The 10 Best Songs in Rock History

What are the 10 best songs in the history of rock'n'roll? I recently did an article on the 10 most influential songs in rock history, but this time I'm focusing strictly on how good the songs are...

THE 10 BEST ROCK AND ROLL SONGS OF ALL TIME
by Michael R. Burch

The best rock and roll song of all time — the rock GOAT if you will — must come from among the following candidates in my opinion. Please note that I’m construing the term “rock and roll” widely and let’s not forget why “roll” was included in the term, due to the influence of the blues, R&B, doo-wop, western swing, hillbilly and rockabilly. Rock’n’roll started out as dance music. To claim soft rock is not rock is like saying “Swimming is not a sport because I don’t like the water!”

This time I’m focusing strictly on how good the songs seem to me, as an avid listener, not on how influential the songs were.

Although it didn’t influence my decisions and was added after the ranking was compiled, I have noted where Rolling Stone ranked some of the songs in its 2021 Top 500 Songs like this: (RS#). If a song didn’t appear in the RS500, I used this notation: (RS-).

Incomprehensibly, the 2021 version of the RS500 didn’t include a single song by great musical artists like Boyz II Men, Jackson Browne, Eric Carmen, Chicago, Evanescence, Cream, Ronnie James Dio, Celine Dion, ELO, Enya, Genesis, Vince Gill, Heart, the Hollies, Sir Tom Jones, Janis Joplin, Patti LaBelle, Meatloaf, the Moody Blues, Nazareth, Aaron Neville and the Neville Brothers, Judas Priest, Simply Red, Roxette, Barbra Streisand, Supertramp, Styx, Jethro Tull, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and Yes.

Then consider the superstars with just one song apiece: AC/DC, Bee Gees, Mariah Carey, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, CSN&Y, Doobie Brothers, Journey, George Michael, Stevie Nicks, Roy Orbison, Steely Dan and Cat Stevens, just to name a few off the top of my head.

I also consulted the top 100 poems of three independent public polls taken by Ranker, Louisville Public Media, and Gold Radio (UK). The notation (H9) means the song’s highest ranking in a public poll was #9. Since this number appears beside the Rolling Stone ranking when both apply, it’s easy to see how much the “experts” and ordinary music lovers agree or disagree. Sometimes the divergences are astonishing.

The notation (H9x2) means the song’s highest ranking was #9 and that it appeared in two of the three public polls. If there is no “x” that means the song appeared in just one poll.

You are welcome to nominate other songs in the comments.

MUSIC TRIVIA

I have included snippets of trivia here and there, answering questions such as:

1. Which famous songwriter pledged to be faithful to his wife in his biggest hit, only to record a song written by his mistress that became his other greatest hit?

2. What song was investigated by the FBI for offensive/subversive lyrics but forced the investigators to give up because no one could understand what the hell was being said?

3. What song was a worldwide ecumenical movement, starting out as a pagan folk tune, then becoming a Christian children's hymn, only to end up as a hit for the West's most famous Muslim singer?

4. What song by the Rolling Stones was inspired by the French symbolist poet Charles Baudelaire?

5. How did the great medieval poet Geoffrey Chaucer possibly influence Procol Harum's eerie masterpiece "A Whiter Shade of Pale"?

6. What line from a sermon by the poet John Donne spurred the bitter refutation of a young monkish troubadour?

7. Which American rock group took its name from a line of poetry by the mystical English poet William Blake?

8. What does Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" have in common with Saint Peter's second sermon after Pentecost?

9. Which famously cheesy songwriter claimed to "write the songs that make the whole world sing" but didn't actually write the song in which he made the ultimate cheesy claim?

10. How did thinking about his own death inspire eleven minutes of a famous pianist's fury? And perhaps make his sunglasses fog up?

PUSHBACK

I continue to get reader pushback about my broad definition of the terms “rock” and “rock’n’roll.” But such terms mean what the majority of people consider them to mean. You may believe “green” actually means “yellow” but then other people won’t know what you’re talking about, which will result in verbal confusion.

So what does the public think “rock” includes?

Many polls for the greatest rock songs, have songs like “Imagine” and “Yesterday” in the top ten.

Ranker conducts public polls and the public's opinion of the best rock songs has:

(#1) “Imagine”
(#2) “Like a Rolling Stone”
(#3) “Bridge Over Troubled Water”
(#4) “Yesterday”
(#5) “Hurt” by the country singer Johnny Cash
(#6) “One” by U2

Naysayers and narrow-viewers, you ought to use the term "hard rock" and more people would agree with you. None of the top six songs above are hard rock. Neither is most of “Stairway to Heaven” or “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

And now, without further ado, let the countdown begin. Let me mention that I’m a “lyric man” and a “lyric fan.” Thus lyrics will play a major role in my number one song…

• (#10) A Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum. (RS271, H6)
  
  And so it was that later,
  As the miller told his tale,
  That her face, at first just ghostly,
  Turned a whiter shade of pale.
  
  The Rolling Stone(d) ranking is absurdly low.
  
  "A Whiter Shade of Pale" has been the most-played song at venues in the United Kingdom over the last 75 years, and justly so. It's a song that tells a haunting if somewhat surrealistic tale. The song is based on a party at which Keith Reid heard the phrase "a whiter shade of pale" ... the rest, as they say, is history. The phrase "as the miller told his tale" may refer to the Miller's Tale of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. The Miller's Tale was about a man's attempt to seduce a young woman, so we may perhaps deduce that the woman who blanched at the party turned "a whiter shade of pale" because she was being propositioned. (This answers trivia question number five.)
  
  The music was composed by Gary Brooker with a nod to Bach’s Air on a G String and (disputed) Matthew Fisher; the lyrics were written Keith Reid. How great is this song? There are more than 1,000 known cover versions! “Whiter Shade of Pale” is one of the most commercially successful singles of all time, with over 10 million copies sold.
  
  Other notable songs by Procol Harum include Conquistador, In Held 'Twas in I, Repent Walpurgis, Homburg and A Salty Dog.

• (#9) Love Reign O'er Me, Baba O'Reilly (RS#159, H28) and My Generation (RS#232) by the Who.
  
  Only love
  can bring the rain
  that makes you yearn to the sky ...
  
  I’m not usually a Who fan, but “Love Reign O’er Me” is undeniable. It was written by Pete Townshend and became the ultimate all-out rock anthem, belted out to rock god perfection by Roger Daltrey. The song was covered by Pearl Jam and furnished the title of the movie Reign O'er Me. For the definitive cover, check out Bettye LaVette's version. Still, I imagine the young, brash Roger Daltrey owns this one for all time. Won't Get Fooled Again (RS#295) was nominated by David Eisenberg. Other notable Who songs include Who Are You, Eminence Front, Pinball Wizard, Behind Blue Eyes, Magic Bus, The Seeker and You Better You Bet.

• (#8) Piece of My Heart (RS-, H74) by Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Company. Incredibly, Joplin has zero songs in the updated (or downgraded) RS500.
  
  Didn't I make you feel
  like you were the only man?
  An' didn't I give you nearly everything
  that a woman possibly can?
  
  Rolling Stone nominated "Piece of My Heart" as the 344th greatest song of the modern era, then left it out of its top 500, which only illustrates the dark, murky depths to which music "experts" are capable of sinking. This may be the greatest all-out rock/blues performance by a female singer, or by any rock/blues singer, male or female. Also Me and Bobby McGee (H35x2), written by Kris Kristofferson. Other notable Janis Joplin songs include Summertime, Mercedes Benz, Maybe, Kozmic Blues, Ball and Chain and Cry Baby.

• (#7) Like a Rolling Stone (RS#4, H9) by Bob Dylan was voted the number one song of all time by Rolling Stone magazine, an interesting synchronicity, although they later dropped their namesake to #4, in favor of "Respect" by Aretha Franklin. This is as close as I and Rolling Stone came to agreeing. Other notable Dylan songs include Don't Think Twice (It's All Right), The Times They Are A-Changin', A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall, It Ain't Me Babe, Lay Lady Lay, All Along the Watchtower (H22x2), Tangled Up in Blue (RS#67), Subterranean Homesick Blues (RS#187), Desolation Row (RS#83), Ballad of a Thin Man, Visions of Johanna (RS#317), Positively 4th Street, Hurricane, I Shall Be Released, Shelter from the Storm, Highway 61 Revisited, Things Have Changed, Just Like a Woman, Mr. Tambourine Man (RS#164) and Knockin' on Heaven's Door. Dylan was the first songwriter to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, a decision I agree with, as a poet, editor and publisher of poetry.

• (#7) Blowin' in the Wind (RS#100, H48) by Bob Dylan. This is a ridiculously low ranking by Rolling Stone, especially considering a large number of inferior songs ranked high above it.
  
  How many roads must a man walk down
  Before you call him a man?
  Yes, 'n' how many seas must a white dove sail
  Before she sleeps in the sand?
  Yes 'n' how many times must the cannonballs fly
  Before they're forever banned?
  The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
  The answer is blowin' in the wind.
  
  "Blowin' in the Wind," like John Lennon's "Imagine," is a highly influential song that may still be transforming human hearts and minds. How many other singers and songwriters have been influenced by these songs, and how many people have they influenced in turn?

• (#7) A Change Is Gonna Come (RS#3) by Sam Cooke. This is the second time that I and Rolling Stone agreed on top ten picks.
  
  It's been too hard living
  but I'm afraid to die
  'Cause I don't know what's up there
  beyond the sky ...
  
  "A Change Is Gonna Come" was written after Sam Cooke heard and was moved by Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind." Cooke's song became an anthem for the American Civil Rights Movement. Other notable songs by Sam Cooke include Chain Gang, Cupid, You Send Me, What a Wonderful World and Bring it on Home.

• (#6) Loves Lies Bleeding/Funeral for a Friend (RS-) by Sir Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin.
  
  This eleven-minute track was too long to be released as a single but it received quite a bit of radio air play (one critic suggested that it allowed DJs time for extended "potty breaks"). Elton John wrote the music while thinking furiously about what he wanted played at his own funeral. (This answers trivia question number ten.) The song is full of furious, bombastic chords, but they all seem to work remarkably well with the angry lyrics. Other great songs by Elton John include Your Song (RS#202, H85), Tiny Dancer (RS#47), Daniel, Levon, Island Girl, Rocket Man (RS#149, H40), Border Song, Sacrifice, Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me, Crocodile Rock, Candle in the Wind, Empty Garden (Hey Johnny Johnny), Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Honky Cat and Bennie and the Jets (RS#371). Few artists can match the number of trophies on Sir Elton’s walls.

• (#5) Fever (RS-) and Blue Moon (RS-) by Elvis Presley.
  
  Elvis Presley was like the little girl with the little curl: sometimes he was very, very good, and sometimes he was horrid (i.e., the ultimate cheesy/bombastic Vegas lounge singer, although his voice was always pure gold). If you haven't heard the young Elvis Presley sing "Fever" and "Blue Moon," click or tap below to check out the really, really good, hip, cool Elvis. It’s Now or Never is the #7 best-selling song of all time. I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You (H30x2) is is one of the most-streamed songs of the 1960s. Suspicious Minds (RS#70) continues to stream. If I Can Dream (H8) is a top ten song according to one public poll. Heartbreak Hotel (RS#348, H2) was Elvis’s first hit song. Robert Lubowitz nominated Jailhouse Rock (RS#216) and Blue Suede Shoes. Other Elvis songs of note include That's Alright Mama, Hound Dog, American Trilogy, Peace in the Valley, Tomorrow is a Long Time, Burning Love and In the Ghetto.

• (#4) Layla (RS#224) written by Eric Clapton; as performed by Derek and the Dominoes and in an acoustic version by Clapton.
  
  The Rolling Stone(d) ranking is absurdly low.
  
  Layla, you got me on my knees;
  Layla, you got me singing darlin' please ...
  
  "Layla" was written by Eric Clapton as a song of unrequited love for his friend George Harrison's wife, Pattie Boyd ... talk about a lovers' triangle! At least this one was immortalized, as Pattie Boyd has been called the inspiration for "Layla," "Something," "Wonderful Tonight" and other songs by Harrison and Clapton. Both the original and the unplugged versions of "Layla" are utterly stellar. Other notable Clapton songs include his hits with Cream―such as White Room and Sunshine of Your Love―and his solo work such as Cocaine, Change the World, Wonderful Tonight, Something, I Shot the Sheriff, Forever Man and the song he wrote for the son he lost, Tears in Heaven.

• (#4) Without You (RS#497) written by Pete Ham and Tom Evans of Badfinger; as performed by Harry Nilsson. How can anyone with ears rank this masterpiece 497th?
  
  "Without You" is a wonderfully touching song performed magically by a great singer with an ethereal voice, Harry Nilsson. Paul McCartney, who knows a thing or two about songwriting, called it the greatest rock song ever written. When John Lennon and McCartney held a press conference in 1968 to announce the formation of the Apple label, John was asked to name his favorite American artist. He replied, "Nilsson." Paul was then asked to name his favorite American group. He also replied, "Nilsson."

• (#4) Hallelujah (RS#74, H33x2) written by Leonard Cohen; as performed by Cohen and many other artists (my favorite performers of the song include Jeff Buckley, Alexandra Burke and K. D. Lang). Also, the haunting Suzanne (RS#284).
  
  Now I've heard there was a secret chord
  That David played, and it pleased the Lord
  But you don't really care for music, do ya?
  It goes like this: the fourth, the fifth
  The minor fall, the major lift,
  The baffled king composing Hallelujah
  Hallelujah, Hallelujah
  Hallelujah, Hallelujah
  
  Leonard Cohen is a poet's poet, and a songwriter's songwriter. "Hallelujah" is his masterpiece. Shannon Winestone nominated First We Take Manhattan as covered by R.E.M. Other tour de force songs by Cohen include Tower of Song, I'm Your Man and Everybody Knows.

• (#4) Unchained Melody (RS#269, H20), with music by Alex North; lyrics by Hy Zaret; as performed by the Righteous Brothers (vocals by Bobby Hatfield). Rolling Stone(d) has obviously lost its collective mind and soul.
  
  Oh, my love, my darling
  I've hungered for your touch
  a long lonely time …
  
  "Unchained Melody" is one of the most popular songs of all time, having been recorded by many different artists in various languages. If you haven't heard the version recorded by the Righteous Brothers, please be sure to browse over to YouTube and check out Bobby Hatfield's stunning, soaring vocals. His version remains the all-time best. You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ (H75) was the most-played song of the 20th century according to BMI.

• (#4) Bridge Over Troubled Water (RS#66, H4x3)) written by Paul Simon; performed by Simon & Garfunkel (vocals by Art Garfunkel). Once again Rolling Stone has lost its collective mind here, if it ever had one to begin with.
  
  When you're down and out
  When you're on the street
  When evening falls so hard
  I will comfort you ...
  
