Every person on this planet has their own musical preference, but no one cannot deny the importance, innovation and greatness of all these songs. These songs set the bar for what everyone knows as "Music". These songs were genre-defining songs, cultural landmarks and complex pieces music. Each person has their own definition of "greatness" and anyone can give their own opinion on greatest music, but these songs are the ones people have to respect no matter who they are. You are allowed to not like them, but you can separate "taste" from objective points of view...

I will be giving you people my list of greatest songs ever made from my critical point of view. Some of these songs are not really my kind of music, and some of them I don't like at all, but that's what objective critisizing is: you have to separate taste from actual facts. You may agree or disagree with me, but let me remind you right now before I start: The purpose of this topic is for people to come by and express their own opinions and thoughts, not to bash, flame and create discussions which only come from personal tastes or personal hate. Please keep that to yourself!

Now that I got that cleared out, let's start! I will start with nº 50 and end the topic with nº1, so that you can scroll down the list in order and not get spoiled at the start of the list. I will also put covers of the album/single of each song on the list. Here it is, and I hope you like it:


50. "Bohemian Rhapsody", Queen (1975)
Ok, maybe I pissed a few people off with this one. Lots of people think this IS the greatest song ever made, because of it's downright perfect mix between 4 completely different genres (Opera, Soft Rock, Hard Rock and Ballad), great instrumentals put into it and, quite possibly, the greatest vocal performance ever in a song. Freddie Mercury was, without a doubt, one of the greatest singers of all time. Brian May was also a great guitarist, and he shows it with the brilliant guitar work in the song. It definitely deserves to be on the list, but I still think there were much better songs. But nonetheless, this is definitely one of the greatest achievements in music!


49. "All Along The Watchtower", Jimi Hendrix (1968)
Want some of the greatest guitar songs of all time? You got it! Jimi Hendrix's version is WAAAY better than the original Bob Dylan classic. It was like the song "transformed" into this weird, psychedelic world that Jimi Hendrix has given us. The song's solos are beyond this world, defining the eletric guitar of the 70's. I personally think that this guy was the god of the guitar, and no one in the world ever got close to match his amazing skill, brilliant musical creativity and downright crazy live performances. One of those songs that changed what people think of "music", especially the guitar...


48. "Help!", The Beatles (1965)
Here is a song that's just fun to listen to! The title track of the album was one of The Beatles' greatest songs. It was number 1 on both US and UK. It was one of those songs that wasn't really written by both Lennon/McCartney, it was just John Lennon but it was still credited to both of them. The song today may seem simple and sound like nothing special, but this was the bomb for it's time. "Help!" had really great lyrics in it, and it has that unique Beatles sound that everyone loved, which is why they were so great.


47. "One", U2 (1991)
...I hate U2. I hate everything about them...but this song, I have to say, is really REALLY damn good. But really, I can't stand these guys! But even though I DESPISE U2, this song is a landmark when it comes to music. Bono has made a really great job with this song, judging by the singing and lyrics. The instrumentals are typical U2 stuff, but it gives such a great atmosphere to the song and it just enhances Bono's extreme feeling he put into his singing. This is great, I like this!...I like this?...Oh well, might as well face it, U2 made an amazing job here!


46. "Maybellene", Chuck Berry (1955)
Ah Chuck Berry, one of the greatest legends of music! Man, this guy was so cool! This song was one of his greatest works, it is one of the pioneers of Rock & Roll. Berry's guitar work defined the whole genre, giving the song a great sense of exitement and originality. It was only released as a single, and it already became a smash hit in the 50's, and it was Berry's first single. Even though it's not considered the "definitive" rock song, this song still has great importance to not only Rock & Roll, but also influenced folk and even country. From this point on, you could see alot of Chuck Berry in every single rock song...


45. "Tutti-Frutti", Little Richard (1955)
Another masterpiece from the 50's, and now coming from the one and only Little Richie! This song is another one of those genre-defining songs. It was the prototype of a simple, clean but also fun song. No one can listen to this without moving a single inch of their body! The song has such a catchy beat to it, it's almost impossible not to dance to it. This song has definitely influenced alot of artists, such has James Brown and even Michael Jackson. It was another smash hit from 1955, appearing in every pub and disco of the time. Anyone who lived in that time remembers what it was like to dance to Little Richard.


44. "The Times They Are-A Changin'", Bob Dylan (1964)
Here is one of the first protest songs written by the greatest mind in the history of music. These lyrics were written by god itself, and when I say god I obviously say Bob Dylan! His lyrics were the greatest for it's time, and his songs had such a powerfull message behind them. "The Times They Are-A Changin'" is the perfect example of how a song can change society, and it was one of his signature works that made him the greatest pop icon of the 60's. This artist has influenced almost every protest singer in history! All hail Bob Dylan.


43. "Anarchy In The U.K.", The Sex Pistols (1976)
Not being a hardcore fan of Punk Rock, that genre was pretty much perfected when this song came out. The Ramones were the ones who brought the genre to mainstream success, but "Anarchy In The U.K." was one of the greatest Punk Songs ever conceived. It all boils down to the lyrics and the singing, which in my opinion, combine perfectly. The lyrics have one and only goal: to cause chaos and, well, anarchy! And it's just great, because it affects people who listen to it. Great song, and it will be remembered as the song of anarchy and chaos!


42. "The Message", Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five (1982)
Ok, this is probably the song that people will start thinking: what the hell is this doing here? The fact is that this song, this ONLY song was more original than any song ever made in the 80's. The fact that is a Rap song doesn't mean it should be excluded. No matter what alot of people say, Rap is officially a musical genre. "The Message" basically gave birth to the genre, with it's innovative lyrics that speak of how it is living on the streets. The singing also defined the signature attitude of Rap artists. No matter how much I love and prefer Eminem's "Lose Yourself", this song is way better and it was a genre-defining song, making it one of the greatest songs ever made. Bring on the hate comments!


