The "100 Greatest Songs of the Past 25 Years," as chosen by VH1.

[Dooby]

The "100 Greatest Songs of the Past 25 Years," as chosen by VH1.

1. Nirvana, "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

2. Michael Jackson, "Billie Jean"

3. Guns N' Roses, "Sweet Child O' Mine"

4. Eminem, "Lose Yourself"

5. U2, "One"

6. Run-D.M.C., "Walk This Way"

7. Prince, "When Doves Cry"

8. Whitney Houston, "I Will Always Love You"

9. The Police, "Every Breath You Take"

10. Madonna, "Like a Virgin"

11. Van Halen, "Jump"

12. Alanis Morissette, "You Oughta Know"

13. TLC, "Waterfalls"

14. Sinead O'Connor, "Nothing Compares 2 U"

15. Pink Floyd, "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)"

16. No Doubt, "Don't Speak"

17. Def Leppard, "Photograph"

18. R.E.M., "Losing My Religion"

19. Public Enemy, "Fight the Power"

20. AC/DC, "You Shook Me All Night Long"

21. U2, "With or Without You"

22. Cyndi Lauper, "Time After Time"

23. Prince, "Little Red Corvette"

24. Celine Dion, "My Heart Will Go On"

25. Rick James, "Super Freak"

26. Bon Jovi, "Livin' on a Prayer"

27. Grandmaster Flash, "The Message"

28. Britney Spears, "... Baby One More Time"

29. Bruce Springsteen, "Born in the U.S.A."

30. Janet Jackson, "Nasty"

31. Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg, "Nuthin' but a `G' Thang"

32. Pearl Jam, "Jeremy"

33. Tina Turner, "What's Love Got to do With It"

34. Peter Gabriel, "In Your Eyes"

35. The Sugarhill Gang, "Rapper's Delight"

36. Joan Jett, "I Love Rock 'n Roll"

37. Alicia Keys, "Fallin"'

38. The Clash, "London Calling"

39. Tom Petty, "Free Fallin"'

40. Michael Jackson, "Beat It"

41. Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Under the Bridge"

42. Blondie, "Heart of Glass"

43. The Go-Go's, "Our Lips Are Sealed"

44. Gloria Gaynor, "I Will Survive"

45. Aerosmith, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing"

46. Queen and David Bowie, "Under Pressure"

47. Shania Twain, "You're Still the One"

48. Naughty By Nature, "O.P.P."

49. Journey, "Don't Stop Believin"'

50. Lenny Kravitz, "Are You Gonna Go My Way?"

51. George Michael, "Faith"

52. The Rolling Stones, "Start Me Up"

53. Marvin Gaye, "Sexual Healing"

54. Goo Goo Dolls, "Iris"

55. Talking Heads, "Once in a Lifetime"

56. Sheryl Crow, "All I Wanna Do"

57. Eric Clapton, "Tears in Heaven"

58. The Notorious B.I.G. feat. Puff Daddy & Mase, "Mo Money Mo Problems"

59. Meat Loaf "Paradise By the Dashboard Light"

60. Santana feat. Rob Thomas, "Smooth"

61. Backstreet Boys, "I Want It That Way"

62. Pretenders, "Brass in Pocket"

63. Beck, "Loser"

64. The Knack, "My Sharona"

65. Nelly, "Hot in Herre"

66. Squeeze, "Tempted"

67. John Cougar Mellencamp, "Jack and Diane"

68. Chic, "Good Times"

69. Mary J. Blige, "Real Love"

70. Culture Club, "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me"

71. Dave Matthews Band, "Crash Into Me"

72. John Lennon, "(Just Like) Starting Over"

73. LL Cool J, "Mama Said Knock You Out"

74. Hall & Oates, "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)"

75. The Ramones, "I Wanna Be Sedated"

76. Eurythmics, "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"

77. Missy Elliott, "Work It"

78. Green Day, "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)"

79. Destiny's Child, "Say My Name"

80. Duran Duran, "Hungry Like the Wolf"

81. OutKast, "Ms. Jackson"

82. Soft Cell, "Tainted Love"

83. Band Aid, "Do They Know It's Christmas"

84. Radiohead, "Creep"

85. Eminem, "My Name Is"

86. Tracy Chapman, "Fast Car"

87. The Who, "Who Are You"

88. Metallica, "Enter Sandman"

89. Pat Benatar, "Hit Me With Your Best Shot"

90. The Police, "Roxanne"

91. Melissa Etheridge, "Come to My Window"

92. Salt-N-Pepa, "Push It"

93. Nine Inch Nails, "Closer"

94. Cheap Trick, "Surrender"

95. Oasis, "Wonderwall"

96. Beastie Boys, "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party!)"

97. Devo, "Whip It"

98. Hanson, "MMMBop"

99. Norah Jones, "Don't Know Why"

100. Madonna, "Ray of Light"

[Dooby]

Discuss amongst yourselves.

