After what seems like years between episodes in the Hall of Songs timeline, we’ve finally returned to a more normal schedule with 2007!
Behold a year of um-ba-rellas, love songs (which we’re not gonna write to you), and paper planes. New and young stars take the stage, while only a few nominees from the past return with bangers. In all, we present the 12 songs we think were tops in the year the iPhone was born.
After listening to Tim and Chris, VOTE for the greatest songs of all time! Songs from 2007, plus tunes from 2006, ’05, ’04 and ’03 are up for a shot to make the Hall of Songs! VOTE BELOW and come back on November 3, 2023, to find out which song or songs get in!
This is a long one, but it’s only because we simply love this music. Our picks for the top-12 songs of 1983 include legendary new wave tracks, massive pop ballads, the early stages of Heartland Rock and two records that will come to define 1980s dance.
After listening to Tim and Chris, VOTE for the greatest songs of all time! Songs from 1983, plus tunes from 1982, ’81, ’79, ’78 and ’76 are up for a shot to make the Hall of Songs! Vote now at hallofsongs.com and come back on June 24, 2022, to find out which song or songs get in!
Our 1983 nominees (spoilers below; highlight to reveal):
“Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” as performed by Eurythmics
Written by Annie Lennox and David Stewart; recorded summer 1982; released January 1983
“Sunday Bloody Sunday” as performed by U2
Written by U2; recorded fall 1982; released February 1983
“True” as performed by Spandau Ballet
Written by Gary Kemp; recorded fall 1982; released March 1983
“Blue Monday” as performed by New Order
Written by Gillian Gilbert, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Bernard Sumner; recorded late 1982; released March 1983
“Between the Sheets” as performed by The Isley Brothers
Written by Rudolph Isley, O’Kelly Isley Jr., Ronald Isley, Ernest Isley, Marvin Isley and Chris Jasper; recorded February 1983; released March 1983
“Blister in the Sun” as performed by Violent Femmes
Written by Gordon Gano; recorded July 1982; released April 1983
“Every Breath You Take” as performed by The Police
Written by Sting; recorded early 1983; released May 1983
“Naive Melody (This Must Be the Place)” as performed by Talking Heads
Written by David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison and Tina Weymouth; recorded late 1982; released June 1983
“Let the Music Play” as performed by Shannon
Written by Chris Barbosa and Ed Chisolm; recorded summer 1983; released September 1983
“Time After Time” as performed by Cyndi Lauper
Written by Cyndi Lauper and Rob Hyman; recorded June 1983; released October 1983
“Pink Houses” as performed by John Cougar Mellencamp
Written by John Mellencamp; recorded July 1983; released October 1983
“Jump” as performed by Van Halen
Written by Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen and David Lee Roth; recorded summer 1983; released December 1983
Listen to the full episode for more, and then vote for the songs that you think are the greatest of all-time. Scroll down to vote. Then, come back on May 20, 2022 to find out the voting results, and May 22, 2022 for our discussion on 1983.
We’ve reached the Year of the Synthesizer. It’s everywhere in 1982, from new wave-leaning rock to sleek R&B, and in every instance, it’s creating a new sound of pop. The digital age is fully in place, and Hall of Songs is here to chronicle all of it and select our top-12 songs of the year.
But while keyboards and drum machines create the rhythms of some of the year’s biggest songs, a number of genres are making major moves toward the forefront. In this episode we’ll also hear metal, rap, dance hall and country.
After listening to Tim and Chris, VOTE for the greatest songs of all time! Songs from 1982, plus tunes from 1981, ’80, ’79, ’78, ’77 and ’76 are up for a shot to make the Hall of Songs! Vote now at hallofsongs.com and come back on May 20, 2022, to find out which song or songs get in!
Our 1982 nominees (spoilers below; highlight to reveal):
“Only You” as performed by Yazoo
Written by Vince Clarke; recorded January 1982; released March 1982
“Hallowed Be Thy Name” as performed by Iron Maiden
Written by Steve Harris; recorded January 1982; released March 1982
“Rosanna” as performed by Toto
Written by David Paich; recorded January 1982; released March 1982
“Planet Rock” as performed by Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force
Written by Arthur Baker, John Robie, Soulsonic Force and Emcee G.L.O.B.E.; recorded 1981; released April 1982
“Amarillo By Morning” as performed by George Strait
Written by Paul Fraser and Terry Stafford; recorded April 1982; released June 1982
“Come on Eileen” as performed by Dexy’s Midnight Runners
Written by Kevin Rowland, Jim Paterson and Billy Adams; recorded March 1982; released June 1982
“The Message” as performed by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
Written by Edward G. Fletcher, Melle Mel, Clifton Chase and Sylvia Robinson; recorded spring 1982; released July 1982
“Love My Way” as performed by The Psychedelic Furs
Written by John Ashton, Tim Butler, Richard Butler and Vince Ely; recorded April 1982; released July 1982
“Bam Bam” as performed by Sister Nancy
Written by Winston Riley and Ophlin Russell; recorded summer 1982; released summer 1982
“Mad World” as performed by Tears For Fears
Written by Roland Orzabal; recorded summer 1982; released September 1982
“Little Red Corvette” as performed by Prince
Written by Prince; recorded summer 1982; released October 1982
“Billie Jean” as performed by Michael Jackson
Written by Michael Jackson; recorded summer 1982; released November 1982
Listen to the full episode for more, and then vote for the songs that you think are the greatest of all-time. Scroll down to vote. Then, come back on May 20, 2022 to find out the voting results, and May 22, 2022 for our discussion on 1983.
