In the 2015 edition of Joel Whitburn’s Top Pop Singles 1955-2015, 300 songs are noted and ranked for awards and list appearances: ASCAP, BMI, Country Music Association Awards, Grammys, the Grammy Hall of Fame, Kennedy Center Honors, National Recording Registry, NPR, Oscars, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, RIAA/NEA, and Rolling Stone.
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1. Aretha Franklin “Respect” (1967)
2. Otis Redding “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay” (1968)
3. Roy Orbison “(Oh) Pretty Woman” (1964)
4. Bobby Darin “Mack the Knife” (1959)
5. Tina Turner “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” (1984)
6. Al Green “Let’s Stay Together” (1971)
7. Carl Perkins “Blue Suede Shoes” (1956)
8. The Rolling Stones “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965)
9. The Righteous Brothers “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” (1965)
10. The Temptations “My Girl” (1964)
11. Simon and Garfunkel “The Sounds of Silence” (1965)
12. Martha & the Vandellas “Dancing in the Street” (1964)
13. Ben E. King “Stand by Me” (1961)
14. Ray Charles “What’d I Say” (1959)
15. George Jones “He Stopped Loving Her Today” (1980)
16. Bill Haley & the Comets “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock” (1954)
17. The Doors “Light My Fire” (1967)
18. Jerry Lee Lewis “Great Balls of Fire” (1957)
19. The Ronettes “Be My Baby” (1963)
20. Marvin Gaye “What’s Going On” (1971)
21. The Miracles “The Tracks of My Tears” (1965)
22. The Sugarhill Gang “Rapper’s Delight” (1979)
23. The Beatles “Yesterday” (1965)
24. James Taylor “Fire and Rain” (1970)
25. The Impressions “People Get Ready” (1965)
26. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five “The Message” (1982)
27. Simon & Garfunkel “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970)
28. Gloria Gaynor “I Will Survive” (1978)
29. Eagles “Hotel California” (1976)
30. Elvis Presley “Hound Dog” (1956)
31. Roberta Flack “Killing Me Softly with His Song” (1973)
32. Fats Domino “Blueberry Hill” (1956)
33. Willie Nelson “Always on My Mind” (1982)
34. Little Richard “Tutti Frutti” (1955)
35. Chubby Checker “The Twist” (1960)
36. Stevie Wonder “Superstition” (1972)
37. The Beach Boys “Good Vibrations” (1966)
38. Creedence Clearwater Revival “Proud Mary” (1969)
39. Buddy Holly & the Crickets “Peggy Sue” (1957)
40. The Penguins “Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)” (1954)
41. Billy Joel “Piano Man” (1974)
42. Bo Diddley “Bo Diddley” (1955)
43. Elvis Presley “Don’t Be Cruel” (1956)
44. The Police “Every Breath You Take” (1983)
45. Marvin Gaye “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” (1968)
46. Percy Sledge “When a Man Loves a Woman” (1966)
47. The Kingsmen “Louie Louie” (1963)
48. Bob Dylan “Like a Rolling Stone” (1965)
49. The Mamas & Papas “California Dreamin’” (1966)
50. Van Morrison “Brown-Eyed Girl” (1967)
51. Johnny Cash “I Walk the Line” (1956)
52. Bob Dylan “Blowin’ in the Wind” (1963)
53. Sam Cooke “You Send Me” (1957)
54. John Lennon “Imagine” (1971)
55. Derek & the Dominos “Layla” (1971)
56. The Flamingos “I Only Have Eyes for You” (1959)
57. Ritchie Valens “La Bamba” (1958)
58. Sam Cooke “A Change Is Gonna Come” (1965)
59. The Kingston Trio “Tom Dooley” (1958)
60. Sam & Dave “Soul Man” (1967)
61. B.B. King “The Thrill Is Gone” (1969)
62. Elvis Presley “Heartbreak Hotel” (1956)
63. Ray Charles “I Can’t Stop Loving You” (1962)
64. Isaac Hayes “Theme from Shaft” (1971)
65. The Temptations “Papa Was a Rollin' Stone” (1972)
66. Ray Charles “Georgia on My Mind” (1960)
67. Tammy Wynette “Stand by Your Man” (1968)
68. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts “I Love Rock and Roll” (1981)
69. The Beatles “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (1963)
70. Michael Jackson “Beat It” (1982)
