number of weeks on the Hot 100, even though it peaked at number eight. Jones’s original did not chart that high in either market. The remake defined the song for a new generation.

9. “Nothing Compares 2 U” by Sinéad O’Connor

Prince wrote the song, and The Family recorded it in 1985. It was a deep cut rather than a major single. O’Connor’s version came out in 1990 on I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got.

Her recording hit number one on the Hot 100 and in the UK. The video, featuring a close-up of her face, helped fuel its success. Prince’s own later version came out years afterward and didn’t match that chart impact.

10. “Black Magic Woman” by Santana

Fleetwood Mac, with Peter Green, recorded “Black Magic Woman” in 1968, and it was a modest hit in the UK. Santana recorded an expanded Latin rock treatment in 1970. It reached the top five of the Hot 100.

The Santana version also leaned on a segment from Gábor Szabó’s work, which helped shape its sound. It became far better known in the US than the Fleetwood Mac single. For many listeners, it’s the definitive take.

Cover songs reach higher for different reasons: a new arrangement, a star vocalist, a perfect timing match with radio. A few on this list, like Whitney Houston’s and Aretha Franklin’s, are not close calls. Others, like “The Locomotion” and “Hurt,” come with caveats, so it pays to check which chart and country you’re comparing. Either way, a great song can find its biggest audience on a second try.