Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I know these types of lists are hugely subjective, but I was wondering if anyone can suggest a "Top 500" song list of the rock era. I've already looked over the Rolling Stone and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame list, and I was wondering if there are any others worth checking out.

Sorry Steve I completely missed this post. Let me see what I can do for you.

Here's a list compiled by Radio Station Q107 in Calgary. These lists are usully very subjective so the fact that this list and numerical standings of each song were attributed to input from the public at large should make it more meaningful. I hope this is helpful Steve.

The Top 500 Classic Rock Songs as chosen by listeners of Q107 Classic Rock


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 Led Zeppelin • Stairway To Heaven
2 Pink Floyd • Comfortably Numb
3 Led Zeppelin • Whole Lotta Love
4 The Beatles • A Day In The Life
5 The Rolling Stones • (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
6 AC/DC • You Shook Me All Night Long
7 Led Zeppelin • Rock And Roll
8 The Eagles • Hotel California
9 Lynyrd Skynyrd • Sweet Home Alabama
10 The Rolling Stones • Sympathy For The Devil
11 Aerosmith • Sweet Emotion
12 Pink Floyd • Money
13 John Lennon • Imagine
14 Derek & The Dominos • Layla
15 The Doors • Light My Fire
16 The Who • Baba O’Riley
17 Queen • Bohemian Rhapsody
18 AC/DC • Back In Black
19 The Beatles • Hey Jude
20 Queen • We Will Rock You / We Are The Champions
21 Jimi Hendrix • All Along The Watchtower
22 The Beatles • Ticket To Ride
23 Santana • Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen
24 The Guess Who • American Woman
25 U2 • Pride (In The Name Of Love)
26 The Who • Won’t Get Fooled Again
27 The Police • Roxanne
28 Pink Floyd • Another Brick In The Wall Pt. II
29 Boston • More Than A Feeling
30 U2 • Where The Streets Have No Name
31 Led Zeppelin • Black Dog
32 Neil Young • Heart Of Gold
33 Pink Floyd • Wish You Were Here
34 Deep Purple • Smoke On The Water
35 The Beatles • Come Together
36 Jimi Hendrix • Purple Haze
37 Phil Collins • In The Air Tonight
38 Cream • White Room
39 Lynyrd Skynyrd • Free Bird
40 Van Halen • Jump
41 Steppenwolf • Magic Carpet Ride
42 Bob Dylan • Like A Rolling Stone
43 Pink Floyd • Time
44 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young • Woodstock
45 Jimi Hendrix • Fire
46 The Rolling Stones • Paint It Black
47 Supertramp • The Logical Song
48 Led Zeppelin • Over The Hills And Far Away
49 The Guess Who • No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature
50 The Rolling Stones • You Can’t Always Get What You Want
51 The Animals • The House Of The Rising Sun
52 Aerosmith • Dream On
53 The Who • Who Are You
54 U2 • I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
55 Van Morrison • Brown Eyed Girl
56 The Beatles • Strawberry Fields Forever
57 Paul McCartney • Maybe I'm Amazed
58 The Band • The Weight
59 Steve Miller Band • The Joker
60 Rush • The Spirit Of Radio
61 The Police • Every Breath You Take
62 Van Morrison • Moondance
63 Led Zeppelin • Ramble On
64 Neil Young • Old Man
65 Creedence Clearwater Revival • Bad Moon Rising
66 The Beatles • Revolution
67 John Lennon • Instant Karma
68 AC/DC • Highway To Hell
69 Neil Young • Rockin' In The Free World
70 Supertramp • Give A Little Bit
71 Bachman-Turner Overdrive • Takin' Care Of Business
72 Fleetwood Mac • Dreams
73 Pink Floyd • Us And Them
74 Bruce Springsteen • Born To Run
75 The Who • My Generation
76 Elton John • Tiny Dancer
77 Steppenwolf • Born To Be Wild
78 Dire Straits • Sultans Of Swing
79 Manfred Mann's Earth Band • Blinded By The Light
80 Led Zeppelin • D'yer Mak'er
81 Led Zeppelin • Kashmir
82 The Kinks • Lola
83 Jimi Hendrix • Foxey Lady
84 Lou Reed • Walk On The Wild Side
85 Pink Floyd • Shine On You Crazy Diamond Pts. I-V
86 The Beatles • Here Comes The Sun
87 Bachman-Turner Overdrive • You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet
88 ZZ Top • La Grange
89 The Rolling Stones • Brown Sugar
90 Black Sabbath • Paranoid
91 Rod Stewart • Maggie May
92 The Doors • L.A. Woman
93 Led Zeppelin • Immigrant Song
94 Stealers Wheel • Stuck In The Middle With You
95 The Beatles • Let It Be
96 Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band • Night Moves
97 U2 • Sunday Bloody Sunday
98 Steely Dan • Do It Again
99 The Rolling Stones • Start Me Up
100 Yes • I've Seen All Good People
101 T. Rex • Bang A Gong (Get It On)
102 War • Low Rider
103 David Bowie • Ziggy Stardust
104 Neil Young • Cinnamon Girl
105 The Doobie Brothers • Listen To The Music
106 Procol Harum • A Whiter Shade Of Pale
107 Free • All Right Now
108 Rush • Limelight
109 Creedence Clearwater Revival • Down On The Corner
110 The Rolling Stones • Miss You
111 Eric Clapton • Cocaine
112 The Tragically Hip • New Orleans Is Sinking
113 Fleetwood Mac • Go Your Own Way
114 Cream • Sunshine Of Your Love
115 Talking Heads • Once In A Lifetime
116 The Police • Message In A Bottle
117 Buffalo Springfield • Mr. Soul
118 The Beatles • Magical Mystery Tour
119 David Bowie • Space Oddity
120 Queen • Somebody To Love
121 Elton John • Rocket Man
122 Supertramp • School
123 Steve Miller Band • Fly Like An Eagle
124 AC/DC • Thunderstruck
125 Creedence Clearwater Revival • Have You Ever Seen The Rain
126 Pink Floyd • Brain Damage / Eclipse
127 Yes • Owner Of A Lonely Heart
128 Jefferson Airplane • White Rabbit
129 Elton John • Bennie & The Jets
130 Spencer Davis Group • Gimme Some Lovin'
131 Kiss • Rock And Roll All Nite
132 The Beatles • Help!
133 The Rolling Stones • Honky Tonk Woman
134 Tom Petty • Free Fallin'
135 Neil Young • Southern Man
136 John "Cougar" Mellencamp • Jack & Diane
137 Peter Frampton • Show Me The Way
138 Black Sabbath • War Pigs
139 Steppenwolf • The Pusher
140 The Rolling Stones • Beast Of Burden
141 The Eagles • Life In The Fast Lane
142 Fleetwood Mac • Don't Stop
143 U2 • Beautiful Day
144 The Doors • Riders On The Storm
145 The Guess Who • No Time
146 Aerosmith • Walk This Way
147 The Who • Pinball Wizard
148 Bryan Adams • Cuts Like A Knife
149 Steely Dan • Reeling In The Years
150 The Beatles • Eleanor Rigby
151 Genesis • That's All
152 George Thorogood & The Delaware Destroyers • Bad To The Bone
153 David Bowie • Fame
154 The Rolling Stones • Jumpin' Jack Flash
155 Led Zeppelin • What Is And What Should Never Be
156 Kansas • Carry On Wayward Son
157 Santana • Oye Como Va
158 The Doors • Hello, I Love You
159 Joe Walsh • Life's Been Good
160 Steve Miller Band • Take The Money And Run
161 The Rolling Stones • Can't You Hear Me Knocking
162 Eric Clapton • I Shot The Sheriff
163 Led Zeppelin • Dazed And Confused
164 The Beatles • Get Back
165 Bachman-Turner Overdrive • Let It Ride
166 Paul McCartney & Wings • Live And Let Die
167 Peter Gabriel • Solsbury Hill
168 U2 • One
169 The Who • Behind Blue Eyes
170 Blue Öyster Cult • (Don't Fear) The Reaper
171 Def Leppard • Pour Some Sugar On Me
172 Joe Cocker • With A Little Help From My Friends
173 Big Brother & The Holding Co. • Piece Of My Heart
174 Supertramp • Take The Long Way Home
175 The Eagles • Take It Easy
176 Bob Dylan • Knockin' On Heaven's Door
177 John Mellencamp • Small Town
178 Paul McCartney & Wings • Band On The Run
179 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young • Ohio
180 Alice Cooper • School's Out
181 The Beatles • A Hard Day's Night
182 Blood, Sweat & Tears • Spinning Wheel
183 Queen • Another One Bites The Dust
184 The Tragically Hip • Courage
185 Guns N' Roses • Paradise City
186 Supertramp • Bloody Well Right
187 The Rolling Stones • Emotional Rescue
188 Creedence Clearwater Revival • Proud Mary
189 The Doors • Love Me Two Times
190 The Rolling Stones • Ruby Tuesday
191 The Beatles • While My Guitar Gently Weeps
192 Bryan Adams • Summer Of '69
193 The Police • Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
194 Queen / David Bowie • Under Pressure
195 Tom Petty • I Won't Back Down
196 Eric Burdon & War • Spill The Wine
197 Van Halen • You Really Got Me
198 Supertramp • Breakfast In America
199 The Rascals • Good Lovin'
