Finn remained a strong character throughout Glee, often veering from theme to theme and position to position. He originally began as a popular high school student committed to athleticism, football, and being "cool" before reluctantly transitioning to full-time Glee member. He then went through various transitions, including mechanic, soldier, lost soul, and Glee teacher, taking over for Mr. Schuester in season four.
Like most things on Glee, Finn's performances were often a mix of good and bad. He provided the show with some of its greatest musical numbers, but he also performed some questionable material that left fans shaking their heads in disappointment.
Best: Don't Dream It's Over
One of the sweetest performances to come from Finn has to be season four's "Don't Dream It's Over." A cover of the Crowded House original, Finn sings the song to Marley while waiting in the empty courtyard for the rest of the New Directions.
Luckily, everyone else eventually shows up and joins in for a touching group ensemble. It helps that the song has such a great and powerful source in the Crowded House original, and the performance proves one of the cutest moments of the otherwise divisive season four.
Worst: You're Having My Baby
While a decent performance on its own, Finn's singing of Paul Anka and Odia Coates' "You're Having My Baby" is one of the weirdest moments from the first season. Finn can't bring himself to tell Quinn's parents about their upcoming child (really Puck's child, not Finn's), so he decides to tell them...through song. It's even more awkward since it happens at a nice dinner party.
He brings out a stereo and begins singing the song to Quinn's parents, and audiences (and Quinn) can't help but recoil in embarrassment.
Best: The Scientist
Season four's "The Break Up" is among the saddest hours of Glee. The episode sees the end of not one, not two, but three core relationships - those of Finn and Rachel, Santana and Brittany, and Kurt and Blaine.
The episode concludes with a suitably morose cover of Coldplay's "The Scientist." It's a great cover, is beautifully sung by all involved, fits perfectly into the theme of the episode, and features a suitably minimalist production with everyone clad in black.
Worst: Losing My Religion
"Losing My Religion" may be one of Finn's worst solos. Found in the bizarre second season episode "Grilled Cheesus," "Losing My Religion" sees Finn singing about his conflicted feelings regarding belief and religion. He flip-flops throughout the episode, culminating in a sad and dejected performance of the R.E.M. classic.
Unfortunately, it's a bland performance from nearly every angle. It's predictably shoehorned into the episode's theme and it changes the song's intended meaning into a clunky and literal examination of losing religion.
Best: Girls Just Want To Have Fun
Found in season three's "I Kissed a Girl," Finn sings this Cyndi Lauper classic to show support for Santana's coming out. It's a very cute effort (even if the song itself has nothing to do with the LGBTQ+ community), and it helped depict Finn as one of the greatest guys not just in the Glee club, but in the entire student body.
The slow arrangement must also be commended, lending the song a more touching and intimate atmosphere than the energetic original. It's easily one of Monteith's greatest moments.
Worst: You've Got To Fight For Your Right To Party
It's a shame that this cover was the last song performed by Cory Monteith because it really is one of his worst. The song is performed in season four's "Sweet Dreams" and sees Finn and Puck entertaining a group of college students. Finn bangs away on the drums while Puck shreds on the guitar.
Unfortunately, the cover is lacking nearly all the unrestrained energy of the Beastie Boys original, coming across as a rather flat, safe, and "corporatized" cover of a raw and unhinged rock classic.
Best: Jessie's Girl
On the other hand, Finn's cover of "Jessie's Girl" hits all the right, energetic, and jealous notes of the Rick Springfield classic. Found in the first season episode "Laryngitis," Finn sings "Jessie's Girl" after growing concerned at the budding relationship between Rachel and Jessie St. James.
It's likely that Jessie St. James was named as such simply so Finn could sing this song, as it fits far too perfectly into the episode's storyline and theme. And while that's rather clunky and awkward, the song proves such a success that no one really cares.
Worst: Damn It, Janet
"Damn It, Janet" can be found in the second season episode "The Rocky Horror Glee Show," co-performed by Finn and Rachel. The two are playing Brad and Janet in a school production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and in this case, practicing one of the show's first musical numbers.
It's not an offensive number or anything, but it still falls rather flat owing to Monteith's vocals not fitting, especially alongside the vocally-capable Lea Michele.
Best: Loser
A far more successful Puck-Finn duet, "Loser" serves as one of the show's best numbers from season one. Found in the episode "Funk," the musical number is actually a dream sequence taking place inside Sheets-N-Things.
It helps that Beck's original is so infectiously fun, as even a bad performance of it is guaranteed to elicit at least some enjoyment. Luckily, Cory Monteith and Mark Salling prove fun and capable leads, resulting in a great bit of lighthearted enjoyment.
Worst: I'll Stand By You
There's a very cute sentiment behind "I'll Stand By You." Sung early in the show's run, the performance is meant to signal Finn's dedication to his unborn child. He sings the song to a sonogram of his daughter, and it's all very nice and touching.
Unfortunately, Cory Monteith's vocal skills weren't fitting of this song and this performance was somewhat lessened by it. In the hands (or mouth) of a diferent singer, this could have proved one of the series' more touching moments. Rather, it's more fleetingly enjoyable, if not entirely memorable.