Martin Canine's Favorite Songs of All Time (2018 Edition)

In 2017, I wrote a post containing my top 50 favorite songs of all time. Now it’s 2018 and I decided to expand it to 100 tracks and release it as a full list. Maybe I’ll update it annually, although the alterations will probably be only slight, but every year I discover two or three songs that are actually so great that they fall into consideration. The main top 50 stayed almost the same as in my previous edition, except for two changes: the while the top ten items are the same, the order is slightly different, and “To Whom It May Concern” by Rodriguez dropped out of the top 50 in favor of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, but it stayed in the top 100 list.

The songs were selected solely by my personal taste, always musically, often lyrically as well. I did not feel the need to write texts explaining why I included them, as often I can’t really tell. It’s often just something in the way they are composed, written and performed that I can’t rationally explain. Maybe some users on here that have more knowledge in music can see a certain personal preference in harmonies, vocal range or tempo that I myself am not aware of but that’s unconsciously present. For this list, the songs’ age, country of origin, genre, critical reception and influence are not important. Worldwide hit songs, hidden gems and even somewhat panned music is on here.

All in all, I think the most accurate description of what this list is all about was written by myself regarding my list of last year:
“These are my favorite songs in general, up to this point. Most of them I have known for several years, only some have I discovered in the last two years, but really, almost all have been around for quite some time in my life. These songs grew attached to me, and I do really love them. What this list is NOT is a compilation of songs I often listen to at the moment. Those songs come and go, and even if I keep listening to them, it barely goes beyond liking the song or getting hooked on it. Another thing this post is also NOT about is judging what songs objectively are the most musically challenging or skillful songs. No, this is a purely subjective post about songs I genuinely love, and that do have a place in my heart. In the future, I might discover new songs, or my views will change, who knows, that's why the date is in the title. Note that even though some artists featured in this post have died recently, this did not affect the listing in the slightest. I loved these songs just as much before.”

And here are the 100 songs I picked:

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100. P!nk - Don’t Let Me Get Me

Year: 2001
Length: 3:30
Album: M!ssundaztood
Genre: pop rock, pop punk

99. Yoko Ono - Death of Samantha

Year: 1973
Length: 6:23
Album: Approximately Infinite Universe
Genre: art rock

98. Liz Phair - Supernova

Year: 1994
Length: 2:49
Album: Whip-Smart
Genre: indie rock

97. Vanilla Ninja - Nero

Year: 2005
Length: 3:36
Album: Blue Tattoo
Genre: synth rock, symphonic rock

96. Marilyn Manson - Rock is Dead

Year: 1998
Length: 3:10
Album: Mechanical Animals
Genre: industrial, glam rock

95. Michael Jackson - Dirty Diana

Year: 1987
Length: 4:41
Album: Bad
Genre: pop rock

94. Christina Aguilera - Oh Mother

Year: 2006
Length: 3:47
Album: Back to Basics
Genre: soul, pop

93. Nightwish - Feel for You

Year: 2002
Length: 3:55
Album: Century Child
Genre: symphonic metal

92. Susan Sarandon - Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me

Year: 1975
Length: 2:32
Album: The Rocky Horror Picture Show [various artists]
Genre: glam rock

91. Roxette - Listen To Your Heart

Year: 1988
Length: 5:30
Album: Look Sharp!
Genre: pop rock

90. Missing Heart - Prison of Passion

Year: 2000
Length: 4:06
Album: Mystery
Genre: pop, new age

89. Tom Hulce & Tony Jay - Heaven’s Light / Hellfire

Year: 1996
Length: 5:25
Album: The Hunchback of Notre Dame - An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack [various artists]
Genre: musical

88. Cinema Bizarre - Lovesongs (They Kill Me)

Year: 2007
Length: 3:45
Album: Final Attraction
Genre: synth rock

87. ABBA - SOS

Year: 1975
Length: 3:25
Album: ABBA
Genre: pop

86. Nickelback - Believe It or Not

Year: 2003
Length: 4:08
Album: The Long Road
Genre: post-grunge

85. Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit

Year: 1967
Length: 2:32
Album: Surrealistic Pillow
Genre: psychedelic rock

84. Sarah Connor - Living To Love You

Year: 2004
Length: 4:19
Album: Naughty But Nice
Genre: soul, pop

83. Simon & Garfunkel - The Sound of Silence

Year: 1964
Length: 3:09
Album: Wednesday Morning, 3AM
Genre: folk

82. Bonnie Tyler - Holding Out For a Hero

Year: 1984
Length: 5:49
Album: Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire
Genre: synth rock, disco

