It's late, I can't see well and I'm...OK, I'm too lazy to check back 20 years to see if this has been addressed. Besides, lots of good cover tunes out in recent years (Disturbed on "The Sound of Silence", e.g.).

So...has to either be a rock tune originally or on the re-make. Other than that, no rules. I'm not looking to rank these. Just too many and I don't need that headache. Just some good ones. Well, no Knocking on Heaven's Door, as a full 1 million acts have covered that. Also, no Weird Al type parody songs (props, however, for his appearance in Weezer's cover of Toto's Africa).

I'll start with one of the more obscure, as I love that especially, and it's so unexpected. Iron Maiden covering Jethro Tull's Cross-Eyed Mary, complete with Harris's galloping bass. (I'm also not going to use quote marks...this isn't an appellate brief).

The Wilson sisters and Jason Bonham joined up with a good backing band and singers to do a KILLER Stairway to Heaven at the Kennedy Center, where the surviving members of LZ were being honored (YouTube that).

Jimi Hendrix covering Dylan All Along the Watchtower is a classic.

Johnny Cash cover of NIN's Hurt is simply amazing.

Korn covering Cameo's Word Up is pretty damned fun.

Judas Priest covering Fleetwood Mac's Green Manalishi (live version only, please)

In This Moment does a good cover of Phil Collins's In the Air Tonight (yes, it's been covered a bunch, but this is probably my favorite version). They did an even better version of Blondie's Call Me

Alien Ant Farm's cover of Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal is quite good, and the video is hilarious.

Bad Wolves did a good cover of The Cranberries' Zombie, but sad back story to that one. Dolores O'Riordan was supposed to sing on the album, but drowned in her London hotel room bathtub after a few drinks before she could complete the task.

Most anything the original Blues Brothers did. Also, pretty much the entire cover EP Rush did (Feedback).

Of course, Clapton did a couple such as Crossroads and something about booger sugar.

Saw Blues Traveler in New Orleans earlier this year cover Charlie Daniels' The Devil Went Down to Georgia, and John Popper played the fiddle solo on a harmonica, note perfect. That was simply astonishing, just not sure if there is a video of it anywhere. Primus did a cover, but I'm not sure either end of that could really be considered rock...it sure was when Blues Traveler played it. B T also did a great cover of Tom Petty's Last Dance With Mary Jane, and the House of Blues had all green lights going in the venue. Very cool.

Two nights later, saw Pink cover Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit, which was great. Also did one other really good cover (cannot recall what one now).

Wait a minute. Wasn't at this particular show, but here's Blues Traveler's take:

Others? I'll likely add to this OP as more come to mind.

Cant get no satisfaction - Otis Redding
House of the Rising Sun - Fridgid Pink...actually maybe even the Animals for that matter since they didn't write it.

And speaking of old folk songs with no known authors
Sloop John B - The Beach Boys
Rock Island Line - Johnny Cash

George Thorogood in general

Off the top of my head:

Atlanta Rhythm Section - Spooky
Jeff Beck - ‘Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers
Chicago Transit Authority - I’m a Man
SRV - Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)
J. Geils Band - First I Look at the Purse
Linda Ronstadt - Ooh Baby Baby
Santana - Black Magic Woman
Cheap Trick - Ain’t That a Shame
Garland Jeffreys - 96 Tears
Derek & the Dominos - Little Wing
Cream - Crossroads
Simply Red - If You Don’t Know Me By Now
Johnny Thunders - Pipeline
Van Halen - Oh, Pretty Woman
Warren Zevon - A Certain Girl
Cold Blood - You Are the Sunshine of My Life
The Clash - Pressure Drop
Pearl Jam - Last Kiss
Roy Buchanan - Hey Joe

Lot more but would have to think a bit....

The fiberglass ones.

Joan Jett- Crimson and Clover
😟

If I like a song I don't want to hear it covered, with very few exceptions. It almost never lives up to the standard.

Admittedly, I have liked some songs not knowing they were covers, and didn't like the original.

Cheap Trick's Ain't That A Shame.

Hendrix made it amazing and Johnny Cash made Hurt extremely powerful, especially of you, your family or loved ones have experienced addiction.

I liked the entire album by Johnny Cash, in spite of it causing grit in my eyes. I found a copy of the album in the trash left behind by one of my renters. I was not aware of it before that.

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Disturbed sound of silence.
Sugar land Night swimming.
Adam Lambert ring of fire.
Adam Lambert mad world.
Willie Nelson Georgia.
Nirvana man who sold the world.
Chris Izzak pretty woman.
Brooks and Dunn my Maria.
Queen crazy little thing called love.

Rascal flats life is a highway.

Nirvana's Unplugged has some of my favorites with Man Who Sold the World and Where Did You Sleep Last Night, as well as the section they did some Meat Puppets tunes. Not sure those count as covers though since Kurt had the Meat Puppets on to play them

The Ramones Acid Eaters is a good time. Basically some acid rock hits ramped up into Ramones speed

Halestorm has three Reanimate EPs I find entertaining. Mostly rock to rock but a couple pop to rock.

Rage Against the Machine's Renegades album was a good set of covers from various generes

Five Finger Death Punch usually has a cover per album, some with more success than others. I do like their version of KWS "Blue on Black" though

Here's one for Country fans... Chris Stapleton - Tennessee Whiskey.

Metallica, Am i Evil and Stone Cold Crazy 😜

Metallica whiskey in a jar.

I’m a lumberjack - drafterx

Just heard this last night for the first time....great tune, but Sounds more like Blues than Country to me...whatever genre, Great Song=d>

J Geils- Serves You Right To Suffer (John Lee Hooker)

Roy Buchanan-Stormy Monday (T-Bone Walker)

The Allman Brothers- Stormy Monday

Jethro Tull- Stormy Monday.....if you've never heard this version, it deserves a listen...the "Lead Flute" is pretty cool


Van Halen- Ice Cream Man (John Brim)...corrected previous misinformation

The Who- SummerTime Blues (Eddie Cochran)

Soft Cell- Tainted Love (Ed Cobb...first performed by Gloria Jones)...song may have originally been offered to The Standells, but some controversy, according to Wiki

Echo and the Bunnymen- People Are Strange(The Doors)

The Clash- I Fought The Law (Sonny Curtis and the Crickets.....Sonny Curtis became the leader of The Crickets after the death of Buddy Holly)

Nazareth- Love Hurts (written by Boudleaux Bryant....performed by The Everly Brothers

Two of my favorite Metallica covers

Turn the Page and Tuesday's Gone

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Cody Jinks- Wish You Were Here



Cody is one of the hottest Red Dirt artist here in Texas...…..He puts on one helluva show

Metallica has to be the exception to my soft rule that I don't like covers... because they did a lot of good ones.

The two you mention, the one Kipp mentioned, and then blitzkrieg and stone cold crazy. In fact, I heard their version of Whiskey in the Jar before I ever heard Thin Lizzy's version and I dare say they did it much better.

That is an epic epic performance by itself, but add in the bands reaction to it? Fuqing amazing.