10 Best Hard Rock Cover Songs
Giving the classics an update.
Cover songs in popular music present a very daunting task for any band who decides to tackle them. If a song has become ingrained in the collective consciousness, how is your spin going to add something new to an already existing classic? That doesn't stop many fabulous artists from stepping up to the challenge though.
When it comes to hard rock music, bands have tried their hand at their influence's material with flying colors. Most of the time, these covers are updates of old-school hard rock and metal tunes with the energy turned up to its limit. On the other hand, some of the more adventurous covers in the rock scene come from when artists take on a song that doesn't fit under the hard rock umbrella and recontextualize it for a completely different audience.
The covers shown on this list not only found success, but also went on to influence younger bands to check out artists from the past that they may have overlooked otherwise. From the dawn of rock music to modern day wonders, these covers had just the right amount of kickass to even rival their originals.
10. Summertime Blues - The Who
The Who were virtually untouchable as they made their way through the late 60's. Not only had they transcended rock on hits like "My Generation," but they had just released what was most likely the mother of all concept albums in Tommy. Once the band hit the road, their stop at Leeds University was a show for the ages.
This date was one of the defining moments in live rock music, but the standouts of the set weren't necessarily Who compositions. Amid some of their classics, the band threw in a cover of the hit 50's song "Summertime Blues" by Eddie Cochran. This was not your average 50's sounding tune though, as Keith Moon's thunderous drums and the crunch of Pete Townshend's guitar blew this innocent rocker up to gargantuan proportions. Suddenly, rock had grown up and graduated from small clubs to the arena.
With the band's back catalog being filled with hits, their take on "Summertime Blues" has become a favorite amongst the hard rock crowd. Across Live at Leeds, The Who offered a brand of rock that was much fiercer than their counterparts, with "Summertime Blues" leading the charge towards heavier terrains.