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[27] Prince – When Doves Cry
“Animals strike curious poses”
[1984] Purple Rain
[3916.9 Points, 17 Votes, 230 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 52
2008: 49 (+22)
AM 3000: 44
Fans: BillAdama (11), Toni (14), Larry (15), Stone (24), Nick (27), Rob (35), Sven(41)
Comment: “‘When Doves Cry"’ marked Prince's first number one hit in the summer of 1984, and it stayed on top for five consecutive weeks, selling over two million copies as a single. Its parent album, the soundtrack to the movie Purple Rain also hit the number one spot, although its stay was a little longer, remaining there for 20 weeks while notching four other Top 20 singles. It's not difficult to see why "When Doves Cry" peaked so high. The song's solid combination of a lenient yet steady dancefloor rhythm and a smattering of pop/rock grandiosity is both attractive and savvy, not to mention a tad sexy, which is one trademark that followed Prince throughout his career. When all the elements are put together — the perky keyboard dabs, the motor-revved guitar riffs, and the uniform drum beats — the result is a single that is well worth its number one status.” –AllMusic
[26] Marvin Gaye – I Heard It Through the Grapevine
“Between the two of us guys you know I love you more”
[1968] I Heard It Through the Grapevine
[3940.2 Points, 17 Votes, 231 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 106
2008: 74 (+48)
AM 3000: 8
Fans: 42david42 (2), Nicolas (6), Brose (9), VanillaFire1000 (15), Nick (34), Stone(41), Michel (42)
Comment: “Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is Motown's greatest record -- really, what's better? Even obscured by years of oldies radio overkil and Big Chill nostalgia it retains a hypnotic power unmatched by any of the label's other classics, articulating the turmoil and anguish of a soul torn apart at the seams with a clarity unmatched in the annals of popular music. On its surface a desperate plea to salvage a relationship gone terribly wrong, "Grapevine" progressively probes much deeper to convey complete emotional free-fall: haunted by lies, taunted by gossip and shattered by loss, Gaye's torment is palpable, and his performance -- the signature sophistication and elegance of his voice ravaged by fear and doubt -- is devastating.” –AllMusic
“I agree with AllMusic on this one—this really is Motown’s best. Comparing the song with its many cover versions can tell you why. No one can sing this song like Marvin who delivers every line with appropriate emotion without oversinging." -Jackson
“Animals strike curious poses”
My first idol. "1999" (song) changed life in 1982.
I applied for a jobb when "Lovesexy" came. i bought it the day before an interview. I skipped a train to listen to the album one more time, then had the wrong address, ran 2 kilometers in a wool sweater and jacket, was 25 minutes late and started to sweat during the interview...no, I didn't get the job.
PS. Even the Batman soundtrack was great!
[25] The Rolling Stones – (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
“He’s telling me more and more about some useless information”
[1965] Out of Our Heads
[3954.2 Points, 14 Votes, 282 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 31
2008: 52 (+27)
AM 3000: 2
Fans: Leonardo (2), Rob (2), Nick (12), Stone (14), Henry (16), Stephan (18)
Comment: “‘(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction’ is the signature Rolling Stones song: a pounding rocker with sneering vocals and lyrics, with a blues and soul base that nonetheless is used for a guitar-based song that is definitely rock, not blues or R&B. It was also one of the defining records of the its era, reaching number one around the globe and establishing the Rolling Stones as the second-biggest band in the world, behind only the Beatles. As with many Rolling Stones songs, the key hook is the guitar riff: a fuzz-toned, insistent series of ascending and descending notes that rates among the most captivating and memorable riffs in rock history. Set against a beat suitable for foot-stomping and hand-clapping, Mick Jagger delivers the verses in a hushed, ambiguous tone that hovers between commentary and sarcastic nastiness.” –AllMusic
[24] The Beatles – Hey Jude
“Remember to let her into your heart”
[1968] Single
[3965.0 Points, 11 Votes, 360 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 179
2008: 274 (+250)
AM 3000: 35
Fans: Oscar (1), Rob (1), Daniel (4), Leonardo (6), Stone (8), Nick (17) Henry (21), Brose (21)
Comment: With their 1968 number one single "Hey Jude," the Beatles managed to cover several bases at once. It was one of their most memorable, classic, romantic songs, and it was simultaneously quite commercial and structurally daring, even barrier-breaking. The barrier being broken was that which limited pop singles to about two or three minutes in length, and certainly never more than five; "Hey Jude" went on for just over seven minutes…What could have been just another great Beatles ballad became something quite extraordinary at the end of the last verse when the vocals unpredictably repeat the last word over and over again in ascending notes, ending in a full-out jubilant scream. That's the signal for the most elongated Beatles fadeout ever, lasting about four minutes, consisting solely of repeated harmonized "nah nah nah" refrains. What could have very easily been boring is instead hypnotic.” –AllMusic
[23] The Beatles – Let It Be
“I wake up to the sound of music, Mother Mary comes to me”
[1970] Let It Be
[4136.8 Points, 15 Votes, 275 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 386
2008: N/A
AM 3000: 39
Fans: 42david42 (1), Daniel (5), Oscar (6), DepecheMode (8), Henry (8), Brose (27), Rob (46), VanillaFire1000 (47)
Comment: "Let It Be," a number one single in early is one of the Beatles' most popular and finest ballads…Like "Yesterday," "Let It Be" was solely the work of Paul McCartney and rather by accident came to serve as the group's epitaph in song. The song is based around classically melodic, descending piano chords, whose understated grace give the performance a spiritual quality somewhat in the manner of a previous Beatles classic ballad based around the piano, "Hey Jude." The song is one of consolation, both to himself and his audience, urging optimism in times of darkness and reassuring that things will turn out well in spite of the troubles to be weathered…The "Let It Be" single reached number one the very week that the Beatles broke up in April 1970.” –AllMusic
Looks like The Beatles dominated my list
I wonder if I'm the only one who hardly had the Beatles at all in my list. I think I only had 'A Day In The Life' in the top 200...
