3 Times Pop Artists Proved They Could Rock With Excellent Covers

Not every artist is capable of operating outside their genre. But, every so often, an exceptional artist will come around–one that transcends those boundaries. Check out three pop artists below, who are more than capable of rocking with the best of them.

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3 Times Pop Artists Proved They Could Rock With Excellent Covers

1. “Moth Into Flame” (Lady Gaga)

Lady Gaga is no stranger to a rock cover. She’s proven more than a fair few times that she could thrive as an artist in that arena. Though we love her dance-forward pop hits, we can’t help but yearn for a full rock album from Gaga. If you need evidence to get on board with that claim, check out her rendition of Metallica’s “Moth Into Flame,” below. She wows in this electrified cover. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that she had the actual band on her side either.

Blacked out
Pop queen, amphetamine
The screams crashed into silence
Tapped out
Doused in the gasoline
The high times going timeless

Decadence
Death of the innocence
The pathway starts to spiral
Infamy
All for publicity
Destruction going viral

[RELATED: Lady Gaga Joins Rare Company, Becomes Third-Ever Artist With Multiple No. 1 Hits Across Three Different Decades]

2. “Enter Sandman” (Rina Sawayama)

Next up, we have another stellar Metallica cover from Rina Sawayama. This pop maven has the kind of vocal chops that makes her able to tackle any song she sets her sights on. Her go of “Enter Sandman” is no exception. She adds just the right amount of angst to this metal classic.

Say your prayers, little one
Don’t forget, my son
To include everyone
I tuck you in, warm within
Keep you free from sin
‘Til the sandman, he comes

Sleep with one eye open
Gripping your pillow tight

3. “Head Like a Hole” (Miley Cyrus)

Miley Cyrus is another pop artist who isn’t shy of a rock cover every now and then. In fact, her fans have begged for a full hard-rock album from the multi-talented artist. Below, she performs a ridiculously powerful version of Nine Inch Nails’ “Head Like a Hole.” We can’t speak for the crowd in this clip, but we know if we were there…head banging galore.

No, you can’t take it, no, you can’t take it
No, you can’t take that away from me
No, you can’t take it, no, you can’t take it
No, you can’t take that away from me

Head like a hole, black as your soul
I’d rather die than give you control
Head like a hole, black as your soul
I’d rather die than give you control

Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy