Best Acoustic Covers - January 2026
We kicked off the year with a bang: August brought no fewer than six acoustic covers, spanning four different musical genres. A pretty impressive start, and honestly a great reminder of how versatile and creative the acoustic world can be.
House of the Rising Sun - Lizzy McAlpine
The first cover is House of the Rising Sun by Lizzy McAlpine, released for the third episode of season three of School Spirits. This is almost a ‘meta-cover,’ since Lizzy’s version closely follows Joan Baez’s rendition in terms of key and guitar arpeggio. And I’ll say it: I might even like this one more. Her voice is just stunning here. I’ll probably end up publishing a guitar tutorial for this version, so stay tuned!
My Give a Damn’s Busted - Chandler Marie
Next up is My Give a Damn’s Busted by Chandler Marie, an emerging artist based in Nashville, TN, whom I discovered thanks to a friend. The original isn’t exactly a country classic, but it definitely has all the ingredients of a honky-tonk song. Chandler Marie turns it into a more chilled acoustic version while keeping the same vocal fire and attitude. If you’ve got a soft spot for country acoustic covers, this one’s right up your alley.
I Was Young When I Left Home - Adam Simons
The third cover is I Was Young When I Left Home by Adam Simons. Much like Timothée Chalamet did in A Complete Unknown, Adam chose to shorten the song (Dylan’s original runs for over five minutes, after all). The formula is a familiar and effective one: fingerstyle guitar and voice. This time, though, Adam adds an instrumental section with a harmonica riff that fits perfectly. It slips effortlessly into his growing catalog of acoustic covers.
Sapphire - Acoustic Version - Jonah Baker
Then we have Sapphire by Jonah Baker. I’ll be honest here: Jonah’s acoustic version is much better than Ed Sheeran’s own Unplugged Version. It’s not the first time one of Ed’s acoustic takes hasn’t convinced me (I always think of Castle on the Hill – Acoustic, which I personally find unlistenable), so I’m glad someone else stepped in with a stronger reinterpretation. Jonah really shines: just guitar switching between arpeggiated verses and a more rhythmic chorus, plus piano and a few maracas. The result is more relaxed, without losing the original groove.
Fireflies - Acoustic - trolly
The fifth cover is Fireflies by trolly. As I mentioned before, here comes the charango again and honestly, you don’t miss the synths from Owl City’s original at all. The combination of charango and acoustic guitar works beautifully. The rest you already know by now: this is the sixth trolly cover I’ve recommended, and for good reason.
Creep - Joseph Vincent
Last but not least is Creep by Joseph Vincent, another artist who regularly releases acoustic covers and who I probably should have mentioned earlier because he’s really good. I know what some of you might be thinking: “Oh no, another acoustic cover of Creep, like we don’t already have enough.” And you’re not wrong. But this one stands out. Joseph turns the song from alternative rock into an acoustic R&B track, making it a perfect fit even for my R&B playlist.
Six covers, six different takes, and plenty of reasons to hit play. As always, I’m curious: which one is your favorite?