I plan to wrap up the sixth of my decade lists tomorrow. It may be the last one I do for at least 7 years. I don't think I could tackle the 40s. It's just too hard to figure out what was actually released when. For instance, I haven't included any Charlie Parker in my 50s list. I'm pretty sure his recordings I like best are from the 40s, but I don't doubt that there were some terrific live versions from the early 50s I could have included if I had a more full appreciation for his whole discography.
Another issue with the 50s, which I expect would be even more challenging in the 40s, are the songs that were recorded by many artists. It's one thing for me to say I like Elvis Presley's "Mystery Train" better than Junior Parker's original because I know both versions well, or that Pat Boone's "Tutti Frutti" could be ignored entirely in favor of Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti". I also had no problem in the 70s preferring Elvis Costello's "What's So Funny Bout Peace Love and Understanding" to the Brinsley Schwartz original. With the standards from the 30s and 40s, I know the songs more than I know the individual performances and it's often hard with re-issues to sort out recording dates from release dates. I've tried to stick with release dates for these countdowns.
If you're looking for any of the 6 countdowns, they're located here:
1950s (top 400)
1960s (top 500)
1970s (top 500)
1980s (top 500)
1990s (top 300)
2000s (top 300)
If you're extra-interested in the process for making these countdowns, there's a four part interview located here:
part 1 - including the question what makes your lists different?
part 2 - including the question what is the ranking process?
part 3 - including the question which decade was the easiest?
part 4 - including the question what sort of feedback have you received?
Special thanks to Jack at SaltInWound for doing the interview two years ago. They haven't been among my more popular posts, but I really enjoyed it myself, and it helped me think through some aspects of the process that ultimately affected the 1960s and 1950s lists.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Top 400 Songs of the 1950s (a countdown)
I have previously counted down the top 300 or top 500 songs of all of the decades in which I've lived, excepting of course the present decade, which is far from over. Rather than wait another 7 years before doing my next decade list, I'm reaching back to the 1950s. Beyond the fact that I wasn't born until well after the end of that decade, the 50s pose quite a few other listmaking challenges. I was undeterred.
It's very hard to accurately track down dates for a lot of worthy 50's era music. I don't doubt that a few songs from the late 40s or early 60s have accidentally slipped onto this list. The very format on which music was released was changing, from 10" 78rpm to 12" longplay (LP) records and also to 7" 45rpm singles. Much of what was released in the early 50s was re-released in different formats later. I tried to do my best to get correct dates, but in addition to some good reliable sources, I also used a fair number of questionable internet sources.
The biggest challenge of all is that there was some hugely popular music in the 1950s that was unfamiliar to me before beginning this list. I tried to fill in the gaps in my musical knowledge, especially pre-1955 pop music, but I know there's a lot of worthy music that I just plain missed. Setting apologies aside, here's the beginning of the list. I'll be updating this post over the course of the next few weeks with more of the countdown.
Here's 400 through 351 (posted Jan 5, 2013)
400. Billy Lamont - I Got A Rock & Roll Gal (1957)
399. Percy Faith & His Orchestra - Delicado (1952)
398. The Moroccos - Bang Goes My Heart (1955)
397. Johnnie Ray - Cry (1951)
396. Stan Freberg - St. George & The Dragonet (1951)
395. Link Wray - Dixie-Doodle (1959)
394. The Ames Brothers - Undecided (1951)
393. Carl Smith - (When You Feel Like You're In Love)Don't Just Stand There (1952)
392. Sonny James - First Date, First Kiss, First Love (1957)
391. Guy Mitchell - Pittsburgh Pennsylvania (1952)
390. The Du Droppers - Bam Balam (1953)
389. Buddy Holly - Maybe Baby (1958)
388. Jeani Mack - Super Duper (1959)
387. The Platters - Harbour Lights (1959)
386. Webb Pierce - I Ain't Never (1959)
385. Jo Stafford - Hawaiian War Chant (1951)
384. Lord Kitchener - Trouble In Arima (1955)
383. Yul Brynner - A Puzzlement (1951)
382. Hank Williams - Moanin' The Blues (1950)
381. Porter Wagoner - A Satisfied Mind (1955)
380. The Clovers - Don't You Know I Love You (1951)
379. Della Reese - Don't You Know (1959)
378. Elvis Presley - Love Me Tender (1956)
377. George Shearing - Lulu's Back in Town (1958)
