TSORT: Songs of the Year, 1900-2018

Originally posted 4/13/2019; updated 11/29/2019.

TSORT offers an aggregate of as many as 138 charts, although the number of charts becomes more sparse the farther back they stretch. Nonetheless, the site offers a page indicating songs of the year from 1900 to present.

• 2018: Drake “God’s Plan”
• 2017: Ed Sheeran “Shape of You”
• 2016: Drake with WizKid & Kyla “One Dance”
• 2015: Adele “Hello”
• 2014: Pharrell Williams “Happy”
• 2013: Robin Thicke with T.I. & Pharrell Williams “Blurred Lines”
• 2012: Gotye with Kimbra “Somebody That I Used to Know”
• 2011: Rihanna with Calvin Harris “We Found Love”
• 2010: Ke$ha “Tik Tok”

• 2009: Lady Gaga “Poker Face”
• 2008: Leona Lewis “Bleeding Love”
• 2007: Rihanna with Jay-Z “Umbrella”
• 2006: Shakira with Wyclef Jean “Hips Don’t Lie”
• 2005: Madonna “Hung Up”
• 2004: Usher with Lil’ Jon & Ludacris “Yeah!”
• 2003: OutKast “Hey Ya!”
• 2002: Eminem “Lose Yourself”
• 2001: Kylie Minogue “Can’t Get You Out of My Head”
• 2000: Madonna “Music”

• 1999: Britney Spears “Baby One More Time”
• 1998: Celine Dion “My Heart Will Go On”
• 1997: Elton John “Candle in the Wind 1997 (Goodbye England’s Rose)”
• 1996: Spice Girls “Wannabe”
• 1995: Coolio with L.V. “Gangsta’s Paradise”
• 1994: Ace of Base “The Sign”
• 1993: UB40 “Can’t Help Falling in Love”
• 1992: Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You”
• 1991: Bryan Adams “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You”
• 1990: Sinéad O’Connor “Nothing Compares 2 U”

• 1989: Madonna “Like a Prayer”
• 1988: Phil Collins “A Groovy Kind of Love”
• 1987: Whitney Houston “I Wanna Dance with Somebody Who Loves Me”
• 1986: Berlin “Take My Breath Away”
• 1985: U.S.A. for Africa “We Are the World”
• 1984: Stevie Wonder “I Just Called to Say I Love You”
• 1983: Irene Cara “Flashdance...What a Feelin’”
• 1982: Survivor “Eye of the Tiger”
• 1981: Kim Carnes “Bette Davis Eyes”
• 1980: Pink Floyd “Another Brick in the Wall Part II”

• 1979: Blondie “Heart of Glass”
• 1978: Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive”
• 1977: Eagles “Hotel California”
• 1976: Abba “Dancing Queen”
• 1975: Billy Swan “I Can Help”
• 1974: Carl Douglas “Kung Fu Fighting”
• 1973: The Rolling Stones “Angie”
• 1972: Don McLean “American Pie”
• 1971: George Harrison “My Sweet Lord”
• 1970: The Beatles “Let It Be”

• 1969: The Archies “Sugar Sugar”
• 1968: The Beatles “Hey Jude”
• 1967: Procol Harum “A Whiter Shade of Pale”
• 1966: Frank Sinatra “Strangers in the Night”
• 1965: The Rolling Stones “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”
• 1964: The Beatles “I Want to Hold Your Hand”
• 1963: Trini Lopez “If I Had a Hammer”
• 1962: Ray Charles “I Can’t Stop Loving You”
• 1961: Ben E. King “Stand by Me”
• 1960: Elvis Presley “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”

• 1959: Bobby Darin “Mack the Knife”
• 1958: The Kingston Trio “Tom Dooley”
• 1957: Elvis Presley “Jailhouse Rock”
• 1956: Doris Day “Whatever Will Be Will Be (Que Sera Sera)”
• 1955: Bill Haley & His Comets “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock”
• 1954: Doris Day “Secret Love”
• 1953: Les Paul & Mary Ford “Vaya Con Dios (May God Be with You)”
• 1952: Jo Stafford “You Belong to Me”
• 1951: Nat “King” Cole “Too Young”
• 1950: Nat “King” Cole “Mona Lisa”

• 1949: Vaughn Monroe “Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend)”
• 1948: Dinah Shore & Her Harper Valley Boys “Buttons and Bows”
• 1947: : Francis Craig with Bob Lamm “Near You”
• 1946: Frank Sinatra “Five Minutes More”
• 1945: Les Brown with Doris Day “Sentimental Journey”
• 1944: Bing Crosby “Swinging on a Star”
• 1943: The Mills Brothers “Paper Doll”
• 1942: Bing Crosby with the Ken Darby Singers & the John Scott Trotter Orchestra “White Christmas”
• 1941: Glenn Miller with Tex Beneke & the Four Modernaires “Chattanooga Choo Choo”
• 1940: Glenn Miller “In the Mood”

• 1939: Judy Garland “Over the Rainbow”
• 1938: Artie Shaw “Begin the Beguine”
• 1937: Count Basie “One O’Clock Jump”
• 1936: Bing Crosby “Pennies from Heaven”
• 1935: Fred Astaire with Ginger Rogers & Leo Reisman’s Orchestra “Cheek to Cheek”
• 1934: Leo Reisman “The Continental (You Kiss While We’re Dancing)”
• 1933: Ethel Waters “Stormy Weather (Keeps Rainin' All the Time)”
• 1932: Fred Astaire “Night and Day”
• 1931: Cab Calloway “Minnie the Moocher (The Ho De Ho Song)”
• 1930: Earl Burtnett with Harry Richman “Puttin’ on the Ritz”

• 1929: Eddie Cantor “Makin’ Whoopee”
• 1928: Jimmie Rodgers “Blue Yodel #1 (T for Texas)”
• 1927: Hoagy Carmichael & His Pals “Stardust”
• 1926: Gene Austin “Bye Bye Blackbird”
• 1925: Ben Bernie “Sweet Georgia Brown”
• 1924: Paul Whiteman with George Gershwin “Rhapsody in Blue”
• 1923: Bessie Smith “Down Hearted Blues”
• 1922: Fanny Brice “My Man (Mon Homme)”
• 1921: Marion Harris “I Ain’t Got Nobody”
• 1920: Al Jolson “Swanee”

