Thursday, December 27, 2007

Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, Revisited and Revised

Though the list is 3 years old, I don't think there have been any songs of significance that might break the top 25. However, the curious thing is the #1 song: Is it a little self-serving -- Like a Rolling Stone is Rolling Stone magazine's top song of all time? And the #2 song is by The Rolling Stones?

I think Rolling Stone has a lot of 'splainin' to do.

What, no Welcome to the Jungle? Elvis Presley doesn't even make it into the list until #19? The Beatles, however, all over the place. I hate The Beatles. They are the most overrated band in history. In history! I mean, Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown), WTF?

Goddamned list would be better upside-down!

1. Like a Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan

2. Satisfaction, The Rolling Stones

3. Imagine, John Lennon

4. What's Going On, Marvin Gaye

5. Respect, Aretha Franklin

6. Good Vibrations, The Beach Boys

7. Johnny B. Goode, Chuck Berry

8. Hey Jude, The Beatles

9. Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana

10. What'd I Say, Ray Charles

The Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time : Rolling Stone

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just FYI - Elvis has "Hound Dog" at #19.

My question is - why is the 60's so heavily represented? Each genre has it's influences so the "greatest" songs for heavy metal are going to be much different than the greatest songs for Punk or Techno.

Funny how the top 25 covers mostly stuff baby boomers would have weeped over with some notable exceptions.

billspaced said...

Oops, Elvis is at #19...my oversight.

I agree with your comments in full.

Anonymous said...

Not a single song by Rush...
Tom Sawyer??
Spirit of Radio??

Wheezer...NWA...

billspaced said...

I know! I'm telling you, the Rolling Stones must be on powerful meds.

Anonymous said...

Why Boehmian Rhapsody isn't at top 5?

billspaced said...

No kidding! Rhapsody is one of the best songs of all time. Forget about Top 500, it's top 5. So is Dreamweaver, two Wayne's World favorites.

Next time, Rolling Stone should just ask Dana, Mike, and Adam Sandler for a list; it would be far superior to anything RS or its fans could put together.

I'm guessing some of those songs got 2 votes and made top 500!

Anonymous said...

The Beatles were revolutionaries... They changed music forever. I do agree Norwegian Wood isn't their best.But a lot of their stuff changed Rock n Roll from the 50s and transformed it into the Classic Rock from the 70s.

Unknown said...

Could you imagine if Bob Dylan auditioned on American Idol? (waiving age of course)

Rap is for those who can not sing. I'm not saying rap is not for the untalented but rather rap should not be included in a song list.

Unknown said...

Could you imagine if Bob Dylan auditioned on American Idol? (waiving age of course)

Rap is for those who can not sing. I'm not saying rap is not for the untalented but rather rap should not be included in a song list.

Anonymous said...

wait stairway to heaven isn't in the top 3.... how can the song voted with the best quitar solo of all time with band members who were the most influential band since the beatles do not have the best song of all time in the top 3. jon bonham is the arguably the best drumme rof all time, jimmy page is in the top 5 greatest quitarists of all time, robert plant has one of the best voices of all time, jon paul jones is one of the best bass players of all time yet they are not in the top 3 songs. rolling stones are made of morons and the actual rolling stones band is terrible so they need to rot in hell

Anonymous said...

The Beatles Are the greatest band ever!!!!
Don't hate on the Beatles!!!!

billspaced said...

The Beatles were around for like, what, 5 years? I may be exaggerating, but still. I really hate their sound. They sound more like Brittney Spears than Pearl Jam, if you know what I mean.

I guess Brittney is better to look at (or should I say, "was better?"), and I know almost everybody loves them, but my ears start to bleed when I hear them caterwauling.