That'd be a no.
The only list where I would list Beatles songs would be my LEAST favorite songs.
“Animals strike curious poses”
[1984] Purple Rain
[3916.9 Points, 17 Votes, 230 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 52
2008: 49 (+22)
AM 3000: 44
Fans: BillAdama (11), Toni (14), Larry (15), Stone (24), Nick (27), Rob (35), Sven(41)
Comment: “‘When Doves Cry"’ marked Prince's first number one hit in the summer of 1984, and it stayed on top for five consecutive weeks, selling over two million copies as a single. Its parent album, the soundtrack to the movie Purple Rain also hit the number one spot, although its stay was a little longer, remaining there for 20 weeks while notching four other Top 20 singles. It's not difficult to see why "When Doves Cry" peaked so high. The song's solid combination of a lenient yet steady dancefloor rhythm and a smattering of pop/rock grandiosity is both attractive and savvy, not to mention a tad sexy, which is one trademark that followed Prince throughout his career. When all the elements are put together — the perky keyboard dabs, the motor-revved guitar riffs, and the uniform drum beats — the result is a single that is well worth its number one status.” –AllMusic
June 10, 1984. That was the first day I heard "When Doves Cry". It was also the first day I realized music could be awesome.
Nice list! 
Some favorite songs (in no particular order):
"We gotta get out of this place" - The Animals
"Don't let me be misunderstood" - The Animals
"London Calling" - The Clash
"Blue sky mine" - Midnight Oil
"I wanna be sedated" - Ramones
"Hurricane" - Bob Dylan
"Sultans of swing" - Dire Straits
"I don't like mondays" - The Boomtown Rats
"Town called malice" - The Jam
"Hair" - OST
"Have you ever seen the rain?" - CCR
"She's a rainbow" - The Rolling Stones
"Eleanor Rigby" - The Beatles
"Minnie the Moocher" - Cab Calloway
"It's the end of the world as we know it" - R.E.M.
"The river" - Bruce Springsteen
"Tell Laura I love her" - Ray Peterson
"Johnny B. Goode" - Chuck Berry
"Fire" - Jimi Hedrix
"All along the watchtower" - Jimi Hendrix
"Redemption song" - Bob Marley
"It's oh so quiet" - Bjork
"Hallelujah" - Jeff Buckley
"Don't look back in anger" - Oasis
"Son of a preacher man" - Dusty Springfield
"Me and Bobby McGee" - Janis Joplin
"If you tolerate this" - Manic Street Preachers
"Wonderful world" - Black
"Eternal flame" - The Bangles
"The sound of silence" - Simon & Garfunkel
"Perfect day" - Lou Reed
"Sweet Jane" - The Velvet Underground
...
Greetings from Spain.
[22] Otis Redding – (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay
“So I guess I’ll remain the same”
[1968] The Dock of the Bay
[4235.5 Points, 21 Votes, 201 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 138
2008: 18 (-4)
AM 3000: 7
Fans: Nicolas (3), Stone (5), Honorio(18), Brose (31), Jackson (33), Daniel (38) Nick (39)
Comment: “Otis Redding's only record that went to the top of both the pop and R&B charts was, sadly, only realized after his untimely passing. The song itself gave birth after Redding's breakout at the gave birth after Redding's breakout at the Monterey International Pop Festival. After the performance, Redding took a well-deserved break and laid low in a houseboat that he rented on the Monterey Peninsula. The song's easy groove and calm feel no doubt reflected Redding's state of mind at the time. It's an odd combination of folk, soul, and country, but it works like a charm. Lyrically, the pain of artistry and the rigors of the entertainment industry were wearing on him, and it's to his credit that he was able to convey this so poetically.” --AllMusic
“This is such an obvious masterpiece of mood and vocal performance, there’s really nothing creative I can say in praise of it. What I do find interesting is that it’s not more often regarded as a sad song, given its tragic context and the loneliness of its lyrics.” --Jackson
[21] OutKast – Hey Ya!
“What’s cooler than being cool?”
