The Top 250 New Wave/College Rock Songs

New Wave/College Rock: Top 250 Songs

This is really two lists in one. I attempted making one list devoted to new wave and another to college rock, but they overlapped enough that it made more sense to combine them. New wave was a synth-driven musical genre in the 1980s helmed by bands like New Order, Depeche Mode, and the Cure. College radio stations helped give an audience to that music as well as more guitar-focused bands like U2 and R.E.M. While often gathered under the banner of “alternative rock,” a significant number of bands which started on the fringe had, by decade’s end become the mainstream. More than 50 lists focused on one genre or the other (or both) were aggregated to create this list. I opted to stretch the list to 250 songs to encompass all the songs that would rank in the top 100 in one list or the other. Peaks on the two lists, if they were separated out, are indicated with CR (college rock) and NW (new wave). Click here to see other genre-specific song lists. Spotify Podcast: Check out the Dave’s Music Database podcast episode The Best of New Wave which references songs on this list. Premiered: September 28, 2022. You can also listen to the entire list on Spotify here. 1. New Order “Blue Monday” (1983) NW #4, CR #16 2. Joy Division “Love Will Tear Us Apart” (1980) CR #1, NW #48 3. Soft Cell “Tainted Love” (1981) NW #1, CR #92 4. The Cure “Just Like Heaven” (1987) CR #13, NW #25 5. Modern English “I Melt with You” (1982) NW #7, CR #71 6. The Human League “Don’t You Want Me?” (1981) NW #2 7. Violent Femmes “Blister in the Sun” (1983) CR #2 8. Echo & the Bunnymen “The Killing Moon” (1984) CR #5 9. Devo “Whip It” (1980) NW #12, CR #84 10. Depeche Mode “Just Can’t Get Enough” (1981) NW #15, CR #68 11. Gary Numan “Cars” (1979) NW #3 12. Depeche Mode “People Are People” (1984) NW #10 13. The Church “Under the Milky Way” (1988) CR #3 14. The Smiths “How Soon Is Now?” (1984) CR #9, NW #96 15. Talking Heads “Once in a Lifetime” (1981) CR #26, NW #45 16. Dexy’s Midnight Runners “Come on Eileen” (1982) NW #13 17. Simple Minds “Don’t You Forget about Me” (1985) NW #11 18. Dead or Alive “You Spin Me Round Like a Record” (1985) NW #5 19. R.E.M. “Radio Free Europe” (1981) CR #4 20. The Cure “In Between Days (Without You)” (1985) CR #34, NW #50 21. Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This” (1982) NW #6 22. Buggles “Video Killed the Radio Star” (1979) NW #8 23. A Flock of Seagulls “I Ran” (1982) NW #9 24. New Order “Bizarre Love Triangle” (1986) NW #31, CR #74 25. Pet Shop Boys “West End Girls” (1985) NW #18 26. Talk Talk “It’s My Life” (1984) CR #33, NW #86 27. Psychedelic Furs “Pretty in Pink” (1981) CR #26, NW #97 28. A-ha “Take on Me” (1984) NW #14 29. The Pixies “Here Comes Your Man” (1989) CR #7 30. Kate Bush “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” (1985) CR #14 31. The B-52’s “Rock Lobster” (1979) NW #33 32. Big Country “In a Big Country” (1983) NW #17 33. Madness “Our House” (1982) NW #20 34. Talking Heads “Burning Down the House” (1983) NW #34 35. Tears for Fears “Mad World” (1982) NW #28 36. Midnight Oil “Beds Are Burning” (1987) CR #57, NW #82 37. Duran Duran “Hungry Like the Wolf” (1982) NW #23 38. The Jesus & Mary Chain “Just Like Honey” (1985) CR #10 39. The English Beat “Save It for Later” (1983) NW #55, CR #91 40. Frankie Goes to Hollywood “Relax” (1983) NW #16 41. The Clash “Rock the Casbah” (1982) NW #62, CR #90 42. Echo & the Bunnymen “Lips Like Sugar” (1987) CR #17 43. Wall of Voodoo “Mexican Radio” (1983) NW #74, CR #83 44. The Jam “A Town Called Malice” (1982) CR #50 45. Men Without Hats “The Safety Dance” (1983) NW #24 46. Split Enz “I Got You” (1980) NW #19 47. The Vapors “Turning Japanese” (1980) NW #26 48. Billy Idol “White Wedding” (1982) NW #21 49. Duran Duran “Girls on Film” (1981) NW #29 50. The Go-Go’s “Our Lips Are Sealed” (1981) NW #37 51. The Cure “Close to Me” (1985) CR #275 52. Yazoo “Don’t Go” (1982) CR #70, NW #99 53. Jane’s Addiction “Jane Says” (1988) CR #8 54. Sonic Youth “Teenage Riot” (1988) CR #6, NW #90 55. XTC “Senses Working Overtime” (1982) CR #41 56. Thomas Dolby “She Blinded Me with Science” (1982) NW #27 57. They Might Be Giants “Ana Ng” (1988) CR #12 58. Psychedelic Furs “Love My Way” (1982) NW #32 59. Tears for Fears “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” (1985) NW #43 60. Icicle Works “Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)” (1984) NW #70 61. Nena “99 Red Balloons” (1983) NW #35 62. The Cult “She Sells Sanctuary” (1985) CR #30 63. Tears for Fears “Shout” (1984) NW #30 64. XTC “Dear God” (1986) #29 CR 65. Camper Van Beethoven “Take the Skinheads Bowling” (1985) CR #11 66. Love & Rockets “So Alive” (1989) CR #21 67. Blondie “Heart of Glass” (1978) NW #22 68. The Sugarcubes “Birthday” (1987) #15 CR 69. The English Beat “Mirror in the Bathroom” (1980) NW #49 70. Naked Eyes “Always Something There to Remind Me” (1983) NW #36 71. Romeo Void “Never Say Never” (1982) NW #59 72. INXS “Don’t Change” (1982) CR #48 73. Berlin “The Metro” (1983) NW #38 74. Oingo Boingo “Dead Man’s Party” (1985) CR #39 75. U2 “I Will Follow” (1980) CR #23 76. The Fixx “One Thing Leads to Another” (1983) NW #53 77. Tom Tom Club “Genius of Love” (1981) NW #88 78. The Go-Go’s “We Got the Beat” (1981) NW #52 79. Bauhaus “She’s in Parties” (1983) CR #18 80. After the Fire “Der Kommissar” (1983) NW #40 81. Animotion “Obsession” (1985) NW #41 82. Siouxsie & the Banshees “Cities in Dust” (1985) CR #59 83. Culture Club “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” (1982) NW #51 84. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark “Enola Gay” (1980) NW #66 85. Peter Schilling “Major Tom (Coming Home)” (1983) NW #76 86. XTC “Making Plans for Nigel” (1979) NW #54 87. Missing Persons “Destination Unknown” (1982) NW #79 88. Bow Wow Wow “I Want Candy” (1982) NW #39 89. R.E.M. “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” (1987) CR #47 90. Yazoo “Situation” (1982) NW #84 91. General Public “Tenderness” (1984) NW #92 92. Pixies “Monkey Gone to Heaven” (1989) CR #20 93. The Stone Roses “I Wanna Be Adored” (1989) CR #27 94. The La’s “There She Goes” by (1988) CR #42 95. The Stone Roses “She Bangs the Drums” (1989) CR #40 96. The Plimsouls “A Million Miles Away” (1982) CR #76 97. The Replacements “Left of the Dial” (1985) CR #19 98. Hüsker Dü “Don’t Wanna Know if You Are Lonely” (1986) CR #22 99. Men at Work “Down Under” (1981) NW #44 100. Thompson Twins “Hold Me Now” (1983) NW #46 101. Ultravox “Vienna” (1980) NW #61 102. Talking Heads “Psycho Killer” (1977) NW #57 103. The Police “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” (1980) NW #63 104. ABC “The Look of Love” (1982) NW #47 105. When in Rome “The Promise” (1989) NW #64 106. Spandau Ballet “True” (1983) NW #73 107. The Knack “My Sharona” (1979) NW #87 108. The Clash “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” (1982) CR #66 109. Kajagoogoo “Too Shy” (1983) NW #80 110. Peter Gabriel “Games Without Frontiers” (1980) CR #96 111. Squeeze “Tempted” (1981) NW #56 112. Public Image Ltd. “Rise” (1986) CR #28 113. INXS “Need You Tonight” (1987) NW #60 114. The Primitives “Crash” (1988) CR #46 115. Roxy Music “More Than This” (1982) 116. The Boomtown Rats “I Don’t Like Mondays” (1979) NW #58 117. Pixies “Debaser” (1989) CR #32 118. R.E.M. “So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)” (1984) CR #49 119. Erasure “A Little Respect” (1988) NW #89 120. The Specials “Ghost Town” (1981) CR #94 121. Billy Idol “Dancing with Myself” (1981) 122. Wang Chung “Dance Hall Days” (1984) NW #77 123. The Cars “Just What I Needed” (1978) NW #95 124. New Order “True Faith” (1987) 125. Kim Wilde “Kids in America” (1981) NW #65 126. David Bowie “Let’s Dance” (1983) CR #78 127. Pretenders “Brass in Pocket (I’m Special)” (1979) NW #90 128. Depeche Mode “Never Let Me Down Again” (1987) CR #80 129. Blondie “One Way Or Another” (1978) NW #68 130. David Bowie “Ashes to Ashes” (1980) CR #79 131. Haircut 100 “Love Plus One” (1982) NW #42 132. Blondie “Rapture” (1980) 133. Bananarama “Cruel Summer” (1983) NW #75 134. The Bangles “Walk Like an Egyptian” (1986) 135. Re-Flex “The Politics of Dancing” (1983) NW #78 136. Sinéad O’Connor “Mandinka” (1987) CR #61 137. The Cure “Boys Don’t Cry” (1979) 138. Siouxsie & the Banshees “Peek-a-Boo” (1988) CR #52 139. Peter Murphy “Cuts You Up” (1990) CR #53 140. Black Flag “Rise Above” (1981) CR #36 141. The Replacements “I Will Dare” (1984) CR #37 142. The B-52’s “Private Idaho” (1980) 143. Pixies “Where Is My Mind?” (1988) CR #44 144. Mission of Burma “That’s When I Reach for My Revolver” (1981) CR #31 145. Squeeze “Pulling Mussels from the Shell” (1980) NW #83 146. The B-52’s “Love Shack” (1989) CR #67 147. Adam Ant “Goody Two Shoes” (1982) NW #85 148. M “Pop Muzik” (1979) NW #72 149. Men at Work “Who Can It Be Now?” (1981) NW #69 150. The Cars “You Might Think” (1984) NW #71 151. The Replacements “Alex Chilton” (1987) CR #56 152. Gang of Four “I Love a Man in Uniform” (1982) CR #77 153. The Dead Milkmen “Punk Rock Girl” (1988) CR #51 154. Visage “Fade to Grey” (1980) NW #67 155. The Cure “A Forest’ (1980) CR #60 156. Depeche Mode “Everything Counts” (1983) CR #85 157. The The “This Is the Day” (1983) 158. The Smiths “This Charming Man” (1983) CR #65 159. U2 “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (1983) CR #93 160. The Cars “Shake It Up” (1981) NW #93 161. ‘Til Tuesday “Voices Carry” (1985) 162. Bronski Beat “Smalltown Boy” (1984) NW #81 163. A Flock of Seagulls “Wishing (If I Had a Photograph)” (1982) NW #100 164. The Human League “Keep Feeling Fascination” (1983) NW #94 165. The Cure “Why Can’t I Be You?” CR #95 (1987) 166. Suicidal Tendencies “Institutionalized” (1983) CR #35 167. The Smiths “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” (1986) CR #97 168. Echo & the Bunnymen “The Cutter” (1983) CR #75 169. Dinosaur Jr. “Freak Scene” (1988) CR #38 170. Magazine “A Song from Under the Floorboard” (1980) CR #43 171. B-Movie “Nowhere Girl” (1982) CR #96 172. Bob Mould “See a Little Light” (1989) CR #58 173. 