- Plankton singing “Beggin’”
At first this song seems to be a random pick for the villain Plankton from “Spongebob.” However, upon listening one begins to question whether Plankton gives a better performance than the song’s popular singer, Måneskin. The raspiness of Plankton’s voice perfectly fits the crusty rock and roll beat of the song, not to mention it’s such a convincing cover that you’ll soon begin to wonder which episode of “Spongebob” you missed as a kid.
- Joe Biden singing “Viva La Vida”
This AI cover by none other than our president is one of the more poetic ballads. In a surprising twist, Biden’s hoarse 80-year-old voice adds a somber element to the cover. One can easily imagine Mr. President dropping this single as a reflection of his time in office come next year.
- Kermit the Frog singing “I’m Just Ken”
Although a more recent song release, Kermit performing “I’m Just Ken” feels so right that he and Ryan Gosling should start an unrequited love club. The beloved frog’s infamous voice offers a soft and gentle tone to the heartfelt ballad, and proves he can do much more than strum banjos.
- Frank Sinatra singing “Levitating”
This AI cover is so good that it is undoubtedly better than Dua Lipa’s original. The conversion of the background techno beat into a swanky piano and trumpet duo, common to Frank Sinatra songs, makes it arguably the most convincing AI cover out there. This is one AI cover that you could be unashamed to listen to on a day-to-day basis, and will leave you wishing it came up when you searched his name on your favorite music streaming platform.
- Johnny Cash singing “Barbie Girl”
At the top of the AI cover pyramid stands one of the oddest combinations. The techno 2000’s beat of Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” is about the last thing you would compare to Johnny Cash’s country rock legacy. However, listeners are sure to be blown away upon listening to the cover. Similarly to the Frank Sinatra cover, the background synth music of “Barbie Girl” is converted into Cash’s standard guitar. His mellow rustic voice adds a dusty, country vibe to the song, an unexpected angle to say the least. This cover is so spot on, it fits right in next to “Ring of Fire” on “The Best of Johnny Cash.” Johnny Cash is about the last person you’d expect to be a Barbie Girl, but this cover proves that thought couldn’t be more incorrect.
This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on October 12, 2023.