376. Boyd Bennett And His Rockets - Seventeen (1956)
375. Little Walter - Can't Hold Out Much Longer (1952)
374. Sam Cooke - Touch The Hem Of His Garment (1956)
373. Boyd Bennett And His Rockets - Banjo Rock 'n Roll (1956)
372. Illinois Jacquet - Flying Home (1951)
371. Marty Robbins - I'll Go On Alone (1952)
370. Perry Como - Zing Zing, Zoom Zoom (1951)
369. Eddy Arnold and the Tennessee Plowboys and his Guitar - I Wanna Play House With You (1951)
368. Rebecca Williams - Please Give Me A Match (1957)
367. Slim Gaillard - Yip Roc Heresy (1951)
366. The Clovers - Lovey Dovey (1954)
365. Ben Bowers - Not Me (1957)
364. The Everly Brothers - Claudette (1959)
363. The Del Vikings - Whispering Bells (1957)
362. Donald Byrd - Sudwest Funk (1958)
361. Lonnie Donegan - Battle Of New Orleans (1959)
360. The Ames Brothers - The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane (1954)
359. Joni James - Why Don't You Believe Me (1952)
358. Johnny Cash - Train Of Love (1956)
357. Miller Sisters - Someday You Will Pay (1955)
356. Frank Sinatra - Night And Day (1956)
355. Carl Perkins - Jive After Five (1958)
354. Hank Williams - I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive (1952)
353. Slim Gaillard - You Goofed (1952)
352. Eddie Fisher - Anytime (1951)
351. Donald O'Connor - Make 'Em Laugh (1952)
Continuing with 350 through 301 (posted Jan 9, 2013)
350. Chuz Alfred Combo - Rocking Boy (1955)
349. Slim Gaillard - Potato Chips (1952)
348. Percy Mayfield - The River's Invitation (1952)
347. Roy Haynes - Sugar Ray (1958)
346. Eugene Church - Good News (1959)
345. Perry Como - Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes (1952)
344. Big Daddy - Bacon Fat (1956)
343. Bing Crosby - Let A Smile Be Your Umbrella (1957)
342. Smokey Hogg - Look In Your Eyes Pretty Mama (1950)
341. The Debutantes - Just Leave It To Me (1956)
340. Link Wray - Rumble Mambo (1959)
339. Oliver Nelson - Jams And Jellies (1959)
338. Marty Robbins - Just Married (1958)
337. Ruth Brown - 5-10-15 Hours (1952)
336. Sam Cooke - Just Another Day (1952)
335. Lonnie Donegan - Lonesome Traveller (1958)
334. Sarah Vaughan - Come Rain Or Come Shine (1950)
333. Crew Cuts - Sh Boom (1954)
332. Eddy Arnold - The Cattle Call (1955)
331. Donald Byrd - Down Tempo (1958)
330. Frank Sinatra - Witchcraft (1957)
329. Tony Bennett - Rags To Riches (1953)
328. Hank Williams - Baby We're Really In Love (1951)
327. Lloyd Price - Personality (1959)
326. Ferlin Husky - Gone (1957)
325. Teresa Brewer - The Banjo's Back In Town (1955)
324. The Louvin Brothers - Satan Is Real (1959)
323. Big Red McHouston - I'm Tired (1954)
322. Gene Ammons - King Size (1957)
321. The Penguins - Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine) (1954)
320. Six Teens - Stop Playing Ping Pong With My Heart (1957)
319. The Four Aces - Three Coins In The Fountain (1954)
318. Glen Reeves - Tarzan (1958)
317. Jo Stafford - Big D (1956)
316. The Chordettes - Lollipop (1958)
315. Percy Mayfield - What A Fool I Was (1950)
314. Robert Preston - Ya Got Trouble (1958)
313. Kitty Kallen - Little Things Mean A Lot (1954) 312. Hank Williams - Long Gone Lonesome Blues (1950)
311. Eddy Howard - Sin (It's No) Sin (1951)
310. Lord Invader & His Calypso Rhythm Boys - Reincarnation (The Bed Bug) (1958)
309. Irvin Russ - Crazy Alligator (1959)
308. Edith Piaf - L'homme A La Moto (Black Denim Trousers & MotorcycleBoots) (1956)
307. Carl Smith - Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way (1951)
306. Elvis Presley - You're A Heartbreaker (1954)
305. Boyd Bennett And His Rockets - Everlovin' (1956)
304. Kay Starr - I Wanna Love You (1952)
303. Lord Kitchener - Nora (1950)
302. Stars of Faith - When I Lay This Body Down (1958)
301. Andrews Sisters - I Wanna Be Loved (1950)
Continuing with 300 through 251 (posted Jan 11, 2013)
300. Frankie Laine - Jezebel (1951)
299. The Everly Brothers - Bye Bye Love (1959)
298. Elvis Presley - Baby Let's Play House (1955)
297. Marni Nixon/Rex Thompson - I Whistle A Happy Tune (1951)
296. The Fontane Sisters - Castle Rock (1951)
295. Miss Sharecropper (LaVern Baker) - I Want To Rock (1950)
294. Banjo Kings - Alabamy Bound (1953)
293. Little Willie Littlefield - Kansas City aka KC Lovin' (1952)
292. The Clovers - Down In The Alley (1957)
291. Count Basie & Joe Williams - Every Day I Have the Blues (1956)
290. Jo Stafford - Shrimp Boats (1951)
289. Slim Gaillard - Laughing In Rhythm (1951)
288. Sam Cooke - Jesus, Wash Away My Troubles (1956)
287. Alfred Drake - Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin' (1955)
286. Thelonious Monk - Blues Five Spot (1958)
285. Jimmy Reed - Ends And Odds (1959)
284. The Larks - Eyesight To The Blind (1951)
283. Eugene Church - Miami (1959)
282. Slim Gaillard - Babalu (Orooney) (1951)
281. Mills Brothers - The Glow Worm (1952)
280. Vic Fontaine - Little Rock Special (1956)
279. The Clovers - Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash (1954)
278. The Isley Brothers - Ring-A-Ling-A-Ling (Let The Wedding Bells Ring) (1959)
277. Tony Bennett - Stranger In Paradise (1953)
276. Eddy Arnold - There's Been A Change In Me (1951)
275. Elvis Presley - All Shook Up (1957)
274. Skip Stanley - Satellite Baby (1957)
273. Irma Thomas - Don't Mess With My Man (1959)
272. Frank Sinatra - Young At Heart (1953)
271. Buddy Holly - Everyday (1958)
270. Bill Haley & The Comets - Razzle-Dazzle (1955)
269. Esquivel - Whatchamacallit (1958)
268. Flatt & Scruggs - My Little Girl In Tennessee (1950)
267. Jimmy McCracklin - Get Back (1956)
266. Sam Cooke - Farther Along (1956)
265. Carl Perkins - Gone Gone Gone (1955)
264. Gene Autry with The Cass County Boys - Frosty The Snowman (1950)
263. Buddy Holly - I'm Gonna Love You Too (1958)
262. Link Wray - Raw-Hide (1959)
261. Frank Sinatra - Oh! Look At Me Now (1956)
260. Faron Young - Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young (1955)
259. The Clovers - I Played The Fool (1952)
258. Johnny Cash - So Doggone Lonesome (1955)
257. Jerry Lee Lewis - Crazy Arms (1958)
256. Annie Laurie - Stop, Don't Go (1956)
255. Amos Milburn - Flying Home (1952)
254. Bobby Day - Rockin' Robin (1958)
253. Frank Sinatra - Come Fly With Me (1957)
252. Nappy Brown - Don't Be Angry (1955)
251. Sarah Vaughan - Ooh What Cha Doin' To Me (1953)
Continuing with 250 through 201 (posted Jan 13, 2013)
250. Charles Walton & The Kool Kats - Four Four Time (1958)
249. Benn Joe Zeppa - A Foolish Fool (1959)
248. Dolly Cooper - I Wanna Know (1953)
247. Elvis Presley - Don't Be Cruel (1956)
246. Buddy Holly - Rave On (1958)
245. The Clovers - Devil Or Angel (1956)
244. Royal Steelband of Kingston - Mambo Mento (1958)
243. Jimmy McCracklin - The Georgia Slop (1958)
242. Bing Crosby - I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter (1957)
241. Bobby "Blue" Bland - Little Boy Blue (1958)
240. Ruth Brown - This Little Girl's Gone Rockin' (1958)
239. Hank Williams - Ramblin' Man (1953)
238. The Everly Brothers - This Little Girl Of Mine (1959)
237. Bill Haley & The Comets - Dim, Dim the Lights (1954)
236. Smokey Hogg - It's Rainin' Here (1951)
235. Jane Turner - Danger Blues (1954)
234. Sam Cooke - Come And Go To That Land (1954)
233. Little Richard - Long Tall Sally (1957)
232. Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five - Friendship (1952)
231. Buddy Holly - Oh Boy! (1958)
230. Martin Denny - Love Dance (1957)
229. The Swallows - Roll Roll Pretty Baby (1950)
228. Miles Davis - Rocker (1957)
227. Tennessee Ernie Ford - Shot-Gun Boogie (1951)
226. The Mighty Terror And His Calipsonians - Patricia Gone With Millicent (1956)
225. Georgia Lane - Get It! (1953)
224. Little Walter - Roller Coaster (1955)
223. Big Mama Thornton - The Fish (1955)
222. Chuck Berry - Oh Baby Doll (1957)
221. Frank Sinatra - It Happened In Monterey (1956)
220. Johnny Otis Orchestra - All Nite Long (1951)
219. The Clovers - Fool, Fool, Fool (1951)
218. Titans - No Time (1959)
217. The Native Boys - When I Met You (1956)
216. The Clovers - Ting-A- Ling (1952)
215. Cubs - Why Did You Make Me Cry? (1956)
214. Doye O'Dell - Diesel Smoke (Dangerous Curves) (1952)
213. Clayton, Rich & The Rumbles - Wail It (1959)
212. Webb Pierce - In The Jailhouse Now (1955)
211. Lonnie Donegan - Cumberland Gap (1957)
210. Bill Haley & The Comets - Shake, Rattle and Roll (1954)
209. Bobby Louis - Adult Western (1959)
208. Hank Thompson - This Train (1954)
207. Bobo Jenkins - Nothing But Love (1955)
206. The Robins - Ten Days In Jail (1954)
205. Carl Smith - Hey Joe! (1953)
204. Miles Davis - Two Bass Hit (1958)
203. The Champs - Tequila (1958)
202. Sarah Vaughan - Blues Serenade (1953)
201. Skeeter Davis - The One You Slip Around With (1959)
Continuing with 200 through 151 (posted Jan 15, 2013)
200. Sam Cooke - Mean Old World (1957)
199. The Pilgrim Travelers - Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb (1951)
198. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Blues March (1958)
197. Frank Sinatra - I've Got You Under My Skin (1956)
196. Bobby "Blue" Bland - I'll Take Care Of You (1959)
195. Frank Sinatra - They Can't Take That Away From Me (1953)
194. Faron Young - If You Ain't Lovin' (You Ain't Livin') (1954)
193. Little Richard - Good Golly Miss Molly (1958)
192. Lefty Frizzell - If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time (1950)
191. Junior Parker - Mystery Train (1953)
190. Elvis Presley - Just Because (1954)
189. Art Blakey - Cranky Spanky (1956)
188. Chuck Berry - Maybellene (1955)
