Dave’s Faves: My Top 100 Songs

Dave’s Faves: My Top 100 Songs

Here are my personal top 100 favorite songs. Note: year of release is when song was first released, whether it be as a single or part of an album. Links on songs will take you to a DMDB page dedicated to that song. A note regarding the images: Most are from singles’ artwork. However, in some cases, a single wasn’t released for the song or a cover simply wasn’t available so another image, usually the parent album, was substituted. Click here to see other Dave’s Faves song lists.

1. Marillion “Kayleigh” (1985)
2. Styx “Renegade” (1978)
3. Marillion “Script for a Jester’s Tear” (1983)
4. The Police “Message in a Bottle” (1979)
5. Otis Redding “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” (1968)
6. David + David “Welcome to the Boomtown” (1986)
7. Styx “Come Sail Away” (1977)
8. Indigo Girls “Closer to Fine” (1989)
9. The Alan Parsons Project “Old and Wise” (1982)
10. Queen “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1975)

11. XTC “Dear God” (1986)
12. Furniture “Brilliant Mind” (1986)
13. Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven” (1971)
14. Styx “The Best of Times” (1981)
15. Marillion “Estonia” (1997)
16. Pink Floyd “Another Brick in the Wall Part II” (1979)
17. Squeeze “Tempted” (1981)
18. Little River Band “Cool Change” (1979)
19. Crowded House “Silent House” (2007)
20. Toy Matinee “There Was a Little Boy” (1990)

21. Del Amitri “Kiss This Thing Goodbye” (1989)
22. Styx “Fooling Yourself (Angry Young Man)” (1977)
23. Michael Franti & Spearhead “Everyone Deserves Music” (2003)
24. The Beatles “A Day in the Life” (1967)
25. Queen “We Will Rock You” / “We Are the Champions” (1977)
26. Styx “Suite Madame Blue” (1975)
27. Soft Cell “Tainted Love” (1981)
28. Lyle Lovett “Step Inside This House” (1998)
29. Shawn Colvin “I Don’t Know Why” (1992)
30. Willie Nelson with Lukas Nelson “Just Breathe” (2012)

31. Pink Floyd “Comfortably Numb” (1979)
32. Tori Amos “Me and a Gun” (1991)
33. Styx “Babe” (1979)
34. The Rolling Stones “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” (1969)
35. The Police “I Burn for You” (1982)
36. Crowded House “Better Be Home Soon” (1988)
37. U2 “Bad” (1984)
38. Kate Bush “This Woman’s Work” (1988)
39. Aretha Franklin “Respect” (1967)
40. David Bowie “Changes” (1971)

41. The Rolling Stones “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965)
42. The Police “Every Breath You Take” (1983)
43. The Williams Brothers “Can’t Cry Hard Enough” (1991)
44. Squeeze “Up the Junction” (1979)
45. Michael Andrews & Gary Jules “Mad World” (2002)
46. U2 “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (1983)
47. Prince & the Revolution “Purple Rain” (1984)
48. The Beatles “Eleanor Rigby” (1966)
49. Peter Gabriel “Biko” (1980)
50. Eagles “Seven Bridges Road” (live, 1980)

51. The Beatles “With a Little Help from My Friends” (1967)
52. Eagles “Desperado” (1973)
53. Fish “Cliché” (1990)
54. Eagles “Hotel California” (1976)
55. Styx “Mr. Roboto” (1983)
56. Toto “Africa” (1982)
57. Blondie “Heart of Glass” (1978)
58. Air Supply “Lost in Love” (1980)
59. Kenny Rogers “Coward of the County” (1979)
60. Supertramp “The Logical Song” (1979)

61. Melissa Etheridge with Bruce Springsteen “Thunder Road (live)” (1995)
62. R.E.M. “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” (1987)
63. The Harry Simeone Chorale “The Little Drummer Boy” (1958)
64. Peter Gabriel “Solsbury Hill” (1977)
65. Bing Crosby with David Bowie “Peace on Earth/The Little Drummer Boy” (1977)
66. Rush “Tom Sawyer” (1981)
67. Billie Holiday “Strange Fruit” (1939)
68. Israel Kamakawiwo’ole “Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World” (1993)
69. Gerry Rafferty “Baker Street” (1978)
70. Tori Amos “Silent All These Years” (1991)

71. Michael Jackson “Billie Jean” (1982)
72. Prince “1999” (1982)
73. Bruce Springsteen “Born to Run” (1975)
74. Alan Jackson “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning” (2001)
75. Foreigner “Waiting for a Girl Like You” (1981)
76. Journey “Open Arms” (1981)
77. John Cougar Mellencamp “Jack and Diane” (1982)
78. Pink Floyd “Mother” (1979)
79. Violent Femmes “Add It Up” (1983)
80. Johnny Cash “Hurt” (2002)

81. The Four Tops “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” (1966)
82. Harry Chapin “Cat’s in the Cradle” (1974)
83. The Righteous Brothers “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” (1964)
84. Bruce Springsteen “American Skin (41 Shots)” (2001)
85. Tears for Fears “Head Over Heels” (1985)
86. Tracy Chapman “Fast Car” (1988)
87. Pearl Jam “Jeremy” (1991)
88. John Mellencamp “If I Die Sudden” (2008)
89. Sting “Message in a Bottle” (live, 1981)
90. Melissa Etheridge “Occasionally” (1988)

91. Prince “When Doves Cry” (1984)
92. Hooters “All You Zombies” (1985)
93. Journey “Don’t Stop Believin’” (1981)
94. The Rainmakers “Downstream” (1986)
95. The Beatles “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (1963)
96. Styx “Too Much Time on My Hands” (1981)
97. Sting “They Dance Alone” (1987)
98. Journey “Feeling That Way/Anytime” (1978)
99. Chic “Le Freak” (1978)
100. Sam Cooke “A Change Is Gonna Come” (1964)

Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Dave’s Faves: Song Lists” Dave’s Music Database: “Dave’s Faves: Albums/Works” Dave’s Music Database: “Dave’s Faves: Top 100 Acts” Dave’s Music Database: Other Best-of Song Lists First posted 7/3/2011; last updated 8/13/2022.