[2003] Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
[4283.2 Points, 22 Votes, 194 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 63
2008: 33 (+12)
AM 3000: 52
Fans: Brose (1), Ajackson (6), BeefSupreme (6), Nick (45), CharlieDriggs(46)
Comment: “What's cooler than being cool? How about ebullient songs about life-cracking misery? Those are pretty cool. How about lyrics so sharp that nearly every line in them becomes a catchphrase? And hard funk grooves in weird power- pop time signatures? Those are cool also. Actually, you know what was really cool? You remember the moment in the fall of 2003 when "Hey Ya!" came out and it sounded like André 3000 had cracked the code and made a record that sounded like everything on the radio and nothing anyone had heard before, and it seemed like the walls between rock and R&B and hip-hop were about to topple and from then on there would just be this enormous pool of popular music that everyone could swim around in?" -Pitchfork
[20] Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
“It really makes me wonder”
[1971] Led Zeppelin IV
[4429.5 Points, 18 Votes, 246 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 54
2008: 25 (+5)
AM 3000: 10
Fans: Todd (1), Henry (1) Leonardo (9), BillAdama (12), Nick (19), Guy(32)
Comment: “As long as there are middle schoolers discovering rock music as long as there are beginning guitarists needing to find an introductory solo to play, and as long as classic rock radio stations exist as we know them, the legend of ‘Stairway’ will live on. Whether you like it or not, its iconic status at this point is so assured that any arguments against it wil prove futile.” –Jackson
[19] Radiohead – Paranoid Android
“Ambition makes you look pretty ugly”
[1997] OK Computer
[4536.9 Points, 21 Votes, 216 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 14
2008: 24 (+5)
AM 3000: 305
Fans: Hauke (7), Jackson (14), SR (22) 42david42 (25), Brose (28), DepecheMode(30), Nick (33), Ajackson (43), BillAdama(47), Midaso (50)
Comment: “In six minutes it manages to sum up what is really the only legendary album of the last fifteen years. Every reason OK Computer is praised—the exhaustive attention-to-detail of its production, its alienated world view, and its dynamic song structures, to name a few—are omnipresent on ‘Paranoid Android.’ I am somewhat surprised that this is one of Radiohead’s most popular tracks—there is nothing accessible about this song, and it took repeated attempts by my friends who were trying to introduce me to Radiohead to get me to like it. It’s still my favorite song by them, and for now, nothing else is close.” –Jackson
[18] LCD Soundsystem – All My Friends
“You think over and over, ‘Hey, I’m finally dead.'"
[2007] Sound of Silver
[4640.2 Points, 16 Votes, 290 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: N/A
2008: 53 (+35)
AM 3000: 198
Fans: Nick (6), SR (9), Nassim (10) Brose (11), Moonbeam (15), Jackson (18) Brose (11), Moonbeam (15), Jackson (18) Schwah (23), BillAdama (27), Weezy (31) BeefSupreme (40)
Comment: “On "All My Friends" Murphy is no longer worried about losing his edge-- he's not even looking for it any more…While the song's skeletal structure may be virtually unchanged from the steady build of the band's first singles, the ingredients have been reshuffled: Instead of building off a drum beat, the core of the song is a jumbled piano loop that sounds discordant and uncomfortable until it's surrounded by a steadily growing army of percussion and the happiest guitar riff Murphy's ever allowed. By the end, the piano has become euphoric and confident without changing a lick, a neat thematic trick to accompany Murphy's bittersweet lyrical acceptance of growing old.” –Pitchfork
“The song rose dramatically from the last poll, yet I doubt any forum regulars flinched. There’s a reason this song has been called a ‘modern classic’ on the AMF— people who have listened to lots of music from a variety of genres and eras know a special single when they hear it. I won't be shocked at all if this makes the top ten of out next poll." -Jackson
“It really makes me wonder”
[1971] Led Zeppelin IV
[4429.5 Points, 18 Votes, 246 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 54
2008: 25 (+5)
AM 3000: 10
Fans: Todd (1), Henry (1) Leonardo (9), BillAdama (12), Nick (19), Guy(32)
Comment: “As long as there are middle schoolers discovering rock music as long as there are beginning guitarists needing to find an introductory solo to play, and as long as classic rock radio stations exist as we know them...” –Jackson
that is me 100%
[19] Radiohead – Paranoid Android
“Ambition makes you look pretty ugly”
[1997] OK Computer
[4536.9 Points, 21 Votes, 216 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 14
2008: 24 (+5)
AM 3000: 305
Fans: Hauke (7), Jackson (14), SR (22) 42david42 (25), Brose (28), DepecheMode(30), Nick (33), Ajackson (43), BillAdama(47), Midaso (50)
Comment: “In six minutes it manages to sum up what is really the only legendary album of the last fifteen years. Every reason OK Computer is praised—the exhaustive attention-to-detail of its production, its alienated world view, and its dynamic song structures, to name a few—are omnipresent on ‘Paranoid Android.’ I am somewhat surprised that this is one of Radiohead’s most popular tracks—there is nothing accessible about this song, and it took repeated attempts by my friends who were trying to introduce me to Radiohead to get me to like it. It’s still my favorite song by them, and for now, nothing else is close.” –Jackson
Fred's final thesis: (results)
Feel free to ask me to mail it to you. It's in swedish though...
The interresting part is the positive bodily reactions from Debaser and the perceived emotional content from listening to Paranoid Android. Plus the detailed descriptions of the experiences. Among the 24 subjects median age was 30 and number of listenings to each song around 50. Invitation went out to students of psychology and to a lesser degree students of music and sociology.