41. "Heartbreak Hotel", Elvis Presley (1956)
And finally I give to you a song from the King of Rock & Roll himself. "Heartbreak Hotel" is one of his greatest hits, it introduced him to the American audience. The singing was just out of this world, and no one has ever seen anything like it. This song pretty much defined Elvis, from his signature singing and dance moves. His first appearence in national television was supposed to have him sing "Heartbreak Hotel", but the network didn't let him. Another one of those songs that helped define the essence of Rock & Roll, and no one has contributed more to the genre than the king himself...


40. "Heroes", David Bowie (1977)
I really don't like David Bowie, and I don't like this song either. I just can't find anything in his songs that appeal to me, but I know what makes him an artist. One of the artists that helped define Alternative Rock, and this song shows it. David Bowie is just a really weird artist, and that's why people love him. His music was unique, and no one at the time even came close to sounding like him. One of his signature songs, "Heroes" is highly acclaimed as one of the greatest songs ever made. I understand why, I really do, but I just don't like this. Sorry Bowie, but I prefer Radiohead and Pink floyd anyday...but even though I said this, I respect you David Bowie, and I have to admit that you are very original!


39. "Strawberry Fields Forever", The Beatles (1968)
This is a fan favorite, and The Beatles' hardcore fans consider it their best work. In fact, it is the highest rated song in AcclaimedMusic. Ok, in my opinion this is NOT their greatest work...not even close. But it is, in it's own right, an amazing song. This was supposed to be in The Beatles' masterpiece album "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band", but it was instead released in february as a double-A-single. It was then released in their abum "Magical Mystery Tour". As any other Beatles album, it was a smash hit and "Strawberry Fields Forever" is probably it's best song.


38. "I Walk The Line", Johnny Cash (1956)
Not being a harcore fan of the genre or the artist, this is definitely one of the greatest country songs ever written. Johnny Cash defined modern Country music with this great piece of music. This man was so cool, he had a cult following just like Elvis. Lots of people respected this guy, not only for giving us great music, but also a great genre. My personal favorite Cash song is, actually, the last song he ever made. But "I Walk The Line" is Johnny's greatest contribution to music, and it will be remembered forever as one of the greatest country songs, and also one of the greatest ever!


37. "People Get Ready", The Impressions (1965)
Rolling Stone magazine actually rated this song as the 24th greatest song of all time. I really didn't know this song before I saw that list, but after that I gave the song a shot...it's really good. I didn't really fall in love with it, but it sounded like nothing i've ever listened to. Even though this song qualifies as Soul, we can definitely notice some influence of gospel put into it. It had a big impact in it's time, and it spread The Impressions' name throughout the world. The song reached number-three on the Billboard R&B Chart, and number 14 on the Billboard Pop Chart as well. One of those songs which people misunderstand it's brilliance...


36. "Billie Jean", Michael Jackson (1982)
This is it. The ultimate song of the 80's. Michael Jackson's catchy as hell masterpiece was the song that changed R&B forever, redefining it in the King of Pop's own words, style and beats. The song was released in the album "Thriller" which was not only one of the best albums of the 80's, it was also the best selling album in history, selling over 100 million units around the globe. Michael completely dominated the 80's, and he was so popular that people were considering him as the new Elvis Presley, and they were probably right. Rest in peace, Michael Jackson...


35. "Layla", Derek & The Dominos (1970)
It's really hard to find a guitar riff that sounds cooler than this. In fact, it's hard to find a better guitarist than Eric Clapton. He really is a genius on six strings, and "Layla" is where he shows some amazing skill. One of the most recognized riffs of the 70's, and even though Clapton is the one playing he once said in an interview that was actually Duane Allman who came up with it, another widely acclaimed guitarist. The song divides into 2 parts, one being the guitar/singing part, and the the other part is only instrumental with a piano entering the song. Even though the song is known for it's riff, the second part is often considered the best.


34. "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", Hank Williams (1949)
This is where Country music began, with Hank Williams and his awesome vocals and simplistic guitar. Not only the greatest song of the 40's, in my opinion even better than Cash's "I Walk The Line". That song may have been the definitive Country song, but Hank's classic is the song that brought so many great concepts and ideas for future artists. The instrumentals were quite innovative for 1949, and his singing was simply unique in comparison to other 40's artists. Thanks to him Johnny Cash was born, but to decide which one of them is better is up to any persons tastes I believe...


33. "Be My Baby", The Ronettes (1963)
The Ronettes' signature song was one of the most popular songs of it's era. It reached #2 on the U.S. Billboard Pop Singles Chart and #4 on the UK's Record Retailer. "Be My Baby" also peaked at number four on the R&B chart. You know a song is great when the brilliant mind that is Brian Wilson says that it is the greatest pop record ever made. The song was featured in the movies "Mean Streets" and "Dirty Dancing" and it was also covered by numerous artists, like Andy Kim, Bay City Rollers and John Lennon. A really amazing track indeed, which helped to bring more of the female demographic into music.


32. "Whole Lotta Love", Led Zeppelin (1969)
And Heavy Metal was born...Led Zeppelin really had a great career ahead of them. After they released their self-titled debut album, which is quite possibly the greatest hard rock album ever made, they released "Led Zeppelin II", an album that was even heavier than the first one. "Whole Lotta Love" was actually based on a Muddy Waters hit called "You Need Love" written by Willie Dixon, leading to a lawsuit in favor of Dixon. Even with that, it is still acclaimed by it's downright perfect singing, otherworldly instrumentals and incredible creativity. Hands down the greatest Heavy Metal song ever created!


