5 of the Most Unlikely Covers by Pop Stars

Covers can be a good way for an artist to switch up their sound – particularly if they pull a song from someone in a completely different genre.

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It can be a gamble for a pop singer to take on a hard rock song but, if they pull it off, the end result is something truly unique. Below, we’ve rounded up five pop singers that have covered rock songs to great appeal. Check out these unexpected covers.

1. “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” (Joan Jett and the Blackhearts/Britney Spears)

Given Britney Spears’ musicality, it could be hard to believe the lyrics I love rock ‘n’ roll when they’re coming out of her mouth. Even so, Spears covered Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” for the 2002 film Crossroads. Instead of Jett’s earnest version of the track that fetes her rock peers, Spears’ version feels like a fun-loving karaoke session with an unexpected twist.

2. “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak” (Def Leppard/Mariah Carey)

Power ballads are fodder for pop divas to tear up every now and then. Mariah Carey took on Def Leppard’s “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak” in 2002 for her album, Charmbracelet. Instead of the hard-edged vocals of Joe Elliott, Carey’s version features intimate and sweet tones as she sings through the chorus: I’m sorry but it’s true / You’re bringin’ on the heartache / Takin’ all the best of me / Oh, can’t you see.

3. “Du hast” (Rammstein/Lizzo)

For a show in Berlin, Lizzo debuted a cover of Rammstein’s “Du hast.” When thinking of Lizzo, the words “hard rock” are likely the last thing to come to mind. Nevertheless, the “About Damn Time” singer somehow made this Rammstein track sound effortless and innate. Even the band themselves gave the singer their approval with a thumbs up on Instagram.

4. “Untouchable” (Luna Halo/Taylor Swift)

For the platinum version of her album Fearless, Taylor Swift opted to cover Luna Halo’s “Untouchable.” For the less inquisitive Swiftie (though it kind of comes with the territory), the fact that “Untouchable” is a cover may be news. Swift’s version received some significant alterations by the singer herself, but the basic idea of the rockers’ song is still intact.

“She could have chosen any cover in the world, but that’s what she chose,” Luna Halo’s Nathan Barlowe once said. “We lucked out, really. She covered the song and it sounded amazing.”

5. “Moth Into Flame” (Metallica/Lady Gaga)

Lady Gaga has dipped into the rock world a number of times. The experimental pop queen was once in a Led Zeppelin cover band and has the perfect amount of power behind her voice to pull off some heavy metal-flavored hits.

Given all that, it’s not a stretch to see why Gaga would take on Metallica’s “Moth Into Flame” but, for those who only know the singer for her pure pop offerings, this cover might come as a shock.

Gaga joined the band on stage during the 59th annual Grammy Awards. Gaga went head-to-head with frontman James Hetfield, laying the rasp on thick and whipping her hair around metal-style.

Britney Spears (Photo: Rich Fury)

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