• 1919: Marion Harris “After You’ve Gone”
• 1918: Original Dixieland Jazz Band “Tiger Rag”
• 1917: Nora Bayes “Over There”
• 1916: John McCormack “Somewhere a Voice Is Calling”
• 1915: Olive Kline (as Alice Green) & Edward Hamilton “Hello Frisco!”
• 1914: Heidelberg Quintet “By the Beautiful Sea”
• 1913: Chauncy Olcott “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling”
• 1912: Al Jolson “That Haunting Melody”
• 1911: Sophie Tucker “Some of These Days”
• 1910: Louise Homer “America the Beautiful”

• 1909: Fisk Jubilee Singers “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”
• 1908: Billy Murray with the Haydn Quartet “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”
• 1907: Enrico Caruso “Pagliacci Act 1: Vesti La Giubba (On with the Play)”
• 1906: Bert Williams “Nobody”
• 1905: Billy Murray “Give My Regards to Broadway”
• 1904: Haydn Quartet “Sweet Adeline (You’re the Flower of My Heart)”
• 1903: Haydn Quartet “In the Good Old Summertime”
• 1902: Byron Harlan & Frank Stanley “Tell Me, Pretty Maiden”
• 1901: John Philip Sousa “The Stars and Stripes Forever”
• 1900: Jere Mahoney “When You Were Sweet Sixteen”

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Acclaimed Music – Songs of the Year, 1920-2018

Originally posted 12/29/2014; updated 12/31/2018.

Acclaimed Music was started in 1994 by Henrik Franzon in Stockholm, Sweden. He has aggregated multiple best-of lists to come up with all-time lists for albums and songs as well as annual lists.

• 2018: Childish Gambino “This Is America”
• 2017: Kendrick Lamar “Humble”
• 2016: Beyoncé “Formation”
• 2015: Tame Impala “Let It Happen”
• 2014: Future Islands “Seasons (Waiting on You)”
• 2013: Daft Punk with Pharrell Williams “Get Lucky”
• 2012: Frank Ocean “Pyramids”
• 2011: M83 “Midnight City”
• 2010: Kanye West with Pusha T “Runaway”

• 2009: Jay-Z with Alicia Keys…Empire State of Mind
• 2008: Hercules & Love Affair “Blind”
• 2007: M.I.A. “Paper Planes”
• 2006: Gnarls Barkley “Crazy”
• 2005: Arctic Monkeys “I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor”
• 2004: Franz Ferdinand “Take Me Out”
• 2003: OutKast “Hey Ya!”
• 2002: LCD Soundsystem “Losing My Edge”
• 2001: Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott “Get UR Freak On”
• 2000: OutKast “Ms. Jackson”

• 1999: Aphex Twin “Windowlicker”
• 1998: Stardust “Music Sounds Better with You”
• 1997: Radiohead “Paranoid Android”
• 1996: The Prodigy “Firestarter”
• 1995: Pulp “Common People”
• 1994: Oasis “Live Forever”
• 1993: Beck “Loser”
• 1992: Radiohead “Creep”
• 1991: Nirvana “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
• 1990: Sinéad O’Connor “Nothing Compares 2 U”

• 1989: Public Enemy “Fight the Power”
• 1988: The La’s “There She Goes”
• 1987: Guns N’ Roses “Sweet Child O’ Mine”
• 1986: The Smiths “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out”
• 1985: Madonna “Into the Groove”
• 1984: Prince “When Doves Cry”
• 1983: New Order “Blue Monday”
• 1982: Michael Jackson “Billie Jean”
• 1981: The Specials “Ghost Town”
• 1980: Joy Division “Love Will Tear Us Apart”

• 1979: The Clash “London Calling”
• 1978: Blondie “Heart of Glass”
• 1977: Sex Pistols “God Save the Queen”
• 1976: Sex Pistols “Anarchy in the U.K.”
• 1975: Bruce Springsteen “Born to Run”
• 1974: Bob Marley & the Wailers “No Woman, No Cry”
• 1973: The Stooges “Search and Destroy”
• 1972: Stevie Wonder “Superstition”
• 1971: Marvin Gaye “What’s Going On”
• 1970: Derek & the Dominos “Layla”

• 1969: The Rolling Stones “Gimme Shelter”
• 1968: Marvin Gaye “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”
• 1967: The Beatles “A Day in the Life”
• 1966: The Beach Boys “Good Vibrations”
• 1965: Bob Dylan “Like a Rolling Stone”
• 1964: The Kinks “You Really Got Me”
• 1963: The Ronettes “Be My Baby”
• 1962: Booker T & the MG’s “Green Onions”
• 1961: Ben E. King “Stand by Me”
• 1960: The Shirelles “Will You Love Me Tomorrow”

• 1959: Ray Charles “What’d I Say”
• 1958: Chuck Berry “Johnny B. Goode”
• 1957: Buddy Holly & the Crickets “That’ll Be the Day”
• 1956: Elvis Presley “Heartbreak Hotel”
• 1955: Little Richard “Tutti Frutti”
• 1954: Bill Haley & His Comets “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock”
• 1953: Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton “Hound Dog”
• 1952: Lloyd Price “Lawdy Miss Clawdy”
• 1951: Woody Guthrie “This Land Is Your Land”
• 1950: Muddy Waters “Rollin’ Stone”

• 1949: Hank Williams “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”
• 1948: John Lee Hooker “Boogie Chillen’”
• 1947: Bill Monroe & the Blue Grass Boys “Blue Moon of Kentucky”
• 1946: Charles Trenet “Beyond the Sea (La Mer)”
• 1945: Edith Piaf “La Vie En Rose”
• 1944: Les Brown with Doris Day “Sentimental Journey”
• 1943: Duke Ellington “Come Sunday”/“Black, Brown, and Beige”
• 1942: Bing Crosby with the Ken Darby Singers & the John Scott Trotter Orchestra “White Christmas”
• 1941: Billie Holiday “God Bless the Child”
• 1940: Quintet of the Hot Club of France “Nuages”

• 1939: Billie Holiday “Strange Fruit”
• 1938: Artie Shaw Begin the Beguine
• 1937: Robert Johnson “Hellhound on My Trail”
• 1936: Robert Johnson “Crossroads (aka "Cross Road Blues")”
• 1935: The Carter Family “Can the Circle Be Unbroken (Bye and Bye)”
• 1934: Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter “The Midnight Special”
• 1933: Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Orchestra “Moten’s Swing”
• 1932: Bing Crosby “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?”
• 1931: Cab Calloway “Minnie the Moocher”
• 1930: Duke Ellington “Mood Indigo”

• 1929: Fats Waller “Ain’t Misbehavin’”
• 1928: Louis Armstrong “West End Blues”
• 1927: Blind Willie Johnson “Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground”
• 1926: Jelly Roll Morton “Black Bottom Stomp”
• 1925: Bessie Smith with Louis Armstrong “St. Louis Blues”
• 1924: Paul Whiteman with George Gershwin “Rhapsody in Blue”
• 1923: Bessie Smith “Down Hearted Blues”
• 1922: James P. Johnson “Carolina Shout”
• 1921: Al Jolson “April Showers”
• 1920: Mamie Smith “Crazy Blues”

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Digital Dream Door: Songs of the Year, 1920-2018

Originally posted 4/6/2019.

