Photo: Bedder/Getty

Nas vs. Biggie, “The Battle That Never Happened” [ Imaginary Scenario ]
Remember a few years back, when Coca-Cola made those ads where they doctored clips to make it look like old, dead movie stars were drinking Coke? Or when Natalie Cole duetted with her Dad and won a Grammy? This is like that, only much, much cooler.

Mariah Carey feat. Gucci Mane, “Obsessed” [ Remix ]
We’re officially to the point where it’s almost like the remixes are out before the songs themselves. Gucci Mane runs roughshod over a more-or-less unaltered version of Mariah’s latest single, but his husky voice and sing-song delivery make it sound like a whole different animal.

Ida Maria, “I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked” [ Live on Jay Leno ]
Heads up: it starts at 39:20, right after Maria dedicates the song to Leno’s guest, Hugh Jackman. This song, for S-M, went from low spot on a great record to guilty pleasure to genuine thrill, and this roaring live version only serves to cement our newfound affection. (more…)

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The Roots, Skillz & Mos Def, Various Hip-Hop Covers [ Live ]
Controversial opinion: S-M actually prefers the Roots’ records to their live shows. Crazy, right? Even crazier after watching these videos where the Roots, with special guests Skillz and Mos Def, do spirited runs through hip-hop classics.

Morrissey, “When I Last Spoke to Carol” [ Toy Selectah Remix ]
Remixing the guy who once sang “Hang the DJ” is a perilous endeavor indeed, but Toy Selectah’s bananas mariachi remix breathes life into this late-period Moz moper, suggesting that perhaps the reason Stephen Patrick’s recent records have been such a snooze is because he hasn’t found the right collaborators.

Fiona Apple, “I Want You” [ Elvis Costello Cover ]
We know — this is old. But is there an expiration date on awesome? Apple’s take on this Costello classic is the definitive version, and it hasn’t lost any of it’s terrifying power several years on. (more…)

Photo: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty
Queen, “Bohemian Rhapsody” [ Schizofonics Remix ]
Forget Adam Lambert: maybe what Queen needs to do is take Schizofonics on the road with them to turn out sugared-up electro re-workings on the fly. They could do that for a living — it would be like the new version of those old planetarium laser light shows. “Don’t Fear the Reaper?”?More like “Don’t Fear the BLEEPer,” amirite? High-five!

Run-DMC, “My Addidas” [ Pilotpriest Remix ]
Here’s the thing about Run-DMC: their flow was so wicked, so breakneck, so ahead-of-its-time, that when you lay it on top of a thumping electro track like this one, it sounds like it came out yesterday. This hyperkenetic remix is just further proof of the trio’s incredible vision. (more…)

Photo: Foley/FilmMagic

The Beastie Boys, “So Watcha Want” [ Live on Jimmy Fallon ]
S-M loves that Beastie Boys have now officially evolved into everybody’s cool uncles. Look at Adam Yauch’s trenchcoat! He looks like Mark Wahlberg playing Columbo!

A Tribe Called Quest, Final show in 1991 [ Live ]
The second track on this brilliant bootleg of the final Tribe Called Quest show is called “Busta’s Lament.” You know what our lament is? hat last Busta Rhymes album. This mix is proof that there was a time when you didn’t have to go underground to find great hip-hop.

The National, “The Runaway” [ New Song Live ]
“We don’t bleed if we don’t fight” goes a verse on the hypnotic, riveting new National song, deftly summing up all the reasons S-M never took up boxing. (more…)

Photo: Mazur/WireImage <>

MGMT, “Closer” [ Live NIN Cover ]
Not a note is changed in this spot-on (and, apparently, live) Nine Inch Nails cover, but the song’s overriding sentiment somehow sounds way creepier coming from these dudes than it ever did coming from Trent Reznor.

Photo: Caulfield/WireImage

Cat Power, “Wonderwall” [ Oasis Cover ]
Does Chan Marhsall have a brother? And if she does, do they fight? Did she ever throw him out of the band? Are they hooligans? Tell me they’re hooligans.

Bloc Party, “Ion Square” [ Joel’s Bright Light Don’t Bore Me Yet Version ]
Bloc Party with the bright lights low — a smooth, simmering reinvention of “Ion Square” that shoves its ragged, beating heart to the fore.

Feist, “Sea Lion Woman” [ Chromeo Remix ]
This, clearly, is a curious combination: Chromeo takes Leslie to the disco, putting an elastic disco beat at the bottom of her lilting folk. (more…)

Passion Pit, “Sleepyhead” [ Neo Tokyo Remix ]
Bright and bubbling, Passion Pit’s shook-up breakup number gets turned inside out and re-energized via this soaring, sped-up Neo Tokyo remix.

Raekwon, “Rainy Dayz” [ Long Dirty Remix ]
OK, so we finally believe Cuban Links 2 is coming out — we are willing to buy into it. Do not reward our faith, oh Chef, with another delay. This humid remix of a Rae classic should satisfy appetites until that blessed day arrives. [Editor’s note: stay tuned for our Raekwon interview, coming next week!]

Birds & Batteries, “Heart of Gold” [ Neil Young Cover ]
When Neil Young discovered the synthesizer, he made Trans . San Francisco’s Birds & Batteries demonstrate another — dare we say better? — way that combination could have worked. (more…)

Photo: Fazio/FilmMagic

The National feat St. Vincent, “Sleep All Summer” [ Crooked Fingers Cover ]
We’ve never heard the original version of this song but, knowing the rest of Crooked Fingers’ oevure, we’re pretty sure it’s stark, sad and searching. So it’s not really a shock that The National’s cover has all of those qualities in spades.

Fugees, “Ready or Not” [ Drop the Lime Remix ]
Remember when there was going to be that Fugees reuinion a few years ago? Everyone got all excited, and they recorded that terrible song for that cell phone commercial and then… nada. Also included on this page, a wild-eyed remix of Cutting Crew’s “Died in Your Arms.” So, bonus.

M83, “Run Into Flowers” [ Midnight F*ck Remix ]
If there is one adjective M83 generally runs sceraming from, it’s “subdued.” (more…)

Photo: Hekimian/WireImage

Lady Gaga, “Viva La Vida” [ Coldplay Cover ]
We just find ‘em, people. In truth, this cover is more interesting than we thought it would be. Though we can probably ballpark why St. Peter won’t call her name.

Dead Prez vs. Grizzly Bear, “Two Weeks of Hip-Hop” [ Mash-up ]
So first we had Sigur Ros vs. Mobb Deep . Now this. It is the Internet’s new meme, we guess: matching tough-as-nails hip-hop songs to increasingly wussier music. We hear that M.O.P./Beat Happening mashup is a corker.

James Brown, “There Was a Time” [ Kenny Dope Remix ]
Somehow, Kenny Dope found a way to make the godfather even funkier . (more…)

Photo: Forrest/WireImage

Bat For Lashes, “Use Somebody” [ Kings of Leon Cover ]
There aren’t enough superlatives in the world to adequately describe how much S-M loves Natasha Kahn. This week, she pays homage to Rolling Stone ’s cover with a version that makes us starry-eyed and weak-kneed.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs, “Zero” [ MSTRKRFT Remix ]
Yeah Yeah Yeahs are fresh off a particularly noteworthy victory: managing to sound good on Saturday Night Live . This hyperkenetic MSTRKRFT remix feels like a suitable reward. (more…)

Photo: Caballero/WireImage

a-ha, “Take on Me” [ The Twelves Remix ]
Shouldn’t there be a million and a half remixes of this song? Wasn’t everyone born after 1986 played this in the womb? We’re fairly sure this is now Rhode Island’s state song. What gives, Internet? All we’ve been able to find is this revved up Twelves remix and >this endlessly watchable video.

Keri Hilson, “Since U Been Gone” [ Kelly Clarkson Cover ]
We’re tiptoeing slowly back toward being OK with “Gone” covers. For a while there, every new version of this song seemed about as witty and original as your co-worker who’s still showing off his Borat impression. If you’re
an indie rock band, you should not ever cover this song. If you’re Keri Hilson, and you’re going for a slipper R&B version, we’ll let it slide. (more…)

Photo: Arnold/WireImage

The Killers, “Four Winds” [ Bright Eyes Cover ]
The Killers breathe life into this stodgy Bright Eyes moaner, finally joining two of rock’s most confusing lyricists in one spectacular song.

Various Artists, Nirvana Covers [ Covers ]
It’s never too early for nostalgia! Artists from the Liars to, uh, Local H alternately celebrate and defile the legacy of rock’s last great game-changers. (more…)

Photo: Temme/WireImage

P.O.S., “Why Go” [ Pearl Jam Cover ]
“There’s no auto-tune in grunge music,” says Minneapolis rapper P.O.S. before this dead-on Pearl Jam cover. He meant it as a warning, but we’re taking it as a commendation.

Annie, “Anthonio” [ Designer Drugs Remix ]
Who says there are no second acts in blog rock? Besides S-M? Like, every day? This breathless remix of the new Annie single might be enough to prove us wrong.

Ciara, “Love Sex Magic” [ Chew Fu Small Room Remix ]
The new sound of dance music? The old sound of dance music. Chew Fu turns the new Ciara single into something that wouldn’t sound out-of-place on, say, Thriller . (more…)

Photo: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty

John Lennon, “Woman” [ iamxl B’more Remix ]
iamxl takes Lennon to Baltimore by way to the Bee Gees, making a bright song bounce for the dance floor.

Notorious B.I.G., “Mo Money, Mo Problems” [ Laid Back Luke Bootleg ]
Hyperactive Biggie remix slices and dices the vocals, making for a remix that’s both breathless and brain-boggling.

LCD Soundsystem, “No Love Lost” [ Joy Division Cover ]
In what could be considered the aural version of method acting, LCD manages to capture both the dry drums and jagged guitars of the JD original, making this mostly-faithful cover as chilling as the original. (more…)

Lady Gaga, “Pokerface” [ Messkid’s Late Night Edit ]
Messkid turns down the volume and turns up the blue lights for his re-working of Lady Gaga’s pouty tale of the lamest super hero ever.

Nine Inch Nails, “Burn” [ Live ]
Every wonder what it would be like to stumble around on stage, head shaking, eyes darting this way and that, with Nine Inch Nails? This video kind of takes you there.

Arab Strap, “Why Can’t This Be Love?” [ Van Halen Cover ]
Finally, the apologetic for Hagar-era Van Halen we’ve been waiting for: saucy Scots maximize the melody and minimize the sarcasm (kinda) for an oddly touching take on this ’80s VH staple. (more…)