My Top 100 Songs of All Time

I just turned 60 and wanted to do something fun to celebrate. I’m kind of a nerd about the music I like, so this is what I chose to do. Of course, I also had a party with my family that was really awesome, but this is more of a private treat.

I’ve been a music fan since I was really young, and am still getting so much enjoyment out of music today. I’m not a musician, just someone who appreciates a well-crafted song. My only real criteria was whether or not I’ve gotten constant joy out of listening to each song. It didn’t matter to me if it was a hit on the radio, or a deep cut that never got any airplay. These are simply my favorites.

I don’t expect many people to agree completely with this list, because it is very personal. But, I am hoping that anyone who happens upon it can find something in it to agree with me on. There may also be readers out there who have similar tastes and might see songs on my list that they’d want to try out.

I was born in 1963, which means the decade of music that shaped me the most was easily the 70’s. One glance at the list will confirm my love for the music of that decade. But, even into the 80’s, 90’s, and right up until today, I’ve continued to enjoy finding new songs that give me enjoyment. These days, rather than running out to buy them as a record, I add the songs to my playlist on Spotify.

I know my list is probably very different than lists made by others, but my hope is that my readers will indulge me for a few minutes and allow me to present my version of the top 100 songs of all time.

MY TOP 100

1. Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen – 1975
2. Space Oddity – David Bowie – 1969
3. Welcome to the Machine – Pink Floyd – 1975
4. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Elton John – 1973
5. Scenes From an Italian Restaurant – Billy Joel – 1977
6. A Day In The Life – The Beatles – 1967
7. Somebody To Love – Queen – 1976
8. One Summer Dream – ELO – 1975
9. It’s A Long Way There – Little River Band – 1975
10. The Turn of a Friendly Card – Alan Parsons Project – 1980
11. Melancholy Man – Moody Blues – 1970
12. Kuiama – ELO – 1973
13. Time – Pink Floyd – 1973
14. Light of Day – Little River Band – 1978
15. Rocket Man – Elton John – 1972
16. The Trees – Rush – 1978
17. Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd – 1975
18. Same Old Lange Syne – Dan Fogleburg – 1980
19. Funeral For a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding – Elton John – 1973
20. Imagine That – Lost Dogs – 1993
21. The Raven – Alan Parsons Project – 1976
22. Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft – Klaatu – 1976
23. Moving In Stereo – The Cars – 1978
24. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart – Bee Gees – 1971
25. Eleanore It’s Raining – Lost Dogs – 1993
26. Drive Home – Steven Wilson – 2013
27. New Horizons – Moody Blues – 1972
28. Some Other Time – Alan Parsons Project – 1977
29. Inmates – Alice Cooper – 1978
30. Around the Universe in Eighty Days – Klaatu – 1977
31. Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey – Paul McCartney – 1971
32. Watching and Waiting – Moody Blues – 1969
33. La Villa Strangiatto – Rush – 1978
34. Fools Overture – Supertramp -1977
35. Dogs – Pink Floyd – 1977
36. Five Years – David Bowie – 1972
37. Harmony – Elton John – 1973
38. Lights – Journey – 1978
39. When You’re a Free Man – Moody Blues – 1972
40. All By Myself – Eric Carmen – 1975
41. Mainstreet – Bob Seger -1976
42. I Go Down – Leaves – 2002
43. Could It Be I’m Falling In Love – The Spinners – 1973
44. Jungleland – Bruce Sprinsteen – 1975
45. Maybe Tonight – The Knack – 1979
46. Sullivan Street – Counting Crows – 1993
47. The Promise – When In Rome – 1988
48. Us and Them – Pink Floyd – 1973
49. The Lust, the Flesh, The Eyes, and the Pride of Life – Seventy-Sevens – 1987
50. Tonight – Elton John – 1976
51. Golden Ship – Phoenix Foundation – 2010
52. I Never Cry – Alice Cooper – 1976
53. Never Gonna Fall in Love Again – Eric Carmen – 1975
54. Telephone Line – ELO – 1976
55. A Horse With No Name – America – 1971
56. Nights In White Satin – Moody Blues – 1967
57. Eleanore Rigby – The Beatles – 1966
58. Guitar Man – Bread – 1972
59. Jealous Guy – John Lennon – 1971
60. Year of the Cat – Al Stewart – 1976
61. Alone Again – Gilbert O’Sullivan – 1972
62. The Wall – Kansas – 1976
63. Free Bird – Lynard Skynard – 1973
64. Living For The City – Stevie Wonder – 1973
65. From the Beginning – Emerson, Lake & Palmer – 1972
66. Tangled Up in Blue – Bob Dylan – 1975
67. Daisy Jane – America – 1975
68. Little Neutrino – Klaatu – 1976
69. Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd – 1979
70. You’re My Best Friend – Queen – 1975
71. Home At Last – Steely Dan – 1977
72. American Pie – Don McLean – 1971
73. Enola Gay – Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – 1980
74. Starman – David Bowie – 1972
75. No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature – The Guess Who – 1970
76. It Keeps You Runnin’ – Doobie Brothers – 1976
77. There’s So Much Energy In Us – Cloud Cult – 2010
78. Madman Across the Water – Elton John – 1971
79. Mandolin Wind – Rod Stewart – 1971
80. Hush – Deep Purple – 1968
81. The Dream Weaver – Gary Wright – 1975
82. Every Breath You Take – The Police – 1983
83. Anybody Out There? – Burlap to Cashmere – 1998
84. How Much I Feel – Ambrosia – 1978
85. Planet Claire – The B-52’s – 1979
86. Wrapped in Piano Strings – Radical Face – 2007
87. Carpet Crawlers – Genesis – 1995
88. Cat’s In The Cradle – Harry Chapin – 1974
89. When Will I See You Again – The Three Degrees – 1973
90. Hold Me Now – Thompson Twins – 1984
91. Haunted – Radical Face – 2007
92. No More Running Away – Air Traffic – 2007
93. Fooled Around and Fell In Love – Elvin Bishop – 1976
94. From 44 to 48 – Blackfield – 2017
95. Love & Hate – Michael Kiwanuka – 2016
96. He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s the Pilot – Grandaddy – 2000
97. Everybody Wants to Rule the World – Tears For Fears – 1985
98. Lyin’ Eyes – The Eagles – 1975
99. You’ve Got A Friend – James Taylor – 1971
100. Roxanne – The Police – 1978

