I was reading the worst covers thread and could only think of the best covers i have ever heard.

One of my favourites is Hurt by Nine Inch Nails covered by Johnny Cash. It turns an angsty song that is probably the worst i have heard from NIN in to a beautiful emotional piece.

Haleleujah coved by Jeff Buckley and Mad world covered by Gary Jules are the obvious ones and i also realy love Marilyn Manson's covers.

Nouvelle Vauge do some pretty cool French Bossa-Nova covers of post-punk and new wave songs like Bela Logoui's Dead by Bauhaus and Blue Monday by New Order.

Cake's version of Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps is great putting a modern twist on my faourite latin jazz song.

I was at a concert, Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, and Puddle of Mudd if you were curious, when the lead singer of Puddle of Mudd covered a Pink Floyd song. I'd happily tell you what it was, but my ears were ringing too much from the elation of the rest of the crowd.

Don't know about "Best", but I was most pleased with the movie, 'Across the Universe'.
I thought they would have destroyed The Beatles' music, but most of it turned out pretty good.

Tool did an awesome cover of Led Zeppelin's "No Quarter".
Hmm, lets see.. If I remember correctly, Dream Theater covered Led Zeppelin's "Achilles Last Stand". I haven't heard it, but I hear it's really good.

Also, Richard Cheese's lounge covers are always fun to listen to.

VoleurdeThym:
Don't know about "Best", but I was most pleased with the movie, 'Across the Universe'.
I thought they would have destroyed The Beatles' music, but most of it turned out pretty good.

Completely forgot about that one. I was pissed off that they changed the bassline in "Come Together" but it sounded awesome nontheless.

I don't know. I did a cover of 'Search Button' by Anarchemitis that was pretty amazing.

All Along The Watchtower, as covered by Jimi Hendrix. Even Bob Dylan thinks Hendrix's version is better.

Hurt by johnny cash

Dp

But this is the song http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go

I know NIN fans may disagree but even Trent Reznor said Cash's version was better.

Hurt by Nine Inch Nails covered by Johnny Cash.

falcontwin:
Hurt by johnny cash

Not by Cash. By Reznor covered by Cash.

Billie Jean by Neal Finn, turned it into a doft acoustic version.
Legs by Human Nature almost made me try listening to some of their other stuff, but I didn't. (Ahh, prejudice. Doesn't have to be racial to be funny!)
Comfortably Numb by the Scissor Sisters
Video Killed The Radio Star by Presidents Of The United States Of America.
Gary Jules' cover of Mad World. In the bad covers thread, someone complained about this because it was in one of the Gears Of War games, but if you've ever seen Donnie Darko it doesn't matter where else they've used the song.
Ooh, just checked this and Twist And Shout wasn't originally done by The Beatles, so THAT's gotta go in here.

That's probably about enough from me. the top 2 are from a cd that consisted entirely of covers by different styles of singer/band, as chosen by a radio presenter (Andrew Denton). Also on there is a Russian choir singing Land Down Under, and The Wiggles singing Long Way To The Top. They aren't necessarily 'good', but they are fun/funny.

The one's I love already been said:
All Along the Watchtower-Jimi Hendrix (Bob Dylan Original)
Mad World- Gary Jules (Donnie Darko FTW)
Hurt- Johnny Cash (Nine Inch Nails Original)

One's I love that haven't already been named:
Turn The Page- Metallica (Bob Seger Original)
Boys of Summer- The Ataris (Don Henly Original)
Simple Man- Shinedown (Lynyrd Skynyrd Original)
Every Little Thing She Does is Magic- Ra (The Police Original)
Shout- Disturded (Tears for Fears Original)
and just for Lulz
Lollipop by Framing Hanley- (Lil Wayne Original)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fha3AntrYSM

The Smashing pumkings version of landslide http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=4U4opbXoMss&feature=related

It's better than the origional and way better than the dixie chicks version.

People missed out:

The Clash's cover of I Fought the Law
The Dead Kennedys cover of I Fought the Law (And I Won!)

NOFX's Linoleum Covered by Bad Astronaut. Just something about the way Joey Cape sings really gets me. He's got such an awesome voice.

