The 20 greatest pop song covers from heavy metal bands

At the end of the day, guitar virtuoso Yngwie Malmsteen did a fair-to-middling job of covering this pop hit from his fellow Swedes in ABBA. Now, Malmsteen changed the "Man after midnight part," to "your love after midnight," but it's still a solid version that might come as a surprise to metal and pop fans, alike. Especially his blistering guitar work, subbing for the song's famed synthesizer portion.  

Twisted Sister's 1985 version of this sappy hit from all-girl favorites the Shangri-Las, in 1964, is undeniably campy. Actually, the glam metal act had included "Leader of the Pack" in its live sets during its early days, so the foundation was well laid. The recorded version appeared on Twisted Sister's fourth studio album, Come Out and Play. Told from the male perspective, Twisted Sister's take achieved some love on the Billboard Hot 100 and is entertaining, if anything.

"The Metro" was a major hit for new wave-synth-popper Berlin back in 1983, but metalers System of a Down deliver one of the more unique, and undeniably heaviest, covers of the tune. Actually, System of a Down recorded three versions of "Metro." A pair of demos were made in 1995 and '97, and the most popular version from 2006, when it appeared on the maxi single of "Lonely Boy," as well as soundtracks for Dracula 2000 and Not Another Teen Movie.

While Saxon's version of this Christopher Cross classic is above average, it also leaves metal fans, especially those of the band, thinking that an opportunity was missed. Saxon's take, released on the band's 1988 Destiny record, is undeniably solid. Heavy, but still melodically credible. However, considering Saxon's track record as stars of the new wave of British heavy metal, we, perhaps, expected a more raunchier, dirtier version of this yacht rock favorite.

Destruction is considered one of the great thrash metal bands to emerge from Germany, and is on par with U.S. favorites Testament and Death Angel. Though the speed of this cover of the Knack favorite, found on the band's 1990 Cracked Brain album, is not done at a blistering pace, it's still heavy to the hilt. And, highly pleasant to the ears. Especially those who like their music loud, but not ear-piercing. 

In 1997, Limp Bizkit burst onto the scene with this high-energy, aggressive version of the George Michael hit, and essentially opened the door for the nu metal sector of the genre to take off into the mainstream. However, the band had been playing it live long before recording its version. While reports vary as to Michael's acceptance of the cover, Limp Bizkit rode it, along with the controversy that followed in Michael's personal life, to a lengthy spell of stardom -- and infamy.  

Dave Mustaine and Co. included their own unique take on the Nancy Sinatra favorite "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" on Megadeth's 1985 debut Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! Now, word has it this trash version was done as a joke, complete with a title and some lyrical changes. However, the originality displayed in the Megadeth version is rather impressive, and the double-kick drum dominance tends to be the highlight of the performance.

Not only did Los Angeles industrial metal standouts Fear Factory cover this 1980s hit, but they also brought original artist Gary Numan along for the ride. Released as a bonus track on the band's 1998 release Obsolete, this suped-up, but still electronically satisfying, version of "Cars" became a cult favorite within Fear Factory's catalog. And, introduced another legion of fans -- and generation -- to Numan, who essentially has lived off the success of this one song.

The collaboration between French electronica duo Daft Punk and  American musicians Pharrell Williams  and American musician Nile Rodgers produced one of the most memorable pop/electronic/dance songs of all time. However, shortly after the song hit it big in 2013, Lzzy Hale and her band Halestorm delivered a stellar, hard-driving guitar-crashing version of "Get Lucky." For those who like metal and hard rock, but also harbor a taste for dance music, the Halestorm take is right up your alley.

Minus the apostrophe in "Cats," Santa Barbara County pop/beach metal unit Ugly Kid Joe had a top-10 hit on the Billboard 100 in 1993, with a cover that should a softer/potentially serious side to goof-ball rockers. With MTV helping the cause, UKJ earned plenty of mainstream success, thanks to a souped-up, but still sentimental take, on the Harry Chapin classic. It can be found on the band's underrated America's Least Wanted debut album

This Finnish death metal band was known for dabbling in pop covers. But none, perhaps, left a more lasting impression than this take on this Britney Spears' hit from 2000. Released later that decade, Children of Bodom's deliciously heavy version, intertwined with Spears' original, was done for fun, but has enjoyed a serious cult following. And, not just from fans of this particular band, but metal heads around the globe. 

