Singles Lists

Pre-1950s

  1. The Andrews Sisters, "Bei Mir Bist Du Schön" (1938); or: "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" (1941)
  2. Count Basie and Jimmy Rushing, "Sent for You Yesterday" (1939)
  3. Big Bill Broonzy, "Mean Old World" (1937); or: "I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town" (1942)
  4. Roy Brown, "Rockin' at Midnight" (1949)
  5. Cannon's Jug Stompers, "Walk Right In" (1929)
  6. Leroy Carr, "When the Sun Goes Down" (1935)
  7. Nat "King" Cole Trio, 'Straighten Up and Fly Right" (1943); or: "It's Only a Paper Moon" (1944); "Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" (1946)
  8. Bing Crosby, "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" (1932); or: "I've Got the World on a String" (1933)
  9. Al Dexter and His Troopers, "Pistol Packin' Mama" (1942)
  10. Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra, "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" (1932)
  11. Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra, "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" (1946)
  12. Wynonie Harris, "Good Rocking Tonight" (1948); or: "All She Wants to Do Is Rock" (1949)
  13. Billie Holiday, "They Can't Take That Away From Me" (1937); or: "These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)" (1936); "God Bless the Child" (1941)
  14. Mississippi John Hurt, "Stack O' Lee Blues" (1928); or: "Nobody's Dirty Business" (1928)
  15. Bull Moose Jackson & His Buffalo Bearcats, "Why Don't You Haul Off and Love Me" (1949)
  16. Blind Lemon Jefferson, "Black Snake Moan" (1927)
  17. Robert Johnson, "Cross Road Blues" (1936); or: "Love in Vain" (1936)
  18. Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five, "Ain't Nobody Here but Us Chickens" (1946)
  19. Joe Liggins & His Honeydrippers, "The Honeydripper" (1945)
  20. Stick McGhee & His Buddies, "Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee" (1949)
  21. Memphis Jug Band, "Stealin', Stealin'" (1928)
  22. Memphis Minnie & Kansas Joe McCoy, "I'm Going Back Home" (1930)
  23. Emmett Miller, "Lovesick Blues" (1929)
  24. Mississippi Sheiks, "Sitting on Top of the World" (1930)
  25. Louis Prima and His New Orleans Gang, "Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)" (1936)
  26. Ma Rainey, "Shave Em Dry" (1924)
  27. The Ravens, "Ol' Man River" (1947)
  28. Blind Alfred Reed, "How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live? (1929)
  29. Jimmie Rodgers, "Blue Yodel No. 9" (1930)
  30. Bessie Smith, "Nobody Knows You When You Are Down and Out" (1929); or: "Tain't Nobody Biz-Ness If I Do" (1923); "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" (1928)
  31. Tampa Red & Georgia Tom, "It's Tight Like That" (1928)
  32. Merle Travis, "Cincinnati Lou" (1946); or: "So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed" (1947)
  33. T-Bone Walker, "Stormy Monday (but Tuesday Is Just as Bad)" (1947)
  34. Fats Waller, "The Joint Is Jumpin'" (1937); or: "Honeysuckle Rose" (1934); "Jitterbug Waltzz" (1942)
  35. Dinah Washington, "Baby Get Lost" (1949)
  36. Clarence Williams' Blue Five, "Cake Walking Babies From Home" (1925)
  37. Hank Williams, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" (1949)
  38. Sonny Boy Williamson, "Good Morning, School Girl" (1937)
  39. Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra, "These Foolish Things" (1936)

1950s

  1. Chuck Berry, "Maybelline" (1955)
  2. The Big Bopper, "Chantilly Lace" (1958)
  3. Bobby Blue Bland, "Farther Up the Road" (1957)
  4. Blues Rockers, "Calling All Cows" (1955)
  5. Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats, "Rocket 88" (1951)
  6. Ruth Brown, "Lucky Lips" (1957)
  7. The Cadillacs, "Speed-O" (1955)
  8. Johnny Cash, "I Walk the Line" (1956)
  9. Ray Charles, "What'd I Say" (1957); or: "Hallelujah I Love Her So" (1956); "Come Rain or Come Shine" (1960)
  10. The Chords, "Sh-Boom" (1954)
  11. The Clovers, "One Mint Julep" (1952)
  12. Eddie Cochran, "Summertime Blues" (1958)
  13. The Crickets, "Maybe Baby" (1957)
  14. Danny & the Juniors, "Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay" (1958)
  15. Bobby Darin, "Splish Splash" (1958); or: "Mack the Knife" (1959)
  16. Bo Diddley, "Bo Diddley" (1955)
  17. Dion and the Belmonts, "I Wonder Why" (1958)
  18. Fats Domino, "Blue Monday" (1956)
  19. The Drifters, "There Goes My Baby" (1959)
  20. Five Satins, "In the Still of the Night" (1956)
  21. Lefty Frizzell, "Mom and Dad's Waltz" (1952)
  22. The Gladiolas, "Little Darlin" (1957)
  23. Guitar Slim, "The Things That I Used to Do" (1953)
  24. The Hollywood Flames, "Buzz-Buzz-Buzz" (1957)
  25. The Isley Brothers, "Respectable" (1959)
  26. Elmore James, "It Hurts Me Too" (1957); or: "Dust My Broom" (1951)
  27. Jerry Lee Lewis, "Great Balls of Fire" (1957); or: "You Win Again" (1957; "Breathless" (1958)
  28. Smiley Lewis, "I Hear You Knocking" (1955)
  29. Little Richard, "Long Tall Sally" (1956)
  30. Little Willie John, "Fever" (1956)
  31. Maddox Brothers and Rose, "I Wish I Was a Single Girl Again" (1952)
  32. Percy Mayfield, "Please Send Me Someone to Love" (1950)
  33. Clyde McPhatter, "A Lover's Question" (1958)
  34. Ray Montrell, "(Every Time I Hear) That Mellow Saxophone" (1956)
  35. Carl Perkins, "Blue Suede Shoes" (1956)
  36. Elvis Presley, "That's All Right" (1954); or: "Don't Be Cruel" (1956); "All Shook Up" (1956); "Are You Lonesome Tonight" (1960)
  37. Louis Prima: "Jump, Jive, and Wail" (1956)
  38. The Robins, "Smokey Joe's Cafe" (1955)
  39. Shirley & Lee, "Let the Good Times Roll" (1956)
  40. The Silhouettes, "Get a Job" (1957)
  41. Huey "Piano" Smith & His Clowns, "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu" (1957)
  42. Hank Snow, "I'm Movin' On" (1950)
  43. The Spaniels, "Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight" (1954)
  44. The Teenagers Featuring Frankie Lymon, "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" (1956)
  45. Big Mama Thornton, "Hound Dog" (1953)
  46. Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps, "Be-Bop-A-Lula" (1956)
  47. Dinah Washington, "TV Is the Thing (This Year)" (1953)
  48. Muddy Waters, "Got My Mojo Working" (1956); or: "Rollin' and Tumblin'" (1950); "Trouble No More" (1955)
  49. Larry Williams, "Bad Boy" (1959)
  50. Sonny Boy Williamson, "Eyesight to the Blind" (1951); or: "Fattening Frogs for Snakes" (1957)
  51. Jackie Wilson, "Reet Petite" (1957)