Welcome to 1981. It’s a year that marks some big changes in the music and pop culture landscape. For one, everything sounds so crystal clear and digital this year. Plus, “Ladies and gentlemen … rock ‘n’ roll.” MTV debuts and completely shifts everything, from how we look at music to what songs actually chart.
Tim and Chris talk about 1981 and pick their top-12 songs from the year that was.
After listening to Tim and Chris, VOTE for the greatest songs of all time! Songs from 1981, plus tunes from 1980, ’79, ’78, ’77 and ’76 are up for a shot to make the Hall of Songs! Vote now at hallofsongs.com and come back on May 6, 2022, to find out which song or songs get in!
Our 1981 nominees (spoilers below; highlight to reveal):
“Tom Sawyer” as performed by Rush
Written by Rush and Pye Dubois; recorded October 1980; released February 1981
“Bette Davis Eyes” as performed by Kim Carnes
Written by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon; recorded December 1980; released March 1981
“Dancing With Myself” as performed by Billy Idol
Written by Billy Idol and Tony James; recorded 1980; released March 1981
“Super Freak” as performed by Rick James
Written by Rick James and Alonzo Miller; recorded December 1980; released April 1981
“Computer Love” as performed by Kraftwerk
Written by Ralf Hutter and Florian Schneider; recorded 1979-80; released May 1981
“Pull Up to the Bumper” as performed by Grace Jones
Written by Kookoo Baya, Grace Jones and Dana Mano; recorded 1980; released May 1981
“We Got the Beat” as performed by The Go-Go’s
Written by Charlotte Caffey; recorded late 1980; released July 1981
“I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)” as performed by Daryl Hall and John Oates
Written by Sara Allen, Daryl Hall and John Oates; recorded March 1981; released September 1981
“Controversy” as performed by Prince
Written by Prince; recorded August 1981; released October 1981
“Every Little Thing She Does is Magic” as performed by The Police
Written by Sting; recorded June 1981; released October 1981
“Don’t You Want Me” as performed by The Human League
Written by Jo Callis, Philip Oakey and Philip Adrian Wright; recorded summer 1981; released October 1981
“Under Pressure” as performed by Queen and David Bowie
Written by Roger Taylor, Freddie Mercury, David Bowie, John Deacon and Brian May; recorded July 1981; released October 1981
Listen to the full episode for more, and then vote for the songs that you think are the greatest of all-time. Scroll down to vote. Then, come back on May 6, 2022 to find out the voting results, and May 8, 2022 for our discussion on 1982.
The ’80s. We did it! In this episode of Hall of Songs, we begin our journey through this turbulent decade by highlighting 12 songs that reflect the changing sound and landscape in popular music. We have old standbys like country, reggae, and arena-sized rock, but we also have more electronic-based songs from the likes of Talking Heads and Joy Division.
These are our picks for the top-12 songs of 1980. The songs join others already nominated for the Hall of Songs in our ballot.
After listening to Tim and Chris, VOTE for the greatest songs of all time! Songs from 1980, plus tunes from 1979, ’78, ’77 and ’76 are up for a shot to make the Hall of Songs! Vote now at hallofsongs.com and come back on April 22, 2022, to find out which song or songs get in!
Our 1980 nominees (spoilers below; highlight to reveal):
“He Stopped Loving Her Today” as performed by George Jones
Written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman; recorded fall 1979; released April 1980
“Breaking the Law” as performed by Judas Priest
Written by Rob Halford, KK Downing and Glenn Tipton; recorded January 1980; released April 1980
“I’m Coming Out” as performed by Diana Ross
Written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers; recorded December 1979; released May 1980
“Could You Be Loved” as performed by Bob Marley and the Wailers
Written by Bob Marley; recorded early 1980; released June 1980
“Redemption Song” as performed by Bob Marley and the Wailers
Written by Bob Marley; recorded early 1980; released June 1980
“The Breaks” as performed by Kurtis Blow
Written by Kurtis Blow, Robert Ford Jr., James B Moore, Russell Simmons and Larry Smith; recorded spring 1980; released June 1980
“Love Will Tear Us Apart” as performed by Joy Division
Written by Ian Curtis, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Bernard Sumner; recorded March 1980; released June 1980
“You Shook Me All Night Long” as performed by AC/DC
Written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson; recorded April 1980; released July 1980
“Hit Me with Your Best Shot” as performed by Pat Benatar
Written by Eddie Schwartz; recorded spring 1980; released August 1980
“Once in a Lifetime” as performed by Talking Heads
Written by David Byrne, Brian Eno, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison and Tina Weymouth; recorded July 1980; released October 1980
“Romeo and Juliet” as performed by Dire Straits
Written by Mark Knopfler; recorded summer 1980; released October 1980
“Ace of Spades” as performed by Motörhead
Written by Eddie Clark, Lemmy and Phil Taylor; recorded August 1980; released October 1980
Listen to the full episode for more, and then vote for the songs that you think are the greatest of all-time. Scroll down to vote. Then, come back on April 22, 2022 to find out the voting results, and April 24, 2022 for our discussion on 1981.
