The Top 50 Live Albums of All Time

Live Albums: The Top 50

On March 9, 2010, I posted a list of the top 20 live albums of all time on the DMDB Facebook page. I expanded the list to a top 50 a and have since updated it several times on the DMDB blog. The list was compiled by aggregating 38 lists (see resources at bottom of page) focused specifically on the best live albums of all time. Check out other best-of-genre/category lists here. 1. James Brown Live at the Apollo Volume 1 (1962) 2. The Allman Brothers At Fillmore East (live, 1971) 3. Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison (1968) 4. Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York (recorded live 1993, released 1994) 5. Peter Frampton Frampton Comes Alive! (1975) 6. Eric Clapton Unplugged (1992) 7. The Who Live at Leeds (1970) 8. The MC5 Kick Out the Jams (1968) 9. B.B. King Live at the Regal (1964) 10. Grateful Dead Live/Dead (1969) 11. Johnny Cash At San Quentin (1969) 12. U2 Rattle and Hum (studio/live, 1988) 13. Bob Marley Live! (At the Lyceum) (1975) 14. Kiss Alive! (1975) 15. The Rolling Stones Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out (1969) 16. Judy Garland Judy at Carnegie Hall (1961) 17. Deep Purple Made in Japan (1972) 18. Talking Heads Stop Making Sense (live soundtrack, recorded 1983, released 1984) 19. Cheap Trick At Budokan (1978) 20. Bob Dylan The Royal Albert Hall Concert (The Bootleg Series Volume 4) (1966) 21. U2 Under a Blood Red Sky (1983) 22. Jimi Hendrix Band of Gypsys/Live at Fillmore East (1970) 23. Jackson Browne Running on Empty (1977) 24. Muddy Waters At Newport (1960) 25. Bruce Springsteen Live 1975/1985 (live box: 1975-85, released 1986) 26. Benny Goodman The Complete Legendary Carnegie Hall Concert (1938) 27. Cream Wheels of Fire (live/studio, 1968) 28. Motorhead No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith (1981) 29. Eagles Hell Freezes Over (live/studio, 1994) 30. Garth Brooks Double Live (1998) 31. various artists Woodstock (1969) 32. The Band The Last Waltz (1976) 33. Thin Lizzy Live and Dangerous (1977) 34. Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club (1963) 35. Erroll Garner Concert by the Sea (1955) 36. Duke Ellington At Newport (1956) 37. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young 4 Way Street (1970) 38. Quicksilver Messenger Service Happy Trails (1969) 39. Little Feat Waiting for Columbus (1978) 40. Jerry Lee Lewis Live at the Star Club, Hamburg (1964) 41. Led Zeppelin How the West Was Won (recorded 1972, released 2003) 42. James Brown Sex Machine (1970) 43. Bill Evans Trio Waltz for Debby (1961) 44. Neil Young Live Rust (1979) 45. Bill Evans Trio Sunday at the Village Vanguard (1961) 46. Luciano Pavarotti/Placido Domingo/Jose Carreras The Three Tenors in Concert/Mehta (1990) 47. Simon & Garfunkel The Concert in Central Park (1981) 48. Van Morrison It’s Too Late to Stop Now (1974) 49. The Quintet (Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Charles Mingus, & Max Roach) Jazz at Massey Hall (1953) 50. George Harrison et al The Concert for Bangladesh (1971) Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: other best-of-genre/categories lists Original Facebook post (3/9/10; updated 3/9/11) 411mania.com AllAboutJazz.com All Music Guide Amazon.com Amazon.com list by Alex T. Deley BlogCritics.org Consequence of Sound Dark Elf File (Part 1) Dark Elf File (Part 2) Digital Dream Door DK Presents Dr. Rock Examiner.com Fretbase.com The Gear Page Gibson.com Goldmine magazine IGN The Independent Listening Room Mademan.com MJwycha Mojo NME Q103 Albany RateYourMusic.com RateYourMusic.com Rockeramag.com Rocknflicks.com Rolling Stone Slate magazine Squidoo Stylus magazine Tixor TurntableTales.com udiscovermusic.com Yahoo! Music First posted 3/18/2012; last updated 5/17/2024.

Today in Music (1966): Bob Dylan performed at “The Royal Albert Hall”

The “Royal Albert Hall” Concert (The Bootleg Series Vol. 4) Bob Dylan

Recorded: May 17, 1966 Released: October 13, 1998 Peak: 31 US, 19 UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.06 UK Genre: folk rock

Tracks, Disc 1: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to charts. She Belongs to Me 4 4th Time Around 6 Visions of Johanna (5 CL) 6 It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue (16 CL) 4 Desolation Row 5 Just Like a Woman (9/10/66, 33 US, 28 CB, 26 HR, 3 CL, 43 UK) 6 Mr. Tambourine Man (single released 12/65, 4 CL) 4 Tracks, Disc 2: Tell Me, Momma I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met) 3 Baby, Let Me Follow You Down 1 Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues 5 Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat 6 One Too Many Mornings Ballad of a Thin Man 2 Like a Rolling Stone (7/20/65, 2 US, 1 CB, 2 HR, 1 CL, 4 UK, 2 CN, 7 AU) 5 Total Running Time: 95:18 The Original Studio Recordings: 1 Bob Dylan (1962) 2 The Times They Are A-Changin’ (1963) 3 Another Side of Bob Dylan (1964) 4 Bringing It All Back Home (1965) 5 Highway 61 Revisited (1965) 6 Blonde on Blonde (1966)

Rating: 4.388 out of 5.00 (average of 21 ratings) Quotable: “The most famous bootleg in rock history.” – Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: “The most famous bootleg in rock history, with the possible exception of Dylan’s own Basement Tapes.” AMG This “is a great performance from one of the most important performers of our time.” NO The album didn’t receive an official release until 32 years later when it was released in 1998 as part of Dylan’s Bootleg Series. However, “Dylan's performance at Manchester’s Free Trade Hall on May 17, 1966 (and the bootlegs that followed) set the music world on its ear.” NO The show is often misidentified as being at the Royal Albert Hall – hence the title in quotes on the official release. That show, on May 26, was one of the final shows from the same tour. “The one thing you can't argue is the significance of this tour; and more importantly, this particular show.” NO The first half of the show featured Dylan in a solo acoustic performance. “He was in fine form and turned in a gripping solo performance. The audience was ultra quiet during the seven songs. They had heard most of them several times before. It was familiar territory. They were comfortable.” NO The second half, however, is electric set in which he is accompanied by The Hawks, who later became The Band. “The crowd had no idea that what they were about to experience would change the face of rock music as they knew it.” NO The set opened with “the hard rocker Tell Me, Momma, which Dylan never recorded in the studio.” AMG Within the set, Dylan also performed “radical electric arrangements of songs that had originally been recorded acoustically (One Too Many Mornings, I Don’t Believe You).” AMG Dylan also “blazes through mid-‘60s classics such as Like a Rolling Stone and Ballad of a Thin Man” AMG and delivers “a killer rendition of Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues, featuring a great guitar solo by Robbie Robertson. The audience tries to drown them out, but they’re no match for the energy pouring from the stage.” NO Dylan fans were dismayed by what they viewed as a betrayal of traditional folk music as evidenced by the legendary moment when a heckler yells “Judas!” Another man shouts, “I’m never listening to you again, ever!” to which Dylan responds, “I don’t believe you” and “You’re a liar.” Then either Dylan or guitarist Robbie Robertson can be heard instructing the band to “play it fucking loud.” WK “Drummer Mickey Jones slams his snare like his life depended on it, and they kick into the best version of ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ you’ve ever heard.” NO Film footage of the incident was found and used in Martin Scorsese’s 2005 documentary No Direction Home. Sometime in late 1970 or early 1971, the electric portion of the show started surfacing on bootleg LPs. Dave Marsh reviewed it in Creem magazine, calling it “the most supremely elegant piece of rock ‘n’ roll music I’ve ever heard.” WK All Music Guide’s Richie Unterberger called it “an important document of rock history. It captures…Dylan…at his most controversial and hard rocking.” AMG Critic Jon Landau notes “the booing, the names, the insults he endured just to be standing there with an electric band…The audience claps at the wrong time, claps rhythmically as if to deliberately throw his timing off.” WK While the bootlegs focused on the electric set, the official package is a two-CD set which “not only includes the eight electric rock songs from the original bootleg, but also the seven solo acoustic performances that comprised the first half of the show.” AMG “The acoustic disc is not as epochal, but on par with the electric half in the quality of material and performance.” AMG “It’s all in very good fidelity, about as good as any copies you could find through unofficial sources.” AMG This isn’t “just an interesting adjunct to Dylan’s ‘60s discography; it’s as worthy of attention as anything else he recorded during that decade.” AMG “Even if you’re not a Dylan fan, this CD is an essential part of any collection.” NO

Resources and Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Bob Dylan AMG All Music Guide review by Richie Unterberger NO TheNightOwl.com WK Wikipedia Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 5/17/2012; last updated 5/17/2024.

