Top 10 Songs of the Year 1955-Present
 

This is a personal project that I thought would be fun to share as a dynasty. I'm going through music history, listening to most of the notable tracks of each year, adding in some lesser known tracks and album cuts, then creating a list of the top 10 songs of each year. I'm a list fanatic so doing projects like this is fun for me, plus it will help me expand my appreciation of music.

*The top 10 will be selected based purely on my personal choices of songs that I love. That means it could be something very popular and influential or a random album cut you never heard about.

*I'm using a site called DigitalDreamDoor.com, which has a list of the top 120 songs of each year based on "initial and lasting popularity, and on their impact on the overall scope of musical history." My method is to go through the top 40 songs no matter what, then peruse the list for artists I like or pique my interest. Finally, I will listen to select full albums for certain artists, especially acclaimed albums from that year.

*I'm using year of first US release for qualification purposes. The date being used is when the album released or when the song was released as a single, whichever is earliest.

*Why start at 1955? Well it is the dawn of the Rock era and I'm a movie buff.

*I'm no musical expert so I won't be writing reviews of the songs like I could do for movies. I'll simply present the top 10 and list some brief notes about some of the songs, plus some historical notes about the year in music.

*Feel free to ridicule me for my choices. That's part of the fun of posting lists like this.

*Dynasty partly inspired by (shamelessly ripped off from) Sabotai's excellent Journey Through Cinema History.

Favorite Song of Each Year:

1955 - Maybellene, Chuck Berry
1956 - Roll Over Beethoven, Chuck Berry
1957 - That'll Be the Day, Buddy Holly
1958 - Johnny B Goode, Chuck Berry
1959 - What'd I Say, Ray Charles
1960 - Wonderful World, Sam Cooke
1961 - Stand By Me, Ben E. King
1962 - You Don't Know Me, Ray Charles
1963 - Twist and Shout, The Beatles
1964 - A Change is Gonna Come, Sam Cooke
1965 - Like a Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan
1966 - Paint It Black, Rolling Stones
1967 - A Day in the Life, The Beatles
1968 - The Dock of the Bay, Otis Redding
1969 - Fortunate Son, Creedence Clearwater Revival
1970 - Fire and Rain, James Taylor
1971 - Imagine, John Lennon
1972 - Lean on Me, Bill Withers
1973 - Freebird, Lynyrd Skynyrd
1974 - No Woman No Cry, Bob Marley & the Wailers
1975 - Landslide, Fleetwood Mac
1976 - Hotel California, Eagles
1977 - Heroes, David Bowie

Top 20 Overall Artists (Based on Top 10 Performance)

Beatles	112
Chuck Berry	78
Sam Cooke	69
Ray Charles	46
Bob Dylan	46
Stevie Wonder	42
Buddy Holly	39
Elton John	28
Little Richard	27
Marvin Gaye	26
David Bowie	26
James Taylor	25
Jimi Hendrix	24
Creedence Clearwater Revival	24
Fleetwood Mac	24
Rolling Stones	22
Bob Marley	22
Elvis Presley	18
Isley Bros	17
Eagles	17

List Notes:

*Chuck Berry tops the list, which isn't a surprise. This won't be his last time doing that. He is far ahead of everyone else at this point with the guitar.

*Likewise, Little Richard is far ahead of everyone else with the vocals. He is the first really powerful rock vocalist.

*The Little Willie John song was a nice surprise as I hadn't heard of him before, but how can you not love an intro like, "Well, if I don't love you baby/Grits ain't groceries/Eggs ain't poultry/and Mona Lisa was a Man"? I was hooked from the beginning.

*Look at that; a country song at #7! Don't expect many more of those.

*Ray Charles makes the first of what I expect to be many entries.

*The Platters are for sure my favorite Doo Wop group of this era and the vocals on The Great Pretender are especially memorable.

*There's alot of debate over who the first rock star was, but Fats Domino has a pretty good argument to make, with records dating back to 1950, although some point to 1948's "Good Rockin Tonight" by Wynonie Harris as the first rock song.

*Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Fats Domino, and Gaynel Hodge of the Platters (speaking of Back to the Future, he wrote "Earth Angel") are still alive today.

*In July, "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and the Comets (first released in 1954) became the first rock record to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

*Elvis is still doing mostly country this year and I found none of it very memorable aside from Mystery Train, which still wasn't quite good enough to make the list.

Love the idea. In a follow up post, could you throw out the top 20 or #1s for the year for context so we know what else is out in any given year?

SI

Great idea and thanks for reading!

I think most helpful will be the DigitalDreamDoor top 120 records list that I used. I don't want to copy their work, so I'll link to it here

But for historical purposes, I'll list the Billboard Hot 100 Top 30 of the Year

1. Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White, Perez Prado
2. Rock Around The Clock, Bill Haley & His Comets
3. The Yellow Rose Of Texas, Mitch Miller
4. Autumn Leaves, Roger Williams
5. Unchained Melody, Les Baxter
6. The Ballad Of Davy Crockett, Bill Hayes
7. Love Is A Many Splendored Thing, Four Aces
8. Sincerely, McGuire Sisters
9. Ain't That A Shame, Pat Boone
10. Dance With Me Henry, Georgia Gibbs
11. Crazy Otto Medley I & 11, Crazy Otto
12. Melody Of Love, Billy Vaughn
13. Sixteen Tons, Tennessee Ernie Ford
14. Learnin' The Blues, Frank Sinatra
15. Hearts Of Stone, Fontaine Sisters
16. Tweedle Dee, Georgia Gibbs
17. Moments To Remember, Four Lads
18. Mr. Sandman, Chordettes
19. Let Me Go Lover, Joan Weber
20. A Blossom Fell, Nat King Cole
21. Unchained Melody, Al Hibbler
22. The Ballad Of Davy Crockett, Fess Parker
23. Honey Babe, Art Mooney
24. The Ballad Of Davy Crockett, Tennessee Ernie Ford
25. Ko Ko Mo, Perry Como
26. Hard To Get, Gisele Mackenzie
27. The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane, Ames Brothers
28. That's All I Want From You, Jaye P. Morgan
29. Only You, Platters
30. It's A Sin To Tell A Lie, Somethin' Smith & The Redheads

Songs from 1955 that appeared on Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs of All Time List

#18 - Maybellene, Chuck Berry
#43 - Tutti Frutti, Little Richard
#62 - Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley
#77 - Mystery Train, Elvis Presley
#163 - Folsom Prison Blues, Johnny Cash
#230 - Mannish Boy, Muddy Waters
#314 - Why Do Fools Fall in Love?, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
#360 - The Great Pretender, The Platters
#378 - I'm a Man, Bo Diddley
#438 - Ain't That a Shame, Fats Domino

That's perfect. Some of us, ahem, might not have been around in the earlier years of this project so we wouldn't know the songs :)

You could go multimedia nuts and post clips to your top 3 or 5 songs of the year. Or another good thing would be if there's a Billboard summary of the year on YouTube or something. But I have no idea how available any of that really is or if you have a desire to do so. Just thinking out loud, mainly.

SI

Great idea, Larry!

Can't wait to see how this evolves over time.

"Why do Fools Fall in Love" is a great tune...especially given the time...Frankie could sing...

I added Spotify links for each of the top 10 songs. Spotify is free on a PC or laptop. If you're reading this on a device, each song is probably available on Youtube, but I'm not comfortable with linking directly to them due to copyright issues.

Thanks!


I really like that song and it just narrowly missed the cut.

Sounds good! :)

SI

Notes

*Chuck Berry #1 again with a song that has a classic guitar intro and clever lyrics that announce a new era of music. His entry at #7 is another great, fast-paced tune and has very superb lyrics that open with the provocative line "Arrested on charges of unemployment."

*Elvis makes his debut on these lists. His vocals on Hound Dog are just terrific and while Blue Suede Shoes was a cover, I like it better than the Carl Perkins version.

*Little Richard belts out two more great songs. Long Tall Sally is a heavily covered song (as is Chuck's Roll Over Beethoven).

*The Del Vikings are one of the very few racially integreated groups of the era and Come Go With Me has a great doo wop intro.

*7 of the 10 entries this year are repeats from last year.

*There was a trend of white artists covering songs by black artists to make them more palatable to a wider audience, the most excruciating example being Pat Boone's lame version of Tutti Frutti, but the black artists started outselling the watered down white cover versions and that trend was over by 1957.

*Fats Domino had a very good year with several hits and two more songs (My Blue Heaven, Blueberry Hill) that just narrowly missed my top 10.

*Totally loving Little Willie John. Best discovery of this project so far.


DigitalDreamDoor Top 120 Link


Billboard Top 30 of 1956

1. Heartbreak Hotel, Elvis Presley
2. Don't Be Cruel, Elvis Presley
3. Lisbon Antigua, Nelson Riddle
4. My Prayer, Platters
5. The Wayward Wind, Gogi Grant
7. The Poor People Of Paris, Les Baxter
8. Whatever Will Be Will Be (Que Sera Sera), Doris Day
8. Hound Dog, Elvis Presley
9. Memories Are Made Of This, Dean Martin
10. Rock And Roll Waltz, Kay Starr
11. Moonglow And Theme From "Picnic", Morris Stoloff
12. The Great Pretender, Platters
13. I Almost Lost My Mind, Pat Boone
14. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You, Elvis Presley
15. Love Me Tender, Elvis Presley
16. Hot Diggity, Perry Como
17. Canadian Sunset, Eddie Heywood & Hugo Winterhalter
18. Blue Suede Shoes, Carl Perkins
19. The Green Door, Jim Lowe
20. No, Not Much, Four Lads
21. Honky Tonk, Bill Doggett
22. Sixteen Tons, Tennessee Ernie Ford
23. Just Walking In The Rain, Johnnie Ray
24. Allegheny Moon, Patti Page
25. I'm In Love Again, Fats Domino
26. Tonight You Belong To Me, Patience & Prudence
27. Be-bop-a-lula, Gene Vincent
28. Why Do Fools Fall In Love, Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers
29. Standing On The Corner, Four Lads
30. The Flying Saucer, Buchanan & Goodman

Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs

#19 - Hound Dog, Elvis Presley
#30 - I Walk the Line, Johnny Cash
#45 - Heartbreak Hotel, Elvis Presley
#55 - Long Tall Sally, Little Richard
#82 - Blueberry Hill, Fats Domino
#95 - Blue Suede Shoes, Carl Perkins
#97 - Roll Over Beethoven, Chuck Berry
#103 - Be-Bop-a-Lula, Gene Vincent
#143 - Please Please Please, James Brown
#200 - Don't Be Cruel, Elvis Presley
#320 - I Put a Spell on You, Screamin Jay Hawkins
#352 - Jim Dandy, Lavern Baker
#383 - Brown-Eyed Handsome Man, Chuck Berry
#430 - Blue Suede Shoes, Elvis Presley
#444 - Love Me Tender, Elvis Presley
#449 - Come Go With Me, The Del-Vikings

This is an insanely awesome idea for a dynasty and if I would stick with it (I wouldn't) I'd be tempted to do something similar.

