Lets get down to it... greatest song ever?

[RPS]

http://www.the-top-tens.com

1. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen

2. Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin

3. Imagine by John Lennon

4. One by Metallica

5. Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana

Rolling Stone

1. "Like A Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan

2. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones

3. "Imagine" by John Lennon

4. "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye

5. "Respect" by Aretha Franklin

VH1

1. Nirvana, ``Smells Like Teen Spirit''

2. Michael Jackson, ``Billie Jean''

3. Guns N' Roses, ``Sweet Child O' Mine''

4. Eminem, ``Lose Yourself''

5. U2, ``One''

http://www.everyhit.com/

1 Queen Bohemian Rhapsody

2 John Lennon Imagine

3 Robbie Williams Angels

4 Beatles Hey Jude

5 Nirvana Smells Like Teen Spirit

CBC Radio 1

1. John Lennon, "Imagine"

2. Bob Dylan, "Like a Rolling Stone"

3. U2, "With or Without You"

4. Chuck Berry, "Johnny B. Goode"

5. The Beatles, "A Day in the Life"

Mojo

1. In My Life; The Beatles

2. Satisfaction; Rolling Stones

3. Over the Rainbow; Judy Garland

4. Hey, there, and everywhere; The Batles

5. Tracks of my tears; Smokey Robinson

Q

1. U2 – One

2. Aretha Franklin – I Say A Little Prayer

3. Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Sprit

4. The Beatles – A Day In The Life

5. Elvis Presley – In The Ghetto

Blender Greatest Songs Since You Were Born...

1. Michael Jackson; Billie Jean

2. Outkast; B.O.B

3. G'N'R; Sweet Child O'Mine

4. U2; One

5. Nirvana; Smells Like Teen Spirit

NME Indie Anthems

1. Oasis – Live Forever – 1994

2. Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Sprit – 1991

3. Pulp – Common People – 1995

4. The Smiths – There Is A Light That Never Goes Out – 1986

5. The Libertines – Don’t Look Back Into The Sun – 2003

BBC Radio 2: Best Songs of the Decades

1955-1964 The Kinks - You Really Got Me

1965-1974 David Bowie - Space Oddity

1975-1984 Queen Bohemian Rhapsody

1985-1994 Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls

1995-2004 Robbie Williams - Angels

Best Selling Singles According to Wikipedia

At least 50 million copies: Bing Crosby; White Christmas

At least 35 million copies: Elton John; Candle In The Wind

At least 20 million copies: Bill Haley and the Comets; Rock Around The Clock, Bing Crosby; Silent Night 1935, USA for Africa; We Are the World

PitchForkMedia

Best Song of 2006: My Love; Justin Timberlake

Best Song of 2005: Hope There's Someone by Antony & the Johnsons

Best Song of 2004: My Heartbeat; Annie

Best Song of 2003: Hey Ya; Outkast

Best Song of 2000's: Kid A; Radiohead

Best Song of 1960's: The Beach Boys: "God Only Knows"

Grammy's; Best Song of the Year

2007: Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison, and Dan Wilson for "Not Ready To Make Nice" performed by Dixie Chicks

2006: U2 for "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own"

2005: John Mayer for "Daughters"

2003: Jesse Harris for "Don't Know Why" performed by Norah Jones

2002: Alicia Keys for "Fallin'"

2001: U2 for "Beautiful Day"

2000: Itaal Shur & Rob Thomas for "Smooth" performed by Santana featuring Rob Thomas

1999: James Horner & Will Jennings for "My Heart Will Go On" performed by Céline Dion

1996: Seal for "Kiss From a Rose"*

1995: Bruce Springsteen for "Streets of Philadelphia"

1993: Eric Clapton & Will Jennings for "Tears in Heaven" performed by Eric Clapton

1992: Irving Gordon for "Unforgettable" performed by Natalie Cole with Nat King Cole

1989: Bobby McFerrin for "Don't Worry, Be Happy"

1986: Lionel Richie & Michael Jackson for "We Are the World" performed by USA for Africa

1985: Terry Britten & Graham Lyle for "What's Love Got to Do with It?" performed by Tina Turner

1984: Sting for "Every Breath You Take" performed by The Police

1979: Billy Joel for "Just the Way You Are"

1977: The Eagles for "Hotel California" performed by The Eagles

1972: Carole King for "You've Got a Friend"

1971: Paul Simon for "Bridge Over Troubled Water" performed by Simon and Garfunkel

1967: John Lennon & Paul McCartney for "Michelle" performed by The Beatles

1965: Jerry Herman for "Hello, Dolly!" performed by Louis Armstrong

Me and my friends recently got into a bit of an argument - what is the greatest song ever? There is lots of lists, lots of awards and lots of critics talking but no one seems to come to the same conclusion and it seems as though some truly classic songs were left off the list.

So here it is how it goes - what do YOU think is the greatest song ever. It can be anything from Somebody to Love by Jefferson Airplane, Jamming by Bob Marley, Do The Evolution by Pearl Jam, or Hey There Deliah by Plain White T's. If you honestly believe it's the best, come in here and tell people why. Come in here, argue, agree, praise songs, bash songs... do whatever. My only thing is try to not choose more than 5 songs. It'll get pretty hectic in here if someone is arguing that their 20 favorite songs are better than everyone else.

Since I've made such a huge post, I'll let other people get the ball rolling before I hop in and give my two cents.

[DMN in the House]

Some of those lists are atrocious.

