It’s 2008 in Hall of Songs land, and we have our picks for the top-12 songs from this year of indie rock, dance pop, rap, folk rock, and more.
In fact, you’re going to hear some very familiar folks in this episode, as 2008 marks a big year for several of the biggest names in 21st century pop music.
After listening to Tim and Chris, VOTE for the greatest songs of all time! Songs from 2008, plus tunes from 2007, ’05 and ’03 are up for a shot to make the Hall of Songs! VOTE BELOW and come back on November 24, 2023, to find out which song or songs get in!
We’re in between the 1982 and ’83 episodes, so why not take a moment to look back at EVERYTHING?
Join Tim, Chris, and our special guest, Billboard Deputy Editor Andrew Unterberger (Twitter: @AUgetoffmygold) as they discuss the full Hall of Songs to this point.
We ask: Is this experiment of determining the greatest songs of all-time worthy? What are the biggest surprise Hall of Songs members? What songs, artists, and genres are being snubbed? It’s a fun look at the whole picture before we dive back into nominees.
We at Hall of Songs have been bemusing over the recent lack of new songs entered into our very prestigious salon. Could the voters figure it out and come to some consensus once in a while?
After discussing our picks for the top-12 songs of 1977, and then slotting them onto our ballot, we waited with baited breath to see if the voters would finally respond. In this episode, we get a clear answer. Find out if any songs have been elected to the Hall of Songs, joining the 48 already entered.
Finally, the dam breaks as our 22nd Election for the Hall of Songs yields multiple inductees.
Come along for a 30-minute ride as we discuss how the best songs of the early and mid 1970s fared in our most recent election. Among the nominees: “Born to Run,” “Thunder Road,” “Superstition,” “Dancing Queen” and “Don’t Leave Me This Way.” Also, yes, we’re heading to Dino’s Bar & Grill.
Let’s congratulate the following songs on making the Hall of Songs …
The Boys Are Back in Town / Thin Lizzy – 75% (1st round) Born to Run / Bruce Springsteen – 68.75% (2nd round) Wish You Were Here / Pink Floyd – 68.75% (2nd round)
Continuing to the next round of voting
Blitzkrieg Bop / The Ramones – 62.5% (1st round) Sir Duke / Stevie Wonder – 62.5% (1st round) Maggie May / Rod Stewart – 56.25% (2nd round) Anarchy in the U.K. / Sex Pistols – 56.25% (1st round) Dancing Queen / ABBA – 53.12% (1st round) You Can’t Always Get What You Want / The Rolling Stones – 50% (6th round) Free Bird / Lynyrd Skynyrd – 46.87% (4th round) More Than a Feeling / Boston – 43.75% (1st round) Superstition / Stevie Wonder – 43.75% (5th round) Sweet Emotion / Aerosmith – 40.62% (2nd round)
Eliminated from the ballot
Jolene / Dolly Parton – 34.37% (4th round) Don’t Leave Me This Way / Thelma Houston – 34.37% (1st round) Thunder Road / Bruce Springsteen – 31.25% (2nd round) Let’s Get It On / Marvin Gaye – 28.12% (4th round) Here Comes the Sun / The Beatles – 25% (8th round) Tangled Up in Blue / Bob Dylan – 25% (2nd round) Lean on Me / Bill Withers -25% (5th round) Cherry Bomb / The Runaways – 15.62% (1st round) Lowdown / Boz Scaggs – 15.62% Desperados Under the Eaves / Warren Zevon – 12.5% As / Stevie Wonder – 12.5% Love Hangover / Diana Ross – 9.37%
Well, it was bound to happen. The voting process in Hall of Songs finally resulted in some possible chicanery.
One of our hosts has to address it, and he does so with equal parts frustration and … well, you should listen.
Did any songs get into our prestigious hall of fame for songs? Listen to find out. But please, hit play on this one. It’s a ride.
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Alright. Let’s congratulate the following songs on making the Hall of Songs …
Bohemian Rhapsody / Queen – 68.9% (1st round) Take Me Home Country Roads / John Denver – 67.24% (1st round)
Continuing to the next round of voting
Born to Run / Bruce Springsteen – 58.6% (1st round) Superstition / Stevie Wonder – 48.27% (4th round) You Can’t Always Get What You Want / The Rolling Stones – 44.82% (5th round) Tangled Up in Blue / Bob Dylan – 44.82% (1st round) Thunder Road / Bruce Springsteen – 44.82% (1st round) Wish You Were Here / Pink Floyd – 44.82% (1st round) Maggie May / Rod Stewart – 41.37% (1st round) Free Bird / Lynyrd Skynyrd – 39.65% (3rd round) Lean on Me / Bill Withers – 37.93% (4th round) Sweet Emotion / Aerosmith – 36.2% (1st round) Here Comes the Sun / The Beatles – 34.48% (7th round) Jolene / Dolly Parton – 34.48% (3rd round) Let’s Get It On / Marvin Gaye – 32.75% (3rd round)
Eliminated from the ballot
Ain’t No Sunshine / Bill Withers -29.31% (5th round) Won’t Get Fooled Again / The Who – 29.31% (5th round) Rocket Man / Elton John – 29.31% (4th round) Midnight Train to Georgia / Gladys Knight and the Pips – 27.58% (3rd round) Crazy on You / Heart – 24.13% (1st round) Bridge Over Troubled Water / Simon and Garfunkel – 22.41% (5th round) Waterloo / ABBA – 22.41% (2nd round) Gloria / Patti Smith – 17.24% (1st round) Walk on the Wild Side / Lou Reed – 13.79% (4th round) You’re the First, the Last, My Everything / Barry White – 12.06% (2nd round) Shining Star / Earth, Wind & Fire – 12.06% (1st round) Help Me / Joni Mitchell – 10.34% (2nd round) Get Down Tonight / KC and the Sunshine Band – 10.34% (1st round) I’m Not in Love / 10cc – 10.34% (1st round) Love to Love You Baby / Donna Summer – 10.34% (1st round) That Lady / The Isley Brothers – 3.44% (1st round) Can the Can / Suzi Quatro – 1.72% (1st round)
Every couple months or so, we decide to nominate a few more songs for Hall of Songs induction. We call it the Veterans Committee.
