Top 10 Billboard Chart Topping Rocks Songs of All Time
We love rock and roll. Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Billboard Chart Topping Rocks Songs of All Time. For this list, we focused on rock songs that reached #1 on the Billboard charts, whether it was the Hot 100, Rock or alternative charts throughout the 1950s to the mid-2010s, all while making a definitive mark on pop culture.
Special thanks to our user Godslayer79 for submitting the idea using our interactive suggestion tool at http://www.WatchMojo.comsuggest
Top 10 Billboard Chart Topping Rock Songs of All Time
We love rock and roll. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Billboard Chart Topping Rocks Songs of All Time. For this list, we focused on rock songs that reached #1 on the Billboard charts, whether it was the Hot 100, Rock or alternative charts throughout the 1950s to the mid-2010s, all while making a definitive mark on pop culture. When it comes specifically to songs of the 1950s, we focused on pop songs that reached #1 on the Billboard charts because what is now known as the Billboard Hot 100 did not yet exist for the majority of that decade. So, we're only considering those rock songs that topped either the Top 100, the Best Sellers in Stores or - after August 1958 - the Hot 100.
#10: “House of the Rising Sun” (1964) The Animals
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In the early ‘60s, a baby-faced Bob Dylan was performing a folk version of this song all around New York City, but it was The Animals that reached a larger demographic while touring with Chuck Berry. “House of the Rising Sun” details a dark journey through New Orleans, and through the menacing voice of Eric Burdon, The Animals announced themselves as the next great British invasion band - aside from The Beatles that is. All in all, it’s a traditional song made popular by a most untraditional psychedelic band.
#9: “Seven Nation Army” (2003) The White Stripes
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Regardless of where you’re from or what your personal challenges may be, anyone can relate to a song oozing with rebellion, and it was this garage rock anthem from The White Stripes that has truly become an international phenomenon. Laced with an unmistakable riff courtesy of Jack White’s Kay Hollow body guitar and Whammy pedal modification, “Seven Nation Army” is far more than just your typical Billboard hit. It’s become a worldwide hype song of sorts, as it’s been adopted by Italian soccer teams and national revolutions. It’s been critically acclaimed domestically as well, but the true power of “Seven Nation Army” is that it transcends rock itself and has touched all corners of the globe.
#8: “Hotel California” (1977) Eagles
By the mid-‘70s, die-hard music fans were becoming less concerned with the Billboard charts and more interested in the scope of albums as a whole. And when The Eagles released their fifth studio album in December of 1976, a six and half minute musical journey stopped listeners in their tracks. Musically adroit and lyrically profound, “Hotel California” is far more than a soft rock anthem and one of the best-selling songs of all time; it’s a surrealistic fantasy open for endless interpretations.
#7: “Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)” (1980) Pink Floyd
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It opened up the minds of listeners around the world and ushered in a new decade. Of course, it offered an escape from the disco jams that were taking over the charts as well. With its three separate parts, “Another Brick in the Wall” was more of an experience than a typical rock single all while allowing the progressive artists to address the school systems of their native England. And it was "Part II" specifically that was actually released as a single - first in the UK in November of 1979 and then in the U.S. in January of 1980 - and it was that composition that would take over America and top the Billboard Hot 100 in less than 3 months' time. Decades later, “Another Brick in the Wall” remains an essential track for any classic rock playlist.
#6: “Rock Around the Clock” (1954) Bill Haley
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In a time when America was on the verge of a cultural revolution, this song infused an unknown groove into the bodies of millions. Hey, it was 1954, and when “Rock Around the Clock” hit the radio, teenagers weren’t exactly hip to shaking their hips, and you damn well know their parents weren’t either. As oneof the most well-known rock and roll songs ever recorded, “Rock Around the Clock” paved the way for a crazy new brand of music. While it was the Italian-American Sonny Dae that first recorded the song, Bill Haley and His Comets introduced it to a larger audience that was undoubtedly ready to rock.
#5: “Sweet Child O’ Mine” (1988) Guns N’ Roses
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Ok, Mojoholics, now this is how it’s done. Before the release of their first studio album, the members of Guns N’ Roses were fooling around at their Sunset Strip home when a musical joke inadvertently transformed into a future Billboard #1 hit. From the opening riff by Slash to the opening lyrics from Axl Rose, “Sweet Child O’ Mine” came together piece by piece for what would become one of the final head bangers of the hairband phenomenon of the ‘80s.Rolling Stone named “Sweet Child O’ Mine” as one of the 40 songs that changed the world, and while it was the band’s only Billboard chart topper, it’s undoubtedly one of the most recognizable songs ever recorded.
#4: “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” The Rolling Stones (1965)
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As the Beatles were conducting a collective hand-holding session with America, The Rolling Stones took a more controversial approach by conveying their need for a little satisfaction. While older listeners didn’t necessarily process the sexual nature of the lyrics, younger audiences immediately grasped the concept and helped make the Stones’ hit one of the most popular songs ever recorded. From the suggestive innuendos to the killer guitar riff, “Satisfaction” was in tune with the times, and Jagger’s vocal performance was the cherry on top.
#3: “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (1991) Nirvana
When hair bands were still fighting for a spot on the Billboard charts, a new band emerged from the Pacific Northwest, and they could not have given two thoughts about fame. But they got it anyway. Inspired by The Pixies, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” received its title when Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill made funof Kurt Cobain’s smell. Not only did the song introduce Nirvana to a world ofdisparate youths, it inadvertently marked the unofficial beginning of the grunge movement with an unforgiving sound and subversive lyrics.
#2: “Hound Dog” Elvis Presley (1956)
In the early ‘50s, a couple of teenage songwriters met a blues singer by the name of Willy Mae “Big Mama Thornton”, and while the latter would never quite reach the same success again, the combo known as Leiber and Stoller went on to write numerous chart toppers for The King himself, including “JailhouseRock”. But it was the previous year’s “Hound Dog” that is widely recognized as the song that sparked a rock ‘n’ roll revolution, as Elvis’ wailing vocals and classic performances embodied what a young generation ofAmericans were experiencing: individual freedom. Just as the original recording was slightly altered for a new audience, generations upon generations would later alter rock music to reflect their own reality, and it all began with this Elvis classic. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” (1987) U2 “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970) Simon & Garfunkel “Livin’ On a Prayer” (1986) Bon Jovi “Californication” (2000) Red Hot Chili Peppers “Do I Wanna Know?” (2013) Arctic Monkeys
#1: “Hey Jude” (1968) The Beatles
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Well, here it is. In a time of social unrest, The Beatles gave listeners a symbolic and inspirational seven-minute ballad that is quite possibly the best pop songofall time. Originally devised to help young Julian Lennon cope with the divorceof his parents, Paul McCartney slowly but surely molded “Hey Jude” into something bigger, and even John Lennon believed the song to be an inadvertent message from one band mate to another. The two musicians wrote “Help!” just a few years prior, but with “Hey Jude,” McCartney seemed to acknowledge the end of an era, and it wouldn’t be long until he and John shook each other’s hand and went their separate ways. In fact, just two years later, “Let It Be” would become The Beatles’ final single before McCartney announced his departure. The tune also gave the band their 7th straight year charting a #1 hit. So, do you agree with our selections? What is your favorite Billboard chart topping rock song of all time? For more mind-blowing Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
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