71. The Shirelles “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” (1960)
72. Buddy Holly & the Crickets “That’ll Be the Day” (1957)
73. The Jackson 5 “I Want You Back” (1969)
74. 86. Steppenwolf “Born to Be Wild” (1968)
75. Prince & the Revolution “Purple Rain” (1984)
76. Jerry Lee Lewis “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” (1957)
77. Booker T. & the MG’s “Green Onions” (1962)
78. Queen “We Will Rock You” / “We Are the Champions” (1977)
79. Roger Miller “King of the Road” (1965)
80. Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto “The Girl from Ipanema” (1964)
81. Nirvana “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (1991)
82. Chuck Berry “Johnny B. Goode” (1958)
83. The Drifters “On Broadway” (1963)
84. The Five Satins “In the Still of the Nite (I’ll Remember)” (1956)
85. Michael Jackson “Billie Jean” (1982)
86. The Animals “The House of the Rising Sun” (1964)
87. Four Tops “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” (1966)
88. Elvis Presley “Suspicious Minds” (1969)
89. James Brown “I Got You” (I Feel Good)” (1965)
90. Chuck Berry “Maybellene” (1955)
91. Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” (1956)
92. The Kinks “You Really Got Me” (1964)
93. Elton John “Your Song” (1970)
94. Henry Mancini with Audrey Hepburn “Moon River” (1961)
95. Patsy Cline “I Fall to Pieces” (1961)
96. The Staple Singers “Respect Yourself” (1971)
97. Lynyrd Skynyrd “Free Bird” (1973)
98. Wilson Pickett “In the Midnight Hour” (1965)
99. Bruce Springsteen “Born to Run” (1975)
100. Chuck Berry “Roll Over Beethoven” (1956)
101. The Isley Brothers “Shout (Parts 1 and 2)” (1959)
102. Creedence Clearwater Revival “Fortunate Son” (1969)
103. Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven” (1971)
104. Bob Dylan “The Times They Are A-Changin’” (1964)
105. The Everly Brothers “All I Have to Do Is Dream” (1958)
106. The Platters “The Great Pretender” (1955)
107. Dion “Runaround Sue” (1961)
108. Blondie “Heart of Glass” (1978)
109. Little Eva “The Loco-Motion” (1962)
110. The Byrds “Mr. Tambourine Man” (1965)
111. The Beach Boys “California Girls” (1965)
112. Dionne Warwick “Walk on By” (1964)
113. Buffalo Springfield “For What It’s Worth” (1967)
114. Eddie Cochran “Summertime Blues” (1958)
115. Patsy Cline “Crazy” (1961)
116. Fats Domino “Ain't That a Shame” (1955)
117. The Jimi Hendrix Experience “Purple Haze” (1967)
118. The Jimi Hendrix Experience “All Along the Watchtower” (1968)
119. Loretta Lynn “Coal Miner's Daughter” (1970)
120. Howlin’ Wolf “Smokestack Lightning” (1956)
121. The Champs “Tequila” (1958)
122. The Box Tops “The Letter” (1967)
123. Barbra Streisand “The Way We Were” (1973)
124. U2 “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” (1987)
125. Mary Wells “My Guy” (1964)
126. The Supremes “Where Did Our Love Go” (1964)
127. Frank Sinatra “Strangers in the Night” (1966)
128. Eric Clapton “Tears in Heaven” (1992)
129. Roy Orbison “Crying” (1961)
130. R.E.M. “Losing My Religion” (1991)
131. Run-D.M.C. with Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler & Joe Perry “Walk This Way” (1986)
132. Jackie Wilson “Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher and Higher” (1967)
133. Lynyrd Skynrd “Sweet Home Alabama” (1974)
134. M.C. Hammer “U Can’t Touch This” (1990)
135. Jefferson Airplane “White Rabbit” (1967)
136. Bruce Springsteen “Born in the U.S.A.” (1984)
137. Crosby, Stills & Nash with Neil Young “Ohio” (1970)
138. Charlie Rich “Behind Closed Doors” (1973)
139. Muddy Waters “Hoochie Coochie Man” (1954)
140. T-Bone Walker “Call It Stormy Monday” (1947)
141. John Lee Hooker “Boogie Chillen'“ (1949)
142. Hank Williams “I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949)
143. Muddy Waters “Got My Mojo Working” (1957)
144. Gladys Knight & the Pips “Midnight Train to Georgia” (1973)
145. Bette Midler “Wind Beneath My Wings (aka "Hero")” (1989)