81. Die Prinzen - Alles nur geklaut

Year: 1993
Length: 3:10
Album: Alles nur geklaut
Genre: synth pop

80. Talk Talk - Such a Shame

Year: 1984
Length: 5:42
Album: It’s My Life
Genre: synth pop

79. Carl Anderson - Heaven on Their Minds

Year: 1973
Length: 4:22
Album: Jesus Christ Superstar - The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Album [various artists]
Genre: musical, rock

78. Falco - Ganz Wien

Year: 1981
Length: 5:06
Album: Einzelhaft
Genre: pop rock

77. Björk - Pagan Poetry

Year: 2001
Length: 5:15
Album: Vespertine
Genre: art pop, avantgarde

76. Mike Oldfield - To France

Year: 1984
Length: 4:38
Album: Discovery
Genre: folk, synth pop

75. Dionne Warwick - Silent Voices

Year: 1968
Length: 3:07
Album: Valley of the Dolls
Genre: soul

74. Jimmy Eat World - Pain

Year: 2004
Length: 3:01
Album: Futures
Genre: emo, pop punk

73. The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Year: 1968
Length: 4:46
Album: The White Album
Genre: folk

72. Queen - The Prophet’s Song

Year: 1975
Length: 8:21
Album: A Night at the Opera
Genre: progressive rock

71. Rammstein - Donaukinder

Year: 2009
Length: 5:18
Album: Liebe ist für alle da [deluxe edition]
Genre: Neue Deutsche Härte

70. Annett Louisan - Das Gefühl

Year: 2004
Length: 2:48
Album: Bohéme
Genre: chanson, folk

69. Sunny Day Real Estate - Seven

Year: 1994
Length: 4:46
Album: Diary
Genre: emo

68. France Gall - Poupée de cire, poupée de son

Year: 1965
Length: 2:34
Album: Poupée de cire, poupée de son [not available anymore, but can be found on most of her compilations]
Genre: yéyé

67. Nena - Frei wie der Wind

Year: 1986
Length: 4:38
Album: Eisbrecher
Genre: Neue Deutsche Welle, new wave

66. Megumi Hayashibara - Good Luck!

Year: 1997
Length: 4:36
Album: Irāvatī
Genre: J-pop, symphonic pop

65. Adele - Set Fire to the Rain

Year: 2011
Length: 4:01
Album: 21
Genre: soul

64. Cher - Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves

Year: 1971
Length: 2:37
Album: Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves
Genre: folk

63. Ben feat. Gim - Engel

Year: 2002
Length: 3:59
Album: Hörproben
Genre: RnB

62. The Doors - The End

Year: 1967
Length: 11:39
Album: The Doors
Genre: psychedelic rock

61. Chama C. Fox - The Wolf in You

Year: 1999
Length: 5:36
Album: - [Chama C. Fox didn’t release any music commercially, but the song is available for free download on his website, and some other sites]
Genre: pop, chanson

