Whether you are a rock and roll lover, a funk fan, or more of a hip-hop aficionado, some songs are just undeniably better and more successful than the rest. These tunes transcend time, trend, and genre and have earned a place in the legendary realm of the classics.
From Elvis, the Beatles, and Stevie Wonder to Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, and Eminem, our list comprises various genres and periods throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Spanning from no. 100 to no. 1, these are the catchiest, most iconic, chart-topping, critically acclaimed, fan-favorite hits.
100. Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright) – Rod Stewart
Year: 1976
Written By: Rod Stewart
The Part Everyone Knows:
Tonight’s the night
It’s gonna be alright
‘Cause I love you, girl
Ain’t nobody gonna stop us now
The suggestive lyrics of Tonight’s the Night were considered less than proper when it was released on A Night on the Town in 1976. Nevertheless, Stewart’s song became a huge hit and quickly rose to no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for over two months. Stewart was inspired to write the single when Dan Peek of the band America played Today’s the Day for him.
99. In the End- Linkin Park
Year: 2000
Written By: Chester Bennington, Mike Shinoda, Joe Hahn, Rob Bourdon, and Brad Delson
The Part Everyone Knows:
I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn’t even matter
The final single of Linkin Park’s debut album, Hybrid Theory, In the End, almost got cut because the band’s lead singer Chester Bennington had reservations about the song being too quiet and unlike their other material. After Chester took his own life, the nu-metal hit ironically became even more of a classic due to his emotional vocals mixed with Mike Shinoda’s rap.
98. I Want to Hold Your Hand- The Beatles
Year: 1963
Written By: John Lennon and Paul McCartney
The Part Everyone Knows:
Yeah, you got that somethin’
I think you’ll understand
When I feel that somethin’
I want to hold your hand
I Want to Hold Your Hand was The Beatles’ first no.1 hit in America and signified the beginning of the “British Invasion.” Lennon and McCartney wrote the song side by side, or as Lennon was quoted in Playboy Magazine, “one on one, eyeball to eyeball.” The song is credited with not only setting off Beatlemania but with ushering in a new era of music.
97. Endless Love- Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
Year: 1981
Written By: Lionel Richie
The Part Everyone Knows:
Two hearts
Two hearts that beat as one
Our lives have just begun
Named by Billboard as the greatest song duet, Endless Love is a timeless classic covered by everyone from Mariah Carey to Shania Twain. Ross and Richie recorded the song for Motown Records as a theme for the film Endless Love. Despite the movie being only a moderate success, the theme song became the second biggest hit single of the year. The song is almost both Ross and Richie’s biggest hit.
96. 96 Tears – ? & The Mysterians
Year: 1966
Written By: Rudy Martinez
The Part Everyone Knows:
Too many teardrops for one heart to be crying
Fittingly at number 96, is the hit single 96 Tears by ? and The Mysterians that is known for its organ beat and raw lyrics. The song was the title single of their 1966 album and reached no.1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The true significance of 96 Tears came later when it was credited as one of the first garage rock hits that kicked off the punk movement.
95. Bette Davis Eyes- Kim Carnes
Year: 1981
Written By: Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon
The Part Everyone Knows:
And she’ll tease you; she’ll unease you
All the better just to please you
Bette Davis Eyes was initially recorded by Jackie DeShannon in the ’70s but was popularized by Kim Carnes in 1981. Loved for its signature synthesizer sound, it was the biggest hit of ’81 and won the Grammy for Song of the Year. Bette Davis herself loved it and sent roses and thank you notes to Weiss, DeShannon, and Carnes.
94. Blowin’ in the Wind- Bob Dylan
Year: 1963
Written By: Bob Dylan
The Part Everyone Knows:
How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind
Considered an anthem for the Civil Rights movement and a protest song, Blowin’ in the Wind’s lyrics are pretty ambiguous. Dylan was inspired by an anti-slavery spiritual called No More Auction Block. The song went on to inspire Sam Cooke to write A Change Is Gonna Come.
93. Yeah! – Usher Featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris
Year: 2004
Written By: Usher, Sean Garrett, Patrick J. Que Smith, Robert McDowell, LRoc, Ludacris, and Lil Jon
The Part Everyone Knows:
Yeah!
Shorty got down low said, come and get me
(Yeah!) Yeah!
I got so caught up; I forgot she told me
(Yeah!) Yeah!
Yeah! is the first single from Usher’s 2004 album Confessions. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 weeks in a row. It was Lil Jon who mixed crunk with mainstream R&B in the production, making Yeah! the first song to do so.
92. Lose Yourself- Eminem
Year: 2002
Written By: Eminem
The Part Everyone Knows:
His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy
There’s vomit on his sweater already, mom’s spaghetti
Lose Yourself was released as the top single for the soundtrack of 8 Mile. The song summarizes the struggles Eminem’s character in the movie deals with, from domestic abuse, his mother’s drug addiction, and raising his daughter to the battle to gain the respect of his fellow rappers. The song was Eminem’s first no.1 single, and it won the Oscar for Best Original Song.
91. Un-Break My Heart- Toni Braxton
Year: 1996
Written By: Dianne Warren
The Part Everyone Knows:
Un-break my heart
Say you’ll love me again
One of the best-selling singles in history, Un-Break My Heart, came out on Braxton’s sophomore album, Secrets. Toni supposedly hated the song and didn’t want to record it because she didn’t want another heartbreak song on her album. However, despite the broken-hearted theme, the song plays like an R&B dance power ballad and topped the charts for eleven weeks. The song is regarded as Braxton’s finest work and went on to win a Grammy.
90. Baby Got Back- Sir Mix-A-Lot
Year: 1992
Written By: Sir Mix-A-Lot
The Part Everyone Knows:
I like big butts, and I cannot lie
You other brothers can’t deny
That when a girl walks in with an itty-bitty waist…
Despite its controversial lyrics, Baby Got Back was the second best-selling single of 1992 and hit no.1 one on the charts for five weeks. It may be graphic and sexual, but the song has a positive message and is meant to “broaden the definition of beauty” and give more media representation to full-figured women.
89. Suspicious Minds- Elvis Presley
Year: 1969
Written By: Mark James
The Part Everyone Knows:
We’re caught in a trap
I can’t walk out
Because I love you too much, baby
Suspicious Minds may have been one of Elvis’s biggest hits, but the song was actually a cover, written and recorded first by Mark James. It was nevertheless the hit that revived Presley’s career and began his comeback. James shared that he wrote the song about his first wife’s mistrust towards him for still having feelings for his childhood sweetheart.