S=Tension
U=Attention
K=Feelings
P=Positive Feelings
N=Negative Feelings
K=Bodily Reaction
M=Conscious Reaction
T=Experiences from the texture (lyrics)
Tabell 3. Number of participants, min-, max- och means plus standard deviations for the numeric variables referring to experiences from listening to Paranoid Android mith Radiohead.
Variabels: N Min Max M SD
Spänning 23 1 9 5,52 2,37
Uppmärksamhet 23 1 10 7,08 2,06
Känslor 23 5 10 7,60 1,55
Positiva känslor 23 1 10 6,30 2,65
Negativa känslor 23 1 9 4,17 2,77
Kroppsliga upplevelser 23 1 10 4,69 2,56
Mevetna upplevelser 22 1 10 5,04 2,73
Tabell 4. Correlations between the the variables referring to experiences from listening to Paranoid Android
S U K P N Kr M
Spänning (S) ----- 0.47* 0.31 0.60** -0.05 0.74* -0.25 0.25
Uppmärksamhet (U) 0.47* ----- 0.63** 0.42* -0.19 0.23 0.31 0.34
Känslor (K) 0.31 0.63** ----- 0.41 0.15 0.20 0.17 0.34
Positiva känslor (P) 0.60** 0.42* 0.41 ----- -0.52* 0.27 -0.05 -0.09
Negativa känslor (N) -0.05 -0.19 0.15 -0.52* ----- 0.16 -0.07 0.15
Kroppsliga upplevelser (Kr) 0.74** 0.23 0.20 0.27 0.16 ----- -0.29 0.27
Medvetna upplevelser (M) - 0.25 0.31 0.17 -0.05 -0.07 -0.29 ----- 0.28
** p < 0.01
* p < 0.05
--------------------------------------------------
Tabell 3. Number of participants, min-, max- och means plus standard deviations for the numeric variables referring to experiences from listening to Debaser with Pixies.
Variabel
N Min Max M SD
Spänning 24 1 9 5,45 2,43
Uppmärksamhet 24 1 9 6,33 2,16
Känslor 24 2 10 6,58 2,14
Positiva upplevelser 24 2 10 6,91 2,24
Negativa upplevelser 24 1 7 3,37 2,10
Kroppsliga upplevelser 24 1 9 6,29 2,01
Medvetna upplevelser 24 1 10 3,91 2,46
Tabell 2. Correlations between the the variables referring to experiences from listening to Debaser.
S U K P N Kr M
Spänning (S) ----- 0.41* 0.27 0.38 -0.09 0.17 0.07 0.30
Uppmärksamhet (U) 0.41* ----- 0.43* 0.14 -0.07 0.17 0.25 0.53**
Känslor (K) 0.27 0.43* ----- 0.43* -0.32 0.42 0.17 0.03
Positiva känslor (P) 0.38 0.14 0.43* ----- -0.65** 0.60** 0.36 0.08
Negativa känslor (N) -0.09 -0.07 -0.32 -0.65** ----- -0.40 -0.07 0.17
Kroppsliga upplevelser (Kr) 0.17 0.17 0.42 0.60** -0.40 ----- 0.34 0.27
Medvetna upplevelser (M) 0.07 0.25 0.17 0.36 -0.07 0.34 ----- 0.68**
[17] Jimi Hendrix – All Along the Watchtower
“‘No reason to get excited,’ the thief he kindly spoke”
[1968] Electric Ladyland
[4844.4 Points, 21 Votes, 230 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 47
2008: 29 (+12)
AM 3000: 84
Fans: BillAdama (1), Henry (2), Guy (10), VanillaFire1000 (13), SR (14), Nick(37), Brose (47)
Comment: “The best lyricist ever supplied the lyrics, and the best guitarist ever (and one of the most underrated arrangers) did the rest. I love Hendrix, but I don’t think any of his other songs approach the high artistry displayed here. Every note s purposeful and focused, and Hendrix became one of a select few artists to beat Dylan at his own song.” –Jackson
[16] Pulp – Common People
“If you called your Dad he could stop it all”
[1995] Different Class
[4883.2 Points, 20 Votes, 244 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 97
2008: 5 (-11)
AM 3000: 50
Fans: Stephan (3), BillAdama (6), Rob(9), Nick (11), Midaso (24), SR (37), Nicolas(42), Henry (43), Todd (47)
Comment: “Everyone who has heard the song would likely agree that it’s one of the most incredible lyrical performances of the past two decades, if not all time. Besides being one of the definitive songs describing the universal rich-poor social gap, "Common People" also holds the unofficial record for ‘most climatic buildups during one song.’ Even if you think it can't get more epic than it already is, just wait...it just keeps outdoing itself. Add in the electro-pop production more than vaguely reminiscent of Brian Eno, and you have one of a select group of recent songs that will stand up to any 60s or 70s classic.” –Jackson
“It really makes me wonder”
[1971] Led Zeppelin IV
[4429.5 Points, 18 Votes, 246 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 54
2008: 25 (+5)
AM 3000: 10
Fans: Todd (1), Henry (1) Leonardo (9), BillAdama (12), Nick (19), Guy(32)
Comment: “As long as there are middle schoolers discovering rock music as long as there are beginning guitarists needing to find an introductory solo to play, and as long as classic rock radio stations exist as we know them, the legend of ‘Stairway’ will live on. Whether you like it or not, its iconic status at this point is so assured that any arguments against it wil prove futile.” –Jackson
I certainly hope my #1 vote was counted towards "Stairway"'s final tally ;)
If the predictors reflect the general consensus of the forum, then you guys are in for some big surprises.