Digital Dream Door offers multiple best-of music lists, including song-of-the-year lists from 1940 to present. Here are the best songs from each year:

• 2018: Lady Gaga with Bradley Cooper “Shallow”
• 2017: Ed Sheeran “Shape of You”
• 2016: The Weeknd with Daft Punk “Starboy”
• 2015: Adele “Hello”
• 2014: Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!”
• 2013: Daft Punk with Pharrell Williams “Get Lucky”
• 2012: Psy “Gangnam Style”
• 2011: Gotye with Kimbra “Somebody That I Used to Know”
• 2010: Adele “Rolling in the Deep”

• 2009: Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling”
• 2008: Beyoncé “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”
• 2007: M.I.A. “Paper Planes”
• 2006: Gnarls Barkley “Crazy”
• 2005: Gorillaz with De La Soul “Feel Good Inc.”
• 2004: Franz Ferdinand “Take Me Out”
• 2003: OutKast “Hey Ya!”
• 2002: Eminem “Lose Yourself”
• 2001: The Strokes “Last Nite”
• 2000: Radiohead “Idioteque”

• 1999: Eminem “My Name Is…”
• 1998: Lauryn Hill “Doo Wop (That Thing)”
• 1997: The Verve “Bittersweet Symphony”
• 1996: Fugees “Killing Me Softly”
• 1995: Coolio with L.V. “Gangsta’s Paradise”
• 1994: TLC “Waterfalls”
• 1993: Beck “Loser”
• 1992: Dr. Dre with Snoop Doggy Dogg “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang”
• 1991: Nirvana “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
• 1990: Sinéad O’Connor “Nothing Compares 2 U”

• 1989: Public Enemy “Fight the Power”
• 1988: Tracy Chapman “Fast Car”
• 1987: Guns N’ Roses “Sweet Child O’ Mine”
• 1986: Run-D.M.C. with Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler & Joe Perry “Walk This Way”
• 1985: Dire Straits “Money for Nothing”
• 1984: Prince “When Doves Cry”
• 1983: The Police “Every Breath You Take”
• 1982: Michael Jackson “Billie Jean”
• 1981: Joan Jett & the Blackhearts “I Love Rock and Roll”
• 1980: Blondie “Call Me”

• 1979: Pink Floyd “Another Brick in the Wall Part II”
• 1978: Gloria Gaynor “I Will Survive”
• 1977: Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive”
• 1976: Eagles “Hotel California”
• 1975: Bruce Springsteen…Born to Run
• 1974: Bob Marley & the Wailers “No Woman, No Cry”
• 1973: Lynyrd Skynyrd Free Bird
• 1972: Stevie Wonder “Superstition”
• 1971: Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven”
• 1970: Derek & the Dominos “Layla”

• 1969: Led Zeppelin “Whole Lotta Love”
• 1968: Marvin Gaye “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”
• 1967: Aretha Franklin “Respect”
• 1966: The Beach Boys “Good Vibrations”
• 1965: The Rolling Stones “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”
• 1964: The Righteous Brothers “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’”
• 1963: The Kingsmen “Louie Louie”
• 1962: Booker T. & the MG’s “Green Onions”
• 1961: Ben E. King “Stand by Me”
• 1960: The Shirelles “Will You Love Me Tomorrow”

• 1959: Ray Charles “What’d I Say”
• 1958: Chuck Berry “Johnny B. Goode”
• 1957: Elvis Presley “Jailhouse Rock”
• 1956: Elvis Presley “Hound Dog”
• 1955: Little Richard “Tutti Frutti”
• 1954: Bill Haley & His Comets “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock”
• 1953: The Drifters “Money Honey”
• 1952: Lloyd Price “Lawdy Miss Clawdy”
• 1951: The Dominoes “Sixty Minute Man”
• 1950: Fats Domino “The Fat Man”

• 1949: Hank Williams “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”
• 1948: Wynonie Harris “Good Rockin’ Tonight”
• 1947: T-Bone Walker “Call It Stormy Monday”
• 1946: Nat “King” Cole “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)”
• 1945: Louis Jordan “Caldonia”
• 1944: The Mills Brothers “You Always Hurt the One You Love”
• 1943: Al Dexter & His Troopers “Pistol Packin’ Mama”
• 1942: Bing Crosby with the Ken Darby Singers & the John Scott Trotter Orchestra “White Christmas”
• 1941: Billie Holiday “God Bless the Child”
• 1940: Artie Shaw “Stardust”

• 1939: Glenn Miller “In the Mood”
• 1938: Benny Goodman “Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)”
• 1937: Count Basie “One O’Clock Jump”
• 1936: Robert Johnson “Cross Road Blues (aka ‘Crossroads’)”
• 1935: Bing Crosby “Silent Night”
• 1934: Duke Ellington “Cocktails for Two”
• 1933: Ethel Waters “Stormy Weather (Keeps Rainin' All the Time)”
• 1932: Duke Ellington with Ivie Anderson “It Don’t Mean a Thing if It Ain’t Got That Swing”
• 1931: Cab Calloway “Minnie the Moocher”
• 1930: Paul Whiteman with Jack Fulton “Body and Soul”

• 1929: Fats Waller “Ain’t Misbehavin’”
• 1928: Louis Armstrong “West End Blues”
• 1927: Gene Austin “My Blue Heaven”
• 1926: Gene Austin “Bye Bye Blackbird”
• 1925: Vernon Dalhart “The Prisoner’s Song”
• 1924: Paul Whiteman with George Gershwin “Rhapsody in Blue”
• 1923: Bessie Smith “Down Hearted Blues”
• 1922: Fanny Brice “My Man (Mon Homme)”
• 1921: Paul Whiteman “My Mammy”
• 1920: Al Jolson “Swanee”

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2018: Top 25 Albums

First posted 1/8/2021.

