Top 25 Songs of All Time

Published on April 25, 2020 at 9:06 pm by Aleksandra Panovic in Lists, News

In this article we presented the top 25 songs of all time. Click to skip our detailed discussion about these hit songs and see Top 5 Songs of All Time.

What is music? Music is a language that is not said in words, but in emotion. Once Nietzsche said: “Without music, life would be a big mistake. I would only believe in a God who knew how to dance.”

Regardless of whether and to what extent we are artistically inclined, when it comes to music, few people remain indifferent and do not have any preferences of their own. Why do we listen to music? There are several reasons. Listening to music is fun! At the most basic level, music provides stimulation and removes the feeling of boredom and monotony. It can lift your mood before going out, shorten the time while doing some not so interesting household chores, for example washing dishes, keep us company while we travel, read or do something on the computer. Music improves our energy level. It can motivate us and boost our energy when we wake up and it can cheer us up, and calm us down in the evening before bed. With the help of music, we can influence the energy level of our organism. With music we can satisfy the hunger for excitement because it provides us with deep and strong emotional experiences. Such experiences are typical when we perform music ourselves, but they can also be experienced by listening to someone else’s performance. It helps us to divert our thoughts from something – if we are struggling with some thoughts and ideas that we want to put aside for a while, music can be an adequate tool that helps us in that. Music provides us with emptiness when we need it – not only can it awaken strong feelings in us, music can make the strong feelings that exist in us more bearable by reliving them and managing to get rid of them. Often with music we experience something similar to catharsis. The saying ‘musica animae levamen’ is well known, which means music is a medicine for our souls.

The coronavirus crisis clobbered the live music industry. Fortunately, not all revenues in the music industry depend on live concerts.

For example, Bob Dylan, one of the most widely honored songwriters of all time, has sold his entire songwriting catalog with more than 600 songs to Universal Music Publishing Group. The agreement is worth more than $300 million. The deal with Dylan may be the highest price ever paid for a musician or group’s songwriting rights.

Let’s start our list of the 25 best songs of all time.

25. Down Hearted Blues

Song by: Bessie Smith

Down Hearted Blues is a blues song composed by American jazz singer Alberta Hunter and musician Lovie Austin.

24. In the Jailhouse Now

Song by: Jimmie Rodgers

In the Jailhouse Now was recorded February 15, 1928, in Camden, New Jersey, and features Rodgers on vocals and guitar, with Ellsworth T. Cozzens playing banjo. Producer of the song was Paul Cohen. Label: Decca Records.

23. In The Mood

Song by: Glenn Miller

In The Mood is a popular big band-era jazz standard. It was featured in the movie Sun Valley Serenade and in an episode of the British science fiction series Doctor Who.

22. God Bless America

Song by: Kate Smith

This is an American patriotic song written by Irving Berlin during World War I in 1918 and revised by him in the run up to World War II in 1938. The later version was notably recorded by Kate Smith, becoming her signature song.

21. White Christmas

Song by: Bing Crosby

This is an Irving Berlin’s song written for the musical film “Holiday Inn”. It was released in 1942.

20. The Christmas Song

Song by: Nat “King” Cole

This is a classic Christmas song written by Mel Tormé and Bob Wells in 1944 and was first recorded by The King Cole Trio in 1946.

19. Chuck Berry

Song by: Johnny B. Goode

Chuck Berry is a 1958 rock-and-roll song written and first recorded by Chuck Berry. The song was a major hit, peaking at number two on Billboard magazine’s Hot R&B Sides chart and number eight on its Hot 100 chart.

18. (We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock

Song by: Bill Haley and His Comets

This is a rock and roll song in the 12-bar blues format written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers in 1952. The best-known and most successful rendition was recorded by Bill Haley & His Comets in 1954. It was a number one single on both the United States and United Kingdom charts. “Rock Around the Clock” is often cited as the biggest-selling vinyl rock and roll single of all time. The number of copies sold is at least 25 million. Decca Records own the rights to this song.

Some honorable mentions for this decade: Ray Charles – What’d I Say, Elvis Presley – Hound Dog.