31. The Tracks of My Tears", Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1965)
This is proof of how great Smokey Robinson was as a songwritter and as a singer. Smokey once explained the origin of The Miracles' greatest hit: "Tracks of My Tears" was actually started by Marv Tarplin, who is a young cat who plays guitar for our act. So he had this musical thing you know, and we worked around with it, and worked around, and it became "Tracks of My Tears." But the truth is that it would become one of the greatest songs ever written. I have seen alot of covers of this song, but the original is and always will be the one true version that will bring you to tears...


30. "Lei it Be", The Beatles (1970)
Before The Beatles disbanded, they gave us this album and it's album-titled track. "Let it Be" is another Beatles masterpiece, a song which is beautiful in every single way. One of those songs that it is credited to Lennon/McCartney but only one of them wrote it, in this case Paul. McCartney said he had the idea of "Let It Be" after a dream he had about his mother during the tense period surrounding the sessions for The Beatles (The "White Album"), which is considered one of their best works. A beautiful ballad, and one of very few songs that can really touch any person who listens to it.


29. "No Woman, No Cry", Bob Marley & The Wailers (1974)
A genre-defining artist, who brought us a kind of music called Reggae, but in this song you can actually notice a little influence of R&B. This eternal genius of music known as Bob Marley will always be remembered by his wonderful contributions to not only music, but society itself. Marley really caused a huge impact on culture, alot of people loved him so much that a huge number of his fans converted to Marley's religion "Rastafari". But out of all his songs, "No Woman, No Cry" is definitely the greatest, and it is widely considered the best Reggae song ever created!


28. "Hound Dog", Elvis Presley (1956)
And Elvis oficially got on the top of the world with this song. Every music critic and historian will say that "Hound Dog" was the definitive Elvis song, and they're probably right. Rolling Stone rated this song at number 19 of the greatest songs ever made. Unfortunately it didn't got much far as 28 on my list, but this is definitely one of his greatest hits. The song had that unique Elvis touch which distinguished it from every rock record of the time. A song you could sing and dance to, even if you don't know the lyrics...or the dance moves.


27. "A Day In The Life", The Beatles (1967)
A song that was written by both John and Paul instead of only one of them, this one is also a fan favorite of The Beatles like "Strawberry Fields Forever". Lots of Beatles fans also consider this their greatest work. I really admire the combination of Psychedelic and Symphonic Rock, resulting in a song that sounded like absolutely nothing that was made in it's time. The phrase "I'd love to turn you on" was considered by many people a drug reference, and that was reason enough for radio stations banning the song. But it still lives as a masterpiece of music!


26. "Sympathy For The Devil", The Rolling Stones (1968)
The working title of the song was "The Devil Is My Name", and it is sung by Jagger as a first-person narrative from the point of view of Lucifer. It's a concept for a song that is usually avoided by many artists, but they grabbed it and made a really unique rock song. A song with over 6 minutes in length of unique singing and back vocals, creative instrumentals to give it a kind of jungle atmosphere and lyrics that were written by satan himself. Widely acclaimed as one of The Rolling Stones' greatest songs, and i'm one of them. I just love it when he says "Hope you guess my name!".

25. "(Sittin' On) The Dock of The Bay", Otis Redding (1968)
After listening to this brilliant piece of music, I thought to myself: Man, this guy can sing! Otis really set the bar high when it comes to singing. In fact, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 8 in ther list of greatest singers. Even if you don't find the song that complex, or that impressive, or if it's not your kind of music, I guarantee you that you will love this man's unique way of singing. Never getting out of tune, and while singing in a very low tone. Only the greats can do that, and there is no doubt that Redding will be remembered as an amazing singer...did I mention he sings good too?


24. "That'll Be The Day", Buddy Holly & The Crickets (1957)
Buddy Holly had such a great career ahead of him...but then there was the plain crash in 1959, widely considered as "The Day The Music Died" thanks to Don McLean's song "American Pie". Let me tell you, I kind of understand why some people consider it. This guy was every bit as influential as Elvis was. In fact, Holly was one of the artists that inspired The Beatles! Holly had this unique way of singing, that when you listen to one of his songs you instantly recognize him by his signature hic-ups. This guy is in my personal top 10 greatest artists of all time! ALL HAIL BUDDY HOLLY!!!


23. "In My Life", The Beatles (1965)
One of my personal favorites, "In My Life" speaks of memories that lived on and memories that dissapeared forever. Speaks of friendships created and torn apart, and relationships and break-ups. The fact is that it's simply a beautiful song, and it's brilliance relies in it's simplicity. In fact, that's why The Beatles are so great! They didn't gave us the most complex pieces of music, they gave us music that everyone can love. This is definitely one of their greatest songs, and also one of my personal favorite ballads!


22. "Born To Run", Bruce Springsteen (1975)
God, is this song f****** awesome! Bruce Springsteen has never made another song with such a big impact on the youth, talking about what it is like to be a teenager. Amazing lyrics is the real brilliant part of "Born To Run", but the great singing and instrumentals really complement as well to create one masterpiece of the 70's. When this song was performed live, Bruce was accompanied by the E Street Band, and when they really got to play the song live, it was one of the greatest live experiences in all of history. Queen were great live, but Bruce was amazing...beyond amazing!


21. "Bridge Over Troubled Water", Simon & Garfunkel (1970)
Man let me tell you, stop reading this topic! Go to youtube and listen to this song if you never did in your life! This is the perfect example that songs can really touch people in their hearts. This is the perfect definition of the word "beautiful". This is the grand champion when it comes to ballads. If it wasn't for my mother, I would have never heard this song. And I have to thank her, because this is now one of my favorite songs ever. This one really touched me, and that never happened to me before. I almost cried listening to this wonderfull work of art crafted by god himself...call me whatever you want.


