Guardian/The Observer: Top 100 Songs

Guardian/The Observer: Top 100 Songs

The Observer is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It was acquired in 1993 by Guardian Media Group Limited, which also operates sister papers The Guardian and The Guardian Weekly. Over the years, they’ve published some best-of lists, 5 of which are aggregated here. You can see the original sources at the bottom of the page. Click here to see other lists from publications and/or organizations. 1. The Specials “Ghost Town” (1981) 2. Abba “Dancing Queen” (1976) 3. Pet Shop Boys “West End Girls” (1985) 4. Donna Summer “I Feel Love” (1977) 5. Simon & Garfunkel “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970) 6. The Kinks “You Really Got Me” (1964) 7. Frankie Goes to Hollywood “Relax” (1983) 8. Human League “Don’t You Want Me?” (1981) 9. Kylie Minogue “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” (2001) 10. T-Rex “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” (1971) 11. The Rolling Stones “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965) 12. Procol Harum “A Whiter Shade of Pale” (1967) 13. Four Tops “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” (1966) 14. Michael Jackson “Billie Jean” (1982) 15. The Prodigy “Firestarter” (1996) 16. Thunderclap Newman “Something in the Air” (1969) 17. Queen “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1975) 18. George Michael “Careless Whisper” (1984) 19. Kate Bush “Wuthering Heights” (1978) 20. Soft Cell “Tainted Love” (1981) 21. Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta “You’re the One That I Want” (1978) 22. Kraftwerk “The Model” (1978) 23. The Buggles “Video Killed the Radio Star” (1979) 24. Sugababes “Freak Like Me” (2002) 25. Bill Haley & the Comets “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock” (1954) 26. Sinéad O’Connor “Nothing Compares 2 U” (1990) 27. Marvin Gaye “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” (1968) 28. The Jam “Going Underground” (1980) 29. Blondie “Heart of Glass” (1978) 30. Ian Dury & the Blockheads “Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick” (1979) 31. Bee Gees “Night Fever” (1977) 32. George McCrae “Rock Your Baby” (1974) 33. David Bowie “Space Oddity” (1969) 34. Take That “Back for Good” (1995) 35. Gloria Gaynor “I Will Survive” (1978) 36. Dexy’s Midnight Runners “Come on Eileen” (1982) 37. Cornership “Brimful of Asha” (1997) 38. Rihanna with Jay-Z “Umbrella” (2007) 39. The Supremes “Baby Love” (1964) 40. Pretenders “Brass in Pocket (I’m Special)” (1979) 41. Buddy Holly & the Crickets “That’ll Be the Day” (1957) 42. The Righteous Brothers “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” (1965) 43. Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” (1956) 44. Spice Girls “Wannabe” (1996) 45. Jane Birkn with Serge Gainsbourg “Je T’Aime (Moi Non Plus)” (1969) 46. Rod Stewart “Maggie May” (1971) 47. Slade “Merry Xmas Everybody” (1973) 48. Tom Jones “It’s Not Unsual” (1965) 49. Steve Harley with Cockney Rebel “Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)” (1975) 50. Tubeway Army “Are Friends Electric?” (1979) 51. The Chemical Brothers with Noel Gallagher “The Setting Sun” (1996) 52. Steve “Silk” Hurley “Jack Your Body” (1987) 53. Elvis Presley “Jailhouse Rock” (1957) 54. New Order “World in Motion” (1990) 55. 10cc “I’m Not in Love” (1975) 56. Soul II Soul “Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)” (1989) 57. Black Box “Ride on Time” (1989) 58. John Lennon “Imagine” (1971) 59. Dead or Alive “You Spin Me Round Like a Record” (1984) 60. The Monkees “I’m a Believer” (1966) 61. The KLF “3 A.M. Eternal” (1991) 62. Band Aid “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” (1984) 63. Lady Gaga “Bad Romance” (2009) 64. Rick Astley “Never Gonna Give You Up” (1987) 65. S-Express “Theme from S-Express” (1988) 66. The Rolling Stones “Get Off of My Cloud” (1965) 67. The Shadows “Apache” (1960) 68. Al Martino “Here in My Heart” (1952) 69. Village People “Y.M.C.A.” (1978) 70. Culture Club “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” (1982) 71. The Miracles “The Tears of a Clown” (1967) 72. The Tornadoes “Telstar” (1962) 73. Kylie Minogue “I Should Be So Lucky” (1988) 74. Nancy Sinatra “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” (1966) 75. Whigfield “Saturday Night” (1994) 76. The Beatles “She Loves You” (1963) 77. The Police “Every Breath You Take” (1983) 78. Ben E. King “Stand by Me” (1961) 79. The Beach Boys “Good Vibrations” (1966) 80. Beyoncé with Jay-Z “Crazy in Love” (2003) 81. Louis Armstrong “What a Wonderful World” (1967) 82. Althia & Donna “Uptown Top Ranking” (1978) 83. Britney Spears “Baby One More Time” (1998) 84. Rod Stewart “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” (1978) 85. David Bowie “Let’s Dance” (1983) 86. The Clash “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” (1982) 87. Pink Floyd “Another Brick in the Wall Part II” (1979) 88. Roy Orbison “(Oh) Pretty Woman” (1964) 89. The Walker Brothers “Make It Easy on Yourself” (1965) 90. Gorillaz with Shaun Ryder “Dare” (2005) 91. The Beatles “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (1963) 92. R. Kelly “Ignition (remx)” (2002) 93. Lily Allen “Smile” (2006) 94. Frankie Goes to Hollywood “Two Tribes” (1984) 95. Arctic Monkeys “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” (2005) 96. Rage Against the Machine “Killing in the Name” (1992) 97. Elton John “Are You Ready for Love?” (2003) 98. Bob Dylan “Like a Rolling Stone” (1965) 99. Bruce Springsteen “Born to Run” (1975) 100. Marvin Gaye “What’s Going On” (1971) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Lists from other publications and/or organizations” The Guardian (6/5/2020). “The 100 Greatest UK No. 1’s” The Guardian (6/3/2012). “Best No. 1 Singles, 1952-2012” The Guardian (6/11/2011). “A History of Pop Music in 50 Key Moments” The Guardian (3/2009). “1000 Songs Everyone Must Hear” The Guardian (1/7/2001). “The 100 Greatest Singles” First posted 4/7/2021; last updated 2/16/2025.

