Slate’s Carl Wilson says covers and interpolations are as valid as originals—even Bob Dylan borrowed all the time. In this mini-episode of Hit Parade, host Chris Molanphy is joined by Slate chief music critic Carl Wilson, who discusses cover songs and why his 2018 predication of a comeback for covers didn’t quite pan out. Carl [...] Read more

A smash remake of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” has reminded us of the power of cover songs. But why are hit covers so rare today? Cover songs once had a simple playbook: Artists would faithfully rerecord a song—note for note and word for word. They might modernize the instrumentation. If they were feeling radical, they’d [...] Read more