20. "My Generation", The Who (1965)
And Punk music was born...ok, this wasn't really punk, but the song had every aspect to be considered a perfect prototype of what Punk is. Lyrics about saying what you want, that's great living young and it sucks to be old, and that people are trying to stop you for doing what you want. This song was responsible for the classic act of breaking instruments in live concerts, It was The Who that popularized it. And then it was passed on to The Ramones, The Clash and Nirvana. Those bands really owe alot to The Who, and their ultimate song.


19. "Jailhouse Rock", Elvis Presley (1957)
To me, this is and always will be the definitive Elvis Presley song! It has everything that's great about Elvis in it. The singing, the dancing, the instrumentals, the lyrics, everything. I really love listening to this tune when i'm in the mood to dance, even though I suck at it. We all first heard the song in Elvis' motion picture, also titled "Jailhouse Rock", and when I saw that scene I never forgot about it. I knew I was listening to something great, something groundbreaking. This one proves that Elvis is really the King of Rock & Roll, and that he will never be forgotten. Rest in peace, Elvis Presley...


18. "A Change Is Gonna Come", Sam Cooke (1964)
Another protest song on my list, but this song is just pure brilliance. Sam Cooke was so moved and impressed after hearing Bob Dylan's "Blowin' In The Wind" that he thought about writing his own song about racism in America. The end result is the most highly acclaimed protest song in history by critics and historians. Rolling Stone ranked it number 12 in their 500 greatest songs of all time, above "Blowin' In The Wind". If it ended up being better or not, the song is brilliant in it's own right, and it really made it's mark in american soil and not only. Another one of those songs in which the singing is what atracts you to it.


17. "What's Going On", Marvin Gaye (1971)
If we're going to pick one song that came from Motown's greatest artist, we have to pick "What's Going On". It's not only considered his best, it's also his only song that I can stand. The first time I listened to it, I was actually quite impressed with how Gaye told the problems and troubles of this world, and that the only we can think of is, well, "What's Going On?". I really love the lyrics in this song, it's just that it's so true, so straight to the point that you can perfectly understand what Marvin's trying to tell us. Gaye, your an amazing singer and songwriter and there isn't anyone on this planet who can prove otherwise.


16. "I Want To Hold Your Hand", The Beatles (1963)
Damn, I love this song! I love everything about it. I love the singing, the dancing, the writing, the instrumentals, EVERYTHING! It all combines into one song that's just a joy to listen to. The Beatles really out-did themselves with this one. It was the greatest song they ever made for the time. Everytime they went on stage and played this song, every one in the audience just went nutts. That's just for you to know how The Beatles were popular in the early 60's. Hey, I don't know if you noticed it, but did you know that there is alot of sexual innuendo behind the lyrics? I love it!


15. "Purple Haze", Jimi Hendrix (1967)
Jimi Hendrix, you are god! This song is not only his greatest musical achievement, it is also the greatest thing ever to come out of a six string electric guitar. I mean it, the riff is, quite possibly, the greatest ever made. It may not be the most recognizable riff in history, but it surely is the one that sounds the coolest. Man, the guitar work in this song is so powerful, you feel like your listening to something that you will never listen to again. And you won't, because this amazing artist, unfourtunately, died in 1970, choking on his own vomit. Damn, that's the reason why I hate alcohol! Rest in peace, Jimi Hendrix...


14. "Crossroad Blues", Robert Johnson (1937)
This guy is, in my honest opinion, the second greatest guitarist of all time. I had to put some material from the 30's, and Robert Johnson's Blues classic is definitely that decade's greatest hit. Eric Clapton has stated once about Robert Johnson, that he was the most important blues singer that ever lived. And Clapton's right. Johnson's guitar skills, vocal phrasing and impressive songwritting defined the genre called Blues. An historic piece of music, and definitely one song that should be a reference to every single guitarist on the planet. One of the most important songs ever created! Rest in peace, Robert Johnson...


13. "What'd I Say", Ray Charles (1959)
Ray Charles' first gold record was, undoubtably, the most innovative and influential R&B song ever written. Lots of sexual innuendo, however, created alot of controversy between black and white people. But these are the songs that are really great. They change society, they actually mark the world we live in. This song shows the amazing singing skill from Charles. The song not only brought Ray Charles to mainstream success, but also brought a sub-genre of R&B called Soul into the mainstream music. To some people, it's hard to explain why we love "What'd I Say"...it's just a phenomenal song.


12. "Blowin' In The Wind", Bob Dylan (1963)
I don't care what people say, to me, this is the ultimate protest song. Bob Dylan has never been so straight to the point when he wrote "Blowin' In The Wind". The lyrics are beyond brilliant. He can really tell you a story about how bad this world works, with very subtle phrasing. Dylan's hurt about this subject is also shown in his singing, like someone who witnessed alot of pain and suffering in this cruel world. This is one of those songs that will change your way of thinking about the planet we live in. That's one of the many powers Bob Dylan has...


11. "Hey Jude", The Beatles (1968)
The longest Beatles track is often cited by critics and historians as ther greatest contribution to music. "Hey Jude" is a really great song, that extends itself over 7 minutes. The first 3 minutes are the lyrics written by Paul, and they are as good as a Beatles song can be. It's not really the lyrics that will call your attention, it's the singing. Paul really is an amazing singer, and that's what made the song so fun and catchy. The song really shows some brilliant production too, mainly because of the fact that the last 4 minutes are completely improvised. Instrumentals, lyrics, singing, everything thought at the moment. Genius.


10. "Good Vibrations", The Beach Boys (1966)
This is what happens when you let Brian Wilson's genius come out: a psychedelic pop song, with extremely unusual instrumentals, unique singing and really creepy lyrics. The result was one of the greatest pop songs ever written. Wilson's publicist Derek Taylor described "Good Vibrations" as a "pocket symphony". If you never heard this song, trust me, you don't know what "weird" is. The first time I heard it I was so freaked out, I didn't want to listen to it again. But I kept listening, and moments after I was already singing it. It's one of those songs where you're not sure why you love it.


