History Main / FirstAndForemost

** Also note that the reverse is '''not''' true: songs that were covered ''by'' Beatles , perhaps most notably "Twist and Shout", are [[CoveredUp still generally known as Beatles songs]] first, even when it's common knowledge they're covers (with "Long Tall Sally" being perhaps the only exception, as the Music/LittleRichard original has a greater foothold in pop culture thanks to its memetic appearance in Film/{{Predator}}).

** Also note that the reverse is '''not''' true: songs that were covered ''by'' Beatles , perhaps most notably "Twist and Shout", are [[CoveredUp still generally known as Beatles songs]] first, even when it's common knowledge they're covers.

** A rare example of this happening with a re-recording of the same song by the same artist: Elton's 1997 re-recording of "Candle in the Wind" honoring the memory of Princess Diana was a global hit, and briefly displaced the 1974 original recording memorializing Creator/MarilynMonroe (an AcclaimedFlop that missed the Top 10 in the UK and wasn't even released as a single in the US at first -- though a 1986 live version was released as a single and made the Top 10 in both countries) in radio play for a while, but within a few years radio stations were back to playing the original version (not helping matters is that Elton has vowed to never perform the 1997 re-write live again unless asked by Diana's sons, and that the re-write's only official album release was on a UK-only soundtrack for Diana's funeral).

** A rare example of this happening with a re-recording: Elton's 1997 re-recording of "Candle in the Wind" honoring the memory of Princess Diana was a global hit, and briefly displaced the 1974 original version (an AcclaimedFlop that missed the Top 10 in the UK and wasn't even released as a single in the US) memorializing Creator/MarilynMonroe in radio play for a while, but within a few years radio stations were back to playing the original version (not helping matters is that Elton has vowed to never perform the 1997 re-write live again unless asked by Diana's sons, and that the re-write's only official album release was on a UK-only soundtrack for Diana's funeral).

** A rare example of this happening with a re-recording: Elton's 1997 re-recording of "Candle in the Wind" honoring the memory of Princess Diana was a global hit and became the second highest-selling physical single of all time. Despite this, within a few years nearly all radio stations had switched back to playing his 1974 original version memorializing Creator/MarilynMonroe (not helping matters is that Elton has vowed to never perform the 1997 re-write live again unless asked by Diana's sons, and that the re-write's only official album release was on a UK-only soundtrack for Diana's funeral).

** Elton's 1997 re-recording of "Candle in the Wind" honoring the memory of Princess Diana was a global hit and became the second highest-selling physical single of all time. Despite this, within a few years nearly all radio stations had switched back to playing his 1974 original version memorializing Creator/MarilynMonroe (not helping matters is that Elton has vowed to never perform the 1997 re-write live again unless asked by Diana's sons, and that the re-write's only official album release was on a UK-only soundtrack for Diana's funeral).

* Pretty much all of Music/TheWho's collection of songs reign supreme over any and all covers, but special mention goes to their 1971 hit "Behind Blue Eyes" that Music/LimpBizkit covered in 2003, which is very infamous today.

* Cherelle's "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On" is a rather strange subversion. While many are torn over if it or the Robert Palmer version is the most popular version (while both are considered light years ahead of Music/MariahCarey's and DJ Collette's versions), it's unclear who is the true winner: the original 1984 version is rarely heard on the radio and if the 1986 cover is it, then it's considered the ''least'' popular of Robert Palmer's hits, particularly regarding his trilogy of "pretty models band" videos, as "Simply Irresistible" and "Addicted to Love" are more likely to receive airplay.

* The SpeedyTechnoRemake of Music/DuranDuran's "Ordinary World" by UK trance act Aurora ([[NamesTheSame not to be confused with]] [[Music/{{Aurora}} the Norwegian singer]]) was a worldwide hit in the early Noughties and was even featured in the ''VideoGame/DanceDanceRevolution'' series. Since then, however, the Duran Duran original has reclaimed its fame.