187. Eddy Arnold - A Full Time Job (1952)
186. Frank Sinatra - I've Got The World On A String (1953)
185. Miles Davis - Airegin (1957)
184. Big Mama Thornton - They Call Me Big Mama (1953)
183. Miles Davis - All Blues (1959)
182. Sarah Vaughan - Mean To Me (1950)
181. Elvis Presley - Milkcow Blues Boogie (1954)
180. Lonnie Donegan - Fort Worth Jail (1959)
179. Hank Thompson - Total Stranger (1958)
178. Duke Ellington - Track 360 (1959)
177. The Everly Brothers - Problems (1959)
176. Bertice Reading - Sweet Goody (1953)
175. Ray Charles - Night Time Is the Right Time (1959)
174. Chuck Berry - Back In The U.S.A. (1959)
173. The Mighty Terror And His Calipsonians - Women Police In England (1956)
172. Coleman Hawkins - Groovin' (1958)
171. The Monotones - Book of Love (1958)
170. Jerry Lee Lewis - Lewis Boogie (1958)
169. Nappy Brown - Little By Little (1956)
168. The Everly Brothers - Bird Dog (1959)
167. Donald Byrd - Off To The Races (1958)
166. Chuck Berry - Downbound Train (1955)
165. Fireflies - Stella's Got a Fella (1959)
164. Dorothea Fleming - The Devil is Mad (1954)
163. Slim Gaillard - Make It Do (1952)
162. Little Walter - It Ain't Right (1955)
161. The Chuck A Lucks - The Devil's Train (1958)
160. Sarah Vaughan - Perdido (1950)
159. Jiants - Tornado (1959)
158. Johnny Cash - Don't Take Your Guns To Town (1958)
157. Big Mama Thornton - Walking Blues (1954)
156. Patti Page - Tennessee Waltz (1950)
155. Hank Williams - Kaw-Liga (1953)
154. Junior Parker - Feelin Good (1953)
153. Percy Mayfield - Please Send Me Someone To Love (1950)
152. Original Cast of the 1951 NBC Telecast & Thomas Schippers - This Is My Box (1951)
151. Kay Starr - Wheel Of Fortune (1952)
Continuing with 150 through 126 (posted Jan 18, 2013)
150. Hank Williams - Jambalaya (On the Bayou) (1952)
149. Buddy Holly - It's So Easy (1958)
148. Teresa Brewer - Ricochet (1953)
147. Hank Thompson - Big Beaver (1954)
146. Jackie Brenston - Rocket 88 (1951)
145. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - Got A Job (1958)
144. Johnny Cash - I Still Miss Someone (1958)
143. Robert Alda - Luck Be a Lady (1950)
142. The Clovers - Blue Velvet (1955)
141. Hank Williams - Hey, Good Lookin' (1951)
140. Robert Preston - Seventy Six Trombones (1958)
139. Santo & Johnny - Sleepwalk (1959)
138. Sonny Clark - Cool Struttin' (1958)
137. Coasters - Poison Ivy (1959)
136. Dion & The Belmonts - I Wonder Why (1958)
135. Hank Thompson - A Six Pack To Go (1959)
134. Nappy Brown - The Right Time (1957)
133. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - The Drum Thunder Suite (1958)
132. Brownie Mc Ghee - Anna Mae (1955)
131. Betty & Dupree - I Hope You're Satisfied (1959)
130. Sarah Vaughan - Nice Work If You Can Get It (1950)
129. The Mighty Terror And His Calipsonians - Heading North (1958)
128. Les Paul & Mary Ford - In The Good Old Summertime (1950)
127. Johnny Cash - Big River (1957)
126. The Viscounts - Harlem Nocturne (1959)
Continuing with 125 through 101 (posted Jan 19, 2013)
125. Hank Williams - Cold, Cold Heart (1951)
124. Johnny Mathis - It's Not for Me to Say (1957)
123. Junior Parker - Love My Baby (1953)
122. Thurston Harris - Purple Stew (1958)
121. Bobby Freeman - Betty Lou Got A New Pair Of Shoes (1959)
120. The Swallows - It Ain't The Meat (1950)
119. Percy Mayfield - Louisiana (1952)
118. Gene Vincent - Be-Bop-A-Lula (1956)
117. Kitty Wells - It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels (1952)
116. Buddy Holly - That'll Be The Day (1957)
115. Lonnie Donegan - Talking Guitar Blues (1959)
114. Tony Martin - I Get Ideas (1951)
113. Elvis Presley - I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine (1954)
112. The Isley Brothers - Yes Indeed (1959)
111. Ray Anthony - Peter Gunn Theme (1958)
110. Bo Diddley - Diddley Daddy (1955)
109. Johnny "Guitar" Watson - One More Kiss (1959)
108. Lillian Briggs - Can't Stop (1955)
107. Bing Crosby - Cool Water (1952)
106. Sonny Clark - Blue Minor (1958)
105. Evelyn Freeman - Didn't It Rain (1958)
104. Fats Domino - Ain't That A Shame? (1955)
103. Gene Kelly - Singin' in the Rain (1952)
102. Big Mama Thornton - Hound Dog (1953)
101. Georgia Gibbs - The Kiss Of Fire (1952)
Continuing with 100 through 81 (posted Jan 20, 2013)
100. Carl Perkins - Matchbox (1957)
99. Frank Sinatra - The Lady Is A Tramp (1957)
98. Rosemary Clooney - Come On-A My House (1951)
97. Marty Robbins - The Hanging Tree (1959)
96. Anton Karas - The Third Man Theme (1950)
95. Louis Prima - Jump, Jive, An' Wail (1957)
94. Frank Sinatra - You Make Me Feel So Young (1956)
93. Buddy Holly - Words Of Love (1958)
92. Carl Perkins - Honey Don't (1955)
91. Dean Martin - That's Amore (1953)
90. Jim Hall and His Radio Pals - Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Potassium (1959)
