Comments on: Best song of the last quarter century?

Best song of the last quarter century?

a3matrix — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 17:30:55 -0800

Best song of the last quarter century? Ok, I liked the song when it came out,(Nirvana Smells Like Teen Spirit) and can still listen to it today. But, VH1 is saying it is the best song for the last quarter century. That, I have a problem with. It is going to take me some time to reflect on this and come up with some alternates. I thought you folks may have your own opinions as well. So, lets hear it, what do you think is the best song of the last quarter century?

By: condour75

condour75 — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 17:45:20 -0800

Four words: "I get knocked down"

By: xiffix

xiffix — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 17:47:09 -0800

98. Hanson, "MMMBop" MMMNo, I don't think so. The top 100

By: wfrgms

wfrgms — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 17:47:15 -0800

Smells Like Teen Spirit is strangely significant, quickly recognizable, radio friendly and totally unique. Best of the last quarter century? Maybe. But I wonder how much of it's success has to do with Cobain taking a dose of lead at high velocity. If he were still cranking out thrashing hits would Smells Like Teen Spirit be anywhere near as groundbreaking?

By: poopy

poopy — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 17:47:22 -0800

i am evil homer

By: lotsofno

lotsofno — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 17:51:25 -0800

if i had my way, (which i never do), it'd be either Boa's "Duvet," or the Get Up Kids' "I'm A Loner Dottie, A Rebel."

By: Yelling At Nothing

Yelling At Nothing — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 17:54:40 -0800

I don't think you'd be able to find any song, really, that would merit being named the best in the last 25 years purely on it's merits as a song. That said, picking Smells Like Teen Spirit makes a lot of sense to me; it's what Mckagan said: "That was really a breakthrough for a great scene that had been going on for a long time up in Seattle. And it was kind of another victory, I think, for a misunderstood music, you know. The dam broke when 'Teen Spirit' came out." Who knows what would've happened if Cobain had lived. Maybe he'd have done Smells Like Teen Spirit one better. But I think it's as good a pick as any.

By: padraigin

padraigin — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:00:37 -0800

I would have thought "Hungry Like the Wolf" would be much higher on the list.

By: Jimbob

Jimbob — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:02:05 -0800

It's impossible to work out really - what does best mean? Does it mean "Has the best tune"? Does it mean "Most popular"? Does it mean "Sold the most copies"? Does it mean "Most influential"? Does it mean "Favourite song of the most number of people"? I think Teen Spirit comes pretty close on a lot of those categories, but so could a lot of other songs. What about "Love will tear us apart" by Joy Division, or even "Anarchy in the UK" by the Sex Pistols? Both would come close to Teen Spirit in being the most influential, that's for sure. Probably more influential - Grunge is dead as a doornail, but the music inspired by Joy Division or the Sex Pistols continues to live on.

By: quonsar

quonsar — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:03:08 -0800

where are the DeVinyl's? when i think about them i touch myself.

By: dhartung

dhartung — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:10:52 -0800

For comparison: The NPR 100, "the stories behind 100 of the most important American musical works of the 20th century", which aired on various NPR programs over the year 2000.

By: holloway

holloway — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:11:56 -0800

Clearly the judges had their taste buds stolen (their good ones, leaving the bad to form committees who form focus groups of their demographics who send persuasive graphs to the brain that kumara mush really does taste as good as strawberry icecream)... britney spears... goo goo dolls... backstreet boys want it that way... the aerosmith song from the asteroid-gonna-0wn-earth movie... But back to the theme... 100 top tv shows... what's your favourite tv show? Whatever it is, it's stupid, and you eat poo, and your parents eat poo.

By: hippugeek

hippugeek — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:19:45 -0800

I have no problem with "Smells Like Teen Spirit" at #1, significance-wise. But yeah, Jimbob, I would have replaced "Billie Jean" with "London Calling" or "Anarchy in the UK", and had Michael Jackson at #3 (with anything else). Also, “Sexual Healing” and “Start Me Up” deserve to be way higher.

By: mss

mss — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:31:07 -0800

Since 25 years coincides with AD (after disco) and when factoring in a prior VH1 list it would seem that the higher ratio of good music falls in the first 15 years of the last forty. Or something like that.

