Top Ten Cover Songs that are More Popular Than the Original

Originally it was by Dolly Parton, but Whitney Houston covered it and it spent 14 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, one of the longest times up there by any song, and it became one of the best selling singles of all time as well as the best selling single by a female artist. Rest in peace, Whitney Houston (1963-2012).

Originally by Robert Hazard, Cyndi Lauper's dance pop cover hit the top of the charts upon release and it became her top hit.

His original track didn't even compare to Natalie's cover of Trine Rein's cover. A cover chain found. Nonetheless, even Trine's cover didn't compare to Natalie's cover, which peaked at number 1 on the singles charts of Belgium, Canada, Iceland, Spain, and Sweden. It was number 3 on the U.S. Billboard charts and sold over 4 million copies worldwide, making it her best-selling single of all time.

Yet, it's her debut single as well as her only global hit, which is why she never made another global hit, so she remains a global one-hit wonder by all means.

Elvis broke the barriers with his cover, which was number 19 on Rolling Stone's magazine of 500 greatest songs of all time and sold 10 million copies, becoming his best-selling song and declared an emblem of rock and roll evolution. It was number 2 on the U.S. pop, country, and R&B charts in 1956, yet it was number 1 on the pop charts for 11 weeks straight, which was a record that stood for 36 years.

His RCA recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1988 and was listed as one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 songs that shaped rock and roll. All this showed us such a song proved him the king of rock and roll. Rest in Peace, Elvis.

Originally by Gloria Jones. Her track wasn't as popular as this synth pop cover, which topped the charts in many countries and was certified. It became their only hit worldwide. They are one hit wonders for all reasons.

The original song was obscure compared to Laura Branigan's cover, which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum gold by the RIAA. It became her biggest hit. Rest in peace, taken too soon.

Originally written by Prince and released by his band the Family, however, his version wasn't nearly as popular as Sinéad O'Connor's cover, which was number one in 18 countries. It was number five in France, number four in Spain, number three in Belgium and Canada, number two in Austria and Germany, number 11 in New Zealand, number six in Switzerland, as well as number two in the U.K. Singles chart, number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and number 26 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary Billboard chart, all since its release.

It hit number 82 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 at the end of the decade and number 97 on the all-time U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It was on top of the Ireland charts for six weeks until Love Shack by the B-52's ended her 12-week stay there. It became her biggest and only hit, so as you know, she became a global one-hit wonder by all means. Rest in peace, Prince.

The cover of his international number one hit got 2.5 billion views on its music video on YouTube, making it his most viewed video of all time and one of the most viewed from anybody on YouTube. It topped the charts in the U.K., even beating Coldplay by four copies to one and remained on top of the U.K. singles chart, becoming Britain's third best-selling single of 2005, far surpassing the original track.

Though it failed to reach the top 20 in Switzerland at first, it gradually climbed up to number one there but reached only number 18 in Russia. It was number one in Europe overall though after being number two, behind Lonely by Akon (which directly sampled Mr. Lonely by Bobby Vinton) for several weeks and stayed there until September. It was number one in Australia, the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, Denmark, France, New Zealand, Norway, Ukraine, Spain, and Sweden. Overall, it was his only global hit for all such reasons, making him a one-hit wonder by all means, despite the high number of tracks made.

Originally by Anslem Douglas as Doggie, it was nothing compared to the cover, which broke out at number 2 on the U.K. Singles chart, number 1 in Australia and New Zealand, and the top 10 in the U.S. It was championed by John Peele and became the fourth best-selling single of 2000 and one of its highlights that didn't reach number 1. It won a Grammy for Best Dance Song in 2001 and became a staple for Bahamian culture.

Yet, it was a subject for copyright lawsuits that were settled, and a documentary about it became a hit at the SXSW music festival in Austin, Texas. All in all, it's their only global hit, so they're credited as one-hit wonders for it.

It was a number one hit by them in the U.S. in 1967, spending five weeks on the WLS Silver Dollar Survey, but her version spent two weeks at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and three weeks at number one on the U.K. Singles chart. It became a runaway number one hit and was the 18th highest selling single in 1987 and the 32nd highest selling single in Australia in 1988.

Their track was their only track to hit the top 20 in the U.K., reaching number one there, number three on the Hot 100, and number one on WLS. Billy's cover also reached number seven on the Billboard dance chart and was number one on the Billboard Hot 100, knocking Tiffany's cover of their song I Think We're Alone Now off the top spot. It hit number 19 on the 1987 year-end Billboard chart and even started a shouting trend in clubs.

Originally recorded and released by Louise Florio, Taylor Dayne covered it, and it became a number one hit in European charts such as Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, as well as the top five in many other regions before hitting the U.S. It reached number seven on the Hot 100 and number four on the dance chart. It sold approximately 900,000 copies, all of which made this an unexpected hit that made her famous.

It was originally by the Exciters, but the Manfred Mann band popularized it, and their cover became an international hit.