200 Led Zeppelin • The Ocean
201 Thin Lizzy • The Boys Are Back In Town
202 Rush • Tom Sawyer
203 Dire Straits • Money For Nothing
204 ZZ Top • Legs
205 The Police • Don't Stand So Close To Me
206 Led Zeppelin • When The Levee Breaks
207 Norman Greenbaum • Spirit In The Sky
208 Stevie Nicks • Edge Of Seventeen
209 America • A Horse With No Name
210 Don Henley • The Boys Of Summer
211 The Beatles • We Can Work It Out
212 Rush • Fly By Night
213 Foreigner • Hot Blooded
214 The Who • I Can See For Miles
215 U2 • New Year's Day
216 Buffalo Springfield • For What It's Worth
217 The Police • Walking On The Moon
218 Bachman-Turner Overdrive • Roll On Down The Highway
219 Supertramp • Goodbye Stranger
220 Heart • Crazy On You
221 Van Halen • Runnin' With The Devil
222 The Rolling Stones • Get Off My Cloud
223 The Hollies • Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)
224 Santana • Evil Ways
225 The Kinks • All Day And All Of The Night
226 The Rolling Stones • Angie
227 The Eagles • One Of These Nights
228 The Doors • Love Her Madly
229 Jefferson Airplane • Somebody To Love
230 The Byrds • Eight Miles High
231 Billy Idol • Rebel Yell
232 David Bowie • Let's Dance
233 The Band • Stage Fright
234 Bruce Springsteen • Hungry Heart
235 Red Rider • Lunatic Fringe
236 Led Zeppelin • All My Love
237 Creedence Clearwater Revival • Who'll Stop The Rain
238 April Wine • You Could Have Been A Lady
239 Steely Dan • Rikki Don't Lose That Number
240 The Rolling Stones • Wild Horses
241 Aerosmith • Dude (Looks Like A Lady)
242 Don McLean • American Pie
243 Steve Miller Band • Rock N' Me
244 Tom Cochrane • Life Is A Highway
245 Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers • Refugee
246 Bad Company • Feel Like Makin' Love
247 Joe Cocker • Feeling Alright
248 Queen • Crazy Little Thing Called Love
249 Jackson Browne • Running On Empty
250 The Guess Who • These Eyes
251 The Beatles • Back In The U.S.S.R.
252 U2 • With Or Without You
253 Led Zeppelin • Fool In The Rain
254 The Doobie Brothers • Black Water
255 Red Rider • White Hot
256 David Bowie • Changes
257 The Beach Boys • Good Vibrations
258 Golden Earring • Radar Love
259 Billy Idol • White Wedding
260 Rush • In The Mood
261 Fleetwood Mac • Rhiannon
262 Paul McCartney & Wings • Jet
263 Tom Cochrane • Sinking Like A Sunset
264 Bryan Adams • Run To You
265 Black Sabbath • Iron Man
266 Stephen Stills • Love The One You're With
267 The Beatles • Day Tripper
268 The Guess Who • Undun
269 Boston • Peace Of Mind
270 Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band • Hollywood Nights
271 The Tragically Hip • Twist My Arm
272 U2 • Mysterious Ways
273 Argent • Hold Your Head Up
274 Edgar Winter Group • Frankenstein
275 Deep Purple • Hush
276 Crosby, Stills & Nash • Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
277 The Band • The Shape I'm In
278 The Doors • Touch Me
279 John Lennon • Watching The Wheels
280 Rare Earth • Born To Wander
281 Three Dog Night • Mama Told Me (Not To Come)
282 Kim Mitchell • Go For Soda
283 AC/DC • Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
284 Pink Floyd • Hey You
285 Supertramp • Fool's Overture
286 The Guess Who • Hand Me Down World
287 Led Zeppelin • Heartbreaker / Living Loving Maid
288 The Beatles • Got To Get You Into My Life
289 The Tragically Hip • Little Bones
290 James Gang • Funk #49
291 Todd Rundgren • Hello It's Me
292 Grand Funk Railroad • Some Kind Of Wonderful
293 The Band • Up On Cripple Creek
294 Traffic • Dear Mr. Fantasy
295 Van Halen • Panama
296 Steve Miller Band • Jet Airliner
297 Robbie Robertson • Showdown At Big Sky
298 Badfinger • Come And Get It
299 The Beatles • Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
300 Chicago • 25 Or 6 To 4
301 The Rolling Stones • Gimme Shelter
302 Trooper • We're Here For A Good Time
303 Bon Jovi • You Give Love A Bad Name
304 Bruce Springsteen • Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
305 Bob Dylan • Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
306 Jimi Hendrix • Hey Joe
307 Heart • Barracuda
