15 Metal Covers Of Pop Songs That Hit Harder Than Expected
What happens when metal bands grab pop songs and crank them up to eleven? Magic, that’s what.
Sometimes a cover version completely transforms the original, adding intensity and power nobody saw coming.
Prepare to headbang to some unexpected reimaginings that prove metal and pop aren’t so different after all.
Disclaimer: All selections and assessments are based on opinion and musical interpretation rather than any objective measurement of quality or impact.
1. Smooth Criminal – Alien Ant Farm (Michael Jackson)
Michael Jackson’s funky thriller got a punk-rock makeover that nobody asked for but everybody needed.
Alien Ant Farm injected guitar riffs sharper than broken glass into this 2001 cover.
The music video even recreated iconic MJ moments with a twist.
Suddenly, this crime story felt grittier and more rebellious.
2. Beat It – John 5 ft. Michael Jackson samples / metal tributes (Michael Jackson)
Eddie Van Halen already made the original guitar solo legendary, but John 5 took it further.
This virtuoso guitarist transformed Beat It into a shredding masterpiece.
Every note screams technical brilliance while honoring MJ’s vision.
The metal tribute versions add layers of aggression to the anti-violence anthem.
If guitars could talk, they’d be yelling right now.
3. Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) – Marilyn Manson (Eurythmics)
Marilyn Manson turned this 1980s synth-pop gem into a nightmare you can’t wake up from.
His 1995 industrial metal version became darker, heavier, and weirdly hypnotic.
Annie Lennox’s hopeful melody got replaced with ominous dread.
Though controversial, Manson proved pop songs could wear black leather and eyeliner.
Sometimes darkness reveals truths sunshine can’t reach.
4. Tainted Love – Marilyn Manson (Soft Cell version)
Before Soft Cell made it famous in the 80s, this song had already lived many lives.
Manson added another chapter by drowning it in distortion and despair.
His 2001 cover strips away the danceable beat for something more sinister.
Love becomes genuinely tainted through grinding guitars and haunting vocals.
5. The Sound of Silence – Disturbed (Simon & Garfunkel)
Over 700 million streams don’t lie about this 2015 masterpiece.
Disturbed transformed Simon & Garfunkel’s gentle folk meditation into an orchestral metal powerhouse.
David Draiman’s operatic voice brings raw emotion that makes grown adults cry.
The silence isn’t so silent anymore when guitars enter the conversation.
6. Enjoy the Silence – Lacuna Coil (Depeche Mode)
Depeche Mode’s synth-pop classic got an Italian gothic metal makeover in 2006.
Cristina Scabbia’s haunting vocals add emotional depth Depeche Mode only hinted at.
Lacuna Coil proves silence sounds better with crushing guitar riffs underneath.
The melancholy remains, but now it wears combat boots.
7. Bad Romance – Halestorm (Lady Gaga)
Lady Gaga’s pop anthem about toxic relationships needed a harder edge.
Halestorm delivered exactly that with Lzzy Hale’s powerhouse vocals leading the charge.
The electronic beats got replaced with thunderous drums and screaming guitars.
Suddenly, bad romance feels dangerous instead of danceable.
8. Rolling in the Deep – Linkin Park live mashups / metal covers (Adele)
Adele’s soul-crushing breakup anthem already hit hard emotionally.
Linkin Park’s live mashups and various metal covers cranked the intensity to maximum.
Chester Bennington’s screaming vocals added layers of rage Adele only implied.
The deep got deeper, darker, and way more distorted.
9. Holding Out for a Hero – Fozzy (Bonnie Tyler)
Bonnie Tyler’s 1984 power ballad begged for a hero, and Fozzy answered.
Chris Jericho’s wrestling persona translates perfectly into this adrenaline-pumped metal version.
The urgency in Tyler’s original gets amplified through crushing guitar work.
Where’s the hero?
Probably at a Fozzy concert headbanging to this very song right now.
10. Diamonds – Bring Me the Horizon live metal cover (Rihanna)
Rihanna’s inspirational anthem about shining bright got a metalcore makeover.
Bring Me the Horizon’s live performances of Diamonds showcase Oliver Sykes’ vocal range.
The sky full of diamonds now includes breakdowns and screaming vocals.
Brightness takes on a different meaning when guitars get involved.
Though unexpected, this cover proves diamonds can be rough and polished simultaneously.
11. Frozen – Within Temptation (Madonna)
Madonna’s 1998 introspective ballad found new life through symphonic metal.
Within Temptation’s Sharon den Adel brings operatic power Madonna hinted at.
The frozen heart melts under layers of orchestral arrangements and heavy guitars.
Dutch symphonic metal proves pop songs contain hidden epic potential.
12. Crazy in Love – Evanescence live/metal arrangement (Beyoncé)
Beyoncé’s iconic love anthem got an Amy Lee makeover that nobody expected.
Evanescence’s live performances strip away the hip-hop beats for piano and guitars.
Crazy sounds legitimately unhinged when gothic rock takes over.
Jay-Z’s rap verse gets replaced with haunting melodies and emotional depth.
13. Poker Face – Children of Bodom (Lady Gaga)
Finnish melodic death metal meets Lady Gaga’s poker metaphor in unexpected brilliance.
Children of Bodom’s 2009 cover features blistering guitar solos and guttural vocals.
The poker face becomes genuinely terrifying when death metal screaming replaces pop vocals.
Gaga’s card game analogy gets way more intense with blast beats.
14. Everybody Wants to Rule the World – Andy James (Tears for Fears)
Tears for Fears’ 1985 new wave masterpiece got a virtuoso guitar treatment.
Andy James transforms the politically charged anthem into an instrumental shred fest.
Every note showcases technical brilliance while maintaining the original’s catchiness.
Ruling the world sounds way more epic when guitars do the talking.
Though instrumental, this cover speaks volumes about metal’s versatility and power.
15. Oops!… I Did It Again – Children of Bodom (Britney Spears)
Britney’s bubblegum pop hit from 2000 became a thrash metal nightmare.
Children of Bodom’s version features aggressive guitar riffs and screaming vocals.
The playful apology turns into genuine rage when death metal enters.
Doing it again never sounded so dangerous or headbang-worthy.
Just saying, Britney probably didn’t expect her song to inspire mosh pits worldwide.
