50 Best Kelly Clarkson Covers From 'Kellyoke'
There is no song that Kelly Clarkson can't make better (or at least her own).
From her American Idol introduction to the world to her stellar live shows, awards shows and "Kellyoke" performances on The Kelly Clarkson Show, the singer is unparalleled in her ability to jump from genre to genre while still remaining remarkably genuine to who she is.
These are the best Kelly Clarkson covers and please know they were tough to narrow down! Check out the very best Kellyoke performances below and know that if you record it, Clarkson will slay it eventually.
Related: How to Get Tickets to The Kelly Clarkson Show
50 Best Kelly Clarkson Kellyoke Cover Songs
1. "Fake Plastic Trees" (Radiohead)
Clarkson's cover of this Radiohead classic kills—and she even released a full version.
2. "7 Rings" (Ariana Grande)
Clarkson took on her The Voice contemporary Ariana Grande to cover "7 Rings," and even Arianators went nuts. She scores extra points for the wink.
Related: Get to Know Ariana Grande's Husband Dalton Gomez
3. "Seven Nation Army" (The White Stripes)
Clarkson teamed up with the USC Marching Band to cover "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes.
Related: The Best Throwback Photos of Dolly Parton
4. "9 to 5" (Dolly Parton)
Dolly Parton joined Clarkson for her Kellyoke performance of "9 to 5" and it was as magical as you'd expect.
Related: Dolly Parton's Greatest Quotes
5. "Uptown Funk" (Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars)
Clarkson fans may recognize this from her live performances on tour before The Kelly Clarkson Show existed. It holds up!
6. "Bad Romance" (Lady Gaga)
Gaga, ooh la la! Clarkson's cover of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" brought a bit of a rock vibe to the pop anthem.
Related: Lady Gaga's Net Worth
7. "Survivor" (Destiny's Child)
When Clarkson sings that she's not gonna stop, you know she means it.
8. "If He Wanted to He Would" (Kylie Morgan)
This song is basically the book He's Just Not That Into You set to music and should be required listening for every single person. Clarkson makes the country track a little more bluesy than the original.
9. "99 Red Balloons" (Nena)
Clarkson performed this Nena Cold War classic on the episode that aired the day after news hit that Russia had invaded Ukraine.
10. "The One That Got Away" (Katy Perry)
Clarkson transforms Katy Perry's mid-tempo pop hit into a heartbreaking, stripped-down ballad that lets her vocals shine.
11. "I Wanna Get Better" (Bleachers)
Bleachers' "I Wanna Get Better" seriously sounds like it was written specifically for Clarkson. Jack Antonoff, do a record with her STAT!
Related: Kelly Clarkson's Most Inspirational Songs
12. "Queen of the Night" (Whitney Houston)
Clarkson strips down Whitney Houston's "Queen of the Night" in the intro, then makes it a full rock anthem, complete with a sick guitar solo.
Related: Whitney Houston's Best Songs
13. "Do I Wanna Know?" (The Arctic Monkeys)
A rather unexpected choice, Clarkson's cover of The Arctic Monkeys hit gets a bluesy tinge.
14. "Believer" (Imagine Dragons)
Clarkson brought us all to church. Amen.
15. "Viva La Vida" (Coldplay)
Clarkson's clear vocals aside, look at how much The Band Y'all is having here!
16. "Ain't No Other Man" (Christina Aguilera)
Christina Aguilera is infamous for her ad libs and melisma, sometimes at the expense of a song's lyrics. Clarkson delivers almost as many without sacrificing enunciation, making this cover arguably even better than the original.
17. "Chandelier" (Sia)
Anyone with access to Top 40 radio was probably very tired of "Chandelier" by Sia by the time Clarkson covered this song, but she managed to make it feel quite fresh. Because of course she did.
18. "It's Raining Men" (The Weather Girls)
Clarkson makes "It's Raining Men" into a rock anthem. The forecast looks beautiful.
19. "Somewhere Only We Know" (Keane)
Originally airing in November 2020, Clarkson got the cozy vibes down with this sweet bit of nostalgia during a difficult time for everyone.
20. "Alone" (Heart)
Clarkson does the Wilson sisters justice with her Heart cover.
21. "Just a Girl" (No Doubt)
Clarkson covers the classic No Doubt ska anthem and could not sound more different from Gwen Stefani, transforming the song into a power ballad.
Related: Gwen Stefani's Net Worth
22. "If I Could Turn Back Time" (Cher)
Because Cher. It's always because Cher.
