Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time  

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The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time was the cover story of a special issue of Rolling Stone magazine published in November 2004.

It was chosen based on votes by 172 musicians, critics, and industry figures. As with numerous such lists, the choices are a source of debate for many.

The Song List

The top songs on the list are:

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
6. "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys
7. "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry
8. "Hey Jude" by The Beatles
9. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana
10. "What'd I Say" by Ray Charles
11. "My Generation" by The Who
12. "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke
13. "Yesterday" by The Beatles
14. "Blowin' in the Wind" by Bob Dylan
15. "London Calling" by The Clash
16. "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles
17. "Purple Haze" by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
18. "Maybellene" by Chuck Berry
19. "Hound Dog" by Elvis Presley
20. "Let It Be" by The Beatles

Statistics

The list is composed largely of American and British artists: out of the 500 songs, 357 are from the US and 117 from the UK; the third most represented country is Ireland with 12 entries, then Canada with 10. The list includes just one song not in English (La Bamba by Ritchie Valens) and only three songs from the 21st century. The oldest song on the list is "Rollin' Stone" from 1948 (ranked #459). The only other song from the 1940s is Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" from 1949 (#111). The most recent is OutKast's 2003 hit "Hey Ya!" (#180). With 23 songs on the list, The Beatles are the most represented musical act. John Lennon is the only artist to place multiple songs in the top 10 (as a member of the Beatles and as an individual). The Beatles are followed by The Rolling Stones (14 entries); Bob Dylan, who also topped the list with "Like a Rolling Stone" (12 entries); Elvis Presley (11 entries); The Beach Boys and Jimi Hendrix (seven entries each) and Chuck Berry, U2, James Brown, Prince, Led Zeppelin and Sly & The Family Stone (six entries each).

See also

• Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time