Worst of the 50 Best Songs of All Time According to Rolling Stone's BRAND NEW, 100% Revamped Top 500

"Bohemian Rhapsody" without a second thought, by far the most overplayed in my world

pretty much all of the others I would happily listen to if they came on in a supermarket/taxi/etc

Yeah I can probably live the rest of my life without ever hearing that one ever again. I’d still complain if it was missing from the top 500 list tbh.

"Paranoid Android" wouldn't make my top 20 prog rock songs, though, see. xps

D-40, you’re probably right, but I def would recognize “Go Your Own Way” or “Don’t Stop” or “Gold Dust Woman” or “The Chain” or even “Little Lies” or “Green Manalishi” over that song that I still don’t know the chorus to

I don’t think of Paranoid Android as prog rock, it’s alternative rock and it’s definitely a top 20 alternative rock piece.

Idk maybe Idioteque is actually a good candidate for top 10 IDM/electronica songs of all time… I’m still sour on no Björk or Aphex Twin anywhere to be seen in the top 500.

I can see why I Want To Hold Your Hand is important as the Beatles first US #1 and their first single recorded on a four-track, but I can't see a case for it even being in a list of their 50 best songs, the verses are just there to build up to the chorus, the chorus has loads of energy but that's basically it.

xp Aphex doesn't really do "songs" much but a top 500 without "Come to Daddy" seems wilful

When did ilx decide to hate Royals? I feel like I missed a meeting. Voted Tutti Frutti.

― 29 facepalms, Friday, September 17, 2021 3:57 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

No one hates Royals but 30th greatest song ever is fucking insane

There’s not much wrong with (almost) any of these songs individually, but put together like that it paints a depressingly narrow picture of music.

otm

Hey Ya isn't a top 50 OutKast song

Isn't any list of 50 best songs either going to be "depressingly narrow" or chaotically eclectic, especially if it comes from a group consensus rather than an individual's aesthetic?

I can see why I Want To Hold Your Hand is important as the Beatles first US #1 and their first single recorded on a four-track, but I can't see a case for it even being in a list of their 50 best songs, the verses are just there to build up to the chorus, the chorus has loads of energy but that's basically it.

Yeah this was the one I meant - I don't actively dislike it but I didn't even notice the other two Beatles songs in the list! This is why polls of 50 are always bad.

She Loves You is so much better

the verses are just there to build up to the chorus

Huh, I’m not a lover of the Beatles – and I’m usually the first to raise this particular flag – but I don’t agree with it in this case. I think all parts of the song are strong (esp. the bridge), and fit together well

I don't think I'll ever find the zone where I could hear Bohemian Rhapsody anew and amusing, it just feels like being dragged to a Andrew Lloyd Webber show at this point.

I apparently manage to avoid “Bohemian Rhapsody” a lot better than average

Isn't any list of 50 best songs either going to be "depressingly narrow" or chaotically eclectic, especially if it comes from a group consensus rather than an individual's aesthetic?

― Halfway there but for you, Saturday, September 18, 2021 10:28 AM (three hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Cop out. There are ilxors who could easily make such a list. Some of the ballots I saw for this poll were decent lists in this style

There are a substantial amount of music critics who still put Imagine in their top 50 songs of all time, this is the main thing I've learned.

i’m no professional writer but I think it’s doable? Have a good discussion with a knowledgable group of people on the major musical movements of the post-war age (if you want to set some sort of cut-off point for “modern”), pick representative songs for each of them and see if the resulting list paints a decent picture. That’s probably going to produce a better list (or at least one that invites more discovery, which I assume is the purpose of these lists), than “ok people, let’s all list our favourite songs that were inescapable on radio/tv when we were teenagers, oh shit this list looks way too narrow, better throw in Daddy Yankee and Bob Marley”.

it's easy if you try

or at least one that invites more discovery, which I assume is the purpose of these lists

No one hates Royals

no i've always thought it was a dud & seeing it elevated to this ridiculous height is even worse

Hey Ya isn't a top 50 OutKast song

True 'nuff but still better than anything Kanye West has ever done. The Guardian recently had a list of their best songs and it was mixed but I hadn't heard Crumblin Erb before and that is a goat.

Cop out. There are ilxors who could easily make such a list. Some of the ballots I saw for this poll were decent lists in this style

OK, but put 10 or 20 of these lists together, let the outliers fall away, and you've got a consensus again.

...which may or may not be boring.