By: padraigin

padraigin — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:36:40 -0800

I would have replaced "Billie Jean" with "London Calling" or "Anarchy in the UK", and had Michael Jackson at #3 (with anything else) Well sure, if you were doing the top songs of the past 25 years in Imaginary Land. I love the Clash, and I love the Pistols, and I am not and have never been a fan of mainstream pop music, not even when I was a kid. But it would be silly to pretend that Michael Jackson isn't far more important than the Clash. And that's including the criteria of "Influential". I do think that this list, like every other VH-1 Top Something Or Other list, tries way too hard to be balanced. The truth is that years can go by without a single popular song that really ends up sticking. Entire musical genres can fade in and out of popularity without ever leaving a real mark. So why try so hard to represent everything? Except, of course, it gives dorks like us something to bitch about.

By: tomorama

tomorama — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:40:22 -0800

Yeah, I'm perfectly content with Smells Like Teen Spirit being at #1. Nirvana is right up there on my Best Bands Ever list.

By: kozad

kozad — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:40:35 -0800

-geezer alert- As one who came of age in the sixties, I find this list a little depressing. This is the best of the last quarter of a century? I guess Teen Spirit is a good choice - although I thought Lithium more brilliant. I think the best song should be a Prince tune, but I wouldn't tag Doves as his best, although the lack of a bass line is innovative. I'd vote for his "Kiss." Smart, sassy, feminist, and beautiful. And you can dance to it.

By: Prospero

Prospero — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:41:43 -0800

Okay, these lists are always rubbish, but: "Under Pressure," instead of the many David Bowie solo tracks that are much better? (The boundary starts at 1978, so replace that with "Heroes.") Radiohead's "Creep" instead of "Paranoid Android"? Shame. No Tears for Fears in an '80s pop music list? Horrors! I believe I'll go listen to Songs From the Big Chair right now.

By: tomorama

tomorama — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:47:12 -0800

Overall, the list is ok. I'm glad to see my boys DMB represented at #71 with Crash Into Me (although they have better songs). Songs that need to be stricken from that record and forgotten about: 16. No Doubt, "Don't Speak" 28. Britney Spears, "... Baby One More Time" 61. Backstreet Boys, "I Want It That Way" 65. Nelly, "Hot in Herre" 98. Hanson, "MMMBop" Also, I'm fully aware that I'll catch some flames for this, but I'll say it anyway: If Radiohead has to be on the list, I'm glad that they're at least on the bottom. They're terribly overrated, in my opinion.

By: beth

beth — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:49:04 -0800

What was so great about Smells Like Teen Spirit? The song doesn't even make any sense. Color me one of the people who got royally sick of having that song crammed down my throat at every opportunity for far too long a time. Lithium I liked though.

By: delapohl

delapohl — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:50:33 -0800

By: orange swan

orange swan — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:51:00 -0800

Ah, this is way too subjective. I couldn't begin to pick a song. The whole point of these lists is the resulting discussion and generated interest in songs one has never heard about. However, it's definitely a worthwhile discussion, unlike that generated by People's Most Beautiful People list.

By: broeker

broeker — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:52:07 -0800

Bah. I don't post here very often, but it makes me ill that the GooGoo Dolls made the list and that there is not a single Replacements song to be found. Not that I'm surprised, but a whole slew of those bands owe more than most people will ever realize to the Replacements. Including Nirvana and their number one song.

By: Yelling At Nothing

Yelling At Nothing — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:54:24 -0800

Also, that Dream Theater wasn't on that list somewhere is a crime.

By: tomorama

tomorama — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:54:49 -0800

I just realized, this is the second time I've ever agreed with the #1 choice on one of these "Best Ever" lists. The last time was in the late 90's, when Electronic Gaming Monthly named Tetris #1 of the top 100 video games.

By: aeschenkarnos

aeschenkarnos — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 18:59:23 -0800

Dire Straits - "Money For Nothing" Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody" Blondie - "Heart of Glass" KISS - "I Was Made For Loving You" I'd pick any of these over "Teen Spirit". Heck, even Weird Al's "Smells Like Nirvana" version is better.

By: Hildago

Hildago — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 19:08:58 -0800

Two caveats first: I have not read the whole list, and don't intend to because they just make me mad when I read them. Also, I am not really much of a Nirvana fan. However, when I think of "best song of the last x years", I think of songs that both capture and alter the spirit of the times, and Smells Like Teen Spirit certainly did that. I can't think of another song that has a stronger claim to that criteria, at least.

By: Eekacat

Eekacat — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 19:09:44 -0800

Richard Thompson was asked to come up with the the best songs of the millennium by playboy magazine. He knew they meant the best songs of the last half century, but he took them up on the offer and started in the 13th century. Playboy of course decided not to print his list, but what came from it was a show he does playing these songs. I got to see him perform "So Ben Mi Ca Bon Tempo", a 1500's Italian song by someone he called "The Fiona Apple of the 16th century", and it was fantastic. And, Kozad, he did include Prince's "Kiss". That said, those "top" lists usually suck.

By: davidmsc

davidmsc — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 19:17:40 -0800

"Is There Something I Should Know" by Duran Duran. or "Ready to Go" by Republica.

By: dmo

dmo — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 19:29:15 -0800

I'm surprised "There She Goes" by the La's isn't in there. First thing that popped in my head.

By: drstrangelove

drstrangelove — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 19:43:43 -0800

Clearly, the best song of the last 25 years is "God bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood. Anyone who disagrees is with the terrorists. dhoyt- relax or you'll end up like me.

By: tgrundke

tgrundke — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 19:44:24 -0800

Let the battle begin. There are so many songs on that list that should be banned from regular radio rotation, but since I am not the Minister of Audiology (yet), I cannot make that happen. When my ministry DOES take office, however, Hansen, Britney, GooGoo Dolls, and other assorted trash shall be tossed into the fires of hell and replaced with respectable music. Of course, I'm in Travislandia at the moment, so please forgive my rant...

By: yhbc

yhbc — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 19:47:31 -0800

They just cut off Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life" from 1977, so this list has no validity on the "greatest song" category. Carry on.

By: badzen

badzen — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 19:50:09 -0800

i honestly think that the greatest crime there is the inclusion of a Cyndi Lauper track. Maybe if the list was 'Greatest 80s Novelty Rock Flash-in-the-pans".. and Guns'n'Roses at #3? "My Sharona"? then again, as the article clearly states, this was chosen by VH1 execs, so I think a grain (boulder) of salt is required. at least they gave Rick "Rope, Rock, Rape" James a spot on the list.

By: yerfatma

yerfatma — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 19:52:34 -0800

"White Man in Hammersmith Palais"— no arguments accepted. "Born Slippy" comes in second. There is no third place. We got it tomorama. Promise.

By: furiousthought

furiousthought — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 19:54:52 -0800

This list is so VH-1. I don't know, I'll grant 'em most of the artists just because, but the songs, man... "Sweet Child O' Mine" vs. "Welcome to the Jungle," "One" vs. "Pride (In the Name of Love)" or others, "Jump" vs., I don't know, pick one, "Hot for Teacher", same deal for "Losing My Religion", just don't pick "Stand" and I won't have to kill you... Total shutout for mopey Brit rock. No Cure, no Smiths, no New Order...daaamn. Most bilious reaction: "Mo Money Mo Problems"? Geeeyugh! Pick a fricking Jay-Z song or something! Heck, even Juvenile. God, people.

By: balinx

balinx — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 19:55:55 -0800

Tism. Whatareya?

By: davebush

davebush — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 20:00:23 -0800

REM: "Find the River." Songs just don't get much better than that.

By: arto

arto — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 20:04:55 -0800

Is grunge *really* dead? Or did it just go Christian? Unless you're completely determined that the criteria for being "grunge" include coming from Seattle in the late '80s or early '90s, I'd say Creed, Puddle of Mudd and Live (lately at least) are considerably more "grunge" than anything Pearl Jam's done post-"Ten." And as for the best song of the past 25 years, why not "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five? I'd argue that it casts a lot longer shadow than "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Davidmsc: "Is There Something I Should Know"? How about "Hungry Like The Wolf"?

By: Darke

Darke — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 20:07:31 -0800

VH1 is to musical taste as cutting off my arm is to healthy living. You can replace VH1 with MTV/Rolling Stone/Spin as well! I guess I'll randomly recommend a few songs I perceive to be better than Kurt Cobain trying to rip off the Pixies. Aphex Twin - Girl-Boy Song Godspeed You Black Emperor! - Sleep Mogwai - 2 Rights Make 1 Wrong

By: holloway

holloway — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 20:24:04 -0800

Girl-Boy song (and the remixes) are snappy.

