The 8 best covers of Drake's viral 'Hotline Bling': Sam Smith, Mike Tyson, and more

RAW Embed

How the cover happened: Earlier this month, Badu dropped a seven-minute remix of "Hotline Bling" on Soundcloud, which will be released on her upcoming mixtape, "BUT U CAINT USE MY PHONE."

Why it works: Rather than just cover the song, Badu worked with musicians to recreate the song with a new intro, spoken interlude, and instrumental breakdowns.

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/xXS2EYVmUUI
Width: 800px
Height: 315px

How the cover happened: Earlier this month, Malaysian singer Yuna released covers of two popular songs on YouTube: "Hotline Bling" and Justin Bieber's "What Do You Mean?"

Why it works: Unless you focus on the lyrics, it's hard to believe that this slow, whispery rendition is a cover of "Hotline Bling." It's oddly comforting.

RAW Embed

How the cover happened: Charlie Puth, known for his No. 1 hit with Wiz Khalifa, "See You Again," and Kehlani, who released her first mixtape in April, teamed up for this collaboration.

Why it works: Puth and Kehlani took the solo slow jam and made an emotional duet out of it, and "Hotline Bling" sounds good as a slow ballad.

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/OHJtSzDjMh4
Width: 800px
Height: 315pxHow the cover happened: Inspired by Puth and Kehlani's duet, the English singer released his own short cover.

Why it works: "Hotline Bling" gets more emotional when stripped to piano, and the addition of a small medley of The Weeknd's "Can't Feel My Face" and Justin Bieber's "What Do You Mean?" fits the song surprisingly well.

RAW Embed

How the cover happened: The 19-year-old rising musician stopped by Channel V, a Sydney TV station, during a visit to Australia back in August, and performed this acoustic version of "Hotline Bling."

Why it works: Cara's gentle take on Drake's hit exudes a soulful vibe that proves the song can click without drum machines.

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/2ZeQkZiIaHY
Width: 560px
Height: 315px

How the cover happened: Jimmy Fallon had the two on "The Tonight Show" play a game called Spin the Microphone. After things landed on Adam Levine's name, he shifted it over to Pharrell Williams, who then chose Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton to sing "Hotline Bling." Their duet starts at 8:25.

Why it works: This funny duet features Stefani getting into a more relaxed vibe, with Shelton adding an occasional spoken "bling" to the mix. This brief cover is just for the laughs.

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/ErhaAxzujqo
Width: 800px
Height: 315pxHow the cover happened: Tyson was on "The Tonight Show" to promote the second season of "Mike Tyson Mysteries," when Jimmy Fallon pulled up a meme of Tyson that Questlove posted on Instagram. The meme featured lyrics from "Hotline Bling," so Tyson stood up, sang some lyrics, and danced around for a few seconds.

Why it works: It doesn't. But it's hilarious. Tyson added some... interesting lyrics and moves to his 15-second rendition.