Results: Hollywood can make 2nd & 3rd volumes of the same movie, or redo the same movie with a different cast years after the previously one, or even reissue the original one quite successfully. This also happens in the music business but not as often.
Published on 04/11/2025
Many artists have had success covering songs written by other artists. This survey is about artists who have been successful more than a single time with the same song, either through a re-release or through a re-working of the original song. Here are some examples where a song produced two or more paydays for the same artist years after the first success with it.
QUESTIONS
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Comments
1.
1.
You might be surprised to know that the most successful artist in this category is Bing Crosby. He was the first artist to reach number one with the same song twice, and the only one (so far) to do it three times. "White Christmas" from 1942, '45, and '46 is the highest selling single of all time. It was so popular it had to be re-recorded in 1947 because the 1942 master recording was damaged from overuse. Do you know this song was so popular?
Yes
58%
1284 votes
No
20%
448 votes
Undecided
7%
161 votes
Not Applicable
14%
307 votes
2.
2.
Many of you may be familiar with the amped up version of The Beatles song "Revolution" but they also released a slowed down version of the same song and fans also liked that one. Here is the more sedate version and, if you want to compare the two, here is the link to the more well known version. https://youtu.be/BGLGzRXY5Bw Do you like at least one of them?
Yes
45%
984 votes
No
17%
378 votes
Undecided
16%
341 votes
Not Applicable
23%
497 votes
3.
3.
Here are a few more songs that were hits for the same artists more than once. Which ones do you like?
Chubby Checker – The Twist (1960 and 1961) (#1 both times.) He also had hits with "Let's Twist Again."
54%
1177 votes
Ben E. King – Stand By Me (#4 in 1961 and #9 in 1986)
49%
1075 votes
Bobby "Boris" Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers – Monster Mash (#1 in 1962 and #10 in 1973)
36%
794 votes
Other (please specify)
1%
11 votes
Not Applicable
26%
582 votes
Neil Sedaka - Breaking Up Is Hard to Do ( 1962 and 1975, in two significantly different arrangements)
42%
932 votes
| Other Answers | Percentage | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 0.15% | 6 | |
| Layla by Eric Clapton | 0.03% | 1 |
| BlueBerry Hill by Fats Domino | 0.03% | 1 |
| Mash Potatoe | 0.03% | 1 |
| Hooked On A Feeling-Different people covered it (BJ Thomas and Blue Swede) | 0.03% | 1 |
| Wilson Pickett - When A Man Loves A Woman | 0.03% | 1 |
4.
4.
Here are a few more to end off this survey. If you know of other examples, please comment. Which of these ones do you like?
Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You (#1 in 1992 and #3 in 2012)
58%
1275 votes
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody (#9 in 1976 and #2 in 1992)
49%
1074 votes
Prince (& The Revolution) – Purple Rain (#2 in 1984 and #4 in 2016)
38%
846 votes
Other (please specify)
0%
7 votes
Not Applicable
22%
494 votes
| Other Answers | Percentage | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 0.09% | 3 | |
| When a Man Loves a Woman Song by Percy Sledge 1966 | 0.03% | 1 |
| All of Black Oak Arkansas, All of LYNYRD SKYNYRD | 0.03% | 1 |
| Napoleon the 14th-they're coming to take me away haha (#3 in 1966 and #87 in 1973) | 0.03% | 1 |
| Dolly Parton | 0.03% | 1 |
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