Since winning our nerdy hearts in the mid ’90s, Weezer have surprised us with weirdo career moves that may alienate some old-school fans but bolster their off-kilter appeal to a new generation. For example, naming and designing an album around a character from Lost. Or branding their own Snuggie. Or collaborating with Kenny G and Adam Lambert. Or “Can’t Stop Partying.” At Harvard Rivers Cuomo majored in shattering expectations, probably. So with this week’s news about The Weezer Cruise, I thought it would be an appropriate time to compile and rank the power pop kings’ varied repertoire of cover songs. I disqualified incomplete live teasers (“Hot For Teacher,” “Seven Nation Army,” “Tom Sawyer”), Christmas carols, and the State Farm jingle. I also included only one song from the band’s poorly bootlegged Nirvana covers set as Goat Punishment many years ago. Beyond that, there’s plenty to dig. Enjoy.

30. “Sliver” (Nirvana)



29. “Morning Glory” (Oasis) *



28. “If I Fell” (The Beatles)



27. “Just What I Needed” (The Cars)



26. “Time” (Pink Floyd) *



25. “War Pigs” (Black Sabbath)



24. “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” (The Clash)



23. “Song 2″ (Blur) [starts at 1m32s]



22. “Better Off Alone” (Alice Deejay)



21. “Big Me” (Foo Fighters)



20. “I’m A Believer” (Neil Diamond)



19. “Teenage Dirtbag” (Wheatus)



18. “Are ‘Friends’ Electric?” (Gary Numan)



17. “Creep” (Radiohead)



16. “Don’t Worry Baby” (Beach Boys) ^



15. “Happy Together” (The Turtles)



14. “Oddfellows Local 151″ (R.E.M.)



13. “Worry Rock” (Green Day)



12. “One Of Us” with Rainn Wilson (Joan Osbourne) ^



11. “Kids”/”Poker Face” (MGMT/Lady Gaga)



10. “The Weight” (The Band) #



9. “Velouria” (The Pixies)



8. “God Only Knows” (Beach Boys) ^



7. “Brain Stew” (Green Day)



6. “Love My Way” (Psychedelic Furs) *



5. “You Might Think” (The Cars)



4. “Viva La Vida” (Coldplay)



3. “Un-Break My Heart” (Toni Braxton)



2. “Life’s What You Make It” (Talk Talk) *



1. “Paranoid Android” (Radiohead)



* Pat on vocals

# Scott on vocals

^ Rivers solo

OK, Weezerheads (is that what you’re called?) — what did I miss?