88. We Belong Together- Mariah Carey
Year: 2005
Written By: Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, and Johntá Austin + Bobby Womack, Babyface, Darnell Bristol, and Sid Johnson
The Part Everyone Knows:
When you left, I lost a part of me
It’s still so hard to believe
Come back, baby, please…
From Mariah’s album The Emancipation of Mimi, We Belong Together raced to the top and resurrected her dying career. The song features lyrics from Bobby Womack’s If You Think You’re Lonely Now and The Deeles’ Two Occasions.
87. Dancing in the Street- Martha and The Vandellas
Year: 1964
Written By: William “Mickey” Stevenson, Ivy Jo Hunter, and Marvin Gaye
The Part Everyone Knows:
All we need is music, sweet music
There’ll be music everywhere
There’ll be swingin’, swayin’ and records playing
And dancing in the street
Dancing in the Street was popularized by Martha and the Vandellas in 1964 as a signature Motown song and the group’s premiering single. It’s garnered covers ever since, including versions by The Mamas and the Papas, Van Halen, David Bowie and Mick Jagger, The Kinks, Grateful Dead, and Little Richard.
86. Light My Fire- The Doors
Year: 1967
Written By: Robby Krieger, John Densmore, Jim Morrison, and Ray Manzarek
The Part Everyone Knows:
Come on, baby, light my fire
Try to set the night on fire
Released first in their debut album and later as a single, Light My Fire was cut down from 7 minutes to under 3 minutes for the radio. The radio edit reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks. The full version is considered one of the band’s best songs and is a quintessential example of psychedelic rock.
85. Hey Ya! – Outkast
Year: 2003
Written By: André 3000
The Part Everyone Knows:
Shake it like a Polaroid picture!
Released as one of the two lead singles on Outkast’s album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, Hey Ya! was quickly acclaimed and is considered among the greatest songs of the 2000s. The song took André 3000 ages to complete. He started it in 2000 and only began recording in 2002, taking between 10-40 takes for each verse. Hey Ya! incorporates multiple genres from garage rock, new wave, soul, hip-hop, funk, and power pop to eighties electro.
84. All Along the Watchtower- Jimi Hendrix
Year: 1968
Written By: Bob Dylan
The Part Everyone Knows:
There must be some kind of way outta here
All Along the Watchtower was first written and recorded by Dylan in 1967, but just a few months later, Hendrix released his interpretation of the song on the album Electric Ladyland, and it took the world by storm. Jimi’s version became a Top 20 single. When asked about Hendrix’s cover, Dylan said, “It overwhelmed me, really. He had such talent; he could find things inside a song and vigorously develop them.”
83. You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling- The Righteous Brothers
Year: 1964
Written By: Phil Spector, Barry Mann, and Cynthia Weil
The Part Everyone Knows:
You’re trying hard not to show it
But baby, baby, I know it
You lost that lovin’ feelin’
Whoa, that lovin’ feelin’
Spector co-wrote and produced the first version of the song by The Righteous Brothers, which quickly reached number one on the charts in both the UK and the US. The song has since been recorded innumerable times. Cilla Black, Dionne Warwick, Roberta Flack, and Donny Hathaway recorded the most successful covers.
82. River Deep—Mountain High- Ike & Tina Turner
Year: 1966
Written By: Phil Spector, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich
The Part Everyone Knows:
And do I love you, my oh my
Yeah, river deep, mountain high…
Another Spector production, River Deep—Mountain High, was recorded by the Turners and is the title song of their 1966 album. Spector was a perfectionist, and it took many takes to satisfy him. Tina recalled, “I must have sung those 500,000 times. I was drenched with sweat. I had to take my shirt off and stand there in my bra to sing.”
81. Love Is All Around- Wet Wet Wet
Year: 1994
Written By: Reg Presley
The Part Everyone Knows:
I feel it in my fingers
I feel it in my toes
First recorded by the band The Troggs in 1967, Wet Wet Wet’s 1994 cover brought the song to no. 1 on the UK charts. The cover was recorded for the soundtrack of the film Four Weddings and a Funeral, and the band was really able to make the song their own. As of this year, it is the best-selling love ballad of all time in the US.
80. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For- U2
Year: 1987
Written By: U2, but mainly The Edge and Bono
The Part Everyone Knows:
I have climbed the highest mountains
I have run through the fields
Only to be with you
Only to be with you
This song was the second single on U2’s album The Joshua Tree and their second song in a row to reach no.1 on the Billboard charts. The song was highly influenced by gospel music. Its lyrics are spiritual and inspired by Psalms from the Old Testament and by Charles Bukowski’s poetry.
79. No Woman No Cry- Bob Marley & The Wailers
Year: 1974
Written By: Vincent Ford and Bob Marley
The Part Everyone Knows:
Everything’s gonna be all right
The song’s refrain “no woman no cry” is often misunderstood outside of Jamaica; it doesn’t mean “if you have no woman, you won’t cry,” but rather, “woman don’t cry.” Bob Marley wrote the song, but he gave a songwriting credit to his friend Vincent Ford who ran a soup kitchen in Trenchtown. The royalties Ford gained ensured that he would be able to keep the soup kitchen up and running.
78. One Sweet Day- Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men
Year: 1995
Written By: Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff, Nathan Morris, Michael McCary, Shawn Stockman, and Wanya Morris
The Part Everyone Knows:
And I know you’re shining down on me from Heaven
Like so many friends we’ve lost along the way
The song One Sweet Day was co-written by Carey and Boyz II Men, about loved ones they all lost to the AIDS epidemic prevalent at the time. The song topped the Billboard charts for over four months, which was a record for 23 years.
77. Dreams- Fleetwood Mac
Year: 1977
Written By: Stevie Nicks
The Part Everyone Knows:
Thunder only happens when it’s raining
Players only love you when they’re playing
The second single on their album Rumours, Dreams is Fleetwood Mac’s only chart-topping hit. Nicks wrote the song in about ten minutes, and the band was eager to record it, despite the emotional upheavals they were going through. Last year, Dreams regained popularity after a TikTok video by Nathan Apodaca went viral. Nathan’s clip has such good vibes that it singlehandedly made Fleetwood Mac, skateboarding, and Ocean Spray cranberry juice cool again.