My parents taped a 20 or 30 hour radio program called something like The History of Rock and Roll from the 70s where they went through a lot of the top songs year by year and put a little bit of historical context behind it to boot. We would listen to it from start to finish on our long trips in the van and I wish I remembered more of it (and wished it wasn't on cassettes so I could still listen to it today).

SI

I wished I paid more attention to the music my parents listened to when I was growing up, but I was mostly irritated that they weren't playing Foreigner or Pat Benatar.

*In case you didn't notice, I really like that Buddy Holly guy. In fact, there were 2 more songs (Words of Love, Maybe Baby) that were on my initial cutdown list. His album "Chirping With the Crickets" is the best full album I've listened to so far in this project.

*Sam Cooke has the smoothest singing voice I've heard yet.

*Not much beats the intro to Jailhouse Rock. When Elvis wanted to rock, he could really rock.

*The lyrics to Wake Up Little Susie are far more suggestive than I ever realized when listening to it in passing.

*Alan Freed, the DJ who coined the term rock n roll and held the first ever rock n roll concert in 1952, had his television show cancelled when people complained about Frankie Lymon dancing with a white girl.

*Little Richard saw a red dot in the sky (later revealed to be Sputnik) and took it as a sign that he should quit rock and become a minister.

*Rock and Roll Music is a good companion piece to Chuck's "Roll Over Beethoven" from the previous year, in that they both proclaim the new era of rock music and take boastful jabs at other forms of music.

*Everyone on this year's list were among the initial inductees into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. The other inductees that year included James Brown, Fats Domino, and Ray Charles. (The aforementioned Alan Freed was inducted in the non-performer category).


DigitalDreamDoor Top 120


Billboard Top 30 of the Year

1. All Shook Up, Elvis Presley
2. Love Letters In The Sand, Pat Boone
3. Little Darlin', Diamonds
4. Young Love, Tab Hunter
5. So Rare, Jimmy Dorsey
6. Don't Forbid Me, Pat Boone
7. Singing The Blues, Guy Mitchell
8. Young Love, Sonny James
9. Too Much, Elvis Presley
10. Round And Round, Perry Como
11. Bye Bye Love, Everly Brothers
12. Tammy, Debbie Reynolds
13. Party Doll, Buddy Knox
14. Teddy Bear / Loving You, Elvis Presley
15. Banana Boat (Day-O), Harry Belafonte
16. Jailhouse Rock, Elvis Presley
17. A White Sport Coat (And A Pink Carnation), Marty Robbins
18. Come Go With Me, Dell-vikings
19. Wake Up Little Susie, Everly Brothers
20. You Send Me, Sam Cooke
21. Searchin', Coasters
22. School Day, Chuck Berry
23. Gone, Ferlin Husky
24. Diana, Paul Anka
25. A Teenager's Romance, Ricky Nelson
26. The Banana Boat Song, Tarriers
27. Honeycomb, Jimmie Rodgers
28. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On, Jerry Lee Lewis
29. Dark Moon, Gale Storm
30. That'll Be The Day, Crickets


Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs

#39 - That'll Be the Day, Buddy Holly
#61 - Whole Lotta Shakin Going On, Jerry Lee Lewis
#67 - Jailhouse Rock, Elvis Presley
#96 - Great Balls of Fire, Jerry Lee Lewis
#108 - Not Fade Away, Buddy Holly
#115 - You Send Me, Sam Cooke
#129 - Rock and Roll Music, Chuck Berry
#133 - Who Do You Love?, Bo Diddley
#197 - Peggy Sue, Buddy Holly
#199 - Maybe, The Chantels
#210 - Bye Bye Love, The Everly Brothers
#238 - Everyday, Buddy Holly
#318 - Wake Up Little Susie, The Everly Brothers
#361 - All Shook Up, Elvis Presley
#368 - Got My Mojo Working, Muddy Waters
#420 - The Girl Can't Help It, Little Richard
#421 - Young Blood, The Coasters

wow, what an awesome year in music...

big fan of Buddy Holly too...

Yeah it was a pretty loaded year. I had 20 songs on my initial cutdown list.

*This was the easiest #1 decision I've made yet. Johnny B Goode is the best song of the early rock era, with a memorable guitar intro, energetic vocals, and great lyrical storytelling.

*The original lyrics to Johnny B Goode stated "there lived a colored boy named Johnny B. Goode", but Chuck agreed to change it to "country boy" so it could get airplay.

*Eddie Cochran had a pretty short career and doesn't have the same notoriety as some of his contemporaries, but you can realize how great "Summertime Blues" is within 5 seconds.

*Ready Teddy was a surprise as I don't recall hearing it before and it is Buddy's hardest rocking song to this point.

*The Beach Boys ripped off Sweet Little Sixteen with Surfin USA. It is the exact same tune with changed lyrics and they didn't even credit Chuck at first. He later sued to get proper credit.

*The Platters entry at #10 was also the title of the first episode of Mad Men.

*A band known as The Quarrymen made their first record this year, a cover of That'll Be the Day. Members of that band included John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison.

*Elvis was drafted into the army and would serve overseas for two years.

*Jerry Lee Lewis' marriage to his 13 year old cousin is discovered by the British press and it destroys his career.


DigitalDreamDoor Top 120

Billboard Top 30

1. Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu), Domenico Modugno
2. All I Have To Do Is Dream / Claudette, Everly Brothers
3. Don't / I Beg Of You, Elvis Presley
4. Witch Doctor, David Seville
5. Patricia, Perez Prado
6. Sail Along Silvery Moon / Raunchy, Billy Vaughn
7. Catch A Falling Star / Magic Moments, Perry Como
8. Tequila, Champs
9. It's All In The Game, Tommy Edwards
10. Return To Me, Dean Martin
11. It's Only Make Believe, Conway Twitty
12. The Purple People Eater, Sheb Wooley
13. Bird Dog / Devoted To You, Everly Brothers
14. Get A Job, Silhouettes
15. Little Star, Elegants
17. Stood Up / Waitin' In School, Ricky Nelson
18. He's Got The Whole World In His Hands, Laurie London
18. Twilight Time, Platters
19. Secretly, Jimmie Rodgers
20. At The Hop, Danny & The Juniors
21. Yakety Yak, Coasters
22. Wear My Ring Around Your Neck / Doncha' Think It's Time, Elvis Presley
24. Poor Little Fool, Ricky Nelson
25. Wonderful Time Up There / It's Too Soon To Know, Pat Boone
26. Just A Dream, Jimmy Clanton
27. Sugartime, McGuire Sisters
28. Rockin Robbin / Over And Over, Bobby Day
28. Tom Dooley, Kingston Trio
29. Sweet Little Sixteen, Chuck Berry
30. Topsy II / Topsy I, Cozy Cole


Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs

#7 - Johnny B Goode, Chuck Berry
#74 - Summertime Blues, Eddie Cochran
#94 - Good Golly Miss Molly, Little Richard
#142 - All I Have to Do is Dream, The Everly Brothers
#155 - Rave On, Buddy Holly
#277 - Sweet Little Sixteen, Chuck Berry
#315 - Lonely Teardrops, Jackie Wilson
#335 - For Your Precious Love, The Impressions
#354 - La Bamba, Ritchie Valens
#411 - C'mon Everybody, Eddie Cochran

Now I want to watch Back to the Future

SI

I think this is a hot idea for a dynasty

I've always been impressed by the sheer diversity of popular music from 67-71. No era of music before or since in rock/pop era has as many different genres represented in the #1 spot as that one does - its incredible.

So I'll be really interested in seeing what you pick from that era.

"Chuck! Chuck! It's Marvin! Your cousin - Marvin *BERRY*! You know that new sound you're looking for? Well, listen to this!"

I was too young to get the joke/connection when the movie came out and it took getting older and a few more viewings to put it together. :D

Yeah. Back to the Future is my favorite movie and a big reason why I started this in 1955.

I always loved that Marvin Berry joke, even if it makes Chuck seem like a plagiarist. But maybe in the alternate timeline he never releases the song.

Given all he heard was a snippet over a 1950s telephone system and that he was already turning out hits by 1955, I think we can safely imagine that he was "inspired" by what he heard and made his hit song which coincidentally sounds exactly like the song Marty plays in 1955. It's more of a time paradox that actually doesn't involve someone getting killed. :D

Also my favorite movie :)

SI

*I defy you to listen to Shout and not want to dance or party or get up and do something.

*Peggy Sue Got Married didn't even chart and doesn't have a significant reputation aside from inspiring a movie title, but I actually like it more than the original Peggy Sue song.

*Ray Charles proved he was more than just an R&B star with the brilliant What'd I say, which contains a killer instrumental opening and outstanding vocals as usual.

*Two more entries from Sam Cooke, who has the best singing voice of anyone I've listened to in this project yet.

*Jackie Wilson was a big inspiration for Michael Jackson, who covered several of Wilson's songs early in his career.

*Little Queenie has a spoken word rhyming section in the middle that sounds like a very early version of rap.

*In Feburary, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper die in a plane crash.

*Congress opens hearings on payola scandals (DJs taking bribes from record companies to play certain records) and legendary DJ Alan Freed is taken off the air as a result.

*Chuck Berry is arrested for transporting a minor across state lines. Although he wasn't convicted until 1961 (and wouldn't get out until 1963), the trial and resulting loss of popularity hampered his recording schedule and he produced few songs in this period.

*The previous three notes, combined with Little Richard becoming a minister and Elvis being drafted, spelled ominous signs for rock n roll's future.

*Berry Gordy founded Motown Records this year.


