The Greatest Music The Greatest Music

1001 Best Songs Ever

Source: Q (Magazine)
Year: 2003
1,001 songs
12 voters

Weight: 38%

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%
List: contains over 500 items(Quantity over Quality): 10%
Voters: Voter Count: 6.9%
Voters: Unknown Names: 10%
Voters: Estimated Count: 5%
List: number of years covered: 19.9%

Published in late 2003 as a one-off special, Q’s 1001 Best Songs Ever is a cheeky, sweep-all-eras ranked survey of pop and rock that doubles as a buy-this-now jukebox: U2’s “One” tops a list that runs from 1950s standards to millennial hits, each entry tagged with punchy “best for…” recommendations and punctuated by celebrity/artist mini-lists. Compiled by Q’s editorial team (with guest contributions) rather than a readers’ poll, the 146–148-page “bookazine” aimed to be an instant library you could beg, borrow, or download right then and there.

View Original List
Rank Song Artists Year
#201 Rock and Roll Led Zeppelin 1971
#202 Kick Out The Jams MC5 1969
#203 I Saw the Light Todd Rundgren 1972
#204 Relax Frankie Goes to Hollywood 1983
#205 Clocks Coldplay 2002
#206 Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black) Neil Young, Crazy Horse 1979
#207 A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays" De La Soul 1991
#208 Come as You Are Nirvana 1991
#209 One More Time Daft Punk 2000
#210 More Than a Woman Aaliyah 2001
#211 "Heroes" David Bowie 1977
#212 Watcha Gonna Do About It Small Faces 1965
#213 I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better The Byrds 1965
#214 When You Walk in the Room The Searchers 1964
#215 Rainbow Chaser Nirvana 1968
#216 Downtown Petula Clark 1964
#217 Fire Brigade The Move 1968
#218 Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere The Who 1965
#219 White Light/White Heat The Velvet Underground 1967
#220 We Gotta Get Out of This Place McCulloch's "The Animals" 1995
#221 For Your Love The Yardbirds 1965
#222 Cigarettes & Alcohol Oasis 1994
#223 Black Steel Tricky 1995
#224 Blood Sugar Sex Magik Red Hot Chili Peppers 1991
#225 The Man Don't Give a Fuck Super Furry Animals 1996
#226 Thunder Road Bruce Springsteen 1975
#227 Dilemma Nelly, Kelly Rowland 2002
#228 Police & Thieves Junior Murvin 1984
#229 Sexual Healing Marvin Gaye 1982
#230 I'll Be Your Baby Tonight Bob Dylan 1967
#231 Under My Thumb The Rolling Stones 1966
#232 Lovely Day Bill Withers 1977
#233 Out of Time Blur 2003
#234 Miserlou Dick Dale 1982
#235 Benny and the Jets Elton John 1973
#236 All Right Now Free 1970
#237 Angels Robbie Williams 1997
#238 Good Times Chic 1979
#239 Levi Stubbs' Tears Billy Bragg 1986
#240 Mystery Train Elvis Presley 1955
#241 Stars Simply Red 1991
#242 Nothing Compares 2 U Sinéad O'Connor 1990
#243 Growing on Me The Darkness 2003
#244 Suffer Some Jane's Addiction 2003
#245 San Quentin Johnny Cash 1969
#246 Time for Heroes The Libertines 2001
#247 Hard to Explain The Strokes 2001
#248 The Model Kraftwerk 1978
#249 Cheree Suicide 1977
#250 Adagio for Strings William Orbit 1999
#251 Warszawa David Bowie 1977
#252 Glue of the World Four Tet 2001
#253 Porcelain Moby 1999
#254 Deep Blue Day Brian Eno 1983
#255 Sowiesoso Cluster 1976
#256 Inertia Creeps Massive Attack 1998
#257 Windowlicker Aphex Twin 1999
#258 Tumbling Dice The Rolling Stones 1972
#259 True Faith New Order 1987
#260 Ashes to Ashes David Bowie 1976
#261 Distant Sun Crowded House 1991
#262 Many Rivers to Cross Jimmy Cliff 1969
#263 Witness (1 Hope) Roots Manuva 2001
#264 Praise You Fatboy Slim 1998
#265 Champagne Supernova Oasis 1995
#266 Lady Marmelade LaBelle 1974
#267 Somethin' Else Eddie Cochran 1959
#268 I Feel Love Donna Summer 1977
#269 She's Not There The Zombies 1966
#270 The Tracks of My Tears The Miracles 1965
#271 Eight Miles High The Byrds 1966
#272 Why Does It Always Rain on Me? Travis 1999
#273 Been Caught Stealing Jane's Addiction 1990
#274 Californication Red Hot Chili Peppers 1999
#275 Weather With You Crowded House 1991
#276 Layla Derek and the Dominos 1970
#277 Keep On Movin' Soul II Soul 1989
#278 Ghetto Musick OutKast 2003
#279 Merry Xmas Everybody Slade 1973
#280 Stayin' Alive Bee Gees 1977
#281 I Can Make You Feel Good Shalamar 1982
#282 December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night) The Four Seasons 1981
#283 Boogie Nights Heatwave 1977
#284 All in My Mind Maxine Brown 1960
#285 I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down Sam & Dave 1967
#286 Go Now Bessie Banks 1964
#287 This Is My Country The Impressions 1968
#288 Big Bird Eddie Floyd 1967
#289 You Don't Miss Your Water William Bell 1961
#290 The Price Solomon Burke 1964
#291 When Will We Be Paid The Staple Singers 1969
#292 25 Miles Edwin Starr 1969
#293 Because of You Jackie Wilson 1972
#294 Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin 1971
#295 Gay Bar Electric Six 2003
#296 Sunday Morning The Velvet Underground 1966
#297 The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore The Walker Brothers 1966
#298 Protection Massive Attack 1994
#299 Subterranean Homesick Blues Bob Dylan 1965
#300 Psycho Killer Talking Heads 1977

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