Dave’s Music Database: Top Albums of 2018

Based on a combination of year-end lists and overall status in Dave’s Music Database, these are the top 25 albums of 2018: Kacey Musgraves Golden Hour Drake Scorpion Janelle Monáe Dirty Computer Cardi B Invasion of Privacy Lady Gaga with Bradley Cooper A Star Is Born soundtrack Post Malone Beerbongs & Bentleys Travis Scott Astroworld Robyn Honey The 1975 A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships Pusha T Daytona Mitski Be the Cowboy Ariana Grande Sweetener Arctic Monkeys Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino Black Panther soundtrack Noname Room 25 Christine & the Queens Chris Brandi Carlile By the Way, I Forgive You Pistol Annies Interstate Gospel Rosalía El Mal Querer (A Toxic Love) Queen Bohemian Rhapsody soundtrack The Carters (Jay-Z & Beyoncé) Everything Is Love Courtney Barnett Tell Me How You Really Feel Jack White Boarding House Reach Neko Case Hell-On Eminem Kamikaze Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Year-End Album Awards”

UK Official Charts: Songs of the Year, 1952-2018

Originally posted 4/14/2019.

The UK Official Charts Company is a company which tracks sales of albums and singles in the United Kingdom. The company formed in 1969, but have integrated New Musical Express (NME) charts which date back to 1952. There are year-end charts posted on the official site, but they are easier to access here.

• 2018: Keala Settle with the Greatest Showman Ensemble “This Is Me”
• 2017: Ed Sheeran “Shape of You”
• 2016: Drake with Wizkid & Kyla “One Dance”
• 2015: Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!”
• 2014: Pharrell Williams “Happy”
• 2013: Robin Thicke with T.I. & Pharrell Williams “Blurred Lines”
• 2012: Gotye with Kimbra “Somebody That I Used to Know”
• 2011: Adele “Someone Like You”
• 2010: Eminem & Rihanna “Love the Way You Lie”

• 2009: Lady Gaga “Poker Face”
• 2008: Alexandra Burke “Hallelujah”
• 2007: Leona Lewis “Bleeding Love”
• 2006: Gnarls Barkley “Crazy”
• 2005: Tony Christie & Peter Kay “Is This the Way to Amarillo”
• 2004: Band Aid 20 “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”
• 2003: Black Eyed Peas with Justin Timberlake “Where Is the Love?”
• 2002: Will Young “Anything Is Possible”
• 2001: Shaggy with Ricardo “Rik Rok” Ducent “It Wasn’t Me”
• 2000: Bob the Builder “Can We Fix It?”

• 1999: Britney Spears “Baby One More Time”
• 1998: Celine Dion “My Heart Will Go On”
• 1997: Puff Daddy with Faith Evans & 112 “I’ll Be Missing You”
• 1996: Spice Girls “Wannabe”
• 1995: Celine Dion “Think Twice”
• 1994: Wet Wet Wet “Love Is All Around”
• 1993: Meat Loaf “I’d Do Anything for Love But I Won’t Do That”
• 1992: Shapespear’s Sister “Stay”
• 1991: Bryan Adams “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You”
• 1990: Elton John “Healing Hands”/“Sacrifice”

• 1989: Black Box “Ride on Time”
• 1988: Kylie Minogue “I Should Be So Lucky”
• 1987: Rick Astley “Never Gonna Give You Up”
• 1986: Communards “Don’t Leave Me This Way”
• 1985: Jennifer Rush “The Power of Love”
• 1984: Frankie Goes to Hollywood “Relax”
• 1983: Culture Club “Karma Chameleon”
• 1982: Dexy’s Midnight Runners “Come on Eileen”
• 1981: Shakin’ Stevens “This Ole House”
• 1980: Don McLean “Crying”

• 1979: Art Garfunkel “Bright Eyes”
• 1978: Boney M “Rivers of Babylon”
• 1977: Abba “Knowing Me, Knowing You”
• 1976: Brotherhood of Man “Save Your Kisses for Me”
• 1975: Bay City Rollers “Bye Bye Baby”
• 1974: David Essex “Gonna Make You a Star”
• 1973: Tony Orlando & Dawn “Tie a Yellow Ribbon ‘Round the Ole Oak Tree”
• 1972: Harry Nilsson “Without You”
• 1971: Tony Orlando & Dawn “Knock Three Times”
• 1970: Elvis Presley “The Wonder of You”

• 1969: The Archies “Sugar Sugar”
• 1968: Louis Armstrong “What a Wonderful World”
• 1967: Engelbert Humperdinck “Release Me”
• 1966: Jim Reeves “Distant Drums”
• 1965: Ken Dodd “Tears”
• 1964: Jim Reeves “I Love You Because”
• 1963: The Beatles “She Loves You”
• 1962: Frank Ifield “I Remember You”
• 1961: Elvis Presley “Wooden Heart”
• 1960: The Everly Brothers “Cathy’s Clown”

• 1959: Russ Conway “Side Saddle”
• 1958: The Everly Brothers “All I Have to Do Is Dream”
• 1957: Paul Anka “Diana”
• 1956: Doris Day “Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera Sera)”
• 1955: Tennessee Ernie Ford “Give Me Your Word”
• 1954: Doris Day “Secret Love”
• 1953: Frankie Laine “I Believe”
• 1952: Al Martino “Here in My Heart”

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The Top 50 Christmas Songs of All Time

First posted 12/25/2011, updated 12/22/2018.

These are the top 50 Christmas songs according to Dave’s Music Database, which compiles multiple lists as well as chart performances, sales figures, and awards for songs. Because there are often multiple versions of these songs, only the version with the highest point total is listed. The top 11 are also in the DMDB list of the top 1000 songs of all time.

1. Bing Crosby “White Christmas” (1942)
2. Gene Autry “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1949)
3. Nat “King” Cole “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)” (1946)
4. Bing Crosby “Silent Night” (1935)
5. Vaughn Monroe “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” (1945)
6. Guy Lombardo “Winter Wonderland” (1934)
7. Band Aid “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” (1984)
8. Harry Simeone Chorale “The Little Drummer Boy” (1958)
9. Bing Crosby “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (1943)
10. Johnny Mercer with Margaret Whiting “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” (1949)

11. George Hall “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” (1952)
12. Jimmy Boyd “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” (1952)
13. Mariah Carey “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (1994)
14. Bing Crosby with the Andrews Sisters “Jingle Bells” (1943)
15. Judy Garland “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (1944)
16. David Seville & The Chipmunks “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” (1958)
17. Gene Autry “Frosty the Snowman” (1950)
18. Spike Jones “All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth” (1948)
19. Gene Autry “Here Comes Santa Claus” (1947)
20. Trinity Choir “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” (1912)