DigitalDreamDoor Top 120


Billboard Top 30

1. The Battle Of New Orleans, Johnny Horton
2. Mack The Knife, Bobby Darin
3. Personality, Lloyd Price
4. Venus, Frankie Avalon
5. Lonely Boy, Paul Anka
6. Dream Lover, Bobby Darin
7. The Three Bells, Browns
8. Come Softly To Me, Fleetwoods
9. Kansas City, Wilbert Harrison
10. Mr. Blue, Fleetwoods
11. Sleep Walk, Santo & Johnny
12. Put Your Head On My Shoulder, Paul Anka
13. Stagger Lee, Lloyd Price
14. Donna, Ritchie Valens
15. Pink Shoelaces, Dodie Stevens
16. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, Platters
17. Charlie Brown, The Coasters
18. Quiet Village, Martin Denny
19. My Heart Is An Open Book, Carl Dobkins Jr.
20. ('Til) I Kissed You, Everly Brothers
21. Sea Of Love, Phil Phillips & The Twilights
22. The Happy Organ, Dave "Baby" Cortez
23. I'm Gonna Get Married, Lloyd Price
24. Sorry (I Ran All The Way Home), Impalas
25. A Teenager In Love, Dion & The Belmonts
26. 16 Candles, Crests
27. It's Just A Matter Of Time, Brook Benton
28. Lipstick On Your Collar, Connie Francis
29. There Goes My Baby, Drifters
30. A Big Hunk O' Love, Elvis Presley

Rolling Stones Top 500

#10 - What'd I Say, Ray Charles
#119 - Shout, The Isley Brothers
#158 - I Only Have Eyes For You, The Flamingos
#196 - There Goes My Baby, The Drifters
#255 - Mack the Knife, Bobby Darin

Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, and James Tolkan were at Dragoncon two years ago and I got to meet them. It was really awesome.

*A very different list from the past. 7 of the 10 entries are from artists that are appearing for the first time. Only Sam Cooke (with two entries) and Ray Charles have previously appeared.

*This is the first year that Chuck Berry does not appear in the top 10.

*#1 is not the Louis Armstrong song, but an original by Sam Cooke and it is a beautiful love song carried by his splendid voice and playful lyrics.

*Lots of love songs this year and more slower songs than in the past.

*Eddie Cochran (#2 in 1959) dies in a car crash at the age of 21.

*The Ventures song is the first instrumental to make this list. It's an instantly recognizable tune and is considered an inspiration for surf rock.

*Elvis is discharged from the army and releases the comeback album "Elvis is Back", which shows a nice diversity of styles, but is missing a really good fastpaced rock song.

*Shakin All Over was not initially a hit in the US, but later become one when covered by other bands. It has a cool, funky sound for this era.


DigitalDreamDoor Top 120

Billboard

1. Theme From "A Summer Place" » Percy Faith
2. He'll Have To Go » Jim Reeves
3. Cathy's Clown » Everly Brothers
4. Running Bear » Johnny Preston
5. Teen Angel » Mark Dinning
6. I'm Sorry » Brenda Lee
7. It's Now Or Never » Elvis Presley
8. Handy Man » Jimmy Jones
9. Stuck On You » Elvis Presley
10. The Twist » Chubby Checker
11. Everybody's Somebody's Fool » Connie Francis
12. Wild One » Bobby Rydell
13. Greenfields » Brothers Four
14. What In The World's Come Over You » Jack Scott
15. El Paso » Marty Robbins
16. Alley-oop » Hollywood Argyles
17. My Heart Has A Mind Of Its Own » Connie Francis
18. Sweet Nothin's » Brenda Lee
19. Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini » Brian Hyland
20. Only The Lonely » Roy Orbison
21. Where Or When » Dion & The Belmonts
22. Sixteen Reasons » Connie Stevens
23. Puppy Love » Paul Anka
24. Why » Frankie Avalon
25. Walk, Dont Run » Ventures
26. Save The Last Dance For Me » Drifters
27. Baby (You Got What It Takes) » Brook Benton & Dinah Washington
28. Sink The Bismark » Johnny Horton
29. Chain Gang » Sam Cooke
30. Let It Be Me » Everly Brothers


Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs

#44 - Georgia on My Mind, Ray Charles
#126 - Will You Love Me Tomorrow?, The Shirelles
#150 - Cathy's Clown, The Everly Brothers
#184 - Save the Last Dance for Me, The Drifters
#221 - Spoonful, Howling Wolf
#234 - Only the Lonely, Roy Orbison
#358 - Spanish Harlem, Ben E. King
#382 - Wonderful World, Sam Cooke
#409 - Tonight's the Night, The Shirelles
#457 - The Twist, Chubby checker
#500 - Shop Around, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles

Damn, 1960 was a good year.

First Carole King songwriting credit?

Close, she wrote a song that was released as a B-side the previous year, but Will You Love Me Tomorrow? is her first notable song.

*This was Ben E. King's first year as a solo artist (he was previously with The Drifters) and he produced one of the most memorable songs of all time.

*Sam Cooke continues to amaze with another terrific love song.

*As I've said before, not many country songs will make these lists, but "Crazy" is one of those that transcends the genre.

*Love the interplay between Ray and his backup singers on "Hit the Road Jack".

*Chuck returns to the top 10 after a one year absence which once again showcases his penchant for great lyrics and cool guitar intros.

*Preston had 3 top 40 hits in his brief career, but "Free Me" (which only went to #97) is the only song of his that I really like.

*Please Mr. Postman was the first #1 hit from a black owned record label (Motown).


DigitalDreamDoor Top 120

Billboard Top 30

1. Tossin' And Turnin', Bobby Lewis
2. I Fall To Pieces, Patsy Cline
3. Michael, Highwaymen
4. Cryin', Roy Orbison
5. Runaway, Del Shannon
6. My True Story, Jive Five
7. Pony Time, Chubby Checker
8. Wheels, String-a-longs
9. Raindrops, Dee Clark
10. Wooden Heart (Muss I Denn), Joe Dowell
11. Calcutta, Lawrence Welk
12. Take Good Care Of My Baby, Bobby Vee
13. Running Scared, Roy Orbison
14. Dedicated To The One I Love, The Shirelles
15. Last Night, Mar-keys
16. (Will You Love Me) Tomorrow, Shirelles
17. Exodus, Ferrante & Teicher
18. Where The Boys Are, Connie Francis
19. Hit The Road Jack, Ray Charles
20. Sad Movies (Make Me Cry), Sue Thompson
21. Mother-In-Law, Ernie K-Doe
22. Bristol Stomp, Dovells
23. Travelin' Man, Ricky Nelson
24. Shop Around, Miracles
25. The Boll Weevil Song, Brook Benton
26. A Hundred Pounds Of Clay, Gene Mcdaniels
27. The Mountain's High, Dick & Deedee
28. Don't Worry, Marty Robbins
29. On The Rebound, Floyd Cramer
30. Portrait Op My Love, Steve Lawrence


Rolling Stones Top 500 Songs

#69 - Crying, Roy Orbison
#85 - Crazy, Patsy Cline
#122 - Stand By Me, Ben E. King
#241 - I Fall to Pieces, Patsy Cline
#243 - The Wanderer, Dion
#351 - Runaround Sue, Dion
#387 - Hit the Road Jack, Ray Charles
#403 - Can't Help Falling in Love, Elvis Presley
#458 - Cupid, Sam Cooke
#472 - Runaway, Del Shannon

I haven't done all the research you've done, but I'd bet these two would end up in my top 10 for this year...

Cryin', Roy Orbison
Runaway, Del Shannon

I really liked Crying and it was one of the last cuts from my top 10 (along with Walk Right Back from the Everly Brothers). Runaway is pretty good in spots, but I really don't like the way the chorus flows, especially the very high "why why why" part.

*Ray Charles' "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music" album is terrific from beginning to end. You can really feel the pain and regret from Ray's vocals in You Don't Know Me.

*The Beach Boys and Marvin Gaye make their debuts on these lists, and certainly this won't be their last appearance.

*Up on the Roof is another Carole King penned song. She would later cover it herself.

*Three more entries from Sam Cooke, definitely one of my favorite artists at this point.

*This is the first year since 1954 that Chuck Berry did not release a single, due to his incarceration.

*The Beatles audition for Decca records, who rejected them by saying "Guitar groups are on the way out." Oops.

*In August, the Beatles fired drummer Pete Best and replaced him with Ringo Starr.

*I depart from the Rolling Stone list more than ever this year. Only 1 of the 5 songs they selected from 1962 made my top 10.


DigitalDreamDoor Top 120


Billboard Top 30

1. Stranger On The Shore, Mr. Acker Bilk
2. I Can't Stop Loving You, Ray Charles
3. Mashed Potato Time, Dee Dee Sharp
4. Roses Are Red, Bobby Vinton
5. The Stripper, David Rose
6. Johnny Angel, Shelley Fabares
7. The Loco-Motion, Little Eva
8. Let Me In, Sensations
9. The Twist, Chubby Checker
10. Soldier Boy, Shirelles
11. Hey! Baby, Bruce Channel
12. The Wanderer, Dion
13. Duke Of Earl, Gene Chandler
14. Palisades Park, Freddy Cannon
15. Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, Neil Sedaka
16. Wolverton Mountain, Claude King
17. Slow Twistin', Chubby Checker
18. It Keeps Right On A-hurtin', Johnny Tillotson
19. The One Who Really Loves You, Mary Wells
20. Good Luck Charm, Elvis Presley
21. Midnight In Moscow, Kenny Ball
22. Sheila, Tommy Roe
23. Twistin' The Night Away, Sam Cooke
24. Wah-Watusi, Orlons
25. Peppermint Twist, Joey Dee & The Starlighters
26. Break It To Me Gently, Brenda Lee
27. Playboy, Marvelettes
28. Ramblin' Rose, Nat King Cole
29. Sealed With A Kiss, Brian Hyland
30. She Cried, Jay & The Americans


Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs

#114 - Up on the Roof, The Drifters
#164 - I Can't Stop Loving You, Ray Charles
#183 - Green Onions, Booker T & the MG's
#267 - He's a Rebel, The Crystals
#359 - The Loco-motion, Little Eva

*The Beatles songs are not available on Spotify and I don't own them through Itunes, so I can't link them here. They can be found on Youtube.

*The Beatles releases are confusing at this point because their US albums do not match up with their UK albums and several different companies owned the rights to their songs this year. Beatles enthusiasts consider the UK albums the "real" ones and I agree with that, but as I am using US release dates for purposes of this project, I have to research each song to find out when and where it was first released.

*Twist and Shout is not only one of the best cover songs of all time, but also one of the best rock vocal performances. The album Please Please Me was recorded in one day and Twist and Shout was specifically picked as the last track because producer George Martin knew that Lennon's voice would be ruined afterwards. They attempted a second take, but it was impossible.

*Surfin USA leaves a bad taste due to being an uncredited cover of Chuck Berry's Sweet Little Sixteen, until a lawsuit forced them to recognize Chuck Berry as the real writer of the song. That's a big part of the reason why it's not on here.

*Blowin in the Wind had a profound effect on Sam Cooke, who noted to fellow musicians that it would no longer matter how polished the vocals were, but whether people could believe in the singer's honesty.

*I love Dusty Springfield's voice and I Only Want to Be With You is a very addictive pop song.

