http://www.bbc.co.uk/musictv/popontrial/decades/index.shtml?d=50s

This apparently was a TV special- a group of critics came up with a top 50 for each decade (50s-90s). Don't see why it wouldn't be eligible, especially as it was critics who compiled each list.

First, the 50s:

The Fifties

Pop On Trial is the series which delivers the verdict on pop’s most important, influential and entertaining decade.

The Critics Top 50
This Top 50 was compiled by Stuart Maconie, Mark Radcliffe, CP Lee, Pete Wylie and the production team.

Lonnie Donegan, "Jack Of Diamonds"
Connie Francis, "Stupid Cupid
Elvis Presley, "Heartbreak Hotel"
Sam Cooke, "You Send Me"
Buddy Holly, "Rave On"
The Chips, "Rubber Biscuit"
Gene Vincent, "Be Bop A Lula"
Little Richard, "Tutti Frutti"
Eddie Cochran, "C'mon Everybody"
The Bobbettes, "Mr Lee"
Bill Haley and His Comets, "Rock Around The Clock"
The Platters, "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes"
Cliff Richard, ""Move It"
Doris Day. "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Wi..."
Tommy Steele and The Steelmen, "Singing The Blues"
Lonnie Donegan, "Rock Island Line"
Elvis Presley, "All Shook Up"
Jerry Lee Lewis, "Great Balls Of Fire"
Buddy Holly, "Peggy Sue"
Dion and The Belmonts, "Teenager In Love"
Eddie Cochran, "Summertime Blues"
The Everly Brothers, "All I Have To Do Is Dream"
Chuck Berry, "Johnny B Goode"
Elvis Presley, "Mystery Train"
Ray Charles, "What'd I Say"
James Brown, "Please Please Please"
Paul Anka, "Diana"
Jackie Brenston and His Del..., "Rocket 88"
Emile Ford and The Checkmates, "What Do You Want To Make Th..."
Elvis Presley, "Jailhouse Rock"
Adam Faith, "What Do You Want?"
Cliff Richard and The Drifters, "Living Doll"
Hank Williams, "Cold, Cold Heart"
Buddy Holly, "It Doesn't Matter Anymore"
The Big Bopper, "Chantilly Lace"
The Del-Vikings, "Come Go With Me"
Johnny Cash, "I Walk The Line"
Carl Perkins, "Blue Suede Shoes"
Jerry Keller, "Here Comes Summer"
The Everly Brothers, "Wake Up Little Susie"
Alma Cogan, "Dreamboat"
Ray Charles, "I Got A Woman"
Fats Domino, "Blueberry Hill"
Big Joe Turner, "Shake, Rattle And Roll"
Bo Diddley, "Bo Diddley"
Julie London, "Cry Me A River"
Dean Martin, "That's Amore"
Frankie Lymon and The Teena..., "Why Do Fools Fall In Love"
Teddy Bears, "To Know Him Is To Love Him"
Bobby Darin, "Dream Lover"

The Sixties

The Critics Top 50

This Top 50 was compiled by Stuart Maconie, Mark Radcliffe, Neil Innes, Tony Blackburn, Eddie Piller and the production team.

