David Bowie: the 20 best covers of his songs according to Far Out Magazine

The online magazine Far Out pays tribute to David Bowie with a new ranking. A selection of the 20 best covers of songs by the English artist, ideally tracing his five-decade career. A small caveat: the British magazine's editorial staff evidently have a special fondness for "Heroes", given that they've chosen it for as many as 5 different covers (Choir! Choir! Choir!, King Crimson, Blondie, Depeche Mode, Oasis), while overlooking what is perhaps the best version of all, recorded by German artist Andrea Schroeder (we offer it to you here).

"With a career as illustrious and long-spanning as his," Far Out points out in its introduction, "David Bowie pushed beyond the boundaries of rock to become a central figure in the history of music. Thanks to a tireless and extraordinary talent, Bowie inspired countless musicians, many of whom paid tribute to him by reinterpreting his songs. While it wasn't entirely in keeping with his idea of originality, the singer always had a soft spot for covers too. Over the course of his career, Bowie himself reinterpreted songs by great 20th-century artists, from Brian Wilson to Nina Simone. Yet, true to his own identity, he always favoured original creation. It's precisely this uniqueness that has, over time, attracted countless reinterpretations of his work. For a Bowie fan, the list holds no great surprises: names like Nirvana and Bauhaus appear, alongside lesser-known tributes. The real value of these covers lies in the sincerity with which they were made, a rare quality when reinterpreting such an iconic artist."

So here is the ranking of the 20 best covers of David Bowie songs, according to Far Out Magazine (the full feature here)

20. Choir! Choir! Choir! / David Byrne – Heroes

19. Karen O & Willie Nelson – Under Pressure

18. King Crimson – Heroes

17. Cowboy Junkies – Five Years

16. Spoon – I Can’t Give Everything Away

15. Tally Brown – Lady Grinning Soul

14. The Langley School Music Project – Space Oddity

13. Blondie – Heroes

12. Tegan And Sara – Rebel Rebel

11. Warpaint – Ashes To Ashes

10. Oasis – Heroes

9. Lulu – The Man Who Sold The World

8. Nine Inch Nails – I’m Afraid Of Americans

7. Depeche Mode – Heroes

6. The Smashing Pumpkins – Space Oddity

5. Bauhaus – Ziggy Stardust

4. The White Stripes – Moonage Daydream

3. The Cure – Young Americans

2. Beck – Sound And Vision

1. Nirvana – The Man Who Sold The World

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