*Darlene Love would later play Danny Glover's wife in the Lethal Weapon series. She has performed this song on David Letterman's show every year since 1986. She was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.

*In March, Patsy Cline died in a plane crash on her way to Nashville. It really is depressing to think of all the musical talent that has been lost in plane crashes.


DigitalDreamDoor Top 120


Billboard Top 30

01. Sugar Shack, Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs
02. Surfin' U.S.A., Beach Boys
03. The End Of The World, Skeeter Davis
04. Rhythm Of The Rain, Cascades
05. He's So Fine, Chiffons
06. Blue Velvet, Bobby Vinton
07. Hey Paula, Paul & Paula
08. Fingertips II, Little Stevie Wonder
09. Washington Square, Village Stompers
10. It's All Right, Impressions
11. Can't Get Used To Losing You, Andy Williams
12. My Boyfriend's Back, Angels
13. Sukiyaki, Kyu Sakamoto
14. She's A Fool, Lesley Gore
15. So Much In Love, Tymes
16. Puff (The Magic Dragon), Peter, Paul & Mary
17. Blowin' In The Wind, Peter, Paul & Mary
18. I'm Leaving It Up To You, Dale & Grace
19. Deep Purple, Nino Tempo & April Stevens
20. Wipe Out, The Surfaris
21. I Love You Because, Al Martino
22. Wild Weekend, Rebels
23. You're The Reason I'm Living, Bobby Darin
24. Walk Like A Man, Four Seasons
25. Mockingbird, Inez Foxx
26. I Will Follow Him, Little Peggy March
27. Pipeline, Chantays
28. Surf City, Jan & Dean
29. It's My Party, Lesley Gore
30. Blame It On The Bossa Nova, Eydie Gorme


Rolling Stones Top 500 Songs

#14 - Blowin in the Wind, Bob Dylan
#16 - I Want to Hold Your Hand, The Beatles
#22 - Be My Baby, The Ronettes
#54 - Louie Louie, The Kingsmen
#64 - She Loves You, The Beatles
#87 - Ring of Fire, Johnny Cash
#212 - In My Room, The Beach Boys
#220 - Boom Boom, John Lee Hooker
#319 - In Dreams, Roy Orbison

God, Puff the Magic Dragon. I remember hearing that as a kid, it was actually on some children's album compilation. Hated that fuckin' song. :D

To clarify, I was 1 in 1963 so it was sometime after that......

Yeah I'm not wild about that band. Their version of Blowin in the Wind is terrible.

*This was by far the hardest year for me to narrow down and I had to leave some really great songs off. The 2nd 10 would probably be as good as the top 10 in some other years.

*You can hear the influence that Dylan had on Sam Cooke. The #1 entry here is much different from Cooke's earlier love songs. There's more of an edge to his voice and the lyrics are a very powerful symbol of the civil rights movement. This song moved me more than any other I've listened to in this project.

*Great vocals on both of the Temptations entries and they were by two different lead singers. The opening notes of "My Girl" are just beautiful. Smokey Robinson wrote both songs.

*"I'm a Loser" is another song influenced by Dylan. Not even released as a single, it is one of the most underrated Beatles songs.

*Two of the biggest Supremes hits were this year (Baby Love, Where Did Our Love Go) and I like them well enough, but the Martha & the Vandellas song at #7 blows them out of the water.

*Out of jail after a two year sentence, Chuck Berry returned with the terrific album St. Louis to Liverpool, which aside from "You Never Can Tell" (used in Pulp Fiction), also featured "No Particular Place to Go", "Brenda Lee", and "Promised Land".

*I love the sound of The Animals. "House of the Rising Sun" is a haunting song.

*In February, the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show for the first time and Beatlemania was born. The British Invasion soon followed.

*Sam Cooke died on December 11, shot by a woman who claimed self defense. Investigators eventually ruled it was a justifiable homicide. Whatever happened, it is sad that we lose yet another musical genius right at the peak of his creative and popular success.




DigitalDreamDoor Top 120


Billboard Top 30

1. I Want To Hold Your Hand, Beatles
2. She Loves You, Beatles
3. Hello, Dolly!, Louis Armstrong
4. Oh, Pretty Woman, Roy Orbison
5. I Get Around, Beach Boys
6. Everybody Loves Somebody, Dean Martin
7. My Guy, Mary Wells
8. We'll Sing In The Sunshine, Gale Garnett
9. Last Kiss, J. Frank Wilson & The Cavaliers
10. Where Did Our Love Go, Supremes
11. People, Barbara Streissand
12. Java, Al Hirt
13. A Hard Day's Night, Beatles
14. Love Me Do, Beatles
15. Do Wah Diddy Diddy, Manfred Mann
16. Please Please Me, Beatles
17. Dancing In The Street, Martha & The Vandellas
18. Little Children, Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas
19. Love Me With All Your Heart, Ray Charles Singers
20. Under The Boardwalk, Drifters
21. Chapel Of Love, Dixie Cups
22. Suspicion, Terry Stafford
23. Glad All Over, Dave Clark Five
24. Rag Doll, Four Seasons
25. Dawn (Go Away), Four Seasons
26. Bread And Butter, Newbeats
27. It Hurts To Be In Love, Gene Pitney
28. Dead Man's Curve, Jan & Dean
29. Come A Little Bit Closer, Jay & The Americans
30. A World Without Love, Peter & Gordon


Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs

#12 - A Change is Gonna Come, Sam Cooke
#34 - You've Lost That Lovin Feelin, The Righteous Brothers
#40 - Dancing in the Street, Martha and the Vandellas
#59 - The Times They Are a-Changin, Bob Dylan
#70 - Walk On By, Dionne Warwick
#80 - You Really Got Me, The Kinks
#123 - House of the Rising Sun, The Animals
#154 - A Hard Day's Night, The Beatles
#178 - Don't Worry Baby, The Beach Boys
#224 - Oh, Pretty Woman, Roy Orbison
#269 - Walking in the Rain, The Ronettes
#284 - Chapel of Love, The Dixie Cups
#295 - Can't Buy Me Love, The Beatles
#297 - She's Not There, The Zombies
#332 - Baby Love, The Supremes
#404 - Remember, The Shangri-las
#436 - Everybody Needs Somebody to Love, Solomon Burke
#454 - Leader of the Pack, The Shangri-las
#475 - Where Did Our Love Go?, The Supremes
#489 - Under the Boardwalk, The Drifters

*This was by far the toughest year yet. As you can see below, there are 34 songs from 1965 on Rolling Stone's top 500 list, far more than any other year. Not only that, but the top two songs are from this year (and not surprisingly are my top two picks for the year).

*The Beatles meet Elvis Presley at his home. Lennon (rightly) questions why Elvis stopped recording rock songs.

*Once again, The Supremes are no match for Martha & the Vandellas.

*Alan Freed, the legendary disc jokey who coined the term rock n roll and was brought down by the payola scandal, passes away.

*Rubber Soul is a great Beatles album, but is marred by the disturbing "Run For Your Life".




Billboard Top 30

1. Wooly Bully, Sam The Sham and The Pharaohs
2. I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch), The Four Tops
3.(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, The Rolling Stones
4. You Were On My Mind, We Five
5. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin', The Righteous Brothers
6. Downtown, Petula Clark
7. Help!, The Beatles
8. Can't You Hear My Heartbeat, Herman's Hermits
9. Crying In the Chapel, Elvis Presley
10. My Girl, The Temptations
11. Help Me, Rhonda, The Beach Boys
12. King of the Road, Roger Miller
13. The Birds and the Bees, Jewel Aikens
14. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Mel Carter
15. Shotgun, Jr. Walker & The All Stars
16. I Got You Babe, Sonny and Cher
17. This Diamond Ring, Gary Lewis and The Playboys
18. The "In" Crowd, Ramsey Lewis Trio
19. Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter, Herman's Hermits
20. Stop! In The Name Of Love, The Supremes
21. Unchained Melody, The Righteous Brothers
22. Silhouettes, Herman's Hermits
23. I'll Never Find Another You, The Seekers
24. Cara Mia, Jay and The Americans
25. Mr. Tambourine Man, The Byrds
26. Cast Your Fate to the Wind, Sounds Orchestral
27. Yes, I'm Ready, Barbara Mason
28. What's New Pussycat?, Tom Jones
29. Eve of Destruction, Barry McGuire
30. Hang On Sloopy, The McCoys

Rolling Stones Top 400 Songs

#1 - Like a Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan
#2 - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, Rolling Stones
#11 - My Generation, The Who
#13 - Yesterday, The Beatles
#23 - In My Life, The Beatles
#25 - People Get Ready, The Impressions
#50 - The Tracks of My Tears, Smokey Robinson
#71 - California Girls, The Beach Boys
#78 - I Got You (I Feel Good), James Brown
#79 - Mr. Tambourine Man, The Byrds
#83 - Norwegian Wood, The Beatles
#88 - My Girl, The Temptations
#89 - California Dreamin', The Mamas & The Papas
#106 - Mr. Tambourine Man, The Byrds
#110 - I've Been Loving You Too Long, Otis Redding
#134 - In the Midnight Hour, Wilson Pickett
#152 - Foxey Lady, Jimi Hendrix
#156 - The Sound of Silence, Simon & Garfunkel
#185 - Desolation Row, Bob Dylan
#203 - Positively 4th Street, Bob Dylan
#208 - Gloria, Them
#216 - Do You Believe in Magic?, The Lovin Spoonful
#233 - We Gotta Get Out of This Place, The Animals
#234 - I'll Feel a Whole Better, The Byrds
#262 - Ooo Baby Baby, Smokey Robinson
#315 - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, The Animals
#332 - Subterranean Homesick Blues, Bob Dylan
#358 - Nowhere to Run, Martha & the Vandellas
#364 - Highway 61 Revisited, Bob Dylan
#365 - Unchained Melody, The Righteous Brothers
#371 - I Can't Explain, The Who
#384 - Ticket to Ride, The Beatles
#415 - I Can't Help Myself, The Four Tops
#444 - I Got You Babe, Sonny and Cher

Nice dynasty Larry. I'm interested to check out a couple you liked I haven't heard of before.


The Who covered that song in some of their live performances, great tune.

When you mentioned Sam Cooke for the first time, I sang "Wonderful World" to myself, then found out it was your #1 song for a different year.

Glad you had House of the Rising Sun (Animals version) as one of your top 10 from that year, it's one of my all-time favorites. My father had it on a mix tape when I was younger and it really stood out.