Small Faces, "Tin Soldier"
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"
The Deep Purple, "Hush"
Barbara Lewis, "Hello Stranger"
Cliff Bennett and The Rebel..., "Got To Get You Into My Life"
The TSU Toronados, "What Good Am I?"
The Who, "I Can't Explain"
James Barnett, "Keep On Talking"
Tyrone Davis, "Is It Something You Got"
Bonzo Dog Doo/Dah Band, "The Intro And The Outro"
The Beatles, "Strawberry Fields Forever"
The Who, "My Generation""
Stevie Wonder, "Blowin' In The Wind"
The Beach Boys, "Good Vibrations"
Rolling Stones, "Jumpin' Jack Flash"
Jim Reeves, "Old Tige"
The Byrds, "Mr Tambourine Man"
The Beatles, "Something"
Bonzo Dog Doo/Dah Band, "I'm The Urban Spaceman"
The Kinks, "Waterloo Sunset"
Bob Dylan, "Blowin' In The Wind"
Jimi Hendrix, "Purple Haze"
The Beatles, "She Loves You"
Marvin Gaye, "I Heard It Through The Grap..."
Tornadoes, "Telstar"
The Beatles, "Lucy In The Sky"
Keith West, "Excerpt From A Teenage Opera"
Johnny Tillotson, "Poetry In Motion"
Bobby Vee, "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes"
Rolling Stones, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"
The Four Tops, "Reach Out I'll Be There"
Bob Dylan, "Like A Rolling Stone"
Bob Lind, "Elusive Butterfly"
The Supremes, "Baby Love"
The Move, "Flowers In The Rain"
The Pretty Things, "Midnight To Six Man"
The Beatles, "Can't Buy Me Love"
The Monkees, "I'm A Believer"
Smokey Robinson And The Mir..., "Tracks Of My Tears"
The Marvelettes, "My Baby Must Be A Magician"
Pink Floyd, "See Emily Play"
The Seekers, "The Carnival Is Over"
Tom Jones, "The Green Green Grass Of Home"
Elvis Presley, "Suspicious Minds"
Otis Redding, "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of Th..."
The Velvet Underground, "I'm Waiting For The Man"
The Doors, "Light My Fire"
Cream, "Sunshine Of Your Love"
The Animals, "House Of The Rising Sun"
The Kingsmen, "Louie Louie"



The Seventies

The Critics Top 50

This Top 50 was compiled by Stuart Maconie, Mark Radcliffe, Gaz Combes, David Quantick and the production team.

Sex Pistols, "God Save The Queen"
David Bowie, "Heroes"
Mott The Hoople, "All The Young Dudes"
Roxy Music, "Street Life"
Wings, "Live And Let Die"
David Bowie, "Young Americans"
Bryan Ferry, "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall"
The Motors, "Airport"
T.Rex, "Get It On"
Kraftwerk, Trans Europe Express
Ian Dury, "Sex And Drugs And Rock And ..."
Fleetwood Mac, "Go Your Own Way"
T. Rex, "Metal Guru"
Rod Stewart, "Maggie May"
Sex Pistols, "Anarchy In The UK"
Bruce Springsteen, "Born To Run"
David Bowie, "Ziggy Stardust"
Led Zeppelin, "Stairway To Heaven"
Ramones, "Blitzkrieg Bop"
Average White Band, "Pick Up The Pieces"
Al Green, "Lets Stay Together"
Blondie, "Heart Of Glass"
Michael Jackson, "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"
Kraftwerk, "Autobahn"
Stevie Wonder, "Superstition"
Rolling Stones, "Brown Sugar"
George Harrison, "My Sweet Lord"
David Bowie, "The Jean Genie"
Iggy Pop, "Lust For Life"
Roxy Music, "Virginia Plain"
Donna Summer, "I Feel Love"
The Faces, "Stay With Me"
Parliament, "Give Up The Funk (Tear The ..."
Joy Division, "Transmission"
Curtis Mayfield, "Superfly"
Led Zeppelin, "Black Dog"
Abba, "Waterloo"
Bee Gees, "Jive Talkin'"
The Clash, "(White Man) In Hammersmith ..."
Kate Bush, "Wuthering Heights"
The Damned, "Neat Neat Neat"
Chic, "Good Times"
Abba, "Dancing Queen"
Stevie Wonder, "Higher Ground"
Culture, "Two Sevens Clash"
Real Thing, "Children Of The Ghetto"
Curtis Mayfield, "We The People Who Are Darke..."
Slade, "Cum On Feel The Noize""
Buzzcocks, "Ever Fallen In Love (With S..."
Led Zeppelin, "Immigrant Song"



The Eighties

The Critics Top 50

This Top 50 was compiled by Stuart Maconie, Mark Radcliffe, Miranda Sawyer, Martin Fry, Jazzie B and the production team.

