The 5 Most Covered Songs Of The '90s

The '90s wasn't only a decade that was popular because of humanity's obsessions with slap bracelets, Beanie Babies, and "Friends." No, it's also fondly remembered for the timeless classics on the radio and MTV (when it still played music). So, it shouldn't be all too surprising to find out that some of the biggest hits of the era have been covered by many artists since then.

Whether it be the resident performer outside the train station or mainstream artists paying tribute to musicians who influenced them, these renditions continue to keep songs alive for new generations. The '90s was a little bit of everything and all over the place musically, and the same can be said about which have become the most popular covers — from a wildly catchy Christmas tune that refuses to quit to arguably the anthem of grunge.

Now, what's the methodology for uncovering the top five tracks here? Well, that's where a resource like WhoSampled comes in handy. It collects the data of where a song has been covered, by whom, where, and when. We've gone ahead and done the research, narrowing down the filters and verifying the information to find the top contenders — and here they are.

There's a joke that every November somebody walks into a cave to wake up the monster of Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You," and the song rises to wreak havoc as an earworm for the holiday season. Don't laugh, though, since it's true. This is an immortal monster hit that refuses to die.

A single off Carey's 1994 Christmas album, expertly titled "Merry Christmas," "All I Want for Christmas Is You" has spent a ridiculous 22 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It's become a hallmark of the holiday season and has gone on to be included in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress.

Since there's such an upbeat and good-vibes quality to "All I Want for Christmas Is You," it lends itself to be a fun cover — and it's been done at least 246 times officially. What might shock you is the musicians who have covered it. While the likes of Michael Bublé and Justin Bieber are the type of artists you'd imagine to do versions of it — and they have — punk rockers Bowling for Soup and emo leaders of the black parade My Chemical Romance have also done their own renditions. As one of the most important rock bands of the 2000s, MCR turned this song into an energetic, moshable banger — something nobody would ever equate to a Mariah Carey song, never mind her biggest Christmas hit.

When you talk about love songs from 1990 that sound even sweeter today, it's impossible to ignore Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence." Heck, as a listener, you fall in love with Dave Gahan's words, believing he's talking straight to your heart and soul. Wrap yourself around us, Dave; all we ever wanted, all we ever needed, is here in your arms.

Coming off 1990's "Violator" — arguably Depeche Mode's greatest album — "Enjoy the Silence" turned out to be the band's biggest hit on the Billboard Hot 100, hitting the No. 8 position and lingering on the chart for 24 weeks. It's also another melodic masterstroke from the genre-bending English group that's been reborn many times over as a cover.

Some of the biggest artists who have covered "Enjoy the Silence" include the likes of Tori Amos, Keane, Susan Boyle, Breaking Benjamin, and Gregorian. Among the metal community, Italian band Lacuna Coil's sensational cover of the song, which appears on their 2006 album "Karmacode," is fairly well known and received its own music video. "It turned out so good that [Depeche Mode] liked it!" Lacuna Coil singer Cristina Scabbia told Metal Hammer. "They gave us permission to do a video for it."

Despite Radiohead's "Creep" being a particularly creepy song and frontman Thom Yorke telling Rolling Stone that he "wasn't very happy with the lyrics," the track off the band's 1993 album "Pablo Honey" remains a staple hit in their catalog. It's still their biggest song, charting at No. 34 on the Billboard Hot 100, and could be considered among the best alt-rock songs of the 1990s.

There's something about "Creep" that festers. Whether it's the simple but effective instrumentation setting the mood, or the haunting lines that teeter between poetic and psychotic, it's the type of song that could either be turned into melancholy or terror, depending on the tone and intent.

This emotional effectiveness connects with musicians, resulting in "Creep" being covered over 150 times officially. Tears for Fears, Kelly Clarkson, and Korn are among some of the most notable artists who have transformed the song into their own, but do not look past Macy Gray's impeccable cover of it from her 2002 album "Covered." Gray adds her trademark soulful touch to the track, turning it into something that hits on another level and forces the listener to sit up and take notice. Pop Matters praised the cover, writing, "Gray takes Radiohead's 'Creep' and turns it into a funereal rumination on the inaccessibility of desire and bewildered self-loathing."

Oasis' "Wonderwall" is a high school hit every teen from the '90s will remember forever. Even though nobody knows why the Gallagher brothers and company would refer to someone special as their "wonderwall," let's digress and admit it's an infectious tune with incredible sing-along value.

In 1996, "Wonderwall" entered the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for 20 weeks, peaking at the No. 8 position on the chart. The success of the track is only matched by its reputation and influence. It's a defining song of the era, and a first-round pick for any compilation featuring the best rock songs of the 1990s.

With great power comes even greater (cover) responsibility. Fortunately, "Wonderwall" has been handled well by the likes of Ryan Adams, Anastacia, and Mike Posner. One of the more memorable versions of the song comes from Bring Me the Horizon, who brought an extra flavor of heaviness to it that was appreciated by Liam Gallagher. "It's a good song, it's actually one of my favorites. Top five," BMTH vocalist Oli Sykes told NME. While not an official cover of "Wonderwall," special credit needs to go out to the supporters who sang the song to the English national soccer team after they beat the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

What's left to say about Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" that hasn't been said before? As the biggest single off 1991's "Nevermind," it's one of the alternative rock songs that snapped Generation X awake, even though Kurt Cobain admitted to Rolling Stone that he "was basically trying to rip off the Pixies" when he created it.

The track peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, but its greatest influence is how it became the unofficial anthem for grunge. Whenever someone thinks about the genre, it's likely "Smells Like Teen Spirit" that comes to mind first, as they hear Cobain's garbled vocals over the distorted and thumping musical backdrop. Try to not headbang at the mere thought of the intro — it's impossible.

Since then, there have been north of 160 official covers of "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Everybody from Tori Amos to Patti Smith have unleashed their stellar versions of it on the world. However, one of the most unexpected (and brilliant) renditions of it comes from the Muppets — yes, those Muppets. Turning the rocking number into a barbershop quartet harmony, the puppets prove that dynamite comes in small (Jim Henson-created) packages and only musical genius resides in them.