50 greatest Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Songs | cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio – We’ve been counting down the list of the 250 greatest songs by Rock & Roll Hall of Famers. And now we look at the top 50.
- 250-201
- 200-151
- 150-101
- 100-51
The list ONLY features of artists inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. So you can count your favorite snub (Janet Jackson, The Smiths, etc.) or one-hit-wonder out.
We ranked the songs based on quality, success, impact and critical acclaim, as well as the Rock Hall’s own criteria of influence and significance. And we limited the number of songs one act could have on the list to five.
Without further ado, here are the 50 best songs from Rock & Roll Hall of Famers. This is just one opinion. So feel free to disagree in the comments section.
Motown50. Marvin Gaye – “Heard it Through the Grapevine”Motown’s smartest and best-produced single of the 1960s got passed around to a few artists at the label. Ultimately, ‘I Heart It Through the Grapevine” soared when Marvin Gaye’s got his hands on it, creating the signature version that would become a pop culture sensations.
RCA Records49. Elvis Presley – “Heartbreak Hotel”One of the great performance records in rock history, “Heartbreak Hotel” is two minutes of proof as to why Elvis Presley is the greatest rock star of all time. It set the stage for the most important live performances in music history that would spread Elvis’ legend around the globe.
Tamla Motown48. Stevie Wonder – “Superstition”To be honest, no one saw “Superstition” coming. Sure, Stevie Wonder was an adult now, but he had yet to really reach his peak creatively. But the song, played on the Clavinet, would kick start one of the greatest creative periods for any artist in the history of music. “Superstition” was the centerpiece of “Talking Book,” as Wonder would go on to release four classic albums in as many years.
Asylum Records47. The Eagles – “Hotel California”The arrival of Joe Walsh to the Eagles is often cited as the move that gave the band its bluesy edge. But it was Don Felder who found the melody for the band’s greatest hit. Walsh isn’t even the main player on the stunning extended solo, partnering with Felder for what amounts to one of the greatest moments in rock history. The song has many interpretations, but that has never diminished its status as iconic.
Sugar Hill Records46. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five – “The Message”Three years prior to “The Message,” The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” became hip-hop’s first mainstream hit. But Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s masterpiece pushed things to the next level, establishing rap music as an art form that could inform social change while captivating mainstream audiences.
Capitol Records45. Beach Boys – “God Only Knows”The greatest song from the album that forever changed pop music. That alone puts “God Only Knows” in the top half of this list. But it’s also such a unique love song that begins with an odd decoration of love (“I may not always love you”). No matter, Carl Wilson’s vocal is enough to make anyone fall in love with this one.
Brunswick Records44. The Who – “My Generation”One of the first rock tracks to capture teenage angst, The Who’s “My Generation” was a key anthem both for the genre and in establishing The Who at the forefront of 1960s popular music. It’s rebellious lyrics caught on with young audiences, causing the band’s label to push the fast-forward button on its momentum. There was not looking back.
Pye Records43. The Kinks – “You Really Got Me”The Kinks’ big hit features one of the most influential guitar riffs of all time. It’s said that the edgy chords featured in “You Really Got Me” served as the first signs of heavy metal and punk. These days that’s easy to see.
Elektra Records42. The Doors – “Light My Fire”A monumental achievement of psychedelic rock, “Light My Fire” is the signature tune by The Doors. The band seemed to exist in another world during the 1960s. But that didn’t make them any less appealing to mainstream audiences. “Light My Fire” was one of the sexiest things to come out of the entire decade.
Troy L. Smith, Cleveland.com41. Jerry Lee Lewis – “Great Balls of Fire”One of the biggest tracks of the 1950s, Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Great Balls of Fire” sold a million copies in less than two weeks after its release, making it the biggest rock and roll song in history at the time and an essential part of the genre’s development.
Motown40. Public Enemy – “Fight the Power”Everything about Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power” was of a revolution. Spike Lee needed an anthem for his landmark film “Do the Right Thing.” Chuck D and company were happy to oblige with an anthem that felt life changing. It’s no discredit to the song that, unfortunately, it’s message resonates as much today as it did in 1989.
Zoo/Atco/Polydoor39. Cream – “Sunshine of Your Love”Eric Clapton might have been a blues man at heart. But he created his most influential song when he went full psychedelic rock on Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love.” The song’s epic guitar chords would serve as the bridge from blues to heavy metal.
Motown Records38. The Temptations – “My Girl”The Temptations had scored a few pretty solid hits leading into 1964. But when Smokey Robinson brought the group a song tailor made for singer David Ruffin’s powerful voice, all bets were off. “My Girl” helped cement The Temptations as Motown’s signature group who could rival any act on any label at the time.
Decca Records37. Buddy Holly – “That’ll Be the Day”One of the early great love songs of the rock and roll era, Buddy Holly struck gold with “That’ll Be the Day,” which became influential for future acts of multiple generations including the Beatles. It was pop rock at an early stage, while still being perfect.
Island Records36. U2 – “One”U2 was in a weird place heading into “Achtung Baby.” The band was on the verge of breaking up over what direction they should go in next. The song that brought them back together was “One,” a powerful statement about the bandmembers relationship and an anthem of love overcoming all.
Motown35. The Jackson 5 – “I Want You Back”“I Want You Back” is a performance record built on the greatest bassline in pop music history. And that’s not even the most jaw-dropping aspect. That honor goes to a pre-teen Michael Jackson delivering a vocal most adult performers couldn’t come close to.
Parlophone34. The Beatles – “Tomorrow Never Knows”It’s one of the most influential songs the Beatles ever released, which is saying something. “Tomorrow Never Knows’” stunning sounds and composition is considered to be one of the starting points for psychedelic rock and electronic music.
Sex Pistols/EMI33. Sex Pistols – “Anarchy in the U.K.”Punk rock was already a thing by the time the Sex Pistols came along. But “Anarchy in the U.K.” was a gut punch to the system and a call to arms for punk kids everywhere. It’s a scathing masterpiece of rebellion that took Europe by storm.
Columbia Records32. Pink Floyd – “Wish You Were Here”When you dig into it, Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” album is quite heartbreaking. Much of the subject matter deal with former member Syd Barrett’s breakdown. That all comes home on the mesmerizing title track. It’s the most straight-forward great song Pink Floyd ever wrote, as a longing for something (or someone) that is no longer there. Pink Floyd has had more complex songs, but nothing quite so devastating.
Capitol Records31. David Bowie – “Life on Mars?”Everything you love about David Bowie is here, from the vocal he delivers over the song’s piano-driven front end to stunning strings that drop in. Bowie’s brand of rock music was like no other and “Life on Mars?” is Bowie masterfully creating and thriving on a planet of his own.
Warner Bros.30. Prince – “Purple Rain”About 10 or even 15 years ago, you’d find most people pointing towards “When Doves Cry,” “Let’s Go Crazy” or “Sign of o’ the Times” as proof of Prince’s genius. But much of that praise has shifted to the title track from the film and album that defined the Purple One’s career. “Purple Rain” is a rock ballad rooted in R&B, gospel and blues that Prince owns from the very beginning. It’s a powerhouse of a record before it even gets to the stunning guitar solo that borders on life changing.
Columbia Records29. Bob Dylan – “Blowin’ in the Wind”It’s the song that pushed Bob Dylan into the mainstream spotlight and serves as one of the greatest songwriting showcases of the 1960s. It’s also a moving protest song that would soundtrack so many epic and tragic moments from the decade that changed everything. Its ambiguous nature was one of its most enduring aspects.
Decca28. The Who – “Baba O’Riley”You might know it as “Teenage Wasteland.” The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” is one of the most mistakenly titled songs in history. Regardless, it’s Pete Townshend’s masterpiece. The track’s appeal has faded a bit over the year, which comes with letting it be the theme song for a popular CBS series. But there’s no denying what Townshend accomplishes here — a hard rock anthem that has come to mean so much to so many.
Columbia27. Johnny Cash – “I Walk The Line”It’s the song that’s become synonymous with Johnny Cash and is arguably the most influential country track of all time. With “I Walk the Line” Cash proved the simplicity of country music in no way lessons its impact. Lyrically and vocally he was as assertive as any performer of that era.
Apple Records26. John Lennon – “Imagine”Though it was released nine years before his murder, it can be hard to separate John Lennon’s signature song from his passing. That’s because it instantly became the embodiment of his legacy, a song about breaking down barriers across all facets of life. “Imagine” is not a complex song, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s message is what’s endured.
Columbia Records25. Simon & Garfunkel – “Bridge Over Troubled Water””Few pop songs contain so many elements of music history. Paul Simon built the title track to the album that essentially broke up Simon & Garfunkel around gospel music, Wall of Sound style production and backing musicians from the famous Wrecking Crew. The result is a true masterpiece that actually features Art Garfunkel as the solo singer.
Chess Records24. Chuck Berry – “Maybellene”Chuck Berry had yet to perfect the formula for modern rock and roll. But “Maybellene” is the sound of him getting here. It’s, arguably, the first song to embody everything future aspiring rock stars would latch onto.
Swan Song23. Led Zeppelin – “Kashmir”Forget “Stairway to Heaven.” “Kashmir” is the song the members of Led Zeppelin hope most people remember them by…And as well you should. Sure, the band has bigger songs. But nothing hits as hard as “Kashmir,” the ultimate showcase – from drums and vocals to those pulsating guitar riffs – of whey Zeppelin was the perfect rock band.
Atco Records22. Otis Redding – “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay”“The Dock of the Bay” brings about mixed feelings for Otis Redding fans. It’s, by all measures, the greatest showcase of his singing and songwriting abilities. But it’s also the last song recorded before he died. It would become a universal hit and the first song released after an artist’s death to reach No.1.
Decca21. Rolling Stones – “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”The most recognizable guitar chords in music history serve as the backbone for the song that changed everything for the Rolling Stones. But “Satisfaction” is ultimately the Mick Jagger showcase, as he cements his signature charismatic pout of desperation.
Elektra Records20. Queen – “Bohemian Rhapsody”It’s funny how time can change things. Go back a ways and you’ll find Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” regarded by some as a novelty song or (gasp) a poor man’s “Stairway to Heaven.” Not so much now. Queen’s epic is one of pop’s unquestionable masterpieces, a track beloved by countless music fans and a song that redefined progressive rock.
RSD/Parlaphone19. The Beatles – “Strawberry Fields Forever”“Strawberry Fields Forever” was a pop music game changer. The track was intended for “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” but released prior as a single to appease the record label. Yet, it served as the starting point for the Beatles’ experimental impact. It’s said that Brian Wilson halted work on the Beach Boys’ “Smile” album after hearing “Strawberry Fields Forever.” The song’s groundbreaking production sent him (and everyone else) back to the drawing board.
Columbia Records18. Bruce Springsteen – “Born to Run”Yes, it’s a rock song. But “Born to Run” is the most romantic thing Bruce Springsteen ever released. It’s his love affair with the American dream, as well as the history of pop music. Springsteen takes the sounds of 1960s Phil Spector-produced pop and adds his own raw power to it.
Epic Records17. Michael Jackson – “Billie Jean”It’s likely a song like “Billie Jean” will never come around again. That’s saying something, considering few things about it were original. Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones have both admitted to borrowing various aspects, including the epic bassline. But Jackson is the one who brings those parts together for a pop song that would change the music industry. If “Thriller” is the biggest album of all time, “Billie Jean” is its driving force. After that, Jackson was the one everyone was borrowing from.
Polydor Records16. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – “Purple Haze”What was the guitar before Jimmy Hendrix got his hands on it? Does it matter? “Purple Haze” is the starting point for Hendrix’s monumental brand of psychedelic rock and, thus, the starting point for the most important instrument in rock and roll history being flipped into an art form.
Swan Records15. The Beatles – “She Loves You”It’s the song that set the UK on fire, birthed the Beatles crazed and sold more copies than any piece of music British fans had ever seen. But it was even more than that. “She Loves You” was a perfect pop song, so infectious, it changed the way everyone approached writing.
RCA Records14. Sam Cooke – “A Change is Gonna Come”Listening to “A Change is Gonna Come,” it’s actually hard to imagine someone was actually able to write this. But Sam Cooke was no ordinary songwriter or performer. The song’s lyrics are quite staggering (“It’s too hard living, but I’m afraid to die”), which is probably why the instrumentation behind it is so minimal. And Cooke’s vocal, which builds and builds, is out of this world.
DGC Records13. Nirvana – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”For a while there, it seemed like we’d never get a rock and roll revolution again. Then came Nirvana. Sure, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” put an inevitable end to 1980s hair-metal and elevated grunge to a new mainstream status. But Nirvana’s revolution went beyond that; This was the biggest thing since the Beatles with Kurt Cobain as a the most relatable poet since Bob Dylan. Was it all overhyped? Maybe. Either way, it came crashing down, leaving a lasting impact in more ways than one.
Philles Records12. The Ronettes – “Be My Baby”For as innovative as artists like Beach Boys, the Beatles and even Bruce Springsteen were, they all borrowed from The Ronettes’ “Be My Baby.” It’s the ultimate expression of Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound production and the song from that era of music that has stood the test of time the most.
Atlantic Records11. Ray Charles – “What’d I Say”Soul music starts here. Ray Charles was everything to the genre, taking elements of gospel and R&B and shaping them into a danceable new genre that made listeners feel like they were part of the song. The impact of “What’d I Say” cannot be understated. It’s the culmination of everything Charles spent the mid-1950s building towards, establishing the blueprint major labels like Motown and Stax would follow.