21. Perry Como “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays” (1954)
22. Wham! “Last Christmas” (1984)
23. Brenda Lee “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (1958)
24. The Pogues with Kirsty MacColl “Fairytale of New York” (1987)
25. John Lennon & Yoko Ono “Happy X-Mas (War Is Over)” (1971)
26. Bobby Helms “Jingle Bell Rock” (1957)
27. Leroy Anderson & the Boston Pops Orchestra “Sleigh Ride” (1949)
28. Harry Belafonte “Mary’s Boy Child” (1956)
29. Perry Como “Silver Bells” (1950)
30. Bing Crosby “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” (1945)

31. Elvis Presley “Blue Christmas” (1957)
32. Associated Glee Clubs of America “O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)” (1925)
33. Jose Feliciano “Feliz Navidad” (1970)
34. Burl Ives “A Holly Jolly Christmas” (1964)
35. Slade “Merry Xmas Everybody” (1973)
36. Mormon Tabernacle Choir “Carol of the Bells” (1959)
37. Paul McCartney “Wonderful Christmas Time” (1979)
38. Eartha Kitt “Santa Baby” (1953)
39. Andy Williams “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” (1963)
40. Eagles “Please Come Home for Christmas” (1978)

41. Justin Bieber “Mistletoe” (2011)
42. The Andrews Sisters “Christmas Island” (1946)
43. Bing Crosby with David Bowie “Peace on Earth/The Little Drummer Boy” (1977)
44. Pretenders “2000 Miles” (1983)
45. Elton John “Step into Christmas” (1973)
46. The Waitresses “Christmas Wrapping” (1981)
47. Andy Williams “O Holy Night” (1963)
48. The Kinks “Father Christmas” (1977)
49. Joni Mitchell “River” (1971)
50. Darlene Love “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” (1963)

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The Gibb Brothers (Bee Gees & more): Top 100 Songs

First posted 5/20/2012; updated 12/20/2019.

Barry, Robin, Maurice, and Andy Gibb

Twins Maurice (died 1/12/2003) and Robin Gibb (died 5/20/2012) were born on this day (December 22) in 1949 in Douglas, Isle of Man, UK. Together with their older brother Barry (born 9/1/1946 in Douglas, Isle of Man, UK), they formed the Bee Gees, a group known for three-part harmony and falsetto voices. The family movied to Australia in 1958, where the Bee Gees started as a pop-rock act. They returned to the UK in 1967 and and hit their commercial peak in the latter-half of the 1970s when they became disco icons. Their string of hits from 1977’s Saturday Night Fever soundtrack made for one of the greatest chart dominations ever accomplished by a group as the album lingered atop the U.S. album chart for six months fueled by four #1 hits.

They landed three more songs atop the Billboard Hot 100 with their 1979 album Spirits Having Flown. Their success waned after that, but over a forty-year run, they sold more than 220 million albums. Their younger brother, Andy (born 3/5/1958, died 3/10/1988), was also a successful singer.

Saturday Night Fever is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Albums of All Time. One of that soundtrack’s songs, “Stayin’ Alive,” is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era 1954-1999. For a complete list of the Bee Gees’ DMDB honors, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry.

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Top 100 Songs

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This list includes songs written and/or performed by any of the four Gibb brothers. Songs written by the Gibbs are noted as A for Andy, B for Barry, M for Maurice, and R for Robin. Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists as well as chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. Songs which hit #1 on the following charts are noted: Billboard Hot 100 (US), Cashbox (CB), Hit Records (HR), Radio & Records (RR), Billboard adult contemporary (AC), Billboard country chart (CW), UK pop charts (UK), the Canadian pop charts (CN), and the Australian pop charts (AU).

DMDB Top 1%:

1. B-M-R: Stayin’ Alive (Bee Gees, 1977) #1 US, CB, HR, RR, CN, AU
2. B-M-R: Night Fever (Bee Gees, 1977) #1 US, CB, HR, RR, UK, CN
3. B-M-R: How Deep Is Your Love (Bee Gees, 1977) #1 US, CB, RR, AC, CN
4. A-B-M-R: Shadow Dancing (Andy Gibb, 1978) #1 US, CB, HR, RR, AU
5. B-M-R: Islands in the Stream (Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton, 1983) #1 US, CB, AC, CW, CN, AU

DMDB Top 5%:

6. B: I Just Want to Be Your Everything (Andy Gibb, 1977) #1 US, CB, HR, RR, UK, AU
7. B-R: Woman in Love (Barbra Streisand, 1980) #1 US, CB, HR, RR, AC, UK, CN, AU
8. B-R: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (Bee Gees, 1971) #1 US, CB, HR, CN
9. B-M-R: Too Much Heaven (Bee Gees, 1978) #1 US, HR, RR, CN
10. B-M-R: You Should Be Dancing (Bee Gees, 1976) #1 US, CB, CN

11. B-M-R: Jive Talkin’ (Bee Gees, 1975) #1 US, CB, HR, RR, CN
12. B-M-R: Tragedy (Bee Gees, 1979) #1 US, CB, HR, RR, UK, CN
13. B-M-R: The Lights Went Out in Massachussets (Bee Gees, 1967) #1 UK
14. B-M-R: If I Can’t Have You (Yvonne Elliman, 1977) #1 US, CB, RR, CN
15. B: Grease (Frankie Valli, 1978) #1 US, CB, HR, RR, CN
16. B-R: To Love Somebody (Bee Gees, 1967)
17. B-M-R: More Than a Woman (Bee Gees, 1977)

DMDB Top 10%:

18. B-R: Emotion (Samantha Sang, 1977) #1 CB, CN
19. A-B: Love Is Thicker Than Water (Andy Gibb, 1977) #1 US, CB, HR
20. B-M-R: Heartbreaker (Dionne Warwick, 1982) #1 AC

21. B-M-R: Lonely Days (Bee Gees, 1970) #1 CB, HR, AU
22. B: The Grease Megamix (Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta, 1990) #1 AU
23. B-M-R: Guilty (Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb, 1980)
24. B-M-R: Love So Right (Bee Gees, 1976)
25. B-M: Words (Bee Gees, 1968) #1 CN
26. B-M-R: Love You Inside Out (Bee Gees, 1979) #1 US, CN
27. B-M-R: More Than a Woman (Tavares, 1977)
28. All I Have to Do Is Dream (Andy Gibb & Victoria Principal, 1981)
29. B-M-R: I Started a Joke (Bee Gees, 1968) #1 CN, AU
30. B-M-R: Nights on Broadway (Bee Gees, 1975)

DMDB Top 20%:

