The Greatest Nirvana Cover Songs of All Time

2025-08-12

Grunge rock band Nirvana.

Audio Ink Radio names three Nirvana cover songs that the band performed during their legendary MTV Unplugged performance in 1993. – Author: Anne Erickson, Photo from Anton Corbijn

The late Kurt Cobain and Nirvana are known for changing the musical landscape in the early 1990s with their influential sophomore album, 1991’s “Nevermind.” The record became one of the biggest rock records of all time, and hits such as “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “In Bloom,” “Lithium” and “Come As You Are” really changed the future of popular music.

But, some of Nirvana’s most loved songs are actually covers. While Nirvana is best known for its grungy originals that set the blueprint for a generation of Seattle music, they also shined at making unique cover song choices and making those cover songs their own.

Cobain wasn’t just a musician, he was also a fan of music, and that came out in Nirvana’s cover choices. He listened to all kinds of bands and musicians growing up, and some of those became inspirations for covers. In honor of Nirvana’s admirable cover picks, Audio Ink Radio presents its tally of the greatest Nirvana cover songs of all time.

The Best Nirvana Cover Songs

“Lake of Fire,” Originally By Meat Puppets

“Lake of Fire” is a song by alternative rockers the Meat Puppets, written by vocalist and guitarist Curt Kirkwood. The song is off the band’s second album, “Meat Puppets II,” which dropped in April of 1984. Nirvana made this song even bigger than it was when the Meat Puppets released it when Cobain and company covered the song during their MTV Unplugged appearance in November 1993. It’s one of the songs that really stood out during that performance, and some viewers didn’t even know it was a cover song.

“Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” Originally By Led Belly and a Traditional

In November of 1983, at the aforementioned performance, Nirvana wrapped up their MTV Unplugged special with a cover of the “Where Did You Sleep Last Night.” Nirvana was covering the version of the song by Lead Belly, a folk and blues musician who was popular between the late-1800s and mid-1900s. But, this song is considered a traditional and something that has been around for generations. Cobain poured his heart into this song, and it turned an old spiritual into a modern rock anthem.

“The Man Who Sold the World,” Originally By David Bowie

One of Nirvana’s most famous covers is of David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold the World.” The song appears on Bowie’s album of the same name, which marked his third studio album and arrived on Mercury Records in the United States in November of 1970. This is another song that Cobain and the guys of Nirvana performed during their 1993 MTV Unplugged special. “The song’s subject is a man who feels as though he sold out his identity, a metaphor for the ‘world’ of his youth,” Genius describes. “Kurt Cobain felt the same way at this time in his career and did everything in his power to distance himself from Nirvana’s incredible fame.”

So, Nirvana rewrote history with their covers of these precious songs. While “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is a great number, it’s certainly worth going past it and looking at how Cobain and Nirvana made other artists’ songs their own. Also find Audio Ink Radio’s feature on Nirvana’s best dep cuts and rarities.

Anne Erickson
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Posted by Anne Erickson | Features, Grunge, Music

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