10,000 Maniacs “Like the Weather” (1987) CR #73 174. The Cure “Love Song” (1989) 175. The Minutemen “Corona” (1984) CR #45 176. Julian Cope “World Shut Your Mouth” (1986) CR #86 177. Cocteau Twins “Lorelei” (1984) CR #64 178. They Might Be Giants “Don’t Let’s Start” (1986) CR #87 179. The Police “Every Breath You Take” (1983) 180. U2 “Pride (In the Name of Love)” (1984) 181. Simple Minds “Alive and Kicking” (1985) NW #98 182. Concrete Blonde “Still in Hollywood” (1986) CR #66 183. ABC “Poison Arrow” (1982) 184. The Go-Go’s “Vacation” (1982) NW #91 185. The Clash “Train in Vain “Stand by Me)” (1979) 186. Killing Joke “Eighties” (1984) CR #69 187. Nine Inch Nails “Head Like a Hole” (1989) CR #54 188. Faith No More “We Care a Lot” (1985) CR #55 189. Elvis Costello “Veronica” (1989) CR #72 190. Violent Femmes “Kiss Off” (1983) CR #81 191. Orange Juice “Rip It Up” (1982) CR #63 192. World Party “Ship of Fools (Save Me from Tomorrow)” (1986) 193. The Replacements “Bastards of Young” (1985) CR #84 194. Depeche Mode “Personal Jesus” (1989) 195. The Police “Spirits in the Material World” (1981) 196. Erasure “Oh L’Amour” (1986) 197. Duran Duran “Rio” (1982) 198. Orchestral Manouvres in the Dark “If You Leave” (1986) 199. The Smiths “Girlfriend in a Coma” (1987) CR #82 200. Nik Kershaw “Wouldn’t It Be Good” (1984) 201. Alphaville “Forever Young” (1984) 202. Berlin “Sex (I’m A…)” (1983) 203. Violent Femmes “Add It Up” (1983) 204. Eurythmics “Here Comes the Rain Again” (1983) 205. Frankie Goes to Hollywood “Two Tribes” (1984) 206. Elvis Costello “What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love, and Understanding” (1978) 207. R.E.M. “Fall on Me” (1986) 208. R.E.M. “The One I Love” (1987) CR #98 209. Lone Justice “Ways to Be Wicked” (1985) CR #99 210. Morrissey “Every Day Is Like Sunday” (1988) 211. Fugazi “Waiting Room” (1988) CR #88 212. The Jam “That’s Entertainment” (1980) 213. The Waterboys “The Whole of the Moon” (1985) 214. The Dead Milkmen “Bitchin’ Camaro” (1985) 215. Suzanne Vega “Luka” (1987) 216. U2 “New Year’s Day” (1983) 217. Heaven 17 “Let Me Go” (1982) 218. Eurythmics “Love Is a Stranger” (1982) 219. Elvis Costello “Everyday I Write the Book” (1983) 220. The Romantics “Talking in Your Sleep” (1983) 221. Tubeway Army “Are Friends Electric?” (1979) 222. Culture Club “Karma Chamelon” (1983) 223. Tears for Fears “Pale Shelter” (1982) 224. Depeche Mode “Master and Servant” (1984) 225. The Cure “Let’s Go to Bed” (1982) 226. Elvis Costello & the Attractions “Radio Radio” (1978) 227. Madness “One Step Beyond” (1979) 228. INXS “The One Thing” (1982) 229. Dead Kennedys “Holiday in Cambodia” (1980) CR #98 230. Martha & the Muffins “Echo Beach” (1980) 231. X “Johnny Hit and Run Paulene” (1980) CR #99 232. U2 “With or Without You” (1987) 233. The Feelies “Fa cé-La” (1979) CR #100 234. The Smithereens “Behind the Wall of Sleep” (1986) CR #93 235. Lloyd Cole & the Commotions “Perfect Skin” (1984) CR #97 236. Joe Jackson “Is She Really Going Out with Him?” (1979) 237. The Meat Puppets “Lake of Fire” (1984) 238. Nirvana “About a Girl” (1989) 239. The B-52’s “Channel Z” (1989) 240. Elvis Costello “Pump It Up” (1978) 241. Cowboy Junkies “Sweet Jane” (1988) 242. Aztec Camera “Oblivious” (1983) 243. Happy Mondays “24 Hour Party People” (1987) 244. Joe Jackson “Steppin’ Out” (1982) 245. Red Hot Chili Peppers “Higher Ground” (1989) 246. Psychedelic Furs “The Ghost in You” (1984) 247. Stephen Duffy “Kiss Me” (1985) 248. Billy Idol “Rebel Yell” (1983) 249. Pixies “Gigantic” (1988) 250. Depeche Mode “Enjoy the Silence” (1990) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Genre/Category Song Lists” First posted 6/9/2017; last updated 3/29/2025.

Country Music Hall of Fame: 1961-2025

As stated on the website, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s mission “is to identify and preserve the evolving history and traditions of country music and to educate its audiences.” The Hall of Fame was established in 1961 by the Country Music Association. In 1967, a museum was opened on Music Row in Nashville and remained open until 2000. In May 2001, a brand new, $37 million building opened. See other Hall of Fames. Here is a full list of inductees since 1961. A Roy Acuff (1962) Alabama (2005) Bill Anderson (2001) John Anderson (2024) Eddy Arnold (1966) Chet Atkins (1973) Gene Autry (1969) B DeFord Bailey (2005) Bobby Bare (2013) Eddie Bayers (2022) Johnny Bond (1999) Bobby Braddock (2011) Harold Bradley (2006) Jerry Bradley (2019) Owen Bradley (1974) Rod Brasfield (1987) Brooks & Dunn (2019) Jim Ed Brown (2015) Tony Brown (2025) The Browns (2015) Garth Brooks (2012) Boudleaux Bryant (1991) Felice Bryant (1991) James Burton (2024) C Glen Campbell (2005) Bill Carlisle (2002) The Carter Family (1972) Johnny Cash (1980) June Carter Cash (2025) Ray Charles (2021) Kenny Chesney (2025) Roy Clark (2009) Jack Clement (2013) Patsy Cline (1973) Hank Cochran (2014) Paul Cohen (1976) Floyd Cramer (2003) D Vernon Dalhart (1981) Charlie Daniels (2016) Jimmie Davis (1972) Jimmy Dean (2010) The Delmore Brothers (2001) Jim Denny (1966) Little Jimmy Dickens (1983) Dean Dillon (2020) Pete Drake (2022) E Ralph Emery (2007) The Everly Brothers (2001) F Lester Flatt (1985) Jim Foglesong (2004) Red Foley (1967) Tennessee Ernie Ford (1990) Whitey “Duke of Paducah” Ford (1986) Fred Foster (2016) J.I. “Joe” Frank (1967) Lefty Frizzell (1982) G Joe Galante (2022) Connie B. Gay (1980) Don Gibson (2001) Vince Gill (2007) Johnny Gimble (2018) H Merle Haggard (1994) Tom T. Hall (2008) Howard Harlan (1997) Emmylou Harris (2008) George D. Hay (1966) Homer & Jethro (2001) Roy Horton (1982) Ferlin Husky (2010) I-J Alan Jackson (2017) Sonny James (2006) Waylon Jennings (2001) George Jones (1992) Grandpa Jones (1978) The Jordanaires (2001) The Judds (2021) K Toby Keith (2024) Pee Wee King (1974) Kris Kristofferson (2004) L Don Law (2001) Brenda Lee (1997) Jerry Lee Lewis (2022) Hubert Long (1979) The Louvin Brothers (2001) Patty Loveless (2023) Loretta Lynn (1988) M Uncle Dave Macon (1966) Barbara Mandrell (2009) Grady Martin (2015) Charlie McCoy (2009) Bob McDill (2023) Reba McEntire (2011) Roger Miller (1995) Ronnie Milsap (2014) Bill Monroe (1970) Patsy Montana (1996) George Morgan (1998) N Ken Nelson (2001) Willie Nelson (1993) O Oak Ridge Boys (2015) Buck Owens (1996) P Dolly Parton (1999) Minnie Pearl (1975) Ralph Peer (1984) Sam Phillips (2001) Webb Pierce (2001) Elvis Presley (1998) Frances Preston (1992) Ray Price (1996) Charley Pride (2000) Q-R Jerry Reed (2017) Jim Reeves (1967) Tex Ritter (1964) Hargus "Pig" Robbins (2012) Marty Robbins (1982) Jimmie Rodgers (1961) Kenny Rogers (2013) Roy Rogers (1988) Fred Rose (1961) Wesley Rose (1986) S Arthur Edward Satherly (1971) Don Schlitz (2017) Earl Scruggs (1985) Jean Shepard (2011) Billy Sherrill (2010) Stephen H. Sholes (1967) Ricky Skaggs (2018) Carl Smith (2003) Connie Smith (2012) Hank Snow (1979) Sons of the Pioneers (1980) Jack Stapp (1989) The Statler Brothers (2008) Ray Stevens (2019) Cliffie Stone (1989) Ernest Stoneman (2008) George Strait (2006) Marty Stuart (2020) T-U Hank Thompson (1989) Mel Tillis (2007) Floyd Tillman (1984) Merle Travis (1977) Randy Travis (2016) Ernest Tubb (1965) Tanya Tucker (2023) Grant Turner (1981) Conway Twitty (1999) V-W Porter Wagoner (2002) Cindy Walker (1997) Jo Walker-Meador (1995) Kitty Wells (1976) E.W. “Bud” Wendell (1998) Dottie West (2018) Keith Whitley (2022) Don Williams (2010) Hank Williams (1961) Hank Williams, Jr. (2020) Bob Wills (1968) Mac Wiseman (2014) Tammy Wynette (1998) X-Y-Z Faron Young (2000) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Hall of Fames” Dave’s Music Database: “The Top 100 Country Acts of All Time” Country Music Hall of Fame website Wikipedia.org: “List of Country Music Hall of Fame inductees” (by year) Last updated 3/25/2025.

Today in Music (1965): Bob Dylan Bringing It All Back Home released

Bringing It All Back Home Bob Dylan

Released: March 22, 1965 Peak: 6 US, 11 UK, -- CN, -- AU Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 1.5 US, -- UK, 3.5 world (includes US + UK), 9.39 EAS Genre: folk rock

Tracks: Click on a song title for more details. Subterranean Homesick Blues [2:21] She Belongs to Me [2:47] Maggie’s Farm [3:54] Love Minus Zero/No Limit [2:51] Outlaw Blues [3:05] On the Road Again [2:35] Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream [6:30] Mr. Tambourine Man [5:30] Gates of Eden [5:40] It’s Alright Ma, I’m Only Bleeding [7:29] It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue [4:12] Total Running Time: 47:21