31. B: An Everlasting Love (Andy Gibb, 1978)
32. B-R: To Love Somebody (Michael Bolton, 1992) #1 AC
33. B: Our Love (Don’t Throw It All Away) (Andy Gibb, 1978)
34. B-M-R: Fanny, Be Tender with Me Love (Bee Gees, 1975)
35. B-M-R: Chain Reaction (Diana Ross, 1985) #1 UK, AU
36. B-M-R: I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You (1968) #1 UK
37. B-R: Come on Over (Olivia Newton-John, 1976) #1 AC
38. B-M-R: How Deep Is Your Love (Portrait, 1995)
39. B-M-R: Run to Me (Bee Gees, 1972)
40. R: Hold on to My Love (Jimmy Ruffin, 1980)

41. B-M-R: Alone (Bee Gees, 1997)
42. B-R: Emotion (Destiny’s Child, 2001)
43. B-R: New York Mining Disaster 1941 (Bee Gees, 1967)
44. B-M-R: The Woman in You (Bee Gees, 1983)
45. B-R: My World (Bee Gees, 1972)
46. B-M: Don’t Forget to Remember (Bee Gees, 1969)
47. B-M-R: How Deep Is Your Love (Take That, 1996) #1 UK
48. B-M-R: Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are) (Pras Michel, 1998) *
49. B: What Kind of Fool (Barbra Streisand with Barry Gibb, 1980) #1 AC
50. B-M-R: Desire (Andy Gibb, 1980)

51. B-M-R: First of May (Bee Gees, 1969)
52. B-M-R: You Win Again (Bee Gees 1987) #1 UK
53. B: I Can’t Help It (Andy Gibb with Olivia Newton-John, 1980)
54. B-M-R: One (Bee Gees, 1989) #1 AC
55. B-M: Alive (Bee Gees, 1972)
56. B: This Woman (Kenny Rogers, 1983)
57. B-M: Shine Shine (Barry Gibb, 1984)
58. B-M-R: Boogie Child (Bee Gees, 1976)
59. B: Spicks and Specks (Bee Gees, 1966)
60. B-R: Love Me (Yvonne Elliman, 1976)

61. B-M: Tomorrow Tomorrow (Bee Gees, 1969)
62. B-M-R: Jumbo (Bee Gees, 1968)
63. B-R: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (Al Green, 1972)

Beyond the DMDB Top 20%:

64. B: Take the Short Way Home (Dionne Warwick, 1983)
65. A-B: Time Is Time (Andy Gibb, 1977)
66. B-M-R: Edge of the Universe (Bee Gees, 1975)
67. Oh! Darling (Robin Gibb, 1978)
68. B-M: Eaten Alive (Diana Ross with Michael Jackson, 1985)
69. B-R: Paying the Price of Love (Bee Gees, 1993)
70. B-M-R: He’s a Liar (Bee Gees, 1981)

71. B-M: Eyes That See in the Dark (Kenny Rogers, 1983)
72. B-M: I.O.I.O. (Bee Gees, 1970)
73. B-M-R: Someone Belonging to Someone (Bee Gees, 1983)
74. B-M-R: Islands in the Stream (Vanessa Jenkins with Bryn West, Sir Tom Jones & Robin Gibb; 2009) #1 UK
75. B-M-R: Islands in the Stream (Bee Gees, 1998)
76. B-M-R: I Saw a New Morning (Bee Gees, 1973)
77. B-R: Mr. Natural (Bee Gees, 1974)
78. B-R: Holiday (Bee Gees, 1967)
79. B-R: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (Michael Bublé, 2003)
80. B-M-R: I Started a Joke (Faith No More, 2003)

81. B-R: Promises (Barbra Streisand, 1980)
82. B-M-R: This Is Where I Came In (Bee Gees, 2001)
83. B-M-R: Immortality (Celine Dion with the Bee Gees, 1997)
84. B-M-R: Living Eyes (Bee Gees, 1981)
85. M-R: Boys Do Fall in Love (Robin Gibb, 1984)
86. B-M-R: Still Waters Run Deep (Bee Gees, 1997)
87. B-R: For Whom the Bell Tolls (Bee Gees, 1993)
88. B: Don’t Wanna Live Inside Myself (Bee Gees, 1971)
89. B-M: World (Bee Gees, 1967)
90. B-M: If Only I Had My Mind on Something Else (Bee Gees, 1970)

91. B-M-R: Wouldn’t I Be Someone (Bee Gees, 1973)
92. B-M-R: All the Love in the World (Dionne Warwick, 1982)
93. B-M-R: We Tryin’ to Stay Alive (Wyclef Jean & the Refugee All Stars, 1997) **
94. R: Saved by the Bell (Robin Gibb, 1969)
95. B-M-R: Ups and Downs (Snoop Dogg with the Bee Gees, 2005) ***
96. B-M-R: E.S.P. (Bee Gees, 1987)
97. B-M-R: Only One Woman (Marbles, 1968)
98. B-M-R: Stayin’ Alive (Richard Ace, 1978)
99. A: Me Without You (Andy Gibb, 1980)
100. B-M-R: Buried Treasure (Kenny Rogers, 1983)

* samples “Islands in the Stream”
** samples “Stayin’ Alive”
*** samples “Love You Inside Out”

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Awards (Bee Gees):

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Song of the Year, 1900-2019

This page has been changed. To access different "song of the year" lists, go to the Bests of Lists page, Songs by Year.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees Ranked

image from loudersound.com

With every year’s announcement of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, there are two guarantees – there will be a slew of complaints about who hasn’t been inducted and who has been inducted who shouldn’t have been. This challenged me to come up with an objective rating of the inductees to determine just who has earned it most and who hasn’t. These rankings consolidate multiple best-artists-of-all-time lists along with sales figures, chart statistics, and other awards and honors. In the event of ties, earliest inductees are listed first. Here are the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees (through the class of 2019) ranked.