89. The Chordettes - Mr. Sandman (1954)
88. Elvis Presley - Hound Dog (1956)
87. Hank Snow - The Golden Rocket (1950)
86. Nat King Cole - Unforgettable (1951)
85. The Everly Brothers - Wake Up Little Susie (1959)
84. Jerry Lee Lewis - Great Balls Of Fire (1958)
83. Coasters - Down In Mexico (1956)
82. Harry Belafonte - Day-O (Banana Boat) (1956)
81. Lonnie Donegan - Jack O'Diamonds (1957)
Continuing with 80 through 61 (posted Jan 21, 2013)
80. Sarah Vaughan - Ain't Misbehavin' (1950)
79. Clarence "Frogman" Henry - Ain't Got No Home (1956)
78. Sonny Rollins - Strode Rode (1956)
77. The Chordettes - Love Never Changes (1956)
76. Sam Cooke - Peace In The Valley (1951)
75. Dorothy Love Coates - He's Right On Time (1956)
74. Big John Greer - You Played on My Piano (1951)
73. Big Mama Thornton - I Smell A Rat (1954)
72. Tennessee Ernie Ford - Sixteen Tons (1955)
71. Ray Anthony - Dragnet (1953)
70. Frank Sinatra - My Funny Valentine (1953)
69. Les Paul & Mary Ford - Brazil (1950)
68. Alfred Drake & Chorus - Oklahoma (1955)
67. Elvis Presley - I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (1954)
66. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Are You Real? (1958)
65. Frank Sinatra - I Get A Kick Out Of You (1953)
64. Charles Mingus - Jelly Roll (1959)
63. Chuck Berry - School Days (1957)
62. Stars of Faith - Mean Old World (1958)
61. Miles Davis - Freddie Freeloader (1959)
Continuing with 60 through 41 (posted Jan 22, 2013)
60. Jesse & Buzzy - Going Back To Orleans (1958)
59. Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong - Gone Fishin' (1951)
58. James Brown - Try Me (1958)
57. Ornette Coleman - Lonely Woman (1959)
56. Clifton Chenier - Boppin' the Rock (1955)
55. Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock (1957)
54. Billy The Kid Emerson - Red Hot (1955)
53. Little Walter - Off The Wall (1953)
52. Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley (1955)
51. Thelonious Monk - Bemsha Swing (1956)
50. Johnny Mathis - Chances Are (1957)
49. Sun Ra - India (1956)
48. Lefty Frizzell - I Love You a Thousand Ways (1950)
47. Eddie Cochran - Summertime Blues (1958)
46. Nat King Cole - Mona Lisa (1950)
45. Sam Cooke - Wonderful (1956)
44. Chuck Berry - Rock And Roll Music (1957)
43. Five Blind Boys - Count Me In (1954)
42. Peggy Lee - Black Coffee (1956)
41. Martin Denny - Quiet Village (1957)
Continuing with 40 through 31 (posted Jan 23, 2013)
40. Elvis Presley - HeartBreak Hotel (1956)
39. Robins - Riot In Cell Block #9 (1954)
38. Hank Williams - Take These Chains from My Heart (1953)
37. Sax Kari - Chocolate Fizz (1958)
36. Fats Domino - Blueberry Hill (1956)
35. Webb Pierce - There Stands The Glass (1953)
34. The Larks - Coffee Cigarettes And Tears (1951)
33. Jimmy Dale - Tennessee Ghost Train (1953)
32. Patsy Cline - Walkin' After Midnight (1957)
31. Little Richard - Tutti Frutti (1955)
Continuing with 30 through 21 (posted Jan 24, 2013)
30.The Louvin Brothers - I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby (1956)
29. Johnny Cash - Luther Played The Boogie (1959)
28. Sun Ra - Watusa (1959)
27. Buddy Holly - Peggy Sue (1957)
26. Five Blind Boys - Stand By Me (1954)
25. Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode (1957)
24. Elvis Presley - That's All Right (1954)
23. Miles Davis - Milestones (1958)
22. Charles Mingus - Boogie Stop Shuffle (1959)
21. Little Walter - My Babe (1955)
Continuing with 20 through 11 (posted Jan 25, 2013)
20. Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues (1957)
19. Screamin' Jay Hawkins - I Put a Spell On You (1956)
18. Hank Williams - Your Cheatin' Heart (1953)
17. The Isley Brothers - Shout (Parts 1 and 2) (1959)
16. Sam Cooke - I'm So Glad (Trouble Don't Last Always) (1955)
15. Bo Diddley - I'm A Man (1955)
14. Carl Perkins - Blue Suede Shoes (1955)
13. Link Wray - Rumble (1958)
12. The Clovers - One Mint Julep (1952)
11. Bill Haley & The Comets - Rock Around the Clock (1954)
Continuing with 10 through 6 (posted Jan 26, 2013)
10. Joe Liggins - Pink Champagne (1950)
9. Elvis Presley - Blue Moon Of Kentucky (1954)
8. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Moanin' (1958)
7. Carl Perkins - Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby (1957)
6. Jerry Lee Lewis - Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (1957)
Wrapping up the countdown with 5 though 1 (posted Jan 27, 2013)
5. Buddy Holly - Not Fade Away (1958)
4. Johnny Cash - I Walk The Line (1957)
3. Miles Davis - So What (1959)
2. Chuck Berry - Roll Over Beethoven (1956)
1. Elvis Presley - Mystery Train (1955)
I'll probably update later to provide a few more links to youtube or elsewhere, but that concludes countdown #6. For more thoughts on the various countdowns, see here.