  "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is an enduring classic. Paul Simon wrote the song specifically for Art Garfunkel, shortly before the breakup of Simon & Garfunkel. Garfunkel's vocals make the original recording one of the best of all time; the song has been performed by many other singers, including Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Josh Groban and Charlotte Church. But no one to date has matched Garfunkel's angelic vocals. Other S&G classics include The Sound of Silence (RS#182, H8x3), The Boxer, America, American Tune (RS#262), I Am a Rock, April Come She Will, For Emily Wherever I May Find Her, Kathy’s Song, Mrs. Robinson, Scarborough Fair/Canticle and El Condor Pasa. (BTW, trivia question number six is answered here and will be explained in the honorable mentions.)

• (#3) Bohemian Rhapsody (RS#17, H1x3) by Queen. I have a major disagreement with Rolling Stone here. Are “Get Ur Freak On,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “Waterloo Sunset” better than this masterpiece, really? In what dimension?
  
  Is this the real life?
  Is this just fantasy?
  Caught in a landslide,
  no escape from reality ...
  
  Queen brought opera to rock, and vice versa. A rock song for the ages, "Bohemian Rhapsody" was written by the great Freddie Mercury. It’s one of the few progressive rock songs of the 1970s to cross over, top the charts and appeal to mainstream audiences.
  
  It’s the only rock song to hit #1 three times.
  
  Also, Garth and Wayne cannot be wrong!
  
  "Bohemian Rhapsody" is a madcap romp through an operatic, bombastic but gloriously energetic and frenetic lollapalooza of Rock, fronted by one of the greatest showmen of all time. Other notable Queen songs include The Show Must Go On, Who Wants to Live Forever, Under Pressure (RS#429, H31) with David Bowie, Killer Queen, We are the Champions, We Will Rock You, Don’t Stop Me Now, Somebody to Love and Crazy Little Thing Called Love.

• (#2) Stairway to Heaven (RS#61, H1x3) by Led Zeppelin. Okay, Rolling Stone has lost its mind, this is proof positive!
  
  And as we wind on down the road
  Our shadows taller than our soul
  There walks a lady we all know
  Who shines white light and wants to show
  How everything still turns to gold
  And if you listen very hard
  The truth will come to you at last
  When all are one and one is all
  To be a rock and not to roll ...
  And she's buying a stairway to heaven …
  
  “Stairway to Heaven” features music composed by guitarist Jimmy Page and lyrics written by lead singer Robert Plant. It became the most-requested song on FM radio stations in the United States despite never having been commercially released as a single there. When I was in high school in the mid 1970s, this was the most played, most discussed and most revered song.
  
  "Stairway to Heaven" is an unusual song, to say the least. It was originally written as an acoustic folk song, but soon became one of the best-known rock songs of all time. It was an eight-minute-long album track that was never released as a single, and yet it became one of the most-played songs on radio stations around the world, thanks largely to listener requests. Comments by band members make it seem the lyrics were written rather mystically, apparently via some form of "automatic writing." Wherever the lyrics originated, they certainly tell a compelling story about a very mysterious woman. While the song was written in Wales and has a decidedly Celtic "feel," it also alludes the Bible. Jacob, who became the patriarch and namesake of Israel, saw angels descending from and ascending into heaven on some sort of stairway. Also, there are a number of verses in the Bible which speak of God becoming "all in all" at the end of time: that idea seems to be echoed in the song's closing lines: "And if you listen very hard / The truth will come to you at last / When all are one and one is all." In Saint Peter's second sermon after Pentecost he spoke of "the restitution of all things to God" which had been spoken of "by all the holy prophets since the world began." (This answers trivia question number eight.)
  
  Other notable Led Zep songs include Immigrant Song (H25), Black Dog, Whole Lotta Love (RS#128), Kashmir (RS#148, H61), Ramble On, D’yer Mak’er, Going to California, Heartbreaker, When the Levee Breaks, Dazed and Confused, Living Loving Maid, Trampled Underfoot, Rock and Roll, Good Times Bad Times, The Song Remains the Same, and Since I've Been Loving You.

Now we reach my number one song of all time, primarily for its marvelous lyrics, ... a song named, in an interesting synchronicity, "One."

• (#1) One by U2, but only (RS#62, H21) according to Rolling Stone.
  
  Have you come here for forgiveness?
  Have you come to raise the dead?
  Have you come here to play Jesus
  To the lepers in your head?
  
  "One" was written and recorded in Berlin, on the eve of the reunification of Germany. At the time U2 was experiencing internal disharmony: the song has been credited with helping keep the band together. The Edge came up with the music first; Bono said his lyrics "just fell out of the sky, a gift." The entire song was composed in about 15 minutes. Pride (In the Name of Love) and With or Without You (RS#211) were nominated by Otto in previous comments. Other noteworthy U2 songs include Sunday Bloody Sunday, Where the Streets Have No Name and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (RS#322).
  
  I have received some flack for my top pick, and have even been called “insane,” but I’m not the only person who loves the song:
  
  "One" was ranked fourth on Blender's "The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born" in 2005.
  

  Q Magazine readers voted "One" the fifth-greatest song in history in 2006.
  

  "One" is sixth in Ranker's public poll of the best rock songs. So the public loves "One."
  

  Axl Rose told RIP Magazine, "I think their song 'One' is one of the greatest songs ever written."
  

  VH1 ranked "One" second on its list of "Greatest Songs of the 90s."
  

  "One" is included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's "Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll."
  

  "One" appeared in "1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time".
  

HIGHEST HONORABLE MENTIONS

Any of these songs could make my top ten, depending of the day of the week and how much cabernet I’ve had at the end of a long day…

• All Along the Watchtower (RS#40) written by Bob Dylan, as performed by Jimi Hendrix and the Experience. I have a major beef with Rolling Stone here, because #40 is way too low for arguably the greatest collaboration of dissimilar geniuses in music history.
  
  Robert Berend observed that “Bob Dylan preferred the Jimi Hendrix version of his song to the Dylan original version.” Also Purple Haze (RS#250), Voodoo Chile, Foxy Lady, Hey Joe and Little Wing (RS#188). Jimi Hendrix has been widely acclaimed as rock’s greatest guitarist, and I agree.

• Shout (RS#268), Twist and Shout and Summer Breeze by the Isley Brothers. So good! Did the Isley Brothers teach the Beatles how to roll as well as rock? Seals and Crofts covered “Summer Breeze” but no one does any of these songs better than the Isleys. Not even close. Also, (Who’s) That Lady, It’s Your Thing (Do What You Wanna Do), Hello It’s Me and Fight the Power.

• Nights in White Satin (H37) by the Moody Blues.
  
  Nights in white satin, never reaching the end.
  Letters I've written, never meaning to send.
  Beauty I'd always missed, with these eyes before.
  Just what the truth is, I can't say anymore…
  
  Other notable songs by the Moody Blues include Tuesday Afternoon, Go Now, The Voice, Gemini Dream, I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band) and (In Your) Wildest Dreams.

• My Immortal (RS-), Bring Me to Life (RS-), Lithium (RS-), Going Under (RS-), Call Me When You’re Sober (RS-) and Hello (RS-) by Evanescence. Amy Lee is one of the very greatest female vocalists, in my opinion. My Immortal is easily top 100 and arguably top 25, but not according to Rolling Stone(d).

• Wishing Well, Sign Your Name, Dance Little Sister, If You Let Me Stay and Who’s Lovin’ You by the marvelously talented Terence Trent D'Arby.

• A Change Is Gonna Come by Terence Trent D'Arby with Booker T & The MGs.

• Tutti Frutti (RS#35), Long Tall Sally, Lucille, Rip It Up and Good Golly Miss Molly (RS#92) by Little Richard.
  
  Little Richard called himself the “Architect” of rock’n’roll, and he wasn’t exaggerating. Without Little Richard there would be no James Brown, Michael Jackson or Prince, and the Beatles wouldn’t have all those growls and yips in their songs.

• When Doves Cry (RS#37, H81) by Prince and the Revolution. I have a major disagreement with Rolling Stone here, because #37 is way too low for this great, great song. Other killer songs written and performed by Prince include Purple Rain (RS#18, H45), Raspberry Beret, Batdance, Kiss (RS#85), 1999 (RS#340) and Little Red Corvette (RS#360). From what I have read, Prince has many unpublished songs as well.

• What’s Going On (RS#6, H11) and Mercy Mercy Me by the late, great Marvin Gaye. Also, I Heard It Through the Grapevine (RS#119), Let’s Get It On (RS#264), Sexual Healing (RS#198) and Ain’t No Mountain High Enough with Tammi Terrell.
  
  In a tragic irony, Gaye penned and sang, “Father, Father, there’s no need to escalate” only to be shot to death by his father.

• Hey Ya! (RS#10), B.O.B. (RS#39), Rosa Parks and Ms. Jackson (RS#145) by OutKast, my favorite rap group. Rolling Stone and I are not too far apart here.

• Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You) (RS#91) by UGK ft. Outkast.

• What'd I Say (RS#80), Georgia on My Mind (RS#283), Ruby, Unchain My Heart and Hit the Road Jack by the marvelous Ray Charles.

• At Last (RS#115, H51x2) and I’d Rather Go Blind by Etta James, nicknamed "The Matriarch of R&B" and an obvious influence on many modern divas. Rolling Stone ranked her #22 on its list of the Greatest Singers of All Time.

• I Got You (I Feel Good), Sex Machine (RS#196), Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud) (RS#393), It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World and Papa's Got a Brand New Bag (RS#34) by James Brown, who was nicknamed the "Godfather of Soul," the "Godfather of Funk," "Mr. Dynamite," and the "Hardest-Working Man in Show Business."

• Stand!, Dance to the Music, Family Affair (RS#57), Everyday People (RS#109) and Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) by Sly and the Family Stone. Sly Stone was a musical genius.

• Sinnerman, Feeling Good, Don’t Let Me Be Understood, I Loves You Porgy, Four Women, Mr. Bojangles and I Put a Spell on You by Nina Simone, who had one Rolling Stone top 500 song with Mississippi Goddam (RS#172).

• I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry (RS#165), Lovesick Blues, Your Cheatin’ Heart (RS#237), I Can’t Stop Loving You, Lost Highway, I Saw the Light, Jambalaya, Hey Good Lookin’ and Kaw Liga by Hank Williams Sr.

• Angie, Gimme Shelter (RS#13, H18x2), Wild Horses (RS#193), Paint It Black (RS#213, H15x2), Sympathy for the Devil (RS#106, H41x2)), Tumbling Dice (RS#86) and Jumpin’ Jack Flash (RS#144) by the Rolling Stones.
  
  The Rolling Stones have many great songs but "Angie" is my favorite song of theirs, a haunting song of love and loss.

  
  I shouted out,
  "Who killed the Kennedys?"
  When after all
  It was you and me…
  
  "Sympathy for the Devil," according to Mick Jagger, was inspired by the work of a French symbolist poet, Charles Baudelaire. (This answers trivia question number four.) Satisfaction (RS#31, H10) was nominated by Tom Brown. Other great songs by the Stones include “Beast of Burden," "You Can't Always Get What You Want" (H14x2), "Miss You," "Fool to Cry," "Start Me Up," "As Tears Go By," "Brown Sugar" and "I'm Just Waiting on a Friend."

• A Day in the Life (RS#24, H3x3) and Eleanor Rigby (RS#243, H19) by the Beatles are masterpieces of songwriting by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
  
  Eleanor Rigby
  Died in the church and was buried along with her name
  Nobody came
  Father McKenzie
  Wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave
  No one was saved
  
  Lennon originally wrote A Day in the Life, while McCartney originally wrote Eleanor Rigby. The Beatles have other songs in this list, but none greater than these two, in my opinion. Other Beatles masterpieces include the Golden Slumbers medley, Hey Jude (RS#89, H6x3), She Loves You (RS#135), Let it Be (RS#121, H2x3), Lady Madonna, Here Comes the Sun (H7x2), Strawberry Fields Forever (RS#7, H31), I Want to Hold Your Hand (RS#15, H35), Penny Lane (H34), Come Together (H33), Get Back, In My Life (RS#98), While My Guitar Gently Weeps (H11x2), Help! (RS#447) (H24x3) and Yesterday (RS#72, H3). Also, Something (RS#110) also written by George Harrison, and Dear Prudence were nominated by Otto.

• Imagine (RS#19, H3x3) by John Lennon.
  
  Imagine there's no Heaven
  It's easy if you try
  No hell below us
  Above us only sky ...
  
  While I'm not a hard-core Beatles fan (preferring the Stones, Led Zeppelin, Queen and several other groups), I have long admired John Lennon's "Imagine" and its vision of a world where there is finally a true "brotherhood of man." His dreamy vision of a Utopian world has inspired the anti-war, pro-peace movement for decades and is one of the most influential pieces of anti-religion writing on record, perhaps making Lennon the English equivalent of Mark Twain (a fierce American critic of Christianity with its ludicrous hell, bloody atonement and judgmental God). Other songs by John Lennon include "Give Peace a Chance," "Happy Xmas (War is Over)," "Woman," "Mother," "Instant Karma," "Watching the Wheels," "Jealous Guy," and all his hits with the Beatles.

• Black Magic Woman, Maria Maria and Oye Como Va (RS#479) by Santana.

• Smooth by Carlos Santana ft. Rob Thomas is the #3 song of all time according to Billboard. It’s not a personal favorite of mine, but together with Santana’s other songs, it puts him in exclusive territory.

• Big Yellow Taxi, California, A Case of You (RS#26), Both Sides Now (RS#225), Free Man in Paris, Carey, Woodstock, Help Me (RS#464) and River (RS#247) by Joni Mitchell.

• Smells Like Teen Spirit (RS#5, H8), Come As You Are (RS#467) and Lithium by Nirvana.

• Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang (RS#29) by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.

• That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be by Carly Simon is a masterpiece of songwriting superbly arranged and performed. Also, You’re So Vain (RS#496), Anticipation and Mockingbird with James Taylor.

• I Walk the Line (RS#76, H16) by Johnny Cash.
  
  I find it very, very easy to be true
  I find myself alone when each day is through
  Yes, I'll admit that I'm a fool for you
  Because you're mine, I walk the line.
  
  Johnny Cash wrote "I Walk the Line" in 1956, when he was newly married, and presumably faithful. Years later he recorded Ring of Fire (RS#201, H17), a song about the torrid love affair that caused him to leave his wife for June Carter. June Carter wrote "Ring of Fire" with Merle Kilgore. (This answers trivia question number one.) Johnny Cash had a dream in which he was singing the song with mariachi horns in the background, which was how it was recorded. Other notable Johnny Cash songs include Hurt, Folsom Prison Blues and A Boy Named Sue.