For this episode, we entertain tracks released between 1971 and ’74, including a monster Rod Stewart hit, a psyched-out trip by the Isley Brothers, and a few more.
We also chat about some songs from this period that we just plain love. Yes, the Beatles find their way into this conversation.
Come back on January 30, 2022, for our episode on 1975. Then, we’ll start voting for the 21st class of the Hall of Songs.
We’re in a new decade on Hall of Songs, the podcast that attempts to determine the greatest songs of all-time.
1970 brings us new fare from artists we’ve previously featured, like the Beatles and the Jackson 5. It also showcases some new sounds in music, from the bulky heavy rock of Black Sabbath to the rhythmic vibes of Curtis Mayfield.
After listening, VOTE for the greatest songs of all time! Songs from 1970, plus tunes from 1969, ’68, ’67, ’66, and ’65 are up for a shot to make the Hall of Songs! Vote now and come back on November 19 to find out which song or songs get in!
Our 1970 nominees:
“Fire and Rain” as performed by James Taylor
Written by James Taylor; recorded December 1969; released February 1970
“Big Yellow Taxi” as performed by Joni Mitchell
Written by Joni Mitchell; recorded January 1970; released April 1970
“Let it Be” as performed by The Beatles
Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney; recorded January 1969; released May 1970
“War” as performed by Edwin Starr
Written by Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield; recorded May 1970; released June 1970
“Ohio” as performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Written by Neil Young; recorded May 1970; released June 1970
“Lola” as performed by The Kinks
Written by Ray Davies; recorded April 1970; released June 1970
“Paranoid” as performed by Black Sabbath
Written by Tommy Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward; recorded June 1970; released August 1970
“I’ll Be There” as performed by The Jackson 5
Written by Berry Gordy, Bob West, Willie Hutch and Hal Davis; recorded June 1970; released August 1970
“Iron Man” as performed by Black Sabbath
Written by Tommy Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward; recorded June 1970; released September 1970
“Move on Up” as performed by Curtis Mayfield
Written by Curtis Mayfield; recorded June 1970; released September 1970
“Sweet Jane” as performed by The Velvet Underground
Written by Lou Reed; recorded June 1970; released November 1970
“Layla” as performed by Derek and the Dominos
Written by Eric Clapton and Jim Gordon; recorded September 1970; released November 1970
Listen to the full episode for more, and then vote for the songs that you think are the greatest of all-time. Scroll down or click here to vote. Then, come back on November 19, 2021 to find out the voting results, and November 21, 2021 for our discussion on 1971.
You may have some questions after our 1969 picks for Hall of Songs nominees.
Sure, you’ll hear some of the biggest songs of all-time, including selections by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and new stars like Creedence Clearwater Revival and Led Zeppelin, but we had to throw in some controversy this time around.
Get ready for a year of big rock and pop hits, massive soul jams, and pioneering folk rock and singer-songwriter fare.
After listening, VOTE for the greatest songs of all time! Songs from 1969, plus tunes from 1968, ’67, ’66, and ’65 are up for a shot to make the Hall of Songs! Vote now and come back on October 29 to find out which song or songs get in!
Our 1969 nominees:
“Proud Mary” as performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Written by John Fogerty; recorded late 1968; released January 1969
“Both Sides, Now” as performed by Joni Mitchell
Written by Joni Mitchell; recorded late 1968; released May 1969
“Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” as performed by Crosby, Stills & Nash
Written by Stephen Stills; recorded February 1969; released May 1969
“Walk On By” as performed by Isaac Hayes
Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David; recorded early 1969; released June 1969
“I Wanna Be Your Dog” as performed by The Stooges
Written by Dave Alexander, Ron Asheton, Scott Asheton and Iggy Pop; recorded April 1969; released July 1969
“Suspicious Minds” as performed by Elvis Presley
Written by Mark James; recorded January 1969; released August 1969
“Here Comes the Sun” as performed by The Beatles
Written by George Harrison; recorded July 1969; released September 1969
“Fortunate Son” as performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Written by John Fogerty; recorded August 1969; released October 1969
“I Want You Back” as performed by The Jackson 5
Written by Berry Gordy, Freddie Pirren, Alphonso Mizell and Deke Richards; recorded July 1969; released October 1969
“Heartbreaker” as performed by Led Zeppelin
Written by John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant; recorded summer 1969; released October 1969
“Gimme Shelter” as performed by The Rolling Stones
Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards; recorded February 1969; released December 1969
“Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” as performed by Sly and the Family Stone
Written by Sly Stone; recorded late 1969; released December 1969
Listen to the full episode for more, and then vote for the songs that you think are the greatest of all-time. Scroll down or click here to vote. Then, come back on October 29, 2021 to find out the voting results, and October 31, 2021 for our discussion on 1970.