By: divrsional

divrsional — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 20:24:35 -0800

Anyone who thinks Cyndi Lauper is a flash in the pan has never seen her jump off the stage at Radio City while 8 months pregnant, run up and down the aisles, and belt out a ballad to shame every diva at the Met, on Broadway or on VH-1, for that matter.

By: Yelling At Nothing

Yelling At Nothing — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 20:29:13 -0800

....Creed, Puddle of Mudd and Live.... Puddle of Mudd, maybe. Sorta. Audioslave is pretty good (as far as Soundgarden clones go), and you might try Buckcherry for the same sort of feel.

By: troutfishing

troutfishing — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 20:30:47 -0800

Best song.......Most trenchant? Prophetic? Popular? I'll opt for one of two Peter Gabriel songs. "Fear, Mother of Violence" (the title says it all, really.) and "Here comes the flood" [ Refrain:
"Lord, here comes the flood......We'll say goodbye to flesh and blood.
If again, the seas are silent and any still alive..... It'll be those who gave their island to survive.
Drink up, dreamers, you're running dry."] Not party songs, these. So again my question: songs of escapism? Songs of realism? Of prophecy? Of adolescent angst?

By: deanc

deanc — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 20:31:08 -0800

Complain (with good reason) all you want about the entries, but this whole list makes sense if you think of it as "mostly likely to be heard blasting from a car stereo in your high school parking lot" in the respective era in which the songs were released.

By: hippugeek

hippugeek — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 20:32:15 -0800

I'd say Creed, Puddle of Mudd and Live (lately at least) are considerably more "grunge" than anything Pearl Jam's done post-"Ten." Guh. I won't argue that Pearl Jam is no longer grunge, but don't hand the torch to Creed. They're...shiny. Grunge is not shiny. You might convince me to replace "Losing My Religion" with "Nightswimming" or "Radio Free Europe." Maybe.

By: troutfishing

troutfishing — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 21:09:20 -0800

deanc - I totally agree. But I'd still nominate something like those Gabriel songs, or perhaps The Dead Kennedy's "Kill the Poor".

By: Dean_Paxton

Dean_Paxton — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 21:24:12 -0800

I think it is the most important, even if I despise the band, the song, and thank god there will be no more: 1). I believe that Nirvana simultaneously killed both metal and punk rock, single-handedly, with that song. Music changed forever afterward. Not even Metallica could save metal, not to mention themselves. 2). Consider the last 25 years, which means 1978. Not 1968 or, 1958... Like someone said earlier, it's post disco. Which means that commercially, there isn't going to be much anyone really likes all that well or, can agree upon. So, you either have to go with the raw sales numbers or, the most important "turning point song." 3). We've all grossly underestimated Courtney's powers as a media "mogul".

By: Jimbob

Jimbob — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 21:25:29 -0800

davebush - good call, "Find the River" is definately up there for a plain and simple "Best Song" award. It's amazing how quickly one forgets. Unfortunately, of course, the song was never a single so it's pretty much automatically disqualified from a list like this. TISM? The History of Western Civilization. Of course.

By: ArsncHeart

ArsncHeart — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 21:28:40 -0800

Yelling At Nothing - Thank you.

By: Ryvar

Ryvar — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 21:29:11 -0800

Hmmm. I gotta go with what Hildago said here - if 'best' means 'one of the greats that both captures what has gone before and casts its shadow on all that comes after', then yes, Smells Like Teen Spirit deserves to be that #1 song despite it not being close to Nirvana's best. Grunge may now be dead - but post-punk is the big upcoming thing (although punk of the 80s was referred to as post-punk then, so I guess it might be better termed post-post-punk) now and it inherits from both grunge and punk. Nirvana bridged punk and grunge (or 'alternative' back when that word meant something) thus grandfathered what we're about to see in music (ie Trail of the Dead, Interpol) as much anyone else has claim to. Smells Like Teen Spirit as #1? OK, I think there's tracks I enjoyed more, but in an overall sense this is probably the best of a very hard choice. Pixies deserve it more, to be sure, but . . . history is written by Darwin's selected, and those who write it now selected Nirvana long ago.

By: stavrosthewonderchicken

stavrosthewonderchicken — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 21:35:49 -0800

De gustibus non disputandum etc.