It's very hard to accurately track down dates for a lot of worthy 50's era music. I don't doubt that a few songs from the late 40s or early 60s have accidentally slipped onto this list. The very format on which music was released was changing, from 10" 78rpm to 12" longplay (LP) records and also to 7" 45rpm singles. Much of what was released in the early 50s was re-released in different formats later. I tried to do my best to get correct dates, but in addition to some good reliable sources, I also used a fair number of questionable internet sources.
The biggest challenge of all is that there was some hugely popular music in the 1950s that was unfamiliar to me before beginning this list. I tried to fill in the gaps in my musical knowledge, especially pre-1955 pop music, but I know there's a lot of worthy music that I just plain missed. Setting apologies aside, here's the beginning of the list. I'll be updating this post over the course of the next few weeks with more of the countdown.
Here's 400 through 351 (posted Jan 5, 2013)
400. Billy Lamont - I Got A Rock & Roll Gal (1957)
399. Percy Faith & His Orchestra - Delicado (1952)
398. The Moroccos - Bang Goes My Heart (1955)
397. Johnnie Ray - Cry (1951)
396. Stan Freberg - St. George & The Dragonet (1951)
395. Link Wray - Dixie-Doodle (1959)
394. The Ames Brothers - Undecided (1951)
393. Carl Smith - (When You Feel Like You're In Love)Don't Just Stand There (1952)
392. Sonny James - First Date, First Kiss, First Love (1957)
391. Guy Mitchell - Pittsburgh Pennsylvania (1952)
390. The Du Droppers - Bam Balam (1953)
389. Buddy Holly - Maybe Baby (1958)
388. Jeani Mack - Super Duper (1959)
387. The Platters - Harbour Lights (1959)
386. Webb Pierce - I Ain't Never (1959)
385. Jo Stafford - Hawaiian War Chant (1951)
384. Lord Kitchener - Trouble In Arima (1955)
383. Yul Brynner - A Puzzlement (1951)
382. Hank Williams - Moanin' The Blues (1950)
381. Porter Wagoner - A Satisfied Mind (1955)
380. The Clovers - Don't You Know I Love You (1951)
379. Della Reese - Don't You Know (1959)
378. Elvis Presley - Love Me Tender (1956)
377. George Shearing - Lulu's Back in Town (1958)
376. Boyd Bennett And His Rockets - Seventeen (1956)
375. Little Walter - Can't Hold Out Much Longer (1952)
374. Sam Cooke - Touch The Hem Of His Garment (1956)
373. Boyd Bennett And His Rockets - Banjo Rock 'n Roll (1956)
372. Illinois Jacquet - Flying Home (1951)
371. Marty Robbins - I'll Go On Alone (1952)
370. Perry Como - Zing Zing, Zoom Zoom (1951)
369. Eddy Arnold and the Tennessee Plowboys and his Guitar - I Wanna Play House With You (1951)
368. Rebecca Williams - Please Give Me A Match (1957)
367. Slim Gaillard - Yip Roc Heresy (1951)
366. The Clovers - Lovey Dovey (1954)
365. Ben Bowers - Not Me (1957)
364. The Everly Brothers - Claudette (1959)
363. The Del Vikings - Whispering Bells (1957)
362. Donald Byrd - Sudwest Funk (1958)
361. Lonnie Donegan - Battle Of New Orleans (1959)
360. The Ames Brothers - The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane (1954)
359. Joni James - Why Don't You Believe Me (1952)
358. Johnny Cash - Train Of Love (1956)
357. Miller Sisters - Someday You Will Pay (1955)
356. Frank Sinatra - Night And Day (1956)
355. Carl Perkins - Jive After Five (1958)
354. Hank Williams - I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive (1952)
353. Slim Gaillard - You Goofed (1952)
352. Eddie Fisher - Anytime (1951)
351. Donald O'Connor - Make 'Em Laugh (1952)
Continuing with 350 through 301 (posted Jan 9, 2013)
350. Chuz Alfred Combo - Rocking Boy (1955)
349. Slim Gaillard - Potato Chips (1952)
348. Percy Mayfield - The River's Invitation (1952)
347. Roy Haynes - Sugar Ray (1958)
346. Eugene Church - Good News (1959)
345. Perry Como - Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes (1952)
344. Big Daddy - Bacon Fat (1956)
343. Bing Crosby - Let A Smile Be Your Umbrella (1957)
342. Smokey Hogg - Look In Your Eyes Pretty Mama (1950)
341. The Debutantes - Just Leave It To Me (1956)
340. Link Wray - Rumble Mambo (1959)
339. Oliver Nelson - Jams And Jellies (1959)
338. Marty Robbins - Just Married (1958)
337. Ruth Brown - 5-10-15 Hours (1952)
336. Sam Cooke - Just Another Day (1952)
335. Lonnie Donegan - Lonesome Traveller (1958)