[15] Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
“War is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate”
[1971] What’s Going On
[4972.8 Points, 19 Votes, 261 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 7
2008: 14 (-1)
AM 3000: 8
Fans: Vgrd (5), SR (5), Honorio (8), Midaso (8), Georgie (12), Nick (21), Leonardo (24), Nicolas (35), Todd (45)
Comment: “‘What's Going On’ was a new kind of protest song, a sugar-coated pill which surveyed the troubled landscape of an America torn apart by war, poverty, and prejudice, but reported its findings not with anger and recriminations, but with compassion and tenderness. The song was inspired as much by the bigger picture of Vietnam and the civil rights movement as by events in Marvin Gaye's tumultuous personal life -- specifically, the return of his brother, Frankie, from combat; the death of his duet partner, Tammi Terrell; and his disintegrating marriage to wife Anna…"What's Going On" might not be the biggest hit Motown scored -- the song reached number two in 1971 -- but it might be the most transcendent.” –AllMusic
[14] The Clash – London Calling
“Phony Beatlemania has bitten the dust”
[1979] London Calling
[5105.8 Points, 20 Votes, 255 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 36
2008: 21 (+7)
AM 3000: 30
Fans: Nick (5), Leonardo (15), Michel(17), SR (25), Rob (28), Henry (29), Vgrd (32), Michael B. (33), Stephan (36), Brose(40), Jackson (48)
Comment: “Named after the cal signal of the BBC's World Service broadcasts, the title alarm of the Clash's third album was an SOS from the heart of darkness. When they recorded the song the Clash -- British punk's most political and uncompromising band -- were without management and sinking in debt Around them, Britain was suffocating in crisis: soaring unemployment, racia conflict, epidemic drug use. "We felt that we were struggling," Joe Strummer said"about to slip down a slope or something grasping with our fingernails. And there was no one there to help us." Strummer and guitarist Mick Jones channeled that trial and worry into a song, produced with hellbent atmosphere by Guy Stevens, that sounded like the Clash marching into battle.” – Rolling Stone
[13] The Smiths – There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
“To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die”
[1986] The Queen Is Dead
[5159.0 Points, 18 Votes, 286 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 8
2008: 10 (-3)
AM 3000: 179
Fans: Midaso (1), Nick (4), Todd (6), Honorio (7), Jackson (10), Ajackson (12), Tsmzth (20), Michel (22), Hauke (22), SR (28)
Comment: “It’s not the saddest Smiths song, but it’s probably the most emotionally affecting. Depending on your mood, “There Is a Light” can be a song of despair, love, lost love, or bliss. Musically, it may appear a little bland to a first-time listener, but those more familiar with it will likely recognize the brilliance in the way different instruments are slowly added to the mix. Ultimately, this creates an incredible climax that makes you wish the song was significantly longer than its four minute riding time." -Jackson
I'll only guess the top 3 cause that's the easiest
3. Bob Dylan - Like A Rolling Stone
2. The Beatles - A Day In The Life
1. The Beach Boys - God Only Knows
[16] Pulp – Common People
“If you called your Dad he could stop it all”
[1995] Different Class
[4883.2 Points, 20 Votes, 244 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 97
2008: 5 (-11)
AM 3000: 50
Fans: Stephan (3), BillAdama (6), Rob(9), Nick (11), Midaso (24), SR (37), Nicolas(42), Henry (43), Todd (47)
Comment: “Everyone who has heard the song would likely agree that it’s one of the most incredible lyrical performances of the past two decades, if not all time. Besides being one of the definitive songs describing the universal rich-poor social gap, "Common People" also holds the unofficial record for ‘most climatic buildups during one song.’ Even if you think it can't get more epic than it already is, just wait...it just keeps outdoing itself. Add in the electro-pop production more than vaguely reminiscent of Brian Eno, and you have one of a select group of recent songs that will stand up to any 60s or 70s classic.” –Jackson
i will never understand why people even like this song.
is it a british thing?
[12] Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit
“Here we are now, entertain us”
[1991] Nevermind
[5181.8 Points, 24 Votes, 215 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 43
2008: 11 (-1)
AM 3000: 3
Fans: Leonardo (3), SR (6), BillAdama(16), Nick (20), 42david42 (21), Ajackson (25), Mindrocker (35), Todd (49)
Comment: “A shock wave of big- amp purity, ‘Teen Spirit’ wiped the lingering jive of the Eighties off the pop map overnight. "The song was a call to consciousness," Novoselic said in 2000 -- Cobain's avenging grenade against the corporate invasion of youth culture, spiked with the demanding venom of the sneering chorus: ‘Here we are now/ Entertain us.’ The phrase was something Cobain used to say as he walked into parties--to 'break the ice,' he said. It was also ‘an insight into how Kurt thought of the world,’ Novoselic said. ‘That could have been him sitting there, watching TV, aghast at popular culture.’” -Rolling Stone
[11] David Bowie – “Heroes”
"We can beat them, just for one day."
