Rolling Stone's irrefutable list of the best songs of all time (no classical, of course). There are, of course, some decisions I disagree with, like songs being higher than they should be (Crazy In Love), songs that are lower than they should be (Pancho and Lefty), songs that were taken off of this list that was on the first (The End), songs by artists that replace one of their better songs (Europe Endless is better than Trans-Europe Express, I mean it), ONE KENDRICK LAMAR SONG, and some songs are just wrongly placed (how is Station to Station worse than Hotline Bling, please break it down for me). Rolling Stone's Top 500 albums (2020) doesn't really coincide well with this list (Songs in the Key of Life is #4, but doesn't have a single song in this whole list. Blonde is #79, no Nights or Godspeed). Regardless, here it is. Show
124 users · 2,060 views avg. score: 224 of 500 (45%) required scores: 1, 116, 209, 254, 320 This week, Rolling Stone magazine released another debate-triggering list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. The Top Ten
The last time the long-running publication made such a list was in 2004 , with a very minor update in 2010. Back then, the poll-toppers reflected the magazine's history or were coincidentally nepotistic, depending on how you looked at it. At number one was one of the songs the magazine was named after — Bob Dylan's Like A Rolling Stone — and number two was Satisfaction, by a band that took its name after the other song the magazine was named after, The Rolling Stones. At number three was John Lennon's Imagine, and Lennon just happened to be the first person to be pictured on the cover of Rolling Stone. The latest version of the top 500 is very different, with the top three acts all African American, all singing songs of respect, revolution, and rights. Aretha Franklin's Respect is in the top spot, Public Enemy's Fight The Power is second and Sam Cooke's A Change Is Gonna Come, third. Loading YouTube content What's going on?A lot has happened in the music industry in the 17 years since the previous list in 2004. Aside from the rise of streaming, the industry has grappled with a push for increased diversity. The great "Awokening" of recent years, regardless of whether you see that as good or bad, is reflected in the new list. More than half the new list is comprised of new entries and about 100 of those are by, or prominently feature, women. More than 100 are by, or prominently feature, people of colour. This triggered some predictable griping on social media, with some accusing Rolling Stone of "virtue signalling" and "pandering to wokeness". However, the accusations ignore how the list is compiled. In 2004, about 170 musicians, industry figures and music reporters voted on their favourites to make the list of 500. Loading YouTube content Now voters number 250, with a greater effort made to have more diversity among them. It stands to reason that a more racially and gender diverse group is going to vote for a list of songs that is equally so. As a result, the vote is reflection of our time, as viewed through the lens of the 250 voters. But what does this new list say about where we — or more accurately, the American music industry — is at? The previous top three were a cautionary tale of the need for humility (Like A Rolling Stone), an anthem of adolescent ennui (Satisfaction), and a plaintive plea for unity (Imagine). In 2021's list, the top three are a demand for respect (Respect), a war cry for revolution (Fight The Power), and a hopeful plea for civil rights (A Change Is Gonna Come) — all by black performers. Loading YouTube content The comparative tone of the new top three is more strident, and the messages are arguably more significant and potent. Away from the social messaging, the list has updated sonically, with old school rock 'n' roll and rhythm 'n' blues from three key decades largely making way for a new wave of hip-hop, pop and other genres spanning five decades. Of the songs cut from the 2004 list, more than 220 are from the '50s, '60s and '70s — about the same amount have been added from between the '70s to the 2010s. The song remains the sameCan a cover be the greatest song of all time? That's one of the discussions that comes out of this list. Respect was written and released by Otis Redding two years before Aretha Franklin significantly re-arranged it and turned it into her signature song. The list also has had a weird relationship with covers, and that's not counting having a cover at number one. In 2004, Jeff Buckley's version of Hallelujah was at 259 — this year, it's nowhere to be seen, while the previously unlisted original by Leonard Cohen is at 74. Loading YouTube content The 2021 list also has two versions of Killing Me Softly With His Song (Roberta Flack and Fugees), two versions of Mr Tambourine Man (Bob Dylan and The Byrds), and two versions of Walk On By (Dionne Warwick and Isaac Hayes). Elvis Presley sat at number 19 in 2004 with Hound Dog, which has failed to make the cut in 2021. Instead, Big Mama Thornton's version from three years earlier is in the list at number 318. Elvis again misses out with Blue Suede Shoes — in the 2004 list, both Presley and Carl Perkins's versions of that song were in the 500, but neither appear in 2021. I'm a loser, baby ...In fact, Elvis is one of the biggest losers in the 2021 list. In 2004 he had 11 entries — the new list features just three by the King, with Hound Dog being the only song in the 2004 top 30 to not appear in the 2021 list. Top 10 in 2004
Meanwhile, The Beatles have gone from 23 entries to 12 in the intervening 17 years, The Rolling Stones went from 14 to seven, Bob Dylan went from 12 to seven, and The Beach Boys and Jimi Hendrix went from seven to three. Meanwhile, the big winners were power couple Beyonce and Jay-Z, neither of whom appeared on the 2004 list. Beyonce scored three solo entries and a fourth with her group Destiny's Child, while her husband Jay-Z had three appearances. Together they reached number 16 with Crazy In Love. Missy Elliot also appears three times in the 2021 list, including dropping in at number eight with Get Ur Freak On and number 56 with Work It, after not rating a mention in 2004. Public Enemy jumped from 322 to number two, although the biggest jump was 390 places by Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg, who leapt from 419 in 2004 to 29 in 2021 with Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang. Papa's got a brand new bagHow long does it take before a song can be called "a classic"? In the 2004 list, there were only eight songs included from 1995 and onwards. Interestingly, four of those survived the cut for the 2021 list. The new poll is far less reticent, handing out "classic status" to contemporary songs left, right and centre, further triggering web warriors who blame "the millennials" for this perceived slight against the word "classic". There are 32 songs from 2011 onwards on the list, which is like a red rag to the Boomer and Gen-X bulls complaining about their preferred choices from the 1990s/'80s/'70s being left out. Loading YouTube content Are they right? We'll just have to wait to see if the likes of BTS, Megan Thee Stallion, Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Cardi B, Harry Styles, Lizzo, Drake, and Carly Rae Jepsen are still on the list next time Rolling Stone counts down the 500 greatest songs of all time. But the most important thing to keep in mind is this kind of list is meant to provide a bit of fun, food for thought, and good-humoured debate. Oh, and yes, Wonderwall did make the list this time. At number 95. Posted 19 Sep 202119 Sep 2021Sun 19 Sep 2021 at 12:17am, updated 19 Sep 202119 Sep 2021Sun 19 Sep 2021 at 12:20am Share
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