Life is stressful. Sometimes it’s difficult to unwind. For me, a surefire method to improve my mood when I’m feeling down has been watching Australian radio station Triple J’s Like A Version series, which includes a regular segment where established and up-and-coming artists alike cover classic or new hits.
Sometimes the covers are close to the original; sometimes they’re completely different. Most of the time, they bring me a direct dose of joy, either introducing me to new artists and songs or recontextualizing my appreciation for older hits – whether I liked the original versions when I first heard them or not.
What helps tie it all together is there’s something about the environment at the studio that encourages artists to let loose in a way that feels like pure expressions of creativity and artistic delight. There’s nothing quite like the expression of love when an artist picks another artist’s work and says, Hey, I like this. I want to try my own spin on it.
So here are 10 of my favorite Triple J Like A Version covers. Most of these have been playing on repeat in my head all year long. I’d love to see some of your favorites in the comments.
Denzel Curry, Rage Against the Machine’s ‘Bulls on Parade’
DMA’S, Cher’s ‘Believe’
Tash Sultana, MGMT’s ‘Electric Feel’
Joey Bada$$, Prince’s ‘When Doves Cry’
Alex Lahey, My Chemical Romance’s ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’
Triple One, Cyndi Lauper’s ‘Time After Time’
SOFI TUKKER, Snow Patrol’s ‘Chasing Cars’
Joey Bada$$, Mos Def’s ‘UMI Says’
The Last Dinner Party, Blondie’s ‘Call Me’
Dune Rats & Friends, The Angels’ ‘Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again’
And here is a recent one I liked a lot:
