Madonna is the most successful female artist of all time and an artist who has had - and continues to have - an indelible impact on popular culture. In 2012 VH1 put together their list of the 100 Greatest Women in Music as part of their series The Greatest and (no surprise) Madonna appeared at number 1. Several successful artists have named Madonna as one of their greatest inspirations and influences (see: Dua Lipa, Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue, Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus). Indeed biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli argues that Madonna is one of "the most emulated female performers in show business history".
Given her far-reaching and long-lasting impact, it's not surprising that many artists have also paid tribute to the Queen of Pop by recording or performing their own versions of some of her biggest hits. While no cover can come close to the original, these are ten of my favourite covers of Madonna songs (in no particular order):
Adam Lambert: Ray of Light
In 2012 Adam Lambert hosted and performed this hit from Madonna's seminal 1998 album on VH1 Divas. Ahead of the show he had the following to say about Madonna: "I've been a proud Madonna fan for quite some time and have always really looked up to her as a show person, someone who knew how to put on a number. She put costumes and theme and choreography and her videos have been really innovative and I really look up to her so it's going to be a real thrill to perform one of her songs..."
Jane Lynch: Vogue
The song featured on the fifteenth episode of season 1 of Glee (The Power of Madonna) along with a hilarious recreation of the iconic black and white music video. Sung by the villainous Sue Sylvester with back-up from Kurt and Mercedes, it is one of my favourite Glee moments. In the episode, Sue reveals that she too has been influenced by the power of Madonna: "What you call insanity, I call inspiration. Let me break it down for you. It's been the biggest dream of my career to pay homage to Madonna, the woman most responsible for my take no prisoners demeanor, and my subconscious tendency to always be desperately looking for someone named Susan."
Labrinth performed stunning acoustic versions of Frozen and Like a Prayer, supported by a full choir on stage, as a tribute to Madonna at the Billboard Women in Music gala in 2016. This is an annual event that honours the contributions of women to the music industry and in 2016, Madonna was the honoree.
Lana Del Rey: You Must Love Me
The original version of the song was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice and recorded by Madonna for the film adaptation of Evita in 1996 (Madonna won a Golden Globe for her role of Eva Perón). Lana Del Rey covered the song for the compilation album Andrew Lloyd Webber Unmasked: The Platinum Collection, released in 2018.
Sia: Oh Father
Sia recorder a cover of Oh Father (from Madonna's groundbreaking album Like a Prayer) for her fifth studio album, We Are Born. Although Sia's version has a very different arrangement, she does justice to the tender and powerful ballad.
Birdy: Lucky Star
Birdy is probably best known for another cover, namely Bon Iver's Skinny Love, which was her debut single. She recorded this stripped down version of Madonna's 1983 hit for the compilation album, BBC Radio 2's Sounds of the 80s Volume 1.
All Saints: Like a Prayer
Similarly, the English-Canadian girl group All Saints recorded an ethereal version of this seminal Madonna hit with their signature harmonies for BBC Radio 2's Sounds of the 80s Volume 2.
Kelly Osbourne: Papa Don't Preach
Kelly Osbourne recorded a version of Papa Don't Preach (from Madonna's 1987 True Blue album) for The Osbourne Family Album in 2001. Her version has a harder rock edge to it and although her vocals are not the strongest, she does a good job with the song.
Loleatta Holloway: Like a Prayer
The late disco queen Loleatta Holloway adds a soulful gospel sound to her version of Like a Prayer, a standout track on the tribute album Virgin Voices: A Tribute to Madonna Volume 1.
Dead Or Alive: Why's It So Hard
The English band that brought you the 80s hit You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) recorded a cover of Why's It So Hard, a song that appears on Madonna's incredible Erotica album. Their version appears on Virgin Voices: A Tribute to Madonna Volume 1.
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