There’s been a lot of chatter about what Britney Spears will and won’t be doing at tonight’s MTV Video Music Awards. Maybe she’ll perform, maybe she’ll simply help open the show in some other spectacular way. Spears’ promos with host Russell Brand were certainly genius, nodding to last year’s trainwreck performance with a literal elephant in the room.

In recent months she’s pulled it together again, which is fantastic news since the constant tabloid coverage overshadowed the music. Yes, Spears is no vocal acrobatist, but her brand of pop has often proved genius as well. As evidence, artists as diverse as Nickel Creek, Hard-Fi, and Fountains Of Wayne have covered her tracks, sometimes stripping them bare. Here are two such standouts.

“Gimme More” – Sia
Originally from Australia, Sia is best known here for “Breathe Me,” the song which closed out the HBO series Six Feet Under.

Taking on Britney’s “Gimme More” for BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge, Sia delivered a pared down version. Her take recasts the slinky single in a languid light. Hear here:

“Baby One More Time” – Travis
Scotland’s Travis covered Ms. Spears’ breakout hit for a 2003 taping of VH1 Storytellers. The song was later released as a B-side to their U.S. single, “Turn.”

When vocalist/guitarist Fran Healey first played his arrangement of “Baby One More Time” for the other fellas in the band, they groaned, mistaking the intro for The Eagles’ “Hotel California.” Hear here:

Purchase Travis’ cover of “Baby One More Time” via Amazon.

Travis’ sixth album, Ode To J. Smith, is out November 4. The band previewed the forthcoming disc in late June with the J. Smith EP, available now via Amazon.

Back to Britney, whatever she does or doesn’t do on tonight’s VMAs (her “Piece Of Me” garnered three nominations), I’m sure we’ll hear about it tomorrow. Check out the action live at 9/8 Central on MTV.