Stone Roses, "Fools Gold"
Specials, "Ghost Town"
Dexys Midnight Runners, "Geno"
Human League, "Love Action (I Believe In L..."
Madness, "House Of Fun"
Frankie Goes To Hollywood, "Relax"
Pet Shop Boys, "It's A Sin"
New Order, "True Faith"
The Smiths, "There Is A Light That Never..."
Prince, "When Doves Cry"
Carino, "T-Coy"
Scritti Politti, "Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha..."
Run-DMC, "Rockbox"
Tears For Fears, "Shout"
The Smiths, "How Soon Is Now?"
A Guy Called Gerald, "Voodoo Ray"
Dollar, "Hand Held In Black And White"
Frankie Goes To Hollywood, "Two Tribes"
The Pretenders, "Brass In Pocket"
Incognito, "Incognito"
Fun Boy Three, "Faith, Hope and Charity"
Hi Tension, "You Make Me Happy"
Light Of The World, "London Town"
Central Line, "Walking Into Sunshine"
Imagination, "Body Talk"
Linx, "You're Lying"
Eddy Grant, "Electric Avenue"
Wah! "The Story Of The Blues"
Adam And The Ants, "Kings Of The Wild Frontier"
Madonna, "Into The Groove"
Public Enemy, "Rebel Without A Pause"
Grandmaster Flash And Melle..., "White Lines (Don't Don't Do..."
Soul II Soul, "Keep On Movin'"
The Jam, "Town Called Malice"
The La's, "There She Goes"
Grace Jones, "Pull Up To The Bumper"
Orange Juice, "Rip It Up"
Aztec Camera, "Oblivious"
The Pogues, "Fairytale Of New York"
Style Council, "Long Hot Summer"
The Cure, "The Love Cats"
Human League, "Don't You Want Me"
Orange Juice, "Simply Thrilled Honey"
New Order, "Blue Monday"
Madonna, "Like A Virgin"
Van Halen, "Jump"
The Smiths, "This Charming Man"
M/A/R/R/S, "Pump Up The Volume"
Public Enemy, "Don't Believe The Hype"
Wham! "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?)"


The Nineties

The Critics Top 50

This Top 50 was compiled by Stuart Maconie, Mark Radcliffe, Caitlin Moran, Goldie, Paolo Hewitt and the production team.

New Order, "Regret"
Madonna, "Vogue"
Blackstreet, "No Diggity"
Source Ft. Candi Staton, "You Got The Love"
Blur, "For Tomorrow"
Flowered Up, "Weekender"
Belle and Sebastian, "Lazy Line Painter Jane"
Britney Spears, "Baby One More Time"
Ricky Martin, "Livin' La Vida Loca"
Blur, "She's So High"
Pulp, "Common People"
The Verve, "Bitter Sweet Symphony"
Sinead O'Connor, "Nothing Compares 2 U"
All Saints, "Never Ever"
Oasis, "Live Forever"
The Flaming Lips, "Race For The Prize"
Eminem, "My Name Is"
Charlatans, "The Only One I Know"
Happy Mondays, "Kinky Afro"
The Prodigy, "Firestarter"
Shack, "Comedy"
Massive Attack, "Unfinished Sympathy"
Sounds Of Blackness, "Optimistic"
Young Disciples, "As We Come (To Be)"
Oasis, "The Masterplan"
Janet Jackson, "Together Again"
Blur, "End Of A Century"
TLC, "No Scrubs"
Paul Weller, "Wild Wood"
C + C Music Factory, "Gonna Make You Sweat (Every..."
Massive Attack, "Teardrop"
Happy Mondays, "God's Cop"
Radiohead, "Creep"
Metalheadz, "Terminator"
KRS One, "Step Into A World (Rapture'..."
Codename John, "The Warning"
Underworld, "Born Slippy"
Supergrass, "Pumping On Your Stereo"
Future Sound Of London, "Papua New Guinea"
My Life With The Thrill Kil.., "A Daisy Chain 4 Satan (Acid..."
Spice Girls, "Wannabe"
Nirvana, "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
Take That, "Back For Good"
Blur, "Girls And Boys"
REM, "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite"
Radiohead, "Paranoid Android"
Ice Cube, "It Was A Good Day"
Manic Street Preachers, "A Design For Life"
Björk, "Venus As A Boy"
Portishead, "Glory Box"

Looks good. Thanks JR!