308 Electric Light Orchestra • Evil Woman
309 The Doobie Brothers • Long Train Runnin'
310 Max Webster • A Million Vacations
311 The Who • Magic Bus
312 April Wine • Sign Of The Gypsy Queen
313 The Doors • People Are Strange
314 The Guess Who • Sour Suite
315 Eric Clapton • After Midnight
316 Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band • Turn The Page
317 Tom Petty • Runnin' Down A Dream
318 Genesis • Misunderstanding
319 Kansas • Dust In The Wind
320 AC/DC • Hell's Bells
321 Bachman-Turner Overdrive • Looking Out For #1
322 The Rolling Stones • Under My Thumb
323 The Band • The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
324 Boston • Foreplay/Longtime
325 Fleetwood Mac • Gold Dust Woman
326 The Eagles • Desperado
327 April Wine • Oowatanite
328 Paul McCartney & Wings • My Love
329 Emerson, Lake & Palmer • Lucky Man
330 The Guess Who • Laughing
331 Led Zeppelin • Misty Mountain Hop
332 Harlequin • Thinking Of You
333 Pink Floyd • Speak To Me / Breathe
334 The Allman Brothers Band • Ramblin' Man
335 Peter Frampton • Baby I Love Your Way
336 Tom Cochrane • Big League
337 Bad Company • Can't Get Enough
338 The Tragically Hip • Three Pistols
339 The Beatles • Penny Lane
340 The Doors • Roadhouse Blues
341 The Clash • Rock The Casbah
342 Pink Floyd • Have A Cigar
343 Ozzy Osbourne • Crazy Train
344 Bryan Adams • Take Me Back
345 The Beatles • I Saw Her Standing There
346 The Beach Boys • God Only Knows
347 Joe Walsh • Rocky Mountain Way
348 Five Man Electrical Band • Signs
349 Janis Joplin • Me & Bobby McGee
350 Sly & The Family Stone • Dance To The Music
351 Meatloaf • Paradise By The Dashboard Light
352 George Harrison • My Sweet Lord
353 Van Morrison • Into The Mystic
354 Neil Young • Sugar Mountain
355 The Tragically Hip • Fifty-Mission Cap
356 AC/DC • Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution
357 Rush • YYZ
358 The Boomtown Rats • I Don't Like Mondays
359 April Wine • I Like To Rock
360 Scorpions • Rock You Like A Hurricane
361 Neil Young • My My Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue)
362 Pink Floyd • Young Lust
363 Bob Dylan • Lay Lady Lay
364 Rush • Subdivisions
365 Foreigner • Cold As Ice
366 Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble • Pride And Joy
367 Pink Floyd • Welcome To The Machine
368 Ian Thomas • Painted Ladies
369 Cheap Trick • I Want You To Want Me
370 Procol Harum • Conquistador
371 Peter Gabriel • In Your Eyes
372 The Animals • We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
373 Sniff N' The Tears • Driver's Seat
374 Bruce Springsteen • I'm On Fire
375 Bryan Adams • Kids Wanna Rock
376 Max Webster • Let Go The Line
377 Supertramp • Dreamer
378 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young • Helpless
379 Jethro Tull • Aqualung
380 Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers • Mary Jane's Last Dance
381 Def Leppard • Photograph
382 April Wine • Bad Side Of The Moon
383 Them • Gloria
384 Bachman-Turner Overdrive • Hey You
385 Jimi Hendrix • Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)
386 Genesis • The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
387 The Beatles • Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
388 April Wine • Drop Your Guns
389 Joni Mitchell • Big Yellow Taxi
390 Rod Stewart • (I Know) I'm Losing You
391 Blood, Sweat & Tears • You've Made Me So Very Happy
392 Led Zeppelin • How Many More Times
393 Colin James • Chicks 'N Cars
394 R.E.M. • Losing My Religion
395 Five Man Electrical Band • Absolutely Right
396 Mott The Hoople • All The Young Dudes
397 The Doobie Brothers • Takin' It To The Streets
398 Rush • Red Barchetta
399 Queen • Fat Bottomed Girls
400 The Rolling Stones • She's A Rainbow
401 April Wine • Roller
402 Bon Jovi • Livin' On A Prayer
403 The Allman Brothers Band • Midnight Rider
404 Heart • Magic Man
405 Boston • Don't Look Back
406 The Beatles • Something
407 Kim Mitchell • Patio Lanterns
408 ZZ Top • Gimme All Your Lovin'
409 Jeff Healey Band • See The Light
410 Grateful Dead • Truckin'
411 Van Halen • Unchained