By: Jimbob

Jimbob — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 21:54:58 -0800

Ryvar, I think Interpol can probably thank Joy Division, and Trail of Dead can probably thank Sonic Youth more than either one owes a debt to Nirvana. Although, one could argue I suppose that Nirvana exposed Sonic Youth to the world. It's a sordid little affair, isn't it?

By: Ryvar

Ryvar — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 22:00:31 -0800

Indeed. Note 'grandfathered' there re: Trail of Dead, you're right Sonic Youth is definitely their direct progenitor. Interpol have previously and will continue to loudly disclaim your (and everyone else's) Joy Division linking - that Ian Banks thing is entirely a coincidence, damnit.

By: bargle

bargle — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 22:14:16 -0800

I don't know, I'll grant 'em most of the artists just because, but the songs, man... "Sweet Child O' Mine" vs. "Welcome to the Jungle," "One" vs. "Pride (In the Name of Love)" I think "One" and "Sweet Child..." were both bigger songs and that seems to be the only real point of this list. These are all big songs. I am just shocked that "Everything I Do" by Bryan Adams isn't near the top of the list. It is easy to try and turn this into a favorites thing though, I would love to see "Stay (Faraway So Close)" in place of U2's "One" and "Red Rain" in place of Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" and for that matter, "Give In To Me" or a dozen other MJ songs in place of "Billie Jean" and well, "Sweet Dreams" over "Here Comes The Rain Again" is an outrage! *shrugs*

By: muckster

muckster — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 22:55:25 -0800

By: hippugeek

hippugeek — Tue, 10 Jun 2003 23:33:41 -0800

Hmm. Not a single country song. Shania Twain's "You're Still the One" doesn't count.

By: adrober

adrober — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 00:39:00 -0800

Stop right there! I wanna know right now... why isn't "Paradise By The Dashboard Light" #1? It's like a whole mini-opera in one 7 minute rock/pop song. Plus, it even has quasi-porn music in it (during the announcer part). It does lose points, however, for being used now in a car commercial.

By: dmt

dmt — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 01:58:45 -0800

Jimbob: two posts now and still no mention of Carter USM. Surely Sheriff Fatman should be on the list? More seriously though, nothing from Aphex Twin, Underworld or Orbital on this list? Why not just ignore eletronica entirely? Oh, they did? I will always love you the 8th greatest song of the last 25 years? *fetches rifle*

By: Summer

Summer — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 02:06:48 -0800

Best major-label song, past 25 years: When Doves Cry. I'd have trouble ranking the other 99, but for me #1 is easy. When I first heard that song it was like hearing some fantastic, crazy music from the future that didn't belong with all the other music. I can still listen to it and get the same feeling. I feel exactly the same about 'Running Up That Hill' and 'Cloudbusting' by Kate Bush, although I wouldn't put them in any kind of chart with mere normal music.

By: monkey closet

monkey closet — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 02:18:42 -0800

I got to see [Richard Thompson] perform "So Ben Mi Ca Bon Tempo", a 1500's Italian song by someone he called "The Fiona Apple of the 16th century" That'll be Orazio Vecci. The song is here if you like dots.

By: Jimbob

Jimbob — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 02:26:37 -0800

DMT, yes of course Carter are the best, but alas, i doubt they'd have a snowball's chance in hell of making any lists. I'd have to vote for "After the Watershed" though, of course, if only because it pissed off the Rolling Stones so damn much.

By: monkey closet

monkey closet — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 02:28:31 -0800

I saw Carter for under a quid in the Joiner's Arms, Southampton. Then they got famous. They were still crap, but I spent a lot less money finding out...

By: crunchburger

crunchburger — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 03:38:08 -0800

I never thought I'd find myself defending Cyndi Lauper, but "Time After Time" has shown some amazing longevity--it's been picked up by enough people (Cassandra Wilson is the only one who readily comes to mind) to qualify as a quasi-standard. Miles Davis recorded "Time after Time" too. (Imagines Miles with a hanky, watching the video on MTV and daubing his eyes).

By: holloway

holloway — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 03:49:42 -0800

This list is a slap in the face to angry lesbian folk music.

By: Frasermoo

Frasermoo — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 04:01:59 -0800

what a crock. still I got the wav of I am evil Homer. worthy. nice one poopy.