Wow there's no blues, folk, country, or standards, Billy Holiday represents the whole of pre-rock n roll music

I mean "A Love Supreme" is cool but it's no "Royals"

The suggestions for improvement would require a different question (along with methodology) IMO - most important/most valuable/canonical rather than "greatest" (or the questionnaire said favorite? - but in this context they're functionally the same).

Have your select group nominate the most important song from each year since X (say 1950) or something.

Critics of critics of the poll make 1 of 2 points

1. You’re just mad your favs didn’t make it (Stan wars argument), and

2. There’s unavoidable structural reasons it turned out this way (all of which are arbitrary and not like, God’s Law but never mind that)

despite all the problems i think it's a funny & somewhat interesting exercise even if the results are pretty silly in places due to those structural issues

It would be incredibly easy to make a list of 500 Greatest Songs that’s more scholarly and canonical. No one here — self included — has any actual idea why RS chose not to do that.

There’s like 1,000 possible reasons why a magazine would take that tack in 2021. Arguing over how to “fix” the workings of the poll is just fan fiction.

Wow there's no blues, folk, country, or standards, Billy Holiday represents the whole of pre-rock n roll music


There’s some blues, a little country, and a few other pre-R&R songs (Rob’t Johnson, Hank Williams).

I am a little surprised no standards (Sinatra?), showtunes, etc.

Oh sorry - guess you were talking about the Top 50, not the whole list

OK, but put 10 or 20 of these lists together, let the outliers fall away, and you've got a consensus again.
― Halfway there but for you, Sunday, September 19, 2021 7:28 AM (three hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

That underestimates the editorial line of RS - the structural reasons are not at all universal.
For example, the ILM poll done in 2010 for the period up to 2000 had the following top 50 out of 88 lists. I searched for "Move on up" and it was #62, whatever, but this is way closer to an authoritative list. It is possible.

50. SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS "I Put a Spell on You" (1956) [1,495 points, 17 votes]
49. THE VELVET UNDERGROUND "Sister Ray" (1968) [1,551 points, 12 votes, 1 first place vote]
48. SLY & THE FAMILY STONE "Family Affair" (1971) [1,558 points, 15 votes]
47. NEW ORDER "Blue Monday" (1983) [1,571 points, 14 votes]
46. DESMOND DEKKER & THE ACES "Israelites" (1968) [1,591 points, 15 votes]
45. CHIC "Good Times" (1979) [1,604 points, 18 votes]
44. PULP "Common People" (1995) [1,625 points, 13 votes]
43. NEW ORDER "Temptation" (1982) [1,629 points, 14 votes]
42. DEPECHE MODE "Enjoy the Silence" (1990) [1,640 points, 14 votes]
41. PRINCE "Little Red Corvette" (1982) [1,651 points, 15 votes]
40. PUBLIC ENEMY "Bring the Noise" (1987) [1,659 points, 16 votes]
39. THE UNDERTONES "Teenage Kicks" (1978) [1,703 points, 17 votes]
38. DEEE-LITE "Groove Is in the Heart" (1990) [1,732 points, 16 votes]
37. THE SMITHS "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" (1986) [1,787 points, 17 votes]
36. MARVIN GAYE "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" (1968) [1,863 points, 16 votes]
35. SONIC YOUTH "Teen Age Riot" (1988) [1,865 points, 21 votes]
34. THE FLAMINGOS "I Only Have Eyes for You" (1959) [1,867 points, 17 votes, 1 first place vote]
33. FUNKADELIC "Maggot Brain" (1971) [1,908 points, 16 votes]
32. JOY DIVISION "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (1980) [1,909 points, 18 votes]
31. THE BEATLES "A Day in the Life" (1967) [1,933 points, 18 votes]
30. THE JACKSON 5 "I Want You Back" (1969) [1,953 points, 18 votes]
29. THE MODERN LOVERS "Roadrunner" (1972) [1,957 points, 18 votes]
28. SAM COOKE "A Change Is Gonna Come" (1964) [1,968 points, 21 votes]
27. ? & THE MYSTERIANS "96 Tears" (1966) [1,987 points, 17 votes]
26. BOB DYLAN "Like a Rolling Stone" (1965) [2,025 points, 19 votes]

