The 5 Most-Covered '80s Songs Of All Time

When it comes to '80s music, a few core favorites have come to stand as classics, not just for listeners but for fellow musicians, too. And that has been amply proven by all the covers that have sprung up in the decades since those songs' release. Some are pretty straight-laced homages to the original single, others get real weird with it, and the very best covers transform those catchy, synth-heavy '80s tracks into something new entirely. However, some songs of the era stand out just for the sheer number of covers that have been made in homage.

Getting a handle on just how often a song has been covered gets tricky. Various sites will produce different numbers, and these don't always count that SoundCloud version you heard one time, even if you think it's the best. Still, the general consensus is that these entries are among the most covered, a finding that will surely ring true once you start considering how often you've heard these songs, original or otherwise. We'd bet you can start humming "Billie Jean" or "Hallelujah" right now — and that at least some of you might be thinking of a cover first. Even if you're a devoted fan of the original song, give these other takes a try. You may just find that even beloved '80s stalwarts take on new life when they're in the hands of someone else.

Back in the '80s, there was no star more blindingly bright than that of Michael Jackson. The 1982 release of the album "Thriller" turned Jackson into the King of Pop and generated record-breaking sales. "Thriller" was chock-full of soon-to-be hits, including "Beat It," "P.Y.T.," and the title track you've heard at every single Halloween party since then. But "Billie Jean" stands out as perhaps the most-covered single of the bunch, with well over 300 covers to its name. 

Jackson maintained that the "Billie Jean" in the song wasn't a real person, but with its references to a scarily intense fan, some note that a stalker really did plague him, claiming he'd fathered her twins. The first time he performed the song live was in 1983, at the Motown 25 event that also saw the debut of his signature bedazzled single glove, as well as his iconic moonwalk.

"Billie Jean," with its aggressively driving beat and eminently catchy chorus, generated a galaxy of covers. Some fans favor rocker Chris Cornell's moody, blues-inspired version (though others have argued it's a bit too serious), made all the more meaningful because Cornell was a vocal fan of the song. Meanwhile, Coldplay's taken a crack at it, while the Roots went in an interesting, if admittedly limp, smooth jam version. Or, for a haunting folk version, there's the cover by the now-disbanded duo The Civil Wars.

Like so many artists before and after him, Leonard Cohen experienced an ignominious mid-career slump. The '80s saw him working, to be sure, but executives at his record label were anxious about the release of his 1984 album, "Various Positions." Thankfully for Cohen, they went ahead anyway, leading to a revived career and the release of the often-covered "Hallelujah" — though not without some serious editing first. Bob Dylan covered the song not long after, but it took about a decade for Jeff Buckley, the early '90s phenom, to record it. He took Cohen's original to another level with his powerful vocal work and delicate, lyrical guitar, bringing the song back into the spotlight.

Since then, its complex lyrics about love, religion, and surrender have compelled many other artists to make their own mark on Cohen's "Hallelujah," with well over 200 covers to choose from. The John Cale version, recorded for a 1991 Cohen tribute album, is one of the best-known, both for its musical merits ... and because it's featured in "Shrek." Jennifer Hudson brought true power to her gospel-influenced rendition of the song, too. And, honestly, don't sleep on the cover by Puddles Pity Party — despite the clown gimmick, Michael Geiger has real chops, creating a cover that's gritty and musically lovely.

Then, there's k.d. lang, who's long been associated with her unique cover of "Hallelujah." Her version has become so acclaimed that she performed it at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, where she displayed her impeccable vocal work and masterful understanding of Cohen's original song.

At the beginning of Cyndi Lauper's career, she was no stranger to getting booed off stage or rejected for her unusual looks. Her debut album, 1983's "She's So Unusual," cheekily references all that and also generated some of her best-known songs, including the aching "Time After Time." The song was a bit of an afterthought, as Lauper's record company requested one more tune to round out the album. Reportedly, Lauper was inspired by a TV listing for the 1979 time-traveling Jack the Ripper film, "Time After Time." Lauper took just the title as inspiration for her meditative, melancholy, and timeless '80s ballad about the dissolution of a relationship.

Some sources claim that "Time After Time" has been covered more than 440 times, and it's clear that many fellow musicians love the song. There's something for everyone, no matter what genre you pick. A banjo cover by Alison Brown blends new wave pop and bluegrass while showing what the instrument can really do in accomplished hands. Meanwhile, Cassandra Wilson's jazz-inspired cover takes its time for a lush, meditative song. There's even a Boyz II Men version that translates easily to their tightly harmonized style.

Lauper has said that her favorite cover is by jazz legend Miles Davis. Though a Davis-led covers album fizzled, "Time After Time" remained compelling and became a regular fixture of his set lists. Take your time with this one, as it meanders beautifully in its exploration of Lauper's original.

If sickly sweet holiday songs aren't your jam, you probably already like "Last Christmas." In a world of twee gingerbread and cozy sleigh rides, it's nice to get a breathy breakup song. Released in December 1984, the single from Wham! sold millions of copies since its release. It's also been covered over and over by hundreds of musicians – close to 700, by some counts — many of whom include the track on yet another holiday album. 

After first composing the chorus in bandmate Andrew Ridgeley's childhood home, George Michael controlled every aspect of the track, from writing to performing each instrument (even if he didn't really know how to play many of them). The melody may be simple, but the lyrics are more complicated, with the singer reflecting on a tangled, emotional relationship. Only a sound engineer and two assistants were in the studio to record. Even Michael's bandmate Andrew Ridgeley wasn't invited, though he was on his way to becoming an '80s icon who walked away from his career, anyway.

Cover artists for "Last Christmas" include Taylor Swift, who released a country-ish version in 2009. Ariana Grande's 2013 cover makes major changes to the lyrics but keeps the chorus, while Carly Rae Jepsen made it her own with dance-ready bubblegum aplomb. For the pop-punk-inclined, there's even a speedy Good Charlotte take. But the best may come from Swedish superstar Robyn, who performed a live version in 2018 that's spare and almost haunting in the way it showcases her breathy yet powerful voice.

Back in the day, Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart were once bandmates in the Tourists, but the band broke up during a 1980s tour in Australia. Lennox and Stewart continued working together professionally, but their first album as Eurythmics majorly flopped. They picked themselves back up to make another, but their most successful and often-covered track wasn't the first pick. "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" was actually the fourth single from the album of the same name, with lyrics that reflect their grim mood as the duo's career stalled. The song became a huge hit, with an MTV-ready music video featuring eerie visuals and Lennox in a suit with a brightly dyed buzz cut.

Maybe because of its cutting-edge electronic sound and striking visuals, "Sweet Dreams" has inspired hundreds of covers. Zack Snyder had a cover made for his film "Sucker Punch," in which dreams and reality are dramatically confused, with lead actor Emily Browning recording the vocals for the slowed-down, grimdark track. And practically all of us have heard the Marilyn Manson cover, perhaps causing you to remember browsing through the posters in a mall-bound Spencer's Gifts. If you want more metal cred, there's always the Ministry cover, which comes complete with genre-appropriate growling and distorted guitar. But for something truly different, listen to Rae Morris, who performed a live cover featuring just keyboard and her vocals, along with additional lyrics.