• Spanish Harlem by Ben E. King and Aretha Franklin.
  
  There is a rose in Spanish Harlem.
  It is the special one.
  It never sees the sun.
  It only comes out when the moon is on the run…
  
  The original version of Spanish Harlem had a lovely, poetic, but fairly simple lyric about a man who had discovered a beguiling female rose he intended to pluck for his "garden" (however one interprets that). However, when Aretha Franklin recorded the song she made it more current and "blacker" with lyric changes. For instance, she changed the chorus to: “There is a rose in Black and Spanish Harlem.” And because the song was about a man who desired a young girl, she changed the third stanza to be in the third person, with her explaining the man’s intentions. Also Respect (RS#1, H17x2), Natural Woman (RS#90), I Say a Little Prayer for You (RS#117) and Chain of Fools (RS#306) .

• Redemption Song (RS#42), No Woman No Cry (RS#140), Get Up Stand Up (RS#260), Could You Be Loved (RS#363) and One Love by Bob Marley and the Wailers. So good!

• You're the Voice by John Farnham, an outstanding Australian vocalist who flew under the rock world’s radar for decades. This may be the most inspirational song of all time, when Farnham performs it live. And it’s not a bit sappy. Other notable vocal performances by John Farnham include his amazing covers of Help, Gethsemane and Bridge Over Troubled Waters.

• (Flying in Winchester) Cathedral, Find the Cost of Freedom, Helplessly Hoping, Ohio, Delta, Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (RS#222), Wooden Ships, and Woodstock by Crosby, Stills, Nash and (sometimes) Young.
  
  All religion has to have its day…
  
  Open up the gates of the church
  And let me out of here
  Too many people have lied in the name of Christ
  For anyone to heed the call
  So many people have died in the name of Christ
  That I can't believe it all
  And now I'm standing on the grave
  Of a soldier that died in 1799
  And the day he died, it was a birthday
  And I noticed it was mine
  And my head didn't know just who I was
  And I went spinning back in time
  And I am high upon the altar
  High upon the altar, high …

• House of the Rising Sun (RS#471, H18) by the Animals. This is another insanely low ranking by Rolling Stone(d).
  
  There is a house in New Orleans
  They call the Rising Sun
  And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
  And God I know I'm one ...
  
  House of the Rising Sun is an American folk ballad whose authorship remains unknown. The best-known version of the song was performed by a British "invasion" group, the Animals. (Hey, what were they doing, stealing our best songs?) Like many other songs on this page, it tells a haunting, compelling story. Other songs by the Animals include Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, We've Got to Get Out of this Place, Paint It Black, I’m Crying, To Love Somebody, It's My Life, Don't Bring Me Down, When I Was Young, I Put a Spell on You and Boom Boom.

• Go Rest High on that Mountain by Vince Gill, a song he wrote for the brother he lost. I’m not normally a country music fan, but this song, a modern hymn, is wonderfully moving and exquisitely sung by Vince Gill, a former lead singer of Pure Prairie League. Gill wrote the song originally for Keith Whitley, a fellow country music singer who died in 1989, but didn't finish it until after the death of his brother Bob in 1993. Ricky Skaggs and Patty Loveless sang the background vocals on a song that is sure to be an enduring classic. Other songs by Vince Gill include When I Call Your Name, I Still Believe, Pocket Full of Gold, Never Knew Lonely and Whenever You Come Around.

• Mr. Blue Sky (H7), Telephone Line, Evil Woman, Strange Magic, Turn to Stone, Livin’ Thing, Roll Over Beethoven and Don’t Bring Me Down by Electric Light Orchestra aka ELO, headed by the great Jeff Lynne.

• Dog and Butterfly, Never, What About Love, These Dreams, Crazy on You, Magic Man and Barracuda by Heart. Also, Alone if you’re into stalker songs.

• Man in the Mirror and Human Nature by Michael Jackson are his two best songs in my opinion. Other megahits by the moonwalking King of Pop include Billie Jean (RS#44, H13x2), Bad, Beat It (RS#185), Dirty Diana, Earth Song, Thriller, You Are Not Alone, Heal the World, Remember the Time, The Way You Make Me Feel, Rock with You (RS#355) and Smooth Criminal. And with the Jackson 5/Jacksons also I Want You Back (RS#104), Who’s Lovin’ You, The Love You Save, Never Can Say Goodbye, ABC, I’ll Be There and State of Shock (with Mick Jagger).

• Strange Fruit (RS#21) by Billie Holiday.

• Time of the Season (RS#350, H54) and She’s Not There by the Zombies.

• Ferry 'Cross the Mersey and You’ll Never Walk Alone by Gerry and the Pacemakers.

HIGH HONORABLE MENTIONS

• We Are The World by USA for Africa is the #8 best-selling song of all time.

• Mad World as performed by Adam Lambert (originally performed by Tears for Fears).
  
  If any contemporary male singer can rival the young Elvis Presley, it may be Adam Lambert. His cover of "Mad World" by Tears for Fears is scary-good. Brian May of Queen said that Lambert is the only male singer who can hit those crazy high notes that Freddie Mercury was famous for. But "Mad World" is more of a sad lament, beautifully and tenderly sung by an amazing vocalist.

• Taxi by Harry Chapin.
  
  Oh, I've got something inside me
  To drive a princess blind ...
  There's a wild-man wizard
  He's hiding in me, illuminating my mind
  
  Harry Chapin's "Taxi" is a ghost story in which both ghosts are still partially alive. I saw Chapin in concert, and he was a wonderful storyteller: both in his songs and in his interactions with the audience. Other songs by Harry Chapin include Cat's in the Cradle, The Dance Band on the Titanic, The Mayor of Candor Lied and W.O.L.D.

• Leah (RS-), Pretty Woman (RS-, H29x2) and Crying (RS#461) by Roy Orbison. More insane Rolling Stone(d) rankings.
  
  I'll place the pearls
  around the only girl
  for me:
  Leah
  
  Some songs have haunting lyrics, but Roy Orbison has a haunting, almost otherworldly voice. I'm not sure if this is a great song in its own right (it's about a pearl diver who drowns, only to wake up and realize he was having a nightmare), but Orbison's voice makes the performance utterly magical. "Crying" is another absolute masterpiece―covered ably by K. D. Lang and Don McLean, among others―but no one can duplicate Orbison's unique voice and delivery. Other noteworthy songs by Orbison include "Only the Lonely," "In Dreams," "It's Over," "Running Scared," "Blue Bayou," "You Got It," "Sweet Dreams Baby" and "I Drove All Night."

• I Drove All Night (H73) written by Roy Orbison, as performed by Orbison, Celine Dion and Cyndi Lauper. As great as Orbison was, and as fantastically as Lauper sang this song, I have to give the gold star to Dion for what may have been the greatest powerhouse female vocal performance of all time. It’s hard to imagine anything better.

• Time After Time (RS#495) by Cyndi Lauper is vastly underrated. And that’s her only top 500 song? Where are Girls Just Want to Have Fun, (Waiting for Your) Change of Heart, Hatful of Stars, Who Let in the Rain?, Money Changes Everything, All Through the Night, and I Drove All Night?

• Born to Run (RS#27, H74) by Bruce Springsteen.
  
  Every day we sweat it out in the streets of a runaway American dream
  At night we ride through mansions of glory in suicide machines
  Sprung from cages out on highway 9
  Chrome wheeled, fuel injected and steppin' out over the line
  Baby this town rips the bones from your back
  It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap
  We gotta get out while we're young
  `Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run.
  
  "Born to Run" is a rip-roaring anthem perhaps inspired to some degree by badass actors like James Dean, Marlon Brando and Dennis Hopper. What happens when machismo-dripping young men straddle Harleys? A song like "Born to Run" seems inevitable. A fundamental line may be: "And the boys try to look so hard." There's quite a discrepancy between the lyrics of songwriters like John Lennon and Paul Simon, and those of "the Boss" above. Born in the USA and 10th Avenue Freeze Out were nominated by Otto in previous comments. Other popular songs by the Boss include Thunder Road (RS#111, H22), Jungleland (RS#298), The River, Rosalita (RS#446), Badlands, Sandy, Fire, Atlantic City (RS#289), Born in the USA, Glory Days and Dancing in the Dark.

• Comfortably Numb (RS#179, H72) by Pink Floyd. This absurdly low ranking by Rolling Stone proves they are actually Rolling Stoned.
  
  When I was a child I had a fever;
  my hand felt just like two balloons ....
  I have become
  comfortably numb.
  
  This was the last song written by Roger Waters and David Gilmour, and perhaps remains their greatest, but they had so many wonderful collaborations that it's hard to say. I especially love Wish You Were Here (RS#302, H27), Shine On You Crazy Diamond and The Great Gig in the Sky. Other notable Pink Floyd songs include "Time," "Echoes," "Hey You," "Learning to Fly," "Another Brick in the Wall, Part Two" "Brain Damage," "Money" and "Dark Side of the Moon."

• Because The Night (RS#358) was written by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith, and performed by the Patti Smith Group. (+)
  
  "Because the Night" is one of the songs (if not the song) that made Patti Smith the "godmother of punk." The song was originally written by Bruce Springsteen, but wasn't recorded because he wasn't happy with it. Patti Smith altered the song, which became her biggest hit and has been called one of the best songs of all time by some critics. Springsteen continued to perform the song with his original lyrics, but it is Patti Smith's version that became one of the iconic songs of the punk era. Other notable Patti Smith songs include Gloria (RS#97), Hey Joe and People Have the Power.

• Who Wants to Live Forever by Queen.
  
  There's no time for us
  There's no place for us ...
  Who wants to live forever?
  
  Ponce de Leon sought the legendary of fountain of youth; Brian May, Freddie Mercury and Queen turned the tables on would-be traffickers in immortality by asking in one of rock's grandest anthems: "Who Wants to Live Forever"? Other great Queen songs include "The Show Must Go On," "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," "Somebody to Love," "Killer Queen," "We are the Champions" and "We Will Rock You."

• Nothing Compares 2 U (RS#184) was written by Prince and performed marvelously by Sinead O'Connor. The Rolling Stone(d) ranking is absurdly low.
  
  "Nothing Compares 2 U" is a wonderfully tender, poignant song, sung exquisitely by Sinead O'Connor. The tear she shed in her video was real, and unscripted. She had shaved her head when she started singing because she wanted to be known for her music, not her looks (but she looked better without hair than most women with flowing manes). When the head of her record label heard the song the first time, he cried. When O'Connor heard that he had cried, she asked: "Was it that bad?" No, silly, it was that magnificent!

• The Freshmen written by Brian Vander Ark; performed by The Verve Pipe.
  
  I can't be held responsible
  'cause she was touching her face
  I won't be held responsible
  she fell in love in the first place ...
  For the life of me, I cannot remember
  what made us think that we were wise and we'd never compromise
  for the life of me, I cannot believe we'd ever die for these sins
  we were merely freshmen …
  
  When the Verve Pipe released "The Freshmen" there were debates on the Internet about what they meant by lines like "stop a baby's breath and a shoe full of rice." While "stop a baby's breath" might refer to an abortion, "shoe full of rice" might refer to a wedding, in which case "baby's breath" might be a sprig of flowers. Song lyrics, like all forms of poetry, are open to interpretation. What is certain about this song is that it will rip your heart out, if you have one.

• Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin was nominated by Terry McManus.

• River Deep, Mountain High (RS#221) by Ike & Tina Turner.

• Private Dancer, We Don’t Need Another Hero and What’s Love Got to Do with It? (RS#134) by Tina Turner.

• Crossroads aka Cross Road Blues (RS#481) by the great blues guitarist Robert Johnson is my choice as the first rock song. Eric Clapton might agree, since he covered it with Cream. The song was originally recorded in 1936 but dates back to the 1920s. It’s the first blues song, for me, that has a rock edge and vibe. And then there’s the infamous “deal with the Devil”… rock was later called “the Devil’s music” by alarmed moralists.

• Mannish Boy (RS#425) and Got My Mojo Workin’ by Muddy Waters.

• Spoonful (RS#154) and Smokestack Lightning by Howlin’ Wolf.

• Roll Over Beethoven by Chuck Berry was nominated by Terry M. I have called Chuck Berry the Shakespeare of early rock ’n’ roll. His other hits include Johnny B. Goode (RS#33, H46x2), Maybellene (RS#102), Promised Land (RS#343), My Ding-a-Ling and No Particular Place to Go.

• The Weight (RS#58, H24) and The Night They Drove Ole Dixie Down by The Band.

• You Really Got Me (RS#176) by the Kinks was nominated Tom Brown, then by Greg Scotland with these observations: “There’s no Gimme Shelter, Satisfaction, Revolution, I Can’t Explain, Whole Lotta Love, Comfortably Numb, Purple Haze, Eruption, Paranoid, American Woman, Enter Sandman, Smoke on the Water, etc. without Dave Davies slashing his speaker cone with a razor blade and popularizing rock and roll distortion/fuzz in the Kinks’ “You Really Got Me” (August 1964). That song is partially responsible for more than ten rock and roll genres. It must be on the list.” Now it is! Also, Lola (RS#386, H54) and Waterloo Sunset (RS#14). Sorry, Rolling Stone, but “Waterloo Sunset” is not better than “Stairway to Heaven” or “Bohemian Rhapsody” or many other songs ranked well below it!

• Lady Marmalade by Patti Labelle; also Oh People, If Only You Knew, New Attitude, and Own My Own with Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers.

• Black Water, China Grove, Takin’ It to the Streets, Long Train Runnin’, Jesus Is Just Alright with Me and What a Fool Believes (RS#343) by the Doobie Brothers.

• What a Fool Believes, I Keep Forgetting and I’m Gonna Make You Love Me by Michael McDonald; also This Is It with Kenny Loggins and Yah Mo B There with James Ingram and Own My Own with Patti LaBelle.

• House at Pooh Corner, Danny’s Song, Vahevala, Watching the River Run and Your Mama Don’t Dance by Loggins and Messina.

• Knockin' on Heaven's Door written by Bob Dylan and performed by Dylan, Eric Clapton, Bob Marley, The Grateful Dead, Guns 'n' Roses, U2 and many other artists.
  
  A great song became even greater when Guns 'n' Roses covered it in 1987. The song was originally written by Dylan for the movie Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid. It was later covered in reggae versions by Eric Clapton and Bob Marley. It must surely be the only song to have been recorded by the Boss, Boy George, The Grateful Dead, The Sisters of Mercy, Warren Zevon, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Dolly Parton!

• Sweet Child o' Mine (RS#88), November Rain, Paradise City and Patience by Guns 'n Roses.

• Blinding Lights by The Weeknd is the #1 best-selling song of all time, according to Billboard, and the #1 streaming song on Spotify. Also Cry for Me, I Can’t Feel My Face, House of Balloons (RS#488), Call Out My Name, The Hills, Save Your Tears, Die for You and Starboy (#4 on Spotify).