60. Nina Hagen Band - Naturträne

Year: 1978
Length: 4:05
Album: Nina Hagen Band
Genre: folk, avantgarde

59. Conchita Wurst - Rise Like a Phoenix

Year: 2014
Length: 3:00
Album: Conchita
Genre: soul

58. Aretha Franklin - I Say a Little Prayer

Year: 1968
Length: 3:30
Album: Aretha Now
Genre: soul

57. Adele - Rolling in the Deep

Year: 2010
Length: 3:48
Album: 21
Genre: soul

56. Rodriguez - To Whom It May Concern

Year: 1971
Length: 3:21
Album: Coming From Reality
Genre: folk

55. Robbie Williams - Supreme

Year: 2000
Length: 4:16
Album: Sing When You’re Winning
Genre: pop

54. Alexandra - Der Traum vom Fliegen

Year: 1968
Length: 3:55
Album: Alexandra
Genre: schlager, chanson

53. Waterloo & Robinson - Hollywood

Year: 1974
Length: 4:37
Album: Sing My Song
Genre: folk

52. Madonna - Secret

Year: 1994
Length: 5:05
Album: Bedtime Stories
Genre: pop

51. Garth Brooks - The Thunder Rolls

Year: 1990
Length: 3:42
Album: No Fences
Genre: rock, country

50. Linkin Park - What I’ve Done

Year: 2007
Length: 3: 25
Album: Minutes to Midnight
Genre: nu metal

49. Udo Jürgens - Griechischer Wein

Year: 1974
Length: 4:06
Album: Griechischer Wein - Seine neuen Lieder
Genre: chanson

48. Coldplay - Paradise

Year: 2011
Length: 4:38
Album: Mylo Xyloto
Genre: alternative rock

47. Cyndi Lauper - I Drove All Night

Year: 1989
Length: 4:11
Album: A Night to Remember
Genre: pop rock

46. Cher - Dark Lady

Year: 1974
Length: 3:27
Album: Dark Lady
Genre: pop

45. Paula Cole - Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?

Year: 1996
Length: 4:26
Album: This Fire
Genre: indie pop

44. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit

Year: 1991
Length: 5:02
Album: Nevermind
Genre: grunge

43. ABBA - The Winner Takes It All

Year: 1980
Length: 4:54
Album: Super Trouper
Genre: pop

42. Pink Floyd - Goodbye Blue Sky

Year: 1979
Length: 2:46
Album: The Wall
Genre: progressive rock

41. Björk - Jóga

Year: 1997
Length: 5:02
Album: Homogenic
Genre: art pop

40. Insane Clown Posse feat. Slash - Halls of Illusions

Year: 1997
Length: 4:21
Album: The Great Milenko
Genre: conscious hip hop, horrorcore

39. Die Toten Hosen - Hier kommt Alex

Year: 1988
Length: 5:00
Album: Ein kleines Bisschen Horrorschau
Genre: punk, progressive rock

38. Herbert Grönemeyer - Bochum

Year: 1984
Length: 3:50
Album: 4630 Bochum
Genre: synth rock

37. Vanilla Ninja - Blue Tattoo

Year: 2004
Length: 4:07
Album: Blue Tattoo
Genre: symphonic rock

36. Prince and the Revolution - When Doves Cry

Year: 1984
Length: 5:54
Album: Purple Rain
Genre: synth pop, synth rock

35. America - The Last Unicorn

Year: 1982
Length: 3:07
Album: The Last Unicorn [soundtrack album by Jimmy Webb and America]
Genre: folk

34. Jodi Benson - Part of Your World

Year: 1989
Length: 3:16
Album: The Little Mermaid - Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack [various artists]
Genre: musical

33. Within Temptation - Restless

Year: 1997
Length: 6:08
Album: Enter
Genre: symphonic metal

32. Annett Louisan - Das Liebeslied

Year: 2004
Length: 3:23
Album: Bohéme
Genre: chanson, folk

31. Madonna - American Life

Year: 2003
Length: 4:57
Album: American Life
Genre: art pop

30. Kim Wilde - Cambodia

Year: 1981
Length: 3:56
Album: Select
Genre: new wave

29. Howard Blake - Walking in the Air

Year: 1982
Length: 3:30
Album: The Snowman
Genre: classical crossover

28. The Beatles - Eleanor Rigby

Year: 1966
Length: 2:09
Album: Revolver
Genre: art pop

27. Queen - The Show Must Go On

Year: 1991
Length: 4:31
Album: Innuendo
Genre: progressive rock

26. The Brothers Four - Greenfields

Year: 1960
Length: 3:03
Album: The Brothers Four
Genre: folk

25. Ich + Ich - Du erinnerst mich an Liebe

Year: 2005
Length: 3:33
Album: Ich + Ich
Genre: soul, RnB

24. Björk feat. Thom Yorke - I’ve Seen It All

Year: 2000
Length: 5:30
Album: Selmasongs
Genre: art pop, avantgarde

23. No Doubt - Don’t Speak

Year: 1994
Length: 4:23
Album: Tragic Kingdom
Genre: alternative rock

22. Peter Maffay - Nessaja

Year: 1983
Length: 4:12
Album: Tabaluga oder Die Reise zur Vernunft
Genre: pop

21. Mary Hopkin - Those Were the Days

Year: 1968
Length: 5:05
Album: Postcard [US version only]
Genre: folk

20. Michael Jackson - Earth Song

Year: 1995
Length: 6:47
Album: HIStory - Past, Present & Future, Book I
Genre: gospel