1960s

  1. The Animals, "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" (1965)
  2. The Beach Boys, "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (1966); or: "I Get Around" (1964); "Good Vibrations" (1966); "Wild Honey" (1967)
  3. The Beatles, "" (); or: "She Loves You" (1963); "All My Loving" (1963); "Eight Days a Week" (1965); "Yellow Submarine" (1966)
  4. Chuck Berry, "Promised Land" (1964)
  5. Bobby Blue Bland, "I Pity the Fool" (1961)
  6. James Brown, "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" (1966); or: "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" (1966); "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud" (1968)
  7. The Ray Bryant Combo, "Madison Time" (1960)
  8. Freddie Cannon, "Palisades Park" (1962)
  9. Duke Chandler, "Duke of Earl" (1961)
  10. Ray Charles, "Hit the Road Jack" (1961); or: "Georgia on My Mind" (1960); "Busted" (1963); "Makin' Whoopee" (1965)
  11. The Chiffons, "He's So Fine" (1963)
  12. The Coasters, "Shopping for Clothes" (1960)
  13. Sam Cooke, "A Change Is Gonna Come" (1964)
  14. The Cookies, "Chains" (1962); or: "Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby)" (1963)
  15. Count Five, "Psychotic Reaction" (1966)
  16. The Crystals, "Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)" (1963); or: "Then He Kissed Me" (1963)
  17. Lee Dorsey, "Holy Cow" (1966); or: "Working in the Coal Mine" (1966)
  18. The Drifters, "Up on the Roof" (1962)
  19. Bob Dylan, "Rainy Day Women 12 & 35" (1966)
  20. Betty Everett, "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" (1964)
  21. Aretha Franklin, "Chain of Fools" (1967)
  22. The Four Tops, "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" (1965)
  23. Lefty Frizzell, "Saginaw, Michigan" (1964)
  24. Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston, "It Takes Two" (1966); or Gaye: "Pride and Joy" (1963); or Gaye & Tammi Terrell, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (1967)
  25. Lesley Gore, "You Don't Own Me" (1963); or "It's My Party" (1963)
  26. Howlin' Wolf, "Wang Dang Doodle" (1961)
  27. The Impressions, "People Get Ready" (1965)
  28. Jan and Dean, "Surf City" (1963); or: "Dead Man's Curve" (1964); "Schlock Rod" (1964)
  29. Ernie K-Doe, "A Certain Girl" (1961); or: "Mother in Law" (1961)
  30. Ben E. King, "Stand by Me" (1961)
  31. The Kinks, "Dedicated Follower of Fashion" (1966); or: "A Well Respected Man" (1965); "Waterloo Sunset" (1967); "Lola" (1970)
  32. Little Eva, "The Loco-Motion" (1962)
  33. Little Milton, "We're Gonna Make It" (1965)
  34. The Lovin' Spoonful, "Summer in the City" (1966)
  35. Barry Mann, "Who Put the Bomp" (1961)
  36. The Marvelettes, "Please Mr. Postman" (1961); or: "Beachwood 4-5789" (1962)
  37. Joni Mitchell, "Both Sides Now" (1969)
  38. Van Morrison, "Brown Eyed Girl" (1967)
  39. Roy Orbison, "Oh, Pretty Woman" (1964)
  40. Wilson Pickett, "Funky Broadway" (1967)
  41. Pink Floyd, "Bike" (1967)
  42. ? and the Mysterians, "96 Tears" (1966)
  43. Otis Redding, "Try a Little Tenderness" (1966); or: "That's How Strong My Love Is" (1964)
  44. Jimmy Reed, "Baby What You Want Me to Do" (1960); or: "Big Boss Man" (1961)
  45. The Rolling Stones, "Satisfaction" (1965)
  46. The Ronettes, "Be My Baby" (1963); or: "Walking in the Rain" (1963)
  47. Sam the Sham & the Pharoahs, "Wooly Bully" (1965)
  48. The Shangri-Las, "Leader of the Pack" (1964)
  49. Shirelles, "Tonight's the Night" (1960); or: "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" (1960)
  50. Nancy Sinatra, "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (1966)
  51. Sir Douglas Quintet, "She's About a Mover" (1965)
  52. Sly and the Family Stone, "Everyday People" (1968); or: "I Want to Take You Higher" (1970)
  53. Benny Spellman, "Lipstick Traces (On a Cigarette)" (1962); or: "Fortune Teller" (1962)
  54. The Stooges, "I Wanna Be Your Dog" (1969)
  55. The Supremes, "Come See About Me" (1964); or: "Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart" (1966); "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (1966)
  56. The Temptations, "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (1966); or: "The Way You Do the Things You Do" (1964); "My Girl" (1965); "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" (1966)
  57. The Trashmen, "Surfin' Bird" (1963)
  58. Doris Troy, "Just One Look" (1963)
  59. Ike and Tina Turner, "River Deep, Mountain High" (1966)
  60. Mary Wells, "You Beat Me to the Punch" (1962)
  61. Jackie Wilson, "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" (1967)
  62. Stevie Wonder, "For Once in My Life" (1968); or: "Fingertips" (1963); "I Was Made to Love Her" (1967)