* No matter how many people cover "Oh Pretty Woman", the version by Music/RoyOrbison is the one you're going to hear on the radio. Music/VanHalen tried, and Music/TwoLiveCrew actually won a Supreme Court case over fair use for their parody of it, but this is probably the first time you've heard of either of those.

* Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" gets a new all-star recording every few years, and they've all been UK #1 hits, but no amount of star power has ever displaced the original 1984 version. And this goes not only for the song but for the entire genre of all-star charity records: there have been plenty down the years, some of which have been big hits, but the original "Do They Know It's Christmas?" is the only one you will ever hear played outside of a retro chart countdown.

* Music/{{Madonna}}'s version of "American Pie" did nothing to replace Music/DonMcLean.

* Music/DeadOrAlive's 1984 SynthPop classic "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" was briefly overshadowed by Music/{{Flo Rida}} and Music/{{Kesha}}'s 2009 semi-cover "Right Round", which topped the Hot 100 and sold over 12 million certified digital downloads. However, most radio stations switched back to Dead or Alive's original as soon as "Right Round" left the mainstream eye.

* Music/TheBeatles' ''everything'', with the exceptions of Music/JoeCocker's version of [[Series/TheWonderYears "With a Little Help]] [[RealSongThemeTune From My Friends"]], (for the [=R&B/Soul=] crowd) Music/EarthWindAndFire's "Got To Get You Into My Life", and possibly Rosanne Cash's take on "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party", which was a #1 CountryMusic hit in 1989. Other than that, nearly ''all'' of their songs have been covered many, ''many'' times, and ''all'' of them have remained Beatles songs.

* R&B singer Mario covered famous OneHitWonder Biz Markie's "Just a Friend" and ended up outperforming it, reaching #4 while the Markie original placed #9. However, the Mario version is almost entirely forgotten today while the original is still very well remembered. It probably has something to do with the Mario cover being very bland compared to the original being a shining example of SoBadItsGood.

* Pretty much all of Music/TheWho's collection of songs reign supreme over any and all covers, but special mention goes to their 1971 hit "Behind Blue Eyes" that Music/LimpBizkit covered in 2003. It was reviled from its initial release (although in fairness, it would have been a decent cover had they not included the autotuned "L-I-M-P" chant ad nauseum) and is a good reason why the song is never heard anymore.

*** On top of this, the first cover version, by British traditional pop singer Matt Monro (who was also produced by Beatles producer George Martin), was the the song's first single release by ''any'' artist. ''Including The Beatles themselves.''[[note]]The Beatles refused to allow the song a UK single release because it was unlike their previous work. The Fab Four didn't have as much control over their US distributor of Capitol Records, and "Yesterday" was released in the States shortly after Monro's version was released in the UK. The Beatles' original version wasn't released as a single in the UK until ''1976'', after the band's contract with EMI expired and the label was free to repackage the band's recordings as it wished.[[/note]]

* Music/{{Journey}} first recorded the song "Open Arms" for the 1981 movie ''WesternAnimation/{{Heavy Metal}}''. The song also appeared on their ''Escape'' album. Some covers, such as one by Music/MariahCarey, charted, but Journey's version is still the best known.

*** On top of this, the first cover version, by British traditional pop singer Matt Monro (who was also produced by Beatles producer George Martin), was the the song's first single release by ''any'' artist. ''Including The Beatles themselves.''[[note]]The Beatles refused to allow the song a UK single release because it was unlike their previous work. The Fab Four didn't have as much control over its US distributor of Capitol Records, and it was released in the States shortly after Monro's version was released in the UK. The Beatles' original version wasn't released as a single in the UK until ''1976'', after the Beatles' contract with EMI expired and the label was free to repackage the band's recordings as it wished.[[/note]]

* Apparently, John Mellencamp's "I Need a Lover" was initially less popular than the Pat Benatar cover of it. However, classic rock radio kept the original alive while the cover is barely remembered even by people who actually remember that time period.

