It's back! This time I compiled seven top-500 lists from recent years:
2014: St. Louis and Tulsa
2013: Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia, NYC
2012: Washington DC
The resulting list should not be taken as a "greatest songs" list. Aside from the top 20 or so, these radio stations just dump their playlist into the rankings. They have to put "classics" evenly throughout to keep listeners: having a countdown that starts with 200 songs of filler isn't good for business. The list is more like "what US radio stations that call themselves 'classic rock' are playing now". For instance: "A Day in the Life", often considered one of the "greatest" songs, falls all the way to #287 here... and #1 is not "Stairway to Heaven".
If you're concerned that you don't listen to US radio, don't worry; most of these songs are quite famous. Out of the top 512 songs, here are the artists with 7 songs or more:
If you know those famous artists, you're good to go.
Game rules:
On Thursdays, I will post ten new clues. I will then allow 48 hours for players to put in their initial guesses.
No more changing guesses if someone else has posted a guess for the same clue. You can change if your guess is the only one posted.
No more points for piggybacking: you get it right first or you get no points. It is now in your favor to guess a different song, on the chance that someone else is wrong.
After 48 hours, one point will be awarded for correct answers. For the other songs, I'll give another clue. The clues will be designed to keep it difficult; a second clue doesn't mean it gets easier. Another 48 hours for players to post guesses, and those are worth 2 points.
In a week we'll have time for three rounds of clues like this, with the final round being worth 3 points each. At the end, any songs which have not been guessed correctly are judged to be failures on my part as clue-maker, and everyone who made a final-round guess for that song gets a free point.
Round 1 clues:
#200:
#199: Tolkien.
#198: Refusal to yield.
#197: A story about the singer's day job before becoming a rock star.
#196: Angry sex.
#195: Notoriously used in a 1987 Nike commercial.
#194:
#193: One of the first videos banned by MTV.
#192: Ghost in the machine.
#191: Famous for a live version in which the audience sings the first verse and chorus.
From a discussion below, a clarification:
This first bunch should be easy... post your guesses!
2014: St. Louis and Tulsa
2013: Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia, NYC
2012: Washington DC
The resulting list should not be taken as a "greatest songs" list. Aside from the top 20 or so, these radio stations just dump their playlist into the rankings. They have to put "classics" evenly throughout to keep listeners: having a countdown that starts with 200 songs of filler isn't good for business. The list is more like "what US radio stations that call themselves 'classic rock' are playing now". For instance: "A Day in the Life", often considered one of the "greatest" songs, falls all the way to #287 here... and #1 is not "Stairway to Heaven".
If you're concerned that you don't listen to US radio, don't worry; most of these songs are quite famous. Out of the top 512 songs, here are the artists with 7 songs or more:
23 Led Zeppelin
19 Rolling Stones
18 Van Halen
15 Beatles
14 Aerosmith
13 Pink Floyd
12 Tom Petty
12 Who
11 AC/DC
11 U2
10 Doors
9 Boston
9 Eagles
9 Foreigner
8 Journey
8 Lynyrd Skynyrd
8 John Mellencamp
8 Queen
8 Rush
7 Bad Company
7 Cars
7 Guns N Roses
7 Steve Miller
7 Police
7 Bob Seger
7 Bruce Springsteen
7 Styx
19 Rolling Stones
18 Van Halen
15 Beatles
14 Aerosmith
13 Pink Floyd
12 Tom Petty
12 Who
11 AC/DC
11 U2
10 Doors
9 Boston
9 Eagles
9 Foreigner
8 Journey
8 Lynyrd Skynyrd
8 John Mellencamp
8 Queen
8 Rush
7 Bad Company
7 Cars
7 Guns N Roses
7 Steve Miller
7 Police
7 Bob Seger
7 Bruce Springsteen
7 Styx
Game rules:
On Thursdays, I will post ten new clues. I will then allow 48 hours for players to put in their initial guesses.
No more changing guesses if someone else has posted a guess for the same clue. You can change if your guess is the only one posted.
No more points for piggybacking: you get it right first or you get no points. It is now in your favor to guess a different song, on the chance that someone else is wrong.
After 48 hours, one point will be awarded for correct answers. For the other songs, I'll give another clue. The clues will be designed to keep it difficult; a second clue doesn't mean it gets easier. Another 48 hours for players to post guesses, and those are worth 2 points.
In a week we'll have time for three rounds of clues like this, with the final round being worth 3 points each. At the end, any songs which have not been guessed correctly are judged to be failures on my part as clue-maker, and everyone who made a final-round guess for that song gets a free point.
Round 1 clues:
#200:
#198: Refusal to yield.
#197: A story about the singer's day job before becoming a rock star.
#196: Angry sex.
#195: Notoriously used in a 1987 Nike commercial.
#194:
#192: Ghost in the machine.
#191: Famous for a live version in which the audience sings the first verse and chorus.
From a discussion below, a clarification:
This first bunch should be easy... post your guesses!
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