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The Greatest Songs of all Time

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Philo B 93
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10:21a, 10/2/25
I'm looking for songs that are well known and generally considered to be universally great, even if we music fans are tired of hearing them. I'd like to create a list of 100 songs.

Six songs I think belong on the list are:

1. Hey Jude - Beatles
2. Hotel California - Eagles
3. Sweet Child o' Mine - Guns 'n Roses
4. Purple Rain - Prince
5. Under Pressure - Queen
6. Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain - Willie Nelson

I could complete the list of 100 songs myself, but let's get some suggestions from the experts here on the EB.


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Hank the Grifter
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10:22a, 10/2/25
Born to Run - Springsteen

Rocky Mountain High and/or Country Roads - John Denver
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PDEMDHC
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10:35a, 10/2/25
AG
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EclipseAg
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10:38a, 10/2/25
AG
What about songs that have been given new life due to their use at sporting events?

I'm thinking like "Sweet Caroline" and "Take Me Home, Country Roads." Don't know that they are great, per se ... but they have universal awareness and everyone loves singing along.

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MSFC Aggie
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10:39a, 10/2/25
AG
just use Rolling Stone's list <eye roll>
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62strat
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10:40a, 10/2/25
AG
Well Elton John says that Nothing Else Matters is one of the best songs ever written, so that's my submission.

Metallica - Nothing Else Matters

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Rex Racer
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10:48a, 10/2/25
AG
Just pick the songs off of the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack.
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Claude!
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10:48a, 10/2/25
Elton John - Tiny Dancer
Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven (though I personally prefer When The Levee Breaks)
Derek & The Dominos - Layla
Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
Merle and Willie - Pancho and Lefty
Waylon Jennings - Luckenbach, Texas
Iron Maiden - Run to the Hills (or Wasted Years)
Metallica - Enter Sandman (though I prefer Fade to Black, Creeping Death, or For Whom The Bell Tolls)
Eric B. & Rakim - Paid in Full
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tk for tu juan
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tk for tu juan
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10:58a, 10/2/25
Just about any song on Dark Side of the Moon
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tk for tu juan
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11:37a, 10/2/25
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Drunken Overseas Bettor
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11:39a, 10/2/25
Rainbow Connection by Kermit the Frog
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Bruce Almighty
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11:44a, 10/2/25
AG
My greatest list would be completely different from my favorite list. Greatest of all time should probably include the following (I stopped at the 90s)

Johnny B Goode
Heartbreak Hotel
Like a Rolling Stone
Strawberry Fields Forever
Purple Haze
Satisfaction
God Only Knows
Ring of Fire
What I'd Say
Stairway to Heaven
Bohemian Rhapsody
London Calling
Staying Alive
Superstition
Respect
What's Goin On
Billie Jean
Like a Virgin
Purple Rain
Sweet Child O Mine
Walk This Way with Run DMC
Smells Like Teen Spirit
Jeremy
Enter Sandman
When I Come Around
You Oughta Know
I Will Always Love You
Friends in Low Places
Fantasy
Straight Outta Compton
Big Poppa
Nuthin bug a G Thang
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Rocag
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12:06p, 10/2/25
AG
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Gnome Sayin
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12:09p, 10/2/25
eot

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CyclingAg82
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12:24p, 10/2/25
AG
Steely Dan - Deacon Blues
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Zombie Jon Snow
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In reply to CyclingAg82 • 12:46p, 10/2/25
AG
CyclingAg82 said:
Steely Dan - Deacon Blues


Peg is better but I'll take both.
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Hagen95
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12:51p, 10/2/25
AG
You Never Even Called Me by My Name - David Allen Coe

Perfect country and western song.
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Zombie Jon Snow
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12:59p, 10/2/25
AG

I think more like timeless classics:

Highwayman - Highwaymen
Gentle On My Mind - Glen Campbell
Ring of Fire - Johnny Cash
Jolene - Dolly Parton
I Will Always Love You - Dolly Parton
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot
Into the Mystic - Van Morrison
What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
What's Goin On - Marvin Gaye
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman - Aretha Franklin
A Whiter Shade of Pale - Procol Harum
A Change is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke
(Sittin On) The Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
Georgia on my Mind - Ray Charles
Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers
Lean on Me - Bill Withers
Sunny - Bobby Hebb
God Only Knows - The Beach Boys
Southern Cross - Crosby Stills and Nash
Mrs. Robinson - Simon and Garfunkel
The Boxer - Simon and Garfunkel
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gigemags-99
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1:04p, 10/2/25
AG
Berserker by **** Your Yankee Blue Jeans
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TXAGBQ76
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1:07p, 10/2/25
AG
At Last by Etta James
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Zombie Jon Snow
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1:08p, 10/2/25
AG
From the Big Three I'd have at least 3 each in any top 100 although honestly they have 20 each to choose from