• More Than a Feeling (RS#212) by Brad Delp and Boston: Also, the lovely "Amanda," "Foreplay / Long Time," "Don't Look Back," "Peace of Mind," "Hitch a Ride," "Smokin'" and "Rock & Roll Band."
  
  According to the Professor of Rock, Boston saved rock from disco with its self-titled debut album, which was produced in the basement of guitarist Tom Stoltz.

• Louie, Louie (RS#156) by the Kingsmen was nominated by Paul Hippensteel. The FBI investigated this song for sub-verse-ive lyrics, pardon the pun, but had to close the case “unsolved” because no one could make out the words! (This answers trivia question number two.)

• Love Hurts by Nazareth is one of the all-time great covers, of a song first recorded by the Everly Brothers. It was written by Boudleaux Bryant. The great Roy Orbison also covered the song before Nazareth.

• Riders on the Storm (H55) by the Doors.
  
  There's a killer on the road
  His brain is squirmin' like a toad
  ... Riders on the storm
  
  "Riders on the Storm" is one of the darkest songs ever. It was the last song recorded by the Doors before Jim Morrison died. The band took its name from William Blake's phrase "Doors of Perception." (This answers trivia question number seven.)

• The End and Light My Fire (RS#310, H73) by Jim Morrison and the Doors.

• Holy Diver and Rainbow in the Dark by Ronnie James Dio.

• (Sittin’ on the) Dock of the Bay (RS#38, H30x2) and Try a Little Tenderness (RS#136) by Otis Redding.
  
  I left my home in Georgia
  Headed for the 'Frisco bay
  'Cause I've had nothing to live for
  And look like nothin's gonna come my way ...
  
  "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" was recorded by Otis Redding on December 7, 1967, just three days before he died in a plane crash outside Madison, Wisconsin. Redding also wrote "Respect," which was immortalized by Aretha Franklin.

• Vincent by Don McLean.
  
  Starry, starry night
  Paint your palette blue and gray
  Look out on a summer's day
  With eyes that know the darkness in my soul …
  
  Don McLean's "Vincent" gets my vote as the best rock poem of all time, based strictly on lyrics, because it tells a moving story and also carries us somewhere "beyond" by making us feel a strong kinship with the troubled Dutch painter, Vincent Van Gogh. The best poems and songs create a sort of spiritual "communion" between writer, subject and audience ...

• I Am a Rock written by Paul Simon; performed by Simon & Garfunkel.
  
  A winter's day
  In a deep and dark December;
  I am alone,
  Gazing from my window to the streets below
  On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow.
  I am a rock,
  I am an island.
  
  "I Am a Rock" seems to be the refutation of a sermon preached by John Donne, who happened to be one of England's greatest poets. In his sermon Donne proclaimed that "no man is an island." The young, introspective singer/songwriter Paul Simon begged to differ. (This answers trivia question number six.)

• Enter Sandman (RS#390), Master of Puppets (RS#256), Nothing Else Matters, One and For Whom The Bell Tolls by Metallica.

• Lately, As (H40), Overjoyed, Higher Ground (RS#113), Superstition (RS#12, H57), You Are the Sunshine of My Life (RS#183) and Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours (RS#203) by Stevie Wonder.

• Who’ll Stop the Rain (H85), Have You Ever Seen the Rain and Fortunate Son (RS#227, H39) by Creedence Clearwater Revival were great Vietnam War protest songs written by John Fogerty. Also Proud Mary (H75), Bad Moon Rising (H45), Someday Never Comes, Green River, Run Through the Jungle and Lodi.

• God Only Knows (RS#11, H6x3), In My Room, Don’t Worry Baby, Good Vibrations (RS#53, H27x2), Sloop John B, Help Me Rhonda, Barbara Ann, I Get Around, Wouldn’t It Be Nice (RS#297), Fun Fun Fun, Little Deuce Coupe, Caroline No, California Girls, Surfin’ USA, Surf’s Up and Kokomo by the Beach Boys.

• White Room, Sunshine of Your Love, Strange Brew and Crossroads by Cream.

• Wheel In The Sky, Open Arms, Lights, Send Her My Love, Separate Ways, Don’t Stop Believin’ (RS#133), Escape, Stone In Love, Still They Ride, Just The Same Way, Faithfully and Only The Young by Journey.

• Foolish Heart and Oh Sherrie by Steve Perry

• Rock Me on the Water and The Load Out/Stay by Jackson Browne.

• Who Wants to Live Forever and The Show Must Go On by Freddie Mercury and Queen.

• You Shook Me All Night Long (RS#287), T.N.T., Thunderstruck, Back in Black and Highway to Hell by AC/DC.

• Roundabout, Owner of a Lonely Heart, Awaken, I’ve Seen All Good People and Starship Trooper by Yes.

• The Duke of Earl by Gene Chandler.

• Sherry, Rag Doll, Walk Like a Man and Big Girls Don’t Cry by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

• The Sound of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel, also the cover by Disturbed.

• All By Myself, written by Eric Carmen, as performed by Eric Carmen, Celine Dion and Mariah Carey. But I still like Eric Carmen’s original the best, despite the stratospheric vocals of the great divas.

• How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, Words, Stayin’ Alive(RS#99), Tragedy and Night Fever by the Bee Gees, who also wrote “Islands in the Stream” for Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers, “Woman in Love” and “Guilty” (the latter performed in a duet by Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb), etc.

• How Deep Is Your Love by the Bee Gees is the #22 best-selling song of all time according to Billboard.

• Stony End, Woman in Love, Guilty, People, Evergreen, Memories and The Way We Were by Barbra Streisand.

• Oh Very Young by Cat Stevens is a lovely, tender, touching song by a master songwriter.
  
  And though you want to last forever
  You know you never will
  You know you never will
  And the good-bye makes the journey harder still…

• Father and Son (RS#408, H93) by Cat Stevens was called “incredibly beautiful and emotional” by Robert Berend. I agree.

• Morning Has Broken has a Gaelic folk tune with lyrics by Eleanor Farjeon and was performed by Cat Stevens.
  
  Morning has broken,
  like the first morning
  Blackbird has spoken,
  like the first bird …
  
  "Morning Has Broken" has a most interesting genesis. It was originally a Gaelic folk tune. The lyrics of a Christian children's hymn were penned for it in 1931, by Eleanor Farjeon. The Christian hymn then became a hit for Cat Stevens, the West’s most famous Muslim singer/songwriter! (This answers trivia question number three.)

• Been to Canaan, It’s Too Late (RS#346) and So Far Away by Carole King.

• Landslide (RS#163, H46), Dreams (RS#9), Go Your Own Way (RS#401, H43), The Chain (H63), Sarah, Gold Dust Woman and Gypsy by Fleetwood Mac.

• Stevie Nicks is one of the all-time great songwriters in my opinion. On her own, The Edge of Seventeen (RS#217), Nightbird, If Anyone Falls, Stand Back, Talk to Me, I Can’t Wait, Rooms on Fire, Leather and Lace with Don Henley, and Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.

• Ghosts, The Reach, The Sand and the Foam and The Lion’s Share are great neglected masterpieces of songwriting by Dan Fogelberg.

• Holding Back the Years and If You Don’t Know Me By Now by Simply Red.

• The Logical Song, Dreamer, Take The Long Way Home, It’s Raining Again, Breakfast in America, Bloody Well Right, Even in the Quietest Moments, Hide In Your Shell and Give A Little Bit by Supertramp.

• Space Oddity (RS#189, H21), Heroes (RS#23, H57), Golden Years, China Girl, Changes (RS#200), Fame, Let’s Dance, Modern Love, Rebel Rebel, Young Americans (RS#204), Starman, Life on Mars (RS#105) and Ziggy Stardust by David Bowie. Also, Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy with Bing Crosby and Under Pressure with Queen.

• Fire and Rain (RS#146) by James Taylor.

• Take Me to Church by Hozier.

• Everybody Hurts, Losing My Religion (RS#112), Radio Free Europe (RS#174), Nightswimming (RS#160) and The Flowers of Guatemala by R.E.M. Also, Shannon Winestone nominated First We Take Manhattan which was written by Leonard Cohen and covered by R.E.M.
  
  I like R.E.M., especially the first two songs, but I think Rolling Stone has overrated their other songs, compared to lower-rated and unrated songs.

• Stand By Me (RS#131) by Ben E. King.

• I’ll Stand by You and Brass in Pocket (RS#389) by the Pretenders.

• War Pigs by Black Sabbath was nominated by John Dzurak.

• Paranoid (RS#339) and Iron Man (RS#345) by Black Sabbath.

• Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne.

• Breaking the Law by Judas Priest.

• Great Balls of Fire (RS#242), Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On and All Shook Up by Jerry Lee Lewis.

• For What It's Worth written by Stephen Stills and performed by Buffalo Springfield.

• Candle in the Wind with music by Elton John and lyrics by Bernie Taupin is the the #2 best-selling song of all time.

• Captain Jack, Piano Man (H66), Vienna, Goodnight Saigon, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant (RS#325), Uptown Girl, We Didn’t Start the Fire, Only the Good Die Young, And So It Goes, Shameless and Until the Night by Billy Joel. The latter is one of the most underrated great songs of all time, in my opinion.

• A Pirate Looks at Forty by Jimmy Buffet is another underrated great song.

• Shameless as performed by Garth Brooks.

• I Am I Said, Sweet Caroline (H9), Red Red Wine, Holly Holy, Cracklin' Rosie, Solitary Man and I'm a Believer by Neil Diamond.

• Uptown Funk (RS#417) by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars is the #5 best-selling song of all time, according to Billboard.

• When I Was Your Man, Just the Way You Are, Locked Out of Heaven, That’s What I Like, Grenade and 24K Magic by Bruno Mars.

• Poker Face, Bad Romance (RS#482) and Abracadabra by Lady Gaga. Also, Die with a Smile with Bruno Mars and Shallow with and Bradley Cooper.

• Straight Outta Compton (RS#248) and Fuck Tha Police (RS#190) by N.W.A.

• Fight the Power (RS#2) and Bring the Noise (RS#397) by Public Enemy. “Fight the Power” is commendable, but a real streeetch at #2 in my opinion.

• Dear Mama and Changes by 2Pac aka Tupac Shakur; also California Love (RS#321) with Dr. Dre.

• Free Bird (RS#407, H70), Whipping Post (RS#410) and Ramblin' Man by the Allman Brothers Band.

• Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

• Like a Virgin, Material Girl, Vogue (RS#139), Papa Don't Preach, Live to Tell, Ray of Light, Holiday, La Isla Bonita, This Used to Be My Playground, Borderline, Express Yourself, Justify My Love, Open Your Heart, Erotica, Take a Bow, Frozen, Music, Don’t Cry for Me Argentina, Into the Groove (RS#161) and Like a Prayer (RS#55) by Madonna.

• Superstar, Solitaire, The Masquerade, Goodbye to Love, Close to You, Yesterday Once More, Now, We’ve Only Just Begun, Rainy Days and Mondays, Top of the World and For All We Know by the Carpenters. In my opinion, Karen Carpenter was one of the great female vocalists, with a marvelous contralto lower register.

• Just Give Me A Reason and Try by P!nk.

• The Message (RS#59) by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.

• Hello, Skyfall, Someone Like You, Set Fire to the Rain, When We Were Young, Send My Love, Easy on Me and Rolling in the Deep (RS#82) by Adele.

• No One, If I Ain’t Got You (RS#440) and Fallin’ by Alicia Keys.

• Wake Me Up by Avicii.

• More Than a Feeling (RS#212) by Boston was nominated by Michael Sidky PhD.

• Livin’ on a Prayer (RS#457), Always and Runaway by Bon Jovi.

• Sign of the Times, Adore (RS#431), Watermelon Sugar and As It Was (RS#500) by Harry Styles.

• She Talks to Angels by the Black Crowes.

• Centerfold by the J. Geils Band.

• The Cover of the Rolling Stone and Sylvia’s Mother by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show.

• The Great Pretender, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and My Prayer by the Platters.

• Be My Baby (RS#22) by the Ronettes.

• Hotel California (RS#311), Desperado and Best of My Love by the Eagles.

• Dirty Laundry, The End of the Innocence, Heart of the Matter, Boys of Summer (RS#209) and All She Wants to Do Is Dance by Don Henley. Also, Leather and Lace with Stevie Nicks.

• Smuggler's Blues, The Heat Is On and You Belong to the City by Glenn Frey.

• Her Town Too and You’re Only Lonely by J.D. Souther. Also, Best of My Love and Victim of Love, co-written for the Eagles, and Heart of the Matter, co-written with Don Henley and Mike Campbell.

• Deacon Blues (RS#214), Peg, Aja, Hey Nineteen, Do It Again and Reelin’ in the Years by Steely Dan.

• Get Ur Freak On (RS#8, H25) by Missy Elliott and Work It (RS#56) with Timbaland. While I like the songs okay, I am not nearly as enamored with them as Rolling Stone.

• I Can’t Drive 55 by Sammy Hagar.

• Havana by Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug. So rhythmic, so good!

• Stay with Me, Lay Me Down, Latch and I’m Not the Only One by Sam Smith, the most evocative younger male singer in my opinion.

• I Will Always Love You (RS#94), written by Dolly Parton and sung by Whitney Houston, spent 14 weeks at #1 on the Billboard charts and is the #6 best-selling song of all time.

• I Have Nothing, I Will Always Love You (RS#94), I Wanna Dance with Somebody (RS#231), How Will I Know, One Moment in Time, Didn’t We Almost Have It All and The Greatest Love of All by Whitney Houston.

• We Found Love by Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris is the #24 best-selling song of all time according to Billboard.

• Diamonds and Umbrella (RS#333) by Rihanna, the latter ft. Jay-Z.

• One Kiss by Calvin Harris.

• Somebody that I Used to Know by Gotye ft. Kimbra is the #29 best-selling song of all time according to Billboard.

• One Sweet Day by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men was #1 for 16 weeks in 1995.

• All I Want for Christmas Is You and Fantasy (RS#419) by Mariah Carey.

• End of the Road by Boyz II Men was #1 for 13 weeks in 1992.

HONORABLE MENTION

Some of these songs are a bit off the beaten path, yet well worth a mention…

• Diamonds and Rust by Joan Baez, a song she wrote about her relationship with Bob Dylan
  
  Your eyes were bluer than robin's eggs.
  My poetry was lousy, you said.
  Where are you calling from?
  A booth in the Midwest…

• Every Breath You Take (RS#305) by the Police is a stalker song that has incomprehensibly become a popular wedding song. Also Roxanne, Message in a Bottle and Don’t Stand So Close to Me.
  
