TIME, the world’s largest weekly news magazine, has compiled a list of the 100 “the most extraordinary English-language pop recordings” released since the magazine was founded back in 1923. The songs were selected for the list based on their “enduring beauty, power and inventiveness.”
Enduring power, beauty and inventiveness? How about a ranking system instead? Yep, you read that right– these songs are listed in chronological order and that’s it. There are also no double entries on the list which is fine but is Dylan really best represented by Subterranean Homesick Blues? Is Bohemian Rhapsody Queen’s best song? (I personally would have gone with Fat Bottomed Girls – just sayin’!)
No list is perfect but this one excludes some of the greats: Neil Young, Jimi Hendrix, Beck, White Stripes, Sam Cooke and The Kinks. How can you have a music list without Jimi Hendrix on it? Can TIME magazine not hear Jimi?
Since you are all busy people and who know how to use Google I’m not going to give you the whole list – just my favorite of the magazine’s choices from each decade:
Gold Digger – Kanye West (2005)
99 Problems – Jay-Z (2004)
Hey Ya! – Outkast (2003)
California Love – 2Pac (1990)
Juicy – The Notorious B.I.G. (1994)
Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana (1991)
Master of Puppets – Metallica (1986)
Kiss – Prince (1986)
Billie Jean – Michael Jackson (1982)
I Wanna Be Sedated – The Ramones (1977)
Angel from Montgomery – Bonnie Raitt (1974)
Superstition – Stevie Wonder (1972)
Immigrant Song – Led Zeppelin (1971)
Iron Man – Black Sabbath (1971)
A Case of You – Joni Mitchell (1971)
Rock & Roll – Velvet Underground (1970)
Coal Miner’s Daughter – Loretta Lynn (1970)
Gimme Shelter – Rolling Stones (1969)
I Want You Back – Jackson 5 (1969)
Be My Baby– The Ronettes (1963)
I Want to Hold Your Hand – The Beatles (1963)
What’d I Say – Ray Charles (1959)
Johnny B. Goode – Chuck Berry (1958)
Jailhouse Rock – Elvis Presley (1957)
Tutti Frutti – Little Richard (1956)
I’ve Got You Under My Skin – Frank Sinatra (1956)
Folsom Prison Blues – Johnny Cash (1955)
Baby It’s Cold Outside – Ella Fitzgerald (1949)
Cold, Cold Heart – Hank Williams (1949)
White Christmas – Bing Crosby (1944)
Stormy Weather – Lena Horne (1941)
This Land Is Your Land – Woody Guthrie (1940)
Strange Fruit – Billie Holiday (1939)
Over the Rainbow – Judy Garland (1939)
Cheek to Cheek – Fred Astaire (1935)
It Dont Mean A Thing (If It Aint Got That Swing) – Duke Ellington (1931)
Star Dust – Louis Armstrong (1931)
Wildwood Flower – The Carter Family (1928)
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