Artists who have never recorded a cover?

Amon Duul II
Hawkwind
Dire Straits
Genesis
Magma (this one I'm sure about)
Rush
Supertramp

possibly Billy Joel (although I can't claim any detailed knowledge of his, ahem, output)

ps-it rools

Also, Sleater-Kinney does covers live ("Hooked on a Feeling," "White Rabbit"), but I don't think they've ever recorded any.

It's not a matter of morality. For me, it's a desire to stake out my own musical territory. I want the audience to walk away humming one of my band's original tunes, not just remember us as the band who covers Belle & Sebastian (although our Kraftwerk cover is ace). Once we get a bit more established, then I'll feel more comfortable about playing covers. (I've had this argument many, many times. Sigh.)

1. You keep it to a minimum (live or recorded) and
2. Redefine it with your own sound

Ergo, all truly great covers show off the covering band's sound by demonstrating what they can do with a song people may already know.

Now, having half your set/demo be covers...that's a different thing entirely, and I do totally agree that it will compromise things.

I was just reminded of a Polnareff cover they did thanks to Z; also there's a radio session version of "Whiskey in the Jar" that saw an official release on a charity album.

Didn't Radiohead do a really chronic Aphex Twin cover version album?

(sorry, couldn't resist)

Roxy: "Eight Miles High" (Byrds) and "The MIdnight Hour" (W.Pickett) and "Like a Hurricane" (N. Young) on "Flesh & Blood"

There is a house in New Orleans
They call the 'Rising Sun'
And it's been the ruin of many a young poor boy
And, God, I know I'm one

My mother was a tailor
Sewed my new blue jeans
My father was a gamblin' man
Down in New Orleans
Now the only thing he ever needs
Is a suitcase and a trunk
And the only time he's satisfied
Is when he's on a drunk

Oh, Mother tell your children
Not to do what I have done
Spend your lives in sin and misery
In the House of the Rising Sun
With one foot on the platform
And the other foot on the train
I know he's back to New Orleans
To wear that ball and chain

Well there is a house in New Orleans
They call the 'Rising Sun'
And its been the ruin of many a young poor boy
And God, I know I'm one

...with Jandek's version:

My mother was a tailor
She sewed these new blue jeans
My father was a gambler
Down in New Orleans
The only thing a gambler needs
His suitcase and a trunk
The only pleasure he gets out of life
When he’s all drunk
I know the song I sing when
I spend my time in
Down at the Rising Sun
So mother tell your children
Not to do what I have done
Spend my life in — sitting in misery
Down in the Rising Sun

Almost exactly the same (except rearranged), no?

(if you're willing to discount Evita and that whole Santa Baby thing)

madonna also did that dick tracy soundtrack with some period pieces on it.

i have a few radiohead performed... "sunday bloody sunday" for example...

i think kraftwerk covered my grandpa's CS101 homework entitled, "HELLO WORLD!"
m.

Black Sabbath had two covers on their first lp (UK edition) (one cover on the US edition).

I gotta believe Evan was joking. Anyway, if he wasn't, Yes had a Beatles and a Byrds cover on their 1st lp (and technically "Beyond and Before" is a cover of a tune originally performed by Chris Squire's first group).

One artist who's never recorded a cover on any of his studio records is Bruce Springsteen. But he has contributed a couple covers to tribute records and the like.

Joe Jackson?
Kate Bush?

Blur must have done covers, but I can't think of any off the top of my head.

They've done "Strange Fruit" and also two Christmas tunes ("Winter Wonderland" and the deliriously happy "Frosty the Snowman").

Kate Bush

She has covered Donovan's "Lord of the Reedy River" and Roy Harper's "Another Day" (with Peter Gabriel).

Joe Jackson

He covered XTC's "Statue of Liberty."

Er, read upwards.

That isn't a Sinead song. It's easy to think so because it was written by another O'Connor. Anyway, Dead Can Dance covered "How Fortunate the Man With None" by Brecht on Into the Labyrinth.

If you must be completist...

A Night Like This [Cure]
Clones (We're All) [Cooper]
Dancing in the Moonlight [Thin Lizzy]
Destination Unknown [Missing Persons]
Dreaming [Blondie]
Girl Named Sandoz [Animals]
Jackie Blue [Ozark Mtn Daredevils]
Landslide [Nicks]
My Blue Heaven [Whiting/Donaldson]
Never Let Me Down [Depeche Mode]
Over the Rainbow [Harburg/Arlen]
Rock On [Essex]
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer [traditional]
Sad Peter Pan [Chestnutt]
Soul Power [James Brown]
Terrapin [Syd Barrett]
You're All I've Got Tonight [Cars]

technically true, but the dude has had four, count 'em four, chart or radio hits with covers: "trapped," "war," "jersey girl" and "santa claus is comin' to town."

not to mention that his not-so-good studio album "human touch" had two three-quarter covers: "cross my heart," largely borrowed from sonny boy williamson (to whom springsteen gave a co-writing credit) and the traditional children's tune "pony boy," on which springsteen gave himself a co-writing credit.