For many women in music, especially in rock ‘n’ roll, it is not unusual to find oneself as the only woman in the room. Even those who are now world-renowned — perhaps especially those — have faced this kind of situation.

“I mean, when I first realized that at my core I was a singer-songwriter, there were so very few women I could look to,” Annie Lennox shared with Yahoo Entertainment in 2022, the year Eurythmics were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. “I recognize that I have been feminist in my thinking for decades, and at one point not long ago, we couldn’t even get the word ‘feminist’ comfortably used by many women. It was a significant struggle just to own that.”

Fortunately, times have changed since Lennox’s career began, although there is still work to be done. The good news is that as more women have risen through the ranks, there are now more role models for younger generations of female singers and songwriters to admire.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, we have compiled a list of 30 rock songs covered by women, varying in age, musical style, and everything else.

1. “Whole Lotta Love,” Tina Turner
Originally by: Led Zeppelin

Robert Plant’s voice isn’t exactly easy to emulate, but if Led Zeppelin ever needed a substitute, they could certainly call on Tina Turner to get the job done right.

2. “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” Patti Smith
Originally by: Nirvana

Patti Smith has long admired Kurt Cobain. “I was heartbroken when he committed suicide,” she told the Seattle Weekly in 2010. “And I knew that Kurt Cobain was very fond of my husband [the late Fred “Sonic” Smith] and the MC5. We felt so badly. We just wished we could have known him and had some positive impact on him.” By the way, the album this cover appears on, Twelve, is a full covers album that also features songs by Bob Dylan, the Doors, Stevie Wonder, and many more.

3. “Dear Prudence,” Siouxsie and the Banshees
Originally by: The Beatles

In September 1983, Siouxsie and the Banshees released their cover of The Beatles’ “Dear Prudence,” which became their biggest hit in the U.K., reaching No. 3 on the singles chart. “I remember growing up with the White Album,” Siouxsie Sioux recalled to Louder Sound in 2022. “I loved it for their experimentation.”

4. “Hazy Shade of Winter,” The Bangles
Originally by: Simon & Garfunkel

Don’t let the eerie intro fool you — The Bangles’ version of “Hazy Shade of Winter” quickly picks up pace. It was featured in the 1987 film Less Than Zero, and was nominated for MTV’s Best Video From a Film award.

5. “Black Hole Sun,” Norah Jones
Originally by: Soundgarden

Norah Jones has performed her cover of “Black Hole Sun” exactly twice — once in Detroit in 2017 and again in New Hampshire in 2022. Fortunately, that first performance took place just a week after Chris Cornell’s death and was recorded for us to enjoy.

6. “Can’t Buy Me Love,” Ella Fitzgerald
Originally by: The Beatles

Not only did Ella Fitzgerald include a swinging cover of “Can’t Buy Me Love” on her 1964 album Hello, Dolly!, but she also performed it live on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1968.

7. “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” PJ Harvey and Bjork
Originally by: The Rolling Stones

The only thing cooler than one woman covering a Rolling Stones song is obviously two of them, as demonstrated by this version of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” performed by PJ Harvey and Bjork at the 1994 BRIT Awards.

8. “Sheena Is a Punk Rocker,” The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Originally by: The Ramones

A charity album called War Child Presents Heroes, released in 2009, featured Beck covering Dylan, the Kooks covering the Kinks, and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs doing “Sheena Is a Punk Rocker,” among others.

9. “Here Comes the Sun,” Nina Simone
Originally by: The Beatles

“Here Comes the Sun” is actually the title of Nina Simone’s entire 1971 covers album. After listening to this track, we highly recommend checking out Simone’s version of “Isn’t It a Pity,” which George Harrison himself greatly admired.

10. “Don’t Let It Bring You Down,” Annie Lennox
Originally by: Neil Young

Annie Lennox’s rendition of “Don’t Let It Bring You Down” first appeared on her 1995 album Medusa. Four years later it was featured in the movie American Beauty. (Medusa is another covers album, for reference.)

11. “Creep,” The Pretenders
Originally by: Radiohead

A multitude of artists have covered Radiohead’s “Creep” over the years; however, The Pretenders’ version with Chrissie Hynde’s emotive vocals leading is particularly notable. Conveniently, it was recorded live at Jakob Street Studios in London in 1995.

12. “Refugee,” Melissa Etheridge
Originally by: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

“The only song I covered on record was by the great Tom Petty,” Melissa Etheridge stated on social media shortly after Petty’s passing in October 2017. “His music will never die.” That song was “Refugee,” which appeared on her 2005 album Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled.

13. “Rocket Man,” Kate Bush
Originally by: Elton John

Kate Bush and Elton John have been friends for years, and Bush has covered his music several times. Her version of “Rocket Man” was released in 1991. “I remember buying this when it came out as a single by Elton John,” she told NME. “I couldn’t stop playing it – I loved it so much. Most artists in the mid-seventies played guitar but Elton played piano and I dreamed of being able to play like him. Years later, in 1989, Elton and Bernie Taupin were assembling an album called Two Rooms, which featured cover versions of their songs with different singers. To my delight they asked me to participate and I chose ‘Rocket Man.’ They gave me complete creative control and although it was daunting to be let loose on one of my favorite tracks ever, it was really exciting. I wanted to make it different from the original and thought it would be fun to turn it into a reggae version. It meant a lot to me that they chose it to be the first single release from the album.”