By: matteo

matteo — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 04:27:05 -0800

Cobain refused to play the damn song live exactly because he understood that, one day, it was going to end up in first place in a fucking VH-1 "best-of" poll, voted overwhelmingly by people who actually like Bryan Adams the song also ended up (thanks, mrs Love) as a musical punchline in Moulin Rouge. when you check most Nirvana fans iPods (et similia) it's probably the one missing Cobain song. I guess that a Grammy/Oscar-winning Phil Collins "Teen Spirit" cover is not that far ahead in the future. or maybe a Timberlake/Aguilera duet

By: rory

rory — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 04:32:02 -0800

'Anarchy in the UK' doesn't qualify; it was released in 1976. Neither does 'Bohemian Rhapsody', 1975. Ridiculous that 'How Soon is Now' isn't on there, and I'm not even a Smiths fan. Still, as a summary of 25 years of the American Top 40 it could be worse. At least there's no '(Everything I Do) I Do It For You'.

By: dydecker

dydecker — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 04:57:55 -0800

For me, being an old sod, Smells Like Teen Spirit was the end of something, not the beginning. Best song of the last 25 years? ACDC It's a Long Way To the Top If You Wanna Rock and Roll

By: dydecker

dydecker — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 05:02:06 -0800

Shit, It's A Long Way to the Shop if You Want A Sausage Roll was 1976. Scratch that. The best song of the blah blah blah, definitively of course, was The Mekons Where Were You?

By: ZenMasterThis

ZenMasterThis — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 05:21:12 -0800

A little outside of the 25-year range, but I feel compelled to mention The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again." If the lyrics to this song could be branded on the brains of every human on the planet, the world would be a better place.

By: ciderwoman

ciderwoman — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 05:49:22 -0800

Not at all convinced by SLTS, much as I love the song. Rock around the clock was written 47 years ago, and yet you'd be hard pressed to find someone who didn't recocgnize it today. Not so sure that in 2050 so many people will recognize SLTS. I think it's obvious the only song from the last 25 years anyone will remember in 2050 is The bushes scream while my daddy prunes by the Very Things. You wait people, the revival is just around the corner.

By: ghastlyfop

ghastlyfop — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 06:24:50 -0800

Ah, man, the only thing these lists are good for is giving us the opportunity to reestablish our own personal top 100 lists...songs which, at various points in our lives, asserted some sort of tangible influence on our lives. And they give us a chance to grind our teeth, complain, and showcase how music-literate we are. That said, "Best" is a ridiculous tag for this list. Although I absolutely agree with the peeps who gave shout-outs to "Here Comes the Flood" and "Find the River" and "Paranoid Android." Maybe in some kind of cooler, more soulful alternate universe they'd have made the cut. And in that universe, Creed would be changing my oil at Jiffy Lube.

By: rory

rory — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 06:39:34 -0800

Smells Like Teen Spirit was the end of something, not the beginning Too bloody right. The end of this... and this. Hallelujah. (Admittedly, a few decent tracks on those charts, but they're few and far between.) If we're going to get nostalgic for old time rock'n'roll, let's at least acknowledge how utterly dire the late '80s/early '90s were for popular music. Nirvana didn't overthrow the Who, or the Pistols, or whatever one's authentic rebel band of choice may be... they overthrew the evil plastic pop drones who had dominated the charts for ten years. (All apologies if those evil plastic pop drones were your bands of choice.)

By: PinkStainlessTail

PinkStainlessTail — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 06:41:13 -0800

I guess that a Grammy/Oscar-winning Phil Collins "Teen Spirit" cover is not that far ahead in the future. or maybe a Timberlake/Aguilera duet I wish I was joking: Tori Amos already does an utterly crap cover of the song. Well, maybe utterly crap is unfair, but I sure don't think it works as a lush, solo piano ballad.

By: fjom

fjom — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 06:42:52 -0800

I disagree about Britney S and the Backstreet Boys and Hanson, but to make for an interesting TV show they had to take popularity into account. With that in mind, they certainly could have done a lot worse

By: Pinwheel

Pinwheel — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 06:48:51 -0800

This is silly, but for my money: The Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel.

By: alumshubby

alumshubby — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 06:51:05 -0800

I didn't know which song "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was, so I downloaded it. It's OK, but...best song? At the first chorus, I realized I'd heard it before and never knew its title. Evidently hadn't been all that memorable to me. I guess I'm manifestly uncool. Or the emperor has no clothes. Or maybe the clothes have no emperor.