[1977] ”Heroes”
[5367.8 Points, 21 Votes, 255 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 3
2008: 16 (+5)
AM 3000: 59
Fans: DepecheMode (1), Brose (7), Nick (9), Hauke (13), SR (19), Midaso (27), Joobalooba (29), Honorio (33), Jackson (35), Vgrd (38)
Comment: “‘’Heroes’’ is arguably David Bowie's finest individual song throughout his varied, fascinating career The story of its inspiration got a bit muddled over time -- it might have been two employees at the recording studio near the Berlin Wall who Bowie saw in an embrace, or simply two random strangers in the shadow of that Cold War symbol. But inspired by that and with the collaborative help of Brian Eno and, with a jaw-dropping set of solos, guitarist Robert Fripp, Bowie, his backing band and producer Tony Visconti created a true classic. Clearly drawing from the various German influences he had absorbed while still relying on the dramatic power of rock and roll, the song becomes an anthem, Fripp's exquisite work at once celebratory and an electric requiem.” –AllMusic
[16] Pulp – Common People
“If you called your Dad he could stop it all”
[1995] Different Class
[4883.2 Points, 20 Votes, 244 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 97
2008: 5 (-11)
AM 3000: 50
Fans: Stephan (3), BillAdama (6), Rob(9), Nick (11), Midaso (24), SR (37), Nicolas(42), Henry (43), Todd (47)
i will never understand why people even like this song.
is it a british thing?I get the appeal of Common People (song is in my top 200) but I don't get the love for Heroes.
The rest of the top ten will be revealed in the next 24 hours! This was surely the most surprising song of the bunch.
[10] Michael Jackson – Billie Jean
“But the kid is not my son”
[1982] Thriller]
[5536.4 Points, 24 Votes, 230 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 81
2008: 23 (+13)
AM 3000: 29
Fans: Todd (7), BillAdama (7), Leonardo (12), Brose (15), Nicolas (15), VanillaFire1000 (17), Anders (17), Nick (25), Michael B. (26), Honorio (39), SR (41), Stone (45)
Comment: “Quincy Jones had objections to Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean." The producer thought that the title would be confusing, leading listeners to think that the title referred to pro tennis player Billie changed to "Not My Lover." Actually, the song's title character was based on all the women who'd brought maternity suits against Jackson and his brothers when they were known as the Jackson 5." -AllMusic
“I don’t think this placement has anything to do with the incidence of this poll within a year of Jackson’s death. Instead, I think it reflects increasing recognition of ‘Billie Jean’ as a premier track in the pop music canon.” –Jackson
I don't know, I think it might. "Beat it" is a better song, in my opinion.
It's your opinion, so I'll just respond with... no.
I don't know, I think it might. "Beat it" is a better song, in my opinion.
I agree with Jackson (the host of the poll not MJ). Billie Jean won our 80's poll (which was surprise to me). So even if MJ hadn't died the song would have been in the top 15. But I still don't get why Billie Jean is the only song that get acclaim (Don't Stop... was also in the list but I don't know where it would have been without my vote). In 80's poll there wasn't any other MJ even close to final top 100. So what's so special in Billie Jean?
Pulp might be a British thing, but Common People is definitely not. It's one of the few Pulp songs I like, and it made my list. Pulp is more of a twee thing, and I think there are a lot of twee fans on this forum.
Wow, I have never (before) considered Pulp (or Common People) as a twee thing. It could be a one reason to its great support here in the forum. But on the otherhand I am a fan of twee pop but I didn't vote for the song (however I had two Pulp songs in my list).
And I don't get the Heroes thing neither...
Not to mention Like a Rolling Stone...
And in Pet Sounds there are many better songs than God Only Knows...
And Ian Curtis sings very badly in Love Will Tear Us apart...
Sorry about this 
(and I voted for Love Will Tear Us Apart.)
I love these next two, so they get a post to themselves:
[9] Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart
“But there’s still this appeal that we’ve kept through our lives”
[1980] Single
[5883.6 Points, 17 Votes, 346 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 11
2008: 4 (-5)
AM 3000: 16
Fans: Anders (1), Brose (2), Vgrd (3), SR (3), Hauke (6), Midaso (6), Nick (7), Jackson (9), Ajackson (14), Michel (20), Todd (48)
Comment: “‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ is one of the few singles that is both the artistic and melodic peak of a great artist. Even though it’s polarizing, it’s still Joy Division’s most obviously accessible song. It retains the traditional vocal chill, instrumental precision, and haunting mood that the band is known for, while providing a more direct lyric and memorable chorus. To me, this song is an artistic milestone in the world of rock.” --Jackson
[8] The Kinks – Waterloo Sunset
“But I don’t need no friends”
[1967] Something Else By The Kinks
[5950.9 Points, 23 Votes, 258 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 15
2008: 7 (-1)
AM 3000: 57
Fans: Jackson (1), Midaso (2), Brad (3), Sven (7), Daniel (7), SR (8), Guy (16), Leonardo (29), Nick (29), Brose (38)
Comment: “Just as Loveless is my undisputed, unchallenged number one album, ‘Waterloo Sunset’ is my number one song. By far my most-played song since I got a LastFm account fifteen months ago, I can’t remember the last time I listened to this song without replaying it at least once or twice. If I had to rank my favorite songs in terms of lyrics, melody, and instrumentation, this would likely get top five in all three categories. The existence of ‘Waterloo Sunset’ makes me restrain my use of the often-overused term ‘perfect pop song,’ as this is really the only perfect pop song I’ve heard. I’m just glad this song can rank so highly in a forum with such diverse taste.” –Jackson
Can't argue with these.