76. Bridge Over Troubled Water- Simon & Garfunkel
Year: 1970
Written By: Paul Simon
The Part Everyone Knows:
I’m on your side; oh, when times get rough
And friends just can’t be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Bridge Over Troubled Water is the title song of their 1970 album and Simon & Garfunkel’s biggest hit. The song topped charts in the US and overseas and soon became one of the most performed songs of the century, garnering covers from the likes of Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley.
75. Dancing Queen- Abba
Year: 1976
Written By: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Stig Anderson
The Part Everyone Knows:
You are the dancing queen
Young and sweet
Only seventeen
Dancing queen
Dancing Queen was the Swedish band Abba’s only no. 1 hit in the US. It topped charts in Sweden, the United Kingdom, Australia, the Netherlands, Canada, Belgium, Mexico, New Zealand, Ireland, Norway, Spain, South Africa, Germany, and Rhodesia as well. The Europop disco song is Abba’s most famous hit to date, and the band admitted they knew it would be from the beginning.
74. She Loves You- The Beatles
Year: 1963
Written By: Lennon and McCartney
The Part Everyone Knows:
She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
She Loves You was the song that made the Beatles stars in England and was their first single to be released in America. “Yeah, yeah, yeah” was the band’s signature phrase at first, and fans even dubbed them the Yeah Yeahs. When McCartney’s father first heard the song, he asked Paul, “Son, there are enough Americanisms around. Couldn’t you sing, ‘Yes, yes, yes,’ just for once?” Luckily, Paul didn’t take his dad’s advice.
73. Losing My Religion- R.E.M.
Year: 1991
Written By: Peter Buck, Michael Mills, William Berry, and Michael Stipe
The Part Everyone Knows:
That’s me in the corner
That’s me in the spotlight
Losing my religion
Losing My Religion was an unlikely hit for R.E.M. It gained them a wider audience outside their original fanbase. The song reached peak popularity because of its award-winning music video that received ample screen time on MTV and VH1. Despite the title verse, R.E.M. revealed that it isn’t about religion, explaining that “losing my religion” means “feeling frustrated and desperate.”
72. You Light Up My Life- Debby Boone
Year: 1977
Written By: Joseph Brooks
The Part Everyone Knows:
‘Cause you light up my life
You give me hope to carry on
Written by Joseph Brooks and originally recorded by Kasey Cisyk as the title song for the film You Light Up My Life, it was Debby Boone who made the song a hit. Boone revealed that she had no artistic freedom when recording and was asked to do precisely what Brooks told her. Nevertheless, the song became the biggest Billboard hit single of the ’70s.
71. Juicy- Notorious B.I.G.
Year: 1994
Written By: Christopher Wallace and James Mtume
The Part Everyone Knows:
It was all a dream; I used to read Word Up! Magazine
… And if you don’t know, now you know
Produced by Poke and Sean Combs (aka Puff Daddy), Biggie’s debut single, Juicy, is widely considered one of the best hip-hop songs ever recorded. The song chronicles The Notorious B.I.G.’s journey from rags to riches. Pete Rock produced the original demo and later claimed that P. Diddy stole the single’s beat from him.
70. Get Ur Freak On- Missy Elliott
Year: 2001
Written By: Missy Elliott and Timbaland
The Part Everyone Knows:
Missy be puttin’ it down
I’m the hottest ’round
Released on Missy Elliott’s third album Miss E… So Addictive, Get Your Freak On became one of the most acclaimed singles of the 2000s. Though it only reached number 7 on the Billboard chart, the song was remixed by Nelly Furtado and became a club banger. Pitchfork described it as, “bhangra-meets-jungle beat and 50s B-movie sci-fi synths, replacing the stagger-step trap breaks of drum’n’bass with a burbling table.”
69. Hotel California- Eagles
Year: 1977
Written By: Don Felder, Don Henley, and Glenn Frey (+ Joe Walsh)
The Part Everyone Knows:
This could be Heaven, or this could be Hell
The title song of their Grammy-winning album, Hotel California, is more than a hit; it’s an integral part of pop culture. The Eagles’ most well-known single, Hotel California, is about many things, including the LA high life, the American dream, the excess of American culture, and women. Don Henley described the song as a “journey from innocence to experience.”
68. My Generation- The Who
Year: 1965
Written By: Pete Townshend
The Part Everyone Knows:
I hope I die before I get old (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
My Generation is more of a rock and roll anthem. It became the voice of a generation, more than a hit single. When asked about it, Pete Townshend said, “My Generation was very much about trying to find a place in society. I was very, very lost. The band was young then. It was believed that its career would be incredibly brief.”
67. Happy- Pharrell Williams
Year: 2013
Written By: Pharrell Williams
The Part Everyone Knows:
Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof
(Because I’m happy)
Though he wrote and produced Happy for the soundtrack of Despicable Me 2, Pharrell also released the song in his album G.I.R.L. It quickly reached no.1 on the charts, becoming the best-selling single of 2013. Before he wrote Happy, Williams pitched nine other songs to Despicable Me’s producer, who didn’t want any of them. Happy is also the first song to have a 24-hour music video.
66. Hallelujah- Leonard Cohen / Jeff Buckley
Year: 1967
Written By: Leonard Cohen
The Part Everyone Knows:
Well, I heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don’t really care for music, do ya?
Hallelujah was written and recorded by Cohen in 1984. However, the song didn’t gain popularity through Cohen until after his death. Hallelujah was popularized due to covers by John Cale, Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright, and more. Buckley’s version has been called “perfect” and was named the greatest song of all time by the International Observer.
65. Physical- Olivia Newton-John
Year: 1981
Written By: Steve Kipner and Terry Shaddick
The Part Everyone Knows:
Let’s get physical, physical
I wanna get physical
When Kipner and Shaddick wrote Physical, they had intended a male vocalist to sing it. However, when the time came, they offered the song to Tina Turner instead; she didn’t want it and suggested Olivia Newton-John. It must have been fate because Newton-John brought the tune to no.1 in no time despite its highly sexual lyrics. Physical was later dubbed the biggest hit of the entire decade.
64. Purple Haze- Jimi Hendrix
Year: 1967
Written By: Jimi Hendrix
The Part Everyone Knows:
Actin’ funny, but I don’t know why
Excuse me while I kiss the sky
Purple Haze is most memorable for Hendrix’s guitar playing and not for its lyrics. However, there has been much speculation regarding the song’s meaning, which most people took to be about LSD. Hendrix denied this and said Purple Haze is “about a dream I had that I was walking under the sea.” He also claimed it’s a love song about being in a daze.
63. Eye of the Tiger- Survivor
Year: 1982
Written By: Frankie Sullivan and Jim Peterik
The Part Everyone Knows:
It’s the eye of the tiger
It’s the thrill of the fight
The Grammy-winning song and chart-topping single Eye of the Tiger was actually written by Survivor as the theme song for the film Rocky III. Sullivan and Peterik based the lyrics on a line repeated by the boxing trainer throughout the film. Eye of the Tiger was well suited for the movie and went on to become a sports anthem in its own right.
62. What’d I Say, Parts 1 & 2 – Ray Charles
Year: 1959
Written By: Ray Charles
The Part Everyone Knows:
Oh, one more time (just one more time)
Say it one more time right now (just one more time) …
This improvised hit has two parts and was first played at a show after Ray and his accompanying musicians had already played all their other material. It is considered the first soul song, a new sub-genre of R&B mixed with gospel. When it came out, What’d I Say was deemed controversial and full of sexual innuendos.
61. Rivers of Babylon- Boney M
Year: 1978
Written By: Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton
The Part Everyone Knows:
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
Yeah, we wept when we remembered Zion
Rivers of Babylon is a Rastafari reggae song written by the band The Melodians in 1970. The song gained popularity after Boney M covered it in 1978, making it one of the UK’s top 10 best-selling singles of all time. The lyrics are based on Psalms from the Old Testament. The song is a protest against oppressive and unjust government systems.
60. Comfortably Numb- Pink Floyd
Year: 1979
Written By: David Gilmour and Roger Waters
The Part Everyone Knows:
There is no pain; you are receding… I have become comfortably numb
Comfortably Numb is among Pink Floyd’s most well-known songs and came out on the band’s eleventh album, The Wall. Part of the album’s narrative, the song chronicles the experiences of a rock star named Pink, who is injected with medication by a doctor in order to be able to get on stage and perform. It’s based on a similar experience that Waters had.
59. Macarena- Los Del Rio
Year: 1993
Written By: Rafael Ruiz Perdigones, Antonio Romero Monge, and SWK
The Part Everyone Knows:
…Hey Macarena
Though the song came out in 1993, it only became famous worldwide in 1996 when it began an iconic dance craze. The fact that the song is in Spanish made it possible for it to become a hit for the whole family. The words are actually pretty inappropriate and discuss a woman named Macarena who is cheating on her boyfriend with two of his friends while he was drafted into the military.
58. Runaway- Kanye West feat. Pusha T
Year: 2010
Written By: Kanye West, Emile Haynie, Jeff Bhasker, John Branch, Peter Phillips, Terrence Thornton, Mike Dean, and more
The Part Everyone Knows:
You been puttin’ up wit’ my s*** just way too long
Kanye’s song Runaway was written about the artist’s failed relationships and his acceptance of the media’s unflattering perception of him. It’s essentially a “toast to the douchebags” who criticize him. Despite being over nine minutes, the song reached no.12 on the Billboard charts. It’s also part of a short film of the same name.
57. I Will Always Love You- Whitney Houston
Year: 1992
Written By: Dolly Parton
The Part Everyone Knows:
And I will always love you
I will always love you
Written by Dolly Parton and released on her album Jolene, I Will Always Love You is a farewell song from the country singer to her mentor. It was Houston who made the song a chart-topping soul ballad when she recorded a version for her 1992 debut film, The Bodyguard. Despite rumors of a feud between them over the song, Whitney and Dolly have only ever spoken admiringly of each other.
56. Layla- Derek and the Dominos
Year: 1970
Written By: Eric Clapton and Jim Gordon
The Part Everyone Knows:
Layla, you’ve got me on my knees
Layla, I’m begging, darling please
Hailed as one of the greatest rock songs of all time, Layla was first released on Derek & The Dominoes’ only album, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs. The legend has it that Clapton wrote Layla about his unrequited love for George Harrison’s wife, Pattie Boyd. Seven years after the song’s release, Boyd left Harrison, and she and Clapton got married in 1979, with Harrison’s blessing.
55. Uptown Funk! – Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars
Year: 2014
Written By: Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence, Jeff Bhasker, Nicholas Williams, Charles Wilson, Lonnie Simmons, and more
The Part Everyone Knows:
This hit, that ice cold
Michelle Pfeiffer, that white gold
Uptown Funk! was released as a single from Mark Ronson’s album Uptown Special, and it topped the Billboard chart for 14 weeks, becoming both Mars and Ronson’s most successful song. The song crosses genres and is a mash of funk, soul, boogie, disco, pop, new wave, and synth-pop, making it the perfect hit to dance to.
54. Relax- Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Year: 1983
Written By: Peter Gill, Holly Johnson, Brian Nash, and Mark O’Toole
The Part Everyone Knows:
Relax, don’t do it
When you want to go to it
Relax took a while to reach the top of the charts in both England and the United States. The song was regarded as overly sexual and banned on BBC radio, but it became one of the top ten best-selling records ever. The overtly gay lyrics and music video made Relax into one of the most controversial hits of the ’80s.
53. Iris- Goo Goo Dolls
Year: 1998
Written By: Johnny Rzeznik
The Part Everyone Knows:
And I don’t want the world to see me
‘Cause I don’t think that they’d understand…
Considered the Goo Goo Dolls signature song, Iris was originally written for the soundtrack of the movie City of Angels and released on their album Dizzy Up the Girl. A crossover hit that jumped from modern rock, pop, and adult contemporary, Iris is a critically acclaimed chart-topping ballad. Iris has a place among the most iconic rock anthems of its generation.
52. One- Metallica
Year:1988
Written By: James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich
The Part Everyone Knows:
Hold my breath as I wish for death
Oh, please God, wake me
One is the first Metallica song to hit the US charts and the first song they made a music video for. It is an anti-war anthem about an injured soldier from WWI who just wants his suffering to end. One was the first Metal song to win a Grammy and is among Metallica’s most popular songs because of its acclaimed guitar solo.
51. Superstition- Stevie Wonder
Year: 1972
Written By: Stevie Wonder
The Part Everyone Knows:
When you believe in things
That you don’t understand
Then you suffer
Superstition won two Grammys and held no. 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the soul charts. The lead single in Wonder’s album Talking Book, Superstition, represents the beginning of a new era of popular Black music, in which soul and funk reigned. Stevie originally wrote the song intending to let Jeff Beck record it, but Beck was delayed, so Stevie’s version came out first.
50. London Calling- The Clash
Year: 1979
Written By: Joe Strummer and Mick Jones
The Part Everyone Knows:
Cause London is drownin’, I, live by the river
Although not the highest-charting song by the Clash (that honor goes to Should I Stay or Should I Go), London Calling is considered, in retrospect, the band’s best work. It is an angry and inspiring antiwar anthem and showcases their post-punk sound. The title verse refers to the BBC World Service’s introduction: “This is London calling …”, which they used in broadcasts during World War II.
49. Every Breath You Take- The Police
Year: 1983
Written By: Sting
The Part Everyone Knows:
Every breath you take
And every move you make…
Every Breath You Take is one of the most misunderstood songs in history, a mistake that put the song at the top of the charts and made it the best-selling single of 1983. Perceived as a love song, it actually has a more sinister meaning. Sting himself called it “a nasty little song” meant to allude to surveillance, control, and feelings of ownership in unhealthy relationships. His divorce inspired it.
48. You’re the One That I Want- John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
Year: 1978
Written By: John Farrar
The Part Everyone Knows:
You better shape up, ’cause I need a man
And my heart is set on you
Recorded for the soundtrack of Grease, You’re the One That I Want, soon shot to no. 1 and became one of the best-selling singles in history. The song was written by Farrar specifically for the movie and for Olivia Newton-John and hadn’t appeared in the stage production of Grease. The film’s director disliked it and felt it didn’t fit the rest of the soundtrack.
47. Daydream Believer- The Monkees
Year: 1967
Written By: John Stewart
The Part Everyone Knows:
Cheer up, sleepy Jean
Oh, what can it mean
To a daydream believer
And a homecoming queen
Daydream Believer was the Monkee’s last no.1 hit and was written by John Stewart of the Kingston Trio. The record company actually insisted on changing the word “funky” with “happy” in the verse, “Now you know how happy I can be,” to Stewart’s dismay. But he eventually agreed to it, knowing Daydream Believer would be a hit, and happily lived off the royalties.
46. Love Will Tear Us Apart- Joy Division
Year: 1978
Written By: Bernard Sumner, Stephen Morris, Peter Hook & Ian Curtis
The Part Everyone Knows:
Then, love, love will tear us apart again
Love, love will tear us apart again
Love Will Tear Us Apart was Joy Division’s first single to reach the charts and reached no.1 in the UK. Written about the lead singer Ian Curtis’s struggles with depression and the issues in his marriage, the song was released one month after he committed suicide. It has been hailed among the most significant singles of all time.
45. Party Rock Anthem- LMFAO: Lauren Bennett & GoonRock
Year: 2011
Written By: David Listenbee, Stefan Gordy, Skyler Gordy, and Peter Schroeder
The Part Everyone Knows:
Party rockers in the house tonight
Everybody just have a good time
Party Rock Anthem is ranked as the 6th most successful song of all time according to the Billboard Top 100. Recorded by the group LMFAO, it’s the second single on the album Sorry for Party Rocking. The song’s award-winning music video popularized the Melbourne shuffle dance style. It was the no.1 single of 2011 and no.2 single of the 2010s.
44. Billie Jean- Michael Jackson
Year: 1982
Written By: Michael Jackson
The Part Everyone Knows:
Billie Jean is not my lover
She’s just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son, hoo!
The second single from Michael’s album Thriller, Billie Jean, reached no.1 on the Billboard Top 100 in no time. The song went on to become one of the best-selling singles, and Thriller is the number one best-selling album in history. Jackson’s performance of Billie jean introduced his signature white sequined glove and the moonwalk.
43. Gimme Shelter – The Rolling Stones
Year: 1969
Written By: Mick Jagger and Keith Richards
The Part Everyone Knows:
It’s just a shot away X2
The opening song of Let It Bleed, Gimme Shelter, has often been called the Rolling Stones’ greatest work. Though it became an antiwar anthem, the inspiration for the song was less serious. Richards shared, “I had been sitting by the window… when suddenly the sky went completely black, and an incredible monsoon came down. It was just people running about looking for shelter – that was the germ of the idea.”
42. Mull of Kintyre – Wings
Year: 1977
Written By: Paul McCartney and Denny Laine
The Part Everyone Knows:
Mull of Kintyre
Oh, mist rolling in from the sea
My desire is always to be here
Oh, Mull of Kintyre
The single Girl’s School and its B-side Mull of Kintyre were Wings’ biggest hits in the UK and among the best-selling singles in UK history. The B-side became the 1977 no.1 Christmas hit and sold over 2 million copies worldwide. The song is about McCartney’s love for the area of Scotland where he had been living.
41. How Do I Live- LeAnn Rimes
Year: 1997
Written By: Dianne Warren
The Part Everyone Knows:
How do I live without you? I want to know
How do I breathe without you if you ever go?
Written by Dianne Warren for LeAnn Rimes to record for the Con Air soundtrack, the film’s producers eventually hired Trisha Yearwood to record the movie song instead. LeAnn went ahead and released her version anyway, which peaked at no.2 on the charts. Her performance holds various Hot 100 records and is no.4 on Billboard’s All-Time list.
40. Beat It – Michael Jackson
Year: 1982
Written By: Michael Jackson
The Part Everyone Knows:
It doesn’t matter who’s wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
The only rock-esque song on the album Thriller, Beat It includes a guitar solo played by Eddie Van Halen. The song peaked at no.1 on the charts and became one of the best-selling singles in US history. Both the song Beat It, and the music video significantly impacted the future of music and pop culture.
39. Heroes- David Bowie
Year: 1977
Written By: David Bowie and Brian Eno
The Part Everyone Knows:
We can be Heroes, just for one day
Bowie’s song Heroes is so good that it was a catalyst to the fall of the Berlin Wall. He performed the song in June 1987 at the Reichstag in West Berlin and was later thanked by the German government for “helping to bring down the Wall.” The single never topped charts, but as time went by, Heroes became widely regarded as one of the best songs ever recorded.
38. God Only Knows- The Beach Boys
Year: 1966
Written By: Brian Wilson and Tony Asher
The Part Everyone Knows:
God only knows what I’d be without you
God Only Knows was released on the Beach Boys album Pet Sounds. It’s often been praised as the band’s finest, most sophisticated work. The song was an unlikely success; using the word God in a pop song and in the title no less was considered taboo at the time. The song features Carl Wilson’s best vocal performance, joined by twenty session musicians on various instruments.