Usually, my 'answer' to these questions is Freebird, but thats only because part of me is white trash. Even Lynyrd Skynyrd have better songs than Freebird (Simple Man and Tuesdays Gone come to mind).

Fuck it. Angel of Death, Slayer. No one wants all the sappy songs, fuck the children, we are not the world, what we really need is some great thrash.

[Clawson]

Easily, Live Forever. It's just so simple that it works into a masterpiece.

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out by The Smiths is slowly starting to creep into the picture for me though. I'd say it has Morrisey's best lyrics by far.

Edited August 24, 2007 by Clawson

[apsham]

I can't choose between Near Fantastica and Running For Home by Matthew Good (Band) so I'm just going to let it stand as a tie there.

[MalaCloudy Black]

Some of those lists are atrocious.

Usually, my 'answer' to these questions is Freebird, but thats only because part of me is white trash. Even Lynyrd Skynyrd have better songs than Freebird (Simple Man and Tuesdays Gone come to mind).

Thing's Goin' On > *

[Matt]

Smells Like Teen Spirit has far too many votes when Nirvana, themselves, wrote so many better songs, Angels by Robbie is a good bet, ditto for Bohemian Rhapsody. I'd be tempted to go for November Rain by Guns and Roses, not many people will agre with me, but something about the song screams brilliance to me, it's better than Sweet Child O' Mine, which also got more votes than it deserves.

That being said, someone will suggest something else and I'l change my mind.

[B-Rad]

Well, a few of the songs on there are some really good songs...let's see.

Queen "Bohemian Rhapsody"

This is a classic, and you know it has staying power/is one of the all time greats, just because not only was it big when it was originally released, but when the younger generations heard it in 1993 or whenever "Wayne's World" came out, they made it a number 1 single AGAIN.

Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

I know everyone says Nirvana had better songs, and that's possibly true, but this song truly changed the music industry. No longer were we bopping around to "I Think We're Alone Now" or rocking to the synth sounds of "The Final Countdown", this was the first song to change that.

Ozzy Osbourne "Crazy Train"

Ok, ok, other's might say "Iron Man" or something else by Ozzy or Black Sabbath, but this is THE Ozzy song, and THE rock song. Everyone knows whats coming when the song starts with it's "ALL ABOARD, HA HA HA HA HA HA", you just know it's time to jump aboard the Crazy Train!

Linkin Park "In The End"

Don't flame me!! Actually, I don't care. This song is the biggest rock song in years. I know, I know, Daughtry and Nickelback have probably out sold it, but this was the first non-mainstream rock song, nay, album to shoot up the charts. I know some people here consider the Hybrid Theory album to be mainstream, but if you go listen to it again, most of that stuff would not have been a hit. Heck, most of it wasn't, as I don't recall "One Step Closer" getting too big, and while "Crawling" had a decent amount of airplay, it was in no way huge.

Coheed and Cambria "Welcome Home"

I am not a HUGE C&C fan, so when this song came out, I kind of ignored it. The more and more I listened to it, though, the more I realized this is the kind of rock song that we are missing now-a-days, and is possibly my favorite song ever.

I'd say that's a good list of my favorite 5 songs of all time.

[Evil Chase K]

In my opinion, no Nirvana song should ever be mentioned anywhere near the top 5 on a list of the Greatest Songs Ever.

[SwantonEdge]

My List:

1. Everlong - Foo Fighters

2. Under the Bridge - RHCP

3. One - Metallica

4. Hurt - Nine Inch Nails

5. Live Forever - Oasis

[Captain Eo]

I always hate when people compile greatest songs ever lists.

My favorite song doesn't equal the world's greatest song so why does it matter.

But I think if it were categorized it would be easier.

[apsham]

Well wow, your posting here has really added to the discussion. Please go on.

[Guest starsaligned916]

What about Hotel California by the Eagles?

I think when you look at what the "greatest song ever" should be I think you have to look at it more in how it changed music, genres, how it affected the masses. I don't think you can even look at it musically, because everybody thinks differently.

"Fire and Rain" by James Taylor landed him on the cover of time. "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson was a ridiculous hit and made Jackson the first true global pop star. You could say an Elvis song, seeing as how he broke more risque music into mainstream. How about "Walk This Way" bringing together the underground hip-hop sound into the hardened rock masses? Songs like those, songs that changed the way a lot of other songs were made.

[Nerf]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure Walk This Way was actually an Aerosmith song before the Run DMC collab.

[apsham]

If you judge a song only\mainly on what it did, you're ignoring the fact that most "groundbreaking" songs were so because they were different, ignoring that it's been done better and will be done better again.

[buck...]

as well as white trash, Freebird. SKynyrd would be up there for me easy, but Freebird is regardless to me. 2nd would be dream on by Aerosmith for me.

[Guest starsaligned916]

If you judge a song only\mainly on what it did, you're ignoring the fact that most "groundbreaking" songs were so because they were different, ignoring that it's been done better and will be done better again.

Edited August 25, 2007 by starsaligned916

[ROC]

Wow, fuck all those lists as the greatest song ever is on none of the them. That song is Kool and the Gang's "Summer Madness". I defy you to tell me why that is not the best song ever. And hating on songs that are purely instrumental doesn't count.

EDIT: Although I must laud the Grammys for their brilliant in hindsight decision to pick "Kiss From A Rose" by Seal as best song of the year.

Edited August 25, 2007 by ROC

[ClaRK! Kent]

My Sherona, by The Knack.

Thread over?

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

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