The Greatest Music The Greatest Music

365 Songs of the Century

Source: RIAA and NEA
Year: 2001
351 songs
200 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%
Voters: Unknown Names: 10%
List: only covers 1 specific location: 40%
List: number of years covered: 2.4%

Published in 2001, Songs of the Century is the RIAA/NEA project aimed at celebrating and teaching the history of recorded music in America. Roughly 200 ballots helped shape the results, producing a Top 365 that spans pop, rock, jazz, country, folk, and more, emphasizing cultural impact and lasting influence.

View Original List
Rank Song Artists Year
#1 Over the Rainbow Judy Garland 1993
#2 White Christmas Bing Crosby 1947
#3 This Land Is Your Land Woody Guthrie 1956
#4 Respect Aretha Franklin 1967
#5 American Pie Don McLean 1971
#6 Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy The Andrews Sisters 1941
#7 Take Me Out to the Ball Game Haydn Quartet 1908
#8 You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' The Righteous Brothers 1964
#9 The Entertainer Scott Joplin 1902
#10 In The Mood Glenn Miller Orchestra 1973
#11 (We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock Bill Haley and His Comets 1954
#12 When the Saints Go Marching In Louis Armstrong 1985
#13 You Are My Sunshine Jimmie Davis 1940
#14 Mack the Knife Bobby Darin 1959
#15 (I Can't Get No Satisfaction) Satisfaction The Rolling Stones 1977
#16 Take the A Train Duke Ellington and His Orchestra 1944
#17 Blueberry Hill Fats Domino 1956
#18 God Bless America Kate Smith 1986
#19 Stars and Stripes Forever Sousa's Band 1910
#20 I Heard It Through the Grapevine Marvin Gaye 1968
#21 The Dock of the Bay Otis Redding 1964
#22 I Left My Heart in San Francisco Tony Bennett 1976
#23 Good Vibrations The Beach Boys 1966
#24 Stand by Me Ben E. King 1962
#25 Stormy Weather (Keeps Raining All the Time) Lena Horne 2000
#26 Johnny B. Goode Chuck Berry 1958
#27 I Want to Hold Your Hand The Beatles 1963
#28 Midnight Train to Georgia Gladys Knight & the Pips 1973
#29 Imagine John Lennon 1971
#30 Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer Gene Autry 1949
#31 The Twist (Yo Twist!) Chubby Checker 1998
#32 Happy Trails Roy Rogers, Dale Evans 1952
#33 Your Cheatin' Heart Hank Williams 1953
#34 Swing Low, Sweet Chariot Fisk Jubilee Singers 1910
#35 'Round Midnight Thelonious Monk 1966
#36 What's Love Got to Do With It Tina Turner 1984
#37 Over There American Quartet 1917
#38 Star Dust Hoagy Carmichael 1942
#39 Aint Misbehavin' Fats Waller and His Rhythm 1980
#40 Georgia on My Mind Ray Charles 1960
#41 Oh Pretty Woman (Oh Pretty Woman) Roy Orbison 1980
#42 Every Breath You Take The Police 1983
#43 My Girl The Temptations 1964
#44 Hotel California Eagles 1976
#45 Happy Days Are Here Again Ben Selvin and His Orchestra 1993
#46 Stand by Your Man Tammy Wynette 1968
#47 Take Five The Dave Brubeck Quartet 1959
#48 America the Beautiful Louise Homer 1924
#49 When a Man Loves a Woman Percy Sledge 1968
#50 Light My Fire The Doors 1967
#51 Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin 1971
#52 Sweet Georgia Brown Ben Bernie 1991
#53 When You Wish Upon a Star Cliff Edwards 1940
#54 Yesterday The Beatles 1965
#55 Act Naturally The Beatles 1965
#56 Louie Louie The Kingsmen 1963
#57 God Bless the Child Billie Holiday 1993
#58 Born in the U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen 1984
#59 Girl From Ipanema Astrud Gilberto, Stan Getz 1982
#60 I Walk the Line Johnny Cash 1969
#61 The Star Spangled Banner John McCormack 1917
#62 O Happy Day Edwin Hawkins Singers 1969
#63 Great Balls of Fire Jerry Lee Lewis 1957
#64 What's Going On Marvin Gaye 1971
#65 Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Johnny Mercer 1989
#66 Don't Be Cruel Elvis Presley 1956
#67 Hound Dog Elvis Presley 1956
#68 St. Louis Blues William Christopher Handy 1990
#69 Yankee Doodle Vess L. Ossman -
#70 California Dreamin' (California Dreamin') The Mamas & the Papas 1980
#71 On the Road Again Willie Nelson 1980
#72 Auld Lang Syne Frank C. Stanley 1907
#73 Summertime Sidney Bechet 1965
#74 Theme From Shaft Isaac Hayes 1971
#75 Sentimental Journey Les Brown 1989
#76 Blue Suede Shoes Carl Perkins 1972
#77 The Sounds of Silence Simon & Garfunkel 1964
#78 Smells Like Teen Spirit Nirvana 1991
#79 It Had To Be You Isham Jones Orchestra 1924
#80 Minnie the Moocher (The Ho De Ho Song) Cab Calloway and His Orchestra 1968
#81 Sixteen Tons Tennessee Ernie Ford 1955
#82 What a Wonderful World Louis Armstrong 1967
#83 Fire and Rain James Taylor 1970
#84 Y.M.C.A. Village People 1978
#85 Heartbreak Hotel Elvis Presley 1956
#86 King of the Road Roger Miller 1965
#87 I Will Survive Gloria Gaynor 1978
#88 Ave Maria Marian Anderson 1944
#89 Begin the Beguine Artie Shaw 1972
#90 Like a Rolling Stone Bob Dylan 1965
#91 Stop! In the Name of Love The Supremes 1965
#92 Stayin' Alive Bee Gees 1977
#93 1999 Prince 1982
#94 Please Remember Me Tim McGraw 1999
#95 Back in the Saddle Again Gene Autry 1939
#96 Shake, Rattle and Roll Big Joe Turner 1954
#97 In the Still of the Night The Five Satins 1959
#98 Killing Me Softly With His Song Roberta Flack 1973
#99 Friends in Low Places Garth Brooks 1990
#100 Charleston Arthur Gibbs and His Gang 1998

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