1. The Beatles
2. Elvis Presley
3. The Rolling Stones
4. Michael Jackson
5. Elton John
6. Stevie Wonder
7. Louis Armstrong
8. Bob Dylan
9. Bruce Springsteen
10. David Bowie

11. Madonna
12. U2
13. Prince
14. Eric Clapton
15. Ray Charles
16. Aretha Franklin
17. Led Zeppelin
18. The Beach Boys
19. Paul McCartney
20. Marvin Gaye

21. James Brown
22. Nat “King” Cole
23. Queen
24. Rod Stewart
25. The Who
26. Jimi Hendrix
27. Johnny Cash
28. Billy Joel
29. The Bee Gees
30. Pink Floyd

31. Neil Young
32. Billie Holiday
33. Fleetwood Mac
34. Chuck Berry
35. John Lennon
36. Eagles
37. R.E.M.
38. Fats Domino
39. The Temptations
40. Aerosmith
41. Bob Marley
42. The Doors
43. Roy Orbison
44. The Supremes
45. The Kinks
46. Simon & Garfunkel
47. Ike & Tina Turner
48. Sam Cooke
49. Little Richard
50. The Police

51. Hank Williams
52. AC/DC
53. Chicago
54. Creedence Clearwater Revival
55. Neil Diamond
56. Van Morrison
57. Nirvana
58. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
59. Santana
60. Buddy Holly

61. Otis Redding
62. Pearl Jam
63. Van Halen
64. Genesis
65. Janet Jackson
66. Elvis Costello
67. Four Tops
68. Bon Jovi
69. The Jackson 5
70. Black Sabbath

71. Journey 72. The Everly Brothers
73. Paul Simon
74. Al Green
75. Crosby, Stills & Nash
76. Guns N’ Roses
77. Smokey Robinson
78. B.B. King
79. Miles Davis
80. Robert Johnson

81. Daryl Hall & John Oates
82. Cream
83. Earth, Wind & Fire
84. Gladys Knight & the Pips
85. Linda Ronstadt
86. The Clash
87. Kiss
88. Muddy Waters
89. Brenda Lee
90. Janis Joplin

91. Metallica
92. Carole King
93. The Isley Brothers
94. Velvet Underground
95. James Taylor
96. The Miracles
97. Sly & the Family Stone
98. Grateful Dead
99. Donna Summer
100. Joni Mitchell

101. Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship
102. Frank Zappa
103. The Drifters
104. Ramones
105. The Band
106. Lynyrd Skynyrd
107. The Byrds
108. Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble 109. Ricky Nelson
110. Rush

111. Louis Jordan
112. Etta James
113. Sex Pistols
114. Bob Seger
115. Curtis Mayfield
116. The Allman Brothers Band
117. George Harrison
118. Deep Purple
119. Bessie Smith
120. The Four Seasons

121. Radiohead
122. Jerry Lee Lewis
123. Yes
124. Electric Light Orchestra
125. Jackie Wilson
126. Abba
127. Tupac Shakur
128. Blondie
129. ZZ Top
130. Bobby Darin

131. Steely Dan
132. Dire Straits
133. John Lee Hooker
134. Parliament/Funkadelic
135. The Platters
136. Peter Gabriel
137. Herb Alpert
138. Red Hot Chili Peppers
139. Les Paul
140. Dinah Washington
141. Green Day
142. Beastie Boys
143. The Cure
144. The Impressions
145. Quincy Jones
146. Bobby “Blue” Bland
147. Wilson Pickett
148. Talking Heads
149. Heart
150. Lou Reed

151. Ringo Starr
152. Pretenders
153. Berry Gordy Jr.
154. John Mellencamp
155. Jimmie Rodgers
156. Roxy Music
157. Steve Miller
158. Buddy Guy
159. The Moody Blues
160. Brian Holland/Lamont Dozier/Eddie Holland

161. Phil Spector
162. Ferdinand “Jelly Roll” Morton
163. Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter
164. Alice Cooper
165. Howlin’ Wolf
166. Tom Waits
167. Cat Stevens
168. The Ink Spots
169. Bo Diddley
170. Ruth Brown
171. Public Enemy
172. Woody Guthrie
173. Traffic
174. Bonnie Raitt
175. The Cars
176. The O’Jays
177. Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
178. Dion
179. Chet Atkins
180. Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff

181. Def Leppard
182. The Yardbirds
183. Patti Smith
184. Jackson Browne
185. Bill Monroe
186. Bob Wills
187. The Hollies
188. Dusty Springfield
189. Run-D.M.C.
190. The Stooges

191. T-Bone Walker
192. The (Young) Rascals
193. Isaac Hayes
194. Stevie Nicks
195. Bill Haley & the Comets
196. Dave Clark Five
197. The Animals
198. Sam Phillips
199. Duane Eddy
200. Ma Rainey

201. The Dells
202. George Martin
203. Charlie Christian
204. Albert King
205. Buffalo Springfield
206. Donovan
207. Jerry Wexler
208. Big Joe Turner
209. Pete Seeger
210. Freddy King

211. The Mamas & the Papas
212. Wilie Dixon
213. The Righteous Brothers
214. The Shirelles
215. Cheap Trick
216. Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil
217. Dave Bartholomew
218. N.W.A.
219. Elmore James
220. Charles Brown

221. Leonard Cohen
222. Martha & the Vandellas
223. The Coasters
224. Booker T. & the MGs
225. Clive Davis
226. Mahalia Jackson
227. Clyde McPhatter
228. Doc Pomus
229. Jimmy Reed
230. Hank Ballard & the Midnighters

231. John H. Hammond
232. Bobby Womack
233. Sister Rosetta Tharpe
234. Jeff Beck
235. Ahmet Ertegun
236. Gerry Goffin
237. Bill Withers
238. Randy Newman
239. Gene Pitney
240. Tom Dowd

241. Nina Simone
242. Solomon Burke
243. Joan Jett
244. Professor Longhair
245. Little Anthony & the Imperials
246. Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
247. The Staple Singers
248. Little Walter
249. Leonard Chess
250. Gene Vincent

251. Lovin’ Spoonful
252. The Ventures
253. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five
254. Joan Baez
255. The Faces
256. Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich
257. Mort Shuman
258. Eddie Cochran
259. Otis Blackwell
260. Allen Toussaint

261. Dick Clark
262. Alan Freed
263. Chis Blackwell
264. Lloyd Price
265. Del Shannon
266. James Jamerson
267. Bill Black
268. LaVern Baker
269. Glyn Johns
270. Little Willie John

271. The Moonglows
272. Sam & Dave
273. The Flamingos
274. Carl Perkins
275. Andrew Loog Oldham
276. Ritchie Valens
277. Floyd Cramer
278. Brian Epstein
279. Nesuhi Ertegun
280. Jac Holzman

281. Jerry Moss
282. Milt Gabler
283. Bill Graham
284. Art Rupe
285. Wanda Jackson
286. Earl Palmer
287. Nile Rodgers
288. The Ronettes
289. The Orioles
290. Lou Adler

291. Scotty Moore
292. James Burton
293. Percy Sledge
294. Johnny Otis
295. Leon Russell
296. Johnnie Johnson
297. Cosimo Matassa
298. Paul Butterfield
299. David Geffen
300. Don Kirshner

