The Greatest Cover Songs of All-time 5. Sinéad O'Connor - 'Nothing Compares 2 U'

The Greatest Cover Songs of All-time 5. Sinéad O'Connor - 'Nothing Compares 2 U'

From Hitmaker Chronicles by Hitmakers Music Podcast / Caloroga Shark Media

May 10, 2026 · 14 min

About this episode

The episode explores the impact of Sinéad O'Connor's cover of 'Nothing Compares 2 U' and its significance in music history.

Prince wrote "Nothing Compares 2 U" in 1984, gave it to side project band The Family. 1985: released as album track eight, Paul Peterson sang it beautifully, nobody noticed. The Family disbanded after one album. Five years later, Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor recorded it for her second album with stark production and raw vulnerability. January 1990: released with John Maybury's iconic video—Sinéad's face in extreme close-up against black background, the single tear at 2:40. #1 in seventeen countries, four weeks US #1, biggest-selling single of 1990 worldwide. MTV phenomenon. The tear was real—thinking about her abusive mother. Prince eventually tried to reclaim it, but too late. Garrett Fisher explores generosity, vulnerability, and how Sinéad made Prince's song eternal. Unlock an ad-free podcast experience with Caloroga Shark Media! Get all our shows on any player you love, hassle free! For Apple users, hit the banner on your Apple podcasts app. For Spotify or other players, visit caloroga.com/plus . No plug-ins needed! Subscribe now for exclusive shows like 'Palace Intrigue,' and get bonus content from Deep Crown (our exclusive Palace Insider!) Or get 'Daily Comedy News,' and '5…

People in this episode

Host: Garrett Fisher

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Family

Books & works: Nothing Compares 2 U

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