Subjectively, this was one of our favorite years to discuss.
In this episode of Hall of Songs, Tim and Chris get to talk about some of their favorite artists and styles of music as 1972 brings a wealth of new sounds to the growing tapestry of rock ‘n’ roll. Which 12 songs will we decide are the best of this year?
After listening, VOTE for the greatest songs of all time! Songs from 1972, plus tunes from 1971, ’70, ’69, ’68 and ’67 are up for a shot to make the Hall of Songs! Vote now and come back on December 17 to find out which song or songs get in!
Our 1972 nominees:
“Go All the Way” as performed by Raspberries
Written by Eric Carmen; recorded early 1972; released April 1972
“Rocket Man” as performed by Elton John
Written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin; recorded January 1972; released April 1972
“Lean on Me” as performed by Bill Withers
Written by Bill Withers; recorded early 1972; released April 1972
“Thirteen” as performed by Big Star
Written by Alex Chilton and Chris Bell; recorded late 1971; released April 1972
“I Can See Clearly Now” as performed by Johnny Nash
Written by Johnny Nash; recorded late 1971; released June 1972
“The Harder They Come” as performed by Jimmy Cliff
Written by Jimmy Cliff; recorded early 1972; released July 1972
“Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” as performed by The Temptations
Written by Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield; recorded June 1972; released July 1972
“Back Stabbers” as performed by The O’Jays
Written by Leon Huff, Gene McFadden and John Whitehead; recorded spring 1972; released August 1972
“Superstition” as performed by Stevie Wonder
Written by Stevie Wonder; recorded summer 1972; released October 1972
“You Are the Sunshine of My Life” as performed by Stevie Wonder
Written by Al green, Willie Mitchell and Al Jackson Jr.; recorded summer 1972; released October 1972
“Walk on the Wild Side” as performed by Lou Reed
Written by Lou Reed; recorded August 1972; released November 1972
“You’re So Vain” as performed by Carly Simon
Written by Carly Simon; recorded summer 1972; released November 1971
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 December 17, 2021 to find out the voting results, and December 19, 2021 for our discussion on 1973.
We’re returning to our roots in this episode of Hall of Songs.
We talk about a number of artists who, after all the experimentation and studio trickery of the mid-1960s, start looking backwards and create old-fashioned rock and or roll. For example, we present songs by the Rolling Stones, The Band and Big Brother and the Holding Company.
We nominate 12 songs for the Hall of Songs in this episode; along with the artists above, you’ll hear from Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Otis Redding, and the Beatles. And you’ll also hear the beginning of a new genre out of the Caribbean.
After listening, VOTE for the greatest songs of all time! Songs from 1968, plus tunes from 1967, ’66, and ’65 are up for a shot to make the Hall of Songs! Vote now and come back on October 15 to find out which song or songs get in!
Our 1968 nominees:
“(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” as performed by Otis Redding
Written by Otis Redding and Steve Cropper; recorded December 1967; released January 1968
“Mrs. Robinson” as performed by Simon & Garfunkel
Written by Paul Simon; recorded February 1968; released April 1968
“The Weight” as performed by The Band
Written by Robbie Robertson; recorded January 1968; released August 1968
“Street Fighting Man” as performed by The Rolling Stones
Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards; recorded May 1968; released August 1968
“Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud” as performed by James Brown
Written by James Brown and Alfred Ellis; recorded August 1968; released August 1968
“Piece of My Heart” as performed by Big Brother and the Holding Company
Written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns; recorded March 1968; released August 1968
“Hey Jude” as performed by The Beatles
Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney; recorded August 1968; released August 1968
“All Along the Watchtower” as performed by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Written by Bob Dylan; recorded summer 1968; released September 1968
“Israelites” as performed by Desmond Dekker and the Aces
Written by Desmond Dekker and Leslie Kong; recorded summer 1968; released October 1968
“I Heard it Through the Grapevine” as performed by Marvin Gaye
Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong; recorded spring 1967; released October 1968
“Everyday People” as performed by Sly and the Family Stone
Written by Sly Stone; recorded summer 1968; released November 1968
“Sympathy For the Devil” as performed by The Rolling Stones
Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards; recorded June 1968; released December 1968
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 15, 2021 to find out the voting results, and October 18, 2021 for our discussion on 1969.
