10 Greatest Rock Cover Songs Of The 1980s

1. Walk This Way - Run-DMC Ft. Aerosmith

Now, look, you're probably thinking "It can't be a cover if it's got the original band on it". If you think that way, check out the Five + Queen version of We Will Rock You, and then try again.

So, with that in mind, here's Run-DMC's 1986 collaboration with Aerosmith on a revamped version of their 1975 song, Walk This Way.

The hip-hop trio had been freestyling over the original at live shows, before producer Rick Rubin persuaded them to lay down a version in the studio. The original guitar line was kept, but the rest of the song was given a rap overhaul; record scratches, muted beats, altered lyrics, the works.

Run-DMC's Walk This Way was a sensation, a hit on rock radio, hip-hop radio, mainstream radio, you name it. It made stars out of the troupe, revitalised the careers of Aerosmith, and proved to everyone that rap and rock had a very bright future together.

It might not be a cover in the traditional sense, but as one of the most important songs of the entire '80s, Walk This Way strolls to the top of this list.

Contributor
Contributor

Jacob Simmons has a great many passions, including rock music, giving acclaimed films three-and-a-half stars, watching random clips from The Simpsons on YouTube at 3am, and writing about himself in the third person.