These are all the songs in The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era, 1954-1999, presented by Dave’s Music Database and authored by Dave Whitaker. This list is NOT ranked (you’ll have to get the book for that). However, all 100 songs are listed, in alphabetical order by artist. For artists with more than one song, they are then listed chronologically. The year reflects when the song first charted as a single and not necessarily the year it was first released or available. For example, Roberta Flack’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” was first released on her 1969 debut album, but didn’t chart until 1972. In addition, there is one song on this list – “Stairway to Heaven” – which never was released as a single so its date is a reflection of when the parent album, Led Zeppelin IV, charted.

Included with each song are three links:

Links to videos on other sites – almost always on YouTube. These are not always the best quality and Dave’s Music Database assumes no responsibility for others who may or may not have posted copyrighted material.

Direct links, generally to Amazon.com, to purchase the song. With the exception of Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind 1997,” these are digital downloads and not physical singles or albums.

Check out the lyrics to the songs, mostly through Lyrics007.com. Again, these are off-site links and Dave’s Music Database makes no claim about any of the sources’ validity. Happy exploring!



Abba “Dancing Queen” (1976)

Bryan Adams “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” (1991)

The Animals “The House of the Rising Sun” (1964)

Louis Armstrong “What a Wonderful World” (1967)

The Beach Boys “Good Vibrations” (1966)

The Beatles “She Loves You” (1963)

The Beatles “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (1963)

The Beatles “Yesterday” (1965)

The Beatles “Strawberry Fields Forever” (1967)

The Beatles “Hey Jude” (1968)

The Beatles “Let It Be” (1970)

The Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive” (1977)

Chuck Berry “Johnny B. Goode” (1958)

Kim Carnes “Bette Davis Eyes” (1981)

Ray Charles “Georgia on My Mind” (1960)

Ray Charles “I Can’t Stop Loving You” (1962)

Chubby Checker “The Twist” (1960)

Patsy Cline “Crazy” (1961)

Creedence Clearwater Revival “Proud Mary” (1969)

Bobby Darin “Mack the Knife” (1959)

Derek & the Dominos “Layla” (1971)

Celine Dion “My Heart Will Go On” (1997)

Fats Domino “Blueberry Hill” (1956)

The Doors “Light My Fire” (1967)

Bob Dylan “Like a Rolling Stone” (1965)

The Eagles “Hotel California” (1977)

The Everly Brothers “All I Have to Do Is Dream” (1958)

The Fifth Dimension “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” (1969)

Roberta Flack “Killing Me Softly with His Song” (1973)

The Four Tops “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” (1966)

Aretha Franklin “Respect” (1967)

Marvin Gaye “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” (1968)

Marvin Gaye “What’s Going On” (1971)

Gloria Gaynor “I Will Survive” (1978)

Al Green “Let’s Stay Together” (1971)

Guns N’ Roses “Sweet Child O’ Mine” (1988)

Bill Haley & the Comets “(We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock” (1954)

George Harrison “My Sweet Lord” (1970)

The Jimi Hendrix Experience “All Along the Watchtower” (1968)

Buddy Holly & the Crickets “That’ll Be the Day” (1957)

Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You” (1992)

The Human League “Don’t You Want Me?” (1981)

Michael Jackson “Billie Jean” (1983)

Michael Jackson “Beat It” (1983)

Joan Jett & the Blackhearts “I Love Rock and Roll” (1981)

Elton John “Your Song” (1970)

Elton John “Candle in the Wind 1997” (1997)

Joy Division “Love Will Tear Us Apart” (1980)

Ben E. King “Stand by Me” (1961)

The Kingsmen “Louie Louie” (1963)

The Kinks “You Really Got Me” (1964)

Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven” (1971)

John Lennon “Imagine” (1971)

Jerry Lee Lewis “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” (1957)

Jerry Lee Lewis “Great Balls of Fire” (1957)

Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” (1956)

The Mamas & the Papas “California Dreamin’” (1966)

Don McLean “American Pie” (1971)

The Monkees “I’m a Believer” (1966)

The Moody Blues “Nights in White Satin” (1967)

Van Morrison “Brown-Eyed Girl” (1967)

Willie Nelson “Always on My Mind” (1982)

Nirvana “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (1991)

Sinead O’Connor “Nothing Compares 2 U” (1990)

Roy Orbison “Oh, Pretty Woman” (1964)

The Penguins “Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)” (1954)

Carl Perkins “Blue Suede Shoes” (1956)

Pink Floyd “Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)” (1979)

The Police “Every Breath You Take” (1983)

Elvis Presley “Heartbreak Hotel” (1956)

Elvis Presley “Hound Dog” (1956)

Elvis Presley “Don’t Be Cruel” (1956)

Elvis Presley “Jailhouse Rock” (1957)

Elvis Presley “It’s Now or Never” (1960)

Elvis Presley “Suspicious Minds” (1969)

Prince “When Doves Cry” (1984)

Procol Harum “A Whiter Shade of Pale” (1967)

Queen “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1975)

Otis Redding “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay” (1975)

Martha Reeves & the Vandellas “Dancing in the Street” (1964)

R.E.M. “Losing My Religion” (1991)

Lionel Richie & Diana Ross “Endless Love” (1981)

The Righteous Brothers “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” (1965)

The Righteous Brothers “Unchained Melody” (1965)

The Rolling Stones “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965)

The Rolling Stones “Honky Tonk Women” (1969)

The Ronettes “Be My Baby” (1963)

Del Shannon “Runaway” (1961)

Simon & Garfunkel “Mrs. Robinson” (1968)

Simon & Garfunkel “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970)

Percy Sledge “When a Man Loves a Woman” (1966)

Bruce Springsteen “Born to Run” (1975)

Steppenwolf “Born to Be Wild” (1968)

Rod Stewart “Maggie May” (1971)

Barbra Streisand “The Way We Were” (1973)

The Temptations “My Girl” (1965)

U2 “With or Without You” (1987)

U.S.A. for Africa “We Are the World” (1985)

The Who “My Generation” (1965)

Stevie Wonder “Superstition” (1972)

This page last updated May 3, 2012.

Copyright 2012. The DMDB/Dave’s Music Database. Contact Dave Whitaker l DavesMusicDatabase.com l Facebook