1970s

  1. B-52's, "Rock Lobster" (1978); or: "Dance This Mess Around" (1979); "Private Idaho" (1980)
  2. Blondie, "Heart of Glass" (1979); or "Dreaming" (1979); "Atomic" (1980); "Rapture" (1980)
  3. Blue Oyster Cult, "Don't Fear the Reaper" (1976)
  4. Bootsy's Rubber Band, "Stretching Out (In a Rubber Band)" (1976); or: "I'd Rather Be With You" (1976); "Vanish in Our Sleep" (1976); "Munchies for Your Love" (1977")
  5. The Brains, "Money Changes Everything" (1978)
  6. James Brown, "Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing" (1972)
  7. The Buzzcocks, "Everybody's Happy Nowadays" (1979); or "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)" (1978)
  8. Chic, "Good Times" (1979); or: "Le Freak" (1978); "My Forbidden Lover" (1979); "Rebels Are We" (1980)
  9. The Chi-Lites, "(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People" (1971)
  10. The Clash, "I'm So Bored With the USA" (1977); or: "Career Opportunities" (1977); "Clash City Rockers" (1978); "(White Man) in Hammersmith Palais" (1978)
  11. Elvis Costello & the Attractions, "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea" (1978); or: "Oliver's Army (1979)
  12. Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, "Cherchez La Femme" (1976)
  13. Ian Dury & the Blockheads, "Reasons to Be Cheerful" (1979); or: "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll" (1977); "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick" (1979)
  14. Earth, Wind & Fire, "Serpentine Fire" (1977)
  15. Gang of Four, "Love Like Anthrax" (1979)
  16. Marvin Gaye, "What's Going On" (1971); or: "You're the Man" (1972); "Got to Give It Up" (1977)
  17. Gloria Gaynor, "Never Can Say Goodbye" (1975)
  18. Al Green, "Love and Happiness" (1972)
  19. Richard Hell & the Voidoids, "Blank Generation" (1977)
  20. Hot Chocolate, "So You Win Again" (1977); or: "You Sexy Thing" (1975)
  21. Michael Jackson, "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" (1979)
  22. John Lennon, "Imagine" (1971)
  23. Lene Lovich, "Lucky Number" (1979)
  24. Nick Lowe, "American Squirm" (1978); or: "I Love the Sound of Breaking Class" (1978); "Cruel to Be Kind" (1979")
  25. Curtis Mayfield, "Move On Up" (1971)
  26. The Miracles, "Love Machine" (1975); or: "Ain't Nobody Straight in L.A." (1975)
  27. Van Morrison, "Bright Side of the Road" (1979); or: "Moondance" (1970); "Domino" (1970)
  28. Mott the Hoople, "I Wish I Was Your Mother" (1973); or: "All the Young Dudes" (1972); "All the Way From Memphis" (1973); "Roll Away the Stone" (1974)
  29. New York Dolls, "Human Being" (1974); or: "Personality Crisis" (1973)
  30. Ohio Players, "Love Rollercoaster" (1975)
  31. Parliament, "Gettin' to Know You" (1976); or: "Chocolate City" (1975); "Tear the Roof Off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk)" (1976); "Dr. Funkenstein" (1977)
  32. Pere Ubu, "Final Solution" (1976); or: "30 Seconds Over Tokyo" (1975); "The Modern Dance" (1977)
  33. Pink Floyd, "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" (1975)
  34. Iggy Pop, "Lust for Life" (1977)
  35. Ramones, "Rockaway Beach" (1977); or: "Blitzkrieg Bop" (1976)
  36. The Rezillos, "Top of the Pops" (1978)
  37. Vicki Sue Robinson, "Turn the Beat Around" (1976)
  38. Roxy Music, "The Thrill of It All" (1974); or: "Street Life" (1973); "Both Ends Burning" (1975)
  39. Jimmy Rushing, "The You and Me That Used to Be" (1971)
  40. Brinsley Schwarz, "Down in the Dive" (1973); or "Nervous on the Road" (1972); "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding" (1973)
  41. Gil Scott-Heron, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" (1971)
  42. The Sex Pistols, "Pretty Vacant" (1977); or: "Anarchy in the U.K." (1976); "God Save the Queen" (1977)
  43. Shirley & Company: "Shame, Shame, Shame" (1975)
  44. Sister Sledge, "We Are Family" (1979)
  45. Sly and the Family Stone, "If You Want Me to Stay" (1973); or: "Family Affair" (1971)
  46. Patti Smith, "Free Money" (1975); or: "Because the Night" (1978)
  47. Staple Singers, "I'll Take You There" (1972)
  48. Edwin Starr, "War" (1970)
  49. Donna Summer, "I Feel Love" (1977); or: "I Remember Yesterday" (1977); "Last Dance" (1978); "Hot Stuff" (1979)
  50. Talking Heads, "Love → Building on Fire" (1977); or: "Found a Job" (1978); "The Big Country" (1978)
  51. The Temptations, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" (1972); or: "Just My Imagination (Running Away From Me)" (1971)
  52. Velvet Underground, "Rock & Roll" ()
  53. The Vibrators, "Baby Baby" (1977)
  54. Joe Walsh, "Life's Been Good" (1978)
  55. Wire, "I Am the Fly" (1978); or: "Dot Dash" (1978)
  56. Bill Withers, "Lean on Me" (1972)
  57. Stevie Wonder, "Superstition" (1972); or: "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" (1973); "Higher Ground" (1973); "Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away" (1974)
  58. Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, "Express Yourself" (1970)
  59. X-Ray Spex: "The Day the World Turned Day-Glo" (1978); or: "Germfree Adolescents" (1978)