But seriously, "98. Hanson, "MMMBop" "-WTF?

[mavsfanforever]

EMINEM's "my name is" does not deserve to be there. I like eminem but I I do not think they deserve to be in top 100.

[Big Boy Laroux]

lose yourself is #4? decent song, but come on!

[Ummmmm Ok]

Surely any top TUPAC song would be over <u>27. Grandmaster Flash, "The Message" </u>

[u2sarajevo]

Smells like teen spirit number one? I can think of 10 NIRVANA songs alone that deserve to be higher than that one. This list is a farce. Of the top 10 listed, only one deserves to be that high in my opinion, One.

[irontoad]

Originally posted by: u2sarajevo
Smells like teen spirit number one? I can think of 10 NIRVANA songs alone that deserve to be higher than that one.

Totally agree. I'm also pretty annoyed that 'Enter Sandman' is up on here; Just about anything earlier done by Metallica was so much better...

[MavKikiNYC]

Nell Carter singing the theme song from 'Gimme a Break' is better.

[Dooby]

Originally posted by: u2sarajevo
Smells like teen spirit number one? I can think of 10 NIRVANA songs alone that deserve to be higher than that one. This list is a farce. Of the top 10 listed, only one deserves to be that high in my opinion, One.

And for this post, one deserves to get shot. First, no single song of Nirvana's had near the notoriaty of that 1 song. You don't get to argue a list like this by saying ___ from Bleach was a a better song or that "Even in his Youth" (the B-side to "Smells like Teen Spirit") was a better song. You just don't get to do it. You don't think I can come up with twenty-five REM songs that I personally think are better than "Losing My Religion"? Or ten U2 songs better than "One"? Or another 10 Queen tunes better than "Under Pressure", which is most notably known as the underlying beat of "Ice Ice Baby"? Sorry, you don't get to look at a list that way. It takes what is list for sparking a fun, reasonable debate and forces you to wallow in minutia.

As for anyone that doubts where "Smells like Teen Spirit" belongs, I had a similar argument with a buddy the other day. Look at the Billboard Hot 100 list the month before "Smells like Teen Spirit" was released. And then Look at the Billboard Hot 100 list the month after "Smells like Teen Spirit" was released. You will see the most stark contrast in music history since the Beatles. "Smells like Teen Spirit" destroyed the top-40 radio format for years. "Smells like Teen Spirit" almost wiped "college radio" music off the face of the earth with the dramatic rise of profitable "alternative" music formats. And as for that "alternative" music format, if you were to look at their playlists before and after "Smells like Teen Spirit", you'd see a dramatic shift in music from UK-driven pop to american-grunge/alternative music.

Ahhh..wo is me. Such is the plight of the former college radio DJ and one-time radio station intern.

[Usually Lurkin]

[trollpost] VH1 is stupid. There is no such thing as a great song from the 80's or 90's. Rap sucks. Pop sucks. Psuedo and glam rock suck. Grunge sucks. Metal sucks. This list should be called: "100 great ways to steal money from a bunch of gullible teenagers." Just an opinion. [/trollpost]

[Rhylan]

Norah Jones was clearly a bottom-of-the-list token pick, and Whip It seems out of place.. but otherwise, a pretty good list. Even IF, as most of you already mentioned, lists like this are fundamentally flawed.

Also, Missy Elliott "Work It" is the only song on here that I don't know. The others, I pretty much know each song start to finish. So toss this one off the list, and in the process, toss Missy Elliott off of a bridge. She's the most overrated creation EVER. Timbaland, Hype Williams, fisheye lenses, and trash bags. And somehow she became a star.

Oh! And apparently I don't know the Squeeze song either. But they're no Missy Elliott when it comes to crapfulness.

Alicia Keys - good but also overrated. She just came along at one of the lowest points in all of musical history. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[Big Boy Laroux]

man, the message was the birth of rap! it's gotta be on there.

[MavsFanFinley]

That list is a joke.

I'm not even sure how they came to some of these decisions.

[Ummmmm Ok]

But to not have (1) tupac song on there is absurd.