Compilations: Top 100 All-Time

Compilations: The Top 100 Albums

“Greatest hits” packages are maligned entities in the world of music criticism, targeted by haters as cheap, record-contract-fulfilling-repackagings of works better heard in their original presentations. Naysayers argue that gathering up an act’s most commercial product hardly justifies calling a collection “the best of.” However, compilations serve an important role in music. They are often a casual fan’s entry point to an artist. In some cases, the distillation of an act’s discography into a single collection weeds out the fluff and truly does present the act at its best. In any event, here is Dave’s Music Database’s collection of the greatest compilations of all-time. DMDB lists are determined by aggregating best-of lists alongside chart data, sales figures, awards, and album ratings. Note: this list is confined to 1 or 2-disc collections. Box sets (3 or more discs) are summed up in a separate DMDB list. When an act has released multiple compilations, only the highest-rated has been listed, unless other compilations cover completely different material. The years covered by the compilation are noted in parentheses followed by the year the collection was released (noted by an r.). Check out other best-of-genre/category lists here. 1. The Beatles 1 (1962-70, r. 2001) 2. Bob Marley & the Wailers Legend (1973-83, r. 1984) 3. Eagles Very Best of (includes all of 1976’s Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 and 1982’s Greatest Hits Volume 2) (compilation: 1971-2003, r. 2003) 4. Madonna The Immaculate Collection (1983-90, r. 1990) 5. Robert Johnson The Complete Recordings (1936-37, r. 1990) 6. Elvis Presley 30 #1 Hits (1956-77, r. 2002) 7. Queen Greatest Hits (aka “We Will Rock You”) (1973-81, r. 1981) 8. Elton John Very Best of (includes all of 1974’s Greatest Hits (1970-90, r. 1990) 9. Abba Gold: Greatest Hits (1974-82, r. 1992) 10. Eminem Curtain Call: The Hits (1999-2005, r. 2005) 11. Simon & Garfunkel Greatest Hits (1964-70, r. 1972) 12. Creedence Clearwater Revival Chronicle: Their 20 Greatest Hits (1968-72, r. 1976) 13. Michael Jackson Number Ones (1978-2003, r. 2003) 14. The Rolling Stones Hot Rocks 1964-71 (1964-71, r. 1971) 15. Bruce Springsteen Greatest Hits (1975-95, r. 1995) 16. Billy Murray Anthology: The Denver Nightingale (1903-40, r. 2002) 17. Hank Williams 40 Greatest Hits (compilation: 1947-53, r. 1978) 18. U2 Best of 1980-1990 (1980-89, r. 1998) 19. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Greatest Hits (1976-93, r. 1993) 20. Howlin’ Wolf Moanin’ in the Moonlight/Howlin’ Wolf (aka “The Rocking Chair Album”) (1951-62, r. 1962) 21. Kenny Rogers Greatest Hits (1977-80, r. 1980) 22. Journey Greatest Hits (1977-87, r. 1988) 23. Bessie Smith The Essential (1923-33, r. 1997) 24. Patsy Cline 12 Greatest Hits (1957-63, r. 1973) 25. Guns N’ Roses Greatest Hits (1987-94, r. 2004) 26. Chuck Berry The Great Twenty-Eight (1955-64, r. 1982) 27. Bon Jovi Cross Road (1982-94, r. 1994) 28. Billy Joel Greatest Hits Volume I & II (compilation: 1973-85, r. 1985) 29. David Bowie Changesbowie (1969-1990, r. 1990) 30. Garth Brooks The Hits (1989-93, r. 1994) 31. Al Jolson Songs He Made Famous (1913-46, r. 1946) 32. New Order Substance (1981-87, r. 1987) 33. Bryan Adams So Far So Good (1983-93, r. 1993) 34. The Police Every Breath You Take – The Singles (1978-86, r. 1986) 35. Mariah Carey #1’s (1990-98, r. 1998) 36. Glenn Miller Glenn Miller Glenn Miller (aka “Glenn Miller & His Orchestra”) (1939-42, r. 1945) 37. Fleetwood Mac Greatest Hits (1975-88, r. 1988) 38. Queen Greatest Hits 2 (1981-91, r. 1991) 39. Paul Whiteman Masterpieces (1920-27, r. 2015) 40. Lionel Richie Back to Front (1977-92, r. 1992) 41. Carpenters The Singles 1969-1981 (includes all of The Singles 1969-1973 (1969-81, r. 2000) 42. Eurythmics Greatest Hits (1982-89, r. 1991) 43. Al Green Greatest Hits (1971-73, r. 1975) 44. Celine Dion All the Way…A Decade of Song (1991-99, r. 1999) 45. Bob Dylan Greatest Hits (1962-66, r. 1967) 46. Led Zeppelin Mothership (1969-79, r. 2007) 47. Red Hot Chili Peppers Greatest Hits (1989-2003, r. 2003) 48. Phil Collins Hits (1981-98, r. 1998) 49. Sly & the Family Stone Anthology (includes all of Greatest Hits) (1967-73, r. 1981) 50. Buzzcocks Singles Going Steady (1977-79, r. 1979) 51. R.E.M. In Time: The Best of R.E.M. (1988-2003, r. 2003) 52. Sam Cooke The Man and His Music (1951-65, r. 1986) 53. The Who Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy (1964-70, r. 1971) 54. Bob Seger Greatest Hits (1976-94, r. 1994) 55. Steve Miller Band Greatest Hits 1974-1978 (1973-1978, r. 1978) 56. Charlie Patton Founder of the Delta Blues (1929-34, r. 1995) 57. Aerosmith Greatest Hits (1973-79, r. 1980) 58. The Beach Boys Very Best of (1962-88, r. 2001) 59. Arthur Collins The King of the Ragtime Singers (1902-16, r. 2014) 60. Blondie Best of (1976-80, r. 1981) 61. John Denver Greatest Hits (1969-72, r. 1973) 62. John Lennon The Collection (1969-80 r. 1982) 63. Shania Twain Greatest Hits (1994-2004, r. 2004) 64. Jimi Hendrix The Ultimate Experience (1966-70, r. 1992) 65. Eric Clapton The Cream of Clapton (1966-81, r. 1995) 66. Alabama Greatest Hits (1980-86, r. 1986) 67. Willie Dixon/various artists The Chess Box (1951-69, r. 1988) 68. Sting Fields of Gold – The Best of (1985-94, r. 1994) 69. Nirvana Nirvana (1988-94, r. 2002) 70. Pink Floyd Echoes: The Best of (1967-94, r. 2001) 71. Paul Simon The Ultimate Collection (1965-2002, r. 2015) 72. Barbra Streisand Memories (aka “Love Songs”) (1974-81, r. 1981) 73. Paul McCartney All the Best! (1970-87, r. 1987) 74. Guy Lombardo The Band Played On: 25 Number One Hits! (1927-50, r. 2002) 75. The Byrds Greatest Hits (1965-67, r. 1967) 76. John Mellencamp The Best That I Could Do (1978-88, r. 1997) 77. Bing Crosby The Definitive Collection (1931-57, r. 2006) 78. U2 Best of 1990-2000 (1991-2000, r. 2002) 79. Def Leppard Vault: Greatest Hits (1980-95, r. 1995) 80. Ray Charles Anthology (1955-68, r. 1988) 81. Styx Greatest Hits (1975-90, r. 1995) 82. Van Morrison Best of (1965-89, r. 1990) 83. Henry Burr Anthology: The Original King of Pop (1903-28, r. 2005) 84. Johnny Cash The Legend of… (1955-2003, r. 2005) 85. James Taylor Greatest Hits (1969-76, r. 1976) 86. The Doors Best of the Doors (1966-71, r. 1987) 87. Alan Jackson Greatest Hits Volume 2 and Some Other Stuff (compilation: 1996-2003, released 2003) 88. Janis Joplin Greatest Hits (1967-71, r. 1973) 89. Buddy Holly 20 Golden Greats (1956-58, r. 1978) 90. Roy Orbison For the Lonely - 18 Greatest Hits (1956-65, r. 1989) 91. Neil Young Decade (1966-76, r. 1977) 92. Pet Shop Boys Discography – The Complete Singles Collection (1985-91, r. 1991) 93. The Supremes Anthology (1962-76, r. 1986) 94. The Doobie Brothers Best of the Doobies (1972-76, r. 1976) 95. Bee Gees Timeless: The All-Time Greatest Hits (1966-97, r. 2017) 96. Alan Jackson The Greatest Hits Collection (1989-95, r. 1995) 97. Rod Stewart Greatest Hits (1971-78, r. 1979) 98. Olivia Newton-John Magic: The Best of (1973-90, r. 2001) 99. Prince Very Best of (1979-92, r. 2001) 100. Madonna GHV2 (1991-2000, r. 2001) Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Box Sets: Top 100” Dave’s Music Database: other best-of-genre lists First posted 3/30/2018; last updated 5/12/2024.