146. Aretha Franklin “Chain of Fools” (1967)
147. Marvin Gaye “Sexual Healing” (1982)
148. Big Brother & The Holding Company “Piece of My Heart” (1968)
149. Santana & Rob Thomas “Smooth” (1999)
150. The Beatles “Hey Jude” (1968)
151. Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive” (1977)
152. Bobby Gentry “Ode to Billie Joe” (1967)
153. Stevie Wonder “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” (1972)
154. James Brown “Papa's Got a Brand New Bag” (1965)
155. Sammi Smith “Help Me Make It Through the Night” (1971)
156. Flatt & Scruggs with the Foggy Mountain Boys “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” (1950)
157. Rod Stewart “Maggie May” (1971)
158. Don McLean “American Pie” (1971)
159. The Rolling Stones “Honky Tonk Women” (1969)
160. Bill Withers “Lean on Me” (1972)
161. The Beatles “Help!” (1964)
162. The Supremes “Stop! In the Name of Love” (1965)
163. Abba “Dancing Queen” (1976)
164. The Everly Brothers “Bye Bye Love” (1957)
165. Sister Sledge “We Are Family” (1979)
166. Roy Orbison “Only the Lonely” (1960)
167. The Drifters “There Goes My Baby” (1959)
168. Billy Joel “Just the Way You Are” (1977)
169. Led Zeppelin “Whole Lotta Love” (1969)
170. Edwin Hawkins Singers “Oh Happy Day” (1969)
171. Little Richard “Long Tall Sally” (1956)
172. Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps “Be-Bop-A-Lula” (1956)
173. The 5th Dimension “Up, Up and Away” (1967)
174. Queen “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1975)
175. Hank Williams “Lovesick Blues” (1949)
176. Etta James “At Last” (1961)
177. James Brown “Please Please Please” (1956)
178. Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You” (1992)
179. Prince “When Doves Cry” (1984)
180. Johnny Horton “The Battle of New Orleans” (1959)
181. The Everly Brothers “Wake Up Little Susie” (1957)
182. Del Shannon “Runaway” (1961)
183. Pink Floyd “Another Brick in the Wall Part II” (1979)
184. The Beatles “Let It Be” (1970)
185. The Crystals “He's a Rebel” (1962)
186. Wilbert Harrison “Kansas City” (1959)
187. Louis Armstrong “Hello Dolly!” (1964)
188. The Coasters “Yakety Yak” (1958)
189. The Shangri-La’s “Leader of the Pack” (1964)
190. Cyndi Lauper “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” (1983)
191. The Miracles “Shop Around” (1960)
192. Aaron Neville “Tell It Like It Is” (1966)
193. Procol Harum “A Whiter Shade of Pale” (1967)
194. Harry Nilsson “Everybody's Talkin'“ (1968)
195. Jackie Wilson “Lonely Teardrops” (1958)
196. Spencer Davis Group “Gimme Some Lovin'“ (1966)
197. Sly & the Family Stone “Dance to the Music” (1968)
198. The Beatles “Strawberry Fields Forever” (1967)
199. Bruce Springsteen “Streets of Philadelphia” (1994)
200. The Lovin’ Spoonful “Do You Believe in Magic” (1965)
201. Bobby Fuller Four “I Fought the Law” (1966)
202. Ben E. King “Spanish Harlem” (1960)
203. The Animals “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” (1965)
204. The Byrds “Eight Miles High” (1966)
205. Lou Reed “Walk on the Wild Side” (1973)
206. Johnny Cash “Ring of Fire” (1963)
207. Tony Bennett “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” (1962)
208. Otis Redding “I've Been Loving You Too Long” (1965)
209. Otis Redding “Try a Little Tenderness” (1966)
210. Glen Campbell “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” (1967)
211. John Lee Hooker “Boom Boom” (1962)
212. The Who “My Generation” (1965)
213. Ike & Tina Turner “River Deep, Mountain High” (1966)
214. Big Joe Turner “Shake, Rattle and Roll” (1954)
215. Bob Marley & the Wailers “No Woman No Cry” (1974)
216. Johnny Cash “Folsom Prison Blues” (1955)
217. Robert Johnson “I Believe I'll Dust My Broom” (1936)
218. OutKast “Hey Ya!” (2003)
219. USA for Africa “We Are the World” (1985)
220. The Drifters “Save the Last Dance for Me” (1960)
221. The Turtles “Happy Together” (1967)
