15 Glee Covers Fans Would Choose Over Originals In a Heartbeat

If you have ever considered yourself a Gleek, you know how addictive Glee covers are. Once you start listening to them, you can never go back to the original songs, no matter how great they are.

Whether it was Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, or Maroon 5, the Glee cast always had just the right voice to open the song in a completely different and slightly improved way.

Here are 15 covers that will forever remain the best examples of how easy it was for Glee to outdo even the most beloved artists.

Hungry Like the Wolf / Rio

No matter how much you love Duran Duran, it's almost impossible not to burst out singing "Her name is Rio" in the middle of Hungry Like the Wolf. Blame not only Darren Criss and Matt Bomer for their great performances, but also the artists behind the Glee for coming up with such a catchy mashup idea.

Valerie

Although there is a whole argument about who sang Valerie better, Naya Rivera or Amy Winehouse, both covers are considered far superior to the original version by the English indie rock band the Zutons. In fact, the Glee version was so popular with fans that the show later used it in its 100th episode.

Paradise by the Dashboard Light

New Directions' winning performance at Nationals was notable for this amazing song. No matter how great the original is, the song hit all the right notes for Gleeks, showcasing the voices of every member of the cast and, of course, highlighting Cory Monteith's amazing vocal growth. No wonder the choir ended up winning!

Somewhere Only We Know

This isn't the first time Darren Criss has appeared on this list, and believe us, it won't be the last. There's something so soothing, captivating, and emotional about the way he performs that adds depth to songs that seem like they couldn't get any better. That goes for all our Klaine shippers out there.

Smooth Criminal

Who would have thought that a scene between canonically gay and canonically lesbian characters could send so many shivers down your spine? While no one could ever dream of replacing Michael Jackson, Naya Rivera and Grant Gustin 's performance with 2Cellos will forever be a favorite version of Smooth Criminal for thousands of people.

Mine

If there is a more powerful fandom than Gleeks, it would be the Swifties. But don't go attacking us. As much as we all love Taylor Swift and think her songs are incredible, this performance by Naya Rivera was a hugely heartbreaking but very important moment for all the Brittana shippers on the show, and the emotional side of it won over many viewers.

Cough Syrup

Another entry where the love between the original Young the Giant version and the cover is almost equal. However, thanks to the story of Dave Karofsky's forced outing and the unfortunate connection many viewers had to it, the Glee cover hits a little closer to home. Plus, it's another Darren Criss banger, so what did we expect?

Misery

Throughout Glee, there was only one choir that was a true competitor to New Directions, and that was the Warblers from Dalton Academy. Vocal Adrenaline may have had moves and Jessie St. James in the beginning, but as the show went on, only Warblers showed consistent quality. Especially with Blaine Anderson on their side. Sorry, Adam Levine, but you've got nothing on them.

Broadway Baby

There couldn't be anyone better to sing this song than Blaine and Rachel, let's face it. Although Madame Tibideaux wasn't too impressed with their choice to duet, the audience was really grateful for another chance to hear how well Lea Michele and Darren Criss' voices work together. After all, they had the most solos on Glee for a reason.

I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You

Although the original version of this song is great in music and lyrics, after Glee's it just feels boring and lacking in production. Thanks to the budget the show had for its second season, they had no problem making it fun enough to use as one of the songs played at prom. We're sure there were many proms that featured this song in the years that followed.

Hall of Fame

Emotional and heartfelt, this performance will always be better than the original just because of how well it fits the theme of the show. Also, the show's producers were generous enough to give Kevin McHale's Artie the main parts of the song, so we got to enjoy the rare moment of his beautiful and very underrated singing voice.

How Will I Know

Whitney Houston is one of those people who is almost impossible to top, but the Glee cast managed to do so by taking an interesting approach to How Will I Know and showcasing all of the most beautiful voices in one song. Thanks to Naya Rivera, Amber Riley, Lea Michele and Chris Colfer, Whitney's memory also lives on through this cover.

Teenage Dream

Sorry, Katy Perry, but Blaine Anderson and his Warblers are the only ones allowed to sing this song. For many Glee fans, it became the beginning of something beautiful and came full circle to end up as one of the worst heartbreak songs ever sung. There is no way the original version can compete with such a range of emotions.

Jessie's Girl

Rick Springfield could have had all the charisma in the world, but Glee fans would still be forever loyal to Cory Monteith's cover of this iconic song. Maybe the secret is Finn and Rachel's never-ending will-they-won't-they shenanigans going on in the background, and maybe it's the slight huskiness in Monteith's voice, but fans have a clear favorite on this one.

Blame It On The Alcohol

If we were talking about Mr. Schue's crimes against humanity, we'd definitely add letting teenagers sing a song like this to the list. However, the performance was amazing, the voices of Kevin McHale and Amber Riley together, unmatched, and the cast was determined to serve all-black looks. How can you even compare it to the good but rather boring original?