Some others I would point out as being ones I particularly like that didn't make one of your top 10 lists:

Too Much, Elvis Presley
Get A Job, Silhouettes
At The Hop - Danny and the Juniors
The Twist » Chubby Checker (side note: first record I ever "owned", a Fisher-Price record)
Runaway, Del Shannon
Peppermint Twist, Joey Dee & The Starlighters (not really a great song, but catchy and some nostalgia for me)
Wipe Out, The Surfaris
In my room - Beach Boys (though when I was a kid, I would fast forward past this song. Father was a huge Beach Boys fan.)
Dead Man's Curve, Jan & Dean (haunting story behind the song)
She's Not There, The Zombies

And quite a few from 1965, as you said, a ridiculously deep year.

Cool to see this going again. Picked up some history last weekend in Memphis between Sun Studios, Stax, and Graceland so I have a bit more knowledge of this time period than before.

SI

"You're Always On My Mind" is actually my favorite Sam Cooke song, but yes, absolutely amazing voice.

Many of those were on my cutdown lists and just narrowly missed the top 10.

Thanks for the reading and responding, guys! I'll try to get 1966 up quicker than I got 1965 up.

*Stones get #1 this year after narrowly missing in 1965.

*Despite only one entry each on this list, The Beatles (Revolver) and Beach Boys (Pet Sounds) albums this year are classics.

*The Beatles play their final live concert at Candlestick Park.

*The Monkees television show debuts as a success. Despite not making the top 10 this year, I think they are very underrated as a music group (and John Lennon would agree).

*For What It's Worth has been used multiple times in movies set during the Vietnam War, most notably Forrest Gump.

*This is only the second year that no one has multiple entries in the top 10.

*The number of songs I'm listening to is increasing with each year.

DigitalDreamDoor Top 120

Billboard Top 30

1. The Ballad of the Green Berets SSG Barry Sadler
2. Cherish The Association
3. (You're My) Soul and Inspiration The Righteous Brothers
4. Reach Out I'll Be there The Four tops
5. 96 Tears ? and the Mysterians
6. Last Train to Clarksville The Monkees
7. Monday Monday The Mamas and the Papas
8. You Can't Hurry Love The Supremes
9. Poor Side of town Johnny Rivers
10. California Dreamin' The Mamas and the Papas
11. Summer In the City The Lovin' Spoonful
12. Born Free Roger Williams
13. These Boots Are Made For Walking Nancy Sinatra
14. My Love Petula Clark
15. Stangers In the Night Frank Sinatra
16. We Can Work It Out The Beatles
17. Good Lovin' The Young Rascals
18. Winchester Catherdral The New Vaudeville Band
19. Hanky Panky tommy James and the Shondells
20. When A Man Loves A Woman Percy Sledge
21. Paint It, Black The Rolling Stones
22. What Becomes of the Broken Hearted David Ruffin
23. Lighnin' Strikes Lou Christie
24. Wild Thing The Troggs
25. Kicks Paul Revere and the Raiders
26. Sunshine Superman Donovan
27. Sunny Bobby Hebb
28. Paperback Writer The Beatles
29. See You In September The Happenings
30. You Keep Me Hangin' On The Supremes


Rolling Stones Top 500 Songs

#6 - Good Vibrations, The Beach Boys
#25 - God Only Knows, The Beach Boys
#33 - River Deep, Mountain High, Ike & Tina Turner
#54 - When a Man Loves a Woman, Percy Sledge
#123 - It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World, James Brown
#137 - Eleanor Rigby, The Beatles
#150 - Eight Miles High, The Byrds
#174 - Paint it Black, Rolling Stones
#198 - Hey Joe, Jimi Hendrix
#204 - Try a Little Tenderness, Otis Redding
#206 - Reach Out I'll Be There, The Four Tops
#210 - 96 Tears, ? and the Mysterians
#211 - Caroline No, The Beach Boys
#220 - Walk Away Renee, The Left Banke
#230 - Just Like a Woman, Bob Dylan
#244 - Gimme Some Lovin, The Spencer Davis Group
#271 - Sloop John B, The Beach Boys
#325 - Good Lovin, The Rascals
#339 - You Keep Me Hangin On, The Supremes
#381 - Tell It Like It Is, Aaron Neville
#393 - Summer in the City, The Lovin Spoonful
#400 - Kicks, Paul Revere and the Raiders
#404 - Visions of Johanna, Bob Dylan
#428 - Devil With a Blue Dress On, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels
#434 - Mustang Sally, Wilson Pickett
#463 - Rain, The Beatles
#464 - Standing in the Shadows of Love, The Four Tops
#491 - You Don't Have to Say You Love Me, Dusty Springfield

One of the great years in music, thanks in no small part to Pet Sounds.

*This is the year of the Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, widely considered the greatest album ever. It's a testament to how strong this year is that only three Beatles songs made the top 10.

*The above mentioned album gets so much praise that I think the title track is incredibly underrated, but it's a terrific rock song with great use of sound effects.

*Aretha Franklin had a great year. In addition to Respect, she released A Natural Woman and Chain of Fools this year.

*The Supremes finally crack my top 10 with what is my favorite song of theirs. It was later used as the theme song for China Beach.

*The Monterey Pop Festival takes place in June and features performances from Jefferson Airplane, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Simon & Garfunkel, Buffalo Springfield, The Grateful Dead, The Byrds, and the Mamas & the Papas.

*After a year where no band got multiple entries, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix combine to take up half of the top 10.

Digital Dream Door Top 129

Billboard Top 30

1. To Sir With Love Lulu
2. Light My Fire The Doors
3. Windy The Association
4. Ode To Billie Joe Bobbie Gentry
5. The Letter The Box Tops
6. Daydream Believer The Monkees
7. Somethin' Stupid Nancy Sinatra And Frank Sinatra
8. Happy Together The Turtles
9. I Heard It Through The Grapevine Gladys Knight &The Pips
10. Incense And Peppermints Strawberry Alarm Clock
11. Groovin' The Young Rascals
12. Can't Take My Eyes Off You Frankie Valli
13. Little Bit O'soul The Music Explosion
14. Respect Aretha Franklin
15. The Rain, The Park &Other Things The Cowsills
16. Never My Love The Association
17. Hello Goodbye The Beatles
18. Tell It Like It Is Aaron Neville
19. Come Back When You Grow Up Bobby Vee
20. I Was Made To Love Her Stevie Wonder
21. I Second That Emotion Smokey Robinson &The Miracles
22. Sweet Soul Music Arthur Conley
23. I Think We're Alone Now Tommy James &The Shondells
24. Expressway To Your Heart Soul Survivors
25. Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie Jay &The Techniques
26. Kind Of A Drag The Buckinghams
27. Love Is Here And Now You're Gone The Supremes
28. Boogaloo Down Broadway The Fantastic Johnny C
29. Soul Man Sam And Dave
30. Georgy Girl The Seekers


Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs

#5 - Respect, Aretha Franklin
#17 - Purple Haze, Jimi Hendrix
#26 - A Day in the Life, The Beatles
#35 - Light My Fire, The Doors 1967
#57 - A Whiter Shade of Pale, Procol Harum 1967
#109 - Brown Eyed Girl, Van Morrison 1967
#186 - I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You), Aretha Franklin 1967
#246 - (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher, Jackie Wilson 1967
#249 - Chain of Fools, Aretha Franklin 1967
#258 - I Can See for Miles, The Who 1967
#274 - Somebody to Love, Jefferson Airplane 1967
#303 - Ruby Tuesday, The Rolling Stones
#304 - With a Little Help From My Friends, The Beatles
#328 - The End, The Doors
#362 - All You Need Is Love, The Beatles
#363 - The Letter, The Box Tops
#370 - The Wind Cries Mary, Jimi Hendrix
#412 - Ode to Billie Joe, Bobbie Gentry
#448 - Heroin, The Velvet Underground
#449 - Penny Lane, The Beatles
#450 - By the Time I Get to Phoenix, Glen Campbell
#458 - Soul Man, Sam and Dave
#473 - Do Right Woman -- Do Right Man, Aretha Franklin
#478 - White Rabbit, Jefferson Airplane

Another great year. I'll give some love to The Letter, Happy Together, Higher and Higher, I Can See for Miles, Never My Love, I Think We're Alone Now, ...

Yeah, most of those were on my final cut-down list.

1968

1. The Dock of the Bay, Otis Redding

2. Hey Jude, The Beatles

3. All Along the Watchtower, Jimi Hendrix

4. I Heard it Through the Grapevine, Marvin Gaye

5. Think, Aretha Franklin

6. Time of the Season, The Zombies

7. Born to Be Wild, Steppenwolf

8. The Weight, The Band

9. Son of a Preacher Man, Dusty Springfield

10. Hush, Deep Purple

*Otis Redding died in a plane crash in December 1967, just a month before his biggest hit was released.

*Hey Jude is the Beatles' biggest hit single, spending 9 weeks at #1.

*Time of the Season has one of my favorite intros and melodies. It definitely evokes the time period.

*Think is another incredibly powerful vocal performance from Aretha Franklin.

*Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band becomes the first rock album to win the Grammy for Album of the Year.

*Frankie Lymon is found dead from a heroin overdose.

*Little Willie John, one of the early disoveries during this dynasty, dies in prison while serving time for a manslaughter conviction.

DigitalDreamDoor Top 120


1968 Billboard #1 Songs (# of weeks)

Hello Goodbye, The Beatles (3)
Judy In Disguise (With Glasses), John Fred & His Playboy Band (2)
Green Tambourine, The Lemon Pipers Hello Goodbye The Beatles (1)
Love Is Blue, Paul Mauriat (5)
(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay, Otis Redding (4)
Honey, Bobby Goldsboro (5)
Tighten Up, Archie Bell & the Drells (2)
Mrs. Robinson, Simon & Garfunkel (3)
This Guy's In Love With You, Herb Alpert (4)
Grazing In The Grass, Hugh Masekela (2)
Hello I Love You, The Doors (2)
People Got To Be Free, The Rascals (5)
Harper Valley P.T.A., Jeannie C. Riley (1)
Hey Jude, The Beatles (9)
Love Child, Diana Ross & The Supremes (2)
I Heard It Through The Grapevine, Marvin Gaye (7)


Rolling Stones Top 500 Songs

#8 - Hey Jude, The Beatles
#28 - (Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay, Otis Redding
#32 - Sympathy for the Devil, The Rolling Stones
#41 - The Weight, The Band
#42 - Waterloo Sunset, The Kinks
#48 - All Along the Watchtower, Jimi Hendrix
#65 - Sunshine of Your Love, Cream
#80 - I Heard It Through the Grapevine Marvin Gaye
#101 - Voodoo Child, Jimi Hendrix
#124 - Jumpin' Jack Flash, The Rolling Stones
#129 - Born To Be Wild, Steppenwolf
#135 - While My Guitar Gently Weeps, The Beatles
#145 - Everyday People, Sly & the Family Stone
#192 - Wichita Lineman, Glen Campbell
#223 - Dance to the Music, Sly & the Family Stone
#240 - Son of a Preacher Man, Dusty Springfield
#265 - Tighten Up, Archie Bell & the Drells
#295 - Street Fighting Man, The Rolling Stones
#305 - Say It Loud -- I'm Black and I'm Proud, James Brown
#344 - Piece of My Heart, Janis Joplin
#357 - Little Wing, Jimi Hendrix
#367 - White Room, Cream
#409 - Crossroads, Cream

*Frank Sinatra hated rock n roll, but he said Something was the greatest love song ever.