  Every breath you take,
  Every move you make,
  I’ll be watching you…

• Never My Love, Cherish and Windy by the Association were three of the hundred most-played songs of the 20th century, according to BMI.

• California Dreamin’ (RS#420, H23x2) by The Mamas & The Papas is one of the most-streamed songs of the 1960s. Also Monday Monday and (This is) Dedicated to the One I Love.

• I Want to Know What Love Is by Foreigner

• O Come O Come Emmanuel by Enya may be the most beautiful, haunting vocal performance by a female singer. Also Only Time, Orinoco Flow and Sail Away.

• Scarborough Fair, You Raise Me Up and Danny Boy by Celtic Woman.

• Twenty Flight Rock and Summertime Blues (RS#432) by Eddie Cochran.

• Red Red Wine by Neal Diamond and in a reggae version by UB40.

• Israelites by Desmond Dekker & the Aces.

• The Lion Sleeps Tonight by the Tokens.

• Little Darlin’ by the Diamonds.

• Stay by Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs, and as covered admirably by Jackson Browne as Stay/The Load Out.

• Stay/The Load Out, Rock Me on the Water, Doctor My Eyes, and The Pretender by Jackson Browne.

• Gangsta’s Paradise by L.V. and Coolio.

• 99 Problems (RS#96) by Jay-Z.

• Eres Tu by Mocedades.

• La Bamba by Ritchie Valens and Los Lobos.

• Ho Hey by the Lumineers.

• Back for Good by Gary Barlow and Take That. I’m not usually a fan of boy bands, including most of the early Beatles’ first 66 singles (A&B sides), but I will make an exception for this fantastic song. Gary Barlow has a lilting flip into falsetto that is wonderfully tender, expressive and touching.

• Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence (RS#415) by Depeche Mode

• The Needle and the Damage Done, Heart of Gold (RS#259), Old Man, Powderfinger (RS#450) and After the Gold Rush (RS#323) by Neil Young.

• Revolution Blues by Neil Young was nominated by Robert Berend.

• Cinnamon Girl and Down by the River by Neil Young were nominated by Terry McManus.

• Expressway (To Your Heart) by the Soul Survivors.

• The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (RS#273) by Roberta Flack and the marvelous covers by Josh Krajcik and the Fugees.

• The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (RS#359) by the Fugees.

• Feel It Still by Portugal the Man

• Child in Time and Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple.

• (I Would Walk) 500 Miles by the Proclaimers.

• Back to December, Blank Space (RS#320), All Too Well (RS#69), Cruel Summer (RS#400), and Anti-Hero by Taylor Swift.

• Creep (RS#118), Idioteque (RS#48), How to Disappear Completely (RS-) and Karma Police (RS#279) by Radiohead.

• Bittersweet Symphony by the Verve.

• All I Know by Art Garfunkel.

• Only the Heart May Know by Dan Fogelberg and Emmylou Harris, so beautiful!

• Seven Year Ache by Rosanne Cash, the daughter of Johnny Cash.

• I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, written by Joe South and performed by Lynn Anderson.

• I Will Always Love You written by Dolly Parton, as sung by Whitney Houston.

• Jolene (RS#63, H30x3), Eagle When She Flies, 9 to 5 and Coat of Many Colors (RS#263) by Dolly Parton.

• The Highwayman, written as a poem by Alfred Noyes, as sung by Loreena McKennitt. In my opinion The Highwayman is the English language’s most melodic poem and its best ghost story.

• Mandy by Barry Manilow is a good song, but please give us a break because Manilow did not write his biggest hit, the cheesy I Write the Songs! (This answers trivia question number nine.)

• Un-Break My Heart by Toni Braxton is the #12 best-selling song of all time according to Billboard.

• Hallowed Be Thy Name and The Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden.

• I Can’t Make You Love Me (RS#372), Love Has No Pride, Angel of Montgomery, Nick of Time and Have a Heart by the great Bonnie Raitt, who was suggested by James Don BlueWolf.

• Rapper’s Delight (RS#427) by the Sugarhill Gang.

• While I’m not an ABBA fan, per se, I think they were very good at what they attempted to do, and I believe The Winner Takes It All compares favorably with masterpieces like “Send in the Clowns” and “The Show Must Go On.” Some of ABBA’s most popular songs are irrepressibly catchy and impossible not to like and sing along with, or at least tap toes to.
  
  The Winner Takes It All, The Name of the Game, The Visitors, Lay All Your Love on Me, Knowing Me Knowing You, Angel Eyes, The Day Before You Came, Waterloo, Dancing Queen (RS#286), Chiquitita (a song recorded in English and Spanish that raised $5 million for children’s aid), Fernando, SOS, Mamma Mia, Does Your Mother Know, Take a Chance on Me, Eagle, Voulez-Vous, Me and I, Lay All Your Love on Me, I Have a Dream, Gimme Gimme Gimme, Ring Ring, Honey Honey, On and On and On, Money Money Money, I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do and Super Trouper by ABBA.

• Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down (RS#476), For the Good Times, Help Me Make It Through the Night, Loving Her Was Easier, Why Me and Me and Bobby McGee by Kris Kristofferson.

• Sundown, If You Could Read My Mind, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Rainy Day People, Carefree Highway and Early Morning Rain by Gordon Lightfoot, the great Canadian singer-songwriter and storyteller.

• Royals (RS#30) by Lorde. I love the song, but #30 seems like another Rolling Stone streeetch.

• Blinded by the Light by Bruce Springsteen and Manfred Mann & the Earth Band.

• Once in a Lifetime (RS#28) by the Talking Heads is another Rolling Stone streeetch. Also, This Must Be the Place (RS#123).

• Lovely, Bad Guy (RS#178), Wildflower and Birds of a Feather by Billie Eilish.

• Refuge, American Girl (RS#169), Free Fallin’ (RS#219) and Mary Jane's Last Dance by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.

• Never Been to Spain, One (Is the Loneliest Number), Easy to Be Hard, Eli’s Coming and Mama Told Me Not to Come by Three Dog Night.

• Helpless, Constant Craving, Hallelujah and Crying by K. D. Lang. So good! One of the great vocalists and interpreters.

• What a Wonderful World (RS#171, H23x3) and Hello Dolly by Louis Armstrong.

• Seven Nation Army (RS#36) by the White Stripes.

• Zombies (H87) by the Cranberries.

• Lose Yourself (RS#167), Mockingbird, Without Me, The Real Slim Shady, My Name Is and Till I Collapse by Eminem. Also Stan (RS#223) ft. Dido.

• White Flag, Thank You and Here with Me by Dido, one of my favorite younger singer-songwriters.

• Ironic, Uninvited and You Oughta Know (RS#103) by Alanis Morissette.

• Faith, Last Christmas, Careless Whisper, One More Try, A Different Corner (H67), Freedom ’90 (RS#126) and Father Figure by George Michael.

• People Get Ready (RS#122) by the Impressions.

• People Get Ready (with the Impressions), Pusherman (RS#261), Freddie’s Dead, SuperFly and Move On Up (RS#474) by Curtis Mayfield.

• Gloria (RS#413) by the Them ft. Van Morrison.

• Brown-Eyed Girl, Moondance, Domino, Tupelo Honey and Into the Mystic (RS#462) by Van Morrison.

• Alison (RS#396), Veronica, Radio Radio and Watching the Detectives by Elvis Costello.

• White Rabbit (RS#455) and Somebody to Love (H82) by Grace Slick and Jefferson Airplane.

• Heart of Glass (RS#138, H69), Rapture, The Tide Is High, One Way or Another, Dreaming (RS#414) and Call Me by Blondie.

• Reach Out (I’ll Be There) (RS#78) and I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) (RS#483) by the Four Tops.

• Miss Independent and Since U Been Gone (RS#93) by Kelly Clarkson.

• S.O.S. as performed by Dimash Kudaibergen, the Six-Octave Man, in arguably the greatest male vocal performance of all time.

• This Land Is Your Land (RS#229) and Deportee by Woody Guthrie.

• Rave On, True Love Ways (H91), Peggy Sue (RS#370) and That'll Be the Day (RS#124) by Buddy Holly.

• Tracks of My Tears (RS#54) and Tears of a Clown (RS#313) by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.

• Crystal Blue Persuasion by Tommy James and the Shondells was one of the earliest and best examples of “blue-eyed soul” perhaps because it was so unaffected. Also Crimson and Clover, I Think We’re Alone Now, Mony Mony, Sweet Cherry Wine and Draggin’ the Line.

• All I Have to Do is Dream (RS#324), Bye Bye Love, Cathy’s Clown, Wake Up Little Susie, Until I Kissed You and Love Hurts by the Everly Brothers.

• Tired of Being Alone, I’m Still in Love with You, Love and Happiness (RS#274), Let's Stay Together (RS#84), Call Me, You Ought to Be with Me, Look What You Done for Me and I Can’t Get Next to You by the great Al Green. Also, Put a Little Love in Your Heart with Annie Lennox.

• Never Tear Us Apart (RS#282), Devil Inside, Suicide Blonde, New Sensation, Need You Tonight and Disappear by INXS.

• Bat out of Hell, Heaven Can Wait, Paradise by the Dashboard Lights, Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer They Are, All Revved Up with No Place to Go, I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That) and You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth by Meatloaf. Also, Dead Ringer for Love with Cher.

• Formation (RS#73), Single Ladies: Put a Ring On It (RS#228) and Break My Soul (RS#428) by Beyonce. Also, Crazy In Love (RS#16) by Beyoncé ft. JAY Z.

• Sweet Dreams Are Made of This (RS#354, H81) and Here Comes the Rain Again by Annie Lennox and the Eurythmics.

• Hurt by Nine Inch Nails and as covered so authentically by an aging Johnny Cash.

• Come See About Me, The Happening, Where Did Our Love Go, My World Is Empty Without You, Stop! In the Name of Love (RS#254), You Can’t Hurry Love, Someday We’ll Be Together, Baby Love, You Keep Me Hangin’ On (RS#234) and Love Child by the Supremes.

• I’m Coming Out (RS#385), Upside Down, Love Hangover, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough and Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To) by Diana Ross. Also, Endless Love with Lionel Ritchie.

• Boulevard of Broken Dreams and Basket Case (RS#150) by Green Day.

• Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls.

• Surrender (RS#357) by Cheap Trick. (=)

• London Calling (RS#143) and Should I Stay or Should I Go by The Clash.

• Believe(RS#338), If I Could Turn Back Time, Bang Bang, Dark Lady, Gypsies Tramps & Thieves and Half-Breed by Cher.

• Eight Miles High (RS#181), Turn Turn Turn, Jesus is Just Alright with Me, Chimes of Freedom and Mr. Tambourine Man (RS#230) by the Byrds.

• Love is a Battlefield, Hell is for Children, Hit Me with Your Best Shot and We Belong by Pat Benatar.

• In the Arms of an Angel and Possession by Sarah McLachlan.

• In Your Eyes, Solsbury Hill (RS#472), Sledgehammer, Big Time and Red Rain by Peter Gabriel.

• Dancing in the Street (RS#130) and Heat Wave (RS#257) by Martha and the Vandellas.

• Anyone Who Had a Heart, Magic, Physical, Banks of the Ohio, and Xanadu by Olivia Newton-John. Also Summer Nights and You’re the One that I Want with John Travolta.

• Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress, The Air that I Breathe, He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother, Bus Stop, Carousel, Stop Stop Stop and Carrie Anne by the Hollies.

• Undun, These Eyes, Laughing, No Time, No Sugar Tonight, New Mother Nature, Share the Land, Hand Me Down World, Albert Flasher and American Woman by the Guess Who.

• Stand Tall by Burton Cummings, former lead singer of the Guess Who.

• Rhythm Nation (RS#475), Nasty, Again, Together Again, Escapade, Come Back to Me, Miss You Much, When I Think of You, That’s the Way Love Goes, All for You and Doesn’t Really Matter by Janet Jackson.

• Cherry Bomb by the Runaways, an all-female group with Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Cherrie Currie, Jackie Fox and Sandy West.

• Sugar Walls by Sheena Easton, written by Prince. Other notable Sheena Easton songs include Strut, Morning Train and For Your Eyes Only.

• I’m Only Happy When It Rains by Shirley Manson and Garbage.

• Levitating and Don’t Start Now by Dua Lipa; also Cold Heart with Elton John.

• Harder to Breathe, Maps, Payphone, Animals, Memories and She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5.

• Apologize and Counting Stars by OneRepublic.

• Under the Bridge (RS#329) and Californication by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