U.S.A.’s Albums with Most Top Ten Hits

U.S.A. Albums: Most Top Ten Hits

These are the albums with the most top-ten hits (five or more) on the Billboard Hot 100. They are ranked based on most top-ten hits with ties broken by the albums’ overall status in Dave’s Music Database. Check out other album lists based on charts and sales. 10 Top Ten Hits 1) Taylor Swift Midnights (2022) 2) Taylor Swift The Tortured Poets Department (2024) 9 Top Ten Hits 3) Drake Certified Lover Boy (2021) 8 Top Ten Hits 4) Drake & 21 Savage Her Loss (2022) 7 Top Ten Hits 5) Michael Jackson Thriller (1982) 6) Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A. (1984) 7) Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989) 8) Drake For All the Dogs (2023) 6 Top Ten Hits 9) Michael Jackson Bad (1987) 10) George Michael Faith (1987) 11) Katy Perry Teenage Dream (2010) 12) Janet Jackson janet. (1993) 13) Morgan Wallen One Thing at a Time (2023) 14) Drake Scorpion (2018) 15) Juice Wrld Legends Never Die (2020) 5 Top Ten Hits 16) Taylor Swift 1989 (2014) 17) Lionel Richie Can’t Slow Down (1983) 18) Madonna True Blue (1986) 19) Whitney Houston Whitney (1987) 20) Post Malone Hollywood’s Bleeding (2019) 21) Janet Jackson Control (1986) 22) Various Artists Waiting to Exhale soundtrack (1995) 23) Bobby Brown Don’t Be Cruel (1988) 24) SZA SOS (2022) 25) Paula Abdul Forever Your Girl (1988) 26) Black Eyed Peas The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies) (2009) 27) Bon Jovi New Jersey (1988) 28) Genesis Invisible Touch (1986) 29) New Kids on the Block Hangin’ Tough (1988) 30) Milli Vanilli Girl You Know It’s True (aka All or Nothing) (1989) 31) Huey Lewis & the News Fore! (1986) 32) Fergie The Dutchess (2006) 33) J. Cole The Off Season (2021) Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: Album Lists Based on Charts and Sales Billboard (5/2/2024). “The Albums with the Most Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 Hits” by Trevor Anderson First posted 5/5/2024.

Dave’s Music Database: Top 10 Songs by Year (1970-2023)

Dave’s Music Database: Top 10 Songs by Year (1970-2023)

These are the top 10 songs for each year based on their overall performance in Dave’s Music Database, which is determined by combining chart data, sales figures, streaming, video views, and aggregates from year-end lists and charts. You can also click on the “decade” buttons to see the top 100 songs for each decade. Check out “Top Songs and Albums of the Year” lists here. Click on a button below to go straight to that decade.