The Specials’ “Ghost Town” hit #1 in the UK

Ghost Town The Specials

Writer(s): Jerry Dammers (see lyrics here) Released: June 12, 1981 First Charted: June 20, 1981 Peak: 17 CL, 2 CO, 13 UK, 68 AU, 10 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 22.2 video, 38.33 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: The Specials formed in England in 1977. They presented a unique mix of ska and punk which clicked with British audiences. From 1979 to 1981, The Specials landed seven consecutive top-10 hits, including the #1 hits “Too Much Too Young” in 1980 and “Ghost Town” in 1981. “Ghost Town” came at a time that the ska-punk scene was starting to wane. The song, however, showed a willingness on The Specials’ part to embrace new sounds. It was “a downbeat, doom-laden, politically-fired track” XFM which demonstrated the band’s openness to “exploring genres such as new wave, lounge – even muzak.” XFM “Jerry Dammers’ keyboards are eerily atmospheric throughout and a chanting vocal provides a damning appraisal of inner-city life.” XFM The song grew out of a difficult time in the UK marked by riots sparked by race relations, a police raid, and unemployment. Dammers told Mojo magazine “In Liverpool, all the shops were shuttered up, everything was closing down. In Glasgow there were little old ladies on the street selling their household goods – it was clear something was wrong.” KL There was unrest amongst the band as well. This was the last single released by the original seven members. WK Right before “Ghost Town” topped the charts, Neville Staples, Lynval Golding, and Terry Hall resigned from the band. Dammers continued with Horace Panter, John Bradbury, and new lead singer Rhoda Dakur, who’d formerly been with the Bodysnatchers. Under the band’s original name of The Special A.K.A., they continued to chart, but only reached the top 10 once more with “Free Nelson Mandela” in 1984. In the UK music press, “Ghost Town” was hailed “as a major piece of popular social commentary.” WK It was named “Single of the Year” by Melody Maker, NME, and Sounds – the three top weekly UK magazines at the time. All Music Guide’s Michael Waynick called “Ghost Town” the band’s “crowning achievement.” AMG Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for The Specials AMG All Music Guide review by Michael Waynick KL Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh (2005). 1000 UK Number One Hits: The Stories Behind Every Number One Single Since 1952. London, Great Britain: Omnibus Press. Page 271. WK Wikipedia XFM Mike Walsh (editor) (2010). The XFM Top 1000 Songs of All Time. Elliott & Thompson Limited: London, England. Page 394. First posted 10/13/2021; last updated 9/26/2022.