Best Genre-Crossing Songs Ever

I listen to a wide variety of music genres and am always surprised when a genre-crossing song works. A genre-crossing song is a tune that was originally recorded by one artist then covered by a singer in an entirely different genre.

I watched Coldplay on Austin City Limits awhile back and found a good example of a genre-crossing song. I was somewhat impressed with Chris Martin's take on Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire". Pop/rockers Coldplay paid respectable homage to one of country music's most enduring classics, crossing genres along the way.

My personal top five list of genre-crossing songs brought entirely new audiences to classic songs.

Guitar Rock to Rap - "Walk This Way"

I was a teenager when Aerosmith was still the bad-boy band from Boston and loved their 1975 single "Walk This Way". Eleven years later, when MTV still played videos, RUN DMC would pull this solid seventies rock song across genres to mash it with a hip hop rap beat AND turn a new generation onto one of Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Guitar Songs.

Dance Pop to Rock - "Smooth Criminal"

Michael Jackson was the King of Pop and his "Smooth Criminal" brought some great guitar work to his album "Bad" in 1988. In 2001, Alien Ant Farm would pay homage to Jackson with their version of "Smooth Criminal", updating the guitar.

Rock to R & B - "Proud Mary"

Creedence Clearwater Revival released "Proud Mary" in 1969 with a steady 4-count rock beat and it was covered excessively. Ike & Tina Turner won the Grammy for Best R & B Vocal by a Duo or Group in 1972 with Tina's signature take on "Proud Mary".

Country to Pop - "I Will Always Love You"

Dolly Parton wrote "I Will Always Love You" in 1974 when she departed Porter Wagoner's show for her solo career and went to number one on the country charts. Since 1992, I've heard Dolly sing praises for Whitney Houston's cover for the soundtrack for The Bodyguard.

Rock to Country - "Hurt"

Nine Inch Nails first released "Hurt" on their 1994 album "The Downward Spiral". In 2002, Johnny Cash made "Hurt" his own on his "American IV: The Man Comes Around" album. In the process, Cash recorded the video that would not only win a Grammy but an MTV music video award.

Lovers of any genre of music should take some time to find the covers of their favorite songs. Who knows? You might just find yourself enjoying a new style of music.

Sources: RollingStone.com ; CMT.com