9. "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", Pink Floyd (1975)
You guys were already scared that I would exclude Pink Floyd, didn't you? Well not being a hardcore fan of Pink Floyd, this song is a monumental achievement. This is hands down, the most underatted song of all time! I can't believe that this song escapes every single critic I know. Out of all their songs, "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" is really the band's ultimate piece of music. The song is 26 minutes long...not kidding. The song is actually divided in IX parts, scatered in the album "Wish You Were Here". The song is like a huge symphony of perfectly coordenated instruments, that sound really great. When you get to the singing, you see some more brilliant lyrics by Roger Waters and a really great chorus, with David Gilmour and back vocalists shouting the title of the song.


8. "Respect", Aretha Franklin (1965)
Here is the greatest female artist in the history of music. I'm serious! Madonna can go f*** herself, she's got nothing to the queen of singing. "Respect" was not really written by Aretha, the original song was written by Otis Redding. The problem is that Otis' version was completely overshadowed by the greatest Soul song ever made (or covered). Aretha payed real attention to the lyrics, and thought that they would fit perfectly to a woman's situation. The song became an anthem for women all over the world, and not just because of the perfect fit that the lyrics give to Aretha's point, but also the otherworldly singing. Aretha is, considered by many, as the greatest singer to ever live, and after listening to this song and watching Aretha sing it live, it's really hard to deny it.


7. "Smells Like Teen Spirit", Nirvana (1991)
Let me tell you a funny story: When I was a kid, I hated Nirvana. I just couldn't stand it! I knew the band because of the songs "Come As You Are", "In Bloom" and "Heart-Shaped Box". Believe it or not, I have never heard "Smells Like Teen Spirit" until I got to high school. When a friend of mine showed it to me after I told him I hated Nirvana, I turned to him and said "Dude, this is good. I like this!". I couldn't believe what I just said. So I kept listening to it, and it grew on me. This song is pure greatness. Kurt Cobain said he wanted to write the ultimate pop song, and he really did. Not only the greatest song of the 90's by far, but also one of the greatest songs ever made. Too bad Kurt took his own life in 1994. Rest in peace, Kurt Cobain...


6. "Johnny B. Goode", Chuck Berry (1958)
The greatest Chuck Berry song is also the greatest song of the 50's, no question about it. To me, this is where Rock & Roll really started: Cool sounding guitar riffs, plain simple lyrics and pure fun instrumentals. "Johnny B. Goode" should be a reference to any guitarist on the planet. Berry's innovative guitar skills really helped define completely a the genre itself. This is a song that when you listen to it years after you heard it for the first time in your life, you just think to yourself: That is one of the simplest songs i've ever heard. Well, that's what's so great about it. It proves that music doesn't have to be complex or over-thought, the important thing is thatyou have fun with it. One of the most important songs ever created!


5. "Yesterday", The Beatles (1965)
After hearing pratically every single Beatles song, I still think that their ultimate achievement was "Yesterday". A song that even though is credited to The Beatles, the song was entirely written by Paul. Not only their most successful song, but also the most covered song in history. Over 1000 artists have made their own version of the song, according to Guinness World Records. The song is about a break up, and how he wishes that all of his problems would go away, and that's why he longs for yesterday. McCartney's melancholic singing is so different from everything The Beatles have ever done before, it sounded like something completely different. One of those masterpieces that will live on forever, as a ballad that made thousands of people all over the world cry...


4. "Imagine", John Lennon (1971)
After The Beatles broke up, each one of them followed his own path, and the one who standed out the most was definitely John Lennon. The brilliant mind behind the group released a song called "Imagine", in it's also titled album "Imagine", and it turned out to be even better than anything The Beatles have ever done. It's not exactly a protest song, more like a "Peace" song. John tries to change society by convincing everyone that we should all live together, free of religion racism and discrimination. The fact is that this song became an anthem for peace, and changed alot of people. Unfortunately, John Lennon was shot in 1980 before he could give us anymore contributions. Rest in peace, John Lennon...


3. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", The Rolling Stones (1965)
The most recognized guitar riff in rock history, this smash hit was voted number 1 by VH1 as the greatest rock song of all time. Many people think it is, and I can understand why. The impact and influence it had was huge, and it went on for generations to come. The song still sounds as amazing as it sounded 45 years ago. The lyrics, written by lead singer Mick Jagger and lead guitarist Keith Richards, include references to sexual intercourse and a theme of anti-commercialism. Radio stations at the time had a problem with broadcasting "Satisfaction", but the huge impact and commercial success practically forced them to do it. The song brought so much to the genre, giving enormous possibilities to future artists. It also brought The Rolling Stones instant success. One of the greatest songs of all time, period.


2. "Like a Rolling Stone", Bob Dylan (1965)
If critics are reading this now, chances are that they're really pissed off at me! This is the ultimate song, there never was and there never will be an equal to it. This only song broke so many barriers that other musicians wouldn't even try to cross through. "Like a Rolling Stone" broke rules such as the unlimited time length for a song, excessive lyrics and free will to write whatever the artist feels like. This is the grand champion when it comes to songs that changed everything. Bob Dylan out-did himself with this song. You thought "Blowin' In The Wind" had the greatest lyrics ever written? Think again! Dylan's greatest hit became widely acclaimed by many as the greatest song ever written. Even Dylan himself stated "I wrote it. I did it. I didn't fail.", and he was right.


