Triple J’s Like A Version covers are the perfect pick-me-up for the winter blues

Life is stressful. Sometimes it’s difficult to unwind. For me, a surefire method to improve my mood when I’m feeling down has been watching Australian radio station Triple J’s Like A Version series, which includes a regular segment where established and up-and-coming artists alike cover classic or new hits.

Sometimes the covers are close to the original; sometimes they’re completely different. Most of the time, they bring me a direct dose of joy, either introducing me to new artists and songs or recontextualizing my appreciation for older hits – whether I liked the original versions when I first heard them or not.

What helps tie it all together is there’s something about the environment at the studio that encourages artists to let loose in a way that feels like pure expressions of creativity and artistic delight. There’s nothing quite like the expression of love when an artist picks another artist’s work and says, Hey, I like this. I want to try my own spin on it.

So here are 10 of my favorite Triple J Like A Version covers. Most of these have been playing on repeat in my head all year long. I’d love to see some of your favorites in the comments.

And here is a recent one I liked a lot: