Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest songs ever...

You can't download the Beatles tunes. You can listen to them but not download them to your hard drive.

 

Grandmaster Flash didn't record the first rap record. "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang came out before "The Message". I liked early rap like this. I don't care much for current rap.

 

Oh I didn't say he did...I just mean he was very influential early on. I still consider the first rap record to be Art Carney's rapping of " 'twas The Night Before Christmas" from 1954.

 

Baby Blue?Without You? September Gurls? Thirteen? Gee.I guess when Father Time sat ya down , he handed you a different music exam than I got. And isn't Rolling Stone that corporate mouthpiece rag that likes to slap untalented teeny pop songbirds in their underwear on the cover? Yeah I know, once upon a time they had a dope column and still shill for Hunter Thompson once in a blue moon but geez-irrevelancy upon irrevelancy shot through with brand name lifestyle ads and Republican party bashing.

 

But it's not one person's opinion - they polled a bunch of people for the list...

 

There's about 50 people in my department at work that are from 50 plus to 22. I bet none of them have heard of Badfinger let alone could name a Badfinger song.

 

Play "Day After Day", "No Matter What", "Without You" or "Come and Get It" for anyone you know. Chances are most will recognize one or probably more. Most will probably also say "I LOOOVE this song, who is this again?". You might also get the dreaded "Isn't this The Beatles?"

Besides, isn't this list supposed to be about "greatest", not most popular?

Lastly, Badfinger not standing the test of time? I'll bet my collection that "Day After Day" (not to mention "Without You") will still be loved 100 years from now. One of the most beautiful songs ever written!

 

I agree. 'Day After Day' is an achingly beautiful song (and in the key of 'F', no less!). In all my years of listening to the Finger, every single time (if my memory is clear) that I play "Straight Up" for someone unfamiliar with them, I've converted that person. I think the quality of the songs have real drawing power to the unsuspecting. Badfinger could have been HUGE, had they only been with a record label that actually cared and believed in them.

 

I think Day After Day is kinda sappy (ducks...)
They were a generic band. I just ever thought much of them and still don't.

 

You're certainly entitled to your opinion, especially if you've given them a decent chance to grow on you. But even that isn't necessary. I don't need to give most rap a chance to grow on me and still don't have a clue why Eminem is considered a genius by many people. That's those peoples' right to feel that way, right?

 

AC/DC's "Back In Black" and "Highway To Hell" are on the list but not "You Shook Me All Night Long"?????

"Baby Love", "Where Did Our Love Go" and "You Keep Me Hangin' On" by Diana Ross???? What happened to the rest of the Supremes????

"Thunder Road", "Born To Run" and "Born In The USA" by Springsteen...yeah those are his three best songs for sure. :thumbsdn:

"Bitter Sweet Symphony" by The Verve...nice slowed down ripoff of "The Last Time" by the Rolling Stones, with new lyrics AND a sample of an orchestrated version of the Stones song too!

It doesn't even say who "Green Onions" is by - guess the panel didn't know.

Only two REM songs (and one is the monotone "Losing My Religion") while Prince gets six (not that there's anything wrong with Prince)

:thumbsdn:

 

Some the artist is incomplete online but the magazine has it correct.

I love that Bitter Sweet Symphony song. Yeah it's heavily sampled but it's a beautiful song.

 

If you slow down "The Last Time" by the Stones it has the same melody except the Stones song has a chorus.However they did have to give Jagger & Richards songwriting credit for it so I guess it's fine for the list.

 

I approached it as 500 great songs. Almost all of them were tough to argue with. The order could be argued with.
And there were songs I'd rather have on the list than what they have...ie Hey Jude, Let it be.

 

It's supposed to be a Rock & Roll list, so no Sinatra, even though I glanced through the list and noticed a few non Rock & Roll songs on the list. Frank did "Two Hearts, Two Kisses" which is kind of an early Rock & Roll song, but that's not gonna make this list. Not a knock on the song, but it's not a "Top 500" song either, though it could be argued that there are songs ON the list that are not Top 500 material either...

 

I'm sure Frank would have been all over the list if it wasn't a RNR list.

 

What strikes me is that "Imagine" is above EVERY BEATLES SONG. Huh? "Yesterday" should have been Number 1, much less BELOW "Imagine!"

You can't argue with #6 though, "Good Vibrations" - the best produced single ever.

I like that "Be My Baby" is #22 - that's a high, but deserving number. I think that's because Brian Wilson (one of the judges of this list) probably listed it 490 times in his top 500.

JEFF!

 

Rolling Stone (mag) is full of crap PERIOD!

 

Some nitpicks:

"Summer Babe" - Pavement?? Excuse me? The best song on Slanted & Enchanted is "Perfume-V", hands down.

Depeche Mode - "Personal Jesus". Come on, there's quite a few other more deserving songs in their body of work.

New Order is represented with "Bizarre Love Triangle", but no mention of their predecessor Joy Division and the far superior "Love Will Tear Us Apart".

Donna Summer - "I Feel Love" and Africa Bambataa with "Planet Rock" are represented, but nary a mention of the direct influence of Kraftwerk.

Where's Howlin' Wolf's "I Ain't Superstitious"?? That's a bona fide classic.

Neil Young - "Cortez The Killer"??? Over gems like "Down By The River", "Cinnamon Girl" and "When You Dance"???

 

Aaahhh, that explains it, it's a FOCUS GROUP.

"I have no time, for Time Magazine, or Rolling Stone"

You can't please everybody, so you've got to please yourself.

And everybody must get STONED

Actually not a bad list.

 

Todd Rundgren's Hello it's me has to be on that list!!!!!!!!!!

 

What a completely pointless exercise. Not worthy of discussion but I'll add my $.02 anyway. Looks like they put a bunch of classic rock and oldies playlists in a lottery wheel with some Clash and Velvet Underground and a few token rap albums. Ya think any of the voters is a big Prince or U2 fan?

Whole Lotta Love??? A ripoff of a ripoff - at least put the original You Need Love on there instead.

Should (acknowledged) cover songs be eligible? There are at least a couple on there.

Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambatta were pioneers in particular genres (rap and electro) and do belong there, but so does a ton of other stuff that isn't listed. I guess if it isn't driven into the ground on the radio it's not a good song. Hey chirsscross - like the avatar! Imagine if there was a Fall song on there? Fat chance! (even though they have put out quality music for 25 years, unlike, say, the Stones). Guided by Voices? All those Beatles, Prince and U2 songs and only 3 Kinks? I guess hard rock other than Sabbath isn't worthy (I am no metalhead but, say, Iron Maiden needs to be represented). What do prog fans have to say? Nick Drake, Graham Parker, etc., etc.

RS is a joke.

 

I was actually amazed that "Waterloo Sunset" was the highest ranked Kinks song on there. I love that song but it's really pretty obscure compared to "You Really Got Me" and "Lola", at least in North America.

 

Yeah, I actually missed the writing below the main title that said "a celebration of the greatest rock & roll songs of all time". However, they are using the term "rock & roll" way too loosely. "He Stopped Loving Her Today" by George Jones and "Dancing Queen" by ABBA are no closer to rock music than "That's Life" by Ol' Blue Eyes is.

 

I'm liking the avatar and the album immensely. Can't believe I missed out on this stuff for the past twenty years.

I'm on a huge Fall kick right now. In an alternative universe, "Hip Priest" is on my 100 greatest songs list.