It's hard to imagine anyone in 2025 who does not know Pearl Jam or its lead vocalist, Eddie Vedder. His deep, baritone voice embodies the sound of Gen X and the '90s grunge movement, alongside other icons like Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, Layne Staley of Alice In Chains, and Kurt Cobain of Nirvana. But once upon a time, Vedder was a San Diego surfer who got a tape of instrumentals from a band in Seattle called Temple Of The Dog that needed a new vocalist.

Vedder got the job with the group that eventually changed their name and morphed into Pearl Jam, and with that transformation came the notoriety we're so familiar with today. With that success, Vedder has not only belted out originals, but he has also utilized his standout voice to cover other artists' songs. From U2 to Crowded House, there's seemingly no genre or artist Vedder's voice can't handle.

1 You've Got To Hide Your Love Away (The Beatles)

A Rugged Take On a Beatles Classic

Originally released by The Beatles on their 1965 album Help!, Vedder recorded his own faithful version of "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" in the studio as part of the soundtrack for the 2001 film I Am Sam, which was made up entirely of covers of the Fab Four by various artists. Written by the Beatles' John Lennon in a style Lennon itted was influenced by Bob Dylan, "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" has very ambiguous lyrics about the nature of love and feelings of it that can be painted in various ways.

That vague tone makes "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" a blank canvas for other artists to express themselves with, which Vedder certainly uses to his advantage here. While the instrumentation live or in the studio has the same basic backing as the original (right down to the harmonica), Vedder's weary, rag-and-bone, smoky voice adds more mud to a clean-cut Beatles version. It also showed Vedder had just as much skill for the quiet acoustic style as he did for loud and electric rock.

2 Under Pressure (Queen)

A Duet Fit For Queen

"Under Pressure" was first put out into the world by famed rock band Queen as a 1981 single before being released in 1982 as part of the group's album Hot Space. Featuring legendary guest David Bowie, "Under Pressure" is a duet between Bowie and Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury that's immediately recognizable the moment you hear the rumbling, funkified bassline. That bassline was so iconic, in fact, it would be sampled nine years later by rapper Vanilla Ice for his own track "Ice Ice Baby."

But in this version, we have Vedder adding his stamp to it along with the great singer/songwriter Ben Harper. Much like Mercury and Bowie before them, the duo take a similar instrumental arrangement and blends their own voices together quite well. While Harper is certainly no Mercury (no one could be), his sweet-honeyed rasp plays well against Vedder's growling foil in the Bowie role. The two add more of a rocked-out timbre than the glam of the original, and it makes this version of "Under Pressure" stand out.

3 My City Of Ruins (Bruce Springsteen)

Singing Out To The Boss

The legendary Bruce Springsteen wrote "My City of Ruins" for his 2002 album, The Rising. Originally meant to be a message of hope and rebirth after the hard times that had befallen his hometown of Asbury Park, New Jersey, Springsteen's song took on a whole new perspective after the tragic terror attacks in New York City on September 11, 2001. "My City of Ruins" still eerily fits those horrible and harrowing days and gives Springsteen's gospel-inflected message even deeper, more stirring emotions.

In 2009, Vedder covered "My City of Ruins" for a Kennedy Center tribute to Springsteen, which strips back the layers of the song down to its very roots. But despite lesser instrumentation (and having to sing right to Springsteen front-and-center), Vedder only needs the trusty instrument of his voice to give his own version of this song all the emotional kick that it needs.

4 One (U2)

Another Fitting Tribute To Icons

The great Irish band U2 wrote and recorded what's arguably one of their best songs, "One," for their 1991 album titled Achtung Baby. On the one hand, it's an engaging rock track, but the lyrics are really what hit the hardest on this one. While the group has had a variety of stories over the years about the origins of the words on "One," ranging from conflicts in the band at the time to philosophical discussions, there's just a timeless tension in the feeling of the dialogue. It almost becomes uncomfortable with emotion.

Luckily, those rocky areas are where the road-worn voice of Vedder shines the brightest. During a 2022 Kennedy Center tribute to U2, he covered "One" while the band (much like Springsteen for "My City in Ruins") sat front and center looking on. Vedder has the kind of distinct voice that would make you believe any song is his own, as he can just take on almost any lyrical persona's crown and comfortably wear it. You believe the world he sets out for you, and it makes this version of "One" a beautiful thing.

5 Keep Me In Your Heart (Warren Zevon)

A Touching Tribute To A Loss

The sorely underrated singer/songwriter Warren Zevon released his final album, The Wind, in 2003, which he recorded shortly after receiving a medical diagnosis of terminal lung cancer. The record was actually released just after Zevon ed away from the illness; the final song on The Wind, called "Keep Me In Your Heart," was a heart-wrenching rumination on death. Realizing the end was near, but letting his family and friends know he'd be close to them even after he was gone.