Rating: 4.608 out of 5.00 (average of 29 ratings) Quotable ““If you’re…just starting your Dylan collection, this is the perfect place to start.” – Steve Marshall, The Night Owl Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Revolutionizng the Folk Scene “After a short period as a backup pianist for rockabilly star Bobby Vee, Dylan converted to the guitar and began exploring folk territory, heavily influenced by folk legend Woody Guthrie, whose potent celebrations of the common man would lure Dylan away from rock and roll and into New York’s acoustic Greenwich Village scene.” CS “With his early acoustic albums Dylan…revolutionized the early-1960s folk scene simply by writing his own songs.” TB Then “the floodgates opened and every sensitive teenager who could pick three chords on a battered acoustic guitar suddenly became a folksy singer-songwriter. Dylan was also seen as the inventor of protest music, so the eyes of the musical community were firmly fixed on him, watching his every move.” TB Plugging In Dylan made one of rock ‘n’ roll history’s most significant move in 1965 with the release of Bringing It All Back Home. He “broke all musical boundaries” NO with this “remarkable collection of songs unlike anything else up to that time.” NO “You can feel the excitement of the world being turned on its head, of a cult figure discovering his talent and joyously making the most of it.” RD “If you’re…just starting your Dylan collection, this is the perfect place to start.” NO He “lost some of his most loyal fans…after he did the unthinkable – he plugged in.” CS “With Another Side of Bob Dylan, Dylan had begun pushing past folk” AM and now, “for the first time, this folk music hero used an electric guitar.” NO “On Side One of this pioneering album, Dylan amplifies his cryptic, confrontational songwriting with guitar lightning and galloping drums” 500 and “blows folk music open.” RD “By fusing the Chuck Berry beat of the Rolling Stones and the Beatles with the leftist, folk tradition of the folk revival” CS Dylan created “a new kind of rock & roll.” CS Doesn’t Abandon Acoustic – And Was Always Electric Anyway “Dylan still remembers his folk heritage.” CS he “returns to solo acoustic guitar on the four superb songs on Side Two” 500 where he delivers “some of his best acoustic narratives. But for Dylan, the future was electric.” CS “The fact is that Dylan had always been an electric musician, with his journey into folk music only a temporary departure from his true home of pompadour haircuts and electric guitars.” CS “Bluesmen like Muddy Waters and Jimmy Reed and rockers like Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly [were] among his early appearances.” CS “Only the restraining hand of his producer John Hammond Sr. kept Dylan’s rock and roll cuts off his early albums, as Hammond knew Dylan was best marketed as an acoustic act.” CS Exceptional Songwriting “It’s not just that he went electric, either.” AM “The nominal folk songs derive from the same vantage point as the rockers, leaving traditional folk concerns behind and delving deep into the personal.” AM “From start to finish, Bringing It All Back Home is one of Dylan’s most enduring statements, containing some of Dylan’s greatest songs and performances.” NO “He’s exploding with imagination throughout the record.” AM Home “had the requisite folk tunes that fans expected, it also contained songs of introspection and paranoia, alongside beautifully poetic love songs – all within the confines of a single album.” NO “This is the point where Dylan eclipses any conventional sense of folk and rewrites the rules of rock, making it safe for personal expression and poetry, not only making words mean as much as the music, but making the music an extension of the words.” AM The Songs Here’s a breakdown of each of the individual songs.

Subterranean Homesick Blues Bob Dylan

Writer(s): Bob Dylan Released: 3/8/1965 (single), Bringing It All Back Home (1965) Peak: 39 BB, 52 CB, 53 HR, 6 AC, 2 CL, 9 UK, 4 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 72.18 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: The “raucous leadoff track” NO from Bringing It All Back Home was Dylan’s first top-40 single and his “first single to show off his rock and roll interest.” CS This song and “Maggie’s Farm” are loud, caustic, and funny as hell.” 500 It “is a stream of nonsense consciousness.” RD It is “a rock ‘n’ roll song with nicely twisted lyrics that tells about the then current mood of things; this one at its release truly was the first rap song ever made.” KN Dylan “pays tribute to electrified rocker Chuck Berry by borrowing from his ‘Too Much Monkey Business.’” CS “The opener is only the beginning of the revolution” CS where Dylan plugged in and went electric.