[7] The Beatles – Strawberry Fields Forever
“Living is easy with eyes closed”
[1967] Single
[6324.7 Points, 21 Votes, 301 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 6
2008: 6 (-1)
AM 3000: 17
Fans: Stone (1), Honorio (2), Oscar (4), Hauke (5), Toni (6), BillAdama (10), Brose (12), SR (13), Nick (16), Nicolas (21), Leonardo (22), Georgie (40)
Comment: “At the beginning of its quite complicated evolution the tunewas a folky ballad evoking a dream world where nothing was real and there was nothing to get hung about. As is well known, Strawberry Fields is a real location in the city where Lennon grew up, Liverpool. Strawberry Field was a Salvation Army orphanage where he used to play with his friends as a child. The song "Strawberry Fields Forever," however, is not so much about a physical place as it is about a state of mind, drug-influenced almost surely. As is the case with several other Lennon songs of the period, there could be an implication that this attractively lethargic, peaceful state is an inner state of being preferable to that of the straight world.” –AllMusic
[6] The Rolling Stone – Gimme Shelter
“Rape, murder, it’s just a shot away”
[1969] Let It Bleed
[6396.4 Points, 27 Votes, 236 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 18
2008: 8 (+2)
AM 3000: 130
Fans: Schwah (1), Todd (2), Ajackson (3), Stone (15), BillAdama (15), Michel (24), SR (31), Nick (36), Brose (39), 42david42 (46)
Comment: "Gimme Shelter" is the Rolling Stones song most apt to be called apocalyptic, and was…the best track on their 1969 album Let It Bleed. The most striking feature of the cut makes itself known right away: the shaky, shimmering guitar leads, whose catchiness nonetheless is imbued with a feeling of impending doom. The eerie, high, wordless vocals and dramatic piano that preface the verse add to the feeling that something dreadful is approaching just over the horizon. The verses are rather ordinary and workmanlike in comparison to the chorus, another great catchy Stones chorus that can be half-shouted and half-sung along with.” –AllMusic
Our number four song continues its meteoric rise in forum polls, though I don't think anyone is surprised.
[5] The Beach Boys – Good Vibrations
“I close my eyes; she’s somehow closer now”
[1966] Single
[7030.8 Points, 22 Votes, 319 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 4
2008: 9 (+4)
AM 3000: 3
Fans: Hauke (1), Mindrocker (1), BillAdama (2), Nick (3), Stone (6), Stephan (8), VanillaFire1000 (11), Vgrd (12), Leonardo (13), Brose (13), Henry (17), SR (18), Honorio (28)
Comment: “It scared me, the word 'vibrations,' " Brian Wilson once said, remembering how, when he was a boy, his mother, Audree, tried to explain why dogs barked at some people and not others. "A dog would pick up vibrations from these people that you can't see but you can feel. And the same thing happened with people." "Good Vibrations," Wilson's crowning achievement as a songwriter and producer, harnessed that energy and turned it into eternal sunshine. "This is a very spiritual song," he said after its release, "and I want it to give off good vibrations." Wilson, then twenty-four, also had another, more selfish goal in mind: "I said, 'This is going to be better than 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'.' " –Rolling Stone
[4] Bruce Springsteen – Born To Run
“Just wrap your legs around these velvet rims and strap your hands `cross my engines”
[1975] Born To Run
[7133.3 Points, 23 Votes, 310 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 48
2008: 15 (+11)
AM 3000: 26
Fans: Rob (4), Weezy (4), Henry (4), Brose (4), Midaso (5), Honorio (5), Nicolas (10), SR (10), Nick (13), Leonardo (14), Stephan (16), VanillFire1000 (24), BillAdama (31), Joobalooba (45), Stone (50)
Comment: “With "Born to Run," Bruce Springsteen achieved the perfect balance between working-class reality and rock & roll mythology. A blue-collar fairy tale evoking Phil Spector in its romanticized grandeur and Bob Dylan in its street-corner poetic grit, critic Greil Marcus once described it as "a '57 Chevy running on melted-down Crystals records," a superb metaphor which mirrors not only the song's sonic ambitions, but its thematic aims as well. "Born to Run" is teen melodrama in excelsis, overblown and histrionic in ways Spector never imagined; it smacks of the kind of palpable, life-or-death desperation which threads its way through everything from Romeo and Juliet to Rebel Without a Cause, where every action, every thought, and every word bears the complete weight of the world.” –AllMusic
I was expecting more excitement around this point of the poll, but I won't keep you waiting any longer. Here's the moment you've been waiting a month for since the results closed...and the moment none of you came even close to predicting.