23. "Rolling In the Deep" (Adele)
Clarkson's cover of the Adele smash was pretty loyal to the original, but still great on its own merits.
Related: Adele's Best Songs
24. "Where Is My Mind?" (The Pixies)
Clarkson covering The Pixies is the best trip.
25. "Wrecking Ball" (Miley Cyrus)
We all know Clarkson can do a ballad like almost no other, so her take on Miley Cyrus's hit does the original justice (without the worry of a yeast infection that the original video can deliver).
Related: Miley Cyrus's Dating History
26. "Don't Stop Believin'" (Journey)
A karaoke staple, Clarkson likely made Steve Perry proud.
27. "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" (Whitney Houston)
Clarkson is one of the few vocalists on the planet who can hold up to Nippy, and this cover will get you out of your seat like the original did (and still does!).
28. "Chasing Cars" (Snow Patrol)
Clarkson nails the yearning of the original in her "Chasing Cars" cover.
29. "Must Have Been Love" (Roxette)
You can hear the yearning in Clarkson's belting from this Pretty Woman soundtrack classic.
Related: Kelly Clarkson's Haunting Cover of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game"
30. "Roar" (Katy Perry)
When Clarkson sings that she has the eye of the tiger, you believe her.
31. "Before He Cheats" (Carrie Underwood)
Carrie Underwood isn't the only American Idol champ who can put the fear of God in a man with a wandering eye.
Related: Carrie Underwood's Net Worth From American Idol to Country Royalty
32. "Unchained Melody" (The Righteous Brothers)
Clarkson sounds righteous indeed in this cover of the classic ballad.
33. "Til the World Ends" (Britney Spears)
Britney Spears's apocalyptic banger gets a bit of a jazz makeover in this Kellyoke rendition.
34. "Welcome to the Black Parade" (My Chemical Romance)
Clarkson takes on arena emo with a belt that's as endearing as Gerard Way's signature warble.
35. "Dancing Queen" (ABBA)
Yes, we are having the time of our lives even when Clarkson makes one of the biggest dance songs of all time into an emotional piano ballad.
36. "Mr. Brightside" (The Killers)
It's already a given that playing "Mr. Brightside" anywhere ever will get a strong reaction from a crowd. When it's Clarkson? Our eyes (and ears) are more eager than ever.
Related: Kelly Clarkson Fans Stunned at Her Cover of The Killers Hit
37. "Return of the Mack" (Mark Morrison)
There it is! Eat your heart out, Brandon Blackstock.
38. "Don't Fence Me In" (Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Schnitzer Orchestra)
It's Clarkson and Jeff Goldblum. Period.
39. "Stay With Me" (Sam Smith)
Clarkson delivers Sam Smith's ballad with heart and power, just as you'd expect.
40. "Use Somebody" (Kings of Leon)
The Kings of Leon classic has inspired a great number of covers, including Clarkson's.
41. "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" (Aretha Franklin)
Clarkson wisely doesn't try to compete with the Queen of Soul and instead makes the song her own.
Related: Kelly Clarkson Covers Paramore Ballad
42. "Kiss" (Prince)
That deliberately breathy final note is sexy as Hell, and you know she knows it.
43. "Dream On" (Aerosmith)
This is what dreams are made of, full stop.
44. "abcdefu" (Gayle)
Clarkson seriously shades her ex and it is delicious.
45. "Happier Than Ever" (Billie Eilish)
Clarkson's vocal style is almost the complete opposite of Billie Eilish's, and yet it somehow works.
Related: Billie Eilish's Net Worth Revealed
46. "Clean" (Taylor Swift)
Clarkson uses remarkable restraint in her vocals, keeping this cover close to the original by Taylor Swift.
Related: Taylor Swift's Net Worth
47. "Hands Clean" (Alanis Morissette)
We need a collab between Clarkson and Alanis Morissette yesterday.
48. "Better Man (Taylor's Version)" (Little Big Town)
Clarkson combines her pop roots and love of country with this cover of the Taylor Swift-penned Little Big Town hit.
Related: See Taylor Swift's Best Looks Through Every One of Her Eras
49. "She Used to Be Mine" (Sara Bareilles)
Clarkson's rendition of the heartbreaking ballad from Waitress is as good as anything you'd hear from the Broadway stage.
50. "It's Quiet Uptown" (Hamilton)
Clarkson originally covered "It's Quiet Uptown" for The Hamilton Mixtape and performed the heart-wrenching ballad remotely with her band for Kellyoke in 2020.