25. ALTHEA & DONNA "Uptown Top Ranking" (1977) [2,050 points, 20 votes]
24. BIG STAR "September Gurls" (1974) [2,102 points, 21 votes]
23. BLUE ÖYSTER CULT "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" (1976) [2,139 points, 20 votes]
22. PRINCE & THE REVOLUTION "When Doves Cry" (1984) [2,152 points, 23 votes]
21. MICHAEL JACKSON "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" (1979) [2,181 points, 21 votes]
20. THE SMITHS "This Charming Man" (1983) [2,182 points, 21 votes]
19. OTIS REDDING "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" (1968) [2,219 points, 21 votes]
18. LAURIE ANDERSON "O Superman" (1981) [2,249 points, 20 votes, 1 first place vote]
17. THE BEATLES "Strawberry Fields Forever" (1967) [2,254 points, 18 votes, 2 first place votes]
16. TALKING HEADS "Once in a Lifetime" (1980) [2,281 points, 21 votes]
15. THE SPECIALS "Ghost Town" (1981) [2,304 points, 20 votes, 1 first place vote]
14. THE KINKS "Waterloo Sunset" (1967) [2,350 points, 21 votes]
13. STEVIE WONDER "Superstition" (1972) [2,358 points, 22 votes]
12. DAVID BOWIE "Heroes" (1977) [2,444 points, 23 votes, 1 first place vote]
11. KATE BUSH "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" (1985) [2,446 points, 27 votes]
10. GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS FIVE "The Message" (1982) [2,474 points, 26 votes]
09. THE BEACH BOYS "Good Vibrations" (1966) [2,510 points, 25 votes]
08. TELEVISION "Marquee Moon" (1977) [2,587 points, 22 votes]
07. MICHAEL JACKSON "Billie Jean" (1982) [2,604 points, 24 votes, 1 first place vote]
06. GLEN CAMPBELL "Wichita Lineman" (1968) [2,687 points, 28 votes]
05. BILLIE HOLIDAY "Strange Fruit" (1939) [2,699 points, 24 votes]
04. THE RONETTES "Be My Baby" (1963) [2,721 points, 25 votes, 1 first place vote]
03. DONNA SUMMER "I Feel Love" (1977) [2,912 points, 32 votes]
02. THE ROLLING STONES "Gimme Shelter" (1969) [3,100 points, 26 votes]
01. THE BEACH BOYS "God Only Knows" (1966) [3,286 points, 26 votes, 1 first place vote]

For example, the ILM poll done in 2010 for the period up to 2000 1990 more like

I can’t believe how much I used to like “Runaway” given how I feel about it now

Now this is a poll I can get behind
Seven nation army

the structural reasons are not at all universal.

Sure, the deciding factor is who is allowed to participate, and that ILM list is better.

Billie Holiday represents the whole of pre-rock n roll music

But look, it's the same in the ILM top 50, despite our/their superior taste and historical scope! Is it because we disdain jazz as much as Rolling Stone?

Although the ILM list is a little closer to my tastes, I don't see the two lists as radically different in scope or diversity. ILM list has less hip-hop and early rock n roll, a little more proto-indie, British hits, and reggae.

Guess there are limits to the more expansive and inclusive vision after all:

Lol Puccini. https://t.co/PZeNcxP0Co

— Brian Hiatt (@hiattb) September 15, 2021

Lol Puccini?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OW7GoIl0T8

1000 Years of Popular Music is a 2003 live album by Richard Thompson.

The album was originally conceived after Richard Thompson, along with many other artists, was asked by Playboy magazine to nominate his choice of the best songs of the last 1000 years. He took them exactly at their word and served up a list that included the oldest-known English-language songs, a medieval Italian dance tune and various other folk songs alongside slightly more contemporary fare. The list was never published by Playboy; it was subsequently released into CD format.

Richard Thompson otm but Britney?

That underestimates the editorial line of RS - the structural reasons are not at all universal.
For example, the ILM poll done in 2010 for the period up to 2000 had the following top 50 out of 88 lists. I searched for "Move on up" and it was #62, whatever, but this is way closer to an authoritative list. It is possible.

50. SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS "I Put a Spell on You" (1956) [1,495 points, 17 votes]
49. THE VELVET UNDERGROUND "Sister Ray" (1968) [1,551 points, 12 votes, 1 first place vote]
48. SLY & THE FAMILY STONE "Family Affair" (1971) [1,558 points, 15 votes]
47. NEW ORDER "Blue Monday" (1983) [1,571 points, 14 votes]
46. DESMOND DEKKER & THE ACES "Israelites" (1968) [1,591 points, 15 votes]
45. CHIC "Good Times" (1979) [1,604 points, 18 votes]
44. PULP "Common People" (1995) [1,625 points, 13 votes]
43. NEW ORDER "Temptation" (1982) [1,629 points, 14 votes]
42. DEPECHE MODE "Enjoy the Silence" (1990) [1,640 points, 14 votes]
41. PRINCE "Little Red Corvette" (1982) [1,651 points, 15 votes]
40. PUBLIC ENEMY "Bring the Noise" (1987) [1,659 points, 16 votes]
39. THE UNDERTONES "Teenage Kicks" (1978) [1,703 points, 17 votes]
38. DEEE-LITE "Groove Is in the Heart" (1990) [1,732 points, 16 votes]
37. THE SMITHS "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" (1986) [1,787 points, 17 votes]
36. MARVIN GAYE "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" (1968) [1,863 points, 16 votes]
35. SONIC YOUTH "Teen Age Riot" (1988) [1,865 points, 21 votes]
34. THE FLAMINGOS "I Only Have Eyes for You" (1959) [1,867 points, 17 votes, 1 first place vote]
33. FUNKADELIC "Maggot Brain" (1971) [1,908 points, 16 votes]
32. JOY DIVISION "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (1980) [1,909 points, 18 votes]
31. THE BEATLES "A Day in the Life" (1967) [1,933 points, 18 votes]
30. THE JACKSON 5 "I Want You Back" (1969) [1,953 points, 18 votes]
29. THE MODERN LOVERS "Roadrunner" (1972) [1,957 points, 18 votes]
28. SAM COOKE "A Change Is Gonna Come" (1964) [1,968 points, 21 votes]
27. ? & THE MYSTERIANS "96 Tears" (1966) [1,987 points, 17 votes]
26. BOB DYLAN "Like a Rolling Stone" (1965) [2,025 points, 19 votes]

25. ALTHEA & DONNA "Uptown Top Ranking" (1977) [2,050 points, 20 votes]
24. BIG STAR "September Gurls" (1974) [2,102 points, 21 votes]
23. BLUE ÖYSTER CULT "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" (1976) [2,139 points, 20 votes]
22. PRINCE & THE REVOLUTION "When Doves Cry" (1984) [2,152 points, 23 votes]
21. MICHAEL JACKSON "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" (1979) [2,181 points, 21 votes]
20. THE SMITHS "This Charming Man" (1983) [2,182 points, 21 votes]
19. OTIS REDDING "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" (1968) [2,219 points, 21 votes]
18. LAURIE ANDERSON "O Superman" (1981) [2,249 points, 20 votes, 1 first place vote]
17. THE BEATLES "Strawberry Fields Forever" (1967) [2,254 points, 18 votes, 2 first place votes]
16. TALKING HEADS "Once in a Lifetime" (1980) [2,281 points, 21 votes]
15. THE SPECIALS "Ghost Town" (1981) [2,304 points, 20 votes, 1 first place vote]
14. THE KINKS "Waterloo Sunset" (1967) [2,350 points, 21 votes]
13. STEVIE WONDER "Superstition" (1972) [2,358 points, 22 votes]
12. DAVID BOWIE "Heroes" (1977) [2,444 points, 23 votes, 1 first place vote]
11. KATE BUSH "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" (1985) [2,446 points, 27 votes]
10. GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS FIVE "The Message" (1982) [2,474 points, 26 votes]
09. THE BEACH BOYS "Good Vibrations" (1966) [2,510 points, 25 votes]
08. TELEVISION "Marquee Moon" (1977) [2,587 points, 22 votes]
07. MICHAEL JACKSON "Billie Jean" (1982) [2,604 points, 24 votes, 1 first place vote]
06. GLEN CAMPBELL "Wichita Lineman" (1968) [2,687 points, 28 votes]
05. BILLIE HOLIDAY "Strange Fruit" (1939) [2,699 points, 24 votes]
04. THE RONETTES "Be My Baby" (1963) [2,721 points, 25 votes, 1 first place vote]
03. DONNA SUMMER "I Feel Love" (1977) [2,912 points, 32 votes]
02. THE ROLLING STONES "Gimme Shelter" (1969) [3,100 points, 26 votes]
01. THE BEACH BOYS "God Only Knows" (1966) [3,286 points, 26 votes, 1 first place vote]

― Nabozo, Sunday, September 19, 2021 9:55 AM (five hours ago)

this is a really really cool top 50 tbh

- I love "Maybellene" and a couple of others, but the monotonous vocal cadence in "Johnny B. Goode" drives me nuts.
- "Tutti Frutti" is the weakest of Little Richard's hits, it sounds like a novelty.
- I just heard "Gasolina" today for the first (and last) time.

Voted Chuck.

Danza Kuduro or Atreve-te-te would have been better token choices for reggaeton. Gasolina or Despacito are dead to me.