Ordinary World covered by Fenix TX, Ring of Fire covered by Social Distortion, Iris covered by New Found Glory and Take On Me covered by Reel Big Fish!

There are two artists whose music I don't much care for, but wghose songs I like when performed by other artists:

Elvis Presley (though how money of the songs he recorded did he write? I'm sure the percentage is significantly lower than modern musicians). For proof I offer Viva Las Vegas as covered by a) the Dead Kennedys, and b) ZZ Top
Metallica. I'm not generally a fan of metal, but damned if they don't write good industrial music.

Death - Judas Priest's "Painkiller"
Iced Earth - Iron Maiden's "Transylvania"
Blind Guardian - Dio's "Don't Talk to Strangers"

Jordan Rudess' cover of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer's "Tarkus" wins by a mile.

Then there's

Regina Spektor and Pain of Salvation's cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah."

Anneke Van Giersbergen's cover of Damien Rice's "The Blower's Daughter."

Steven Wilson's cover of Alanis Morissette's "Thank You"

Nick Cave and the Bad Seed's (Along with several guest vocalists) cover of Bob Dylan's "Death Is Not The End."

Archie Shepp's cover of Arthur Hamilton's "Cry Me A River."

Miles Davis' cover of Jimmy Van Heusen/Eddie DeLange's "Darn That Dream."

John Zorn's cover of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman."

Johnny Cash's cover of Nine Inch Nail's "Hurt."

Dream Theater covered Master of Puppets. fucking awesome.
And Bullet for my valentine covered Crazy train. amazing covers.

This song

Its Sea of Treachery covering Paramore's Misery Business. Hayley Williams even said herself that this version was better than the original.

Wonder what Shivari will think... hmmmm...

I forgot to add to my origional post Iron and Wines cover of Such reat Heights by The Postal Service. Ben Folds does a decent cover as well.

John Coltrane made a pretty good musical song "My Favourite Things" into an absolutely amazing jazz masterpiece.

Beck's version of Bowie's "Diamond Dogs" is pretty awesome. I also like what Ministry did with Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay"; and Supergrass did a pretty kick ass version of The Smith's "Some Girls are Bigger than Others".

jezz8me:
I forgot to add to my origional post Iron and Wines cover of Such reat Heights by The Postal Service. Ben Folds does a decent cover as well.

John Coltrane made a pretty good musical song "My Favourite Things" into an absolutely amazing jazz masterpiece.

That one is probably one of my favorite Jazz tunes of all time.

Chapper:
Cradle of Filth - Hallowed Be Thy Name (Iron Maiden)

DAMN, beat me to it.

Current 93 - Lucifer over London covered by Rotting Christ.
Oh and Accept - Metal Heart covered by Dimmu Borgir.
Not a big Dimmu fan, but that one is awesome.

Johnny Cash redeems Hurt, but SLAUGHTERS Johnny 99 (Springsteen).

Higher Ground by Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Awwww gawd, this one is AWESOME.

All Along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix.
Yeah... It's awesome. Why say more?

tuesdays gone- metallica (lynyrd skynyrd)
king of pain- alanis morrisette (the police)
ramble on- train (led zepplin)
the battle of evermore- heart (led zepplin)
schools out and sexual healing- soul asylum (alice cooper) (marvin gaye)
this land is your land- counting crows (woodie guthrie)
brightest smile in town- gregg allman (ray charles)

*original artist is in ( )

All Along the Watchtower-Jimi Hendrix (cv. Bob Dylan)
Live and Let Die-Guns N' Roses (cv. The Wings)
Knockin' on Heaven's Door-Guns N' Roses (cv. Bob Dylan)
Fortunate Son-Dropkick Murphies (cv. Creedence Clearwater Revival)
White Wedding-Murderdolls (cv. Billy Idol)
Cum on Feel the Noise-Quiet Riot (cv. Slade)
Ballroom Blitz-Krokus (cv. Sweet)
Radar Love-White Lion (cv. Golden Earring)
Come Together-Aerosmith (cv. The Beatles)
Pretty Woman-Van Halen (cv. Rob Orbison)