Specialty Records10. Little Richard – “Tutti Frutti”Other artists were innovating the sounds of rock and roll a little bit more than Little Richard. But no one was shaping what it meant to be rock and roll performer quite like him. “Tutti Frutti” is the ultimate performance record, loud, playful and endlessly charismatic. It’s the well everyone from Elvis to James Brown to Michael Jackson drank from.
Atlantic Records9. Aretha Franklin – “Respect”Otis Redding wrote and released “Respect” in 1965. Two years later, Aretha Franklin would transform the song into the ultimate anthem of female empowerment. While the Civil Rights Movement had a variety of songs attached to it, Franklin’s massive hit breathed musical life into the feminist movement and became a landmark showcase of soul music.
Motown Records8. Marvin Gaye – “What’s Going On”Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” didn’t so much transform Motown as it did the greatest R&B artist of all time. Up until that point, Gaye had been all about the fun loving aspects of the Motown sound. But “What’s Going On” was a shift into Gaye being social conscience and crafting more layered songs. The title track to his powerful album incorporates elements of psychedelic soul and changed a lot of people’s minds about what R&B could (and should) sound like.
RCA Records7. Elvis Presley – “Hound Dog”Had Elvis Presley never recorded “Hound Dog,” Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller would still have a monumental document of blues-rock on their hands. Big Mama Thornton’s original version accomplishes that on its own. But it’s Presley’s version that paved the way for a rock and roll revolution.
King Records6. James Brown – “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag”James Brown’s landmark recording is the moment where funk took hold of the universe. “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” established the genre that would bring us Sly and the Family Stone, Funkadelic and various others. But the lineage funk would create is quite mind-blowing, influencing everyone from Talking Heads and Michael Jackson to the Red Hot Chili Peppers and all things hip-hop.
Columbia Records5. Bob Dylan – “Like a Rolling Stone”Dylan had already gone electric by the time he released “Like a Rolling Stone.” But the move was also influencing his folk music. “Like a Rolling Stone” stands as one of the most diverse Dylan songs of that error. His voice sounds different, while the music moves in various directions. But at its core is a revolutionary feel that cemented Dylan as one of the greatest rock stars of his time, maybe ever.
Decca Records4. Rolling Stones – “Gimme Shelter”Everything time you think “Gimme Shelter” has reached its peak moment, the Rolling Stones take things to new heights. Keith Richards’ opening guitar chords are mesmerizing. Mick Jagger delivers one of the most aggressive vocals of his career. Then there are Merry Clayton’s background screams that Jagger admitted wowed him in the documentary “20 Feet from Stardom.” “Gimme Shelter” marks the moment where the Stones brought everything they were great at onto one tune.
Parlophone3. The Beatles – “A Day in the Life”The reason you often see “A Day in the Life” cited as the greatest Beatles tune is because it is the ultimate blending of John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s personalities over a song that features two very distinct, yet equally memorable parts. “A Day in the Life” is also the fulfillment of the Beatles revolutionizing pop music as an art form, which began with “Strawberry Fields Forever” and culminated with “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’s” stunning closer.
Capitol Records2. The Beach Boys – “Good Vibrations”In some ways, everything Brian Wilson accomplished on “Pet Sounds” was the warm-up for “Good Vibrations.” The track’s layered parts and pieced together formula was quite advanced. Its recording cost more than any other track before it. “Good Vibrations” was supposed to serve as the centerpiece of Wilson’s “Smile” album, which was never fully completed. But “Good Vibrations” made its mark, expanding the art of production and experimentation more than any other song in music history.
Chess Records1. Chuck Berry – “Johnny B. Goode”In 1958, inspired by Louis Jordan’s “Ain’t That Just Like a Woman,” Chuck Berry crafted “Johnny B. Goode,” the song that became the blueprint for modern rock and roll. Other popular rock and roll recordings came before it. But nothing gave birth to the mainstream sounds that would surface from countless artists during the 1960s quite like Berry’s signature tune. Musically, “Johnny B. Goode” is the culmination of rhythm and blues and rockabilly coming together to form this new, uncanny sound. Lyrically, Berry tells the story of a poor black boy who went on to become a rock star and made boat loads of money. “Johnny B. Goode” is everything rock and roll was, is and forever will be, suggesting the genre’s roots while pushing things forward.
Source: 50 greatest Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Songs | cleveland.com
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