1. "Stairway to Heaven", Led Zeppelin (1971)
From my point of view, "Stairway to Heaven" is the definitive masterpice of all the songs on this planet. The 8 minute ballad is, undoubtably, the most epic piece of music in history. Robert Plant, lead singer, put a lot of work on his lyrics, and the result is like something of a speech that god himself would give to humanity. It just sounded completely different from anything released at the time. Jimmy Page, John Bonham and John Paul Jones created some of the greatest instrumentals ever put into a song, it has this unique sound which gives us the impression that we're listening to something that came from heaven itself. The song really built perfectly to a guitar solo that storms heaven's gates, becoming widely acclaimed as one of the most complex solos ever created. The song ends perfectly, with the words we all sing to while listening to the greatest song of all time: "And she's buying, a Stairway to Heaven...".

List created June 25th, 2010.

Nice post! I imagine that if you stick around here long, you'll find a few more post-1980 songs to add to the 4 on your list. I encourage you to check out the Greatest Songs poll from earlier this year, if you haven't already.

Some stats from your list, TTLG:

1930s: 1
1940s: 1
1950s: 9
1960s: 23
1970s: 12
1980s: 2
1990s: 2
2000s: 0

Songs released after TheTopListsGuy was born: 0

Median year: 1966. (Which, by the way, is the year before I was born, and I’m more than twice TTLG’s age.)


Now, I come not to bury you, TTLG, but to praise you; you’ve created your own list and you’ve obviously put time and effort into it.

It’s very far from the top 50 I would have written. I may—in fact, I do—disagree with almost all of your basic assumptions, beginning with the idea that, objectively, “these songs set the bar for what everyone knows as ‘Music.’” Leaving aside the question of whether “objectivity” is either desirable or achievable in music criticism, that’s just too sweeping a judgment.

I will say that there are almost no songs on your list which I think are actually bad songs (but bizarrely, the two I do think are bad songs are #4 and #1).

But, well, there’s just too much missing here. Just starting from the top of AM’s list of most acclaimed artists, there’s nothing here by Prince, Radiohead, The Velvet Underground, R.E.M., The Clash, Neil Young, Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello, The Smiths or Talking Heads (almost all of whom I would find at least one slot for). And the chronological distribution—88% of the list comes from the 23 years between 1955 and 1977—is, I think, skewed.

(I wonder why some of the younger newcomers to the forum are so relentlessly focused on classic rawk that was mostly released when their parents were in grade school, but perhaps I should leave well enough alone.)

Thanks for posting this, TTLG.

I pretty much second what schleuse has to say here, and I'll add another- I'm pretty sure that a fair judgment of the best songs ever would have more than 2 slots for female artists!

These fifty are all regarded as classics and they all will be remembered for years to come, so in that sense, this list succeeds. I just don't necessarily buy that these fifty are the top fifty such songs, by whatever criteria that may be used.

I love Stairway, it's my favorite song on LZIV (My favorite album).

As for Imagine, I think it's and Atheriest-Communist song with a cutsie piano melody. In Rolling Stone, John Lennon even admitted this, saying something along the lines of "it was accepted because it was sugarcoated"

Interesting list. I would have probably thrown on a few more post-Sixties tracks, but I do think that the Sixties (circa 1965-1973) was the best period for popular music in the 20th century.

After all, the following artists were at the peak during these years: Beatles, Dylan, Stones, Brown, Zeppelin, Aretha, Beach Boys, Sly, Gaye, Wonder, Kinks, The Band, Green, Morrison, Velvet Underground, Bowie, Redding, Supremes, Temptations, Smokey, The Who, Mayfield/Impressions, and CCR.

I understand where TTLG is coming from with his list. When I first got frustrated with modern mainstream music, the first new place I looked was 1965, squarely at the Beatles and Dylan. I didn't find great stuff from the 80's on until later, in large part due to this site.

I do wonder from your top ten how closely you were looking at the AM top songs list when you made your list. There's a higher correlation than you might find in most individual lists. Like, you have two of the same top three. It makes me wonder if you might have left off some other stuff you like because you were worried about what we'd think.

Though I do strongly appreciate your high ranking of Robert Johnson.

What I'm wondering is, why include songs you don't like into your list of the 50 greatest songs of all time? If you truly don't like a song (Heroes by David Bowie) then why call it great? It's okay to call out established and critically acclaimed acts, just because Bowie is loved by critics, and Heroes is very highly acclaimed doesn't mean you have to call it great (I for one love the song, but that's a different story.) Looking over your list, we have 22 songs in common in our top 50 songs of all time, and all the other songs I at least like. I'd say that there needs to be way less "dad rock". I mean, 1965-1976 is an incredible 11 years of music, but there have been downright incredible songs released in the last 30 years.

Just in case you were wondering, my top 50 songs break down like this.

50's- 1
60's- 19
70's- 9
80's- 8
90's- 7
00's- 6

Alright, so maybe I'm a little heavy on the 60's, but there's still a fair amount of distribution.

Schleuse basically says what I think in an eloquent non-inflammatory way. I think I can answer the question about the classic rawk fans though: it's a matter of exposure. The more post-77 music one is exposed to, odds are the more it resonates. TheTopListsGuy might not have very many post-77 songs in his "objective" T50, because I have a feeling he hasn't heard very many songs by Joy Division or Pixies or LCD Soundsystem. I was also of the "classic rawk" mindset a few years back, and this board helped expose me to so much great music that I've pretty much done a 180.

TTLG: To your claim that there han't been any songs of the last 10 years that rival the 50 songs you posted, I say you haven't heard nearly enough music from the past decade. I think pitchfork's recent decade lists are probably good starting points. I'm especially fond of "All My Friends" by LCD Soundsystem. I feel the same way about that one as you do about Stairway to Heaven (a song I too used to love).