412 Joni Mitchell • Raised On Robbery
413 Genesis • Turn It On Again
414 John Lennon • Whatever Gets You Through The Night
415 Ten Years After • I'd Love To Change The World
416 Nazareth • This Flight Tonight
417 Blind Faith • Can't Find My Way Home
418 Saga • On The Loose
419 54.40 • I Go Blind
420 Creedence Clearwater Revival • Fortunate Son
421 Loverboy • Turn Me Loose
422 Faces • Stay With Me
423 Neil Young • Alabama
424 Led Zeppelin • Thank You
425 The Tragically Hip • Ahead By A Century
426 Jackson Browne • The Load Out/Stay
427 The Troggs • Wild Thing
428 Lighthouse • Sunny Days
429 Cat Stevens • Wild World
430 George Harrison • What Is Life
431 Peter Frampton • Do You Feel Like We Do
432 Heart • Heartless
433 Bruce Springsteen • Thunder Road
434 The Guess Who • Share The Land
435 Triumph • Magic Power
436 Yes • Roundabout
437 Buffalo Springfield • I Am A Child
438 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young • Carry On
439 Rush • Closer To The Heart
440 The Clash • London Calling
441 Van Halen • Jamie's Crying
442 Chilliwack • Fly At Night
443 Warren Zevon • Werewolves Of London
444 54.40 • Love You All
445 Dire Straits • Walk Of Life
446 The Doobie Brothers • China Grove
447 Sly & The Family Stone • Everyday People
448 Neil Young • The Needle And The Damage Done
449 Roxy Music • Love Is The Drug
450 April Wine • Say Hello
451 Red Hot Chili Peppers • Under The Bridge
452 The Band • Chest Fever
453 Steve Miller Band • Swingtown
454 Max Webster • Diamonds Diamonds
455 Van Morrison • Domino
456 Bryan Adams • Somebody
457 Black Sabbath • Sweet Leaf
458 Robbie Robertson • Somewhere Down The Crazy River
459 The Beatles • Twist & Shout
460 Loverboy • Working For The Weekend
461 The Eagles • The Last Resort
462 John Mellencamp • Hurts So Good
463 Triumph • Lay It On The Line
464 U2 • Desire
465 Trooper • Raise A Little Hell
466 Fleetwood Mac • Say You Love Me
467 The Byrds • Mr. Tambourine Man
468 Harlequin • Innocence
469 The Kings • This Beat Goes On / Switchin' To Glide
470 Aerosmith • Love In An Elevator
471 Chilliwack • Lonesome Mary
472 Foreigner • Double Vision
473 Honeymoon Suite • New Girl Now
474 Bryan Adams • Heat Of The Night
475 The Beatles • All You Need Is Love
476 The Guess Who • Running Back To Saskatoon
477 Colin James • Just Came Back
478 Van Halen • Hot For Teacher
479 John Lennon • (Just Like) Starting Over
480 Triumph • Hold On
481 Doucette • Mama Let Him Play
482 Ram Jam • Black Betty
483 The Eagles • Heartache Tonight
484 Red Rider • Human Race
485 Blues Image • Ride Captain Ride
486 Chilliwack • Crazy Talk
487 The Police • De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
488 The Tragically Hip • Blow At High Dough
489 Sly & The Family Stone • Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)
490 Payola$ • Eyes Of A Stranger
491 The Moody Blues • Ride My See-Saw
492 Rush • New World Man
493 A Foot In Coldwater • (Make Me Do) Anything You Want
494 Genesis • Turn It On Again
495 Colin James • Keep On Lovin' Me Baby
496 Supertramp • Even In The Quietest Moments
497 Cream • Crossroads
498 The Doors • Break On Through (To The Other Side)
499 Queen • You're My Best Friend
500 The Beatles • Drive My Car

Wow, that's quite a list! I don't know that I'd put them in that order, but amazingly, I looked through the list and I actually recognize just about all of those songs...

cjj wrote:I actually recognize just about all of those songs...

Me too...........

I knew most of 'em from before 1975-7, I guess. I'm surprised by the omissions, however. Nothing by Little Richard, Chuck Berry, the Everly Brothers, or Carl Perkins.
JimK

Thanks for that list Brian. I've found similar lists that have been compiled by radio stations, but of course those lists are usually determined by the station's format. The Rolling Stone list ( http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/500songs ), is a little more broadly based, but still fraught will biases (the lack of prog/metal artists is one example).

I recognize better than 2/3 of them.