* Everyone and their mother has covered "God Bless America." Not a one of them has managed to [[CoveredUp Cover Up]] Kate Smith, who sang it first and made it famous.
* Remember the Ataris' cover of Don Henley's "The Boys Of Summer?" Well, it never remained more popular than the original for more than a year.
* In 1990, Music/MCHammer's cover of the Chi-Lites' "Have You Seen Her" became a top 5 hit. Nowadays, the Chi-Lites' version gets all the airplay, especially since 99% of all MC Hammer airplay nowadays are for "U Can't Touch This."
** Likewise is the case with Music/VanillaIce's cover of "Play That Funky Music," which has faded into obscurity behind both Wild Cherry's classic and "Ice Ice Baby." Mostly because Wild Cherry sued and the song was pretty much blacklisted.
* Several artists have had hits with covers of Music/TomWaits' "Downtown Train" from ''Music/RainDogs'', most notably Rod Stewart, who took the song to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #10 in the UK. And yet, it is still the original Waits version that is most identified with the song and played on the radio.

* Music/AllSaints cover of Music/RedHotChiliPeppers' "Under The Bridge" was a huge hit in the UK at the time of release, but it never topped the original, partly because it was a double A Side with "Lady Marmalade" which got more airplay, and partly because it attracted so much hatred from people who loved the original.
* Several ChristmasSongs: "White Christmas" (Music/BingCrosby from his album ''Music/MerryChristmas''), "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Here Comes Santa Claus" (Music/GeneAutry), "The Christmas Song" (Nat "King" Cole), though in most of those cases the artists actually recorded multiple versions of the songs. It helps that the originals get yearly airplay alongside the ''many'' covers, thus repeatedly cementing them in the public consciousness.
* Blue Swede's 1974 #1 "Hooked On A Feeling" is much better known than B.J. Thomas's original. The same cannot be said for their #7 cover of "Never My Love," however, and the Association's #2 hit version is still the version most people think of first, with the Fifth Dimension's version a close second, despite actually charting lower than Blue Swede's at #12, largely due to both being produced by Bones Howe as well as featuring many of the same session musicians from the Wrecking Crew, and Blue Swede are today remembered only for the former.
* While the [=McCoys=]' version of "Hang On Sloopy" is the best known, their #7 hit "Fever" is not as remembered as the original versions (namely Peggy Lee's) from the 1950s. The "Hang On Sloopy" example is actually a subversion, however, as the song was actually first recorded as "My Girl Sloopy" by R&B group the Vibrations.

** His take on Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues", while mildly popular in country music, still takes a backseat to most of the other renditions of the songs out there.

* The Dennis Linde song "What'll You Do About Me" has had several renditions over the years: [=McGuffey=] Lane cut it first, followed by Music/SteveEarle in 1984, John Schneider, Music/RandyTravis, The Forester Sisters, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and Doug Supernaw. Earle, The Forester Sisters, and Supernaw all released their versions as singles, with Supernaw's being the highest-peaking on the country charts at #16 in 1995. However, the song seems to be though of mainly as Travis's, even though he never put it out as a single; this is likely due to his version being on his ''Always & Forever'' album, one of the most acclaimed country albums of TheEighties.

* The Romantics' 1980 single "What I Like About You" is one of the most popular PowerPop tunes of all time...but it never made the Top 40 in the United States (although they had two lesser-known Top 40s that made it instead). The version that did? [[ChartDisplacement A now-long forgotten cover]] by singer Michael Morales, which made it to #28 in 1989. If ''any'' cover of the song is primarily remembered, it would be Music/FiveSecondsOfSummer's.
* While Cat Stevens' cover of Music/SamCooke's "Another Saturday Night" bested the original on the ''Billboard'' pop chart (#6 to #10 respectively), it's Cooke's version that's far better remembered today.