37. Be My Baby- The Ronettes
Year: 1963
Written By: Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, and Phil Spector
The Part Everyone Knows:
So won’t you, please
(Be my, be my baby)
Be my little baby?
Be My Baby was the first song ever produced by the talented Phil Spector on his label, Philles Records. Despite the song being by the Ronettes, the only Ronette in the recording is Ronnie (who later married Phil Spector), on lead vocals. Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys named Be My Baby the greatest pop song ever made.
36. My Girl- The Temptations
Year: 1964
Written By: Ronald White and Smokey Robinson
The Part Everyone Knows:
I guess you’d say
What can make me feel this way
Arguably the biggest hit to come out of Motown, My Girl was the Temptations’ first no.1 single in the US. Smokey Robinson wrote the song about his wife Claudette Rogers of the Miracles. Robinson had the Temptations’ newest member David Ruffin sing the lead because he thought that Ruffin’s rough, mellow voice mixed with the melodic and sweet lyrics and music would make a smash hit.
35. Dancing on My Own- Robyn
Year: 2010
Written By: Robyn and Patrik Berger
The Part Everyone Knows:
I’m in the corner, watching you kiss her
I’m right over here; why can’t you see me?
Dancing on My Own is considered by some as the best song of 2010 and even the best song of its decade. It is the ultimate sad club banger and has become a gay anthem. Robyn was inspired to write this robotic synth-pop masterpiece by her fascination with club culture and her favorite club anthems, rock ballads, and queer electronica.
34. Waterloo Sunset- The Kinks
Year: 1967
Written By: Ray Davies
The Part Everyone Knows:
Every day I look at the world from my window
But chilly, chilly is the evening time
Waterloo sunset’s fine
The Kinks originally called the song Liverpool Sunset but changed it to Waterloo Sunset after the Beatles released Penny Lane. Waterloo Sunset peaked at no.2 on the British charts, becoming the Kinks biggest UK hit. To achieve the unique guitar sound on this divine masterwork, they used tape-delay echo, a technique that had been popular in the 1950s.
33. Sweet Child O’Mine- Guns N’ Roses
Year: 1987
Written By: Axl Rose, Slash, Steven Adler, Duff McKagan, and Izzy Stradlin
The Part Everyone Knows:
She’s got a smile that it seems to me
Reminds me of childhood memories
Where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky
Sweet Child O’ Mine is GNR’s biggest hit ever and their only single to top the US charts. Axl wrote the lyrics about his girlfriend, Erin Everly. The song holds one of the most excellent guitar solos in history, extraordinarily recorded in one take.
32. Good Vibrations- The Beach Boys
Year: 1966
Written By: Brian Wilson and Mike Love
The Part Everyone Knows:
I’m pickin’ up good vibrations
She’s giving me excitations
When Brian was a kid, his mom told him that dogs could pick up “vibrations” from humans. This inspired Wilson to write a song about people picking up vibrations, and Love added the “Good,” making it a hit. Good Vibrations was a chart-topping success and the most expensive single ever made, using over 90 hours of tape. Like the rest of Pet Sounds, it features numerous session musicians.
31. Seven Nation Army- The White Stripes
Year: 2003
Written By: Jack White
The Part Everyone Knows:
How to play the opening riff…
This song opens with, no doubt, the most famous guitar riff of the 21st century so far; though it sounds like a bass, it is actually a guitar with a pitch shift effect. Jack White admitted that the song started with just the opening hook, and he later wrote lyrics, which turned it into a sports anthem. The name Seven Nation Army was what White used to call the Salvation Army as a kid.
30. Johnny B. Goode- Chuck Berry
Year: 1958
Written By: Chuck Berry
The Part Everyone Knows:
Go Johnny go, go
Considered the first rock and roll song about becoming a rockstar, Johnny B. Goode reached the top ten on both the Hot 100 and the Hot R&B charts. The song is loosely based on Berry’s life and spins the tale of a “country boy” who can’t really read but plays the guitar extremely well. Originally the words “country boy” were “colored boy,” but Berry changed them to ensure the song would be played on the radio.
29. Walk on the Wild Side- Lou Reed
Year: 1972
Written By: Lou Reed
The Part Everyone Knows:
She says, “Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side”
Walk on the Wild Side was released on Reed’s album Transformer and as the B-side of Perfect Day. This groundbreaking and controversial hit tells the story of some of New York’s most famous characters. Despite being about prostitution, oral sex, transgender women, and drug dealers, the song became a worldwide success. Although most stations played the uncensored version, the words “colored girls” were cut out for the radio.
28. Hey Jude- The Beatles
Year: 1968
Written By: Lennon and McCartney
The Part Everyone Knows:
Naa na na na na na na, na na na na, hey Jude
Hey, Jude was the longest single of its time (over 7 minutes long) to top the UK charts and the best-performing single by the Beatles in US history. It was initially titled Hey Jules, and McCartney wrote the lyrics as a gesture of comfort towards Julian, John’s son, who was going through a hard time after John left Julian’s mother, Cynthia, for Yoko.
27. When Doves Cry- Prince and the Revolution
Year: 1984
Written By: Prince
The Part Everyone Knows:
How can you just leave me standing
Alone in a world that’s so cold?
When Doves Cry was Prince’s first chart-topper and quickly became a hit worldwide. Today it is revered as one of the greatest and most influential songs ever recorded and one of the artist’s most defining trademark hits. Unlike most ’80s tunes, When Doves Cry doesn’t feature a bass guitar part which creates a feeling that something is missing, making the song unique.
26. Born to Run- Bruce Springsteen
Year: 1975
Written By: Bruce Springsteen
The Part Everyone Knows:
‘Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run
The title song of Springsteen’s album, Born to Run, was the musician’s first hit to reach the top 40. It’s widely considered to be a song that helped shape rock and roll as it is today. When asked about the album, the Boss said, “I wanted to make the greatest rock record I’d ever heard.” Born to Run is now Springsteen’s signature song and among the greatest rock anthems ever.