19. Ben Moody feat. Anastacia - Everything Burns

Year: 2005
Length: 3:41
Album: Fantastic 4 - The Album [various artists]
Genre: alternative rock

18. My Chemical Romance - Welcome to the Black Parade

Year: 2006
Length: 5:11
Album: The Black Parade
Genre: emo, alternative rock, progressive rock, pop punk

17. Carmen Twillie & Lebo M. - Circle of Life

Year: 1994
Length: 3:59
Album: The Lion King -Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Genre: world

16. Queen - Innuendo

Year: 1991
Length: 6:30
Album: Innuendo
Genre: progressive rock

15. Nightwish - Sleeping Sun

Year: 1999
Length: 4:04
Album: Oceanborn [on most reissues, not on the original album]
Genre: symphonic metal

14. Dionne Warwick - I Say a Little Prayer

Year: 1967
Length: 3:09
Album: The Windows of the World
Genre: soul

13. Falco - Jeanny

Year: 1985
Length: 5:53
Album: Falco 3
Genre: art pop, dark wave

12. Within Temptation - Deceiver of Fools

Year: 2000
Length: 7:34
Album: Mother Earth
Genre: symphonic metal

11. Eminem feat. Dido - Stan

Year: 2000
Length: 6:45
Album: The Marshall Mathers LP
Genre: conscious hip hop

10. Rammstein - Mutter

Year: 2001
Length: 4:32
Album: Mutter
Genre: Neue Deutsche Härte

9. Madonna - Live to Tell

Year: 1986
Length: 5:51
Album: True Blue
Genre: synth pop

8. Lebo M. - He Lives in You

Year: 1995
Length: 4:51
Album: Rhythm of the Pride Lands
Genre: world

7. Nena - Vollmond

Year: 1983
Length: 3:04
Album: Nena
Genre: Neue Deutsche Welle, pop rock

6. Alexandra - Mein Freund, der Baum

Year: 1968
Length: 3:42
Album: Alexandra
Genre: schlager, chanson

5. Kōji Wada - Target ~akai shōgeki~

Year: 2000
Length: 4:26
Album: All of My Mind
Genre: J-Rock

4. Nightwish - Ghost Love Score

Year: 2004
Length: 10:02
Album: Once
Genre: symphonic metal

3. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds & Kylie Minogue - Where the Wild Roses Grow

Year: 1995
Length: 3:57
Album: Murder Ballads
Genre: folk

2. Mike Oldfield - Moonlight Shadow

Year: 1983
Length: 3:37
Album: Crises
Genre: pop rock

1. Die Ärzte - Schrei nach Liebe

Year: 1993
Length: 4:12
Album: Die Bestie in Menschengestalt
Genre: political rock, punk
The Top Ten
1 Schrei Nach Liebe - Die Ärzte
2 Moonlight Shadow - Mike Oldfield
3 Where the Wild Roses Grow - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds & Kylie Minogue
4 Ghost Love Score - Nightwish
5 Target ~akai shougeki~ - Kōji Wada
6 Mein Freund, der Baum - Alexandra
7 Vollmond - Nena
8 He Lives In You - Lebo M
9 Live to Tell - Madonna
10 Mutter - Rammstein
The Contenders
11 Stan - Eminem & Dido
12 Deceiver of Fools - Within Temptation
13 Jeanny - Falco
14 I Say a Little Prayer - Dionne Warwick
15 Sleeping Sun - Nightwish
16 Innuendo - Queen
17 Circle of Life - Carmen Twillie
18 Welcome to the Black Parade - My Chemical Romance
19 Everything Burns - Ben Moody & Anastacia
20 Earth Song - Michael Jackson
21 Those Were the Days - Mary Hopkin
22 Nessaja - Peter Maffay
23 Don't Speak - No Doubt
24 I've Seen It All - BJÖRK
25 Du Erinnerst Mich an Liebe - Ich + Ich
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