* Shannon's 1983 hit "Let the Music Play" was briefly overshadowed in the late 2000s by Jordin Sparks' semi-cover "SOS (Let the Music Play)", which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play charts and #31 on the Mainstream Top 40, but most radio stations switched back to Shannon's original within a few months.

* Music/GloriaGaynor's "I Will Survive" has proven impossible to [[CoveredUp cover up]], despite popular cover versions by [[Music/TheSupremes Diana Ross]], Chantay Savage, Music/{{Cake}}, etc.

* Neither Chaka Khan's nor 3rd Party's nor Anastacia's covers of "Love is Alive" were able to compete with the Gary Wright original, which is more or less the only version receiving airplay nowadays.

* The Communards, Jimmy Somerville's band after leaving Bronski Beat, had a sizable hit with their version of "Don't Leave Me This Way" in UsefulNotes/TheEighties. Since then, however, Thelma Houston's '70s version has overshadowed it, though both CoveredUp the original by Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes.

* In contrast with Music/SoftCell's aforementioned cover of Gloria Jones' "Tainted Love, their SiameseTwinSong cover of Music/TheSupremes' "Where Did Our Love Go?" has fallen into obscurity, with most radio stations nowadays just playing the regular standalone version of "Tainted Love".

* Amii Stewart's cover of Eddie Floyd's "Knock On Wood" was a #1 Platinum-certified hit in 1979 and is [[CoveredUp considered the definitive version]]. Over the years, numerous other artists have covered it, including Music/DavidBowie, Music/RazzyBailey, Music/EricClapton, Music/MichaelBolton, and Mary Griffin (for the aforementioned ''Film/FiftyFour'' soundtrack), but none have come close to the prominence of Stewart's version.

* Music/RayCharles did a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umkNMafwT74 cover]] of Music/JohnDenver's SignatureSong, "Take Me Home, Country Roads." Denver's version is still more popular.

* Music/{{Journey}} first recorded the song "Open Arms" for the 1981 movie ''WesternAnimation/{{Heavy Metal}}''. The song also appeared on their ''Escape'' album. Some covers, such as one by Music/{{Mariah Carey}}, charted, but Journey's version is still the best known.

* No matter how many people cover "Oh Pretty Woman", the version by Music/RoyOrbison is the one you're going to hear on the radio. Van Halen tried, and 2 Live Crew actually won a Supreme Court case over fair use for their parody of it, but this is probably the first time you've heard of either of those.

* Many, many, many rock bands have covered Music/ChuckBerry but most of his songs are still primarily associated with him, with the possible exceptions of Johnny Rivers version of "Memphis, Tennessee" and the Music/GratefulDead version of "Promised Land". The ones made by Music/TheBeatles ("Rock and Roll Music" and "Roll Over Beethoven") are borderline.

* Music/AllSaints cover of Music/RedHotChiliPeppers ' Under The Bridge was a huge hit in the UK at the time of release, but it never topped the original, partly because it was a double A Side with Lady Marmalade which got more airplay, and partly because it attracted so much hatred from people who loved the original.

* Many, many, many rock bands have covered Music/ChuckBerry but most of his songs are still primarily associated with him, with the possible exception of Johnny Rivers version of "Memphis, Tennessee". The ones made by Music/TheBeatles ("Rock and Roll Music" and "Roll Over Beethoven") are borderline.

* Music/{{Journey}} first recorded the song "Open Arms" for the 1981 movie ''WesternAnimation/{{Heavy Metal}}''. The song also appeared on their ''Escape'' album. Some covers, such as one by Music/{{Mariah Carey}} charted, but Journey's version is still the best known.

* Music/{{Journey}} first recorded the song "Open Arms" for the 1981 movie ''WesternAnimation/{{HeavyMetal}}''. The song also appeared on their ''Escape'' album. Some covers, such as one by Music/{{MariahCarey}} charted, but Journey's version is still the best known.