Hi The Music Man readers – today we want to settle something once and for all – what is the ULTIMATE “Sound of Silence” rendition?! In this article, we’re taking a deep dive into one of the most iconic songs ever – Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sound of Silence” – But here’s the twist: we’ve gathered 12 incredible renditions of this legendary tune, which our readers have consistently said they love, each bringing its own unique flair! If you’ve just voted, click here to see the current results!
From hauntingly beautiful covers by relatively unknown artists to electrifying rock versions, we’ve got it all covered. So, which version will reign supreme? That’s where YOU come in! Scroll through our ultimate showdown of “Sound of Silence” covers, and at the end, cast your vote in our poll (at the bottom of the page) for the rendition that blew your mind the most! Don’t forget to drop a comment on Facebook with who you voted for. So let’s get this show on the road! First off we have American Idol winner, Iam Tongi, who put in a sensational live acoustic version during the competition:
Next up, we have Henk Poort. This dramatic version of “The Sound of Silence” was so powerful many fans said it was even better than Simon and Garfunkel’s original and also rivals Disturbed’s mega cover.
Dutch baritone Henk Poort delivered an epic version of the song on Dutch TV, first opening with a stately and delicate vocal, before ramping up the song into rock territory and finally a throaty heavy metal roar. The hosts sat there in shock and were just eating it up as Poort absolutely went to town on the song.
The silky smooth voices of Celtic Thunder. Two singers named Keagan and Harkin walked on stage for a majestic performance of “The Sound Of Silence” that would become one of the most popular covers of this classic song. Their performance at the Helix Theater in Dublin, has some of the cleanest harmonies you’ll ever hear as they really highlight the beautiful melodies in this haunting song.
Fans have said the duo manage to capture the essence of Simon and Garfunkel in their performance, which is a massive compliment and not something many singers can do. Their video has caught the attention of over 17 million people and is still counting. Watch their stunning version below.
Pentatonix. An a capella band called Pentatonix stunned everyone inside the Hollywood Bowl Amphitheatre in Los Angeles with their fully vocal performance of “Sound Of Silence”.
The band are known for their incredible vocal arrangements of popular songs on YouTube, but seeing them perform one of their masterpieces live on stage was a special moment. Fans were quick to note that, even live, they sound just like their studio recording.
Todd Hoffman. A man named Todd became interested in searching for gold after his father, Jack, told him stories of his adventures in the gold mines. Todd’s interest took him to become a professional gold prospector and eventually led him to star on the TV show Gold Rush.
With his career firmly set in the gold industry, no one would have expected him to record a viral cover of “The Sound Of Silence” – but that’s exactly what he did. Todd’s unexpected turn into the music industry resulted in him recording an incredible Disturbed-like cover that went on to receive over 16 million views and is still counting.
Jaydn Rylee. Let us introduce you to Jadyn Rylee, a young lady from Canada who is only 17 years old but already has 368,000 subscribers to her YouTube channel. Born on February 14th 2006, Jadyn says her parents Colin and Tara told her she began singing when she was just two years old. By the age of three, she had learned Miley Cyrus’ hit song The Climb and her family started to realise that she may have genuine talent.
Alongside YouTube drumming sensation Sina, Jadyn performed a powerful cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sound Of Silence”. Based on the backing of Disturbed’s version of the song, their cover has racked up over 22 millions views on YouTube.
Tom Ball. Tom Ball hit the headlines once again after he appeared on America’s Got Talent All-Stars. His fantastic vocal control is a thing of beauty as he effortlessly sings some of the hardest notes you’ll ever hear.
Tom first appeared on Britain’s Got Talent. Despite not winning the show, Tom was clearly an exceptional talent that would go on to do wonderful things in the music industry. With vocals that will leave the hairs all over your body standing on end, watch his incredible BGT finals performance where he delivered a stunning rendition of “Sound Of Silence” and marvel over the insane last notes he pulls off.
Gregorian. A group of singers dressed as monks sang a rendition of “The Sound Of Silence” that would become one of the most popular versions of this classic song. Their cover combines a fusion of pop and choral music with a sprinkling of new-age mysticism transforming this beautiful song into something very special to watch.
Their unique rendition has received over 21 million views across multiple social platforms as these “monks” deliver a beautiful twist to a well-known classic.
Disturbed. Disturbed’s cover of “Sound Of Silence” was such a hit that some people even think it’s the original. Their cover is a complete style change from the original and has racked up over 1 billion views – yes BILLION! Madness for a cover. They are certainly the one to beat.
In an interview, Disturbed vocalist David Draiman explained that the band never planned covers ahead of time. It was only when they came together in the studio to create material for an album that they would talk about whether they’d like to include any covers.
Peyton Parish. Fans of Disturbed’s version have also shown great love for this cover by Viking singer – Peyton Parish.
From the outset, it is clear that Parrish is not simply copying Disturbed. Whereas Disturbed’s David Draiman starts singing against a melodic piano backdrop, Peyton Parrish’s take soon incorporates a drone that sets up his throaty low-bass take on the opening lines, which contrasts with Draiman’s less growly, more operatic baritone.
Disturbed featuring Myles Kennedy. During a Disturbed concert in Houston the band put on an extra special performance of their incredible “Sound Of Silence” cover when they were joined by Myles Kennedy from Alter Bridge. The raw, raspy, haunting quality of David Draiman’s voice melds and harmonises beautifully with Myles Kennedy’s.
It adds a totally new dimension to the song and somehow makes an already wonderful cover even better. It’s like Simon and Garfunkel’s darker twins are singing. A video taken of the concert instantly went viral on YouTube as Disturbed fans flocked to watch this unique live cover.
If you think that the original still reigns supreme, then give Simon and Garfunkel your vote. When Simon and Garfunkel walked on stage to perform “The Sound Of Silence”, fans didn’t know it would be one of the last times ever. In a surprise live performance of ‘The Sound of Silence’ the pair reunite on stage and appear to be the best of friends, smiling and singing to a very happy crowd full of cheering fans.
A year later, Simon and Garfunkel performed what became their last public performance. This video, which has racked up over 108 million views, will go down in history as their last recorded performance as the duo showcase their incredible harmonies one last time.