Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Cover Versions

Cover Versions

Tears for Fears bassist Curt Smith included a solo acoustic version of the song on his 2000 EP Aeroplane.

In addition, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" has been covered by the following artists:

• Alpha Rev has covered the song during their live conerts.
• American singer Gloria Gaynor, on her 1986 album The Power Of Gloria Gaynor.
• British guitarist Hank Marvin, on his 1992 album Into the Light.
• American smooth jazz act Fattburger, on their 1996 album All Natural Ingredients.
• British entertainer Shane Richie, on his 1998 album The Album.
• Jamaican reggae artist Ken Boothe, on the 2001 compilation album The Reggae Rocks: The Tide Is High - A Tribute to Rock 'N' Roll.
• Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Emmerson Nogueira, on his 2003 album Versao Acustica, Vol. 3.
• American alternative rock duo JamisonParker, on the 2005 compilation album Punk Goes 80's.
• British singer-songwriter Christian Burns, on the soundtrack to the 2005 film Sky High.
• American rock singer Patti Smith on her April 2007 album Twelve.
• American jazz trio The Bad Plus on their 2007 release Prog.
• American indie pop-rock group Clare & the Reasons on the re-release of their album The Movie.
• A Swedish language version, titled "Alla vill ha hela världen," appears on the 2009 album En hand i himlen by Jonathan Johansson.
• American finger-style guitarist Andy McKee on his 2010 album, Joyland
• The dark cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls insert a musical quotation of it, with different but similar lyrics, in their song "My Alcoholic Friends" from their 2006 album Yes, Virginia....
• In 2010, Australian actor/singer Jason Donovan recorded a cover version of "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" for his 80s covers album "Soundtrack of the 80s".
• American R&B group Dru Hill on their 2010 album InDRUpendance Day.
• New Zealand R&B singer J.Williams released a cover called "Want to Rule the World" in 2011
• American pop punk group Relient K recorded a cover of the song for inclusion on their 2011 EP, Is for Karaoke.
• American R&B singer Kevin Cossom released a cover called "Rule the World" on his mixtape, By Any Means. on March 2011.
• American country pop singer Jaron and the Long Road to Love played the song on his YouTube channel.
• in 2011, Australian singer-songwriter Andy Bull recorded a version the song live-to-air on the Australian National Youth Broadcaster, Triple J radio, for the stations weekly Like a Version segment. The recording was voted by Triple J listeners in an online poll as one of The Top 5 "Like a Version" recordings of 2011 and featured subsequently on the Like a Version compilation CD and DVD.
• Pop punk group Care Bears on Fire covered the song for their 2010 EP Girls Like It Loud. This version was recently featured on the HBO series True Blood where it is played at the end of the season 5 episode of the same name.
• Neo-soul singer Anthony David covered the song as a duet with his cousin Shawn Stockman of the group Boyz II Men on his 2011 album As Above So Below.
• In 2012, the third episode entitled "Makeover" of the popular television series Glee's fourth season featured a solo performance of the song by Darren Criss (playing the role of Blaine Anderson). The song was critically acclaimed by critics and audiences alike.