Also why is 96. Beastie Boys, "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party!)" when its clear that Brass Monkey was the best Beastie Boys Song?

Anybody wondering why this song: 47. Shania Twain, "You're Still the One" is even in the top 500?

[Dooby]

Originally posted by: Ummmmm Ok
Anybody wondering why this song: 47. Shania Twain, "You're Still the One" is even in the top 500?

Amen, brotha.

[u2sarajevo]

Watch it Ummmmmm..... Dooby will want to shoot you for the Beastie Boys comment.

And Dooby.... Everyone I know that listens to Nirvana typically agrees with me... I would rather get shot in the foot than hear that damn song again. Great song when it came out, but overplaying it ruined it for me.

A song that leaves you like that in my opinion should not make the top 100, and CERTAINLY not number 1 on any Greatest songs list.

[Dooby]

Originally posted by: u2sarajevo
Watch it Ummmmmm..... Dooby will want to shoot you for the Beastie Boys comment.

And Dooby.... Everyone I know that listens to Nirvana typically agrees with me... I would rather get shot in the foot than hear that damn song again. Great song when it came out, but overplaying it ruined it for me.

A song that leaves you like that in my opinion should not make the top 100, and CERTAINLY not number 1 on any Greatest songs list.

Quite honestly, "Hey Jude" has me changing the station now. And no one questions "Hey Jude". And I think your logic is flawed. There isn't a song out there that I can listen to forever and ever.

Quite honestly man, your argument reeks of the same argument I heard in '92 about Nirvana's "Bleach" being the better album; or that loser that worked at the used CD store in '90 when I bought Jane's Addiction's "Nothing's Shocking" CD and the guy told me that "Jane Says" was the worst song on the CD. Its fandom pissed off that it has to share its music with the rest of the world. I don't get pissed that REM sells millions of records; I get pissed because their last two records were crap.

And I never said I'd shoot you <u>in the foot.</u>.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

RE: Beastie Boys. Do you want me to tell you that "Paul's Boutique" is better than "Licensed to Ill." Nah. You just have a harder time arguing that a single that sold millions of copies is not as good as a song on the same CD that sold fewer copies as a single.

[Rhylan]

Originally posted by: Dooby
Its fandom pissed off that it has to share its music with the rest of the world. I don't get pissed that REM sells millions of records; I get pissed because their last two records were crap.

word.

RE: Beastie Boys. Do you want me to tell you that "Paul's Boutique" is better than "Licensed to Ill." Nah. You just have a harder time arguing that a single that sold millions of copies is not as good as a song on the same CD that sold fewer copies as a single.

Paul's Boutique IS better. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

[Chiwas]

Originally posted by: MavsFanFinley
That list is a joke.

I'm not even sure how they came to some of these decisions.

This kind of lists are absolutely absurd. When they show lists coming from a national vote, say, or from a group of experts from every genre, then they will make some sense.

[OutletPass]

Norah Jones was clearly a bottom-of-the-list token pick

A token nod to jazz...or just a nod to a jazz artist going pop ?

I VERY much agree with Chi....and MFF.

Pretty ridiculous list representing not many genres.

(Although I CAN listen to Peter Gabriel and Paula Cole doing "In your Eyes" ALMOST forever.)

[Mandyahl]

did they say what the ratings are based on? like the most poplular songs or the highest quality songs or just whatever they felt like?

[southern_sweets]

Wow! Super Freak and Rapper's Delight made the list. I thought I was the only one.

[kg_veteran]

My theory is that lists like this are created by the media just to annoy the general populace.

[u2sarajevo]

Originally posted by: Dooby

Quite honestly, "Hey Jude" has me changing the station now. And no one questions "Hey Jude". And I think your logic is flawed. There isn't a song out there that I can listen to forever and ever.

[/i]No, I agree with you about Hey Jude also. The beef I had with Teen Spirit is that it was the number one on the list.

Quite honestly man, your argument reeks of the same argument I heard in '92 about Nirvana's "Bleach" being the better album; or that loser that worked at the used CD store in '90 when I bought Jane's Addiction's "Nothing's Shocking" CD and the guy told me that "Jane Says" was the worst song on the CD. Its fandom pissed off that it has to share its music with the rest of the world. I don't get pissed that REM sells millions of records; I get pissed because their last two records were crap.

And I never said I'd shoot you <u>in the foot.</u>.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

RE: Beastie Boys. Do you want me to tell you that "Paul's Boutique" is better than "Licensed to Ill." Nah. You just have a harder time arguing that a single that sold millions of copies is not as good as a song on the same CD that sold fewer copies as a single.