By: GeekAnimator

GeekAnimator — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 07:16:00 -0800

Also, that Dream Theater wasn't on that list somewhere is a crime. as much as I love Dream Theater, they've really only been influence to other musicians.

By: LouMac

LouMac — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 07:52:41 -0800

I wonder why nobody commented on the inclusion of Destiny's Child, when any number of songs by En Vogue would have been better suited for this list. "Free Your Mind" is the first one that came to me. Hanson, Britney, the GooGoo Dolls, and the Backstreet Boys, while extremely popular, have no place on a "Best of" anything list.

By: bendybendy

bendybendy — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 07:55:28 -0800

most notable omission, understanding that these have to be songs with some sort of chart impact: Groove is in the Heart. I'd of put Kiss as the Prince song. And I'd have put it in the top three. I'm a bit baffled as to favoring ballads- Sweet Child, Time After Time and Don't Speak are all inferior to those hitmakers other hits. Really, the Cure or the Smiths or someone mopey should be in there.

By: rainbaby

rainbaby — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 08:00:38 -0800

I remember being in a car when "Smells Like Teen Spirit" came on the radio, and a rebel guy, a prep guy, & a hippie girl in the car with me (a multi-racial Breakfast Club with wildly divergent music collections) all yelled "Turn it up! Turn it up!" That's when I knew the song was really something. I like the Tori Amos version, too.

By: Asparagirl

Asparagirl — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 08:07:18 -0800

The Bad Plus, a piano-bass-drums jazz trio, does a great cover of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (30 second Real Audio clip) on their latest album. Also, Blondie's "Heart of Glass" and Aphex Twin's "Flim".

By: Holden

Holden — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 08:12:21 -0800

Nothing by Los Lobos? Most songs from "Kiko" deserve to be in the Top 100 Songs list. Especially "Saint Behind the Glass." Just because it wasn't a hit single doesn't mean it's not a great, great song.

By: punilux

punilux — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 08:21:25 -0800

My list of zeitgeist defining tunes would have to include A Guy Called Gerald's 'Voodoo Ray', (the techno fan's Anarchy...), and 'Buffalo Gals' by Malcom McLaren, which surely was the lever into the mainstream for hip-hop in the UK. For further reading, may I recommend This Is Uncool, (The 500 Greatest Singles Since Punk and Disco)? I am on a mission to collect all 500; 23 to go...

By: riviera

riviera — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 08:32:53 -0800

The end of this... and this. Hallelujah. Sadly not. The zombies returned. 'Best' is a matter of taste, of course. And it's easy to say that SLTS was probably the most influential/significant chart single of the last, um, 15 years, but extend back into the 80s, and you have The Smiths, Joy Division, etc etc. And I have a sneaking love for 'Setting Sun', which sums up the misplaced euphoria of the mid-90s for me. (I like Tom Ewing's take on the 1990s, too, especially when he talks about the 'confidence trick' that was Britpop, in the light of the Chemical Brothers.) Oh, but where the fuck is 'I Should Be So Lucky'?

By: rory

rory — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 08:40:55 -0800

Sadly not. The zombies returned. And 1993 was just as bad, come to that. But we can dream... (Nirvana wouldn't top my list - not sure who would - but they're a fair proxy for everything indie.)

By: rory

rory — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 08:48:39 -0800

Great link btw, riviera, and blimey, 'Common People' isn't anywhere on the VH-1 list; for shame.

By: 111

111 — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 09:18:51 -0800

"There is a Light that Never Goes Out", best song since the dawn of mankind.

By: billder

billder — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 09:19:17 -0800

This is silly, but for my money: The Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel. Not silly at all. It fulfills the "greatest song" part but falls short in the "VH1" requirement. There's always "My baloney has a first name..."

By: anildash

anildash — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 09:27:45 -0800

I think the best song should be a Prince tune, but I wouldn't tag Doves as his best, although the lack of a bass line is innovative. I'd vote for his "Kiss." Smart, sassy, feminist, and beautiful. And you can dance to it. Best major-label song, past 25 years: When Doves Cry. I'd have trouble ranking the other 99, but for me #1 is easy. When I first heard that song it was like hearing some fantastic, crazy music from the future that didn't belong with all the other music. I can still listen to it and get the same feeling. Both correct! How many people's lament over their relationship with their parents made for a great summertime song?