*Both Beatles songs this year were written by George Harrison.

*Creedence Clearwater Revival reeased three albums this year, which included other great songs like Down on the Corner, Green River, and Born on the Bayou.

*The Isley Brothers return to the top 10 after a 7 year absence, the longest gap so far in the dynasty.

*Wynonie Harris passes away at 53. He recorded Good Rockin Tonight in 1948, which most people consider the first rock song.

*Diana Ross leaves the Supremes.

*Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds" (which almost made the top 10) becomes the final #1 hit of his career.

*Woodstock.

Digital Dream Door Top 120

Billboard #1 Songs (# of weeks)

I Heard It Through The Grapevine, Marvin Gaye (7)
Crimson And Clover, Tommy James & the Shondells (2)
Everyday People, Sly & The Family Stone (4)
Dizzy, Tommy Roe (4)
Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In, The 5th Dimension (6)
Get Back, The Beatles (5)
Love Theme From Romeo & Juliet, Henry Mancini (2)
In The Year 2525, Zager & Evans (6)
Honky Tonk Women, Rolling Stones (4)
Sugar, Sugar, The Archies (4)
I Can't Get Next to You, The Temptations (2)
Suspicious Minds, Elvis Presley (1)
Wedding Bell Blues, The 5th Dimension (3)
Come Together/Something, The Beatles (1)
Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye), Steam (2)
Leaving On A Jet Plane, Peter, Paul & Mary (1)
Someday We'll Be Together, Diana Ross & The Supremes (1)

At the end of the 60s, here are some stats:

Top 10 Overall Artists (based on list performance, 10 for 1st, 9 for 2nd, etc.)

The Beatles 104
Chuck Berry 78
Sam Cooke 69
Ray Charles 46
Buddy Holly 39
Little Richard 27
Bob Dylan 26
Jimi Hendrix 24
Rolling Stones 19

Most #1's

Chuck Berry 3
The Beatles 2
Ray Charles 2
Sam Cooke 2

Most Years Appearing on the List

The Beatles 7
Chuck Berry 7
Sam Cooke 7
Ray Charles 6
Little Richard 4

Most Songs on the list

The Beatles 14
Chuck Berry 12
Sam Cooke 11
Ray Charles 8
Buddy Holly 7

Best Individual Years

The Beatles 1963 - 1, 3, 5, 6
The Beatles 1967 - 1, 2, 8
Chuck Berry 1958 - 1, 4, 6
Buddy Holly 1957 - 1, 5, 8, 10
Bob Dylan 1965 - 1, 4

I know that they don't always get a lot of awards and acknowledgement as one of the top, most influential bands of the era, but damn if 1968 isn't made a lot better by the release of the first two albums by Blood, Sweat and Tears

1970

1. Fire and Rain, James Taylor

2. Layla, Derek and the Dominoes

3. Let it Be, The Beatles

4. Up Around the Bend, Creedence Clearwater Revival

5. Signed, Sealed, Delivered, Stevie Wonder

6. Immigrant Song, Led Zeppelin

7. All Right Now, Free

8. Instant Karma, John Lennon

9. Proud Mary, Ike & Tina Turner

10. Have You Ever Seen the Rain, Creedence Clearwater Revival

*There are a few songs that I was certain would be #1 whenever I got to their years and Fire and Rain is one of them. It's such a great, deeply personal song that's been among my favorites for a long time.

*The Beatles release their final album, Let it Be. While it is not one of their best albums, it is still very good and the title track is memorable.

*Another great year from CCR, with other songs including Who'll Stop the Rain, Run Through the Jungle, and Travelin Band.

*I wasn't wild about Led Zeppelin's earlier output, but Immigrant Song blew me away from the beginning with that memorable wail.

*Simon & Garfunkel split up.

*Jim Morrison leaves The Doors.

*Casey Kasem's "American Top 40" show debuts.

*Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Tammi Terrel all die this year.


Digital Dream Door Top 120


Billboard #1 Songs

Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head, B. J. Thomas (4)
I Want You Back, The Jackson 5 (1)
Venus, The Shocking Blue (1)
Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin), Sly & The Family Stone (2)
Bridge Over Troubled Water, Simon & Garfunkel (6)
Let It Be, The Beatles (2)
ABC, The Jackson 5 (2)
American Woman, The Guess Who (3)
Everything Is Beautiful, Ray Stevens (2)
The Long And Winding Road, The Beatles (2)
The Love You Save, The Jackson 5 (2)
Mama Told Me (Not To Come), Three Dog Night (2)
(They Long To Be) Close To You, The Carpenters (4)
Make It With You, Bread (1)
War, Edwin Starr (3)
Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Diana Ross (3)
Cracklin' Rosie, Neil Diamond (1)
I'll Be There, The Jackson 5 (5)
I Think I Love You, The Partridge Family (3)
The Tears of a Clown, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (2)
My Sweet Lord, George Harrison (1)



Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs

20. The Beatles, Let It Be
27. Derek and the Dominos, Layla
47. Simon and Garfunkel, Bridge over Troubled Water
99. Creedence Clearwater Revival, Fortunate Son
136. Elton John, Your Song
188. Creedence Clearwater Revival, Who'll Stop the Rain
226. Van Morrison, Moondance
227. James Taylor, Fire and Rain
250. Black Sabbath, Paranoid
326. James Brown, Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine
333. Norman Greenbaum, Spirit in the Sky
335. Lou Reed, The Velvet Underground Sweet Jane
338. Paul McCartney, Maybe I'm Amazed
385. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Ohio
391. Freda Payne, Band of Gold
392. The Five Stairsteps, O-o-h Child
402. Sly and the Family Stone, Thank you (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)
422. The Kinks, Lola
454. George Harrison, My Sweet Lord
480. Van Morrison, Into the Mystic
498. Brook Benton, Rainy Night in Georgia

They're probably a band that does better on an album list than a songs list.

Just stumbled across this. What a great idea. Although I disagree with most of your choices. ;)

I don't know how you pared down '66-'69. I probably would've just given up.

This is fantastic, sorry I've missed it until now. Being in a 60's cover band, it's fun to hear your thoughts on some of "our" tunes :)

I can't wait until you get to the 1980s and 1990s. Those were my 2 favorite eras of music.

Question, do your lists include songs of all genres? Or just specific ones?

I'll consider songs from all genres, but I have my biases as evident from the lists. For eample, it will be rare for a country tune to make the list, but a couple have managed to sneak in there.

I keep meaning to get back to this, but I like to listen to a full year in one or two days so I'm directly comparing songs in the moment. I haven't quite had the time to do that lately, but hopefully will soon.

DigitalDreamDoor 1971 List


*Carole King on 4 Grammies for her fantastic album Tapestry, hich also included It's Too Late and You've Got a Friend.

*Jim Morrison died of a heart attack at age 27.

*The Eagles are formed after the member splay together for the first time as backup musicians for a Linda Rondstat concert.

*Paul McCartney starts recording with Wings.

*Davy Jones leaves the Monkees.

*The Concert for Bngladesh takes place at Madison Suare Garden. The lineup includes: George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and Ravi Shankar.

Billboard #1 Songs (# of weeks)

"My Sweet Lord", George Harrison (3)
"Knock Three Times", Dawn (3)
"One Bad Apple", The Osmonds (5)
"Me and Bobby McGee", Janis Joplin (2)
"Just My Imagination", The Temptations (2)
"Joy to the World", Three Dog Night (6)
"Brown Sugar", The Rolling Stones (2)
"Want Ads", The Honey Cone (1)
"It's Too Late", Carole King (5)
"Indian Reservation", The Raiders (1)
"You've Got a Friend", James Taylor (1)
"How Can You Mend a Broken Heart", Bee Gees (4)
"Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey", Paul & Linda McCartney (1)


Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs

3 Imagine, John Lennon
4 What's Going On, Marvin Gaye
31 Stairway to Heaven, Led Zeppelin
60 Let's Stay Together, Al Green
127 Changes, David Bowie
130 Maggie May, Rod Stewart
133 Won't Get Fooled Again, The Who
138 Family Affair, Sly & the Family Stone
148 Me and Bobby McGee, Janis Joplin
280 Ain't No Sunshine, Bill Withers
293 Tired of Being Alone, Al Green
294 Black Dog, Led Zeppelin
310 Iron Man, Black Sabbath
334 Wild Horses, The Rolling Stones
340 Baba O'Riley, The Who
387 Tiny Dancer, Elton John
389 Just My Imagination, The Temptations
462 Respect Yourself, The Staple Singers
482 I'm Eighteen, Alice Cooper
490 Brown Sugar, The Rolling Stones

I see that Zeppelin dig! And I kind of agree.

What about American Pie not being a RS Top 500 song, though???

That's really strange. I didn't even notice that until you pointed it out. Wonder why they'd leave that one out? It's so odd I even went back to check and make sure I didn't miss it.

I get why Stairway is acclaimed and I don't hate it, but it wasn't even on my cutdown list.

1971 is a damn strong year !

DigitalDreamDoor 1972 List

*Clyde McPhatter, one of the original great rock vocalists, dies at 39.

*Smokey Robinson departs the Miracles for a solo career.

*Bands that were formed include: ABBA, Devo, E Street Band, Steely Dan, Twisted Sister, and Van Halen.

*Groups that disbanded include: Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jefferson Airplane, Martha and the Vandellas, and the Velvet Underground.

*Carly Simon and James Taylor are married.

*Lennon's immigration Visa expires, but he fights to remain in the US.

