Covering Disney songs seems like easy money (only if that mouse approves, of course).
You already have a built-in audience of millions of Disney fans, ready to consume just about anything from the brand. Why not take a chance and try to get your band in front of them for the first time with a cover song?
READ MORE: Disney Just Dropped a Metal-Inspired Villains Merch Collection
And it’s likely the style of music won’t necessarily matter either. A quick search turned up hundreds of rock and metal acts who have tackled Disney songs.
Here are 25 of the best rock and covers of Disney classics everyone knows and loves.
Arcade Fire, ‘Baby Mine’
Movie: Dumbo (1941)
Originally performed by: Betty Noyes
Why this cover works: If you’re familiar with the movie, you already know the weight carried by this song.
The tune plays as Jumbo Jr.’s mother, who is chained inside a circus car, caresses her child through the bars on the window. The scene then cycles through images of mothers and their babies spending time together, while the baby elephant can’t quite reach his mommy.
Arcade Fire took great care when creating this emotional cover for the 2019 live-action adaptation of the classic. It hits much like the original, still tugging at your heartstrings after all these years.
Matt Heafy (Trivium), ‘The Bare Necessities’
Movie: The Jungle Book (1967)
Originally performed by: Phil Harris and Bruce Reitherman
Why this cover works: Trivium’s Matt Heafy is a fairly active Twitch streamer who regularly shares vocal and guitar practice sessions with his followers. At one point, Heafy started a “karaoke” gimmick where his supporters suggested songs he had to learn and perform in no more than 60 minutes.
In 2019, we were treated to Heafy having to learn “The Bare Necessities” on the fly. Not only did Heafy nail the song, but he also overcommitted to the bit by trying to mimic the voices heard in the original 1967 animated version of The Jungle Book.
You might not get a metal song with this cover, but you’ll at least find a laugh or two along the way.
Simple Plan, ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’
Movie: The Lion King (1994)
Original artist: Elton John
Why this cover works: Replicating Elton John would be a tall task for just about any act. Thankfully, Simple Plan didn’t even attempt to do a carbon copy of the legendary artist in this 2024 cover from The Lion King.
The band deserves some credit for knowing their limits. They take “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” and turn it into a pop-punk song that sounds more like something straight from Simple Plan’s catalog.
ALL, ‘Chim Chim Cher-ee’
Movie: Mary Poppins (1964)
Originally performed by: Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber
Why this cover works: When vocalist Milo Aukerman stepped away from the Descendents in the late ’80s, the rest of the band carried on as ALL (also the title of the final Descendents album at that time). And while ALL never quite hit like the Descendents, they were certainly able to craft a great punk song.
Their cover of “Chim Chim Cher-ee” isn’t much of a punk song. ALL offers both a fresh take on their own sound and the classic Mary Poppins number that is both brooding and bombastic.
Tethra, “Evermore’
Movie: Beauty and the Beast(2017)
Originally performed by: Dan Stevens
Why this cover works:Pittsburgh’s Tethra has racked up millions of plays on Spotify thanks to their dynamic metalcore sound that is akin to Killswitch Engage. And while their original stuff does well, it’s their unexpected metal covers that have amassed the most listens.
From Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles” to various Disney classics, Tethra seems to have the musical chops to turn just about any type of music into a metalcore song.
The band’s version of “Evermore” slowly builds for nearly two minutes before slamming into you in a rather beastly fashion.
Tallah, ‘Friend Like Me’
Movie: Aladdin(1991)
Originally performed by: Robin Williams
Why this cover works:Tallah’s sound is a bit of a throwback to the heyday of nu-metal. They don’t take themselves too seriously, which tends to make for the best kind of nu-metal.
After months of trying to survive as a band during the pandemic, Tallah launched a series of crowd-funded projects for their fans. One of them was a 2021 five-song EP called Talladdin.
Every song on the release was a cover of a tune from Disney’s Aladdin. The best of the bunch just might be their cover of “Friend Like Me.”
Fall Out Boy, ‘I Wan’na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)’
Movie: The Jungle Book (1967)
Originally performed by: Louis Prima and Phil Harris
Why this cover works: It’s tough to argue with anyone who thinks Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump is underrated when it comes to being a soulful singer. See his criminally underrated 2011 solo album, Soul Punk , if you need further proof.
Stump may not have the trademark underlying rasp of Louis Prima, but he absolutely nails this cover of “I Wan’na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)” thanks to his ability to effectively deliver heart and emotion when he sings every lyric.
Magnolia Park, ‘I2I’
Movie: A Goofy Movie (1995)
Originally performed by: Tevin Campbell
Why this cover works: If you are coming here to hear a cover that sounds like it was done by Magnolia Park, you’re going to be sadly disappointed. The band’s version of the bouncy “I2I from The Goofy Movie is pure pop with a hint of heavy guitar.
And it’s a great song because of that. The vibes are infectious as Magnolia Park look and sound like they are having fun.
The cover has been a mainstay in Magnolia Park’s setlist during their 2026 tour, even though it sounds nothing like their usual flavor of nu-metal-meets-metalcore-meets-alternative rock.
Panic! At The Disco, ‘Into the Unknown’
Movie: Frozen II (2019)
Originally performed by: Idina Menzel and AURORA
Why this cover works: Disney has caught on to mainstream music fans digging covers of their songs. Now, they are including covers as part of their marketing strategy when releasing new movies.
The end credits for 2019’s Frozen II featured covers of songs from the movie performed by well-known music acts. In conjunction with the movie’s release, those cover songs also found their way to streaming platforms and radio stations where the artists already had name recognition.
It’s a smart strategy that makes a potentially new audience more aware of a new movie.
The success of this cover of “Into the Unknown” all comes down to Brendon Urie’s vocals. Disney likely knew that going into it. Panic! at the Disco was hand-picked by the company for a reason, and there is no doubt Urie’s voice was a big part of that.
H2O, ‘It’s a Small World’
Ride: It’s a Small World (1966)
Originally performed by: 300 animatronic dolls
Why this cover works: Because H2O rules! And it’s also better than waiting hours in line to float in a boat with a bunch of strangers while hundreds of slightly creepy animatronic dolls sing to you.
Reel Big Fish and Zolof The Rock and Roll Destroyer, ‘It’s Not Easy’
Movie: Pete’s Dragon(1977)
Originally performed by: Helen Reddy and Sean Marshall
Why this cover works: You’re not alone if you have no recollection of Disney releasing Pete’s Dragon. The 1977 musical movie mixed live action with animation in a way that was likely cutting-edge at the time.
Fast forward to today and Pete’s Dragon. looks hilariously outdated thanks to advancements in animation and filmmaking.
Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll
