The Greatest Songs of All Time: Full List

#1000: Three Dog Night - Joy to the World
#999: Abba - Knowing Me Knowing You
#998: The Hollies - Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress
#997: Beck - Loser
#996: Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
#995: Neil Diamond - Cracklin' Rosie
#994: Iron Butterfly - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
#993: MC5 - Kick Out The Jams
#992: Suzi Quattro - Can the Can
#991: Michael Jackson - The Way You Make Me Feel
#990: Aha - Take on Me
#989: Madonna - Papa Don't Preach
#988: 2Pac - Keep Ya Head Up
#987: Santana - Oye Como Va
#986: The Hives - Hate to Say I Told You So
#985: The Beatles - Taxman
#984: Chic - Le Freak
#983: Public Image - Public Image
#982: Johnny Cash - A Boy Named Sue
#981: Electric Light Orchestra - Evil Woman
#980: Dion and the Belmonts - Teenager in Love
#979: Tommy James & The Shondells - Mony Mony
#978: Abba - The Winner Takes It All
#977: Men at Work - Down Under
#976: Michael Sembello - Maniac
#975: Slade - Cum On Feel The Noize
#974: Michael Jackson - Black or White
#973: The White Stripes - Fell in Love with a Girl
#972: Patsy Cline - I Fall to Pieces
#971: Mudhoney - Touch Me I'm Sick
#970: Hall & Oates - Maneater
#969: Billy Idol - White Wedding
#968: Sweet - Block Buster!
#967: Al Green - Tired of Being Alone
#966: Steely Dan - Reelin' in the Years
#965: ZZ Top - Sharp Dressed Man
#964: Kansas - Carry On Wayward Son
#963: Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
#962: Owl City - Fireflies
#961: Chicago - If You Leave Me Now
#960: Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
#959: Cutting Crew - (I Just) Died in Your Arms
#958: The Rasmus - In The Shadows
#957: The Box Tops - The Letter
#956: Elvis Presley - The Wonder of You
#955: Outkast - Hey Ya!
#954: Bob Dylan - Tangled Up in Blue
#953: Paul Simon - 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover
#952: Foreigner - Cold As Ice
#951: Billy Joel - The Longest Time
#950: Boston - Amanda
#949: Steve Miller Band - Abracadabra
#948: R. Kelly - Ignition (Remix)
#947: Edison Lighthouse - Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)
#946: Free - All Right Now
#945: Johnny Tillotson - Poetry in Motion
#944: Joe Espocito - You're the Best
#943: Midnight Oil - Beds Are Burning
#942: Ozzy Osbourne - Suicide Solution
#941: The Carpenters - We've Only Just Begun
#940: Herman's Hermits - I'm Into Something Good
#939: Eurythmics - Here Comes the Rain Again
#938: Kanye West - Jesus Walks
#937: Cornershop - Brimful of Asha
#936: Paul Simon - Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
#935: Danny & The Juniors - At the Hop
#934: Heart - Alone
#933: U2 - Beautiful Day
#932: Cliff Richard & The Shadows - The Young Ones
#931: Eminem - The Real Slim Shady
#930: The Pretenders - Brass in Pocket
#929: Muse - Knights of Cydonia
#928: Sonny & Cher - I Got You Babe
#927: Spencer Davis Group - I'm a Man
#926: The Seekers - The Carnival Is Over
#925: The Beatles - It Won't Be Long
#924: Labelle - Lady Marmalade
#923: Ace of Base - All That She Wants
#922: Gerry & The Pacemakers - How Do You Do It?
#921: Bryan Adams - Summer of '69
#920: The Crystals - Da Doo Ron Ron
#919: The Streets - Dry Your Eyes
#918: Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Relax
#917: The Knack - My Sharona
#916: Manfred Mann - Do Wah Diddy Diddy
#915: Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)
#914: George Michael - Freedom! '90
#913: The Hollies - Bus Stop
#912: Marillion - Kayleigh
#911: Wham! - Wake Me Up Before You Go Go
#910: The Yardbirds - For Your Love
#909: The Four Seasons - Sherry
#908: Marilyn Manson - The Beautiful People
#907: The Fugees - Ready or Not
#906: The Jam - The Eton Rifles
#905: Kasabian - Club Foot
#904: REM - It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
#903: Michael Jackson - Man in the Mirror
#902: The Talking Heads - Psycho Killer
#901: Blur - Girls & Boys
#900: Chic - Good Times
#899: Gary Glitter - Rock and Roll
#898: Elvis Presley - Return to Sender
#897: LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out
#896: The Commodores - Three Times a Lady
#895: Chuck Berry - No Particular Place to Go
#894: The Rolling Stones - Tumbling Dice
#893: Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing
#892: Sam Cooke - You Send Me
#891: Elvis Presley - Surrender
#890: Pulp - Do You Remember the First Time?
#889: Gene Vincent- Be-Bop-A-Lula
#888: Little Eva - The Loco-Motion
#887: Bee Gees - You Should Be Dancing
#886: Erasure - A Little Respect
#885: Earth, Wind & Fire - Boogie Wonderland
#884: 10cc - I'm Not in Love
#883: The Contours - Do You Love Me
#882: The Isley Brothers - That Lady
#881: The Bellamy Brothers - Let Your Love Flow
#880: AC/DC - Thunderstruck
#879: U2 - One
#878: Weezer - Buddy Holly
#877: The Beatles - Ticket to Ride
#876: Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.
#875: The Beatles - You're Going to Lose That Girl
#874: The Four Seasons - Big Girls Don't Cry
#873: Supertramp - Breakfast in America
#872: Alphaville - Forever Young
#871: Frank Sinatra & Nancy Sinatra - Somethin' Stupid
#870: Baddiel & Skinner & Lightning Seeds - Three Lions
#869: Abba - Mamma Mia
#868: Judas Priest - Painkiller
#867: The Black Keys - Lonely Boy
#866: The Hues Corporation - Rock the Boat
#865: The Beatles - Dear Prudence
#864: Barry White - You're the First, the Last, My Everything
#863: Sparks - This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us
#862: Frankie Valli - Grease
#861: Barrett Strong - Money (That's What I Want)
#860: Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
#859: Michael Andrews - Mad World
#858: Oasis - Cigarettes & Alcohol
#857: UB40 - Red Red Wine
#856: Bee Gees - Jive Talkin'
#855: Elvis Presley - It's Now or Never
#854: Chuck Berry - Sweet Little Sixteen
#853: The Crickets - Not Fade Away
#852: The Spinners - Working My Way Back to You
#851: Huey Lewis and the News - The Power of Love
#850: ZZ Top - La Grange
#849: Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs - Wooly Bully
#848: The Beach Boys - Little Honda
#847: Van Halen - Jump
#846: The Doors - Roadhouse Blues
#845: Christie - Yellow River
#844: The Beatles - The Ballad of John and Yoko
#843: Electric Light Orchestra - Don't Bring Me Down
#842: Joan Osborne - One of Us
#841: Ray Charles - I Got a Woman
#840: America - A Horse with No Name
#839: The Police - Roxanne
#838: The Beach Boys - Fun, Fun, Fun
#837: 2Pac - California Love
#836: The Jam - That's Entertainment
#835: Gary Glitter - Do You Wanna Touch Me
#834: The Cars - Drive
#833: Chuck Berry - Rock and Roll Music
#832: Duran Duran - Save a Prayer
#831: The Crystals - Then He Kissed Me
#830: A Flock of Seagulls - I Ran (So Far Away)
#829: Saint Etienne - Only Love Can Break Your Heart
#828: Kanye West - Runaway
#827: Toto - Hold the Line
#826: KC and the Sunshine Band - Give It Up
#825: The Dixie Cups - Chapel of Love
#824: Pat Benatar - Hit Me with Your Best Shot
#823: The Clash - Should I Stay or Should I Go
#822: Queen - Don't Stop Me Now
#821: The Beatles - Get Back
#820: The Four Seasons - December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)
#819: Nirvana - All Apologies
#818: Eagles - One of These Nights
#817: Boney M. - Rasputin
#816: Motley Crue - Kickstart My Heart
#815: Cream - White Room
#814: The Crazy World of Arthur Brown - Fire
#813: Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time
#812: Elvis Costello - Watching the Detectives
#811: John Lee Hooker - Boom Boom
#810: Hot Chocolate - You Sexy Thing
#809: Eddy Grant - I Don't Wanna Dance
#808: The Byrds - I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better
#807: Adam Ant - Stand and Deliver
#806: Willie Nelson - Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain
#805: Marvin Gaye - Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
#804: Nazareth - Love Hurts
#803: Tina Turner - What's Love Got to Do with It
#802: Kool & the Gang - Jungle Boogie
#801: Jackson Browne - Running on Empty
#800: Blur - Country House
#799: The Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
#798: Boney M. - Ma Baker
#797: Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited
#796: The Temptations - I Can't Get Next to You
#795: The Rolling Stones - It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)
#794: The Clash - White Riot
#793: Green Day - American Idiot
#792: Dean Martin - That's Amore
#791: Elton John - Can You Feel the Love Tonight
#790: Journey - Wheel in the Sky
#789: The Doobie Brothers - Listen to the Music
#788: Tame Impala - Mind Mischief
#787: Spin Doctors - Two Princes
#786: Rose Royce - Love Don't Live Here Anymore
#785: Nancy Sinatra - These Boots Are Made for Walkin'
#784: Gary Glitter - I Love You Love Me Love
#783: The Archies - Sugar, Sugar
#782: Queen - You're My Best Friend
#781: Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
#780: New Order - World in Motion
#779: KC and the Sunshine Band - That's the Way (I Like It)
#778: Bo Diddley - Who Do You Love?
#777: Count Five - Psychotic Reaction
#776: The Jacksons - Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)
#775: The Stranglers - No More Heroes
#774: Dr. Dre - Still D.R.E
#773: The Beatles - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
#772: Lana Del Rey - Video Games
#771: New York Dolls - Personality Crisis
#770: Kim Wilde - Kids in America
#769: Bob Marley and the Wailers - Could You Be Loved
#768: Bob Dylan - Desolation Row
#767: Edwin Starr - War
#766: Bee Gees - How Deep Is Your Love
#765: Blur - Song 2
#764: Eddy Grant - Electric Avenue
#763: Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood
#762: Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
#761: Dobie Gray - Drift Away
#760: James Taylor - You've Got a Friend
#759: Kiss - Rock and Roll All Nite
#758: Art Garfunkel - Bright Eyes
#757: Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me)
#756: Alice in Chains - Rooster
#755: The Stranglers - Peaches
#754: Tubeway Army - Are 'Friends' Electric?
#753: Stevie Wonder - You Are the Sunshine of My Life
#752: Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers - Why Do Fools Fall in Love
#751: The Monkees - I'm a Believer
#750: Billy Joel - Uptown Girl
#749: Run-DMC - It's Like That
#748: Martha and the Vandellas - Dancing in the Street
#747: Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know?
#746: Dio - Rainbow in the Dark
#745: Rod Stewart - Sailing
#744: Supertramp - The Logical Song
#743: Tom Jones - It's Not Unusual
#742: Billy Joel - Just the Way You Are
#741: U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
#740: Thin Lizzy - The Boys Are Back in Town
#739: David Bowie - Young Americans
#738: The Beatles - Love Me Do
#737: Elton John - Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting
#736: Lionel Richie - Hello
#735: Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way
#734: House of Pain - Jump Around
#733: Roy Orbison - Crying
#732: The 5th Dimension - Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In
#731: Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street
#730: Daft Punk - Da Funk
#729: The Beatles - I Want to Hold Your Hand
#728: The Troggs - Wild Thing
#727: Ricky Nelson - Hello Mary Lou
#726: Queen - Killer Queen
#725: Cat Stevens - The First Cut Is the Deepest
#724: Jimi Hendrix - Little Wing
#723: Chubby Checker - The Twist
#722: The Beach Boys - Surfin' Safari
#721: Madonna - Like a Virgin
#720: Kiss - Crazy Crazy Nights
#719: Culture Club - Do You Want to Hurt Me
#718: Pet Shop Boys - It's a Sin
#717: Fontella Bass - Rescue Me
#716: The Shirelles - Will You Love Me Tomorrow
#715: The Beatles - Rain
#714: Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive
#713: Solomon Burke - Everybody Needs Somebody to Love
#712: M.I.A. - Paper Planes
#711: Run-D.M.C. - Tricky
#710: Ozzy Osbourne - Mama, I'm Coming Home
#709: Catatonia - Mulder and Scully
#708: Wings - Live and Let Die
#707: Tammy Wynette - Stand by Your Man
#706: The Beatles - Think for Yourself
#705: The Supremes - Stop! In the Name of Love
#704: T. Rex - Jeepster
#703: The Small Faces - Itchycoo Park
#702: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Scar Tissue
#701: Queens of the Stone Age - No One Knows
#700: The Trammps - Disco Inferno
#699: The Beatles - Please Please Me
#698: Elton John - Your Song
#697: Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
#696: Duran Duran - Hungry Like the Wolf
#695: My Chemical Romance - Welcome to the Black Parade
#694: The Beatles - If I Fell
#693: The Special A.K.A. - Free Nelson Mandela
#692: The Arctic Monkeys - Mardy Bum
#691: The Beatles - I Feel Fine
#690: The Jam - Going Underground
#689: Randy Newman - You've Got a Friend in Me
#688: The Temptations - Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)
#687: The Strokes - Reptilia
#686: Nas - It Ain't Hard to Tell
#685: Breaking Benjamin - The Diary of Jane
#684: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - The Wind Cries Mary
#683: New Order - True Faith
#682: Bruce Springsteen - Thunder Road
#681: Eric B. & Rakim - I Know You Got Soul
#680: Eagles - Tequila Sunrise
#679: Ray Charles - I Can't Stop Loving You
#678: Paul McCartney - Maybe I'm Amazed
#677: Prince - Purple Rain
#676: Oasis - Wonderwall
#675: Sly and the Family Stone - Everyday People
#674: Eagles - Take It to the Limit
#673: Blink-182 - All the Small Things
#672: Bobby Darin - Beyond the Sea
#671: The Beatles - All My Loving
#670: Sam Cooke - Shake
#669: Rainbow - Stargazer
#668: Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak
#667: Roy Orbison - In Dreams
#666: Bee Gees - Massachusetts
#665: Don Henley - The Boys of Summer
#664: The Allman Brothers Band - Ramblin' Man
#663: Eminem - Lose Yourself
#662: Prince - Raspberry Beret
#661: The Stone Roses - I Am the Resurrection
#660: The Tymes - Ms Grace
#659: Bobby Darin - Mack the Knife
#658: The Isley Brothers - Shout
#657: The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony
#656: Wizzard - See My Baby Jive
#655: The Dave Clark Five - Glad All Over
#654: Tom Jones - Green, Green Grass of Home
#653: Wings - Goodnight Tonight
#652: Daft Punk - Around the World
#651: Bob Seger - Old Time Rock and Roll
#650: Rise Against - Prayer of the Refugee
#649: Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky
#648: The Kinks - Tired of Waiting for You
#647: Blondie - Hanging on the Telephone
#646: Metallica - Wherever I May Roam
#645: Stealers Wheel - Stuck in the Middle with You
#644: The Zombies - She's Not There
#643: The Surfaris - Wipe Out
#642: Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Two Tribes
#641: Sam & Dave - Soul Man
#640: Duran Duran - Rio
#639: The Miracles - Shop Around
#638: Bon Jovi - Livin' on a Prayer
#637: Jim Croce - You Don't Mess Around with Jim
#636: Tame Impala - Let It Happen
#635: The Boomtown Rats - Rat Trap
#634: Ultravox - Vienna
#633: Michael Jackson - You Are Not Alone
#632: Stevie Wonder - Part-Time Lover
#631: Bob Marley and the Wailers - Three Little Birds
#630: Alice Cooper - No More Mr. Nice Guy
#629: Jimmy Eat World - The Middle
#628: The Searchers - When You Walk in the Room
#627: ZZ Top - Gimme All Your Lovin'
#626: Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart
#625: Jerry Lee Lewis - Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
#624: The Righteous Brothers - You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'
#623: Blondie - One Way or Another
#622: Van Morrison - Into the Mystic
#621: Bob Dylan - Hurricane
#620: Pixies - Monkey Gone to Heaven
#619: Stevie Wonder - Living for the City
#618: Supergrass - Alright
#617: Etta James - At Last
#616: James Brown - Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine
#615: Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - Night Moves
#614: Deep Purple - Child in Time
#613: Bryan Adams - Run to You
#612: Elvis Presley - In the Ghetto
#611: Green Day - Boulevard of Broken Dreams
#610: Al Green - Take Me to the River
#609: Them - Gloria
#608: Big Joe Turner - Shake, Rattle and Roll
#607: Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama
#606: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under the Bridge
#605: Dr. Hook - When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman
#604: Otis Redding - (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay
#603: Elton John - Rocket Man
#602: Snoop Doggy Dogg - Gin and Juice
#601: David Bowie - Changes
#600: The Beatles - Come Together
#599: Patsy Cline - Crazy
#598: Van Halen - Panama
#597: Eagles - New Kid in Town
#596: Elvis Costello - Oliver's Army
#595: Little Richard - Tutti Frutti
#594: The Everly Brothers - Cathy's Clown
#593: Green Day - When I Come Around
#592: T. Rex - Metal Guru
#591: Beastie Boys - (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)
#590: Peter Gabriel - Solsbury Hill
#589: Boston - More Than a Feeling
#588: The Beatles - Let It Be
#587: Giorgio Moroder and Philip Oakey - Together in Electric Dreams
#586: John Lennon - Jealous Guy
#585: The Wailers - Get Up, Stand Up
#584: The Beatles - I Want to Tell You
#583: Boney M. - Daddy Cool
#582: Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight
#581: Dionne Warwick - Walk On By
#580: N.W.A - Fuck tha Police
#579: George Harrison - Got My Mind Set on You
#578: Blur - Parklife
#577: Al Green - Love and Happiness
#576: Queen - Somebody to Love
#575: Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley
#574: Donna Summer - I Feel Love
#573: Queen - The Show Must Go On
#572: Yes - Roundabout
#571: Willie Nelson - On the Road Again
#570: Ray Charles - Georgia on My Mind
#569: Shocking Blue - Venus
#568: The Rolling Stones - Wild Horses
#567: Four Tops - I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)
#566: David Bowie - Suffragette City
#565: Sly and the Family Stone - Hot Fun in the Summertime
#564: The Beatles - No Reply
#563: Alice Cooper - Schools Out
#562: Madness - It Must Be Love
#561: Crowded House - Weather with You
#560: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Breakdown
#559: The Cure - Boys Don't Cry
#558: Rise Against - Re-Education Through Labor
#557: Black Sabbath - Children of the Grave
#556: The Modern Lovers - Roadrunner
#555: Happy Mondays - Step On
#554: Jay-Z - 99 Problems
#553: Megadeth - Symphony of Destruction
#552: Janis Joplin - Me and Bobby McGee
#551: Ozzy Osbourne - Over the Mountain
#550: Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark - Enola Gay
#549: R.E.M. - The One I Love
#548: Foo Fighters - Learn to Fly
#547: Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - Tears of a Clown
#546: Elvis Presley - Mystery Train
#545: Frank Sinatra - Fly Me to the Moon
#544: Alice Cooper - I'm Eighteen
#543: The Tremeloes - Silence is Golden
#542: Del Shannon - Runaway
#541: Pearl Jam - Even Flow
#540: T. Rex - Ride a White Swan
#539: The Rolling Stones - You Can't Always Get What You Want
#538: Meat Loaf - I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
#537: The Clash - Train in Vain
#536: The Beach Boys - I Can Hear Music
#535: Cab Calloway - Minnie the Moocher
#534: The Marcels - Blue Moon
#533: XTC - Making Plans for Nigel
#532: Toots and the Maytals - Pressure Drop
#531: The Yardbirds - Heart Full of Soul
#530: Neil Young - Rockin' in the Free World
#529: The Beatles - You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
#528: Bob Marley and the Wailers - Redemption Song
#527: The Primitives - Crash
#526: Sinead O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U
#525: The Beat - Mirror in the Bathroom
#524: Prince - When Doves Cry
#523: Blondie - The Tide is High
#522: Pulp - Common People
#521: The Crickets - Maybe Baby
#520: Wilson Pickett - In the Midnight Hour
#519: Tame Impala - Feels Like We Only Go Backwards
#518: Jimmy Ruffin - What Becomes of the Brokenhearted
#517: Guns N' Roses - November Rain
#516: Jimmy Cliff - Many Rivers to Cross
#515: The Beatles - Nowhere Man
#514: Wilson Pickett - Mustang Sally
#513: Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
#512: The Beatles - All You Need Is Love
#511: The Rolling Stones - Get Off of My Cloud
#510: Eminem - Stan
#509: Dusty Springfield - Son of a Preacher Man
#508: The Doors - Hello, I Love You
#507: Aretha Franklin - Chain of Fools
#506: The Beatles - Twist and Shout
#505: Tom Petty - Free Fallin'
#504: Santana - Black Magic Woman
#503: Pet Shop Boys - West End Boys
#502: Ralph McTell - Streets of London
#501: David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust
#500: The Supremes - You Keep Me Hangin' On
#499: The Beatles - Eight Days a Week
#498: The Four Seasons - Walk Like a Man
#497: Aretha Franklin - I Say a Little Prayer
#496: Eddy Grant - Gimme Hope Jo'anna
#495: Fats Domino - Ain't That a Shame
#494: Johnny Nash - I Can See Clearly Now
#493: The Beatles - I Should Have Known Better
#492: Wings - Silly Love Songs
#491: Roy Orbison - Only the Lonely
#490: Eric Clapton - Cocaine
#489: George Harrison - My Sweet Lord
#488: Big Star - September Gurls
#487: R.E.M. - Everybody Hurts
#486: Simon & Garfunkel - Cecilia
#485: The Beatles - We Can Work It Out
#484: T. Rex - Get It On
#483: The Move - Blackberry Way
#482: Blondie - Call Me
#481: Bob Marley and the Wailers - No Woman, No Cry
#480: The Doors - Break On Through (To the Other Side)
#479: Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A.
#478: The Beatles - Here, There and Everywhere
#477: Hank Williams - I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
#476: Scorpions - Still Loving You
#475: Queen - I Want to Break Free
#474: The Beatles - The Night Before
#473: Sting - Shape of My Heart
#472: Van Halen - Runnin' With the Devil
#471: The Drifters - On Broadway
#470: Booker T. & the M.G.'s - Green Onions
#469: Bee Gees - Night Fever
#468: Morrissey - Everyday Is Like Sunday
#467: The Crickets - Oh, Boy!
#466: Michael Jackson - Leave Me Alone
#465: The Stone Roses - Waterfall
#464: James Brown - It's a Man's Man's Man's World
#463: Thin Lizzy - Whiskey in the Jar
#462: The Beatles - Don't Let Me Down
#461: The Verve - The Drugs Don't Work
#460: Bob Marley & The Wailers - Stir It Up
#459: The Jackson 5 - I'll Be There
#458: The La's - There She Goes
#457: Sly and the Family Stone - Family Affair
#456: The Beatles - I've Just Seen a Face
#455: Fats Domino - Blueberry Hill
#454: The Hollies - He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
#453: Oasis - Don't Look Back in Anger
#452: Frankie Valli - Can't Take My Eyes Off You
#451: Blondie - Sunday Girl
#450: The Rolling Stones - Street Fighting Man
#449: Deep Purple - Smoke on the Water
#448: Dave Edmunds - I Hear You Knocking
#447: The Rolling Stones - Start Me Up
#446: Pixies - Here Comes Your Man
#445: The Band - The Weight
#444: Santana - Smooth
#443: The Smashing Pumpkins - 1979
#442: Elvis Presley - Love Me Tender
#441: The Beatles - Got to Get You into My Life
#440: Eric B & Rakim - Paid in Full
#439: Mary Hopkin - Those Were the Days
#438: The Police - Message in a Bottle
#437: Sam Cooke - Cupid
#436: The Beach Boys - California Girls
#435: Chicago - 25 or 6 to 4
#434: Bill Withers - Lean on Me
#433: Metallica - Nothing Else Matters
#432: Bob Dylan - Knockin' on Heaven's Door
#431: The Rolling Stones - Honky Tonk Woman
#430: Culture Club - Karma Chameleon
#429: Gene Chandler - Duke of Earl
#428: Martha and the Vandellas - Nowhere to Run
#427: Led Zeppelin - Ramble On
#426: The Beatles - With a Little Help from My Friends
#425: Prince - Sign o' the Times
#424: Foo Fighters - Everlong
#423: Ramones - Sheena Is a Punk Rocker
#422: The Impressions - People Get Ready
#421: The Lovin' Spoonful - Summer in the City
#420: Little Richard - Keep A-Knockin'
#419: AC/DC - Highway to Hell
#418: Stevie Wonder - I Just Called to Say I Love You
#417: Bob Marley & the Wailers - One Love
#416: The Beatles - From Me to You
#415: Nirvana - In Bloom
#414: The Beach Boys - Help Me, Rhonda
#413: Jackie Wilson - (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher
#412: Elvis Presley - All Shook Up
#411: Eels - Novocaine for the Soul
#410: Creedence Clearwater Revival - Up Around the Bend
#409: Eagles - Desperado
#408: The Rolling Stones - Miss You
#407: Black Sabbath - Iron Man
#406: The Smiths - There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
#405: Van Halen - Hot for Teacher
#404: The Cranberries - Zombie
#403: David Bowie - Let's Dance
#402: Blondie - Rapture
#401: The Moody Blues - Go Now
#400: The Crystals - He's a Rebel
#399: The Velvet Underground - Sweet Jane
#398: Metallica - The Unforgiven
#397: Alice in Chains - Man in the Box
#396: Tom Jones - Delilah
#395: The Lovin' Spoonful - Do You Believe in Magic
#394: Ray Charles - What'd I Say
#393: The Foundations - Build Me Up Buttercup
#392: The Smiths - This Charming Man
#391: Nirvana - Lithium
#390: Scorpions - Rock You Like a Hurricane
#389: R.E.M. - What's the Frequency, Kenneth?
#388: The Beatles - Can't Buy Me Love
#387: U2 - With or Without You
#386: Prince - Little Red Corvette
#385: Muddy Waters - Hoochie Coochie Man
#384: Plastic Ono Band - Give Peace a Chance
#383: Ozzy Osbourne - Diary of a Madman
#382: Steve Miller Band - The Joker
#381: AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long
#380: Big Brother and the Holding Company - Piece of My Heart
#379: Otis Redding - Try a Little Tenderness
#378: The Five Satins - In the Still of the Night
#377: Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth
#376: The Beatles - Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
#375: Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way
#374: Elvis Presley - Can't Help Falling in Love
#373: The Platters - The Great Pretender
#372: The Jam - Town Called Malice
#371: The Sweet - Ballroom Blitz
#370: George McCrae - Rock Your Baby
#369: Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On
#368: Buddy Holly - Peggy Sue
#367: The Smashing Pumpkins - Today
#366: Led Zeppelin - In My Time of Dying
#365: Pixies - Where Is My Mind?
#364: Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime
#363: Pulp - Disco 2000
#362: The Supremes - Where Did Our Love Go
#361: Pink Floyd - Shine On You Crazy Diamond
#360: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Foxy Lady
#359: The Chi-Lites - Have You Seen Her
#358: The Doobie Brothers - Long Train Runnin'
#357: Black Sabbath - War Pigs
#356: Sam Cooke - Wonderful World
#355: The Beatles - Penny Lane
#354: Styx - Come Sail Away
#353: Funkadelic - Maggot Brain
#352: Bill Haley & His Comets - Rock Around the Clock
#351: Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive
#350: System of a Down - Chop Suey!
#349: The Clash - Rock the Casbah
#348: Iron Maiden - Run to the Hills
#347: George Michael - Careless Whisper
#346: Cat Stevens - Wild World
#345: The Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight
#344: Steely Dan - Do It Again
#343: T. Rex - Hot Love
#342: The Shadows - Apache
#341: Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly with His Song
#340: Cheap Trick - Surrender
#339: Led Zeppelin - Communication Breakdown
#338: Frank Sinatra - My Way
#337: Elvis Presley - Heartbreak Hotel
#336: Megadeth - Peace Sells
#335: The Beatles - Paperback Writer
#334: The Velvet Underground - Heroin
#333: The Turtles - Happy Together
#332: Love Affair - Everlasting Love
#331: Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun
#330: Kraftwerk - The Model
#329: The Rolling Stones - Beast of Burden
#328: The Drifters - There Goes My Baby
#327: Michael Jackson - Thriller
#326: The Stranglers - Golden Brown
#325: Iggy Pop - The Passenger
#324: Buddy Holly - Everyday
#323: Iron Maiden - The Trooper
#322: Def Leppard - Photograph
#321: The Doors - Light My Fire
#320: Rod Stewart - Maggie May
#319: Chuck Berry - Roll Over Beethoven
#318: The Eagles - Life in the Fast Lane
#317: The Beatles - If I Needed Someone
#316: Carly Simon - You're So Vain
#315: Mott the Hoople - All the Young Dudes
#314: The Kinks - Sunny Afternoon
#313: Prince - Let's Go Crazy
#312: Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
#311: The Platters - Only You (And You Alone)
#310: Four Tops - Standing in the Shadows of Love
#309: Green Day - Basket Case
#308: Desmond Dekker & The Aces - Israelites
#307: Led Zeppelin - When the Levee Breaks
#306: Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant
#305: New Order - Blue Monday
#304: The Walker Brothers - The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore
#303: Little Richard - Good Golly, Miss Molly
#302: The Kinks - Lola
#301: N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton
#300: AC/DC - Back in Black
#299: Oasis - Some Might Say
#298: Iron Maiden - Hallowed Be Thy Name
#297: Bruce Springsteen - Dancing in the Dark
#296: Link Wray & His Ray Men - Rumble
#295: The Everly Brothers - Wake Up Little Susie
#294: Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated
#293: Led Zeppelin - Since I've Been Loving You
#292: The Kingsmen - Louie Louie
#291: Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock
#290: Radiohead - Creep
#289: The Temptations - Papa Was a Rollin' Stone
#288: Iggy Pop - Lust for Life
#287: The Cure - Pictures of You
#286: The Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar
#285: The Notorious B.I.G. - Juicy
#284: T. Rex - Children of the Revolution
#283: The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night
#282: The Byrds - So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star
#281: Johnny Cash - Ring of Fire
#280: Tame Impala - The Less I Know the Better
#279: Stevie Wonder - Higher Ground
#278: The Allman Brothers Band - Whipping Post
#277: The Beatles - Revolution
#276: Beastie Boys - Sabotage
#275: Oasis - Champagne Supernova
#274: The Who - Behind Blue Eyes
#273: Motorhead - Ace of Spades
#272: The Beatles - Here Comes the Sun
#271: Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke
#270: Zager and Evans - In the Year 2525
#269: Santo & Johnny - Sleep Walk
#268: The Beatles - And I Love Her
#267: David Bowie - Rebel Rebel
#266: Elvis Costello - Pump It Up
#265: The Animals - We Gotta Get out of This Place
#264: Carl Perkins - Blue Suede Shoes
#263: Dion - The Wanderer
#262: Lou Reed - Perfect Day
#261: The Rolling Stones - Ruby Tuesday
#260: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Hey Joe
#259: Eagles - Take It Easy
#258: Europe - The Final Countdown
#257: Nirvana - Come as You Are
#256: Rush - Tom Sawyer
#255: The Guess Who - American Woman
#254: The Who - Pinball Wizard
#253: The Mamas and the Papas - Monday, Monday
#252: Metallica - Seek & Destroy
#251: John Lennon - (Just Like) Starting Over
#250: Def Leppard - Pour Some Sugar on Me
#249: Temple of the Dog - Hunger Strike
#248: Stevie Wonder - Superstition
#247: The Velvet Underground - I'm Waiting for the Man
#246: Four Tops - Baby I Need Your Loving
#245: Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)
#244: The Stone Roses - Fools Gold
#243: Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son
#242: Curtis Mayfield - Move On Up
#241: Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name
#240: Depeche Mode - Enjoy the Silence
#239: Public Enemy - Don't Believe the Hype
#238: Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer
#237: The Beatles - She Said She Said
#236: Jerry Lee Lewis - Great Balls of Fire
#235: The Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
#234: Norman Greenbaum - Spirit in the Sky
#233: Sly and the Family Stone - Dance to the Music
#232: Pink Floyd - See Emily Play
#231: The Human League - Don't You Want Me
#230: Kiss - I Was Made for Lovin' You
#229: Bachman-Turner Overdrive - You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet
#228: Elvis Presley - Hound Dog
#227: Alice Cooper - Poison
#226: Daft Punk - One More Time
#225: Metallica - Fade to Black
#224: The Drifters - Save the Last Dance for Me
#223: Simon and Garfunkel - I Am a Rock
#222: The Beatles - Helter Skelter
#221: Led Zeppelin - Black Dog
#220: David Bowie - Heroes
#219: The Drifters - Under the Boardwalk
#218: Cream - Sunshine of Your Love
#217: Simon & Garfunkel - Mrs. Robinson
#216: Frank Sinatra - Strangers in the Night
#215: Guns N' Roses - Welcome to the Jungle
#214: Led Zeppelin - Dazed and Confused
#213: Elvis Presley - Don't Be Cruel
#212: The Beach Boys - I Get Around
#211: Whitesnake - Here I Go Again
#210: Madonna - Like a Prayer
#209: Ritchie Valens - La Bamba
#208: David Bowie - Ashes to Ashes
#207: Fleetwood Mac - Dreams
#206: The Beatles - For No One
#205: Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five - The Message
#204: Michael Jackson - Beat It
#203: Earth, Wind & Fire - September
#202: Scorpions - Wind of Change
#201: Radiohead - Paranoid Android
#200: Percy Sledge - When a Man Loves a Woman
#199: The Killers - Mr. Brightside
#198: The Byrds - Turn! Turn! Turn!
#197: Roy Orbison - Oh, Pretty Woman
#196: Public Enemy - Bring the Noise
#195: Chuck Berry - Maybellene
#194: Survivor - Eye of the Tiger
#193: Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds
#192: Buddy Holly - Rave On
#191: The Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody
#190: Ike & Tina Turner - River Deep - Mountain High
#189: Kiss - Detroit Rock City
#188: The Monkees - Daydream Believer
#187: Bon Jovi - You Give Love a Bad Name
#186: The Clash - The Guns of Brixton
#185: Dick Dale - Misirlou
#184: The Beatles - Day Tripper
#183: The Who - My Generation
#182: The Rolling Stones - The Last Time
#181: The Who - I Can't Explain
#180: The Beatles - Girl
#179: King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man
#178: Glen Campbell - Wichita Lineman
#177: R.E.M. - Radio Free Europe
#176: Creedence Clearwater Revival - Lookin' Out My Back Door
#175: The Beatles - I'm Only Sleeping
#174: The Spencer Davis Group - Gimme Some Lovin'
#173: Al Green - Let's Stay Together
#172: The Temptations - My Girl
#171: The Doors - Love Her Madly
#170: The Champs - Tequila
#169: Blondie - Heart of Glass
#168: The Bobby Fuller Four - I Fought the Law
#167: Dolly Parton - Jolene
#166: R.E.M. - Losing My Religion
#165: The Police - Every Breath You Take
#164: Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird
#163: The Beach Boys - Sloop John B
#162: Ozzy Osbourne - Mr. Crowley
#161: The Kinks - You Really Got Me
#160: Dire Straits - Money for Nothing
#159: Elton John - Tiny Dancer
#158: Muddy Waters - Mannish Boy
#157: Lou Reed - Walk on the Wild Side
#156: Pink Floyd - Another Brick in the Wall
#155: Metallica - Enter Sandman
#154: Pearl Jam - Jeremy
#153: Eagles - Lyin' Eyes
#152: Led Zeppelin - Good Times Bad Times
#151: Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
#150: The Animals - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
#149: The Kinks - All Day and All of the Night
#148: James Brown - I Got You (I Feel Good)
#147: Bob Dylan - Blowin' in the Wind
#146: Pink Floyd - Echoes
#145: Bob Marley and the Wailers - I Shot the Sheriff
#144: B.B. King - The Thrill Is Gone
#143: The Doors - Riders on the Storm
#142: Public Enemy - Fight the Power
#141: Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven
#140: The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset
#139: Neil Young - Heart of Gold
#138: Bob Dylan - The Times They Are a-Changin'
#137: David Bowie - Life on Mars
#136: The Beatles - She Loves You
#135: The Doors - People Are Strange
#134: Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
#133: The Temptations - Get Ready
#132: The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again
#131: Sam Cooke - Chain Gang
#130: Dream Theater - Pull Me Under
#129: The Drifters - Up on the Roof
#128: The Smiths - How Soon Is Now?
#127: Creedence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising
#126: The Everly Brothers - Bye Bye Love
#125: Pink Floyd - Time
#124: Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell
#123: The Byrds - Eight Miles High
#122: Eddie Cochran - Summertime Blues
#121: Lennon/Ono - Instant Karma!
#120: Jeff Beck - Beck's Bolero
#119: The Who - Substitute
#118: Little Richard - Long Tall Sally
#117: Paul McCartney and Wings - Band on the Run
#116: The Mamas & the Papas - California Dreamin'
#115: Ray Charles - Hit the Road Jack
#114: Aerosmith - Dream On
#113: ABBA - Dancing Queen
#112: The Crickets - That'll Be the Day
#111: The Doors - The End
#110: Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade of Pale
#109: Jefferson Airplane - Somebody to Love
#108: Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come
#107: Ben E. King - Spanish Harlem
#106: Funkadelic - One Nation Under a Groove
#105: Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
#104: Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through the Grapevine
#103: Bob Dylan - Like a Rolling Stone
#102: Led Zeppelin - Rock and Roll
#101: Screamin' Jay Hawkins - I Put a Spell on You
#100: Jim Croce - Time in a Bottle
#99: Fleetwood Mac - Albatross
#98: Dion - Runaround Sue
#97: The Beatles - Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
#96: Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
#95: The Who - I Can See for Miles
#94: David Bowie - Starman
#93: Creedence Clearwater Revival - Have You Ever Seen the Rain?
#92: Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
#91: Scott McKenzie - San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)
#90: Billy Joel - Piano Man
#89: Simon & Garfunkel - Scarborough Fair
#88: James Brown - Papa's Got a Brand New Bag
#87: The Spencer Davis Group - Keep on Running
#86: The Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter
#85: Oasis - Live Forever
#84: The Tornados - Telstar
#83: The Beatles - Help!
#82: Johnny Cash - Hurt
#81: Chuck Berry - Johnny B Goode
#80: Eddie Cochran - C'mon Everybody
#79: Isaac Hayes - Theme From Shaft
#78: Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the U.K.
#77: The Beatles - Something
#76: The Cure - Just Like Heaven
#75: The Beach Boys - Don't Worry Baby
#74: The Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man
#73: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Purple Haze
#72: Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge over Troubled Water
#71: The Cure - Friday I'm in Love
#70: The Isley Brothers - Summer Breeze
#69: The Everly Brothers - All I Have to Do Is Dream
#68: The Clash - London Calling
#67: Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues
#66: Led Zeppelin - Kashmir
#65: Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues
#64: Gerry and the Pacemakers - You'll Never Walk Alone
#63: Led Zeppelin - Heartbreaker
#62: Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen
#61: Love - Alone Again Or
#60: The Moody Blues - Nights in White Satin
#59: Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love
#58: The Rolling Stones - Jumpin' Jack Flash
#57: Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing
#56: The Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
#55: Blondie - Atomic
#54: Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl
#53: Blue Oyster Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper
#52: The Undertones - Teenage Kicks
#51: The Zombies - Time of the Season
#50: Metallica - One
#49: Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
#48: Four Tops - Reach Out I'll Be There
#47: The Beatles - Yesterday
#46: Don McLean - American Pie
#45: The Rolling Stones - Sympathy for the Devil
#44: Pink Floyd - Money
#43: T. Rex - 20th Century Boy
#42: Johnny Cash - I Walk the Line
#41: The Beach Boys - Wouldn't It Be Nice
#40: Creedence Clearwater Revival - Who'll Stop the Rain
#39: The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever
#38: Golden Earring - Radar Love
#37: The Stone Roses - She Bangs the Drums
#36: Steppenwolf - Born to Be Wild
#35: The Ronettes - Be My Baby
#34: Ben E. King - Stand by Me
#33: Toto - Africa
#32: The Beatles - Eleanor Rigby
#31: Simon & Garfunkel - The Boxer
#30: John Lennon - Imagine
#29: Led Zeppelin - Achilles Last Stand
#28: The Rolling Stones - Paint It Black
#27: The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps
#26: Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train
#25: The Miracles - The Tracks of My Tears
#24: Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit
#23: The Beatles - Tomorrow Never Knows
#22: The Specials - Ghost Town
#21: Led Zeppelin - Immigrant Song
#20: Van Morrison - Moondance
#19: Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
#18: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - All Along the Watchtower
#17: Derek and the Dominos - Layla
#16: Simon & Garfunkel - The Sound of Silence
#15: Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
#14: The Animals - The House of the Rising Sun
#13: The Beach Boys - God Only Knows
#12: Metallica - Master of Puppets
#11: The Beatles - In My Life
#10: Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come
#9: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
#8: The Who - Baba O'Riley
#7: Black Sabbath - Paranoid
#6: Eagles - Hotel California
#5: David Bowie - Space Oddity
#4: Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb
#3: The Beatles - A Day in the Life
#2: The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations
#1: Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven

The Greatest Songs of All Time: 10-1

#10: Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come

The Civil Rights Movement in America bought with it a whole number of moving songs, but none are quite as passionate and emotional as this soul masterpiece. Race was a key theme in a whole range of politically motivated classics, yet nobody ever treated these strong themes with such grace and gravitas. Here, Sam Cooke lays out all his frustrations with the current system, sounding like a man in desperate measures pleading for mercy. However, there's also a sense of hope found within the song. It's not so much a protest song, but a beacon of hope in a dark and turbulent period of history.

It shouldn't need to be said, but Sam Cooke has such an incredible voice. You really don't need much else when you have those passionate vocals dominating the track, but I still want to commend whoever thought to add french horns onto the track was a good idea. It's an outstanding move, and I even believe they rival Cooke's contributions with their swelling beauty. Interestingly the track was a B-Side to the vastly different 'Shake'. Shake is an uptempo and fun dance track, so imagine the shock of flipping over that record and expecting another feel-good pop hit.

Tragically Cooke's life was cut short just two weeks before the release of this track. He was murdered in a race related incident at a tragically young age. It's events like this that really add an extra layer of meaning to the track. What should have been a momentous moment in American culture unfortunately became overshadowed by the arrival of Beatlemania just two days after the song was first performed, and so the song never became a big hit either. Cooke never played the song live after the first time due to its serious nature and complex composition, adding even more misery to this depressing tale.

Thankfully Sam Cooke's vision has come to fruition. This track became an anthem for the Civil Rights Movement, and is still today often quoted during momentous societal changes. Oh, and make sure it's the Sam Cooke version you're listening to. There are plenty of imitators who've had a crack at covering this legendary track, including a recent cover from a young rock band named Greta Van Fleet. That version is an absolute disgrace, whereas the original is one of the most powerful pieces of music ever.


#9: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

The greatest guitarist that ever strummed a chord released some incredible tracks over the years, but none are as pure and raw as this legendary acid rock track. Jimi is in fine form on the guitar, giving a performance fitting of such a highly renowned player. The intro in particular is a thing of beauty. It's masterful guitar work at its most sophisticated and effective. From there the song just keeps evolving, exploring the very limits of what can be achieved with an electric guitar in that classic brash style of Hendrix.

Electric Ladyland is an album filled not just with topless women, but also a whole host of brilliant tracks. It takes something special to stand out amongst this bible of guitar playing perfection, yet Voodoo Child does exactly that. It's the swansong of the album, rounding off Hendrix's finest work with his finest ever performance.

Hard rock was an emerging genre in the early 70s, and it was tracks like this one that hammered home just how good a loud guitar can be. By using a blues-rock based foundation many bands were able to produce this dirty sound, but none were more hectic and revolutionary than what Hendrix manages here. In Britain this became Hendrix's only number-one single, which sadly he never got to celebrate due to it being released shortly after his premature death. What an incredible memorial to one of the all-time musical greats.


#8: The Who - Baba O'Riley

The Who loved to spend their time dreaming up complex artistic projects, and none were more advanced than this legendary track. For a taster of the unusual sound that's about to fill the room you only need listen to the unique intro. I don't know why synthesisers were included in the final piece, and to hardcore classic rock fans this is probably sacrilege, but I love this unique feel. Baba O'Riley takes its sweet time to get to the main hooks, gradually building in energy, but when this track gets there it goes absolutely crazy. In all honesty I could happily listen to that build for days, but this track just becomes something else with that burst of adrenaline.

Once you get past the fantastic instrumentation you're left with Roger Daltry's exuberant voice that dominates the soundtrack as always, but just for a moment we get the sweet sound of Pete Townshend introducing us to 'teenage wasteland'. That, in my opinion, is one of the greatest single lines in music history and I just adore how the whole track seems to be building you up for that brief moment of euphoria. With Baba O'Riley you get such a sense of excitement every time that distinct opening gets underway, even if it is just for the chance to hear that one line again.

The Who also added a rebellious undertone to this track that perfectly compliments the ongoing trend of the youth going wild. Just a quick play of this and I too want to go and beat up a load of rockers on Brighton Beach for the hell of it. My Generation is often touted as the anthem of this generation, but in my opinion it's Baba O'Riley that holds this prestigious spot. It's hardly a celebration of youthful rebelliousness, but rather a grim acceptance of a rapidly changing country. The Who had a career filled with classic rock gems, but this was their finest effort by a country mile.


#7: Black Sabbath - Paranoid

With their debut album Black Sabbath formulated what would later become heavy metal. The band then decided that pioneering a genre wasn't enough and so released Paranoid in order to define the very thing they created. In my opinion this is the first ever song that can be classed as 'heavy metal', and every metal song can trace its roots back to this single release. Paranoid presents a simple formula, punctuated by just sheer noise, but this simplistic genius has never been topped, ever after all these decades.

The opening riff is just orgasmic. Who would ever have imagined that the height of metal perfection could be found in the early 70s? This is one of those tracks you just have to crank up to max and bleed your eardrums with. Sure, it's a quick and intense adrenaline burst, but I promise you'll never feel more alive. Ozzy Osbourne sounds like he's having a mental breakdown on the vocals, even pleading for help during the hook. You have a job to hear him over the sheer noise coming from the guitars, but the combination of these sounds is just brutal and epic in equal measures. Despite this revolutionary and heavy sound Paranoid never feels edgy or artificial, even feeling strangely profound in some areas.

You may think an effort of this magnitude would take years of preparation, but no. Paranoid was written in just over twenty minutes and was originally scheduled to be filler for their upcoming album. You would probably be beaten to death by metal fans if you called this 'filler' today. Such was the influence of this record that it even crossed into the pop charts here in Britain. Reaching number four on the pop charts is one hell of an achievement for a band experimenting with revolutionary sounds. I suppose that's just one of the perks that come with being the greatest metal track in history.


#6: Eagles - Hotel California

Hotel California has become something of a 'Marmite song' over the years. Half of the people think its rambling drivel, whilst the other half, that includes me, believe this to be one of the greatest rock songs of all time. I still posit that there isn't any other track that manages to master the smooth and laid back rock that's featured here. The way the song flows from verse to verse is something very special, and at no point does the track feel dull or overblown.

The lyrics are the real strong point. The listener is presented with a fascinating tale filled with deep imagery and themes, brilliantly describing the highs and perils of the American Dream. There's such a dreamy atmosphere created that it's so easy to get lost in this fictional world upon every listen. There's this constant sense of unease found within the plot, which is probably why no other song in history has been dissected and misinterpreted quite to the extent this one has. There's plenty of rumours out there that this is an ode to the Church of Satan, whose leader can allegedly be seen on the cover. As with every great rock track there are numerous stories adding to the legend. The bottom line is that as an allegory for a whole generation there is nothing that even comes close to the songwriting mastery found in this song.

Once the story concludes in a dramatic fashion we're treated to duelling guitars in a brilliantly paced solo. Again, everything is carried out in moderation, and even the odd increase in intensity from the guitars never spoils the dreamy mood. Today Hotel California has become possibly the most iconic rock track in history and one of the finest compositions to ever grace the planet.


#5: David Bowie - Space Oddity

David Bowie is the master of the avant-garde, yet even in his storied career there was never a better example of his supremely unique artistry than this legendary track. When space exploration was all the rage Bowie penned a fitting tribute to the cultural climate, beautifully reimagining the greatest feats of mankind like the writer of an epic poem. Apollo 11 would launch just five days after the release of this track, yet that venture pails in comparison to this artistic effort. Even today Space Oddity has become synonymous with spaceflight, with every revolutionary adventure into the cosmos usually beginning with the ceremonial playing of this classic. It's a testament to the quality of this song that nobody has ever released a better song on the wilderness of space in the fifty years since this was released.

The pacing of the song is just marvellous. The way Space Oddity transitions from otherworldly acoustics to the effortlessly smooth saxophone is just a treat to hear. That growing tension towards the primary hook perfectly emulates the hopes and fears of astronauts, heightened by those repeated lines that have become part of pop culture forever.

Space Oddity was released as a single in 1969. I repeat, 1969. Not only does it sound like nothing from that period, but it also sounds like nothing from any period. Even today it still sounds futuristic. This was Bowie's first real hit in the British charts, even making it to number one when re-released in 1975. The wonder of spaceflight may have waned by that point, but the power of this song certainly hadn't.


#4: Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb

Pink Floyd combine superior pacing and instrumentation to instantly render the rest of progressive rock null and void. That first guitar solo is one of the greatest moments in music history. There's something so serene about hearing a guitar sound that amazing. Comfortably Numb keeps building towards this release of energy whilst still managing to sound effortlessly smooth. In case you weren't satisfied with that solo for some weird reason you're then treated to another, which is arguably even better. All this goodness in a song that doesn't stretch out its components.

The way Comfortably Numb maintains this euphoric atmosphere is just incredible. It's like a prolonged shot of Prozac coursing through your veins.  The whole feel of the track is just extraordinary, giving you a giddy feeling that no other song can manage. It's not the most lighthearted of songs, but boy does it make you feel special. It's one of the few tracks that bring on some sort of trance upon every listen. It doesn't matter how many times I hear this masterpiece I always stop dead in my tracks and get lost in the intense atmosphere.

There are also some deep motifs lingering around as well. The haunting opening leading into this euphoric concoction is reflective of the serious themes of addiction. You can tell there's a serious tone to the song, and when you work out it's all about drug addiction the composition suddenly makes so much more sense. The Wall album may have been largely uninteresting aside from its later association with Cold War politics, but at least for six minutes there's a brief break from tradition to grace listeners with. Oh, and the mere act of even mentioning the appalling Scissor Sisters cover is sacrilege.


#3: The Beatles - A Day in the Life

Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is quite possibly the greatest album in music history. The way the Beatles moved the yardstick of what can be achieved through the medium of sounds is awe-inspiring. The final track on the album is by far the finest piece on this landmark album. The fictional band have just announced they're leaving the stage and then all of a sudden we're greeted with the most amazing encore it's possible to imagine. Nothing has still managed to one-up this masterpiece in terms of scale over 50 years later, but to be fair not many albums manage to end with a full symphony having a breakdown. The really amazing thing is that it's not even five minutes in length, yet the song covers more artistically than many artists manage in their whole careers.

First, the listener is treated to this strange and mysterious tale open for interpretation. This is all fine, and could have been capped off with a smooth transition, but that wouldn't have been theatrical enough for the Beatles, so they rouse up a whole orchestra of strings to go absolutely crazy. Honestly, that build up stands my hairs on end every single time without fail. 'A Day in the Life' somehow manages to sound both chaotic and ordered at the same time. You think you know what's around the corner and then all of a sudden a full-blown orchestra will start shouting at you with full force. It's just such inspired pacing.

Not content on this being grandiose enough the Beatles then decide to bridge the two verses with a beautiful section that conjures up an intense dreamy atmosphere out of nowhere. All this leads to the track ending with just a single piano chord, snapping you out of this dreamworld and straight into another euphoric one. This is undoubtedly John Lennon's magnum opus. His creative juices do get topped up from a brief McCartney contribution, but this is undoubtedly his brainchild. This is the Beatles at their most creative, finding it possible to create iconic lines out of the number of holes in Blackburn in ways only they can manage. From their humble beginnings the Beatles had finally reached the promised land over the course of the most famous journey in music history.


#2: The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations

The Pyramids. The Parthenon. The Great Wall of China. All of these feats pale in comparison to the effort it must have taken to get this bad boy just perfect in the studio. At the time of release this was the most expensive song ever recorded, estimated at costing around half a million dollars. You couldn't just record this whole track, you had to piece together individual fragments in four different recording studios. Throughout this list you've heard me say numerous times how the studio becomes an instrument within itself, and it's here we find the genesis of this revolutionary method that would change the face of music. It even inspired the track sitting in the number three position.

From average surf rockers this group of Californians managed to produce the greatest harmonies the world will ever hear. There's still odes to the beaches of California found in this lively number, but in between these brief nostalgic nods we're treated to huge chunks of state of the art psychedelic brilliance. The way the track moves through different sections is symphonic. Each verse and chorus has its own unique characteristics, each sounding more wonderful with each passing second. I don't know what Brian Wilson was smoking when he penned this one up, but he absolutely nails this complex project.

Every instrument ever created is probably hidden away in the rich layers of this monumental production. There's even some electro-theremin thing used to create that high pitched disturbance, which funnily enough no other band would ever dream of touching. Yeah, the harmonies may be perfection, but I really love the dreamy verses where the vast array of instruments can shine. There's something magical about the way they flow into the choruses with such ease. Every complex element is synchronised for maximum euphoria. From that abrupt opening I'm grinning like a Cheshire Cat throughout the whole track. To quote Alex DeLarge, this is 'gorgeousness and gorgeousity made flesh'.

I'm not the only person to love this song. Good Vibrations became the band's first number-one single in the UK and their first to sell over a million copies worldwide. Those idiots who have dared criticise the record include Jonathan King and Phil Spector, who I'm sure are very nice people and have absolutely no history of raping or murdering anyone.

Good Vibrations gives me more than a good feeling, it gives me a full-blown erection. Let's not beat around the bush. These are fucking incredible vibrations.


#1: Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven

This is it. There is not a song out there as pure and perfect as this symphony of perfection. I doubt we will live long enough to see such an epic piece surpass this one.

The guitar is the real star of the show here. It's fucking magnetic. The way it evolves from the iconic opening to the anthemic verses is just divine. The solo, when things really ramp up into new territories, is the pinnacle of guitar playing. There's just this moment where the beautiful tone just makes way for some truly incredible hard rock that has been built up like an absolute dream. Guitarist Jimmy Page sums it up best when he describes this as being like a 'sonic orgasm'. I don't know what a 'sonic orgasm' is, but I want one. From the moment those heavy guitars kick in its passionate vocals, crashing drums, and intricate guitar playing to the very end. Just incredible progression that can't be taught by any teacher.

As with any legendary rock track there's always the tales of satanism having some role in the production. This being 'Stairway to Heaven' these tales go to the next level. Apparently if you play the track backwards there's a prayer to Satan. Charming. I prefer when the turntable spins the record forwards myself, as I love the mystical lyrics, but you can't blame folks for believing this level of talent is supernatural.

'Stairway to Heaven' is so epic that I'm now running out of superlatives. Not only is this Led Zeppelin's magnum opus, but it's also the finest moment for music in general. If you're ever down on your luck just remember that you had the incredible privilege to live at the same time as the greatest piece of music that will ever exist.

The Greatest Songs of All Time: 50-11

#50: Metallica - One

Heavy metal and anti-war mentalities have often been intrinsically linked, but here we have the finest example of this twisted relationship. The music video is one of the few in history to actually add to the track, containing some harrowing quotations that only amplify the meaning of the song. The deep topics of war and euthanasia are treated with admirable respect, with the lyrics of this epic being shockingly depressing. However, the real star of the show is the pacing. One builds and builds in intensity, with the moral quandaries presented becoming increasingly vivid until the tension finally peaks with a simply unbelievable guitar solo. What an incredible track.

#49: Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

Only Black Sabbath were riffing this heavy in the early 70s. The latter segments of this track are the foundations of everything that would come out of the metal genre for decades, as were the satanic themes and relentless pace. And then out of absolutely nowhere comes this acoustic based chorus which has absolutely no right to be as graceful as it is. Where the fuck did that even come from? Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is credited as saving the band after months of substance abuse, revitalising a genre that they helped create.

#48: Four Tops - Reach Out I'll Be There

The perfect soul record. Everything needed to make a great soul track is present. You have amazing vocals that can be heard for miles around, you have a stunningly smooth composition, and you have possibly the greatest hook of all time. Whenever I hear those opening chords I wet myself with excitement because I know the next few minutes are going to absolutely blow me away for the millionth time. You can just tell something special is about to happen within the opening seconds. This is undoubtedly one of the greatest Motown records ever released.

#47: The Beatles - Yesterday

Paul McCartney was no stranger to sentimental ballads, but here he comes out with his most introspective piece. The inclusion of strings to McCartney's isolated vocals and acoustic guitar is a stroke of genius. The composition means the finished product carries across the idea of sadness better than any other song I can think of. Yesterday is thought to be the most covered song ever recorded and is also the fourth most successful song of all time if only royalties are taken into account. Chuck Berry even claimed it's the one song he wished he had written, and that's a rock and roll pioneer talking.

#46: Don McLean - American Pie

It's not often that lengthy acoustic numbers manage to top the charts on a global scale, so when they do the result is often something special. American Pie still holds the record as the longest song to top the American charts. The chorus has become legendary. It's one of those passages of music that you have to get yourself involved with. The verses are also worth merit as they display some great storytelling from a man reminiscing about the glory days of music. It doesn't feel the need to start critically analysing the past, instead providing a pleasant little portal into a personal world that I delight in visiting. For an example of how songs like this shouldn't be performed you need to look no further than the atrocious Madonna cover.

#45: The Rolling Stones - Sympathy for the Devil

Hard to imagine why rockstars are often smeared as Satanists when they release stuff like this. Never has devil worshipping sounded so great. The rock elements may be fantastic but it's the lyrics that turn this track into an anthem. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards give us a full tour of the most bloodthirsty moments in history through the eyes of Satan himself. Holy crap. You can understand why after this release people took The Rolling Stones as a mature rock band, and not just some British kids trying to conquer foreign charts. Many rock bands have tried to cover this one, but none have ever come close to this untouchable classic.

#44: Pink Floyd - Money

The best track from 'Dark Side of the Moon' in my humble opinion. Central to the song is the brilliant bassline, which is arguably one of the greatest of all time. What Pink Floyd pull off here is managing to create a progressive rock track that actually gets stuck in your head. However, there's still something very unorthodox about the track. Maybe it's the odd time signature or the reliance of sound effects, but there's certainly a quirky charm to be found here. The track only ever relents from its chilled out vibe with some neat guitar solos. The irony is that a song criticising material wealth is the most commercially viable track on the album.

#43: T. Rex - 20th Century Boy

Marc Bolan's masterpiece. The 20th century seems a distant memory now, yet despite being a song of that period this one still manages to sound fresh. This is such an intense and exciting glam rock record. The adrenaline burst originally generated from the amazing riff just keeps rolling throughout the whole track. The energy never relents, and in case you get bored of the guitar there's always the natural charisma of Marc Bolan to carry the song.

#42: Johnny Cash - I Walk the Line

If any song sums up what made Johnny Cash such a country music legend then this is the one. The calm and gentle guitar is coupled with a deadpan voice that cuts through the atmosphere like a knife. At its heart this is a very tender love song with suitable lyrics to match the laid back tone. You really don't need anything else to accompany such rich lyrics, but 'I Walk the Line' is filled with subtle key changes and personality. Nobody else was writing poetic songs of this level in the mid-50s, let alone finding commercial success.

#41: The Beach Boys - Wouldn't It Be Nice

The opening track of the masterful 'Pet Sounds' album, and the one track that launched the album into the history books. When discussing this track you have to start with the production. It's unbelievably brilliant. It's a work of genius to include a whole orchestra of instruments within this unorthodox pop record, especially when you consider the unusual structure. Despite the revolutionary production there are still classic Beach Boys themes at the core. The song has a fun and euphoric theme, instantly relatable to young couples, yet taking a more mature spin in its theme and composition. If none of this floats your boat then there's always the majestic harmonies of The Beach Boys to fall back on.

#40: Creedence Clearwater Revival - Who'll Stop the Rain

The most potent and desperate plea to cease global hostilities. There's no anger on display, just a calm and reserved tone that poetically raises important questions relating to the past, present, and future. CCR don't allow any unnecessary weight to be added, just asking for the important information and nothing more. They don't seem to find any answers, maybe passing their issues over to the listener. For me this is simply the most beautiful piece of folk rock ever created. Criminally the track missed out on the top spot of the American charts, and if any song deserved to give CCR a number one hit it was this one.

#39: The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever

1966 was a year where many experimental bands would peak artistically, but none more so than these four Liverpudlians. The composition of this track is mesmerising, beautifully transitioning between the different complex segments. The lyrics are hard to decipher, becoming just as experimental as the rich production, but also containing themes that are quite literally close to home. The immense atmosphere created is difficult to describe. There appears to be a dark and twisted psychedelic tone hiding behind the seemingly grandiose composition. Hauntingly beautiful, but actually the song became the first Beatles single for four years not to top the British charts.

#38: Golden Earring - Radar Love

The definitive Dutch rock track. They love a bit of classic rock in the Netherlands, but on this occasion they decided to export an absolute classic to the rest of the world. The pacing is brilliant, with bundles of energy released at just the right moments. The driving beat only amplifies this energetic track, and it wouldn't be a Dutch rock song without some flamboyant vocals at the fore. Whilst the energetic record makes you want to tap your feet there's actually a very serious message towards a deceased lover found in the lyrics. I wouldn't let that small detail spoil the pleasure in this absolute anthem.

#37: The Stone Roses - She Bangs the Drums

What Manchester needed in the late 80s was an energetic anthem to match the music scene, and it found one with The Stone Roses. I will never tire of that hook. It is, in my opinion, the best hook to ever exist in any rock song ever. In between the hook is a phenomenal melody that incorporates elements of blues, psychedelia, and just flat out hard rock.

#36: Steppenwolf - Born to Be Wild

The ultimate driving anthem. This one is all about the freedom, not giving a shit about anything else but the open road. Ever since this track was included in the film 'Easy Rider' it's become synonymous with biker culture. The hard rocking guitars give way to an epic chorus that lets out the adrenaline being stored throughout the verses. 'Born to Be Wild' may have become an overused anthem for anything vaguely rebellious, but in my mind it's justifiably become the definitive anthem for motorists everywhere. The use of the term 'heavy metal' during one of the verses is also thought to be where the musical genre stemmed from, so there's that as well.

#35: The Ronettes - Be My Baby

Phil Spector's crowning masterpiece. The level of detail in the instrumentation is absolutely unbelievable for the early 60s. So impactful was this piece that it spawned experimental genres everywhere, becoming a beacon for what can be achieved in a studio. Even if you don't appreciate the artistry within the composition you can still enjoy the relatable lyrics and powerful vocals. The hooks are incredibly infectious, but there's also a sense of sophistication that you just don't find in standard girl group tracks. All this from a commercial pop track. Just extraordinary.

#34: Ben E. King - Stand by Me

In my humble opinion this is the finest vocal performance in history. Nobody has ever managed to repeat the unique mix of softness and power that Ben manages to project with his amazing voice here. The contrast between the understated backing track and King's vocals is absolutely perfect. The repeating bassline is subtle yet effective, even allowing a single triangle note to steal the show at some stages. The lyrics are also touching with such a sense of innocence and sincerity. 'Stand by Me' has become something of a soul standard in recent times, yet in my eyes it's the finest example of soul and pop melding together.

#33: Toto - Africa

No party or karaoke session would be complete without this absolute banger. If you claim to hate this song, even after hearing it a million times, then you're full of shit. Africa doesn't feel cheesy at any point, instead feeling like an anthemic 80s masterpiece. How can you fail to be taken in by that unbelievable chorus? No other track explodes into perfection like this one. This is my personal anthem. I even want it blaring out at my funeral. If you dig deeper there's also some really nice imagery presented in the verses, but let's be honest you aren't waiting for the delightful descriptions of a vast continent, you're waiting to shout out that chorus. Everyone at some point in their lives should bless the rains down in Africa.

#32: The Beatles - Eleanor Rigby

It's rare a song can take you on such a journey in around two minutes. This experimental piece represented the fully transformed group subverting their pop based origins. I can't think of another song that creates such a melancholic atmosphere. It's not necessarily a disturbing song, just incredibly depressing. The characters presented are just as mysterious as the overall tone. There are various theories of their precise identities, but really these individuals have become fictional symbols of loneliness. It takes a special sort of songwriting to have that effect. Criminally, Eleanor Rigby was only the B-side to Yellow Submarine, which is arguably even more depressing than the song itself.

#31: Simon & Garfunkel - The Boxer

Simon and Garfunkel take you on a musical adventure through the use of some epic storytelling. The only break you get from the gripping tale is a repetitive hook that just flows so naturally with the rest of the composition, only to then grab your attention with a dramatic percussive shot out of nowhere. The Boxer was the release that really elevated this duo into the legends they are today, throwing down the gauntlet for any folk groups to try and top this level of sophistication. Simon and Garfunkel turned out to be the boxer in question, rising above adversity to triumph with this iconic piece.

#30: John Lennon - Imagine

John Lennon's most poignant political statement. All Lennon needed was a slow piano and some of his innocent and revolutionary thoughts to create a masterpiece. The message is divisive, yet spoken in a way that has influenced the lives of a great number of people. Imagine became the best selling single of Lennon's solo career and in turn became the anthem for peaceful movements everywhere. Whilst the world John Lennon is passionately describing is never likely to function in the real world, it does at least exist in some form every time you press play on this immortalised record.

#29: Led Zeppelin - Achilles Last Stand

The album 'Presence' was not Led Zeppelin at their finest, but opening the album we find one of their greatest ever endeavours. For over ten minutes you experience the full ferocity and complexity of Led Zeppelin in one mammoth chunk. John Bonham goes absolutely berserk on the drums. How he maintains that brutal pace for the full ten-minute duration I will never know. If the drums don't blow you away then the mesmerisingly brilliant guitar sound will, stealing the show at various parts throughout the track with a complexity that surpasses any Led Zeppelin track before it. This is the band's final swansong and their final epic composition to cap off a legendary career.

#28: The Rolling Stones - Paint It Black

Probably the most iconic track from one of the most iconic musical acts in history. There's something so dark and mysterious about the whole composition. It may well be the best layered composition of all time, creating this amazing atmosphere that's almost impossible to describe. On one hand it's psychedelic brilliance, yet on the other it's a driving rock song that begs you to join in. Mick Jagger comes up with his finest dramatic performance with a depressing and angst filled tone to rival any anti-establishment hellraisers. On top of all this there's this strange and exotic Eastern sound punctuating through the rich layering that would have turned heads in the mid-60s. No wonder this has become one of the most revered tracks in history.