2023 Miley Cyrus “Flowers” Morgan Wallen “Last Night” Olivia Rodrigo “Vampire” Billie Eilish “What Was I Made For?” Doja Cat “Paint the Town Red” Zach Bryan with Kacey Musgraves “I Remember Everything” Jack Harlow “Lovin’ on Me” Luke Combs “Fast Car” Dua Lipa “Dance the Night” Teddy Swims “Lose Control” 2022 Harry Styles “As It Was” Taylor Swift “Anti-Hero” Lizzo “About Damn Time” SZA “Kill Bill” Steve Lacy “Bad Habit” Sam Smith & Kim Petras “Unholy” Jack Harlow “First Class” SZA “Snooze” Rema with Selena Gomez “Calm Down” Beyoncé “Break My Soul” 2021 The Kid Laroi with Justin Bieber “Stay” Olivia Rodrigo “Drivers License” Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson.Paak) “Leave the Door Open” Olivia Rodrigo “Good 4 U” Lil Nas X “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” Adele “Easy on Me” Ed Sheeran “Bad Habits” Lil Nas X with Jack Harlow “Industry Baby” Justin Bieber with Daniel Caesar & Giveon “Peaches” BTS “Butter” 2020 Dua Lipa with DaBaby “Levitating” Glass Animals “Heat Waves” Cardi B with Megan Thee Stallion “WAP” Xiao Zhan “Spotlight” 24K Goldn with Iann Dior “Mood” The Weeknd with Ariana Grande “Save Your Tears” BTS “Dynamite” DaBaby with Roddy Ricch “Rockstar” Jawsh 685 with Jason Derulo “Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)” Megan Thee Stallion with Beyoncé “Savage” (remix) 2019 The Weeknd “Blinding Lights” Billie Eilish “Bad Guy” Post Malone “Circles” Shawn Mendes with Camila Cabello “Señorita” Tones and I “Dance Monkey” Ariana Grande “7 Rings” Roddy Ricch “The Box” Jonas Brothers “Sucker” Dua Lipa “Don’t Start Now” Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar” 2018 Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road” Drake “God’s Plan” Lady Gaga with Bradley Cooper “Shallow” Post Malone with Swae Lee “Sunflower” Drake “In My Feelings” Ariana Grande “Thank U, Next” Lewis Capaldi “Someone You Loved” Cardi B with Bad Bunny & J. Balvin “I Like It” Zedd with Maren Morris & Grey “The Middle” Childish Gambino “This Is America” 2017 Ed Sheeran “Shape of You” Luis Fonsi with Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber “Despacito” Ed Sheeran with Beyoncé “Perfect” Maroon 5 with Cardi B “Girls Like You” Camila Cabello with Young Thug “Havana” Post Malone with 21 Savage “Rockstar” Kendrick Lamar “Humble” Cardi B “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)” Bebe Rexha with Florida Georgia Line “Meant to Be” Lizzo “Truth Hurts” 2016 The Chainsmokers with Halsey “Closer” Drake with WizKid & Kyla “One Dance” Rihanna with Drake “Work” Justin Timberlake “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” Sia with Sean Paul “Cheap Thrills” The Weeknd with Daft Punk “Starboy” Bruno Mars “That’s What I Like” Pinkfong! “Baby Shark” Twenty One Pilots “Heathens” Rae Sremmurd with Gucci Mane “Black Beatles” 2015 Wiz Khalifa with Charlie Puth “See You Again” Adele “Hello” Justin Bieber “Love Yourself” The Weeknd “Can’t Feel My Face” Justin Bieber “Sorry” Drake “Hotline Bling” The Weeknd “The Hills” Justin Bieber “What Do You Mean?” Twenty One Pilots “Stressed Out” Lukas Graham “7 Years” 2014 Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!” Ed Sheeran “Thinking Out Loud” Taylor Swift “Shake It Off” Meghan Trainor “All About That Bass” Taylor Swift “Blank Space” Iggy Azalea with Charli XCX “Fancy” Sam Smith “Stay with Me” Maroon 5 “Sugar” OMI “Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix)” Sia “Chandelier” 2013 Pharrell Williams “Happy” Robin Thicke with T.I. & Pharrell Williams “Blurred Lines” Lorde “Royals” John Legend “All of Me” Daft Punk with Pharrell Williams “Get Lucky” Katy Perry “Roar” One Republic “Counting Stars” Avici with Aloe Blacc “Wake Me Up!” Idina Menzel “Let It Go” Katy Perry with Juicy J “Dark Horse” 2012 Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz “Thrift Shop” Psy “Gangnam Style” Bruno Mars “Locked Out of Heaven” The Lumineers “Ho Hey” Imagine Dragons “Radioactive” Passenger “Let Her Go” Florida Georgia Line with Nelly “Cruise” Pink with Nate Ruess “Just Give Me a Reason” Rihanna “Diamonds” Taylor Swift “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” 2011 Gotye & Kimbra “Somebody That I Used to Know” Carly Rae Jepsen “Call Me Maybe” LMFAO, Lauren Bennett & GoonRock “Party Rock Anthem” Rihanna & Calvin Harris “We Found Love” Adele “Someone Like You” Maroon 5 with Christina Aguilera “Moves Like Jagger” Fun. & Janelle Monáe “We Are Young” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Ray Dalton “Can’t Hold Us” LMFAO “Sexy and I Know It” Lady Gaga “Born This Way” 2010 Adele “Rolling in the Deep” Eminem & Rihanna “Love the Way You Lie” Bruno Mars “Just the Way You Are (Amazing)” Katy Perry “Firework” Katy Perry & Snoop Dogg “California Gurls” Cee-Lo Green “Fuck You (aka “Forget You”)” Foster the People “Pumped Up Kicks” Rihanna “Only Girl in the World” Bruno Mars “Grenade” Taio Cruz “Dynamite” 2009 Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling” Ke$ha “Tik Tok” Jay-Z with Alicia Keys “Empire State of Mind” Lady Antebellum “Need You Now” Lady Gaga “Bad Romance” Miley Cyrus “Party in the U.S.A.” Train “Hey, Soul Sister” Flo Rida with Ke$ha “Right Round” Owl City “Fireflies” Jay Sean & Lil Wayne “Down” 2008 Beyoncé “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” Lady Gaga “Poker Face” Coldplay “Viva La Vida” Black Eyed Peas “Boom Boom Pow” Jason Mraz “I’m Yours” Lady Gaga & Colby O’Donis “Just Dance” Taylor Swift “Love Story” Katy Perry “I Kissed a Girl” Lil Wayne with Static Major “Lollipop” Kings of Leon “Use Somebody” 2007 Rihanna with Jay-Z “Umbrella” Flo Rida & T-Pain “Low” Leona Lewis “Bleeding Love” Alicia Keys “No One” Kanye West with Daft Punk “Stronger” Soulja Boy Tell’em “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” M.I.A. “Paper Planes” Kid Rock “All Summer Long” Sara Bareilles “Love Song” Avril Lavigne “Girlfriend” 2006 Gnarls Barkley “Crazy” Justin Timberlake “Sexyback” One Republic with Timbaland “Apologize” Shakira & Wyclef Jean “Hips Don’t Lie” Amy Winehouse “Rehab” Beyoncé “Irreplaceable” Fergie “Big Girls Don’t Cry (Personal)” Nelly Furtado & Timbaland “Promiscuous” Snow Patrol “Chasing Cars” Red Hot Chili Peppers “Dani California” 2005 Kanye West & Jamie Foxx “Gold Digger” Mariah Carey “We Belong Together” Daniel Powter “Bad Day” Plain White T’s “Hey There Delilah” Gorillaz with De La Soul “Feel Good Inc.” Arctic Monkeys “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” The Fray “How to Save a Life” 50 Cent with Olivia “Candy Shop” Carrie Underwood “Before He Cheats” Madonna “Hung Up” 2004 Usher with Lil’ Jon & Ludacris “Yeah!” Green Day “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” James Blunt “You’re Beautiful” Franz Ferdinand “Take Me Out” Gwen Stefani “Hollaback Girl” Kelly Clarkson “Since U Been Gone” Mario “Let Me Love You” Snoop Dogg with Pharrell Williams “Drop It Like It’s Hot” Tim McGraw “Live Like You Were Dying” U2 “Vertigo” 2003 OutKast “Hey Ya!” Beyoncé with Jay-Z “Crazy in Love” The White Stripes “Seven Nation Army” The Killers “Mr. Brightside” Britney Spears “Toxic” Evanescence with Paul McCoy “Bring Me to Life” Hoobastank “The Reason” Black Eyed Peas with Justin Timberlake “Where Is the Love?” Jay-Z “99 Problems” Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Maps” 2002 Eminem “Lose Yourself” 50 Cent “In Da Club” Nelly “Hot in Herre” Coldplay “Clocks” Nelly & Kelly Rowland “Dilemma” Johnny Cash “Hurt” Avril Lavigne “Complicated” Eminem “Without Me” Ashanti with Ja Rule “Foolish” Christina Aguilera “Beautiful” 2001 Nickelback “How You Remind Me” Alicia Keys “Fallin’” Kylie Minogue “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott “Get Ur Freak On” Train “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)” The Strokes “Last Nite” Christina Aguilera, Pink, Lil’ Kim & Mya “Lady Marmalade” The White Stripes “Fell in Love with a Girl” Staind “It’s Been Awhile” Enrique Iglesias “Hero” 2000 U2 “Beautiful Day” Eminem with Dido “Stan” Lee Ann Womack with Sons of the Desert “I Hope You Dance” Madonna “Music” OutKast “Ms. Jackson” Destiny’s Child “Independent Women” Eminem “The Real Slim Shady” 3 Doors Down “Kryptonite” Coldplay “Yellow” Linkin Park “In the End” 1999 Santana with Rob Thomas “Smooth” Lonestar “Amazed” TLC “No Scrubs” Ricky Martin “Livin’ La Vida Loca” Backstreet Boys “I Want It That Way” Lou Bega “Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit of…)” Destiny’s Child “Say My Name” Faith Hill “Breathe” Creed “With Arms Wide Open” Christina Aguilera “Genie in a Bottle” 1998 Britney Spears “Baby One More Time” Aerosmith “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” Goo Goo Dolls “Iris” Cher “Believe” Lauryn Hill “Doo Wop (That Thing)” Brandy & Monica “The Boy Is Mine” Eminem “My Name Is…” Madonna “Ray of Light” Barenaked Ladies “One Week” Sixpence None the Richer “Kiss Me” 1997 Celine Dion “My Heart Will Go On” Elton John “Candle in the Wind 1997 (Goodbye England’s Rose)” The Verve “Bitter Sweet Symphony” Puff Daddy with Faith Evans & 112 “I’ll Be Missing You” Shania Twain “You’re Still the One” Natalie Imbruglia “Torn” Blur “Song 2” Green Day “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” Hanson “Mmmbop” Savage Garden “Truly, Madly, Deeply” 1996 Spice Girls “Wannabe” Celine Dion “Because You Loved Me” Toni Braxton “Un-Break My Heart” Blackstreet with Dr. Dre & Queen Pen “No Diggity” Donna Lewis “I Love You Always Forever” R. Kelly “I Believe I Can Fly” Fugees “Killing Me Softly” Bone Thugs-N-Harmony “Tha Crossroads” Eric