MORE HONORABLE MENTIONS

Bo Diddley (RS#277) by Bo Diddley.
Bo Diddley by Ronny Hawkins and the Hawks.
I Put a Spell on You (RS#299) by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins.
Hound Dog (RS#318) by Big Mama Thornton.
Turn the Page and Night Moves (RS#301) by Bob Seger.
Beds Are Burning by Midnight Oil.
Rehab and Back to Black (RS#79) by Amy Winehouse.
Walking on Broken Glass by Annie Lennox.
He Stopped Loving Her Today (RS#142) by George Jones.
Mama Tried (RS#376) by Merle Haggard.
Hallelujah and Grace (RS#394) by Jeff Buckley.
Rock Me Amadeus by Falco.
She's Gone (RS#337), Maneater and Rich Girl by Hall and Oates.
Lay Down (Candles in the Rain) and Brand New Key by Melanie.
Love And Affection by Joan Armatrading.
I’ll Take You There (RS#186) by the Staple Singers.
Sultans of Swing (H57) and Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits.
Jack & Diane and Pink Houses by John Mellencamp.
Tennessee by Arrested Development.
Runaway by Del Shannon.
Lightning Strikes and Two Faces Have I by Lou Christie.
Boom Boom (RS#463) by John Lee Hooker.
Dream On (RS#199, H44) by Aerosmith.
I Want To Know What Love Is by Foreigner.
All by Myself by Eric Carmen and Celine Dion’s cover.
Black Velvet by Alannah Myles.
Karma Chameleon by Boy George and Culture Club.
Come on Eileen (H58) by Dexy's Midnight Runners.
Tainted Love by Soft Cell.
I'm Not in Love by 10CC.
Jeremy, Alive (RS#416) and Black by Pearl Jam.
Voices Carry by 'Til Tuesday.
Blueberry Hill (RS#147) by Fats Domino.
Born to be Wild (H71) by Steppenwolf.
Metal Health by Quiet Riot.
Never Too Much (RS#466) and Dance with My Father by Luther Vandross.
I Can't Stand the Rain (RS#197) by Ann Peebles.
Loser (RS#458) and Where It’s At by Beck.
(Don’t Fear) The Reaper (RS#449, H36) by Blue Oyster Cult.
Something About You by Level 42.
Son of a Preacher Man (RS#168) by Dusty Springfield.
Jessie’s Girl by Rick Springfield.
Poor Little Fool, Travelin’ Man and Garden Party by Ricky Nelson.
Ace of Spades (RS#442) by Motörhead.
Livin' on a Prayer and Runaway by Bon Jovi
Take on Me by A-ha
When a Man Loves a Woman by Percy Sledge.
In the Midnight Hour (RS#218) by Wilson Pickett.
Stay With Me and Ooh La La (RS#246) by the Faces with Rod Stewart.
Maggie May (RS#141, H52x2) by Rod Stewart
I'd Rather Go Blind by Rod Stewart, nominated by Rigsby
Last Christmas by Wham!
American Pie and Vincent by Don McLean.
Walk on the Wild Side (RS#180) by Lou Reed.
Angel from Montgomery (RS#351) by John Prine.
Apologize by Timbaland
Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes.
Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler.
Dust in the Wind by Kansas.
Lady, Babe and Come Sail Away by Styx.
Kathy's Song and America by Simon and Garfunkel.
Super Freak (RS#153) by Rick James.
Die with a Smile by Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga.
Smooth Operator and No Ordinary Love (RS#459) by Sade.
Someone You Loved and Before You Go by Lewis Capaldi.
What’s Up (What’s Going On) by 4 Non Blondes.
Chandelier, Titanium, Breathe Me and Space Between by Sia.
Yellow, Clocks, Fix You (RS#392), Viva la Vida and The Scientist by Coldplay.
Running Up that Hill (RS#60) and Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush.
Africa (RS#452, H41), Rosanna and Hold the Line by Toto.
Angels by Robbie Williams.
All of Me by John Legend.
Green Onions (RS#418) by Booker T. and the MGs.
Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys by Traffic.
All the Young Dudes (RS#166) by Mott the Hoople.
How to Save a Life by the Fray.
Common People (RS#75) by Pulp.
Just Like Heaven (RS#108) and Pictures of You by the Cure.
Yeah! (RS#290) by Usher ft. Lil Jon & Ludacris.
It Was a Good Day (RS#353) by Ice Cube.
Doo Wop (That Thing) (RS#49) by Lauryn Hill.
Criminal (RS#423) and Paper Bag (RS#382) by Fiona Apple.
In the Still of the Night (RS#170) by the Five Satins.
Lean on Me (RS#236) and Ain’t No Sunshine (RS#309) by Bill Withers.
Let Her Go by Passenger.
C.R.E.A.M. (RS#107) by Wu-Tang Clan.
Juicy (RS#32) by the Notorious B.I.G.
There She Goes by the La’s.
Believer, Thunder, Demons and Radioactive by Imagine Dragons.
Walk this Way by Run-DMC and Aerosmith.
I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith.
September (RS#65) by Earth, Wind & Fire.
Everybody Wants to Rule the World (RS#319) by Tears for Fears.
God’s Plan, Hotline Bling (RS#373) and One Dance by Drake.
In Da Club (RS#444) by 50 Cent.
Walk on By (RS#51) by Dionne Warwick.
I’m a Believer (RS#342) by the Monkees, written by Neil Diamond.
Blitzkrieg Bop (RS#64) and I Wanna Be Sedated by the Ramones.
Down Under by Men at Work.
Steel Guitar Rag by Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys.
A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton.
Fast Car (RS#71) by Tracy Chapman.
Walk on By (RS#312) and Shaft by Isaac Hayes.
Wind of Change by the Scorpions.
Don’t You Want Me by Human League.
Numb and In the End by Linkin Park.
N.Y. State of Mind by Nas.
My Girl (RS#43) and Papa Was a Rolling Stone (RS#334) by the Temptations.
Up on the Roof (RS#375) by the Drifters.
West End Girls (RS#433) by Pet Shop Boys.
Just What I Needed (RS#369), Shake It Up, Drive and Magic by the Cars.
Midnight Train to Georgia (RS#470) by Gladys Knight and the Pips.
She Drives Me Crazy by the Fine Young Cannibals.
The Look, Joyride and It Must Have Been Love by Roxette.
I Ran So Far Away and Space Age Love Song by Flock of Seagulls.
Doll Parts (RS#208) and Celebrity Skin by Courtney Love and Hole.
Cities In Dust by Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Only the Lonely and Suddenly Last Summer by the Motels.
Don’t Speak and Just a Girl by Gwen Stefani and No Doubt.
Toxic (RS#114) and Baby One More Time (RS#205) by Britney Spears.
Ave Maria, Pie Jesu, Nella Fantasia and Lovers by Jackie Evancho.
How You Remind Me and Rockstar by Nickelback.
Waterfalls (RS#127) by TLC.
I Want It That Way (RS#240) by the Backstreet Boys.
Tonight by the New Kids on the Block.
Closer by the Chainsmokers.
Killing in the Name (RS#207) by Rage Against the Machine.
Leader Of The Pack (RS#316) by the Shangri-Las.
Will You Love Me Tomorrow (RS#151) by the Shirelles.
Da Doo Ron Ron (RS#366) and Then He Kissed Me by the Crystals.
Our Lips Are Sealed (RS#477) by the Go-Gos.
I Love Rock 'n' Roll and Bad Reputation (RS#249) by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts.
Black Hole Sun (RS#368) by Soundgarden.
Hey Lord, Don't Ask Me Questions by Graham Parker and the Rumor.
Despacito (Remix) by Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber.
Sorry by Justin Bieber.
Say, Say, Say by Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson.
Live and Let Die and Band on the Run by Paul McCartney and Wings.
True by Spandau Ballet.
Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People.
Get Lucky (RS#465) by Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams.
Crazy (RS#307) by Gnarls Barkley.
Everlong (RS#409) by the Foo Fighters.
Good Times (RS#68) by Chic.
Sunflower, Circles and Rockstar by Post Malone.
Bang a Gong and Cosmic Dancer (RS#445) by T. Rex.
I Feel Love (RS#52) by Donna Summer.
I Will Survive (RS#251) by Gloria Gaynor.
A&W (RS#456) by Lana Del Rey.
Right Here Waiting by Richard Marx.
We Don’t Talk Anymore by Charlie Puth ft. Selena Gomez.
See You Again by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth.
Easy, Still, Sail On and Three Times a Lady by the Commodores.
Hello, Say You Say Me and All Night Long by Lionel Ritchie.
Without You by Halsey.
Dilemma by Nelly and Kelly Rowland.
Land of Confusion, Invisible Touch and That’s All by Genesis.
Stitches, Mercy and Treat You Better by Shawn Mendes.
In a Big Country by Big Country.
Eye of the Tiger by Survivor.
Tom Sawyer and Limelight (RS#435) by Rush.
Hungry Like the Wolf (RS#398) and View to a Kill by Duran Duran.
Sabotage (RS#245) and Paul Revere by the Beastie Boys.
505 and I Wanna be Yours by Arctic Monkeys.
Misery Business by Paramore.
Mr. Brightside (RS#378) by the Killers.
Sweater Weather by the Neighborhood.
Hips Don’t Lie and Waka Waka by Shakira.
Amor Prohibido (RS#405) by Selena Quintanilla.
Caribbean Queen by Billy Ocean.
Runaway (RS#25) by Kanye West ft. Pusha T is another RS streeetch.
Heat Waves by Glass Animals.
Don’t Worry Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin.
I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas.
Wannabe by the Spice Girls.
Never Gonna Give You Up and Together Forever by Rick Astley.
Down Home Boys, Heaven and Cherry Pie by Warrant.
Photograph and Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard.
To Be With You by Mr. Big.
More Than Words by Extreme.
Thank U, Next (RS#137) and 7 Rings by Ariana Grande.
Bang Bang by Jessie J ft. Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj.
Good for U and Drivers License (RS#377) by Olivia Rodrigo.
Straight Up by Paula Abdul.
Self Control by Laura Brannigan.
She Blinded Me with Science by Thomas Dolby.
Walk Like an Egyptian by the Bangles.
MMMbop by Hanson is cute and catchy.
Rock Lobster (RS#300), Love Shack and Roam by the B-52’s.
School’s Out (RS#293) by Alice Cooper.
I Wanna Be Your Dog (RS#314) by Iggy and the Stooges.
Lust for Life (RS#326) by Iggy Pop.
Wrecking Ball and Flowers by Miley Cyrus.
Achy Breaky Heart by Billy Ray Cyrus.
The Joker and Abracadabra by the Steve Miller Band.
In the Air Tonight (RS#291), Against All Odds and Another Day in Paradise by Phil Collins.
I’m Waiting for the Man (RS#81) and Sweet Jane (RS#294) by the Velvet Underground.
How Soon Is Now? (RS#421) and There Is a Light That Never Goes Out (RS#226) by the Smiths.
Perfect, Photograph, Shape of You (#2 on Spotify) and Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran.
Heart and Soul, Stuck with You and Power of Love by Huey Lewis & the News.
Shake Your Booty and I'm Your Boogie Man by KC and the Sunshine Band.
Y.M.C.A. by the Village People.
Livin’ the Viva Loca by Ricky Martin.
Anarchy in the U.K. (RS#125) and God Save the Queen (RS#365) by the Sex Pistols.
Ripple (RS#335), Box of Rain (RS#364), Truckin’ and Touch of Grey by the atonal Grateful Dead. The melody of "Ripple" was obviously — to my ear at least — plagiarized from "Any Dream Will Do" from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Jump (RS#177), Panama and Running with the Devil by Van Halen.
All My Friends (RS#87) by LCD Soundsystem.
Buddy Holly (RS#484) by Weezer.
Wonderwall (RS#95) by Oasis might be better titled “Caterwaul.”

MY BIGGEST DISAGREEMENTS WITH ROLLING STONE

Are these songs top 50, really? Really? I mean, REALLY?

Get Ur Freak On (RS#8) by Missy Elliott is commendable song, but not better than all the songs in my list below.

Waterloo Sunset (RS#14) by the Kinks is a good song, but not the 14th greatest song of all time, not even close.

Crazy In Love (RS#16) by Beyoncé ft. JAY Z is not the 16th greatest song of all time, sorry.

Dancing On My Own (RS#20) by Robyn is a nice enough song, but consider the masterpieces far below it!

Love Will Tear Us Apart (RS#41) by Joy Division. Really?

Alright (RS#45) by Kendrick Lamar.

Paper Planes (RS#46) by M.I.A.

Idioteque (RS#48) by Radiohead is a painful song to listen to, much less top 50. Is this music? Is this singing?

Gasolina (RS#50) by Daddy Yankee.

Roadrunner (RS#77) by the Modern Lovers.

All My Friends (RS#87) by LCD Soundsystem. Is this singing?

Wonderwall (RS#95) by Oasis might better be titled “Caterwaul.”

Sorry, Rolling Stone, but I can think of many better songs, including Stairway to Heaven (#61), Bridge Over Troubled Water (#66), Hallelujah (#74), Hey Jude (#89), Good Golly Miss Molly (#92), Blowin’ in the Wind (#100), Maybellene (#102), Sympathy for the Devil (#106), Thunder Road (#111), Losing My Religion (#112), I Heard It Through the Grapevine (#119), Let it Be (#121), Whole Lotta Love (#128), Stand By Me (#133), Kashmir (#148), Rocket Man (#149), Comfortably Numb (#179), Little Red Corvette (#360), Lola (#386), California Dreamin’ (#420), Mannish Boy (#425), Summertime Blues (#432), House of the Rising Sun (#471), Solsbury Hill (#472), Time After Time (#495), You’re So Vain (#496) and Without You (#497). Need I go on to the great songs you left out completely? No, I can see that you’re already hanging your head in shame. As well you should!

THE BEST-SELLING SONGS OF ALL TIME

All positions are per Wikipedia unless otherwise noted.

1. White Christmas (1942) by Bing Crosby is the best-selling song of all time, with over 50 million copies sold.

2. Candle in the Wind (1977) by Sir Elton John.

3. Silent Night (1935) by Bing Crosby.

4. Petit Papa Noël by Tino Rossi.

5. Rock Around the Clock (1954) by Bill Haley and his Comets.

6. I Will Always Love You (1992) by Whitney Houston, written by Dolly Parton.

7. It’s Now or Never (1960) by Elvis Presley.

8. We Are The World (1985) by USA for Africa.

9. If I Didn’t Care (1939) by the Ink Spots.

10. My Heart Will Go On (1997) by Celine Dion.

OTHER NOTABLE CHART-TOPPERS

• In the Summertime by Mungo Jerry is the #3 best-selling song of all time according to Far Out Magazine (UK), including both physical and digital copies.

• You’re the One that I Want by John Travolta and Oliva Newton-John, from the movie Grease, is the #14 best-selling song of all time.

• I Want to Hold Your Hand is the best-selling song by the Beatles, the #19 best-selling song of all time according to Far Out Magazine (UK).

• Popera makes the top 20, with the lovely and evocative Time to Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman, according to Far Out Magazine (UK).

• Shadow Dancing by the fourth Gibb brother, Andy Gibb, was #1 for seven weeks.

• I Just Want to be Your Everything by Andy Gibb is the #24 best-selling song of all time according to Billboard.

BILLBOARD BEST-SELLERS, BY YEAR

These are the best-selling songs per Billboard with the weeks at number one in parens.

• 2024: Teddy Swims, “Lose Control” (1)

• 2023: Morgan Wallen, “Last Night” (16)

• 2022: Glass Animals, “Heat Waves” (5)

• 2021: Dua Lipa, “Levitating” (-)

• 2020: The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights” (4)

• 2019: Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, “Old Town Road” (a record 19 weeks at #1)

• 2018: Drake, “God’s Plan” (11)

• 2017: Ed Sheeran, “Shape of You” (12)

• 2016: Justin Bieber, “Love Yourself” (2) and Bieber was also second with “Sorry.”

• 2015: Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, “Uptown Funk!” (14)

• 2014: Pharrell Williams, “Happy” (10)

• 2013: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz, “Thrift Shop” (6)

• 2012: Gotye feat. Kimbra, “Somebody That I Used to Know” (8)

• 2011: Adele, “Rolling in the Deep” (7)

• 2010: Kesha, “Tik Tok” (9)

• 2009: The Black Eyed Peas, “Boom Boom Pow” (12)

• 2008: Flo Rida feat. T-Pain, “Low” (10)

• 2007: Beyoncé, “Irreplaceable” (10)

• 2006: Daniel Powter, “Bad Day” (6)

• 2005: Mariah Carey, “We Belong Together” (14)

• 2004: Usher feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris, “Yeah!” (12)

• 2003: 50 Cent, “In Da Club” (9)

• 2002: Nickelback, “How You Remind Me” (4)

• 2001: Lifehouse, “Hanging by a Moment” (-)

• 2000: Faith Hill, “Breathe” (-)

• 1999: Cher, “Believe” (4) the first major hit with autotune!