334. Sarah Vaughan - Come Rain Or Come Shine (1950)
333. Crew Cuts - Sh Boom (1954)
332. Eddy Arnold - The Cattle Call (1955)
331. Donald Byrd - Down Tempo (1958)
330. Frank Sinatra - Witchcraft (1957)
329. Tony Bennett - Rags To Riches (1953)
328. Hank Williams - Baby We're Really In Love (1951)
327. Lloyd Price - Personality (1959)
326. Ferlin Husky - Gone (1957)
325. Teresa Brewer - The Banjo's Back In Town (1955)
324. The Louvin Brothers - Satan Is Real (1959)
323. Big Red McHouston - I'm Tired (1954)
322. Gene Ammons - King Size (1957)
321. The Penguins - Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine) (1954)
320. Six Teens - Stop Playing Ping Pong With My Heart (1957)
319. The Four Aces - Three Coins In The Fountain (1954)
318. Glen Reeves - Tarzan (1958)
317. Jo Stafford - Big D (1956)
316. The Chordettes - Lollipop (1958)
315. Percy Mayfield - What A Fool I Was (1950)
314. Robert Preston - Ya Got Trouble (1958)
313. Kitty Kallen - Little Things Mean A Lot (1954) 312. Hank Williams - Long Gone Lonesome Blues (1950)
311. Eddy Howard - Sin (It's No) Sin (1951)
310. Lord Invader & His Calypso Rhythm Boys - Reincarnation (The Bed Bug) (1958)
309. Irvin Russ - Crazy Alligator (1959)
308. Edith Piaf - L'homme A La Moto (Black Denim Trousers & MotorcycleBoots) (1956)
307. Carl Smith - Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way (1951)
306. Elvis Presley - You're A Heartbreaker (1954)
305. Boyd Bennett And His Rockets - Everlovin' (1956)
304. Kay Starr - I Wanna Love You (1952)
303. Lord Kitchener - Nora (1950)
302. Stars of Faith - When I Lay This Body Down (1958)
301. Andrews Sisters - I Wanna Be Loved (1950)
Continuing with 300 through 251 (posted Jan 11, 2013)
300. Frankie Laine - Jezebel (1951)
299. The Everly Brothers - Bye Bye Love (1959)
298. Elvis Presley - Baby Let's Play House (1955)
297. Marni Nixon/Rex Thompson - I Whistle A Happy Tune (1951)
296. The Fontane Sisters - Castle Rock (1951)
295. Miss Sharecropper (LaVern Baker) - I Want To Rock (1950)
294. Banjo Kings - Alabamy Bound (1953)
293. Little Willie Littlefield - Kansas City aka KC Lovin' (1952)
292. The Clovers - Down In The Alley (1957)
291. Count Basie & Joe Williams - Every Day I Have the Blues (1956)
290. Jo Stafford - Shrimp Boats (1951)
289. Slim Gaillard - Laughing In Rhythm (1951)
288. Sam Cooke - Jesus, Wash Away My Troubles (1956)
287. Alfred Drake - Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin' (1955)
286. Thelonious Monk - Blues Five Spot (1958)
285. Jimmy Reed - Ends And Odds (1959)
284. The Larks - Eyesight To The Blind (1951)
283. Eugene Church - Miami (1959)
282. Slim Gaillard - Babalu (Orooney) (1951)
281. Mills Brothers - The Glow Worm (1952)
280. Vic Fontaine - Little Rock Special (1956)
279. The Clovers - Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash (1954)
278. The Isley Brothers - Ring-A-Ling-A-Ling (Let The Wedding Bells Ring) (1959)
277. Tony Bennett - Stranger In Paradise (1953)
276. Eddy Arnold - There's Been A Change In Me (1951)
275. Elvis Presley - All Shook Up (1957)
274. Skip Stanley - Satellite Baby (1957)
273. Irma Thomas - Don't Mess With My Man (1959)
272. Frank Sinatra - Young At Heart (1953)
271. Buddy Holly - Everyday (1958)
270. Bill Haley & The Comets - Razzle-Dazzle (1955)
269. Esquivel - Whatchamacallit (1958)
268. Flatt & Scruggs - My Little Girl In Tennessee (1950)
267. Jimmy McCracklin - Get Back (1956)
266. Sam Cooke - Farther Along (1956)
265. Carl Perkins - Gone Gone Gone (1955)
264. Gene Autry with The Cass County Boys - Frosty The Snowman (1950)
263. Buddy Holly - I'm Gonna Love You Too (1958)
262. Link Wray - Raw-Hide (1959)
261. Frank Sinatra - Oh! Look At Me Now (1956)
260. Faron Young - Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young (1955)
259. The Clovers - I Played The Fool (1952)
258. Johnny Cash - So Doggone Lonesome (1955)
257. Jerry Lee Lewis - Crazy Arms (1958)
256. Annie Laurie - Stop, Don't Go (1956)
255. Amos Milburn - Flying Home (1952)
254. Bobby Day - Rockin' Robin (1958)
253. Frank Sinatra - Come Fly With Me (1957)
252. Nappy Brown - Don't Be Angry (1955)
251. Sarah Vaughan - Ooh What Cha Doin' To Me (1953)
Continuing with 250 through 201 (posted Jan 13, 2013)