Clapton “Change the World” Shawn Colvin “Sunny Came Home” 1995 Oasis “Wonderwall” Los Del Rio “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)” Coolio with L.V. “Gangsta’s Paradise” Mariah Carey with Boyz II Men “One Sweet Day” No Doubt “Don’t Speak” Alanis Morissette “You Oughta Know” Pulp “Common People” Alanis Morissette “Ironic” Oasis “Don’t Look Back in Anger” Mariah Carey “Fantasy” 1994 Boyz II Men “I’ll Make Love to You” Mariah Carey “All I Want for Christmas Is You” TLC “Waterfalls” Seal “Kiss from a Rose” Oasis “Live Forever” All-4-One “I Swear” Soundgarden “Black Hole Sun” Jeff Buckley “Hallelujah” Bruce Springsteen “Streets of Philadelphia” Green Day “Basket Case” 1993 Beck “Loser” Meat Loaf “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” Janet Jackson “That’s the Way Love Goes” Sheryl Crow “All I Wanna Do” Ace of Base “The Sign” Tag Team “Whoomp! There It Is” Mariah Carey “Dreamlover” Mariah Carey “Hero” Nirvana “All Apologies” Nirvana “Heart-Shaped Box” 1992 Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You” Radiohead “Creep” Boyz II Men “End of the Road” Eric Clapton “Tears in Heaven” Sir Mix-a-Lot “Baby Got Back” House of Pain “Jump Around” R.E.M. “Everybody Hurts” Kris Kross “Jump” Dr. Dre with Snoop Doggy Dogg “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” Billy Ray Cyrus “Achy Breaky Heart” 1991 Nirvana “Smells Like Teen Spirit” Bryan Adams “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” R.E.M. “Losing My Religion” U2 “One” Red Hot Chili Peppers “Under the Bridge” Metallica “Enter Sandman” Pearl Jam “Jeremy” Guns N’ Roses “November Rain” Nirvana “Come As You Are” Natalie Cole with Nat “King” Cole “Unforgettable” 1990 Sinéad O’Connor “Nothing Compares 2 U” Madonna “Vogue” MC Hammer “U Can’t Touch This” Garth Brooks “Friends in Low Places” Vanilla Ice “Ice Ice Baby” Mariah Carey “Vision of Love” Depeche Mode “Enjoy the Silence” C + C Music Factory “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” Deee-Lite “Groove Is in the Heart” Roxette “It Must Have Been Love” 1989 Madonna “Like a Prayer” The B-52’s “Love Shack” Public Enemy “Fight the Power” Phil Collins “Another Day in Paradise” Tom Petty “Free Fallin’” Bette Midler “Wind Beneath My Wings” Young MC “Bust a Move” Alannah Myles “Black Velvet” Depeche Mode “Personal Jesus” Soul II Soul “Back to Life (How Ever Do You Want Me)” 1988 Tracy Chapman “Fast Car” Poison “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” 1988: The La’s “There She Goes” Bobby McFerrin “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” Metallica “One” Bangles “Eternal Flame” Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock “It Takes Two” Tone Loc “Wild Thing” Bobby Brown “My Prerogative” Phil Collins “A Groovy Kind of Love” 1987 Guns N’ Roses “Sweet Child O’ Mine” U2 “With or Without You” Whitney Houston “I Wanna Dance with Somebody Who Loves Me” Guns N’ Roses “Welcome to the Jungle” U2 “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” Def Leppard “Pour Some Sugar on Me” George Michael “Faith” Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes “I’ve Had the Time of My Life” Rick Astley “Never Gonna Give You Up” Whitesnake “Here I Go Again” 1986 Bon Jovi “Livin’ on a Prayer” Run-D.M.C. with Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler & Joe Perry “Walk This Way” Prince “Kiss” Peter Gabriel “Sledgehammer” Beastie Boys “You Gotta Fight for Your Right to Party” Berlin “Take My Breath Away” Bangles “Walk Like an Egyptian” Peter Gabriel “In Your Eyes” Crowded House “Don’t Dream It’s Over” Bon Jovi “You Give Love a Bad Name” 1985 U.S.A. for Africa “We Are the World” Tears for Fears “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” Dire Straits “Money for Nothing” Simple Minds “Don’t You Forget about Me” Dionne & Friends “That's What Friends Are For” Pet Shop Boys “West End Girls” Lionel Richie “Say You Say Me” Kate Bush “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” Huey Lewis & the News “The Power of Love” Madonna “Into the Groove” 1984 Prince “When Doves Cry” A-ha “Take on Me” Foreigner “I Want to Know What Love Is” George Michael “Careless Whisper” Tina Turner “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” Prince & the Revolution “Purple Rain” Stevie Wonder “I Just Called to Say I Love You” Madonna “Like a Virgin” Bruce Springsteen “Born in the U.S.A.” Bruce Springsteen “Dancing in the Dark” 1983 The Police “Every Breath You Take” Van Halen “Jump” Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This” Lionel Richie “All Night Long (All Night)” Cyndi Lauper “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” New Order “Blue Monday” Cyndi Lauper “Time After Time” Irene Cara “Flashdance...What a Feelin’” Bonnie Tyler “Total Eclipse of the