• 1997: Elton John, “Candle in the Wind 1997″ / “Something About the Way You Look Tonight” (14)

• 1996: Los Del Río, “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)” (14)

• 1995: Coolio feat. L.V., “Gangsta’s Paradise” (4)

• 1993: Whitney Houston, “I Will Always Love You” (14)

• 1992: Boyz II Men, “End of the Road” (13)

• 1991: Bryan Adams, “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” (7)

• 1988: George Michael, “Faith” (4)

• 1986: Dionne & Friends (Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, Elton John & Stevie Wonder), “That’s What Friends Are For” (4)

• 1985: Wham!, “Careless Whisper” (3)

• 1984: Prince, “When Doves Cry” (5)

• 1983: The Police, “Every Breath You Take” (8) the ultimate stalker wedding song!

• 1982: Olivia Newton-John, “Physical” (10)

• 1981: Kim Carnes, “Bette Davis Eyes” (9)

• 1980: Blondie, “Call Me” (6)

• 1979: The Knack, “My Sharona” (6)

• 1978: Andy Gibb, “Shadow Dancing” (7)

• 1977: Rod Stewart, “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)” (8)

• 1976: Wings, “Silly Love Songs” (5)

• 1974: Barbra Streisand, “The Way We Were” (3)

• 1971: Three Dog Night, “Joy to the World” (6) the first #1 song I recorded, although not a particular favorite of mine.

• 1970: Simon & Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (6)

• 1968: The Beatles, “Hey Jude” (9)

• 1966: The Mamas & The Papas, “California Dreamin’” (-)

• 1964: The Beatles, “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (7) and they were also second with “She Loves You” at the height of Beatlemania.

• 1963: The Beach Boys, “Surfin’ U.S.A.” (-)

• 1958: Domenico Modugno, “Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu)” the year I was born. God, am I really that old?

• 1957: Elvis Presley, “All Shook Up”

• 1956: Elvis Presley, “Heartbreak Hotel”

MORE NOMINATIONS

• Rock Around The Clock by Bill Haley and the Comets, the #5 best-selling song of all time, was nominated by Paul Hippensteel.

• Strange Things Happening Every Day by Sister Rosetta Tharpe was nominated by WrightsCreekWolf.

• Dear God by XTC was nominated by George Anderson.

• Senses Working Overtime and The Disappointed by XTC were nominated by Otto.

• Working Class Hero by John Lennon was nominated by JohnH.

• Make Me Smile and Beginnings by Chicago were nominated by Otto.

• Fall On Me and Try Not To Breathe by REM were nominated by Otto.

• Radio Free Europe by REM was nominated by Terry McManus.

• Hey Jealousy and Found Out About You by the Gin Blossoms were nominated by Otto.

• Search and Destroy by Iggy and the Stooges was nominated by Jon Ringo.

• Aqualung by Jethro Tull was nominated by Michael Sidky PhD.

• Girlfriend by Matthew Sweet was nominated by Terry Smith.

• Rockin’ in the Free World by Neil Young was nominated Carmela Rose Rosse.

• Wonder Why We Ever Go Home by Jimmy Buffett was nominated by someone whose name I misplaced.

• Jimmy Webb was nominated for MacArthur Park; Up, Up and Away; By the Time I Get to Phoenix; Galveston; and Wichita Lineman by Erik Peter Axelson.

• July Morning by Uriah Heep, Temple of the King by Ritchie Blackmore (Rainbow), Delta by CSNY, and Even in the Quietest Moments by Supertramp were nominated by What Me Worry.

• Senses Working Overtime by XTC, Once in a Lifetime by Talking Heads, Awaken by Yes, Rock and Roll by Velvet Underground, Down by the River by Neil Young,

  and Brass in Pocket by The Pretenders were nominated by Smatchum Climpklot.

• Robert Lubowitz nominated Jailhouse Rock, Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On, Ready Teddy, The Great Pretender, Blueberry Hill, Blue Suede Shoes, Mean Woman Blues, In the Still of the Night, Twist and Shout and I’m Down.

ROCK’N’ROLL GENRES REPRESENTED

The Blues, Jazz, Soul and R&B roots of rock’n’roll are represented by Chuck Berry, James Brown, Bo Diddley, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Robert Johnson, Ben E. King, Little Richard and Sister Rosetta Tharpe, among many others.

The British Invasion is represented by the Animals, the Beatles, the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, the Who, and the Zombies.

Celtic music is represented by Celtic Woman and Enya.

Country is represented by Johnny Cash, his daughter Rosanne Cash, Vince Gill, Dolly Parton, Elvis, and Hank Williams Sr., among others.

Disco is represented by the Bee Gees.

Doo-Wop is represented by Gene Chandler, Desmond Dekker & the Aces, the Platters, and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

Electronic/Electropop is represented by Dido, Lady Gaga and Sia.

Folk is represented by Joan Baez, The Band, CCR, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, among others.

Funk is represented by James Brown, Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson, Prince, and Sly and the Family Stone.

Glam Rock is represented by David Bowie

Grunge is represented by the godfather of grunge, Neil Young, as well as Nirvana and Pearl Jam.

Hard Rock is represented by AC/DC, Aerosmith, Black Sabbath, Cream, Jimi Hendrix and the Experience, Judas Priest, Jethro Tull and Led Zeppelin, among others.

Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal and Headbangers are represented by Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Metallica and Quiet Riot.

Latino music is represented by Camila Cabello, Luis Fonsi, Los Lobos, Mocedades, Ritchie Valens and Carlos Santana.

New Wave is represented by a-ha and Blondie.

Operatic Rock is represented by Boston, Celine Dion, Meatloaf, the Moody Blues, Queen, and Yes.

Poets are represented by Joan Baez, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Jim Morrison and Paul Simon.

Pop is represented by Michael Jackson, Madonna and Prince, among others.

Progressive Rock is represented by 10cc, Pink Floyd, Procol Harum and the Zombies.

Punk is represented by the godmother, Patti Smith, as well as Iggy and the Stooges and The Clash. Sorry, but I am not a Sex Pistols fan.

Rap is represented by Outkast, Tupac Shakur, Eminem and Arrested Development.

Reggae is represented by Bob Marley and the Wailers and UB40.

Rockabilly with hints of Country and Western Swing is represented by Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly, Elvis and Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys.

Singer-Songwriters are represented by Adele, Jackson Browne, Sam Cooke, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Dan Fogelberg, Carole King and Hank Williams Sr., among many others.

Soul is represented by James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Al Green and the Soul Survivors.

Southern Rock is represented by the Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Storytellers are represented by Harry Chapin, Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks and Paul Simon.

Synth-Pop is represented by a-ha, Eurythmics and Soft Cell.

Troubadours are represented by Bob Dylan, Billy Joel and Paul Simon.

CONTENDERS FOR THE WORST HIT SONGS OF ALL TIME

• Having My Baby by Paul Anka is the all-time worst song, at least in terms of morality. Should eggs be gratuitously fertilized in order to inspire insipid songwriters?

• MacArthur Park as performed bombastically by Richard Harris.

• You're Beautiful by James Blunt is, bluntly, terrible.

• Sometimes When We Touch by Dan Hill was over the hill the day it was written.

• All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You by Heart. All I wanna do is not hear another freakin’ cliche!

• I Don’t Want to Wait by Paula Cole has the single worst line in a hit song — “Say a little prayer for I.” — and she repeats it over and over again, like a broken record. WHICH. IT. IS.

• Honey by Bobby Goldsboro actually reached #1, OMG!

• Who Let the Dogs Out? by Baha Man should have been titled “Who Let These Dogs Into the Studio?”

• We Built This City by Starship: bombast meets hyperbole, screws around, then lays an egg.

• Dancing on the Ceiling by Lionel Richie also reached #1. How?

• Nookie by Limp Bizkit. The penner of this lemon should never get any.

• Thong Song by Sisqo also incomprehensibly reached #1.

• Sussudio by Phil Collins, who was not a favorite of mine before I heard this ghastly alleged “song.”

• Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da by the Beatles highlighted the “mania” in Beatlemania.

• Kokomo by the Beach Boys.

• Don’t Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin, a song that can only make us happy if we are able to find the OFF switch quickly.

• Ebony and Ivory by Sir Paul McCartney with Stevie Wonder, two seasoned pros who should have known better.

• Silly Love Songs gives McCartney three songs on this list.

• Anaconda and Stupid Hoe by Nicki Minaj.

• My Humps by the Black Eyed Peas.

• Barbie Girl by Aqua has the slightly redeeming quality of being only mildly annoying, compared to its predecessors.

• Friday by Rebecca Black tops many “worst song” lists, but is partially saved here by the disasters above.

Let it be noted that in previous comments there were arguments about some of these songs “not really being rock and roll.” But let’s not forget where the “roll” in “rock and roll” originated: blues, R&B, gospel, western swing, rockabilly, doo wop, country, etc. Rock and roll has a long history of crossover hits. And please consider the diversity of the artists in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: 2Pac (rap), Louis Armstrong (jazz), Chet Atkins (one of the architects of the Nashville sound), Beastie Boys (rap), Bee Gees (pop/disco), James Brown (soul), Johnny Cash (country), the Coasters (doo wop), the Drifters (doo wop), Eminem (rap), Bob Dylan (folk), Aretha Franklin (soul), Jay-Z (rap), Bill Monroe (bluegrass), Dolly Parton (country/pop), Jimmie Rodgers (country), Hank Williams (country), Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys (western swing).

OVERPLAYED AND/OR OVERRATED SONGS

Some of these songs are great songs, but they get overplayed, so I will start with the best songs and work my way down to the least worthy, in my opinion. I don’t include songs like “Stairway to Heaven,” “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Whiter Shade of Pale” because I never get tired of listening to them.

(A+) Layla by Derek & The Dominoes (*)
(A) Satisfaction by the Rolling Stones (*)
(A) Dream On by Aerosmith (*)
(A-) Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd
(A-) Turn The Page by Bob Seger
(B+) Hotel California by The Eagles (*)
(B+) Money by Pink Floyd (*)
(B+) Smoke On The Water by Deep Purple
(B+) You Really Got Me by the Kinks (*)
(B+) Foxy Lady by Jimi Hendrix
(B) We Are the Champions by Queen (**)
(B) We Will Rock You by Queen (**)
(B-) Rock and Roll by Led Zeppelin
(B-) Come Sail Away by Styx
(B-) I Love Rock 'n' Roll by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
(B-) Keep On Lovin’ You by REO Speedwagon
(B-) Light My Fire by the Doors
(C) Every Rose Has Its Thorn by Poison
(C) The Final Countdown by Europe
(C) LA Woman by the Doors
(C-) Eye of the Tiger by Survivor
(C-) Heat of the Moment by Asia
(C-) Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams
(C-) Everything I Do (I Do It for You) by Bryan Adams
(C-) Run to You by Bryan Adams
(C-) Tom Sawyer by Rush
(C-) Running with the Devil by Van Halen
(D) Follow You, Follow Me by Genesis
(D) Here I Go Again by Whitesnake
(D-) The Joker by the Steve Miller Band
(F) We’re Not Gonna Take It by Twisted Sister
(F) Rock and Roll All Night (RS#404) and I Was Made For Lovin’ You by KISS
(F) Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard
(F) Touch of Grey by Grateful Dead
(F-) Jump by Van Halen

(*) Great songs, but overplayed.
(**) I’m a Queen fan and these are good songs, but by no means the band’s best.

THE BEST OSCAR-WINNING SONGS

1. Somewhere Over the Rainbow (H28) by Judy Garland.

2. Loose Yourself by Eminem (an incredible 23 weeks at #1).

3. Skyfall by Adele.

4. I Just Called to Say I Love You by Stevie Wonder.

5. Up Where We Belong by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes (who has another song in this list).

6. Shallow by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.

7. Beauty and the Beast by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson.

8. My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion.

9. Can You Feel the Love Tonight by Sir Elton John.

10. Last Dance by Donna Summer.

11. White Christmas by Bing Crosby.

12. (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes.

13. Flashdance (What a Feeling) by Irene Cara.

14. The Way We Were and Evergreen by Barbra Streisand.

15. Take My Breath Away by Berlin.

16. When You Wish Upon a Star by Cliff Edwards.

17. Moon River by Audrey Hepburn.

18. The Streets of Philadelphia by Bruce Springsteen.

19. Say You Say Me by Lionel Ritchie.

20. Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head by B.J. Thomas.

ACTORS AND ACTRESSES WHO CAN ACTUALLY SING

I am not including actors and actresses who are known primarily as singers, such as Elvis Presley and Barbra Streisand.

1. Jamie Foxx singing Unpredictable ft. Ludacris, Just Like Me ft. T.I., and Blame It ft. T-Pain.

2. Patrick Swayze singing She's Like The Wind, Raising Heaven (in Hell Tonight) and Love Hurts with Larry Gatlin.

3. John Travolta with Olivia Newton John singing You're The One That I Want and Summer Nights. Also, solo singing Sandy, Greased Lightnin’, Never Gonna Fall in Love Again, Can’t Let You Go, Razzamatazz and Let Her In.

4. Queen Latifah has been called hip-hop's first lady.

5. Val Kilmer singing Light My Fire and 14 other Doors songs in The Doors. When the members of the Doors heard Kilmer singing they couldn’t tell whether the voice was Kilmer's or Jim Morrison's.

6. Mandy Patinkin singing Brother Can You Spare a Dime and Somewhere Over the Rainbow so expressively and so well.

7. Emmy Rossum in The Phantom of the Opera.

8. Zooey Deschanel singing Hello in Trolls and Baby It's Cold Outside with Will Ferrell in Elf.

9. Jim Nabors, the star of Gomer Pyle and a regular on the Andy Griffith Show.

10. Anna Kendrick singing True Colors in Trolls. Her lower register is especially impressive.

11. Bradley Cooper singing Shallow with Lady Gaga in A Star is Born.

12. Hugh Jackman in Les Misérables.

13. Anne Hathaway singing I Dreamed A Dream in Les Misérables.

14. Dan Akroyd and John Belushi singing Soul Man in The Blues Brothers.

15. Neil Patrick Harris

16. Amber Riley

17. Evan Rachel Wood singing All Is Found and Show Yourself in Frozen 2.

18. Eddie Murphy

19. Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge.

20. Ewan McGregor in Moulin Rouge.

21. Kristen Bell in Frozen and Frozen 2.

22. Meryl Streep

23. Chris Pine

24. Scarlett Johansson

25. Sandra Bullock

26. Ralph Fiennes

27. Joaquin Phoenix

28. Reese Witherspoon

29. Jared Leto

30. Alec Baldwin

THE BEST COUNTRY SONGS

1. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry (RS#165), Lovesick Blues, Your Cheatin’ Heart, I Can’t Stop Loving You, Lost Highway, I Saw the Light, Jambalaya, Hey Good Lookin’ and Kaw Liga by Hank Williams Sr.

