While he might be on top of the rap world with his auto-crooned trap bangers, Post Malone comes from a surprisingly varied musical background. Before “White Iverson” took Posty into the stratosphere, Austin Richard Post simply wanted to learn guitar because of his love for Guitar Hero 3. The rhythm game — which sees players face off against Tom Morello and Slash and features songs like “Paranoid,” “Even Flow,” and, of course, “Through the Fire and Flames” — quietly remains one of Malone’s biggest influences.
Though his biggest hits usually feature Malone strutting over expensive-sounding beats, he just can’t seem to keep the guitar out of his hands. During his live shows, Posty breaking out his acoustic to cover one of his favorite tunes gets just as much applause as when the first notes of “Congratulations” or “Rockstar” play over the PA. It’s also earned him a begrudging respect from the rock and metal communities.
And with a background in metalcore, the kid’s got chops. More often than not, his renditions of grunge, metal, or country classics are embraced by both fans of Post Malone and those of the original artist. There’s something about his earnest love for the songs he chooses to cover that wins over fans of any genre. Even if you have a bias against face tattoos or solid gold grills, how could you deny the smile on his face when he’s playing the solo from “Santeria”?
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By all accounts, Malone has no intention of ceasing his practice of publicly honoring his favorite musicians. Fresh off the back of his latest album, Twelve Carat Toothache, he unleashed a cover of Pearl Jam’s “Better Man.” At least over here at Consequence, Malone channeling his inner Eddie Vedder is already going over better than anything off of Twelve Carat Toothache.
So, though we might have recently bemoaned his skills as a songwriter, let’s celebrate Malone’s undeniable talents as a song stylist. And, hey, if Elvis Presley is anything to go by, that’s really what makes an icon anyways. Check out our picks for the 10 best Post Malone covers below, in no particular order.
— Jonah Krueger
