500 Greatest Songs Of All Time

Wästed The Great

Wästed The Great

Minister Of Chicks, Metal&Beer; Cool & Froody Dude
Staff member
So, Rolling Stone magazine has released a "500 Greatest Songs Of All Time", and it is an interesting read.

In all honesty, if I put aside my blatant preference for Metal, I can agree with most of the songs that they have listed.  Here are the top 10:

1.  Like A Rolling Stone, Dylan
2.  (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, Rolling Stones
3.  Imagine, Lennon
4.  What's Going On, Marvin Gaye
5.  Respect, Aretha Franklin
6.  Good Vibrations, 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 introduction (by Jay-Z) says " A great song doesn't attempt to be anything-- it just is"

Most of the songs they have picked are classics from the get-go, the only real problem that I have is that Free Bird isn't listed until #193....I really think that is just too good to fall that far down.

Has anyone else seen this list?
 
I can't stand Rolling Stones Magazine. For the most part, they are a biased source. They use popularity to list artists/bands, rather than actual talent. They'd place a band like Metallica over bands such as Judas Priest, Megadeth, and Iron Maiden, mainly because Metallica is a huge name. When they put The Jonas Brothers on the front cover, it became evident that Rolling Stones Magazine were total sellouts. Just thought I'd throw my two cents.
 
I dig all of that, and usually I'd agree.

However, there are some truly great songs on this list.  At the very least, some of the blurbs are an interesting read.  I will admit that it was strange to see "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" surrounded by "Fuck tha Police" and "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" --  but, still, it is an interesting read... in the top 20, lots of Beatles, Dylan, some Jimi and Chuck Berry. 
 
Wasted CLV said:
...in the top 20, lots of Beatles, Dylan, some Jimi and Chuck Berry.  
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As I said, popularity is what they use to make their picks. Those bands/performers have created amazing music and aren't bad in the least bit, but you'd expect to see The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix at the top of a Rolling Stones Magazine list, they are huge, popular names.

I'm not taking ANYTHING away from those bands and songs, but I personally that feel they would be more appropriate on a "Most Influential Songs" list, or  a "Most Influential Bands/Artists" list, instead of a "Greatest Songs of All Time" list. Those songs are great, but honestly, there are better songs when it comes to pure talent.

I feel somebody is going to take this post the wrong way.....
 
Nah- we've had many a discussion over "best/greatest/most influential" songs before. Its so very subjective. I just thought it was an interesting topic. -and somewhat, I was curious as to what younger people thought of a list like that. At 18 years old, if it was older than around 1975, and wasn't 'heavy', I didn't much care for it. I really enjoy a lot of older stuff now. 
 
Travis_AKA_fonzbear2000 said:
95% of Iron Maiden's songs completely destroysevery one of those songs.
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I wouldn't say that. I try to keep an open mind when reading those lists. If I see a song on there I don't like I will think just because I don't like it doesn't mean its bad. When they say greatest I think they mean in terms of the legacy the song leaves. For example The Nirvana song is the reason Grunge exploded.                     
 
Mosh said:
When they say greatest I think they mean in terms of the legacy the song leaves.
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If that's the case, the title should have been "The Most Influential Songs" or something of the sort, as I stated in my previous post.
 
Wasted CLV said:
I dig all of that, and usually I'd agree.

However, there are some truly great songs on this list.  At the very least, some of the blurbs are an interesting read.  I will admit that it was strange to see "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" surrounded by "Fuck tha Police" and "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" --  but, still, it is an interesting read... in the top 20, lots of Beatles, Dylan, some Jimi and Chuck Berry. 
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Wasted is exactly correct.  Yes, Rolling Stone is a bunch of effete twits who have never given Maiden or other great metal acts their due.  But their Top 20 songs are all really fucking good (though I disagree with their #1).  I made a playlist on iTunes when the list first came out a couple of years ago, and I still listen to it.  My favorite among the Top 20:  Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come." 
 
Johnny B. Goode is a great song but do we really want to feed Chuck's ego any more? ::)

And Nirvana? No way. I'm sick of those whiny grunge rockers getting so much damn respect. Cobain couldn't hold his own against a three year old on guitar, yet he makes Rolling Stone's list of best guitarists. Are you kidding?
 
Suicidehummer said:
Johnny B. Goode is a great song but do we really want to feed Chuck's ego any more? ::)

And Nirvana? No way. I'm sick of those whiny grunge rockers getting so much damn respect. Cobain couldn't hold his own against a three year old on guitar, yet he makes Rolling Stone's list of best guitarists. Are you kidding?
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Seriously. If you take Nirvana for what it is, alright disaffected punk rock, then yeah, Cobain was a pretty cool song writer, but axe master he was not.
 
I actually bought the book of that list (along with descriptions of each song and pics and all that) back in June, so I had something to read in the car while on vacation. It was a pretty cool list, a lot of predictable choices but still interesting.
 
Suicidehummer said:
Johnny B. Goode is a great song but do we really want to feed Chuck's ego any more? ::)

And Nirvana? No way. I'm sick of those whiny grunge rockers getting so much damn respect. Cobain couldn't hold his own against a three year old on guitar, yet he makes Rolling Stone's list of best guitarists. Are you kidding?
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Agreed, he's #12, I believe...

While Tony Iommi is #86, and Richie Blackmore is #70...

Such a shame...
 
Black_Thunder said:
Agreed, he's #12, I believe...

While Tony Iommi is #86, and Richie Blackmore is #70...

Such a shame...
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Right? I mean I can't even begin to comprehend how somebody could think Cobain is a better guitarist than RITCHIE FUCKING BLACKMORE.
 
And of course, Kirk Hammett and Kurt Cobain are in the top 15 of that list. I don't want to keep beating a dead horse, but as I said, it's about how big your name is and Hammett and Cobain are pretty big names, of course you would expect to see them at the top of that Rolling Stones Magazine list. Seriously, what did Cobain play that Adrian Smith, Richie Blackmore, and Tony Iommi couldn't, apparently? Nothing against either Kirk or Kurt but there are WAY more talented guitarists out there (in my opinion, at least), like many of the "underground" guitarists. Though both Cobain and Hammett pull off their own style quite nicely, and they both are perfect for their respective bands, I wouldn't consider them the "greatest guitarists of all time". I put that in quotations because there really is no such thing as "greatest guitarists of all time", it's a matter of opinion, and I hate how Rolling Stones Magazine presents their opinions as if they were facts.
 
Seeing guys like Cobain, Kirk, The Edge or Johnny Ramone that high.  :blink:
These lists are good if you are looking for guitarists you don't know and want to give them a listen.
But when you see these dudes among the best...Meh...
 
HallowedBeMyName said:
I put that in quotations because there really is no such thing as "greatest guitarists of all time", it's a matter of opinion, and I hate how Rolling Stones Magazine presents their opinions as if they were facts.
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That's one of the most intelligent things I've ever read in reply to those lists.
 
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