It is easier to appreciate music from the 1960s and 1970s for two reasons. First, the best songs have already stood the test of time. Songs like "Family Affair" or "Give It or Turnit Loose" or "Whispering Pines" still sound fresh and interesting more than 40 years after their release. Second, with hindsight, it is easier to see what songs, artists, and albums shaped subsquent developments. Some people in the 1970s (Brian Eno for example) realized just how seminal "I Feel Love" was. But most didn't.

There is additional factor at play as well. Most of what is considered great from the '50s '60s and early '70s was popular: Elvis, Beatles, Stones, James Brown, etc. all sold tons of records. Of course, there is a Velvet Underground here and there, but such groups were exceptions to the rule. Since the punk explosion, there has been a greater disconnect between "acclaimed" and "popular." Some artists do both (OutKast, Prince, Bruce, Nirvana). But many of the artists that rank high on AM from these decades are not on the musical radar of most people.

Take all the points together, here is what I am saying, it is easier to evaluate "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Johnny B. Goode" than "All My Friends." How many people will even know "All My Friends" exists in thirty years? Will not the "great" recent songs (aside from on sites like this one and Pitchfork) be ones like "Single Ladies" and "Empire State of Mind." I, mean, when people think of the '80s they certainly don't think Laurie Anderson, Richard and Linda Thompson, and Husker Du!

I'm more curious as to what your favorite songs of all-time are. I feel like as we have done on the forum, a compilation of our favorite songs often does a better job than any "Greatest Songs Ever" type list. There's always a bit more to discover in a list of favorite songs than one of "Greatest Songs," since that list invariably has the same few songs in it.

Here are some bands you should probably familiarize yourself with before slanting last decade.

Radiohead
The White Stripes
LCD Soundsystem
The Strokes
Outkast
Queens of the Stone Age
MGMT
Vampire Weekend
Interpol
Arcade Fire
Wilco
Coldplay
Franz Ferdinand
Sufjan Stevens
Kanye West
The Flaming Lips
Jay-Z
Daft Punk
TV on the Radio
Arctic Monkeys
The Streets
Gorillaz
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The National
Joanna Newsom
The Avalanches
The Shins
The Libertines
Animal Collective
Spoon
Modest Mouse
Sigur Ros

Here's my attempt at such a list. I limited it to one song per artist, and it proved to be a more difficult task than I imagined. This is about as objective as I can be, and the list shows that I'm probably not very good at it. Also, my complete ignorance of all things jazz has made me not consider it. In any case, here goes:

Aerosmith - Janie's Got a Gun
Annie - My Heartbeat
Aretha Franklin - Respect
Björk - Bachelorette
Blondie - Rapture
Bob Dylan - Like a Rolling Stone
Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
Buddy Holly - Peggy Sue
Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode
David Bowie - Life on Mars?
Deee-Lite - Groove Is in the Heart
Depeche Mode - Enjoy the Silence
Donna Summer - I Feel Love
Dr. Dre - Nuthin' but a G Thing
Elvis Presley - Hound Dog
Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
Funkadelic - Maggot Brain
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five - The Message
Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze
Kraftwerk - Computer Love
Kylie Minogue - Can't Get You Out of My Head
LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends
Madonna - Like a Prayer
Missy Elliott - One Minute Man
New Order - Blue Monday
Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
Otis Redding - (Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay
OutKast - B.O.B.
Parliament - Flash Light
Patti Smith - Gloria
PJ Harvey - Down by the Water
Prince - 1999
Public Enemy - Fight the Power
R.E.M. - Radio Free Europe
Radiohead - No Surprises
Roxy Music - In Every Dreamhome a Heartache
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Israel
Sly and the Family Stone - Dance to the Music
Stevie Wonder - Superstition
T. Rex - Bang a Gong (Get It On)
The Beach Boys - God Only Knows
The Clash - London Calling
The Cure - A Forest
The Kinks - You Really Got Me
The Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
The Stooges - I Wanna Be Your Dog
The Strokes - Last Nite
The Velvet Underground - Heroin
The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps

Well my first comment about this list is that if I wanted to read an average textbook classic rock radio list, I would have opened Rolling Stone or turned on VH1, exact same lists have been done thousands of time so I don't see the smallest interest here.
Then sure, they are all great songs, seeing the total lack of courage of those picks, no one could say that those songs had no impact, success or influence, but once again, what is the interest of stating the obvious (especially in this forum where I doubt anybody did not know all those songs).
As always the most irritating is how you claim what you say to be absolute truth, sounds like religious preach or dictatorship propaganda. If I want the most objective list I can find, I go to AM ! That's what this site is for, a list of acclaimed songs no matter what Henrik does think of the music, he just takes the lists, compiles them and posts the results, there is not a single trace of subjectivity in what he does and there are so many lists included that it slowly erases the bias of each list.

I'm pretty sure in 4 or 5 years from now, if you read that, you will find yourself ridiculously preposterous (I've been through that too). And, I hope for you, you will have a much less narrow knownledge of music. I regard some of the AMers as founts of knowledge who, even though we might not have exactly the same tastes, can always make me discover new songs and artists or make me consider a song in a different way. Obviously you are miles away from that. Well, to be really honest while I consider that I don't know half of what most AMers know (not even 10% for some of them), I'm pretty confident I know way more music than you do. And still, I would not make preposterous statements like you do (well, except that Perfect From Now On should be on everybody's top 50 list of the 90s and that you all overlook Puppetmastaz and Architecture in Helsinki's In Case We Die).

I could argue on some picks (I think for instance that Imagine should not even be on a top 200 of the 70s, that Let It Be is a minor Beatles song and that Bridge Over Troubled Water is not half as good as the Boxer or The Only Living Boy In New-York, and in that specific case that it is typically a song you includef because of personal tastes, not objectivity by the way).
But, unsurprisingly after reading your other rants on the forum, it's how your definition of good music is limited to old-school rock and soul that annoys me the most. Not only does that makes some of your songs quite useless (what more impact has Let it Be had on music after Yesterday was already known worldwide and had the sames qualities) but it forgets huge parts of music History.

