Top 10 YouTube Covers - TopX Ep.43

-“Please kill-me-now, Please kill-me-now” Full disclosure, I fahhhhhkin hate this song, but you gotta give credit where credit’s due, and our first entry gets point right off the bat for the gender bending aspect alone. - Early on, it appears that these graduates of Boston’s Berklee College of Music are just having a little fun, and they certainly ARE entertaining, however about a minute in, Amy Heidemann and Nick Noonan take it to another level. -While it’s no easy task to dominate a Busta Rhymes verse, it’s the clarity, simplicity and focus of the performance that made someone like Ryan Seacrest take note. And hey, not only did these two get married, but they got hooked up with Epic Records as well.

#9: “Sexy and I Know It” by Noah Guthrie LMFAO Youtube.com/noahguthrie

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-Often, what makes a cover most impressive is not the ability to mimic or recreate a song as it normally sounds, but rather it’s ability to alter or change it in order to make it something entirely different. That is the case with our next entry, by Noah Guthrie. -Here, the young blues-rock singer from South Carolina delivers a soulful version of what was originally an overproduced, effects heavy party rock anthem, and we don’t know what’s more amazing – his grizzled old man voice or the genius arrangement. I can’t believe he made this song so good… -Now it behooves us not to mention the phenomenal sound design on this cover…it almost sounds like Noah Guthrie is lip-synching to his own recording, but given Noah’s adlibs and falsettos, that clearly wasn’t the case.

#8: “Mirrors” by Boyce Avenue feat. Fifth Harmony Justin Timberlake Youtube.com/boyceavenue

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-Here’s a cover with a little more production value than most, and that’s because both parties involved were far beyond the days of performing in bedrooms. - You may remember the the brothers of Boyce Avenue from our Top 10 Cover Artists Countdown. Anyway, by they had already released two albums when they teamed up with the ladies of Fifth Harmony, whom you might recognize from the American version of “X-Factor,” and while the performance was relatively safe and a bit dramatic, the overall production allowed each individual to stand out. -Whether you’re a rock star or an aspiring pop star, it never hurts to strip everything down to show off your chops, and this multi-camera cover managed to keep it clean and simple with crisp editing – despite the fact that the song juggles a large number of voices and subjects.

- Remember what we said about stripping down a song in order to let your own singing chops speak for themselves? Well, our next entry is as good of an example as you’ll ever get. -Given the international success of the original version, YouTubers were all too familiar with “Titanium” covers. However, Bailey manages to make the song seem worlds more heartfelt and emotional than the original – the high notes are almost guaranteed to give you goosebumps. - With a lot of covers relying on general gimmicks and fancy effects, it’s nice to see a cover with visuals that add to the overall effect, but don’t distract from the song itself. The low key lighting, emotional closeups and subtle camera work all help to enforce the general feeling of the song, without selling too hard either.

-The evolution of technology means that musicians have more toys to play with in the studio, but sometimes the basic elements are enough… -For their cover of AC/DC’s arena rock anthem, the Finnish band Steve’n’Seagulls took the action outside for a one-take shot that highlighted the essence of their bluegrass music. I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t hear it myself. -Sure, you might be missing the distorted guitars, but when you add in the element of surprise, a touch of comedy, oh, and a wrench as an actual instrument, it makes for an entertaining cover, especially considering the contrast in style from the original track. Extra points for that last part at the end.

#5: “Paparazzi” by Greyson Chance Lady Gaga Youtube.com/greyson97

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-Shaky camera? No big deal – at least not when your kid thoroughly destroys the competition at a 6th grade music festival. Anyone ever pull something like this at your talent show? -The brilliance of this cover is Greyson’s obvious talent, but the “mise-en-scene,” if you will, naturally provides another effect with the astonished classmates in the background. “I think…I think he’s playing Lady Gaga?” -Not only does Greyson Chance have the vocals necessary for such a cover, but his piano game is on point as well, and when the camera does ultimately zoom in, it offers a visceral impact as anybody can see that both the performer and audience are LOCKED in.