Soft rock duo Loggins and Messina had a top-five hit with this bluesy, but undeniably poppy, number from 1972. Then some 17 years later, a new generation of music fans experienced the song's utter greatness, via Poison's popular cover. Included on Poison's second studio album Open Up and Say... Ahh!, "You Mama Don't Dance" returned to the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, and thanks to a consistent presence on MTV,  became one of that band's signature tunes, as well.

Undeniably heavy and dark, this version of "Summer Breeze," made popular by soft rock/pop staples Seals and Crofts in 1972, is pure Type O at its best. Originally, late Type O Negative frontman Peter Steele had a version titled "Summer Girl," which featured different lyrics that were eventually deemed too disturbing by the original artists. A remix of the Type O Negative's "Summer Breeze," with the original lyrics, can also be found on the I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) soundtrack.

Boston-based metalcore outfit Ice Nine Kills is best known for its dramatic, theatrical and campy disturbing stage antics. However, Spencer Charnas and Co., are not bad musicians, and this cover of Adele's hit, from 2012, is proof. There's almost a pop-punk-meets-Pantera kind of vibe with Ice Nine Kills' version of "Someone Like You." When it comes to recent covers, it can honestly stand up well just about any in the metal community.

These goth metal favorites from Finland broke through in 1996 with this heart-pounding, frantic version of Chris Isaak's signature tune. A couple of other versions of HIM's cover were released on various albums, and the song was also featured during an episode of the 2000s favorite Smallville. When it comes to doing a cover justice, there's no doubt HIM knocked it our of the park. It remains the band's most recognizable in and outside of its home country.

The song that put Marilyn Manson -- the band and persona of one Brian Warner -- on the mainstream musical map. It was the first single from the band's 1995 Smells Like Children EP. It was so extraordinary that pop and metal fans alike were enamored by the cover. The macabre-like take and popularity of the controversial video, while amid heavy rotation on MTV, helped fuel the prominence of the cover and thrust Manson into instant celebrity -- for better or worse.

Known for its extended pieces of progressive metal, Dream Theater actually delivers a slightly shorter version of this epic 11-plus minute, Elton John two-fer, which kicks off his iconic 1973 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road record. Obviously, Dream Theater's take, which appears on the band's 1995 EP Change of Seasons, is faster, but the melodic brilliance of the opening instrumental and emotion-building "Love Lies Bleeding" is not lost in the process.

England's Slade had a No. 1 hit in the United Kingdom with "Cūm On Feel the Noize" in 1973. But, internationally, it can be argued that this amped-up, hard-rocking Quiet Riot effort, released 10 years later, remains the most recognizable version of the campy tune. Quiet Riot's cover reached No. 5 on Billboard's Hot 100, earned gold status, and the video was an MTV staple. It also helped the band's Metal Health release become the first heavy metal album to top the Billboard 200 in the United States. Now, for those who enjoy the Slade original, give a listen to Oasis' take, which is also quite good. 

More than 50 years after Simon & Garfunkel released this iconic tune, and perhaps the duo's signature song, Chicago metal outfit Disturbed delivered an ever darker version of "The Sound of Silence." But, keyed by the almost haunting, yet exceptionally powerful, vocals of underrated frontman David Draiman. Disturbed's version, from 2015's Immortalized, topped the Billboard Hard Rock Digital Songs and Mainstream Rock charts and was even praised by Paul Simon, himself. 

It can be argued that Faith No More's cover of this Commodores classic, penned by Lionel Richie, is straight-up exceptional. It might be one of the most underrated covers of all time, as this iconic alt-metal outfit truly outdoes itself on the effort. Or should we say lead singer Mike Patton does? Yes, the man can croon, this is a prime example of the vocal talent that Patton possesses beyond the traditional Faith No More fare. It can be found on the band's 1992 Angel Dust album.