Coming into this election we had 29 Hall of Songs inductees. How many more will get in? Well, this is an interesting one.
Join Tim and Chris as they discuss a wild election concerning songs from 1964 to ’67. Plus, they’ll have a debate about one tune teetering on the brink of induction. Will it get the Golden Vote?
Okay. Don’t scroll if you want to be spoiled.
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Alright. Let’s congratulate the following songs on making the Hall of Songs …
Purple Haze / The Jimi Hendrix Experience – 70.83% Brown Eyed Girl / Van Morrison – 66.67% Respect / Aretha Franklin – 66.67%
Continuing to the next round of voting
Light My Fire / The Doors – 62.5% (1st round) Paint It Black / The Rolling Stones – 50% (2nd round) A Day in the Life / The Beatles – 50% (1st round) When a Man Loves a Woman / Percy Sledge – 45.83% (2nd round) Turn, Turn, Turn / The Byrds – 45.83% (1st round) Ain’t No Mountain High Enough / Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell – 41.66% (1st round) My Girl / The Temptations – 37.5% (3rd round) Eleanor Rigby / The Beatles – 37.5% (1st round) Strawberry Fields Forever / The Beatles – 37.5% (1st round) (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman / Aretha Franklin – 37.5% (1st round)
Eliminated from the ballot
You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ / The Righteous Brothers – 33.33% (4th round) The Times They Are a-Changin’ / Bob Dylan – 29.16% (4th round) Ticket to Ride / The Beatles – 29.16% (3rd round) Ruby Tuesday / The Rolling Stones – 29.16% (1st round) A Whiter Shade of Pale / Procol Harum – 29.16% (1st round) Mr. Tambourine Man / The Byrds – 25% (3rd round) In My Life / The Beatles – 25% (3rd round) Reach Out I’ll Be There / The Four Tops – 25% (2nd round) Waterloo Sunset / The Kinks – 25% (1st round) My Generation / The Who – 20.83% (3rd round) Ode to Billie Joe / Bobbi Gentry – 20.83% (1st round) She’s Not There / The Zombies – 16.66% (1st round) Downtown / Petula Clark – 12.5% (1st round)
Lists of the greatest songs of all-time will typically feature a few songs from 1967 at the very top. These are the songs we’re talking about in this episode of Hall of Songs, from “Respect” by Aretha Franklin to “A Day in the Life” by the Beatles.
Plus, it’s the year Jimi Hendrix becomes a star, proving a lone guitarist can change the way we hear rock ‘n’ roll.
After listening, VOTE for the greatest songs of all time! Songs from 1967, plus tunes from 1966, ’65 and ’64 are up for a shot to make the Hall of Songs! Vote now and come back on October 1 to find out which song or songs get in!
Our 1967 nominees:
“Light My Fire” as performed by The Doors
Written by Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, Robby Krieger and Jim Morrison; recorded August 1966; released January 1967
“Ruby Tuesday” as performed by The Rolling Stones
Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards; recorded December 1966; released January 1966
“Strawberry Fields Forever” as performed by The Beatles
Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney; recorded December 1966; released February 1967
“Purple Haze” as performed by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Written by Jimi Hendrix; recorded January 1967; released March 1967
“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” as performed by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
Written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson; recorded December 1966; released April 1967
“Respect” as performed by Aretha Franklin
Written by Otis Redding; recorded February 1967; released April 1967
“Waterloo Sunset” as performed by The Kinks
Written by Ray Davies; recorded April 1967; released May 1967
“A Whiter Shade of Pale” as performed by Procol Harum
Written by Keith Reid, Gary Brooker and Matthew Fisher; recorded April 1967; released May 1967
“A Day in the Life” as performed by The Beatles
Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney; recorded February 1967; released May 1967
“Brown Eyed Girl” as performed by Van Morrison
Written by Van Morrison; recorded March 1967; released June 1967
“Ode to Billie Joe” as performed by Bobbie Gentry
Written by Bobbie Gentry; recorded March 1967; released July 1967
“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” as performed by Aretha Franklin
Written by Gerry Goffin, Carole King and Jerry Wexler; recorded summer 1967; released September 1967
Listen to the full episode for more, and then vote for the songs that you think are the greatest of all-time. Scroll down or click here to vote. Then, come back on October 1, 2021 to find out the voting results, and October 3, 2021 for our discussion on 1967.
