| Genre | Live music |
|---|---|
| Running time | 8:00 am–8:15 am |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Language(s) | English |
| Home station | triple j |
| Hosted by | Concetta Caristo and Bryce Mills (current) |
| Starring | Various |
| Created by | Mel Bampton |
| Original release | 2005 – present |
| Audio format | Stereophonic sound |
| Website | www |
Like a Version is a weekly segment on Australian youth radio station Triple J. It involves Australian and international artists playing two songs live in the Triple J studio, one of their own songs (an "original") and then a cover version, hence the name of the segment. The title is wordplay on the song "Like a Virgin" by Madonna.
It was created by Mel Bampton as part of the Mel in the Morning program.[1] The segment was later moved to Robbie Buck's Drive program,[2] and then to the Breakfast Show.[3] Due to the intimate nature of the presenters' studio, the performances in the segment's early years were often acoustic or otherwise stripped-back. In more recent years, however, the performances have been moved into a larger studio to allow for full-band performances. The segment has grown in popularity over the years, leading to the release of compilation CDs featuring the covers. Some particularly well-received covers have also made it into the Triple J Hottest 100. All Like a Version performances are filmed by Triple J and are made available on the Triple J website and YouTube channel.
Like a Version is comparable to BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge and Irish Today FM's Even Better Than the Real Thing.
On 15 July 2023, Triple J celebrated 20 years of Like A Version by hosting a special edition of its annual Hottest 100 countdown with the Triple J Hottest 100 of Like a Version. Listeners were able to vote for their favourite Like A Version's of the past 20 years as a celebration of the segment. Third place was taken by Ocean Alley's cover of Player's "Baby Come Back", second place was Denzel Curry's cover of Rage Against the Machine's "Bulls on Parade" and the top spot was taken by DMA's cover of Cher's "Believe".[4]