Listen Up: The XX Covered by Gorillaz, Shakira, OMD and More

Late last week, Gorillaz (watch above) joined a list of artists who have covered songs from the xx's 2009 debut that includes Shakira, Taylor Momsen, jj, OMD, the Antlers and more. Here's a roundup of some of the most noteworthy.

Watch: The xx at Bonnaroo 2010

Swedish group jj covers "Intro" [YouTube]

Shakira takes on "Islands," retitles it "Explore" [Idolator]

Gossip Girl star Taylor Momsen and the Pretty Reckless combine "Islands" with Eminem and Rihanna's "Love the Way You Lie" [Stereogum]

Dubstep duo Various Productions and Britain's Jonquil both take on "Infinity" [Pitchfork, YouTube]

Brooklyn indie-rockers the Antlers and '80s synth-pop vets Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark both cover "VCR" [Pretty Much Amazing, Exclaim.ca]

Of course, the XX are no slouch at the covers game themselves, having served up songs by Aaliyah, Robin S., Womack & Womack and former tourmates Florence and the Machine, along with a pile of remixes.

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Song Stories

“Help Me”

Joni Mitchell | 1974

Joni Mitchell wrote and recorded this song for her album Court and Spark, but she had to switch from her regular band to make the song sound exactly the way she wanted. "I had attempted to play my music with rock & roll players," she told Rolling Stone. "They’d laugh, 'Awww, isn't that cute? She's trying to teach us how to play.'" Mitchell switched to a jazz band, Tom Scott’s L.A. Express, and scored the biggest hit of her career in the process.

More Song Stories entries »

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