By: cinderful

cinderful — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 09:35:19 -0800

I found an old, old tape of mine last night that had a recording off of the radio of one of Nirvana's final concerts. I blew my mind just how DAMN GOOD it still was. (performance-wise of course - the audio quality wasn't bad either.) I have no problem putting Nirvana on top. There's no sense playing the 'what if Kurt had lived . . .' game. He didn't.

By: thomcatspike

thomcatspike — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 09:38:18 -0800

Until I live a century I won't know. Best as in: written, popularity or concept. Teen Spirt was a deodorant, so does deodorant get the glory here? Take The Beetles, wrote their tunes to be a round 3 minutes long. The songs were shorter than most attention spans at the time so when heard over & over did not become old. This a reason they had so many hits off of one album. songs are great, yet if they're to be sold in an album, I want to listen to an entire album, not just a song. Or a bunch a songs that hum the same to the tune of a broken record.

By: Frank Grimes

Frank Grimes — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 10:24:31 -0800

If it's "Best Song," shouldn't Dolly Parton get credit for #8 (Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You)? Can a cover really be one of the best songs in the last 25 years?

By: xtian

xtian — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 10:45:46 -0800

AND THE NOMINEES ARE... What a Wonderful World, By Louis Armstrong Scroll down for a list of covers of this great song. My favorite by far is Joey Ramone's. (>_<) http://www.coversproject.com/artist/Louis%20Armstrong

By: LouieLoco

LouieLoco — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 10:50:44 -0800

If they say best songs of the last 25 years and they include hip hop songs then 25 better hip hop songs then the ones they chose are as follows...in no order. GrandMaster Flash and the Furious 5- The Message Sugar Hill Gang- 8th Wonder Afrika Bambatta- Planet Rock LL Cool J- Rock the Bells Run DMC- Peter Piper Stetsasonic- Go Stetsa I Schooly D- Saturday Night Gangstarr- DWYCK De La Soul- Buddy Jungle Brothers- Straight Out the Jungle Eric B. and Rakim- I Aint No Joke BDP- The Bridge is Over Big Daddy Kane- Aint No Half Steppin Marly Marl- The Symphony MC Shan- The Bridge Black Sheep- The Choice is Yours (Revisited) Souls of Mischief- That's When You Lost Del- Catch a Bad One Freestyle Fellowship- Innercity Boundries Nas- One Love Jurrassic 5- Jayou NWA- Express Yourself Lord Finesse- Return of the Funky One Beastie Boys- Hey Ladies DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince- Brand New Funk Salt N Peppa- Push It Tribe Called Quest- Can I Kick It

By: jokeefe

jokeefe — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 10:59:14 -0800

The Dead Kennedy's "Kill the Poor" *cough* Holiday in Cambodia. Play ethnicky jazz to parade your snazz on your five grad stereo Bragging that you know how the n****** feel cold And the slums go so much soul It's time to taste what you most fear Right Guard will not help you here... Thank you.

By: dhoyt

dhoyt — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 12:43:08 -0800

"The Book of Love" or "I Don't Wanna Get Over You" by Magnetic Fields.

By: Asparagirl

Asparagirl — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 12:47:37 -0800

Nah, I'd pick "Papa Was A Rodeo" instead.

By: dhoyt

dhoyt — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 12:56:26 -0800

(...or "Orgasm Addict" by the Buzzcocks...what can I say, I'm a romantic)

By: dhoyt

dhoyt — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 13:34:12 -0800

Sadly not. The zombies returned. That reminds me: "This Will Be Our Year" by the Zombies"

By: troutfishing

troutfishing — Wed, 11 Jun 2003 20:30:05 -0800

Tiny Tim had a great song (a few years too old for this contest) which he would sing while playing a Ukelele. It was called "The Icecaps are melting" and the lyrics went something like this: "The Icecaps are melting, o ho ho ho. All the world is drowning, o ho ho ho." Well the icecaps are melting !

By: thomcatspike

thomcatspike — Thu, 12 Jun 2003 15:20:41 -0800

Hey thanks for reminding me, troutfishing, John Denver: Leaving on a Jet Plane...he left in his ultra-light plane. Or, Rocky Mountain High, ever flown over the Rockies? Ok, this was my cheese to this whiz.