Top 200 Greatest Rock Songs Post 1960
Updated: Dec 20, 2023
Pictured - Black Sabbath, Billboard Magazine 1970
We at Melophobe have made the bold statement that rock music is perhaps the greatest artistic gift given to the world in the 20th century, and continue to stand by it wholeheartedly. Through a mixture of R&B, electric blues, doo-wop, and jazz, rock and roll emerged in the early 1950s. Throughout the '50s, artists like Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, and more crafted the sound into a well-established, progressive style of creative music by the year 1960. For the purposes of our list of the top 200 rock songs of all time, our criteria for eligible songs will begin on January 1, 1960. Although there were iconic rock tracks of the '50s like Johnny B. Goode, Rock Around the Clock, Bye Bye Love, and many more, the sonic differences before and after 1960 are simply apples and oranges, although those songs from the '50s are heavily influential and noteworthy in their own regard. Any offshoot subgenre of rock such as punk rock, hard rock, metal, alternative rock, country rock, southern rock, folk rock, psychedelic rock, surf rock, or grunge are eligible for this list, again as long as the song was released after 1960. Genres distinctively separate from rock such as blues, soul, country, or pop have been excluded to keep the list centered around rock. This means that popstars such as Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston have been excluded alongside the heavy hitters of soul like Wilson Pickett and Marvin Gaye. Songs with substantial rock undertones have been included, even if they are also attached to a separate genre, as long as they are considered rock above anything else. We are by no means the first to dive into a task like this, but it sure was quite a treat to assort our picks for the Top 200 Greatest Rock Songs of all Time. For a broader look at rock music, be sure to check our rankings of The Top 100 Greatest Rock Albums and The Top 100 Greatest Rock Artists/Bands.
1. Hey Jude - Beatles
The task of selecting the greatest rock song of all time was no easy feat, but from a sea of fantastic songs, the one that stood above the rest was The Beatles' 1968 non-album single, Hey Jude. Hey Jude is one of the few rock songs nearly instantly recognizable to listeners all across the globe. Alongside being instantly recognizable, Hey Jude is also one of the most, if not the most, singalong-friendly rock songs of all time. Hey Jude has stood the test of time, remaining one of the most beautiful recordings of all time, deeply introspective and emotional while bearing an ability to cause listeners to reflect not only on their pasts but their futures as well. Paul McCartney's pristine, eight-track recorded words are a true musical serenade, beginning as somber poetry before building up into a symphonic, dopamine-releasing outro. The Beatles were a massive gift to the musical world, and Hey Jude stands as a monument to the incredible legacy of one of the finest four-piece rock outfits of all time.
2. Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin
Going toe-to-toe with Hey Jude was Led Zeppelin's 1971 rock epic, Stairway to Heaven. Released off Led Zeppelin's untitled LP (known to listeners as Led Zeppelin IV), the track is perfectly placed in the middle of the album, between the Celtic-inspired progressive rock track The Battle of Evermore and the hard rock, yet subtly rockabilly track Misty Mountain Hop. Beginning with a beautiful, traditional English-folk sound, the song undergoes a transformation once the drums kick in around the four-minute mark, marking the start of a crescendo that leaves listeners in awe. Stairway to Heaven features one of the most iconic, if not the most iconic, guitar solos of all time, backed by the simplistic, yet heavy and perfect drumming of John Bonham. Stairway to Heaven is the quintessential multi-segmented rock song, resulting in a sonically pleasing, complex, eight-minute-long rock masterpiece.
3. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
Bohemian Rhapsody has since become another rock anthem for generations, featuring the unparalleled vocal prowess of frontman Freddie Mercury. The song was a symphonic take on the popular mid-‘70s progressive rock style, venturing in a direction few progressive rockers of the time dared to explore. Written by Freddie Mercury, the song is divided into six distinct segments: an intro, a ballad, a guitar solo, an operatic section, a hard rock break, and a somber outro. With its structure more akin to a classical music suite than a traditional rock song, Queen took a significant risk. With great risk comes great reward and in this case, the outcome was one of the greatest rock songs of all time. Bohemian Rhapsody, which also performed well on the charts, revolutionized radio music, a boundary Queen continued to push throughout the '70s and into the '80s.
4. Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan's 1965 cynical masterpiece, Like a Rolling Stone, has been immortalized as one of the greatest rock songs of all time. It is noted primarily for its resentful lyrical content, depicting a loss of innocence alongside the harshness of existence, as described by Bob Dylan's biographer Robert Shelton. Apart from its iconic lyrics, the song is a brilliant fusion of guitar and organ, making it instantly recognizable and incredibly catchy. The legacy of Bob Dylan is a long and winding road, but Like a Rolling Stone stands as his most esteemed sonic accomplishment. The song has been acknowledged as deeply influential to Bruce Springsteen and is said to have puzzled John Lennon and Paul McCartney of The Beatles upon its release. According to McCartney, "It seemed to go on and on forever. It was just beautiful... He showed all of us that it was possible to go a little further."
5. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
No song has connected with a generation of young people to a larger extent than Nirvana's 1991 single Smells Like Teen Spirit. By the late '80s, the seeds of grunge had been sown and were starting to sprout, with groups like Sonic Youth, Pixies, and Dinosaur Jr. exploring the new excitement surrounding sludgy yet melodic guitar playing. When Nirvana released their second album Nevermind in 1991, the gloves were off, and grunge began to dominate underground and alternative music circles. Since its release, Smells Like Teen Spirit has influenced countless up-and-coming bands, both in its lyrical and musical matter. Kurt Cobain's guitar crafted one of the most classic guitar riffs of all time, and the anthem for a youthful, outcast generation was unleashed upon the world.
6. Sympathy For the Devil - Rolling Stones
Topping a massive collection of great rock songs written by the Jagger-Richards duo throughout the '60s and '70s was Sympathy For the Devil. Released on The Rolling Stones' 1968 album Beggars Banquet, Sympathy For the Devil was the opening track of the album, immediately setting the band's sonic sights in a new direction, vastly different from most of their '60s releases. The course for the band was now clearly set towards roots rock and blues rock, which the band executed perfectly on its following records. Regarding the track specifically, the band crafted a brilliant rock track with dramatic African and samba influences, complemented by Mick Jagger's expert vocal delivery. The Stones unlocked a darker side of rock, touching on black magic and Lucifer in Sympathy for the Devil. For a 1968 release, this was incredibly impactful for the direction rock music was heading.
7. Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
By the mid-'70s, Pink Floyd had confidently established themselves as the top dogs in the world of progressive rock, especially after their 1973 release The Dark Side of the Moon, which we scored as the greatest rock album of all time. Pink Floyd faced quite a task in following up The Dark Side of the Moon, but fortunately, they again hit it out of the park. The five-song LP, Wish You Were Here, was composed of what are arguably five of the greatest rock songs of all time, with the album's title track standing above the rest. This deeply emotional song equally showcases the guitar prowess of David Gilmour. Although it has never been explicitly stated that the song was a tribute to former bandmate Syd Barrett (as was Shine On You Crazy Diamond), Gilmour claims he never plays it live without remembering Barrett.
8. Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears For Fears
Although the impact of Tears for Fears may be considered a tier below the other artists in our top 10, Everybody Wants to Rule the World stands as an aurally brilliant piece of music. It was recorded to complete perfection, with every sound precisely in place. Everybody Wants to Rule the World represents the pinnacle of what recorded music could achieve in 1985, receiving near-universal acclaim upon its release and in retrospective analysis. Tears for Fears built upon the increasingly progressive and complex landscape of new wave music and synth-pop, achieving a level that has yet to be surpassed. Everybody Wants to Rule the World can be remembered in history as a genuinely perfect song and is about as recognizable as one could imagine.
9. War Pigs - Black Sabbath
Released off Black Sabbath's second studio album Paranoid, War Pigs is as much an in-your-face aggressive protest song as it is one of the earliest heavy metal tracks. Its significance lies not only in its hard-hitting, heavy guitar riffs, masterfully executed by Tony Iommi, but also in its profound lyrics, poignantly delivered by Ozzy Osbourne. The track's ability to blend the dark, foreboding essence of Black Sabbath's signature sound with a strong anti-war message has resonated with generations of fans. The legacy of War Pigs is evident in its widespread influence on numerous bands and its revered status among both critics and fans, solidifying Black Sabbath's role as pioneers of heavy metal and hard rock.