#4: “Rolling in the Deep” by Vazquez Sounds Adele Youtube.com/VazquezSounds

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-Continuing our trend of extremely young cover artists who might not fully understand the lyrics they’re singing, up next is Vazquez Sounds with Rolling in the deep. -Straight outta Baja California - Mexicali to be exact - these Mexican siblings stunned the world in 2011, large in part to the vocals of Angie Vazquez. And while she sings with seemingly little effort, her brothers Abelardo and Gustavo play with a detached cool like none of it’s really a big deal. -One thing that stands out, and sorta lends to the unique flavor of the song in the end, is the fact that you can essentially tell that the voice is a young one. While this, yes, makes it all the more confusing considering the mature subject matter of the lyrics, it definitely ads to the unique flair of the track. -Aside from the vocals, what stands out the most is the video quality, precision editing and the framing techniques. I mean, there’s similarities to the Adele music video, aesthetically speaking, and I’m sure it didn’t hurt to have a father in the music industry to help guide along the action.

-Don’t let the stylized open fool you – this is NOT a cover of Garth Brooks’ 1989 hit “The Dance.” And I hope you got enough of those simple, stripped down covers, cause this next one is definitely more complex – and they go to great lengths to show you just how complex. -Starring Sam Tsui and Christina Grimmie, this is essentially a who’s who of breakout YouTube Cover artists. It obviously helps that Sam can sing better than Nelly, but that’s sorta besides the points. -As much of an example of Schneider’s producing skills as it is a showcase of the singers talents, the picture in picture editing painstakingly demonstrates all the different elements that went into the song – and doubles as proof that they really are responsible for the whole thing. Of course, Schneider upped the ante a few years later with a rather innovative “Pitch Perfect” cover.

-Out of your mom’s basement and into the…desert? Up next is an ultra PROFESSIONAL music video featuring professional musicians, and it only takes few seconds to recognize the artistry. -Ok, maybe the lead vocals don’t stray too far from the original version, but the impressive blend of acapella and a classical violin along with the apocalyptic feel to the outdoor setting, definitely establish a “larger-than-life” vibe much like the Imagine Dragons version. In case you’re wondering, that’s not a drum you’re hearing – that’s beatboxing. -While the performance itself doesn’t have the raw intensity of previous entries, the overall scale of the production is most certainly epic, and yet it still manages to feel accessible. Naturally with the right budget, anything is possible. But then again, Pentatonix got the job in 2013 with just a grey background for their cover of Lorde’s “Royals.” Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions… “Price Tag” by Maddi Jane Jessie J Youtube.com/maddijanemusic “Crazy In Love” by Sofia Karlberg Beyoncé Youtube.com/sofiakarlbergs “Thinking Out Loud/I’m Not the Only One MASHUP” by Sam Tsui and Casey Breves Ed Sheeran/Sam Smith Youtube.com/TheSamTsui “Misty Mountains” by Peter Hollens The Hobbit Youtube.com/PeterHollens “See You Again/Love Me Like You Do/Sugar (Acoustic Mashup)” by Megan Davies feat. Jaclyn Davies and Tasha Wiz Khalifa/Ellie Goulding/Maroon 5 Youtube.com/megandavies711 “Thinkin’ Bout You (Acoustic/Beatbox)” by Tori Kelly and Angie Girl Frank Ocean Youtube.com/ToriKelly

-As we’ve seen, musicians often collaborate with each other for cover songs, however this Canadian alternative rock, ska, and reggae band collaborated on the same instrument! Yes it’s the song you couldn’t ignore 3 years ago coupled with the video you couldn’t ignore around the same time, Walk off the Earth’s incredibly impressive Somebody that I used to Know. - In case you missed it, the whole band plays this song on one guitar. As much of a visual feat as it is a musical one, this cover is complex but simple, stripped down but extremely elaborate. It’s not a gimmick if it works this well. -Everybody wants to experience something new on YouTube, and with each passing year, it’s becoming more difficult, but with this cover, Walk off the Earth offered up something timely and hypnotic with nothing but a camera, an instrument and their individual talents. And that folks, is how it’s done. That’s it for our countdown. Please check out the YouTube homepages of our entries for more covers and don’t forget to vote on upcoming episodes of TopX on our website. Check us out on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to watchmojo.com for more great top 10s every day.