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Last week I put up an article of 5 cover songs better than or equal to their counterparts. These cover songs were done by established musicians some with giant fan-bases selling out stadiums on tour. But stadiums and record deals do not a musician make. It's about passion, about talent, about putting yourself out there to be seen come hell or high water. So what better marketing tool for young artists, for incredible talent and amazing musicians to get their talent seen by a world-wide audience than YouTube! As I explained in my other article, I absolutely LOVE cover songs! There is a wealth of original content on YouTube from hundreds and thousands of musicians, and there are even more cover songs out there! So I spent two days scouring YouTube, I watched and listened to 138 different YouTube musicians doing 138 different cover songs with different styles and quality, and then I started the daunting task of weeding through them to find my top 5, which of course I'm going to share with you! Let's do this ish!

#5

The Song: No One
Originally By: Alicia Keys
Cover By: Nick Pitera

Original Info: "No One" is a single from Alicia Keys' 2007 Album "As I Am". Overall this song remains her most successful song on a worldwide basis, topping the charts at #1 for ten weeks solidly.

Why The Cover?: Nick Pitera is a YouTube sensation. He first hit viral status with his cover songs of classic Disney songs when he shocked viewers by singing both male and female parts of the song flawlessly! Pitera has range, and range to spare! His cover of "No One" is spectacular, and if you have time, I sincerely urge you to go to his YouTube channel and listen to the rest of his songs!

No One as originally Sung by Alicia Keys:

No One as covered by Nick Pitera:

#4

The Song: I Kissed A Girl
Originally By: Katy Perry
Covered By: Max Vernon

Original Info: "I Kissed A Girl" is a song that every single human on the planet has heard. Smashing onto radio waves in 2008, Katy Perry's pop song appeared as a track on her album "One of the Boys". The song topped charts worldwide and from that day on you couldn't go to a bar or club without hearing it. Ever.

Why The Cover?: I'm sorry guys, I have to come out with it. Katy Perry annoys the crap out of me. I am so super sick of her vapid-eyed staring and "I'm so super different and cool in my onesie and chunky jewelry" persona. She may well be a lovely person, and I'm sure she is, but her public persona is teeth-grindingly obnoxious. "I Kissed A Girl" was so overplayed on the radio and in clubs and bars that I cringe when it comes on and immediately shut it off. That is, until a viral video hit of Indie artist Max Vernon covering the song. Though the video is silly and goofy, the cover itself is fantastic, and hit YouTube so hard and so virally that the cover song became the #1 iTunes downloaded song from Engine Room Recording's "Guilt By Association Vol #2" compilation.

I Kissed A Girl as sung by Katy Perry:

I Kissed A Girl as covered by Max Vernon:

#3

The Song: You Can Call Me Al
Originally By: Paul Simon
Covered By: Robin Spencer

Original Info: You Can Call Me Al was the first single released by Paul Simon's first album "Graceland" in 1986. The song hit #4 on the carts in the UK, while in Australia reached #1, the highest it climbed in the US was #23.

Why The Cover?: I've been watching videos by Robin Spencer on YouTube for a long time. He first hooked me in with his cover of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow". His gravelly voice and soft acoustic guitar, static videos and cover song choices intreagued me, and when I saw "Call Me Al" pop up in his channel one day I was iffy on it. He didn't seem the type to pull off that song, however, he didn't seem the type to pull off Panic at the Disco or My Chemical Romance either, but he did, so I took a chance on it and gave it a shot. I am glad I did, to this day his cover of "You Can Call Me Al" remains as my favourite video of his, and my favourite cover of this song of all time.

You Can Call Me Al as performed by Paul Simon:

You Can Call Me Al as performed by Robin Spencer:

#2

The Song: Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk
Originally By: Rufus Wainwright
Covered By: Nataly Dawn

Original Info: Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk is a gorgeous song written and performed by Rufus Wainwright, a Canadian-American singer/songwriter for his second studio album, 2001's "Poses".

Why The Cover: Although I absolutely LOVE Rufus Wainwright's original verson of the song, Nataly Dawn brings a quirkyness to the song, she is just the slightest bit odd which lends itself to the song. Her creative use of instruments is refreshing as well, and the video itself is just enjoyable to watch. I put this as equal to the original song for sure!

Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk as performed by Rufus Wainwright:

Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk as covered by Nataly Dawn:

#1

The Song: That Green Gentleman
Origianlly By: Panic at the Disco
Covered By: Julia Nunes

Original Info: That Green Gentleman (also refered to as Things Have Changed) is the second single from Panic at the Disco's second album "Pretty. Odd." following up the smash first single "Nine in the Afternoon". The song was released in 2008 and peaked on the US Hot Singles Sales chart at #5.

Why The Cover?: I love Panic at the Disco, I really do, especially the second album "Pretty. Odd."! When I first heard Julia Nunes with her cover of That Green Gentleman I was a little skeptical, I couldn't really envision that particular song being done by anyone else, but I listened on, and was amazed! She brings a different life to the song, and as Nataly Dawn did with her cover of Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk, her inventive choice of instruments is fascinating and just tons of fun to watch!

That Green Gentleman as performed by Panic at the Disco:

That Green Gentleman as covered by Julia Nunes:

So there you have it, folks! After hours of debating and searching, and listening to great and not-so-great covers, I've brought you my top five YouTube Cover songs and some sweet new artists! Until next time!

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