10. Scenes From an Italian Restaurant - Billy Joel
The New York charm of Billy Joel has been prominent for over 50 years, mixing old school jazz and blues with rock. The musical legacy of Billy Joel is second to very few, and within that vast legacy, the song that stands above the others is Scenes From an Italian Restaurant, released from his 1977 masterpiece The Stranger. At about seven and a half minutes long, not only is it Billy Joel's longest song, but it's also his most progressive and complex. This intricate track consists of multiple sections, featuring plenty of horns and showcasing Billy Joel's piano prowess. If there were ever a rock song that embodied a jazz-influenced rock spirit better than any other, Scenes From an Italian Restaurant would be that song.
11. London Calling - The Clash
12. Superstition - Stevie Wonder
13. Heart of Gold - Neil Young
14. Have You Ever Seen the Rain - Creedence Clearwater Revival
15. The Weight - The Band
16. Jungleland - Bruce Springsteen
17. Let it Be - Beatles
18. Satisfaction - Rolling Stones
19. Hotel California - Eagles
20. All Along the Watchtower - Bob Dylan (Made famous by Jimi Hendrix)
21. Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix
22. Midnight Rider - The Allman Brothers Band
23. Walk This Way - Aerosmith & Run DMC
24. American Pie - Don McLean
25. Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin
26. How Soon is Now? - The Smiths
27. Riders on the Storm - The Doors
28. Sound of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel
29. Bennie and the Jets - Elton John
30. Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
31. Good Vibrations - Beach Boys
32. Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd
33. Another Brick in The Wall, Pt. 2 - Pink Floyd
34. Purple Rain - Prince
35. Take Me Home, Country Roads - John Denver
36. Come Together - Beatles
37. Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin
38. Light My Fire - The Doors
39. Losing My Religion - R.E.M
40. Where is My Mind? - Pixies
41. Wouldn't It Be Nice - Beach Boys
42. Mr Tambourine Man - Bob Dylan
43. Wonderwall - Oasis
44. Gimme Shelter - Rolling Stones
45. November Rain - Guns N' Roses
46. Lover You Should've Come Over - Jeff Buckley
47. Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen
48. A Day in the Life - Beatles
49. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) - Bruce Springsteen
50. Africa - Toto
51. This Charming Man - The Smiths
52. Imagine - John Lennon
53. Every Breath You Take - The Police
54. Won't Get Fooled Again - The Who
55. Don't You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds
56. Tiny Dancer - Elton John
57. Wooden Ships - Crosby, Stills and Nash
58. Blowin' In the Wind - Bob Dylan
59. Blitzkrieg Bop - Ramones
60. Rock and Roll - Velvet Underground
61. Back in Black - AC/DC
62. Dreams - Fleetwood Mac
63. Everlong - Foo Fighters
64. Once in a Lifetime - Talking Heads
65. With Or Without You - U2
66. Under Pressure - David Bowie & Queen
67. Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton
68. Last Nite - The Strokes
69. Layla - Derek & The Dominos
70. Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits
71. When Doves Cry - Prince
72. Super Freak - Rick James
73. Even Flow - Pearl Jam
74. Killing in the Name - Rage Against the Machine
75. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot
76. Fast Car - Tracy Chapman
77. I Am the Resurrection - The Stone Roses
78. Voodoo Child - Jimi Hendrix
79. Friday I'm in Love - The Cure
80. Paranoid Android - Radiohead
81. Anarchy in the UK - The Sex Pistols
82. California Dreamin' - The Mamas and the Papas
83. Tangled Up in Blue - Bob Dylan
84. Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
85. Simple Man - Lynyrd Skynyrd
86. Pride and Joy - Stevie Ray Vaughn
87. Heroes - David Bowie
88. Ramblin' Man - The Allman Brothers Band
89. Roxanne - The Police
90. Jump - Van Halen
91. Bigmouth Strikes Again - The Smiths
92. Money - Pink Floyd
93. Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
94. Piano Man - Billy Joel
95. Mrs. Robinson - Simon & Garfunkel
96. Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival
97. Black Magic Woman - Fleetwood Mac
98. Piece of My Heart - Janis Joplin
99. Funeral For a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding - Elton John
100. Bad Reputation - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