301. Jim Stewart
302. Mo Ostin
303. Seymour Stein
304. Syd Nathan
305. Dr. John
306. The Small Faces
307. The Soul Stirrers
308. The Zombies
309. Hal Blaine
310. Darlene Love

311. DJ Fontana
312. Ralph Bass
313. King Curtis
314. Bennie Benjamin
315. Steve Douglas
316. Spooner Oldham
317. Jesse Stone
318. The E Street Band
319. Leo Fender
320. Paul Ackerman

321. Jimmy Yancey
322. Tom Donahue
323. Jann Wenner
324. Frank Barsalona
325. Jimmy Cliff
326. Laura Nyro
327. The Five Royales
328. Bert Berns

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Resources/Related Links:

• DMDB blog: The Top 100 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees (alphabetical order)
• DMDB blog: The Top 100 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Hopefuls

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The Top 100 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Hopefuls

First posted 10/11/2011. Updated 12/14/2018.

image from neufutur.com

Bashing the Rock Hall has become the quite vogue thing to do. Of course, they have inducted hundreds of deserving artists alongside those who raise many music fans eyebrows. However, fans get outraged this time every year when their favorites get snubbed…yet again.

In the true spirit of Dave’s Music Database, the occasion for a list presented itself. Just who are the biggest Rock and Roll Hall of Fame snubs, those acts which fans most think have been overlooked? More than 60 lists were consolidated to create the DMDB list of 100 deserving acts. Here we go:

1. Iron Maiden
2. The Smiths
3. Motorhead
4. Judas Priest
5. Depeche Mode
6. T-Rex
7. Kraftwerk
8. Warren Zevon
9. Chic
10. The Replacements

11. Todd Rundgren
12. Pixies
13. Pat Benatar
14. The Doobie Brothers
15. Jethro Tull
16. Joy Division
17. Nine Inch Nails
18. Bad Company
19. King Crimson
20. Devo

21. MC5
22. New York Dolls
23. Soundgarden
24. Joe Cocker
25. Thin Lizzy
26. Emerson, Lake & Palmer
27. Kate Bush
28. The Monkees
29. Gram Parsons
30. Peter Frampton

31. Sonic Youth
32. Slayer
33. Duran Duran
34. The Guess Who
35. Boston
36. Big Star
37. LL Cool J
38. Whitney Houston
39. Steppenwolf
40. J. Geils Band

41. Motley Crue
42. Dick Dale
43. Jane’s Addiction
44. War
45. Foreigner
46. Link Wray
47. Three Dog Night
48. Spinners
49. Styx
50. The Scorpions

51. The B-52’s
52. Carole King (as a performer)
53. Los Lobos
54. Ozzy Osbourne
55. Pantera
56. Procol Harum
57. Afrika Bambaataa
58. Tina Turner (as a solo performer)
59. Rufus/Chaka Khan
60. Ben E. King

61. Ted Nugent
62. New Order
63. Eurythmics
64. Blue Öyster Cult
65. Smashing Pumpkins
66. Captain Beefheart
67. Megadeth
68. Willie Nelson
69. The Meters
70. Brian Eno

71. Eric B. & Rakim
72. Joe Tex
73. Weird Al Yankovic
74. Nick Drake
75. Black Flag
76. Grand Funk Railroad
77. Tommy James & the Shondells
78. Chuck Willis
79. Sting
80. Television

81. Barry White
82. Little Feat
83. Sir Douglas Quintet
84. Jimmy Buffett
85. Love
86. Mary Wells
87. The Marvelettes
88. Harry Nilsson
89. The Runaways
90. Kool & the Gang

91. Chubby Checker
92. Alice in Chains
94. The Dominoes
95. John Conltrane
96. Bjork
97. Dead Kennedys
98. X
99. The Shangri-La’s
100. Rage Against the Machine

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Resources and Related Links:

• FutureRockLegends.com
• Notinhalloffame.com
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees

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50 years ago: Marvin Gaye hit #1 with “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”

I Heard It Through the Grapevine Marvin Gaye

Writer(s): Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield (see lyrics here) Released: October 30 1968 First Charted: November 16, 1968 Peak: 17 US, 15 CB, 11 HR, 17 RB, 13 UK, 8 CN, 40 AU (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): 4.0 US, -- UK, 6.0 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 6.0 radio, 64.5 video, 210.61 streaming

Awards: (Click on award for more details).

About the Song: Marvin didn’t want to record it, RS500 Motown didn’t want to release it, RSP and Berry Gordy, the company head honcho, thought it was horrible. BR Naturally it became Gaye’s first pop #1 and biggest hit, as well as Motown’s longest running #1 to date. BR Norman Whitfield, a producer for Motown, had a habit of pushing the same song on multiple acts. While it frustrated some of his charges, it also worked, at least on occasion. Never was that more the case than with Gaye’s cover of “Grapevine.” RS500 First the Miracles put their spin on it, then the Isley Brothers, whose version is still locked somewhere in the Motown vaults. BR In 1967, both Gaye and Gladys Knight & The Pips tackled it. WK Before year’s end, the Pips had a #1 R&B and #2 pop hit with it. Gaye’s version was more aligned with the song’s lyrical theme. TB It was spookier than the Pips’ “journeyman rendition,” MA slowed down “to a voodoo chant pace” CR and “accenting a more churchy, Ray Charles feel.” CR When they were recording the song, Whitfield encouraged the reluctanct Gaye to sing in a high, raspy voice. As was generally the case, Whitfield got his way. WK Whitfield championed Gaye’s “Grapevine,” but it was shelved for more than a year, finally emerging when filler was needed for Gaye’s In the Groove album. A DJ on a radio station in Chicago began playing the song and when it was obvious it was a hit, Gordy finally gave in and allowed the single to be released. WK Resources and Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Marvin Gaye BR Fred Bronson (2003). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (5th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 249. CR Toby Creswell (2005). 1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time. Thunder’s Mouth Press: New York, NY. Page 188. JA David A. Jasen (2002). A Century of American Popular Music: 2000 Best-Loved and Remembered Songs (1899-1999). Routledge: Taylor & Francis, Inc. Page 84. MA Dave Marsh (1989). The Heart of Rock and Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. New York, NY; New American Library. Page 2. RSP Rolling Stone. (September 8, 1988; Issue 534)."The 100 Best Singles of the Last 25 Years." New York, NY; Straight Arrow Publishing Company. Page 65. RS500 Rolling Stone (12/04). “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” TB Thunder Bay Press (2006). Singles: Six Decades of Hot Hits & Classic Cuts. Outline Press Ltd.: San Diego, CA. Page 106. WK Wikipedia.org First posted 11/16/2011; last updated 4/13/2021.