17. Like a Rolling Stone

Song by: Bob Dylan

Like a Rolling Stone is a 1965 song by the American singer and one of the most widely honored songwriters of all time Bob Dylan. It is produced by Tom Wilson. This song is ranked first on Rolling Stone’s list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”. Label: Columbia Records.

16. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction

Song by: The Rolling Stones

(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction is released in 1965. It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and produced by Andrew Loog Oldham. It is one of the world’s most popular songs, and is second on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.

15. Hey Jude

Song by: The Beatles

Hey Jude was released as a non-album single in August 1968. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership.

14. Imagine

Song by: John Lennon

Imagine is a song from his 1971 album of the same name. The best-selling single of his solo career. Shortly before his death, Lennon said that much of the song’s lyrics and content came from his wife, Yoko Ono, and in 2017 she received co-writing credit. Lennon and Ono co-produced the song with Phil Spector. Broadcast Music, Inc. named “Imagine” one of the 100 most performed songs of the 20th century. Label: Apple Records.

13. What’s Going On

Song by: Marvin Gaye

What’s Going On was released in 1971 on the Motown subsidiary Tamla. The song was composed by Benson, Al Cleveland, and Gaye and produced by Gaye himself.

12. Stairway to Heaven

Song by: Led Zeppelin

Stairway to Heaven was released in late 1971. It was composed by the band’s guitarist Jimmy Page and vocalist Robert Plant for their untitled fourth studio album. The song is often regarded as the most popular rock song of all time. It was the most requested song on FM radio stations in the United States in the 1970s, despite never having been commercially released as a single there. In November 2007, through download sales promoting Led Zeppelin’s Mothership release, “Stairway to Heaven” reached number 37 on the UK Singles Chart. Label: Atlantic Recording Corporation.

11. London Calling

Song by: The Clash

London Calling was released as a single from the band’s double album of the same name. This apocalyptic, politically charged rant features the band’s post-punk sound, electric guitar and vocals. Writers of the song are Mick Jones and Joe Strummer. Producer of the song is Guy Stevens. Label: Epic Records, an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment.

10. The Message

Song by: Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five

The Message was released as a single by Sugar Hill Records on July 1, 1982, and was later featured on the group’s first studio album, The Message. “The Message” took rap music from the house parties of its origin to the social platforms later developed by groups like Public Enemy and KRS-One. Writers of the song are Duke Bootee and Melle Mel. Producer is Sylvia Robinson. Label: Sugar Hill Records.

9. When Doves Cry

Song by: Prince

When Doves Cry is the lead single from his sixth studio album Purple Rain. According to the DVD commentary of the film Purple Rain (1984), Prince was asked by director Albert Magnoli to write a song to match the theme of a particular segment of the film that involved intermingled parental difficulties and a love affair. The next morning, Prince had composed two songs, one of which was “When Doves Cry”. It was Prince’s first Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single, staying there for five weeks, and was also a worldwide hit. According to Billboard, it was the top-selling single of 1984. Label: Warner Records Inc.

8. Smells Like Teen Spirit

Song by: Nirvana

Smells Like Teen Spirit is the opening track and lead single from the band’s second album, Nevermind (1991), released on DGC Records. Writer of the song is Kurt Cobain and it is produced by Butch Vig. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was Nirvana’s biggest hit in most countries, charting high on music industry charts around the world in 1991 and 1992, including topping the charts of Belgium, France, New Zealand and Spain. In the years since Kurt Cobain’s death, listeners and critics have continued to praise “Smells Like Teen Spirit” as one of the greatest songs of all time.

7. No Diggity

Song by: Blackstreet

No Diggity is a 1996 R&B song released as the first single for their second studio album Another Level featuring Dr. Dre and Queen Pen. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It sold 1.6 million copies in 1996.

6. One

Song by: U2

One is the third track from their 1991 album Achtung Baby, and it was released as the Island record’s third single in February 1992. The lyrics was written by lead singer Bono.

Click to continue reading and see Top 5 Songs of All Time.