Watching your favorite bands playing other artist’s music can be truly satisfying. It gives musicians a chance to diversify their songbook with classic hits, throwbacks, and even some newly popular songs, while also giving concert attendees, old and new, something special to remember the show. It’s an authentic nod of appreciation when a concert becomes an honest tribute to another artist’s musicianship.

With that being said, we dove deep to find some of the most memorable covers from 2015. Music, the gift that keeps on giving, continues to give with these righteous acts of appreciation.

15. Dopapod covers Stone Temple Pilot’s “Interstate Love Song” days after the passing of frontman Scott Weiland.

14. The Revivalists don Prince costumes for their Halloween performance at The 9:30 Club in DC, getting in full character for “Purple Rain.”

13. Tipping their hats to The Grateful Dead’s 50th Anniversary, Thievery Corporation brings “Fire On The Mountain” into their mix.

12. The Main Squeeze tribute Bob Marley in this unique 360° video of “Sun Is Shining.”

11. Dopapod and Turkuaz join forces as ‘Dopakuaz Plays Studio 54’ for Catskill Chill and perform “A Fifth of Beethoven,” originally by Walter Murphy (based on the composition by Ludwig van Beethoven).

10. High And Mighty Brass Band bring Louis Armstrong’s “I’ll Be Glad When You’re Dead, You Rascal You” to new heights for Bowlive 6.

9. Break Science Live Band (feat. Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff, Jesus Coomes, & The Shady Horns Eric “Benny Bloom” and Ryan Zoidis) break it down with a De La Soul classic “Me, Myself, & I” at Aura Music Festival.

8. The New Mastersounds lend their funky fingers in this Phish classic “Cars Trucks Buses.”

 

7. Dean Ween Group pays tribute to Eagles of Death Metal with “I Love You All The Time,” a song currently being performed and recorded by bands worldwide, with all proceeds going to charity as a way to stand firmly above the tragedies that took place in Paris on November 13th.

 6. Soulive, featuring Charles Bradley and The Shady Horns, perform an emotional “The World (Is Going Up In Flames)” for Bowlive 6.

5. Tedeschi Trucks Band And Friends tribute Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs & Englishmen album at Lockn’ Festival [Full Set]

4. Dead & Company play tribute to Allen Toussaint on the night of his passing with a touching “Dear Prudence–>Get Out Of My Life Woman” in Worcester, MA.

 

3. Umphrey’s McGee records the Beatles’ classic “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” for their London Sessions in Studio 2 at the infamous Abbey Road, in one day. 

2. String Cheese Incident welcome GZA, Antibalas Horns, Sheryl Renee, Leonard Julien to honor all of the seventies with their “Ghoul Train” themed set at Suwanee’s Hulaween.

1. And perhaps the most effective tribute, Phish covers “Roses Are Free”, as they do, but most importantly, Trey makes a plea for the return of his favorite band Ween at the end of their jam. Last month, those prayers were answered as Ween announced reunion shows in Colorado, which has since extended to playing a festival in Florida and three nights in NYC. Long live the Boognish!

Have a great rest of the year and we’ll see you in 2016!