14. “D’yer Mak’er,” Sheryl Crow

Originally by: Led Zeppelin

Imagine Led Zeppelin but if they were a country-ish bar band from Los Angeles — that’s kind of the vibe of Sheryl Crow’s cover of D’yer Mak’er from her 1993 album Tuesday Night Music Club.
If you’re looking for more, here’s Crow performing “Rock and Roll” live in 2002.

15. “Enjoy the Silence,” Tori Amos

Originally by: Depeche Mode

Songwriters often say that a well-written song can be stripped down without losing its essential feeling; Tori Amos’ arrangement of Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence” exemplifies this.

16. “Sweet Jane,” Cowboy Junkies

Originally by: The Velvet Underground

Cowboy Junkies is one Canadian band that found success in America — not always common for bands from Canada. One of their earliest singles was a 1989 cover of The Velvet Underground’s “Sweet Jane,” which may have only reached No. 75 in Canada but climbed to No. 5 on the U.S. Modern Rock chart.

17. “Starman,” Garbage

Originally by: David Bowie

In 2019, Garbage released a limited edition single for Record Store Day featuring an A-side called “Destroying Angels” along with a cover of David Bowie’s “Starman,” originally recorded for Howard Stern’s all-star Bowie tribute.

18. “Highway ’61 Revisited,” PJ Harvey

Originally by: Bob Dylan

We could likely create an entirely separate list featuring women covering Bob Dylan songs; however, we’ll leave you with PJ Harvey’s rendition of “Highway ’61 Revisited” from her 1993 album Rid of Me.. “He has been a significant influence on my work,” she told The Guardian.. “I grew up listening to Dylan — my mum was a big fan — and now when I’m feeling lost or lacking inspiration I listen to him.”

19. “Crimson and Clover,” Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

Originally by: Tommy James & the Shondells

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts’ version of “Crimson and Clover” reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 , making it their second-highest hit on that chart.
Jett retained all pronouns from Tommy James’ original version.
“If I had to change any words, I wouldn’t have wanted to do this song,” she explained to Rolling Stone . “I didn’t know how people would react but I said ‘Let’s do it and see what happens.’ I don’t even remember people discussing it at that time; maybe they were uncomfortable addressing it.”

20. “I Am the Highway,” Ann Wilson

Originally by: Audioslave

As part of Seattle’s music scene Ann Wilson was friends with Chris Cornell; thus it’s fitting that she would honor Cornell’s memory through song when she covered Audioslave’s “I Am the Highway” in 2018.
This writer actually witnessed Wilson perform this song live — it may have even surpassed the studio version.

21. “Stairway to Heaven,” Heart

Originally by: Led Zeppelin

Speaking of Heart, we had to include their live cover of “Stairway to Heaven,” performed before three remaining members of Led Zeppelin back in 2012.
Jason Bonham (son of John Bonham) played drums; it’s clear from video footage that this moment deeply moved Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones.

22. “New Speedway Boogie,” Courtney Barnett

Originally by: The Grateful Dead

In 2016 an enormous compilation album titled Day of the Dead went public raising awareness for HIV/AIDS featuring an impressive total of 59 Grateful Dead covers including Courtney Barnett’s laid-back take on “New Speedway Boogie.”

23. “Friday I’m in Love,” Phoebe Bridgers

Originally by: The Cure

The next entries highlight contemporary female singers starting with Phoebe Bridgers’ cover of “Friday I’m in Love” originally performed by The Cure.
“There are only a couple songs you can hear that will instantly lift your mood,” she told Rolling Stone . “This song has always been one for me since childhood when I wrote down its lyrics in my school notebook.”

24. “Life on Mars?” Lorde

Originally by: David Bowie

The most exciting aspect about Lorde’s live cover performance from 2016 is that she sang alongside Bowie’s own band.
Lorde had previously met Bowie; after his death she reflected on social media saying “I realized everything I’d done or would do from then on would be done as if he were watching.” She added “I felt proud about my unique style because he had embraced his own.”

25. “Black Dog,” Miley Cyrus

Originally by: Led Zeppelin

Clearly there’s a pattern here — women excel at covering Led Zeppelin songs! Miley Cyrus has done several but our favorite remains her rendition of “Black Dog” from Glastonbury 2019.

26.”I Heard it Through the Grapevine,” The Slits

Originally by: Gladys Knight & The Pips

You’ll never need to imagine what “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” would sound like as dub-punk because The Slits made that happen back in 1979.
If this doesn’t make you want to dance then we can’t help you.

27.”Romeo and Juliet,” Indigo Girls

Originally by: Dire Straits

While we adore Dire Straits’ original recording of “Romeo and Juliet,” Indigo Girls’ version feels more vulnerable and passionate with just an acoustic guitar accompanying their vocals.

28.”Helter Skelter,” Pat Benatar

Originally by: The Beatles

Pat Benatar’s voice seems perfectly suited for a song like “Helter Skelter”—just listen to that grit! This cover appeared on Benatar’s album Precious Time , released in 1981.

29.”This Train Don’t Stop There Anymore,” Rosanne Cash and Emmylou Harris

Originally by: Elton John

In stark contrast to Pat Benatar’s rendition above Rosanne Cash’s collaboration with Emmylou Harris covering Elton John’s “This Train Don’t Stop There Anymore” offers smooth vibes.

30.”While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” Regina Spektor

Originally by: The Beatles

Regina Spektor recorded her cover version for animated film Kubo and the Two Strings , featuring Japanese instrumentation aligning beautifully with its narrative.