25. I Gotta Feeling- The Black Eyed Peas
Year: 2009
Written By: Taboo, Fergie, will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Frédéric Riesterer, and David Guetta
The Part Everyone Knows:
I got a feeling
That tonight’s gonna be a good night
I Gotta Feeling was the second single off the group’s album The E.N.D. and reached no.1 on the charts of 20 different countries, including the US. The song won a Grammy and was the first single to sell over seven million digital copies. A feel-good, dance-pop hit, I Gotta Feeling was “dedicated to all the party people out there in the world…”
24. Strawberry Fields Forever- The Beatles
Year: 1967
Written By: John Lennon
The Part Everyone Knows:
Strawberry Fields forever
The song wasn’t objectively successful upon its release and received mixed reception. However, it later proved to be very influential and inspired the emergence of the psychedelic rock genre. The song’s promotional video also had a similar impact on the future of music videos. John Lennon thought that Strawberry Fields was the Beatles’ best work, and after his death, an area in Central Park in New York City was named after the song in his honor.
23. September- Earth, Wind & Fire
Year: 1978
Written By: Allee Willis, Al McKay, and Maurice White
The Part Everyone Knows:
Ba-dee-ya, say, do you remember?
Ba-dee-ya, dancin’ in September
Earth, Wind & Fire’s 1978 single reached no.8 on the Hot 100 and no.1 on the R&B charts. Considered an integral part of the band’s work, the song was among their biggest commercial successes and even garnered a Christmas version, called December. The 21st of September, mentioned in the song’s first verse, was officially dubbed Earth, Wind, & Fire by the City of LA.
22. Mack the Knife- Bobby Darin
Year: 1959
Written By: Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht (translated by Marc Blitzstein)
The Part Everyone Knows:
And someone’s sneaking ’round the corner
Could that someone be Mack the Knife?
Written in 1928 by Brecht and Weill for the musical The Truepenny Opera, Mack the Knife was covered many times but truly gained acclaim for Bobby Darin’s version, a cover of Louis Armstrong’s version. In opposition to the song’s upbeat sound, it’s actually about a murderous rapist character from the play. Darin brought it to no.1 and won a Grammy.
21. One- U2
Year: 1991
Written By: Larry Mullen Jr, Adam Clayton, The Edge, and Bono
The Part Everyone Knows:
You say, one love, one life…
Just as U2’s success was beginning to wane, they stumbled upon a hit in the midst of some tension-filled jam sessions. One became a very powerful song and was released as a benefit single, with the proceeds going to AIDS research. One has since been used by the band to promote all their social justice causes, even lending its name to Bono’s charity.
20. A Change Is Gonna Come- Sam Cooke
Year: 1964
Written By: Sam Cooke
The Part Everyone Knows:
I was born by the river…
Among the most famous songs of the Civil Rights movement, A Change Is Gonna Come was inspired by Bob Dylan’s Blowing in the Wind. Eager to write a Civil Rights song himself, Cooke documented his struggles living in America as a Black man. The song was released two weeks after he was shot to death. It received moderate ratings when it came out but was later revered as Cooke’s most influential work.
19. Do They Know It’s Christmas? – Band Aid
Year: 1984
Written By: Bob Geldof and Midge Ure
The Part Everyone Knows:
Do they know it’s Christmas time at all?
Written in 1984 to raise money to help the famine in Ethiopia, Do They Know It’s Christmas? was recorded by the all-star band Band Aid, which included Sting, Bono, Boy George, George Micheal, Phil Collins, and more. It became a no.1 hit and one of the best-selling singles in the UK. The lyrics about Africa are considered controversial and outdated, as they display a very privileged, ignorant Western outlook.
18. What’s Going On- Marvin Gaye
Year: 1971
Written By: Marvin Gaye, Renaldo Benson, and Al Cleveland
The Part Everyone Knows:
Oh, what’s going on
Yeah, what’s going on
What’s Going On was inspired by an incident of authoritarian brutality witnessed by Benson during an antiwar protest and is a plea for peace on earth. It was Marvin Gaye’s first song to depart from the traditional Motown sound that he’d stuck to previously and was a very personal song for the star. The song topped the soul charts and peaked at no.2 on the Hot 100.
17. A Day in the Life- The Beatles
Year: 1967
Written By: Lennon and McCartney
The Part Everyone Knows:
I read the news today—oh, boy
Regarded as the Beatles’ most ambitious and influential achievement, A Day in the Life was recorded with a 40-person orchestra wearing tuxedos and funny hats. The song was inspired by the news, particularly by the death of Tara Browne, the Guinness heiress. It is considered a monumental historical event in the history of popular music and is more than a masterpiece. It’s the most important song of the most important band.
16. Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang- Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg
Year: 1992
Written By: Dr. Dre., Snoop Dogg, and The D.O.C.
The Part Everyone Knows:
It’s like this and like that and like this and a—
Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang is the second collaboration between Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre and was released as the first single on Dre’s seminal debut album, The Chronic. The song is hailed among the best hip-hop songs in history. It reached no.2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 while topping the hip-hop, rap, and R&B charts and entering the UK’s top 40.
15. Smooth- Santana Featuring Rob Thomas
Year: 1999
Written By: Itaal Shur and Rob Thomas
The Part Everyone Knows:
Gimme your heart, make it real, or else forget about it
Smooth is a collaboration between Matchbox 20’s lead singer Rob Thomas and the band, Santana. Released at the end of 1999, the song was the final no.1 hit of the ’90s and the first no.1 hit of the noughties. Smooth won three Grammy awards, including Song of the Year, and is regarded as the second most successful song of all time, according to Billboard.
14. Fight the Power- Public Enemy
Year: 1989
Written By: Chuck D, Hank Shocklee, Eric Sadler, and Keith Shocklee
The Part Everyone Knows:
Fight the power!
We’ve got to fight the powers that be
First written as the theme for Spike Lee’s film Do the Right Thing, Fight the Power is Public Enemy’s best-known song. The song reached no.1 on the rap charts and is often regarded as the greatest song ever. Fight the Power incorporates many examples of Black culture, including James Brown’s music, Branford Marsalis on the saxophone, and church and Civil Rights speeches.
13. Stairway to Heaven- Led Zeppelin
Year: 1971
Written By: Robert Plant and Jimmy Page
The Part Everyone Knows:
There’s a lady who’s sure all that glitters is gold
And she’s buying a stairway to Heaven
Considered by basically everyone as one of the most iconic rock songs ever, Stairway to Heaven is Led Zeppelin’s most famous work. Despite never being released officially as a single in the US, it was the most requested song on FM radio stations in the 1970s in America. It’s also the best-selling piece of sheet music in rock history.