The final song on The Wind, called "Keep Me In Your Heart," was a heart-wrenching rumination on death.

Vedder plays the song beautifully here acoustically during an appearance on the Howard Stern Show, which lets the stark, sad beauty of the words on "Keep Me In Your Heart" hang out in their spare threads. Vedder is so sweetly faithful to the message of the track and at keeping the prolific spirit of Zevon alive and thriving. His songwriting is too good to miss or be forgotten.

6 Hard Sun (Indio)

A Wildly Good Cover Take

Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Peterson wrote the song "Hard Sun" under the stage name Indio for his lone studio album, 1989's Big Harvest. The record is mostly seen as a cult classic, with "Hard Sun" being the only song to reach a Top 10 chart hit in Canada. Peterson walked away from the music industry shortly after the record's release due to his love for the music coming into conflict with the expectations being placed upon him by the business side of things.

Vedder covered "Hard Sun" on the 2007 soundtrack for Into The Wild, which is technically his first solo album. While his version is mostly similar (other than some minor lyrical alterations), Vedder's has a bit of a sharper, rockier edge to it that adds more energy to the song. The track fits well into the theme of the film with its clearly environmental-leaning themes, and Vedder sends it home with his immediately charming style.

7 Wildflowers (Tom Petty)

This Cover Belongs Somewhere Free

The late, great Tom Petty's second solo album, Wildflowers (produced by Rick Rubin), came out in 1994 and remains a classic opus in Petty's catalog to this day. The title track feels like Petty distilled down to his most essentially low-tempo style, incorporating a mixture of country folk sway and the type of signature Petty mood chill that makes it easy to see why "Wildflowers" was always a fan favorite during his career.

Vedder picks up the baton of this chilled-out groove perfectly on his take on "Wildflowers," needing only an acoustic guitar and his trademark husky tones to carry on the song lovingly, especially with Petty no longer with us. We need good voices to carry on the legacy of tracks like "Wildflowers," and Vedder is more than eager to deliver. Get happy and give this one a listen.

8 Don't Dream It's Over (Crowded House)

A Refreshed Take On An 80s Ballad

I'm sure that Crowded House's 1986 ballad "Don't Dream It's Over" would be well-ranked on most lists memorializing the best songs from that decade, and rightly so. There's just something about the longing in lead man Neil Finn's voice that gives the song such an authentic ring, even in the more stylized type of bigger production that the '80s were so well-known for. It never feels fake or put on; there's just such a belief in it.

That belief is carried over well here by Vedder and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin during a stripped-down 2016 performance at the Global Citizens Festival. Breaking "Don't Dream It's Over" down to just a guitar and piano is a great thing; it allows the feeling and vibe of the lyrics to breathe more openly and in greater detail. It doesn't hurt that Vedder and Martin flow really well together here as a duet, bringing their (somewhat) contrasting styles together in good harmony.

9 Throw Your Arms Around Me (Hunters & Collectors)

Hunting And Collecting This Class Cover Version

Australian rockers Hunters & Collectors had one of their biggest hits in 1984 with "Throw Your Arms Around Me," which was a chart-topper for years in Australia and covered by groups ranging from the aforementioned Crowded House to Canadian band Spirit of the West. The song illustrated the narrator's intense physical love for their partner, giving the track an intimate, up-close feeling.

Vedder was able to embody the spirit of "Throw Your Arms Around Me" while covering the song with Crowded House's Neil Finn during a live session in 2014. The pair make a smooth duet between Vedder's baritone and Finn's higher tone, and it's clearly evident the pair have a reverence for each other's work. The cover strips away that '80s production once again and just leaves some bare bones that are a joy to hear.

10 Comfortably Numb (Pink Floyd)

A Fitting Ode To Floyd Feeling

Just hearing the words "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd evokes such an exhilarating feeling of timeless classic rock and knowing that you're about to hear a song that goes down smoothly with a palpable electricity every time. Recorded for Pink Floyd's 1979 conceptual statement album The Wall, "Comfortably Numb" comes from lyrics bassist Roger Waters developed from an experience where he was given tranquilizers by a doctor so he could perform at a show.

As a result, the song has this weirdly sluggish power that very much feels like it's being listened to in a filter through those tranquilizers. Vedder's vocals (as usual) add a great layer to this cover with Waters himself, and he sings his lines with a ion for the material that he never seems to leave home without. As always, Vedder makes you believe in the story even if it wasn't his own to start with, and that's just one reason why he's just so good at covering classic material like this.