Paul's Boutique is the best Beastie Boys album. By far. So go ahead and tell me, I'll agree.

[southern_sweets]

Is the list in any given order? Or just the top 100 in no particular order? Then it would make sense. (sort of)

[veruca salt]

I'd expect as much from a list voted for by VH1 viewers....

haha, i'm clearly just making that up, I don't even know what VH1 is. I was also under the impression
it was like MTV, for old people. Other than 1, 75 & 95, i doubt any of those other artists would get a track on my top 100.
Though I probably wouldn't be choosing those songs....

maybe a bit of an exageration...i'm just rather picky when it comes to music.

[ames7]

28. Britney Spears, "... Baby One More Time"

That makes me sad.

Also a little nausious.

[Mandyahl]

i agree wholeheartedly, ames. maybe they meant to put that on the worst songs of the past 25 years list.

[MFFL]

No Kiss, one Rolling Stones, no Rush, one Van Halen, one Pink Floyd, and one song by the Who. Yet two songs each by Prince and Michael Jackson.

I don't think too much of this list.

[veruca salt]

No Rolling Stones! Thank you for pointing that out MFFL.
That is just unforgiveable!!!!!!!! Now i'm angry.

[MFFL]

Originally posted by: veruca salt
No Rolling Stones! Thank you for pointing that out MFFL.
That is just unforgiveable!!!!!!!! Now i'm angry.

52. The Rolling Stones, "Start Me Up"

[Rhylan]

MFFL, don't diss Prince, though! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Just because he was big in the '80s and likes eyeliner doesn't mean he should be lumped in with Michael Jackson. hehe..

[MFFL]

Originally posted by: Rhylan
MFFL, don't diss Prince, though! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Just because he was big in the '80s and likes eyeliner doesn't mean he should be lumped in with Michael Jackson. hehe..

Prince is a pimple on the ass of a band like Rush. I like his music OK but please.

[veruca salt]

haha I'm sorry, i was outraged. I mis-read your post MFFL....
i knew there was a reason it was hard to believe...it because it wasn't true [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif[/img]
now i'm embarrased........................................ ...

[Dooby]

Originally posted by: MFFL
No Kiss, one Rolling Stones, no Rush, one Van Halen, one Pink Floyd, and one song by the Who. Yet two songs each by Prince and Michael Jackson.

I don't think too much of this list.

Well, it is the last 25 years, so that means 1977-78. "Rock and Roll All Night" was what '75?

Stones, didn't have may hits past '78 other than Start Me Up-"Miss You"? I'm not going to include the Harlem Shuffle just because the recorded records in the '80s.

Maybe there ought to ba another Van Halen tune...but which one? I knock them down a peg because if it weren't for them, we may not have had Poison, White Lion, Great White, etc. And seriously, which was worse? The Great Depression or Glam Rock?

Other than The Wall, what Floyd tune do you put on the list that was released after The Wall becayse the Wall was what '77 or '78? Just barely within the last 25 years. You can't put Momentary lapse of Reason on there. True Floyd fans would be up in arms that you put Non-Waters stuff on the list.

I never, ever, understood Rush. Period. At all. Never denied their talent as musicians. But I never thought anything of their music. And I was a big 70's music fan in high school.

The true injustice is that Aerosmith even is mentioned. I am not one for revisionist history, but if I could erase one band from from the memory of our collective consciousness, it would be Aerosmith-or The Bedrock Rockers.

[Dooby]

Originally posted by: u2sarajevo
Paul's Boutique is the best Beastie Boys album. By far. So go ahead and tell me, I'll agree.

Always preferred Check your Head. But I bought that before I bought Paul's Boutique. So, hey. I'm not a true fan.

[Ummmmm Ok]

Originally posted by: Dooby

Always preferred Check your Head. But I bought that before I bought Paul's Boutique. So, hey. I'm not a true fan.

The sad part is, I have the tape in my truck right now!!!

[u2sarajevo]

Originally posted by: Dooby

Always preferred Check your Head. But I bought that before I bought Paul's Boutique. So, hey. I'm not a true fan.

Check your Head is also better than Licensed. It's Finger Lickin' Good.......

[senorfrog]

Drop Dead Fred's "I'm Too Sexy" should have been number one...(insert sarcasm emoticon)

[irontoad]

And seriously, which was worse? The Great Depression or Glam Rock?

Without a doubt, Glam Rock. Oh Yeeeaaaaahhhhh (insert nut-pinching Glam high-note here) [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]