222. Edwin Starr “War” (1970)
223. Simon & Garfunkel “Mrs. Robinson” (1968)
224. Celine Dion “My Heart Will Go On” (1997)
225. Kool & The Gang “Celebration” (1980)
226. Janis Joplin “Me and Bobby McGee” (1971)
227. Chic “Good Times” (1979)
228. The Staple Singers “I'll Take You There” (1972)
229. Neil Young “Heart of Gold” (1972)
230. Shania Twain “You’re Still the One” (1997)
231. Gnarls Barkley “Crazy” (2006)
232. Lady Antebellum “Need You Now” (2009)
233. The Ventures “Walk Don't Run” (1960)
234. Beck “Loser” (1993)
235. Fleetwood Mac “Go Your Own Way” (1977)
236. James Brown “Get Up I Feel Like Being Like a Sex Machine” (1970)
237. Dave Brubeck Quartet “Take Five “ (1959)
238. The Police “Roxanne” (1978)
239. The Drifters “Money Honey” (1953)
240. Bob Marley & the Wailers “Get Up Stand Up” (1973)
241. Jimmy Cliff “Many Rivers to Cross” (1969)
242. Dionne Warwick & Friends “That's What Friends Are For” (1985)
243. Sly & the Family Stone “Everyday People” (1968)
244. Carpenters “They Long to Be Close to You “ (1970)
245. Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes “Up Where We Belong” (1982)
246. Lauryn “Doo Wop (That Thing)” (1998)
247. Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This” (1983)
248. Earth, Wind & Fire “Shining Star” (1975)
249. Carpenters “We've Only Just Begun” (1970)
250. The Drifters “Up on the Roof” (1962)
251. Lee Ann Womack & Sons of the Desert “I Hope You Dance” (2000)
252. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell “Ain't No Mountain High Enough” (1967)
253. Louis Armstrong “What a Wonderful World” (1967)
254. Merle Haggard “Mama Tried” (1968)
255. Howlin’ Wolf “Spoonful” (1960)
256. Little Walter Jacobs & His Night Cats “Juke” (1952)
257. Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats “Rocket 88” (1951)
258. Public Enemy “Fight the Power” (1989)
259. Irene Cara “Flashdance...What a Feelin’” (1983)
260. Carole King “It’s Too Late” (1971)
261. B.J. Thomas “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” (1969)
262. Bobby McFerrin “Don't Worry Be Happy” (1988)
263. Marty Robbins “El Paso” (1959)
264. Petula Clark “Downtown” (1964)
265. Ray Charles “Hit the Road Jack” (1961)
266. Bruce Springsteen “Dancing in the Dark” (1984)
267. The Isley Brothers “It's Your Thing” (1969)
268. Bill Withers “Ain't No Sunshine” (1971)
269. Eric Clapton “Change the World” (1996)
270. Tracy Chapman “Fast Car” (1988)
271. Roger Miller “Dang Me” (1964)
272. Tom Petty “Free Fallin’“ (1989)
273. Jimmy Buffett “Margaritaville” (1977)
274. Stevie Wonder “Living for the City” (1973)
275. Four Tops “Baby I Need Your Loving” (1964)
276. Kenny Rogers “The Gambler” (1978)
277. Sam Cooke “Wonderful World” (1960)
278. Willie Nelson “On the Road Again” (1980)
279. U2 “Beautiful Day” (2000)
280. R.E.M. “Radio Free Europe” (1983)
281. Bo Diddley “I'm a Man” (1955)
282. Randy Newman “Sail Away” (1972)
283. Elvis Presley “Jailhouse Rock” (1957)
284. Chic “Le Freak” (1978)
285. The Fifth Dimension “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” (1969)
286. Bonnie Raitt “Something To Talk About” (1991)
287. Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott “Get Ur Freak On” (2001)
288. Eagles “Take It Easy” (1972)
289. Little Big Town “Girl Crush” (2014)
290. Henry Mancini “Days of Wine and Roses, The” (1963)
291. Ray Charles “I Gotta Woman” (1955)
292. Beyoncé with Jay-Z “Crazy in Love” (2003)
293. The Everly Brothers “Cathy's Clown” (1960)
294. The Four Seasons “Big Girls Don’t Cry” (1962)
295. Van Halen “Jump” (1983)
296. The Young Rascals “Groovin’” (1967)
297. Gene Chandler “Duke of Earl” (1962)
298. The Byrds “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)” (1965)
299. Johnny Mathis “Chances Are “ (1957)
300. The Moody Blues “Nights in White Satin” (1967)
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First posted 4/10/2021. | 
