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This list was generated by averaging more than 25 classic-rock-oriented best-of lists together. Most of these lists are from radio countdown shows. For more detail on those sources, check the Links page on this site, specifically the section entitled Lists (Songs – Classic Rocks).



The DMDB Top 100 Classic Rock Songs


  1. Stairway to Heaven: Led Zeppelin (1971)
  2. Hotel California: Eagles (1977)
  3. Layla: Derek & The Dominos (1971)
  4. Comfortably Numb: Pink Floyd (1979)
  5. Bohemian Rhapsody: Queen (1975)
  6. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction: The Rolling Stones (1965)
  7. Won’t Get Fooled Again: The Who (1971)
  8. Dream On: Aerosmith (1973)
  9. Free Bird: Lynyrd Skynyrd (1974)
  10. Another Brick in the Wall Pt. II: Pink Floyd (1979)

  11. You Shook Me All Night Long: AC/DC (1980)
  12. Imagine: John Lennon (1967)
  13. Purple Haze: The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967)
  14. Whole Lotta Love: Led Zeppelin (1969)
  15. Kashmir: Led Zeppelin (1975)
  16. Baba O’Riley: The Who (1971)
  17. Hey Jude: The Beatles (1968)
  18. Sympathy for the Devil: The Rolling Stones (1968)
  19. Sweet Emotion: Aerosmith (1975)
  20. Like a Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan (1965)

  21. Money: Pink Floyd (1973)
  22. Light My Fire: The Doors (1967)
  23. Born to Be Wild: Steppenwolf (1968)
  24. Sweet Home Alabama: Lynyrd Skynyrd (1974)
  25. A Day in the Life: The Beatles (1967)
  26. Sweet Child O’ Mine: Guns N’ Roses (1988)
  27. All Along the Watchtower: The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1968)
  28. Rock and Roll: Led Zeppelin (1972)
  29. More Than a Feeling: Boston (1976)
  30. Smoke on the Water: Deep Purple (1973)

  31. We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions: Queen (1977)
  32. Sultans of Swing: Dire Straits (1979)
  33. Born to Run: Bruce Springsteen (1975)
  34. Back in Black: AC/DC (1980)
  35. Black Dog: Led Zeppelin (1971)
  36. White Room: Cream (1968)
  37. Time: Pink Floyd (1973)
  38. Let It Be: The Beatles (1970)
  39. Paranoid: Black Sabbath (1970)
  40. American Pie: Don McLean (1971)

  41. Smells Like Teen Spirit: Nirvana (1991)
  42. Wish You Were Here: Pink Floyd (1975)
  43. Honky Tonk Women: The Rolling Stones (1969)
  44. Magic Carpet Ride: Steppenwolf (1968)
  45. American Woman: The Guess Who (1970)
  46. Nights in White Satin: The Moody Blues (1967)
  47. Highway to Hell: AC/DC (1979)
  48. Cocaine: Eric Clapton (1977)
  49. Sunshine of Your Love: Cream (1968)
  50. Gimme Shelter: The Rolling Stones (1969)

  51. Yesterday: The Beatles (1965)
  52. You Can’t Always Get What You Want: The Rolling Stones (1969)
  53. L.A. Woman: The Doors (1971)
  54. All Right Now: Free (1970)
  55. Jumpin’ Jack Flash: The Rolling Stones (1968)
  56. Aqualung: Jethro Tull (1971)
  57. Maggie May: Rod Stewart (1971)
  58. Don’t Fear the Reaper: Blue Oyster Cult (1976)
  59. Jump: Van Halen (1984)
  60. Paint It, Black: The Rolling Stones (1966)

  61. Space Oddity: David Bowie (1969)
  62. Lola: The Kinks (1970)
  63. Pride (In the Name of Love): U2 (1984)
  64. Walk This Way: Aerosmith (1976)
  65. While My Guitar Gently Weeps: The Beatles (1968)
  66. Over the Hills and Far Away: Led Zeppelin (1973)
  67. Behind Blue Eyes: The Who (1971)
  68. Come Together: The Beatles (1969)
  69. Tom Sawyer: Rush (1981)
  70. Ramble On: Led Zeppelin (1969)

  71. My Generation: The Who (1965)
  72. Brown Sugar: The Rolling Stones (1971)
  73. The House of the Rising Sun: The Animals (1964)
  74. You Really Got Me: The Kinks (1964)
  75. In the Air Tonight: Phil Collins (1981)
  76. Black Magic Woman: Santana (1970)
  77. For What It’s Worth: Buffalo Springfield (1967)
  78. Carry on Wayward Son: Kansas (1976)
  79. Crazy Train: Ozzy Osbourne (1980)
  80. Tiny Dancer: Elton John (1972)

  81. Who Are You?: The Who (1978)
  82. Foreplay/Longtime (1977)
  83. Rock and Roll All Nite: Kiss (1975)
  84. Brown-Eyed Girl: Van Morrison (1967)
  85. The Joker: Steve Miller Band (1973)
  86. Piece of My Heart: Big Brother & The Holding Company (1968)
  87. Paradise by the Dashboard Light: Meat Loaf (1978)
  88. The Weight: The Band (1968)
  89. Revolution: The Beatles (1968)
  90. Voodoo Chile (Slight Return): The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1968)

  91. Whipping Post: The Allman Brothers Band (1970)
  92. Wonderful Tonight: Eric Clapton (1978)
  93. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For: U2 (1987)
  94. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band: The Beatles (1967)
  95. Roxanne: The Police (1979)
  96. Go Your Own Way: Fleetwood Mac (1977)
  97. Barracuda: Heart (1977)
  98. Turn the Page (live): Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (1976)
  99. Crossroads (live): Cream (1969)
  100. The Logical Song: Supertramp (1979)
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This page last updated April 8, 2010.