*Chuck Berry gets the only #1 hit of his career with the forgettable "My Ding-a-ling"


#1 Songs (No. of weeks)

"Brand New Key", Melanie (2)
"American Pie", Don McLean (4)
"Let's Stay Together", Al Green (1)
"Without You", Nilsson (4)
"Heart of Gold", Neil Young (1)
"A Horse with No Name", America (3)
"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", Roberta Flack (6)
"Oh Girl", The Chi-Lites (1)
"I'll Take You There", The Staple Singers (1)
"The Candy Man". Sammy Davis Jr. (3)
"Song Sung Blue", Neil Diamond (1)
"Lean on Me", Bill Withers (3)
"Alone Again (Naturally)", Gilbert O'Sullivan (2)
"Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)", Looking Glass (1)
"Alone Again (Naturally)", Gilbert O'Sullivan (2)
"Black and White", Three Dog Night (1)
"Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me", Mac Davis (3)
"Ben", Michael Jackson (1)
"My Ding-a-Ling", Chuck Berry (2)
"I Can See Clearly Now". Johnny Nash (4)
"Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", The Temptations (1)
"I Am Woman", Helen Reddy (1)
"Me and Mrs. Jones", Billy Paul (3)

Rolling Stones Top 500:

74. "Superstition", Stevie Wonder
98. "Love and Happiness", Al Green
168. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", The Temptations
205. "Lean on Me", Bill Withers
221. "Walk on the Wild Side", Lou Reed
242. "Rocket Man", Elton John
253. "All the Young Dudes", Mott the Hoople
264. "Sail Away", Randy Newman
276. "I'll Take You There", The Staple Singers
277. "Ziggy Stardust", David Bowie
281. "You Are the Sunshine of My Life", Stevie Wonder
297. "Heart of Gold", Neil Young
319. "School's Out", Alice Cooper
396. "Thirteen", Big Star
424. "Tumbling Dice", The Rolling Stones

Digital Dream Door 1973 List

*Sorry, Quik.

*Dark Side of the Moon was released this year. I'm not the biggest Pink Floyd fan, but "Time" and "Money" are solid songs that just missed the cut.

*Jim Croce becomes yet another rock star to die in a plane crash.

*1 billion people around the world watch Elvis Presley's TV Special "Aloha from Hawaii",

*The rock festival Summer Jam at Watkins Glen takes place. 600,000 people attend to watch The Allman Brothers Band, The Band, and The Grateful Dead.

*Musical groups/acts formed this year include: AC/DC, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Heart, Journey, KC and the Sunshine Band, Kiss.

*Musical groups that broke up include: The Byrds, Everly Brothers, The Velvet Underground


Date

	Artist - Title	Weeks at #1
December 31 1972 – January 20 1973	Carly Simon - You're So Vain	3
January 21 – 27 1973	Stevie Wonder - Superstition	1
January 28 – February 17 1973	Elton John - Crocodile Rock	3
February 18 – March 17 1973	Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song	5 (4)
March 18 – 24 1973	O'Jays - Love Train	1
March 25 – 31 1973	Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song	5 (1)
April 1 – 14 1973	Vicki Lawerence - The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia	2
April 15 – May 12 1973	Tony Orlando and Dawn - Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree	4
May 13 – 19 1973	Stevie Wonder - You Are the Sunshine of My Life	1
May 20 – 26 1973	Edgar Winter - Frankenstein	1
May 27 – June 23 1973	Paul McCartney and Wings - My Love	4
June 24 – 30 1973	George Harrison - Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)	1
July 1 – 14 1973	Billy Preston - Will It Go Round In Circles	2
July 15 – 28 1973	Jim Croce - Bad, Bad Leroy Brown	2
July 29 – August 11 1973	Maureen McGovern - The Morning After	2
August 12 – 18 1973	Diana Ross - Touch Me In The Morning	1
August 19 – September 1 1973	Stories - Brother Louie	2
September 2 – 8 1973	Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On	2 (1)
September 9 – 15 1973	Helen Reddy - Delta Dawn	1
September 16 – 22 1973	Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On	2 (1)
September 23 – 29 1973	Grand Funk Railroad - We're an American Band	1
September 30 – October 13 1973	Cher - Half-Breed	2
October 14 – 20 1973	Rolling Stones - Angie	1
October 21 – November 3 1973	Gladys Knight and The Pips - Midnight Train To Georgia	2
November 4 – 17 1973	Eddie Kendricks - Keep On Truckin'	2
November 18 – 24 1973	Ringo Starr - Photograph	1
November 25 – December 8 1973	Carpenters - Top Of The World	2
December 9 – 22 1973	Charlie Rich - The Most Beautiful Girl	2
December 23 1973 – January 5 1974	Jim Croce - Time In A Bottle	2

Rolling Stones Top 500:

104. "Living for the City", Stevie Wonder
167. "Let's Get It On", Marvin Gaye
172. "Dream On", Aerosmith
190. "Knockin on Heaven's Door", Bob Dylan
191. "Free Bird", Lynyrd Skynyrd
261. "Higher Ground", Stevie Wonder
267. "Personality Crisis", New York Dolls
347. "Candle in the Wind", Elton John
348. "That Lady", The Isley Brothers
360. "Killing Me Softly With His Song", Roberta Flack
380. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", Elton John
421. "Piano Man", Billy Joel
432. "Midnight Train to Georgia", Gladys Knight and the Pips
443. "I Shot the Sheriff", Bob Marley
446. "Pressure Drop", Toots and the Maytals
468. "Search and Destroy", The Stooges
494. "Desperado", The Eagles

This might be one of my favorite threads of all time.

Thanks! Just for that, I might even find time during the holidays to add another year.

Since I told Larry I disagree with his list so much, I'll give mine, and let it be mocked. To save some space, I'll only do top 5, and the number in parenthesis is Larry's ranking.

1955 - Tutti Frutti (2), Folsom Prison Blues (7), Maybellene (1), See You Later, Alligator (NR), I'm A Man (NR). These early years don't have a lot of classics.

1956 - Come Go With Me (4), Hound Dog (2), Blue Suede Shoes (8), Long Tall Sally (3), Roll Over Beethoven (1). This is the only year where all of my top 5 were on Larry's list.

1957 - Jailhouse Rock (2), Great Balls of Fire (3), At The Hop (NR), I'm Walkin' (NR), Little Darlin' (NR). I love doo wop, so my list probably has some of those songs ranked a bit higher.

1958 - Johnny B. Goode (1), Summertime, Summertime (NR), Lollipop (NR), Chantilly Lace (NR), La Bamba (9). The only year we've agreed on #1. Also, my love of syrupy sweet bubble gum pop show here a little bit.

1959 - Shout (2), Personality (NR), The Battle Of New Orleans (NR), El Paso (NR), Say Man (NR). The first year where my choices were very different. It won't be the last.

1960 - Stay (NR), The Twist (4), Alley Oop (NR), Will You Love Me Tomorrow (9), Walk, Don't Run (7). This was the weakest year by far. Most years I had a tough time eliminating songs. This one I had a tough time find songs worthy of top 5.

1961 - The Lion Sleeps Tonight (NR), Runaround Sue (NR), The Wanderer (6), Runaway (NR), Blue Moon (NR). This was the first year that I completely disagreed with the choices.

1962 - Do You Love Me (NR), Miserlou (NR), Surfin' Safari (4), Breaking Up Is Hard To Do (NR), Big Girls Don't Cry (NR). My love for surf music begins to show this year. Also, a lot of the songs on my list are songs we did in a cover band I was in. Some of them killed, and bring back fun memories. Do You Love Me is one of those.

1963 - My Boyfriend's Back (NR), Twist And Shout (1), Da Doo Ron Ron (NR), Louie Louie (NR), Ring Of Fire (NR). My Boyfriend's Back is a sentimental pick. My girlfriend did this song at the high school talent show, so it will always be a favorite of mine.

1964 - Fun Fun Fun (NR), You've Lost That Loving Feeling (NR), You Really Got Me (5), I Get Around (8), Do Wah Diddy Diddy (NR). My favorite Beach Boy song at #1. This was a brutally tough year to narrow to five.

1965 - My Generation (NR), Norwegian Wood (NR), Satisfaction (2), Subterranean Homesick Blues (NR), Help Me Rhonda (NR). I'm not a Dylan fan, but I love Subterranean Homesick Blues.

1966 - Good Lovin' (NR), Wouldn't It Be Nice (NR), Monday Monday (NR), Homeward Bound (NR), Try A Little Tenderness (NR). The first year where none of my top five were on Larry's list. And I don't feel like my list is bad, nor Larry's. Just a very deep year. And yeah, I put Wouldn't It Be Nice over Good Vibrations. Good Vibrations didn't resonate with me like it did with most people.

1967 - Respect (3), Alice's Restaurant Massacree (NR), Creeque Alley (NR), Reflections (7), Tuesday Afternoon (NR). After a seven year stretch, my #1 made Larry's list.

1968 - Magic Carpet Ride (NR), Mony Mony (NR), Piece Of My Heart (NR), Sympathy For The Devil (NR), Everyday People (NR). Of all the years, this was the single toughest one. I could have had a top 20 and still felt bad for songs left out.

1969 - You Can't Always Get What You Want (NR), And When I Die (NR), I Wanna Be Your Dog (NR), I Wan't You Back (10), Suite:Judy Blue Eyes (NR). This might be the most diverse five on my list.

1970 - Cracklin' Rosie (NR), Lola (NR), War Pigs (NR), Cecilia (NR), Express Yourself (NR). Another really tough year. Express Yourself had to make it just on the bass line alone.

1971 - American Pie (4), Baba O'Riley (6), Mr. Big Stuff (NR), Stay With Me (NR), Rainy Days and Mondays (NR). Rainy Days and Mondays is my go to song when I'm feeling down and want to roll around in my misery. And I think I'm the only person on the planet that thinks Imagine isn't that great of a song. I think Stairway is a great song, but it has reached the point to where it now suffers from over exposure.

1972 - Walk On The Wild Side (NR), Rocket Man (5), Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard (NR), Suffragette City (NR), Top Of The World (NR). In my head, there were certain songs I was sure would be #1. Rocket Man was one, but I just couldn't put it above Walk On The Wild Side.

1973 - Piano Man (9), Over The Hills And Far Away (NR), Rosalita (NR), Ballroom Blitz (NR), Jessica (NR). My favorite Billy Joel song, my favorite Zeppelin song, my favorite Bruce song, and my favorite instrumental by a band not named Rush, all in the same year.

Good stuff, Umbrella. I think it's natural that we started to disagree more as the years went on and there were so many more songs to choose from. For the first few years, I was listening to maybe 40-50 songs to make this list and starting with the late 60s that jumped to more than 100.

How about a long overdue update? I'll add song links later...

1974

1. No Woman No Cry, Bob Marley & the Wailers

2. The Air That I Breathe, The Hollies

3. Forever Young, Bob Dylan

4. You're the First, Last, Everything, Barry White

5. Rebel Rebel, David Bowie

6. Rock Your Baby, George McCrae

7. Lovin You, Minnie Riperton

8. Lonely People, America

9. Help Me, Joni Mitchell

10. Everlasting Love, Carl Carlton

*Rock dominated last year's list, but this year was almost all about soul and folk.

