There are a lot of crappy punk covers out there, we just recently made one. Here is a list of covers that do more than throw distortion and ‘punk’ beats at the hits. Only one song per band. The cover must be a punk cover.

25. The Dirty Nil – Hit The Lights (Metallica)

24. Social Distortion – Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash)

I had to put this on or the internet would freak out. It’s ok, but just ok.

23. The Clash – Brand New Cadillac (Vince Taylor)

I prefer like their reggae covers better, but this beats ‘I Fought the Law’.

22. Snuff – I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor)

21. Lagwagon – Brown Eyed Girl (Van Morrison)

20. All – Rebel Yell (Billy Idol)

19. The Valveenus – Sounds of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel)

An under the radar band, check them out.

18. The Methadones – Goodbye To You (Scandal)

Super under-rated band, this should be higher.

17. The Briefs – Come Dancing (The Kinks)

Completely eclipses the Kinks original.

16. Propagandhi – True (Concrete Blonde)

15. High Standard – I Can’t Help Falling In Love (Elvis Presley)

14. Gob – Paint It Black (The Rolling Stones)

13. Joyce Manor – Video Killed The Radio Star (The Buggles)

12. The Replacements – Black Diamond (KISS)

11. Reel Big Fish – Take On Me (a-ha)

10. Blitz – Suffragette City (David Bowie)

9. The Adicts – You’ll Never Walk Alone (Rodgers and Hammerstein)

8. The Muffs – Kids in America (Kim Wilde)

RIP Kim Shattuck

7. Goldfinger – 99 Red Ballons (Nena)

6. The Vandals – Don’t Stop Me Now (Queen)

Funnest song on the list.

5. Anthrax – Got The Time (Joe Jackson)

Not a punk band, but definitely a punk song.

4. Me First And The Gimme Gimmes – Rocket Man (Elton John)

One song per band, otherwise this whole list would be Gimme Gimmes.

3. Agent Orange – Seek And Destroy (Metallica)

Sick surf-punk that shows you just how similar thrash is to surf.

2. The Ramones – I Don’t Wanna Grow Up (Tom Waits)

One song per band, I could’ve put ‘Do You Wanna Dance’ here too.

1. Dead Kennedys – Rawhide (Frankie Laine)

Yep. Better than ‘Viva Las Vegas’.

Honorable Mentions

The Melvins – Goin’ Blind (KISS)

Awesome cover, but not punk.

Killswitch Engage – Holy Diver (Dio)

Not punk.

Mike Ness – Don’t Think Twice (Bob Dylan)

The best version ever recorded of this song, but not punk.

The Clash – Pressure Drop (Toots and the Maytals)

Great cover, but not punk.

The Get Up Kids – Close To Me (The Cure)