12. Royals- Lorde
Year: 2012/3
Written By: Lorde and Joel Little
The Part Everyone Knows:
And we’ll never be royals
It don’t run in our blood
Royals was the New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde’s debut single from her self-released EP, The Love Club. A critique of the lux culture associated with rock and hip-hop stardom, it’s been hailed for its maturity, considering that Lorde was a teenager when the song came out. After hitting no.1 on the charts, Royals dominated the end of the year and end of the decade lists alike.
11. Candle in The Wind 1997- Elton John
Year: 1997
Written By: Elton John and Bernie Taupin
The Part Everyone Knows:
Your candle’s burned out long before
Your legend ever will
Candle in The Wind 1997 is a rewritten version of Elton John’s 1973 song about Marilyn Monroe. The ’97 version is a tribute song about Princess Diana’s death and is sometimes called Goodbye England’s Rose. The song quickly became a no.1 single in the UK and US, as well as the best-selling single in the UK and, later, the world. All the proceeds went to Diana’s charities.
10. The Twist- Chubby Checker
Year: 1960
Written By: Hank Ballard
The Part Everyone Knows:
Oooh-yeah, just like this
Come on, little miss, and do the twist
Released in 1959 by Ballard, Checker performed The Twist for Dick Clark’s American Bandstand after Ballard turned the show host down. The song incited a dance craze, and soon Checker’s recording hit no.1 on the US charts. The Twist is credited with helping rock and roll gain popularity among adults and propelling the genre into the mainstream. The song inspired various sequels, covers, and other dance-move-inspired hits.
9. Purple Rain – Prince and the Revolution
Year: 1984
Written By: Purple Rain
The Part Everyone Knows:
I only want to see you
Laughing in the purple rain
The title song of Prince’s 1984 album, Purple Rain, is also the name of the 1984 musical film starring Prince. The song hit no.2 on the charts and held the spot for a long time, later being deemed the greatest piece of the 1980s. Prince supposedly thought the song was similar to the Journey song Faithfully and played it for Jonathan Cain to make sure he was all right with it.
8. Crazy in Love- Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z
Year: 2003
Written By: Jay-Z, Eugene Record, Rich Harrison, and Beyoncé Knowles
The Part Everyone Knows:
Got me looking so crazy right now
Your love’s got me looking so crazy right now
Crazy Right Now was Beyoncé’s first single on her first album, Dangerously in Love. The song features a rap part by her then-boyfriend (now husband) Jay-Z. It reached unprecedented success, peaking at no.1 in the UK and the US. The song has been revered as the top song of the 2000s and won two Grammys in 2004.
7. (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay- Otis Redding
Year: 1968
Written By: Otis Redding and Steve Cropper
The Part Everyone Knows:
Ooo, I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay
Wastin’ time
The final overdubs of Dock of the Bay were recorded by Otis three days before he died in a plane crash. The song was released after he passed away and became the first single to hit no.1 posthumously. Cropper later shared, “If you listen to the songs I collaborated with Otis, most of the lyrics are about him… Dock of the Bay was exactly that.”
6. Respect- Aretha Franklin
Year: 1967
Written By: Otis
The Part Everyone Knows:
R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me
Originally an Otis Redding song, Aretha Franklin’s Respect was rewritten to be about a woman demanding respect from her man. Unsurprisingly, it went on to become an anthem of female empowerment, as well as Aretha’s signature number. Respect gained Franklin two Grammys in 1968 and topped the Black singles charts and the pop charts. Nowadays, the song appears in many films and shows and is often sampled in other songs.
5. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction- The Rolling Stones
Year: 1965
Written By: Mick Jagger and Keith Richards
The Part Everyone Knows:
I can’t get no satisfaction
‘Cause I try, and I try, and I try, and I try
I can’t get no, I can’t get no
About frustrated lust (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction features one of the best opening guitar riffs of all time, played by Keith Richards. Despite its sexually suggestive lyrics, Satisfaction became the Rolling Stones’ first no.1 hit in the US and helped propel the band to the worldwide fame they enjoy today.
4. Like a Rolling Stone- Bob Dylan
Year: 1965
Written By: Bob Dylan
The Part Everyone Knows:
How does it feel?
To be without a home?
Like a complete unknown?
Like a rolling stone?
Considered one of the best songs ever written, Like a Rolling Stone was named the #1 song of all time by Rolling Stone magazine numerous times. Rolling Stone wrote, “No other pop song has so thoroughly challenged and transformed the commercial laws and artistic conventions of its time.” Upon its release, the six-minute song peaked at no.2, surpassed only by the Beatles’ Help!
3. Bohemian Rhapsody- Queen
Year: 1975
Written By: Freddie Mercury
The Part Everyone Knows:
I see a little silhouetto of a man
Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango?
Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very frightening me
Galileo, Galileo, Galileo Figaro magnifico
Released as the first single from Queen’s album Night at the Opera, Bohemian Rhapsody quickly became a worldwide hit, peaking at no.1 in five different countries. After appearing in the 1992 film Wayne’s World, in one of the most memorable and imitated scenes ever, the song re-entered the US charts at no.2.
2. Smells Like Teen Spirit- Nirvana
Year: 1991
Written By: Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl
The Part Everyone Knows:
With the lights out, it’s less dangerous
Here we are now, entertain us
The lead single in Nirvana’s seminal album Nevermind, Smells Like Teen Spirit, is credited with bringing grunge into the mainstream. Considered one of the greatest songs ever, the title was taken from the words “Kurt Smells Like Teen Spirit,” that Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill) wrote on Kurt’s wall. She was referring to the deodorant brand, but he understood it as revolutionary philosophical poetry.
1. Imagine – John Lennon
Year: 1971
Written By: John Lennon and Yoko Ono
The Part Everyone Knows:
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
Imagine is the title song of John Lennon’s 1971 album and the most successful work of his solo career. The song is praised as an inspirational antiwar anthem and was inspired by Yoko Ono’s poetry. It is among the most performed songs of the 20th century. Imagine peaked at no.6 in the UK upon its release but reached no.1 in 1980 after Lennon’s assassination.
How We Chose the Songs
We chose the songs by cross-referencing various Best of lists and charts and giving songs scores depending on their place on each list. We compared the Billboard Hot 100 Top Songs of All Time, Rolling Stones’ 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and other prominent Top 10, Top 40, and Top 50 lists.
Then we cross-referenced our findings with the best-selling hits in history. Of course, we also considered certain songs that may not have been commercially successful upon their release but nevertheless significantly impacted the history of music.