*Mick Taylor leaves the Rolling Stones. Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham join Fleetwood MAc.

*I love the simplicity of Lovin You, which allows Minnie Riperton's voice to shine. The ending repetition of "Maya, Maya, Maya" is a reference to her daughter, Maya Rudolph.

*Dylan released two versions of Forever Young on the same album. The one I'm picking at #2 here is the sped up version, which was used as the theme song ot Parenthood. I do love both versions.

*Stevie Wonder (for his album Innvervisions) and Roberta Flack (for Killing Me Softly...) are big winners at the Grammys. Both were featured on my 1973 list.

Digital Dream Door list for 1974



Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs

37. No Woman No Cry, Bob Marley & The Wailers
117. Take Me to the River, Al Green
217. Jolene, Dolly Parton
282. Help Me, Joni Mitchell
398. Sweet Home Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd
470. Free Man in Paris, Joni Mitchell
479. Lady Marmalade, Labelle

Digital Dream Door's 1975 List


*We have now reached my birth year.

*Peter Gabriel leaves Genesis.

*Jackie Wilson has a stroke on stage. He is in a coma for most of the next 9 years before dying in 1984.

*Queen, Bowie, Dylan, and Eagles all had multiple songs that contended for the list this year, but only Springsteen (with his amazing Born to Run album) was able to get two entries.

*John Lennon wins his immigration case as a judge overturns a 1972 deportation order.

*Cher divorces Sonny Bono and days later gets married to Greg Allman.


Rolling Stone's Top 500 Songs

10. "Born to Run", Bruce Springsteen
86. "Thunder Road", Bruce Springsteen
163. "Bohemian Rhapsody", Queen
316. "Wish You Were Here", Pink Floyd
336. "Walk This Way", Aerosmith
481. "Young Americans", David Bowie
488. "Rhiannon", Fleetwood Mac

Cool to see this come back.

Thanks! just for that, I have a new year for you...

Digital Dream Door 1976 List


*Punk music emerges. I'm not really a fan of the genre and only Blitzkrieg Bop by the Ramones was seriously considered for this list.

*This was the year Stevie Wonder released Songs in the Key of Life, one of the greatest albums I've ever heard.

*Go Your Own Way is a pretty powerful song considering it's Lindsey Buckingham's response to his breakup with bandmate Stevie Nicks.

*There were lots of good rock songs that bubbled just under this list, including Life in the Fast Lane (Eagles), Carry on My Wayward Son (Kansas), and Fly Like an Eagle (Steve Miller Band).

*U2 forms under their original name, Feedback.


Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs

49. Hotel California, Eagles
56. Anarchy in the UK, Sex Pistols
92. Blitzkrieg Bop, Ramones
174. Dancing Queen, Abba
274. Roadrunner, The Modern Lovers
405. (Don't Fear) the Reaper, Blue Oyster Cult
499. The Boys are Back in Town, Thin Lizzy
500. More Than a Feeling, Boston

100 Greatest Songs From 1977

*Elvis Presley dies of heart failure.

*Three members of Lynyrd Skynyrd die in a plane crash.

*The infamous Studio 54 opens in New York.

*Fleetwood Mac's Rumours is an amazing album. Not only did it spawn three top 10 entries (Go Your Own Way from 76 and the 2 from 77), but there were several more potential entires including Don't Stop and Gold Dust Woman.

*To me, disco sounds like someone took soul music, sped it up really fast, and took the heart out. Having said that, I don't despise it, but it's missing that extra oomph that could propel a song to a top 10 entry.

*Doing this dynasty has just made me even sadder about Bowie's recent passing.


Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs

147. Lust for Life, Iggy Pop
171. Dancing Queen, Abba
173. God Save the Queen, Sex Pistols
189. Stayin Alive, Bee Gees
330. We Will Rock You, Queen
361. Complete Control, The Clash
366. How Deep is Your Love, Bee Gees
372. Marquee Moon, Television
411. I Feel Love, Donna Summer
457. Sheena is a Punk Rocker

1978

1. Sultans of Swing, Dire Straits

2. Don't Stop Me Now, Queen

3. Roxanne, The Police

4. One Nation Under a Groove, Funkadelic

5. Just What I Needed, The Cars

6. Badlands, Bruce Springsteen

7. Good Times Roll, The Cars

8. Racing in the Street, Bruce Springsteen

9. Because the Night, Patti Smith

10. Hot Blooded, Foreigner

*U2 wins a talent contest in Ireland, winning them a chance to audition with CBS records.

*The Cars self-titled debut album is a great one, also including "My Best Friend's Girl".

*I'm a big fan of Dire Straits, and they will be making more entries on these lists when we get to the 80s.

*These are all great songs, but this late 70s period is pretty weak comparatively.

*Love the storytelling in Bruce's songs.

https://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/bg_hits/bg_hits_78.html

#1 Songs from 1978 (in chronological order)

"How Deep Is Your Love" - Bee Gees (1 week)
"Baby Come Back" - Player (1 week)
"Stayin' Alive" - Bee Gees (4 weeks)
"(Love Is) Thicker Than Water" - Andy Gibb (2 weeks)
"Night Fever" - Bee Gees (8 weeks)
"If I Can't Have You" - Yvonne Elliman (1 week)
"With a Little Luck" - Wings (2 weeks)
"Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" - Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams (1 week)
"You're the One That I Want" - John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John (1 week)
"Shadow Dancing" - Andy Gibb (7 weeks)
"Miss You" - The Rolling Stones (1 week)
"Three Times a Lady" - Commodores (1 week)
"Grease" - Frankie Valli (1 week)
"Boogie Oogie Oogie" - A Taste of Honey (3 weeks)
"Kiss You All Over" - Exile (4 weeks)
"Hot Child in the City" - Nick Gilder (1 week)
"You Needed Me" - Anne Murray (1 week)
"MacArthur Park" - Donna Summer (3 weeks)
"You Don't Bring Me Flowers" - Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond (2 weeks)
"Le Freak" - Chic (2 weeks)

Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs

65 Earth, Wind, and Fire, 'September' 1978
138 Blondie, 'Heart of Glass' 1978
179 Pink Floyd, 'Comfortably Numb' 1978
210 Funkadelic, 'One Nation Under a Groove' 1978
276 Buzzcocks, 'Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)' 1978
300 The B-52's, 'Rock Lobster' 1978
340 The Clash, '(White Man) in Hammersmith Palais' 1978
343 The Doobie Brothers, 'What a Fool Believes' 1978
354 Michael Jackson, 'Rock With You' 1978
356 Cheap Trick, 'Surrender' 1978
358 Patti Smith, 'Because the Night' 1978
369 The Cars, 'Just What I Needed' 1978
399 Sylvester, 'You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)' 1978
460 Steel Pulse, 'Ku Klux Klan' 1978

Solid bump. I'd never seen this thread before.

Thanks! I've been meaning to get back to it for a while.

1979

1. Message in a Bottle, The Police

2. Highway to Hell, AC/DC

3. Brass in Pocket, The Pretenders

4. My My Hey Hey, Neil Young

5. Oliver's Army, Elvis Costello

6. What I Like About You, The Romantics

7. Refugee, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

8. Cruel to be Kind, Nick Lowe

9. Life During Wartime, Talking Heads

10. Cruisin, Smokey Robinson

*The weakest list I've had to assemble. I just really don't like this era, but the 80s (the decade I really grew up in) is coming up.

*The first commercial rap single, King Tim III, was released this year. It didn't do much, but was followed by the huge hit Rappers Delight, which almost made this list.

*I admire the Clash for their talent, but their sound just isn't my thing, although Train in Vain almost made this list.

*Several acclaimed albums with heavy disco influences (including MJ's Off the Wall) are missing entries on this list, due to my dislike of the genre.

https://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/bg_hits/bg_hits_79.html

#1 songs of 1979 in chronological order:

"Too Much Heaven" – Bee Gees (2 weeks)
"Le Freak" – Chic (1 week)
"Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" – Rod Stewart (3 weeks)
"I Will Survive" – Gloria Gaynor (2 weeks)
"Tragedy" – Bee Gees (1 week)
"I Will Survive" – Gloria Gaynor (1 week) (Re-entry)
"What a Fool Believes" – The Doobie Brothers (1 week)
"Knock on Wood" – Amii Stewart (1 week)
"Heart of Glass" – Blondie (1 week)
"Reunited" – Peaches & Herb (4 weeks)
"Hot Stuff" – Donna Summer (1 week)
"Love You Inside Out" – Bee Gees (1 week)
"Hot Stuff" – Donna Summer (1 week) (Re-entry)
"Ring My Bell" – Anita Ward (2 weeks)
"Bad Girls" – Donna Summer (5 weeks)
"Good Times" – Chic (1 week)
"My Sharona" – The Knack (6 weeks)
"Sad Eyes" – Robert John (1 week)
"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" – Michael Jackson (1 week)
"Rise" – Herb Alpert (2 weeks)
"Pop Muzik" – M (1 week)
"Heartache Tonight" – Eagles (1 week)
"Still" – Commodores (1 week)
"No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" – Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer (2 weeks)
"Babe" – Styx (2 weeks)
"Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" – Rupert Holmes (1 week)

Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs

15: The Clash – London Calling
103: Donna Summer – Hot Stuff
146: The B-52's – Rock Lobster
224: Chic – Good Times
254: AC/DC – Highway to Hell
255: Blondie – Heart of Glass
298: Blondie – One Way or Another
301: Rod Stewart – Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?
388: The Police – Roxanne
489: Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive

*I know it's not that simple, but it almost feels like that from December 31st, 1979 o January 1st, 1980, music suddenly got better overnight. There is a massive difference in quality between the two years and I'm excited to relive the 80s, which is the decade I grew up in (born in 75).

*Another #1 for Dire Straits, with a soulful and beautifully arranged track.

*Keep telling me stories, Bruce.

*Uniquely structured songs at #2 and #3 that show experimentation and messaging can still be fun.

*Redemption Song took me a couple listens to really feel the full impact, but Marley's very personal vocals really make this work.

1980 Digital Dream Door - https://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/b...g_hits_80.html
Billboard Hot 100 for 1980 - https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...x&opi=89978449

Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs

66 Bob Marley & The Wailers Redemption Song
144 Ramones I Wanna Be Sedated
179 Joy Division Love Will Tear Us Apart
248 Sugarhill Gang Rapper's Delight
283 Blondie Call Me
292 The Clash Train in Vain
314 Pink Floyd Comfortably Numb
375 Pink Floyd Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)
471 Willie Nelson On the Road Again