Honorable Mentions

• Superstar – Carpenters – 1971
• Susie Q – Credence Clearwater Revival – 1968
• Hitch a Ride – Boston – 1976
• Nights on Broadway – Bee Gees – 1975
• Goodnight Saigon – Billy Joel – 1982
• Love is Like Oxygen – Sweet – 1978
• Adeline – alt-J – 2017
• On The Sea – Beach House – 2012
• Dancing With Myself – Generation X – 1981
• Crazy Love – Poco – 1978
• What I Like About You – The Romantics – 1980
• Solsbury Hill – Peter Gabriel – 1977
• Close To The Edit – The Art of Noise – 1984
• West End Girls – Pet Shop Boys – 1984
• Over & Over – Fleetwood Mac – 1979
• I Am I Said – Neal Diamond – 1971
• I’m Stone In Love With You – The Stylistics – 1972
• The Cover of the Rolling Stone – Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show – 1972
• Saturday In The Park – Chicago – 1972
• Superstition – Stevie Wonder – 1972
• So Very Hard To Go – Tower of Power – 1973
• New Kid In Town – The Eagles – 1976
• I Go Crazy – Paul Davis – 1977
• Holdin’ On To Yesterday – Ambrosia – 1975
• Shannon – Henry Gross – 1976
• Too Late To Turn Back Now – Cornelius Brothers & Sister Ross – 1972
• Just The Two Of Us – Grover Washington Jr. – 1980
• I’d Love You To Want Me – Lobo – 1972
• Lucky Man – Emerson, Lake & Palmer – 1970

Thanks for reading my list. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.