5 of the Most Covered Rock Classics All Written by One Legendary Band

Cover songs have always played a major role in music. Many artists start their careers by reworking the songs they admire, while others use covers to show respect to the musicians who shaped them. In rock, five of the most frequently covered songs all share the same origin. Each was written by The Beatles—or one of its members—and their timeless themes have kept them alive through hundreds of new interpretations.

1. “Let It Be”

“Let It Be” arrived in 1970 on The Beatles’ final album. But before fans heard the original version, Aretha Franklin released her own take in January of that year, making her version one of the rare covers that came out before the official release. Today, there are 577 recorded covers of the song, proving its lasting impact.

Paul McCartney had actually sent the demo to producer Jerry Wexler in 1969, hoping Franklin would sing it. She delivered a strong and distinct version that sounded different from the band’s recording yet still carried the song’s message. Her interpretation showed how easily “Let It Be” could be reshaped by another powerful voice.

2. “Hey Jude”

Released in 1968 as a stand-alone single, “Hey Jude” helped launch Apple Records, The Beatles’ new label. Over time, the song has inspired 568 covers. McCartney wrote it for John Lennon’s son Julian during a difficult time, as Lennon had left his first wife Cynthia for Yoko Ono. The band’s tension only grew in the months that followed.

Even with those challenges, McCartney has kept the song close. He still performs it at nearly every show, a sign of its personal meaning. “Hey Jude” continues to connect with audiences because of its emotional honesty and anthemic ending.

3. “Something”

George Harrison’s “Something,” featured on Abbey Road in 1969, has generated 567 covers. The first line was inspired by James Taylor’s “Something in the Way She Moves,” and the song quickly became one of Harrison’s most praised works. Still, Harrison admitted to mixed reactions to early covers.

“I wasn’t really into Frank – he was the generation before me,” he once said of Frank Sinatra’s version. But he appreciated others: “when Smokey Robinson did it and when James Brown did it.” Over time, he embraced every version, saying that a good song shows its strength when many artists choose to interpret it.

4. “Imagine”

John Lennon’s “Imagine,” released in 1971, remains his most famous solo track. It has been covered 565 times and recognized by Guinness as one of the greatest singles ever. Lennon later shared that much of the lyrical concept came from Yoko Ono’s poetry, and in 2017 she finally received co-writing credit.

He openly reflected on this: “A lot of it—the lyric and the concept—came from Yoko… but in those days I was a bit more selfish, a bit more macho, and I sort of omitted her contribution, but it was right out of Grapefruit.” The song’s simple message continues to reach listeners around the world.

5. “Here, There and Everywhere”

Released on the 1966 album Revolver, “Here, There and Everywhere” has inspired 562 covers. Mainly written by Paul McCartney, it was a favorite of both him and John Lennon. McCartney once shared that he wrote much of it while sitting by Lennon’s pool, waiting for him to wake up.

“I sat out by the pool on one of the sun chairs with my guitar and started strumming in E,” he said. “By the time he’d woken up, I had pretty much written the song, so we took it indoors and finished it up.” Its gentle melody and sincere lyrics have made it one of the most beloved Beatles ballads.