She Belongs to Me Bob Dylan

Writer(s): Bob Dylan Released: Bringing It All Back Home (1965) Peak: 21 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 13.93 streaming About the Song: “The painfully shy She Belongs to Me” CS and Love Minus Zero/No Limit are “uncommonly beautiful love songs.” AM

Maggie’s Farm Bob Dylan

Writer(s): Bob Dylan Released: 6/19/1965 (single), Bringing It All Back Home (1965) Peak: 12 CL, 22 UK, 6 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 18.91 streaming About the Song: “The rural rocker Maggie’s Farm” CS “and It’s Alright Ma, I’m Only Bleeding openly criticize the American government.” CS This is “a great upbeat sounding song about something that is a downer, but you got to smile when you hear the nasty things that Bob has to say about Maggie’s family.” KN This and Subterranean Homesick Blues “are loud, caustic, and funny as hell.” 500

Love Minus Zero/No Limit Bob Dylan

Writer(s): Bob Dylan Released: Bringing It All Back Home (1965) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 10.84 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: She Belongs to Me and Love Minus Zero/No Limit are “uncommonly beautiful love songs.” AM

Outlaw Blues Bob Dylan

Writer(s): Bob Dylan Released: Bringing It All Back Home (1965) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 5.19 streaming About the Song: Outlaw Blues, an “up-tempo Chuck Berry-style workout,” TB “and On the Road Again are rambunctious 12-bar blues.” RD

On the Road Again Bob Dylan

Writer(s): Bob Dylan Released: Bringing It All Back Home (1965) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 4.60 streaming About the Song: Outlaw Blues and “the hilariously surreal On the Road Again” TB “are rambunctious 12-bar blues.” RD This song “and Bob Dylan's 115th Dream are “uncommonly funny fantasias.” AM

Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream Bob Dylan

Writer(s): Bob Dylan Released: Bringing It All Back Home (1965) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 5.32 streaming About the Song: On the Road Again and Bob Dylan's 115th Dream are “uncommonly funny fantasias.” AM

Mr. Tambourine Man Bob Dylan

Writer(s): Bob Dylan Released: 3/22/1965 (single), Bringing It All Back Home (1965) Peak: 4 CL, 3 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 156.15 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: Dylan offers songs that are “individual, yet not personal” AM such as on “the whimsical poetry of Mr. Tambourine Man.” AM Of course, this song gained even greater fame when covered by the Byrds. Their #1 version of the song effectively kicked off the folk-rock movement in the 1960s.

Gates of Eden Bob Dylan

Writer(s): Bob Dylan Released: Bringing It All Back Home (1965) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 4.13 streaming About the Song: “The dream-like Gates of Eden.” CS

It’s Alright Ma, I’m Only Bleeding Bob Dylan

Writer(s): Bob Dylan Released: Bringing It All Back Home (1965) Peak: 14 CL Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 17.94 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: In Maggie’s Farm and the scabrous “It’s Alright Ma, I’m Only Bleeding,” 500 with its “surreal paranoia,” AM Dylan “openly criticize the American government.” CS This “is another masterpiece that holds itself together and keeps building to its close almost 8 minutes later.” KN Dylan’s biographer called it the “ultimate protest song.” CS

It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue Bob Dylan

Writer(s): Bob Dylan Released: Bringing It All Back Home (1965) Peak: 16 CL, 10 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 39.89 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: “The closing ballad, It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue, [is] arguably his finest, most affectionate song of dismissal.” 500

Resources/References: AM AllMusic.com review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine RD Robert Dimery (2006). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Quintet Publishing Limited: New York, NY. Page 75. KN Keno’s Classic Rock Album Reviews NO Steve Marshall (2001). The Night Owl review RV The Review (Oct./Nov. 2001). “The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time” by Clarke Speicher 500 Rolling Stone (2020). “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” CS Chris Smith (2009). 101 Albums That Changed Popular Music. Oxford University Press. Pages 30-2. TB Thunder Bay (2005). Albums: The Stories Behind 50 Years of Great Recordings. Thunder Bay Press; San Diego, CA. Pages 60-3. Related DMDB Pages: First posted 3/7/2011; last updated 9/15/2026.