I'm convinced that there are songs which are, objectively, as good as at least half of those you stated here and more influential, more important landmarks.
Some obvious examples would be :
Stevie Wonder - Superstition
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
New Order - Blue Monday
Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy
Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot
Public Enemy - Fight the Power

So maybe your list defines the roots of the music YOU love, but that's a testimony of huge misunderstanding of music of the past 30 years. The music I really love starts with the punk years and skyrockets around 88, so I feel that I own much more to Television, Joy Division, Wire, Public Enemy, Run DMC, De La Soul, Sonic Youth and the Pixies than to Buddy Holly, Sam Cooke or Little Richards (which are all great artists per se, but I doubt music would be much more different without them... I might be wrong but given that we would have Chuck Berry, Elvis, Redding and Gaye, music of the following years would have been pretty much the same, while the impact of the Pixies or Joy Division have been huge.).

And most of all, who cares about allegedly objective lists (since in that case it clearly is not), people are here to talk about their favourite music. In my favourite top 100 songs, I would not call more than 20 songs "landmarks in musical history", and that's taking into account that I do consider The Stooges - Search and Destroy, Metallica - One, Elliott Smith - Between the Bars, Refused - New Noise, Animal Collective - Leave House, Outkast - B.O.B. or LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends as landmarks : songs who might not have changed the world (but did more than 3 songs do that ?) but surely changed the way hundreds of greats bands see (or will see) music as an art. And I've discovered much more intriguing and gratifying songs in AMers lists than in 90% of "greatest songs of all time" lists published in library (even though I must admit I did make a lot of great discoveries in the Pitchfork 500).

Your taste is your taste !
The choice can, and must, be discussed but....what....Hank Williams ??? I do not even know who is he ?
I don't love rap or country but I already heard a thousand times of Johnny Cash and Grandmaster Flash and I heard some of their songs.

Hank williams in the middle of all these milestones, i found that strange.

TopListGuy, did you ever blog on Rollingstone.com?

I wandered away from the InterWeb for a while there. Some responses…

*

TTLG, I’ll assume you were unaware that the Clash is one of my favorite bands, and that London Calling is my pick for the finest album of all time.

One of the many points on which you and I disagree is the importance of technical musical skill in rock. You seem to think it’s vitally important, I think it’s a very minor consideration. No, neither Joe Strummer nor Mick Jones has Freddie Mercury’s voice or Hendrix’s fingers…but who cares? That’s hardly the point of the Clash, or of punk generally.

*

Regarding my dislike for the songs I mentioned…there’s no great mystery about this worthy of the attention of “TEH HARDLY BOYZ xD” [sic].

I’ve covered this ground more than once, but briefly, my take on these songs: “Imagine” is a pleasant tune marred by some of the most indulgent and condescending lyrics ever written by a sociopathic multimillionaire.

“Stairway to Heaven” is the least rockin’ song ever to garner near-universal acclaim. I don’t like the lyrics, I don’t like the frickin’ flute, I don’t like the bombast of it, and I have a visceral dislike for Robert Plant’s voice. I admire quite a bit of Zeppelin’s work, but “Stairway” represents, for me, all the wrong reasons to celebrate them…they’ve written (or stolen) several albums’ worth of better stuff.

*

One dismaying thing about this list is something Nassim notes: it’s VERY predictable. Do we get “I Can’t Explain” or “Substitute”? No, we get “My Generation”…again. Do we get “Only Shallow” or “Wave of Mutilation” or “Teen Age Riot”? No, we get “Smells Like Teen Spirit”…again. Do we get Jimmie Rodgers or the Carter Family? No, we get Hank Williams and Johnny Cash. Do we get the Stooges or Ramones or Wire or Television? No, we get the one punk band everyone’s heard of.

Apart from the unusual selection (which ListyGuy points out) of “Shine on You Crazy Diamond,” there’s nothing here that’s quirky, or that’s obscure, or that’s something everyone here hasn’t heard approximately 5,476 times.

*

Thank you, Stone, for reminding us that “Since the punk explosion, there has been a greater disconnect between ‘acclaimed’ and ‘popular.’” Couldn’t have said it better myself, and everyone who posts regularly to this forum should staple that sentence to the wall next to their monitors. Just because you haven’t heard of it doesn’t mean it’s not worthy of your attention.

I get it when you say it's predictable, and I agree with that, but this is my opinion. I have mine, just like you have yours. That's like how music works, but ok...

Ok, you want crazy song choices, YOU GOT IT!!! I just started making a list, don't know if it'll be done today but I know you'll love it. It's called "The 50 Most Freaking Awesome Songs of All Time", and the choices will be wild xD

But keep attention to the new created threads, today i'll post my personal favorite songs ever...

I think you can argue objective talent in music, but I also think that's a separate discussion from discussing the best music. A good song is a song that gives you aesthetic pleasure and resonates with you personally.

I'm curious why you consider Satisfaction the best Stones song. It's the highest on the AM list, but to my ears, songs such as Gimme Shelter or Sympathy For The Devil far surpass it. So I'd like to know what stands out in the Stones' catalog about it to you, besides just it's position on the AM list.

"Satisfaction" may not be a more elaborate/complex piece of music as "Gimme Shelter" or "Sympathy for the Devil", but that song was their greatest achievement. It had the most recognizable riff of all time, and the song influenced every rock n' roll artist that came after it.

The song was really a milestone of the 60's, and i'm not the only one who thinks like this...

When I say "greatest" is not the overall best songs, because that can be very arguable, it's about the impact/influence, innovation and what made them revolutionary.