Beatles
Hey Jude
Something
A Day in the Life

Stones
You Can't Always Get What You Want
Gimme Shelter
Satisfaction

Led Zeppelin
Stairway to Heaven
Dazed and Confused
Whole Lotta Love
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Zombie Jon Snow
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In reply to TXAGBQ76 • 1:09p, 10/2/25
AG
TXAGBQ76 said:
At Last by Etta James

fantastic song can't believe i didn't have it in my classics list

This was the centerpiece song on a retrospective video i made for my parents 50th wedding anniversary. Timeless.
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Claude!
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In reply to gigemags-99 • 1:20p, 10/2/25
gigemags-99 said:
Berserker by **** Your Yankee Blue Jeans


Did he say making ****?
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TXAGBQ76
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In reply to Zombie Jon Snow • 1:23p, 10/2/25
AG
The number of weddings this song has been sung/played is probably staggering
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ConroeAg
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In reply to tk for tu juan • 1:32p, 10/2/25
tk for tu juan said:

Child of the 80's here...I always turn this up when it comes on. Love. It.
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brew82
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1:33p, 10/2/25
No George Strait songs mentioned yet. I'll add Amarillo by Morning.
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Rex Racer
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1:52p, 10/2/25
AG
"Just Like Heaven" - The Cure
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Hagen95
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1:54p, 10/2/25
AG
Beethoven's 3rd Symphony.
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Drunken Overseas Bettor
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In reply to Hagen95 • 2:15p, 10/2/25
Hagen95 said:
Beethoven's 3rd Symphony.

Beethoven sold out when he started doing commercial jingles in 1813. He's been dead to me ever since.
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Philo B 93
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2:23p, 10/2/25
Here's the list so far. Some of the "Any song on _____ album" answers don't work out, but every group has the lazy guy.

[ol]
  • 3rd Symphony (Beethoven)
  • A Change is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke)
  • A Day in the Life (Beatles)
  • (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay (Otis Redding)
  • A Whiter Shade of Pale (Procol Harum)
  • Ain't No Mountain High Enough (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell)
  • Ain't No Sunshine (Bill Withers)
  • Amarillo By Morning (George Strait)
  • Any Colour You Like (Pink Floyd)
  • At Last (Etta James)
  • Berserker (Your Yankee Blue Jeans)
  • Big Poppa (The Notorious B.I.G.)
  • Billie Jean (Michael Jackson)
  • Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain (Willie Nelson)
  • Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)
  • Born to Be Alive (Patrick Hernandez)
  • Born to Run (Bruce Springsteen)
  • Brain Damage (Pink Floyd)
  • Breathe (In the Air) (Pink Floyd)
  • Cherry Bomb (The Runaways)
  • Come and Get Your Love (Redbone)
  • Comfortably Numb (Pink Floyd)
  • Cult of Personality (Living Colour)
  • Dazed and Confused (Led Zeppelin)
  • Deacon Blues (Steely Dan)
  • Escape (The Piña Colada Song) (Rupert Holmes)
  • Enter Sandman (Metallica)
  • Fantasy (Mariah Carey)
  • Fooled Around and Fell in Love (Elvin Bishop)
  • Friends in Low Places (Garth Brooks)
  • Georgia on My Mind (Ray Charles)
  • Gentle On My Mind (Glen Campbell)
  • Gimme Shelter (The Rolling Stones)
  • Go All the Way (Raspberries)
  • God Only Knows (The Beach Boys)
  • Heartbreak Hotel (Elvis Presley)
  • Hey Jude (Beatles)
  • Highwayman (The Highwaymen)
  • Hooked on a Feeling (Blue Swede)
  • Hotel California (Eagles)
  • I Want You Back (Jackson 5)
  • I Will Always Love You (Dolly Parton)
  • I'm Not in Love (10cc)
  • Into the Mystic (Van Morrison)
  • Jeremy (Pearl Jam)
  • Jolene (Dolly Parton)
  • Just Like Heaven (The Cure)
  • Layla (Derek & The Dominos)
  • Lean on Me (Bill Withers)
  • Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love
  • Led Zeppelin - When the Levee Breaks
  • Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
  • Led Zeppelin - Dazed and Confused
  • Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
  • Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love
  • Led Zeppelin - When the Levee Breaks
  • Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
  • Led Zeppelin - Dazed and Confused
  • Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love
  • Led Zeppelin - When the Levee Breaks
  • Like a Rolling Stone (Bob Dylan)
  • Like a Virgin (Madonna)
  • Living Colour - Cult of Personality
  • London Calling (The Clash)
  • Luckenbach, Texas (Waylon Jennings)
  • Marvin Gaye - What's Goin' On
  • Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
  • Michael - When a Man Loves a Woman
  • Moonage Daydream (David Bowie)
  • Mrs. Robinson (Simon & Garfunkel)
  • My Foot Pal (The Shaggs)
  • Nuthin' But a "G" Thang (Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg)
  • Norwegian Wood (Beatles)
  • O-o-h Child (Five Stairsteps)
  • Paid in Full (Eric B. & Rakim)
  • Pancho and Lefty (Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson)
  • Peg (Steely Dan)
  • Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb
  • Pink Floyd - Speak to Me
  • Pink Floyd - Breathe (In the Air)
  • Pink Floyd - On the Run
  • Pink Floyd - Time
  • Pink Floyd - The Great Gig in the Sky
  • Pink Floyd - Money
  • Pink Floyd - Us and Them
  • Pink Floyd - Any Colour You Like
  • Pink Floyd - Brain Damage
  • Pink Floyd - Eclipse
  • Prince - Purple Rain
  • Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade of Pale
  • Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix)
  • Purple Rain (Prince)
  • Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
  • Queen - Under Pressure
  • Rainbow Connection (Kermit the Frog)
  • Redbone - Come and Get Your Love
  • Respect (Aretha Franklin)
  • Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash)
  • Rocky Mountain High (John Denver)
  • Rupert Holmes - Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
  • Run to the Hills (Iron Maiden)
  • Satisfaction (The Rolling Stones)
  • Simon & Garfunkel - Mrs. Robinson
  • Simon & Garfunkel - The Boxer
  • Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana)
  • Something (Beatles)
  • Southern Cross (Crosby, Stills & Nash)
  • Speak to Me (Pink Floyd)
  • Spirit in the Sky (Norman Greenbaum)
  • Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin)
  • Staying Alive (Bee Gees)
  • Straight Outta Compton (N.W.A.)
  • Strawberry Fields Forever (Beatles)
  • Staying Alive (Bee Gees)
  • Superstition (Stevie Wonder)
  • Sunny (Bobby Hebb)
  • Sweet Child o' Mine (Guns N' Roses)
  • Take Me Home, Country Roads (John Denver)
  • The Boxer (Simon & Garfunkel)
  • The Great Gig in the Sky (Pink Floyd)
  • The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald (Gordon Lightfoot)
  • The Runaways - Cherry Bomb
  • The Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
  • These Boots Are Made for Walkin' (Nancy Sinatra)
  • Time (Pink Floyd)
  • Tiny Dancer (Elton John)
  • Us and Them (Pink Floyd)
  • Walk This Way (Run-DMC with Aerosmith)
  • What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
  • What'd I Say (Ray Charles)
  • What's Goin' On (Marvin Gaye)
  • When I Come Around (Green Day)
  • When a Man Loves a Woman (Percy Sledge or Michael Bolton)
  • Whole Lotta Love (Led Zeppelin)
  • You Can't Always Get What You Want (The Rolling Stones)
  • You Never Even Called Me by My Name (David Allan Coe)
  • You Oughta Know (Alanis Morissette)
    • [/ol]
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    KidDoc
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    In reply to ConroeAg • 2:24p, 10/2/25
    AG
    ConroeAg said:
    tk for tu juan said:

    Child of the 80's here...I always turn this up when it comes on. Love. It.

    They are still excellent live if you can catch them. Very nice to fans as well I've run into Corey a few times at thesands.rocks festival.
    No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
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    KidDoc
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    2:27p, 10/2/25
    AG
    Ozzy- Crazy Train
    AC/DC- Thunderstruck
    GnR- Jungle
    Rush- Tom Sawyee
    INXS- Devil Inside
    Duran Duran- Rio
    Tears for Fears- Shout
    Motley Crue- Kickstart my Heart
    Judas Priest- You Got another thing comin
    Judas Priest- Breakin the law
    Judas Priest- Livin after midnight
    Scorpions- Winds of Change, Rock you like a hurricane, The Zoo
    Whitesnake- Here I Go Again, Slide it In, Love ain't no stranger
    Dio- Holy Diver
    Sammy Hagar- Heavy Metal, One Way to Rock, Can't drive 55
    No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
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    TXAG 05
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    In reply to TXAGBQ76 • 2:30p, 10/2/25
    AG
    TXAGBQ76 said:
    The number of weddings this song has been sung/played is probably staggering

    Just the number of times its been the song for the first dance is probably insane, let alone just played at a wedding. I don't think I've been to one where it wasn't played.
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    Philo B 93
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    In reply to KidDoc • 2:31p, 10/2/25
    KidDoc said:
    Ozzy- Crazy Train
    AC/DC- Thunderstruck
    GnR- Jungle
    Rush- Tom Sawyee
    INXS- Devil Inside
    Duran Duran- Rio
    Tears for Fears- Shout
    Motley Crue- Kickstart my Heart
    Judas Priest- You Got another thing comin
    Judas Priest- Breakin the law
    Judas Priest- Livin after midnight
    Scorpions- Winds of Change, Rock you like a hurricane, The Zoo
    Whitesnake- Here I Go Again, Slide it In, Love ain't no stranger
    Dio- Holy Diver
    Sammy Hagar- Heavy Metal, One Way to Rock, Can't drive 55

    Almost perfect list of songs, but why include Sammy and skip Van Halen?
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