Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll

Source: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Year: 2006
659 songs
20 voters

Weight: 35%

How much this list influences our overall rankings. Higher weight means more reliable data.

Penalties Applied:

Voters: are mostly from a single country/location: 10%
Voters: Unknown Names: 10%
Voters: Estimated Count: 5%
List: only covers 1 specific genre: 40%

“Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll” is an unranked, influence-based exhibit list from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, originally 500 songs and later expanded to roughly 660, spanning recordings from the 1920s into the 2000s; it was compiled by chief curator Jim Henke with input from the Hall’s curatorial staff and numerous outside critics and music experts, but aside from Henke the Hall has not published contributor names, so a reasonable estimate of participants is about 20–40 people in total.

Rank Song Artists Year
- Autobahn Kraftwerk 1974
- Sultans of Swing Dire Straits 1978
- Like a Virgin Madonna 1984
- Fortunate Son Creedence Clearwater Revival 1969
- Love Train The O'Jays 1972
- Disco Inferno The Trammps 1976
- Walkin' After Midnight Patsy Cline 1957
- Ready or Not Fugees 1996
- Freak on a Leash Korn 1998
- Bo Diddley Bo Diddley 1955
- American Pie Don McLean 1971
- The End The Doors 1967
- Breaking the Law Judas Priest 1980
- The Spirit of Radio Rush 1980
- Layla Derek and the Dominos 1970
- (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party) Beastie Boys 1986
- Everybody Needs Somebody To Love Solomon Burke 1964
- In Your Eyes Peter Gabriel 1986
- Fuck tha Police N.W.A 1988
- Roundabout Yes 1971
- Roxanne The Police 1978
- Israelites Desmond Dekker & the Aces 1966
- Rock and Roll All Nite KISS 1975
- Dancing in the Dark Bruce Springsteen 1984
- One U2 1991
- Your Song Elton John 1970
- Vogue Madonna 1990
- The Weight The Band 1968
- Wishin' and Hopin' Dusty Springfield 1964
- Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin 1971
- All Apologies Nirvana 1993
- Just Like Me Paul Revere and the Raiders 1966
- Living for the City Stevie Wonder 1973
- White Rabbit Jefferson Airplane 1967
- Time Is on My Side The Rolling Stones 1964
- Going to a Go‐Go The Miracles 1965
- I Shot the Sheriff Bob Marley & The Wailers 1973
- I'll Take You There The Staple Singers 1972
- Ladies First Queen Latifah, Monie Love 1989
- Go Your Own Way Fleetwood Mac 1976
- Tell Mama Etta James 1967
- Super Freak Rick James 1981
- Crossroads Cream 1968
- Been Caught Stealing Jane's Addiction 1990
- Master Blaster (Jammin') Stevie Wonder 1980
- Bela Lugosi's Dead Bauhaus 1979
- Piece of My Heart Big Brother & the Holding Company 1968
- He's a Rebel The Crystals 1962
- Mystery Train Elvis Presley 1955
- Smoke on the Water Deep Purple 1972
- In My Life The Beatles 1965
- The Sounds of Silence Simon & Garfunkel 1964
- Fame David Bowie 1975
- Los Angeles X 1979
- Shake Otis Redding 1964
- Blue Suede Shoes Carl Perkins 1972
- Piano Man Billy Joel 1973
- Aqualung Jethro Tull 1971
- Proud Mary Creedence Clearwater Revival 1969
- Cross Road Blues Robert Johnson 1936
- Smokestack Lightning Howlin' Wolf 1956
- Biko Peter Gabriel 1980
- I Fall to Pieces Patsy Cline 1961
- Night Moves Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band 1976
- Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) Sly & the Family Stone 1969
- Basket Case Green Day 1994
- (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman Aretha Franklin 1967
- In the Midnight Hour Wilson Pickett 1965
- Sweet Home Chicago Robert Johnson 1936
- Laugh, Laugh The Beau Brummels 1964
- Long Tall Sally Little Richard 1956
- Moondance Van Morrison 1970
- You Send Me Sam Cooke 1957
- Spanish Harlem Ben E. King 1968
- Tears in Heaven Eric Clapton 1992
- I Put a Spell on You Screamin' Jay Hawkins 1956
- Brown Eyed Girl Van Morrison 1967
- Back in Black AC/DC 1980
- Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) Eurythmics 1982
- Psychotic Reaction Count Five 1966
- Jump Van Halen 1983
- Dear Mr. Fantasy Traffic 1967
- Late for the Sky Jackson Browne 1974
- Stan Eminem, Dido 2000
- Summertime Blues Eddie Cochran 1958
- Pride (In the Name of Love) U2 1988
- Stop! In the Name of Love The Supremes 1965
- Kashmir Led Zeppelin 1975
- Dirty Water The Standells 1965
- Time (Clock of the Heart) Culture Club 1982
- Born in the U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen 1984
- Dark Star Grateful Dead 1968
- Karma Police Radiohead 1997
- Rock and Roll Led Zeppelin 1971
- Hang On St. Christopher Tom Waits 1987
- Life During Wartime Talking Heads 1979
- Turn on the News Hüsker Dü 1984
- Love In Vain Robert Johnson 1938
- I Wanna Be Your Dog The Stooges 1969
- Control Janet Jackson 1986