Top 3:
[3] The Beatles – A Day in the Life
“He didn’t notice that the light had changed”
[1967] Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
[8052.5 Points, 25 Votes, 322 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 1
2008: 1 (-2)
AM 3000: 20
Fans: Nick (1), SR (1), VanillaFire1000 (4), Oscar (5), Stone (9), Fred (10), Brose (10), Hauke (11), Joobalooba (14), Michel (15), Leonardo (16), CharlieDriggs (17), Schwah (19), Petri (23), DepecheMode (28), Honorio (35), Brad (49)
Comment: "’A Day in the Life’ was one of the most complex and ambitious Lennon- McCartney songs performed by the Beatles, providing an incendiary climax for their Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. It was also the most outstanding instance in which two discrete song fragments -- one primarily by John Lennon, the other by Paul McCartney -- were combined into one to build a whole greater than the sum of the parts. "A Day in the Life" is an unexpectedly mordant coda to an album noted for epitomizing the Summer of Love.” –AllMusic
[2] The Beach Boys – God Only Knows
“I may not always love you”
[1966] Pet Sounds
[8314.8 Points, 26 Votes, 319 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 5
2008: 3 (+1)
AM 3000: 51
Fans: Guy (1), Rob (3), Stone (3), Joobalooba (3), Honorio (4), SR (4), Sven (5), Brose (6), Midaso (14), Jackson (15), Vgrd (17), Weezy (20), Nick (22), BillAdama (28), Stephan (30), Leonardo (38), Sonofsamiam (50), Todd (50)
Comment: “The Beach Boys recorded many a gorgeous pop tune over the years but few were ever quite as transcendentally lovely as "God Only Knows." The song's clever lyrics form a first-person narrative where the narrator assures his beloved of his good intentions, climaxing with the phrase "God only knows what I'd be without you." The simple but direct and heartfelt sentiments make the lyric intoxicatingly romantic (and its mention of God raised a few eyebrows at the time). However, it's the music that really makes "God Only Knows" something special. It avoids the typical verse-chorus pop song structure to create something more personalized: It starts with two verses that weave a lovely melody higher with each stanza but maintain tension by bringing it down before it peaks, then gives way to a soaring and wordless vocal bridge, then goes through a final verse before climaxing with a gorgeous circular chorus that ends the song on a sunny note.” –AllMusic
[1] Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone
“When you ain’t got nothing, you got nothing to lose”
[1965] Highway 61 Revisited
[9672.1 Points, 31 Votes, 312 Pts./Vote]
Other Placements:
2005: 2
2008: 2 (+1)
AM 3000: 1
Fans: Honorio (1), Stephan (1), Leonardo (1), Weezy (2), BillAdama (3), Todd (4), Oscar (7), SR (7), Michel (10), DepecheMode (14), VanillaFire1000 (14), Mindrocker (15), Guy (17), Vgrd (20), Joobalooba (22), Ajackson (26), Nick (26), Schwah (43), Jackson (44), Nicolas (46)
Comment: “One of the most self-righteous and eloquent indictments ever committed to wax, Like a Rolling Stone filters Bob Dylan’s indignation for pseudo-bohemian sixties’ scenesters through his legendary wit. If Dylan¹s first incarnation was as a protest singer, Like a Rolling Stone signals the era of Dylan as court jester/verbal assassin…Dylan says Like a Rolling Stone is distilled from a 24-page short story he wrote about a society girl turned lonely street urchin. Yet as in one theory of dream analysis, where every character is an aspect of oneself, it could just as easily be argued that there is some self-referential songwriting going on here, too. Ultimately, this band rollicks through the song with such focus and fury, and Dylan wails with such conviction, that the end result transcends logic and theory - and inspires a half-century’s worth of musicians, writers and artists.” –AllMusic
“In the end, it wasn’t even close. Like a Rolling Stone crushed the competition, garnering the most votes and number one votes, with an impressive 1300 points more than runner-up ‘God Only Knows’ and a starling 1600 more points than ‘A Day in the Life,’ which was never close to achieving a three-peat. I am happy with the way things turned out, even if we were amazingly close to having both our number one song and album be the same as the main site’s number one (recall OK Computer’s narrow victory over Pet Sounds in the `09 album poll). All three of these songs are classics, and it’s hard to envision a different top three next time around.” –Jackson
Wohoo! Exactly the way I'd hoped them to be ranked. Awesome presentation Jackson, and sorry for not posting more often; be assured that I was refreshing the page every few minutes for the last hours or so though.
I probably have no idea how much work is put down in this.
I am very glad that I don't know the exact amount of hours that went into this. Only a truly insane person willfully signs up for something like this, but I'm really happy I did. I'm definitely down for hosting any future AMF polls, though not for a while!
Awesome job, Jackson. Even if I wasn't crazy about the contents of the list as a whole, your presentation of it was wonderful!
Fantastic work Jackson! You've done an amazing job with this poll. Thanks!
I don't know, I think it might. "Beat it" is a better song, in my opinion.
It's your opinion, so I'll just respond with... no.
Opinions are to be shared and if possible respected. If you want to hear some explosive guitar riffs in a Michael Jackson tune (and I very much do) - Beat It can easily be viewed as the preferred song compared to Billie Jean.
I am confident that there are many elucidating reasons to prefer Billie Jean (perhaps the story or video). But, I am not convinced that these reasons are "correct" - for the most part it's a matter of individual preferences.
Thanks for hard work Jackson, it was really fun to watch the results of this poll and I have to do here some research.