1980s

  1. Laurie Anderson, "Strange Angels" (1989); or: "O Superman" (1981); "Language Is a Virus" (1986)
  2. Aztec Camera, "Oblivious" (1983)
  3. The B-52s, "Love Shack" (1989)
  4. Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock, "It Takes Two" (1988)
  5. The Blasters, "Boomtown" (1983); or: "Border Radio" (1981); "Common Man" (1985)
  6. Bobby Brown, "Don't Be Cruel" (1988)
  7. The Clash, "The Right Profile" (1980); or: "The Guns of Brixton" (1980); "Rock the Casbah" (1982)
  8. George Clinton, "Nubian Nut" (1983)
  9. Sheila E., "The Glamorous Life" (1984)
  10. The English Beat, "I Confess" (1982)
  11. Flipper, "Sex Bomb" (1982)
  12. Marvin Gaye, "Sexual Healing" (1982)
  13. Eddy Grant, "Electric Avenue" (1982)
  14. Michael Jackson, "Beat It" (1982); or: "Billie Jean" (1982); "Bad" (1987)
  15. Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, "I Hate Myself for Loving You" (1988)
  16. Grace Jones, "Pull Up to the Bumper" (1981); or: "Slave to the Rhythm" (1985)
  17. Joy Division, "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (1980)
  18. Kid Creole and the Coconuts, "I'm a Wonderful Thing, Baby" (1982); or: "In the Jungle" (1981); "Schweinerei" (1981); "No Fish Today" (1982)
  19. Cyndi Lauper, "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (1983)
  20. Madonna, "Lucky Star" (1984); or: "Holiday" (1983); "Over and Over" (1987); "Express Yourself" (1989)
  21. Martha and the Muffins, "Echo Beach" (1980)
  22. Material & Nona Hendryx, "Bustin' Out" (1981)
  23. The Mekons, "Memphis, Egypt" (1989)
  24. Van Morrison, "Cleaning Windows" (1982)
  25. New Order, "Blue Monday" (1983)
  26. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, "Enola Gay" (1980)
  27. Teddy Pendergrass, "Love T.K.O." (1980)
  28. Pere Ubu, "We Have the Technology" (1988)
  29. Prince, "When Doves Cry" (1984)
  30. The Psychedelic Furs, "President Gas" (1982)
  31. Public Enemy, "Fight the Power" (1989)
  32. Queen, "Another One Bites the Dust" (1980)
  33. Ramones, "Bonzo Goes to Bitburg" (1985)
  34. Run-DMC, "Rock Box" (1984)
  35. Patti Smith, "People Have the Power" (1988)
  36. Talking Heads, "Once in a Lifetime" (1980); or: "Burning Down the House" (1983); "Road to Nowhere" (1985)
  37. Tina Turner, "What's Love Got to Do With It" (1984)
  38. The Waitresses, "I Know What Boys Like" (1982)
  39. Was (Not Was), "Out Come the Freaks" (1981)
  40. Lucinda Williams, "Passionate Kisses" (1988)

1990s

  1. Beck, "Loser" (1993)
  2. C+C Music Factory, "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" (1990)
  3. The Chills, "Heavenly Pop Hit" (1990)
  4. Cornershop, "Brimful of Asha" (1997)
  5. Digital Underground, "The Humpty Dance" (1990)
  6. Michael Jackson, "Black or White" (1991)
  7. Luna, "Slide" (1992)
  8. Madonna, "Justify My Love" (1990); or: "Vogue" (1990); "Hanky Panky" (1990)
  9. Pet Shop Boys, "Being Boring" (1990)
  10. P.M. Dawn, "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" (1991)
  11. Pulp, "Common People" (1996)
  12. Salt N-Pepa, "Let's Talk About Sex" (1991)
  13. Donna Summer, "She Works Hard for the Money" (1993)
  14. A Tribe Called Quest, "Can I Kick It?" (1991)

Post-2000

  1. Cornershop, "Motion the 11" (2002)
  2. Billie Eilish, "Bad Guy" (2019)
  3. James McMurtry, "We Can't Make It Here" (2005)
  4. OutKast, "So Fresh, So Clean" (2001); or: "Ms. Jackson" (2000)