Rant: 500 Greatest Songs of All-Time 2010 Update

queen11 Rolling Stone's original 500 Greatest Songs of All-Time was made in 2004, and I personally think it was well made and accurate, so like any other sucessful company they take a great idea and ruin it to make more sales (it's like AC/DC songs only AC/DC songs didn't suck). In late 2010 they decided to updated the 500 Greatest Songs of All-Time with new songs; all the new songs, with the exeption of two, were made in this last decade (or in the '00s). The update wasn't very different from the original, but the things that were different ruined the entire thing.

The most represented artists remained the same in the update; they were: The Beatles (23), The Rolling Stones (14), Bob Dylan (13 [one more than in the original; "Mississippi" was added]), U2 (8, I think; I don't really pay attention to them), and the Beach Boys and the Jimi Hendrix Experience (both with 7). The top 25 songs stayed the same, but the order changed right after, and it is a good change. "Layla" by Derek and the Dominos was #26 with "Day in the Life" by the Beatles right after; it was the other way around in the original. If you havn't heard "Layla" you are missing big time- it's not even funny.

My biggest concern about the update is that Jay-Z, the worst artist ever, got four songs on this list- all not there before. Four songs, that's more than rock gods Aerosmith (3), AC/DC (2), and the Allman Brothers Band (1). I don't know about you, but I think "Sweet Emotions," "Back in Black," and "Whipping Post" is going to have a bigger impression on music than "99 Problems" and "Crazy in Love."

There was only one new song I thought was nessecessary to add, and that was "Seven Nation Army" by the White Stripes at #286. I would have loved to see more White Stripes ("Fell in Love With a Girl," eta), but "Seven Nation Army" was the perfect and greatest song of the 00s; it's sometimes hard to believe it's just the two of them (Jack and Meg) in the songs- especially in this song.

The only new top 100 entry was Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy." I love the song as much as the next guy, but it's inllogical to place it ahead of Bob Dylan's version of "Mr. Tamborine Man," and Steppenwolf's "Born to Be Wild."

Comments

It's sweet emotion by aerosmith, not sweet emotions. Just thought I'd let you know. - visitor

Sorry, but the list is not based on your opinion, but in specialized music critics, producers, music industry executives, and so on, and only because you don't like it, doesn't make a music or genre better or worse than another one.

And you clearly don't support Hip-Hop! That's ok, everyone have a different taste, and again, not better or worse than another's, but show some respect man! - visitor

I may not exactly agree with you on the whole give hip-hop respect thing, but I guess as long as I'm getting some sort of reaction I'm getting people's attention at least. Thanks. - queen11

In my opinion, Queen wins it all. Greatest ever. - visitor

oh yeah. - queen11

I find it funny how "the end" is at number 326 (somewhere near there) and there are a lot more crappy songs higher than it. - dudesterravensfan

Jay-Z is not a bad artist. It is ok to criticize someone, but I would suggest you to make a top 10 hip-hop artists list. If you feel unable to do it, you should consider "broadening" your music taste. - kranimpire

Jay Z sucks. And Hip Hop/Rap will never be a smart/serious genre. - visitor

Many great artists were ignored by Rolling Stones.

I would add at least 5-6 songs from Bryan Adams, Madonna, Whitney Houston, Genesis, ABBA, Bjork, Tina Turner, Shania Twain, Billy Joel, Aerosmith... - visitor

Queen, queen, queen & queen! - visitor

The Rolling stones is a stupid magazine, don't take it seriously. They positively hate on artists such as Queen and Elton John (notice a link? Freddie Mercury was gay; Elton John is gay). The list is obviously written by conservatives, don't take it seriously
/end rant
P. S Bohemian Rhapsody is number 1 not 18th shut up rolling stones mag! - visitor

Rolling Stone hates Elton John because he's gay? Oh, please. They had a ton of his songs on their list including that godawful Bennie and the Jets. And they didn't rank Bohemian Rhapsody at #18. It was somewhere in the 200's. - visitor

Personally I don't think that Bohemian Rhapsody is the best song ever. I'd put it in a top 50, not much higher. - visitor

All I can say is that Rolling Stone is a joke - visitor

I'm I huge pink floyd fan, so I'm bias in my opinion but honestly think wish you were here and comfortably numb should have been placed much much higher than 314 and 316! I mean at least in the top 50 please! I also feel that rolling stone rants on about bob dylan way too much, I mean he is in the top 5 for all there lists except for greatest guitarists ahah - visitor

No 500 greatest songs list could be complete without Celine Dion, Josh Groban, and Whitney Houston, and if Rolling Stone disagrees, it just goes to show they have zero capacity to appreciate beautiful music. - visitor