#27: The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Here you have it. The moment when George Harrison's creative genius is finally released in a fit of rage after years of being shunned by his bandmates. George even went to the lengths of adding Eric Clapton into the mix after the Beatles were less than impressed with his efforts, which must have been a huge slap in the face to the biggest band on the planet. To this day it's still one of the biggest musical middle fingers ever. The concept of a guitar actually weeping is ridiculous, yet the supreme talent of Eric Clapton actually pulls off that effect here. The focal guitar is so precise and vibrant that it almost distracts you from the poignant lyrics addressing global events at a turbulent time. This is miles better than anything else on 'The White Album', which is probably why it was blatantly buried as a B-side behind the atrocious 'Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da'.

#26: Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train

This is how you kick off a solo career. Ozzy may have already immortalised himself in the metal community for his contributions with Black Sabbath, but this was the moment he became a household name. Ozzy sounds like a man possessed over the lively guitars, belting out a powerhouse of a track that covers far more than just satanic nonsense. The guitar solos are absolutely mental, but they are nothing compared to that iconic riff. Maybe leaking into the world of popular music hasn't done this track's credibility any good over the decades, but there's no denying this is an absolute metal anthem.

#25: The Miracles - The Tracks of My Tears

Smokey Robinson has possibly the most orgasmic voice in the music business. How a man can make such a high pitched squeal sound so smooth is something I will never understand. He's also a masterful songwriter, managing here to create possibly the most atmospheric and depressing soul smash hit in history. Nobody has ever been able to conjure up the picture of sadness with such simplicity and effectiveness. We get gutwrenching vocals, miserable lyrics, and to top it all off a horn fanfare that would be deemed too depressing for a funeral. Yet it's the opening guitar chords that have immortalised this absolute classic. Just stunning.

#24: Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit

Retelling Lewis Carroll's 'Alice in Wonderland' with psychedelic rock may sound like a stupid idea, but when you think about it with talented people at the helm the results could be something very special indeed. White Rabbit is blatantly a song about drug use, and as such became an anthem of 1960s culture. The real star of the show is that pacing. The track starts out feeling uneasy and then just gradually builds into bursts of intense madness that rival the original novel. The crisp and aggressive vocals take you on a trippy adventure, spitting you out just as quickly as they draw you in. Mesmerising stuff.

#23: The Beatles - Tomorrow Never Knows

No seriously, this was released by the Beatles in 1966. Not even a year prior this foursome had been lighting up the charts with family friendly pop tunes, yet they decided to end up finishing the album 'Revolver' with this otherworldly gem. It's not so much a full stop at the end of the album, but a giant exclamation mark. Where the hell did this even come from? It's complete and utter chaos that somehow sounds utterly amazing. Tomorrow Never Knows sounds revolutionary and original in 2019, let alone 1966. All four members are off their nuts here. Even Ringo has a go at becoming a rock god with some ferocious drumming that's just so uncharacteristic. I just cannot comprehend the rigour and sophistication this sort of production would need in the recording studio. This was the first real example of how complex studio effects could enhance the experience of listening to a full album. In effect, this is where the psychedelic revolution starts and where the Beatles transformed into visionaries rather than commercially successful musicians.

#22: The Specials - Ghost Town

An exceptional contrast between one of the most pungent protest songs of all time mixed with a laid back and sultry atmosphere. The deadpan delivery is just perfect for the serious subject matter, explicitly detailing the fears of an increasingly divided nation. The message found within this track is direct and just as applicable to modern society as it was to Thatcher's controversial vision of Britain. The song's message was so powerful it's even been said to have instigated riots in various cities around Britain at the time of release. To this day Ghost Town remains a cultural landmark in the history of British music. It even managed to mug off Margaret Thatcher better than the entire punk movement put together.

#21: Led Zeppelin - Immigrant Song

The best hard rock track in history? I'd say so. Some may even class this as metal. I wouldn't, but there's no denying it has all the foundations of an emerging genre. That war cry from Robert Plant has become the defining feature of the song, but I posit that the ferocious lyrics are just as powerful. All of this noise is blasted over the top of an equally aggressive riff at a million miles an hour. Even for Led Zeppelin's standards this is a shocking departure from their folk rock origins. Just one listen to this and I'll happily rape and pillage Northern Europe like an enraged berserker.

#20: Van Morrison - Moondance

The perfect smooth jazz single. In the background we have this gentle and tranquil noise that every so often dares to let out some big crescendos of noise, which is then coupled with some beautiful lyrics that make your hairs stand on end. This is all great when you have Van's charismatic voice making itself clearly audible over the top, and the result is a spectacular composition. Moondance became Van Morrison's most iconic performance and transformed his career into commercial success. If anyone tries to tell me all jazz music is shit I instantly direct them to this classic.

#19: Michael Jackson - Billie Jean

Even paedophiles can create great music. Usually when Michael Jackson is discussing the topic of children you avert your ears, but even with the creepy undertones this is undoubtedly a stone cold classic. Everything about this track is iconic. The bassline is incredible. The lyrics and numerous hooks are amazing. The vocals are vibrant and charismatic. And then to top it all off we get one of the most infectious beats of all time. Pop perfection to a tee. Even the music video became instantly iconic and changed the music scene forever. Quite simply this is the masterpiece that gave us the pinnacle of this legendary man's storied career.

#18: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - All Along the Watchtower

This rowdy Jimi Hendrix masterpiece actually originates from a Bob Dylan folk number. Only Jimi Hendrix could spruce up a Dylan classic so that it becomes pure energy the whole way through. This song has no right to sound this awesome, but Hendrix puts his heart and soul right through everything in a way only he can manage. This version sounds far better than the original as well. Bob Dylan himself agrees with me and played it like Hendrix for the remainder of his career. Humiliating Bob Dylan is a real rarity in the music business. The unbelievable guitars in this one are essential listening to any music fan, and this song is undoubtedly one of the all time great guitar tracks.

#17: Derek and the Dominos - Layla

That riff is fucking amazing. Eric Clapton gets most of the credit for this piece, but it's that Duane Allman riff that carries the earlier parts. The opening portions of this track follow a fairly standard formula, but wow do the hook and riff sound incredible together. I also don't think the instrumental gets enough love. Yeah, the guitar driven hooks are fantastic, but that atmospheric melody to slowly round things off is a thing of beauty. If only there was a 90s gangster film that could immortalise this piano part. Layla is actually about Eric Clapton trying to steal George Harrison's wife, which is a bit rude, but it's such an amazing attempt at seduction I'm not even that mad.

#16: Simon & Garfunkel - The Sound of Silence

There has never been a song to encapsulate depression and loneliness in such a profound way. The melancholic atmosphere created by this track is unparalleled in the music business. The depth that Simon and Garfunkel are able to achieve with just basic folk rock elements is mindblowing. The combination of a lonely acoustic guitar and some amazing vocal harmonies is such an incredible composition, with both elements bouncing off each other perfectly. Not only is this track now seen as a defining folk rock release, but it's also the standard for any miserable situation. Oh, and the Disturbed version that seems to have become a massive hit is absolutely nothing in comparison to this amazing piece of music.

#15: Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit

The defining anthem of Generation X. This is about as raw and visceral as rock music gets. That's not to say there isn't some serious talent involved. The gibberish verses followed by the epic hooks would become highly influential in the world of rock and work an absolute treat. I don't think anyone could have predicted the way in which this local Seattle track would go on to dominate the culture of a whole nation. The track even made its way on to pop stations across the planet, at one point giving Nirvana a spot on 'Top of the Pops' which the band then decided to use as a chance to cock around in protest at being told to mime the track. Even fewer people could have predicted that this sleeper hit would additionally end up rendering all 80s rock obsolete. Still to this day the track sounds fresh and cutting edge, and it still hasn't waned in popularity. The renaissance of rock music started here.

#14: The Animals - The House of the Rising Sun

Somehow a bunch of Northerners manage to capture the essence of Southern American blues music better than the millions of others who have recorded this historic song. The addition of an organ to the folk classic is a stroke of genius, giving this already engaging tale more life. The track builds towards a thrilling conclusion where the passion of Eric Burdon's vocals just comes barreling out in a massive chunk. It's an amazing vocal performance that surpasses anything else in folk music. The track became a hit just about everywhere, ushering in the folk genre that would play a large role in the charts for years to come. It even encouraged Bob Dylan to pick up the electric guitar, which in the folk world is a pretty major event.

#13: The Beach Boys - God Only Knows

Has there ever been a love song more beautiful than this one? I don't think so. This particular love song also has a sense of refreshing honesty in the lyrics. There's not a single cliche to be found, just raw emotion. This is Brian Wilson's vision realised to its full potential. I doubt anyone would ever have expected these one-time surf rockers to produce artistic brilliance of this scale. The production is just mindblowingly brilliant. There's a whole host of unorthodox instruments all coming together in perfect unison. Paul McCartney even claimed this was the most beautiful ballad ever written, and he knows something about writing love songs.

#12: Metallica - Master of Puppets

The pinnacle of heavy metal music that has to this day never been surpassed. Everything this track does it manages in the most epic way possible. The guitars are the central focus, alternating between an intense thrash metal sound played at an extreme pace and some of the most satisfying solos you'll ever here. The intro itself lasts over three minutes, setting up the song perfectly in a swathe of brutal guitar noise. 'Master of Puppets' takes you on one hell of a ride, brilliantly paced and executed throughout its lengthy duration. This is a real metal marathon that encompasses everything great about the genre.

#11: The Beatles - In My Life

Rubber Soul was the album that defined the transition of the Beatles from pop legends to influential rockers. Spearheading this change of artistic direction was this poignant number. The level of maturity found within the lyrics is just astonishing. These young men come across as philosophical greats rather than a pop band from Liverpool who could make girls scream. This is the sort of incredible stuff John Lennon could conjure up when he was in fine form, penning themes of nostalgia with such incredible beauty. Equally beautiful is the composition, relying on simplicity and subtlety to convey such a personal message. It's one of those songs that just leaves you speechless from start to finish. Amazing stuff.