2. He Stopped Loving Her Today (RS#142) by George Jones. Also, She Thinks I Still Care, Tennessee Whiskey, White Lightning, The Grand Tour and The Race Is On.

3. I Walk the Line (RS#76) and Ring of Fire (RS#201) by Johnny Cash.
   
   I find it very, very easy to be true
   I find myself alone when each day is through
   Yes, I'll admit that I'm a fool for you
   Because you're mine, I walk the line.
   
   Johnny Cash wrote "I Walk the Line" in 1956, when he was newly married, and presumably faithful. Years later he recorded Ring of Fire, a song about the torrid love affair that caused him to leave his wife for June Carter of the singing Carter Family, also represented in this list. June Carter wrote "Ring of Fire" with Merle Kilgore. Johnny Cash had a dream in which he was singing the song with mariachi horns in the background, which was how it was recorded. Other notable Johnny Cash songs include Hurt, Folsom Prison Blues, Wildwood Flower and A Boy Named Sue.

4. Crazy (RS#195) by Patsy Cline; also I Fall to Pieces, Walkin’ After Midnight, Sweet Dreams, She’s Got You, The Wayward Wind, So Wrong, That’s My Desire and Tennessee Waltz.

5. Jolene, Eagle When She Flies, Coat of Many Colors (RS#263) and I Will Always Love You by Dolly Parton, who has had 25 #1 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

6. Go Rest High on that Mountain by Vince Gill, a song he wrote for the brother he lost. I’m not normally a country music fan, but this song, a modern hymn, is wonderfully moving and exquisitely sung by Vince Gill, a former lead singer of Pure Prairie League. Gill wrote the song originally for Keith Whitley, a fellow country music singer who died in 1989, but didn't finish it until after the death of his brother Bob in 1993. Ricky Skaggs and Patty Loveless sang the background vocals on a song that is sure to be an enduring classic. Other songs by Vince Gill include When I Call Your Name, I Still Believe, Pocket Full of Gold, Never Knew Lonely and Whenever You Come Around.

7. Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground, Always on My Mind, Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain (RS#253), Crazy, Hello Walls and On the Road Again by Willie Nelson; also Seven Spanish Angels with Ray Charles.

8. Coal Miner’s Daughter (RS#255), You Ain’t Woman Enough and The Pill by Loretta Lynn.

9. I’ll Fly Away, Down to the River to Pray, When You Say Nothing at All and Baby Now That I’ve Found You by Alison Krauss. Also Whiskey Lullaby with Brad Paisley.

10. It’s Only Make Believe and Hello Darlin’ by Conway Twitty the most operatic of country singers. Twitty had an amazing 55 singles reach #1 on the various charts.

11. Stand By Your Man (RS#473), D-I-V-O-R-C-E, I Don’t Want to Play House and Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad by Tammy Wynette, the first lady of country. Also, Golden Ring and Two Story House with George Jones.

12. The Gambler, Lady, Crazy, Lucille and Coward of the County by Kenny Rogers. Also, Islands in the Stream with Dolly Parton, Every Time Two Fools Collide with Dottie West, Make No Mistake She’s Mine with Ronnie Milsap, Buy Me a Rose with Alison Krauss and Billy Dean, Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer with Kim Carnes, and We’ve Got Tonight with Sheena Easton. All these songs reached #1 on the Billboard Country charts.

13. Independence Day, Broken Wing, Concrete Angel and O Holy Night by Martina McBride.

14. Blue Yodel No. 1 (T for Texas) by Jimmie Rodgers, the father of country music, published in 1927. This was country’s first big hit, and Rodgers taught everyone the advantages of falsetto, from Howlin’ Wolf to Elvis Presley.

15. El Paso and Devil Woman by Marty Robbins. In the latter, Robbins sings the chorus with a little falsetto flip that he probably learned from Jimmie Rodgers.

16. The Highwaymen by the Highwaymen (Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson); the song was written by Jimmy Webb. Also, City of New Orleans, Deportee and (Ghost) Riders In the Sky.

17. Man of Constant Sorrow as performed by the Soggy Bottom Boys, Home Free and Sawyer Fredericks.

18. Mama Tried (RS#376), Workin’ Man Blues, I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink and Today I Started Loving You Again by Merle Haggard.

19. Can the Circle Be Unbroken and Wildwood Flower by the Carter Family.

20. Amarillo By Morning, The Chair and All My Exes Live in Texas by George Strait.

21. The Thunder Rolls, Shameless, Friends in Low Places and The Dance by Garth Brooks.

22. Kiss an Angel Good Morning and Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone by Charlie Pride.

23. Wichita Lineman (RS#206, H64) as performed by Glen Campbell; written by Jimmy Webb. Also, Gentle on My Mind, Galveston, By the Time I Get to Phoenix and Rhinestone Cowboy. Betcha didn’t know Glen Campbell once played with the Beach Boys!

24. Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way, If We Make It Through December, Good-Hearted Woman, Rainy Day Woman, Luckenbach Texas and Honky Tonk Heroes by Waylon Jennings; also Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys with Willie Nelson.

25. Rose Garden by Lynn Anderson; written by Joe South.

26. Sunday Morning Coming Down, Help Me Make It Through the Night, For the Good Times and Me and Bobby McGee by Kris Kristofferson.

27. Delta Dawn, What’s Your Mama’s Name, Two Sparrows in a Hurricane, Blood Red and Goin’ Down and Would You Lay with Me in a Field of Stone by Tanya Tucker.

28. Any Man of Mine, You’re Still the One, That Don’t Impress Me Much, Come On Over and Man! I Feel Like a Woman! by Shania Twain, the best-selling female country artist of all time.

29. Breathe, This Kiss and Where Are You Christmas by Faith Hill. Also, It’s Your Love with Tim McGraw.

30. The Devil Went Down to Georgia by the Charlie Daniels Band.

31. Long Black Veil by Lefty Frizzell.

32. Wabash Cannonball, Tennessee Waltz, Blue Moon of Kentucky and Great Speckled Bird by Roy Acuff.

33. Blue Moon of Kentucky, Kentucky Rain, I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry, Your Cheatin’ Heart, Help Me Make It Through the Night, Green Green Grass of Home, Gentle on My Mind, Snowbird and She Thinks I Still Care by Elvis Presley. Amusingly, when the young Elvis appeared on the Grand Ole Opry, he was advised not to quit his day job as a truck driver!

34. Seven Year Ache and Tennessee Flat Top Box by Roseanne Cash, the daughter of Johnny and June Carter Cash.

35. My Maria, Neon Moon, You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone and Boot Scootin’ Boogie by Brooks and Dunn.

36. Strawberry Wine as performed by Deana Carter; written by Matraca Berg and Gary Harrison.

37. Fancy and Rumor Has It by Reba McEntire.

38. You Don’t Know Me by Ray Charles; written by Eddy Arnold and Cindy Walker. Also, Georgia on My Mind and Seven Spanish Angels with Willie Nelson.

39. Take Me Home Country Roads (H49), Thank God I'm A Country Boy, Sunshine on My Shoulder and Annie’s Song by John Denver.

40. Bless the Broken Road and What Hurts the Most by Rascal Flatts.

41. Angel from Montgomery (RS#351) by John Prine.

42. Ode to Billie Joe (RS#191) by Bobbie Gentry.

43. Forever And Ever, Amen by Randy Travis.

44. Harper Valley PTA by Jeanie C. Riley.

45. Angel Of The Morning by Juice Newton.

46. Before He Cheats and Jesus Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood.

47. King of the Road by Roger Miller.

48. I'm No Stranger to the Rain and Don’t Close Your Eyes by Keith Whitley.

49. Tennessee Whiskey by Chris Stapleton.

50. Why Not Me, Grandpa, Mama He’s Crazy, Love is Alive and Love Can Build a Bridge by the Judds, the mother-daughter duo of Naomi and Wynonna Judd.

51. No Gettin’ Over Me, In the Still of the Night, Smoky Mountain Rain and A Stranger in My House by Ronnie Milsap.

52. Foggy Mountain Breakdown, Dueling Banjos and Orange Blossom Special by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs

53. Snowbird, Danny’s Song and Could I Have This Dance by Anne Murray.

54. It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels by Kitty Wells.

55. Jackson, Will the Circle be Unbroken and If I Were a Carpenter by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash.

56. Islands in the Stream by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton; written by the Bee Gees.

57. He'll Have To Go by Jim Reeves.

58. Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue and (You’ve Been) Talkin’ in Your Sleep by Crystal Gayle.

59. Flowers on the Wall and Bed of Roses by the Statler Brothers.

60. Broken Lady, All The Gold In California and Midnight Choir (Mogen David) by Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers.

61. Heaven's Just A Sin Away by the Kendalls.

62. Tulsa Queen, Making Believe, Beneath Still Waters, Two More Bottles of Wine, Pancho and Lefty and The Boxer by Emmylou Harris. Also, Love Hurts with Gram Parsons and Only the Heart May Know with Dan Fogelberg, so beautiful!

63. Walking the Floor Over You by Ernest Tubb has been called the first honky tonk song.

64. Behind Closed Doors and The Most Beautiful Girl by Charlie Rich.

65. Make the World Go Away and For the Good Times by Ray Price.

66. Blue by LeAnn Rimes.

67. Landslide, Wide Open Spaces and Goodbye Earl (RS#469) by the Dixie Chicks.

68. I Will Remember You, Breath of Heaven and El Shaddai by Amy Grant.

69. I Hope You Dance by Lee Ann Womack.

70. Before the Next Teardrop Falls by Freddy Fender.

71. Sixteen Tons by Tennessee Ernie Ford.

72. Blue Moon of Kentucky by Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys.

73. Chattahoochee, Here in the Real World, Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning) and Remember When by Alan Jackson.

74. Need You Now and I Run to You by Lady Antebellum.

75. Feels So Right and Song of the South by Alabama.

76. The House that Built Me (RS#441) by Miranda Lambert.

77. Somebody Like You and The Fighter by Keith Urban ft. Carrie Underwood.

78. Don’t Take the Girl and Live Like You Were Dying by Tim McGraw.

79. Tulsa Time and Amanda by Don Williams.

80. Merry Go 'Round (RS#362) by Kacey Musgraves.

81. Act Naturally by Buck Owens.

82. Guitars, Cadillacs (Hillbilly Music) by Dwight Yoakam.

83. Girl Crush by Little Big Town.

84. The Battle of New Orleans by Johnny Horton.

85. Banks of the Ohio by Olivia-Newton John.

86. Kiss an Angel Good Morning by Sir Tom Jones.

87. Oh, Lonesome Me by Don Gibson.

88. Take This Job and Shove It by Johnny Paycheck.

89. Meet in the Middle by Diamond Rio.

90. Drivin’ My Life Away by Eddie Rabbitt.

91. God’s Country by Blake Shelton.

92. You Never Even Called Me By My Name by David Allan Coe.

93. Springsteen (RS#391) by Eric Church.

94. Pancho and Lefty (RS#499) by Townes Van Zandt.

95. Beer Never Broke My Heart by Luke Combs.

96. Try That in a Small Town by Jason Aldean.

97. Put Some Drive in Your Country by Travis Tritt.

98. She's Everything by Brad Paisley.

99. I Swear by John Michael Montgomery.

100. Seminole Wind by John Anderson.

101. Killin' Time and You’re My World (H68) by Clint Black.

102. East Bound and Down by Jerry Reed.

103. Old Town Road (RS#490) by Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus.

104. Elvira by the Oak Ridge Boys.

105. Red Solo Cup by Toby Keith.

106. Last Night by Morgan Wallen.

107. All My Rowdy Friends Are Comin’ Over Tonight, Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound and A Country Boy Can Survive by Hank Williams Jr.

HONORABLE MENTION: Trace Adkins, Chet Atkins, Gene Autry, The Bellamy Brothers, Kenny Chesney, Mark Chesnutt, Roy Clark, Joe Diffie, Eagles, Tom T. Hall, Tracy Lawrence, Chris LeDoux, Lonestar, Patty Loveless, Barbara Mandrel, Louise Mandrel, Roy Orbison, Minnie Pearl, Darius Rucker of Hootie & the Blowfish, Ricky Skaggs, Mel Tillis, Pam Tillis, Josh Turner, Porter Waggoner, Trisha Yearwood

MY TOP 10 DIVAS, EXPANDED TO THE TOP 25 DIVAS

For me, a “diva” is both theatrical and a powerhouse singer.

1. Aretha Franklin

2. Janis Joplin

3. Celine Dion

4. Tina Turner

5. Etta James

6. Mariah Carey

7. Beyonce

8. Barbra Streisand

9. Ella Fitzgerald

10. Diana Ross

11. Patti LaBelle

12. Jennifer Hudson

13. Christina Aguilera

14. Judy Garland

15. Dolly Parton

16. Kelly Clarkson

17. Karen Carpenter was a great singer, but not as diva-ish as the singers ranked above her here.

18. Madonna and Stevie Nicks are theatrical but not powerhouse belters.

19. Alicia Keys

20. Amy Winehouse

21. Gladys Knight

22. Patsy Cline

23. Charice Pempengco aka Jake Zyrus

24. Regine Velasquez

25. Kyla Lani Misalucha

HONORABLE MENTION: Dame Julie Andrews, Maria Callas, Enya, Jackie Evancho, Jenny Lind aka the Swedish Nightingale, the Staple Singers

THE BEST GOSPEL SONGS

1. O Come O Come Emmanuel by Enya.

2. Sweet Little Jesus Boy, Amazing Grace and Trouble of the World by Mahalia Jackson.

3. Amazing Grace, Mary Don’t You Weep, Wholly Holy and Precious Lord Take My Hand by Aretha Franklin. BTW, Amazing Grace remains the best-selling Gospel album of all time!

4. O Holy Night by Patti Labelle.

5. Peace in the Valley by Elvis Presley.

6. I’ll Fly Away and Down to the River to Pray by Alison Krauss.

7. Gethsemane by Ted Neely from Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) and Ian Gillan.

8. El Shaddai by Amy Grant.

9. Everything’s Alright by John Legend, Sara Bareilles and Brandon Victor Dixon from Jesus Christ Superstar (2018).

10. It Is Well with My Soul by the Tabernacle Choir and BYU Vocal Point.

11. I Don’t Know How to Love Him by Yvonne Elliman from Jesus Christ Superstar (1973).

12. Heaven on Their Minds by Carl Anderson from Jesus Christ Superstar (1973).

13. King Herod’s Song by Joshua Mostel from Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) and Alice Cooper.

14. Prepare Ye (the Way of the Lord) by David Haskell from Godspell (1973).

15. Save the People by Robin Lamont from Godspell (1973).

16. Day by Day by Robin Lamont from Godspell (1973).

#ROCK #BEST #RANKING #MRBROCK #MRBBEST #MRBRANKING zzz