Heart” Frankie Goes to Hollywood “Relax” 1982 Michael Jackson “Billie Jean” Survivor “Eye of the Tiger” Michael Jackson “Beat It” Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five “The Message” Dexy’s Midnight Runners “Come on Eileen” Willie Nelson “Always on My Mind” Toto “Africa” 1982: John Cougar Mellencamp “Jack and Diane” Michael Jackson “Thriller” Marvin Gaye “Sexual Healing” 1981 Joan Jett & the Blackhearts “I Love Rock and Roll” Journey “Don’t Stop Believin’” Lionel Richie & Diana Ross “Endless Love” The Human League “Don’t You Want Me?” Soft Cell “Tainted Love” Kim Carnes “Bette Davis Eyes” Olivia Newton-John “Physical” Men at Work “Down Under” Phil Collins “In the Air Tonight” The Rolling Stones “Start Me Up” 1980 Joy Division “Love Will Tear Us Apart” AC/DC “You Shook Me All Night Long” Queen “Another One Bites the Dust” Blondie “Call Me” Kool & the Gang “Celebration” Kenny Rogers “Lady” AC/DC “Back in Black” Diana Ross “Upside Down” Dolly Parton “9 to 5” REO Speedwagon “Keep on Loving You” 1979 Pink Floyd “Another Brick in the Wall Part II” The Clash “London Calling” The Knack “My Sharona” Michael Jackson “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” Sister Sledge “We Are Family” Lipps Inc. “Funkytown” The Sugarhill Gang “Rapper’s Delight” Pink Floyd “Comfortably Numb” Chic “Good Times” Queen “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” 1978 Gloria Gaynor “I Will Survive” Blondie “Heart of Glass” Chic “Le Freak” Village People “Y.M.C.A.” Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta “You’re the One That I Want” Dire Straits “Sultans of Swing” Commodores “Three Times a Lady” Earth, Wind & Fire “September” The Police “Roxanne” Gerry Rafferty “Baker Street” 1977 Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive” Queen “We Will Rock You” / “We Are the Champions” Bee Gees “How Deep Is Your Love” Debby Boone “You Light Up My Life” Bee Gees “Night Fever” David Bowie “Heroes” Fleetwood Mac “Dreams” Sex Pistols “God Save the Queen” Eric Clapton “Wonderful Tonight” Commodores “Brick House” 1976 Eagles “Hotel California” Abba “Dancing Queen” Wild Cherry “Play That Funky Music” Sex Pistols “Anarchy in the U.K.” Fleetwood Mac “Go Your Own Way” Boston “More Than a Feeling” Rod Stewart “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)” Ramones “Blitzkrieg Bop” Chicago “If You Leave Me Now” Elton John & Kiki Dee “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” 1975 Queen “Bohemian Rhapsody” Bruce Springsteen “Born to Run” Led Zeppelin “Kashmir” Pink Floyd “Wish You Were Here” Glen Campbell “Rhinestone Cowboy” Captain & Tennille “Love Will Keep Us Together” 10cc “I’m Not in Love” Van McCoy “The Hustle” Bruce Springsteen “Thunder Road” Kiss “Rock and Roll All Nite” 1974 Lynyrd Skynyrd “Sweet Home Alabama” Bob Marley & the Wailers “No Woman, No Cry” Olivia Newton-John “I Honestly Love You” Bachman-Turner Overdrive “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” Carl Douglas “Kung Fu Fighting” George McCrae “Rock Your Baby” Bachman-Turner Overdrive “Takin’ Care of Business” Joe Cocker “You Are So Beautiful” Harry Chapin “Cat’s in the Cradle” Barry White “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything” 1973 Lynyrd Skynyrd “Free Bird” Marvin Gaye “Let’s Get It On” Roberta Flack “Killing Me Softly with His Song” Tony Orlando & Dawn “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” Barbra Streisand “The Way We Were” Aerosmith “Dream On” Billy Joel “Piano Man” Gladys Knight & the Pips “Midnight Train to Georgia” Terry Jacks “Seasons in the Sun” The Rolling Stones “Angie” 1972 Stevie Wonder “Superstition” Neil Young “Heart of Gold” Lou Reed “Walk on the Wild Side” Carly Simon “You’re So Vain” The Temptations “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” Deep Purple “Smoke on the Water” Bill Withers “Lean on Me” Stevie Wonder “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” Gilbert O’Sullivan “Alone Again (Naturally)” Eagles “Take It Easy” 1971 John Lennon “Imagine” Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven” Don McLean “American Pie” Marvin Gaye “What’s Going On” Rod Stewart “Maggie May” Al Green “Let’s Stay Together” The Who “Won’t Get Fooled Again” The Rolling Stones “Brown Sugar” Harry Nilsson “Without You” The Who “Baba O’Riley” 1970 Simon & Garfunkel “Bridge Over Troubled Water” The Beatles “Let It Be” Derek & the Dominos “Layla” Elton John “Your Song” George Harrison “My Sweet Lord” The Jackson 5 “I’ll Be There” Black Sabbath “Paranoid” James Taylor “Fire and Rain” The Jackson 5 “ABC” The Kinks “Lola” Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: Top Songs and Albums by Year lists Dave’s Music Database: Songs of the Decade lists First posted 1/7/2024; last updated 5/1/2024.