250. Charles Walton & The Kool Kats - Four Four Time (1958)
249. Benn Joe Zeppa - A Foolish Fool (1959)
248. Dolly Cooper - I Wanna Know (1953)
247. Elvis Presley - Don't Be Cruel (1956)
246. Buddy Holly - Rave On (1958)
245. The Clovers - Devil Or Angel (1956)
244. Royal Steelband of Kingston - Mambo Mento (1958)
243. Jimmy McCracklin - The Georgia Slop (1958)
242. Bing Crosby - I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter (1957)
241. Bobby "Blue" Bland - Little Boy Blue (1958)
240. Ruth Brown - This Little Girl's Gone Rockin' (1958)
239. Hank Williams - Ramblin' Man (1953)
238. The Everly Brothers - This Little Girl Of Mine (1959)
237. Bill Haley & The Comets - Dim, Dim the Lights (1954)
236. Smokey Hogg - It's Rainin' Here (1951)
235. Jane Turner - Danger Blues (1954)
234. Sam Cooke - Come And Go To That Land (1954)
233. Little Richard - Long Tall Sally (1957)
232. Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five - Friendship (1952)
231. Buddy Holly - Oh Boy! (1958)
230. Martin Denny - Love Dance (1957)
229. The Swallows - Roll Roll Pretty Baby (1950)
228. Miles Davis - Rocker (1957)
227. Tennessee Ernie Ford - Shot-Gun Boogie (1951)
226. The Mighty Terror And His Calipsonians - Patricia Gone With Millicent (1956)
225. Georgia Lane - Get It! (1953)
224. Little Walter - Roller Coaster (1955)
223. Big Mama Thornton - The Fish (1955)
222. Chuck Berry - Oh Baby Doll (1957)
221. Frank Sinatra - It Happened In Monterey (1956)
220. Johnny Otis Orchestra - All Nite Long (1951)
219. The Clovers - Fool, Fool, Fool (1951)
218. Titans - No Time (1959)
217. The Native Boys - When I Met You (1956)
216. The Clovers - Ting-A- Ling (1952)
215. Cubs - Why Did You Make Me Cry? (1956)
214. Doye O'Dell - Diesel Smoke (Dangerous Curves) (1952)
213. Clayton, Rich & The Rumbles - Wail It (1959)
212. Webb Pierce - In The Jailhouse Now (1955)
211. Lonnie Donegan - Cumberland Gap (1957)
210. Bill Haley & The Comets - Shake, Rattle and Roll (1954)
209. Bobby Louis - Adult Western (1959)
208. Hank Thompson - This Train (1954)
207. Bobo Jenkins - Nothing But Love (1955)
206. The Robins - Ten Days In Jail (1954)
205. Carl Smith - Hey Joe! (1953)
204. Miles Davis - Two Bass Hit (1958)
203. The Champs - Tequila (1958)
202. Sarah Vaughan - Blues Serenade (1953)
201. Skeeter Davis - The One You Slip Around With (1959)
Continuing with 200 through 151 (posted Jan 15, 2013)
200. Sam Cooke - Mean Old World (1957)
199. The Pilgrim Travelers - Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb (1951)
198. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Blues March (1958)
197. Frank Sinatra - I've Got You Under My Skin (1956)
196. Bobby "Blue" Bland - I'll Take Care Of You (1959)
195. Frank Sinatra - They Can't Take That Away From Me (1953)
194. Faron Young - If You Ain't Lovin' (You Ain't Livin') (1954)
193. Little Richard - Good Golly Miss Molly (1958)
192. Lefty Frizzell - If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time (1950)
191. Junior Parker - Mystery Train (1953)
190. Elvis Presley - Just Because (1954)
189. Art Blakey - Cranky Spanky (1956)
188. Chuck Berry - Maybellene (1955)
187. Eddy Arnold - A Full Time Job (1952)
186. Frank Sinatra - I've Got The World On A String (1953)
185. Miles Davis - Airegin (1957)
184. Big Mama Thornton - They Call Me Big Mama (1953)
183. Miles Davis - All Blues (1959)
182. Sarah Vaughan - Mean To Me (1950)
181. Elvis Presley - Milkcow Blues Boogie (1954)
180. Lonnie Donegan - Fort Worth Jail (1959)
179. Hank Thompson - Total Stranger (1958)
178. Duke Ellington - Track 360 (1959)
177. The Everly Brothers - Problems (1959)
176. Bertice Reading - Sweet Goody (1953)
175. Ray Charles - Night Time Is the Right Time (1959)
174. Chuck Berry - Back In The U.S.A. (1959)
173. The Mighty Terror And His Calipsonians - Women Police In England (1956)
172. Coleman Hawkins - Groovin' (1958)
171. The Monotones - Book of Love (1958)
170. Jerry Lee Lewis - Lewis Boogie (1958)
169. Nappy Brown - Little By Little (1956)
168. The Everly Brothers - Bird Dog (1959)
167. Donald Byrd - Off To The Races (1958)
166. Chuck Berry - Downbound Train (1955)
165. Fireflies - Stella's Got a Fella (1959)
164. Dorothea Fleming - The Devil is Mad (1954)
163. Slim Gaillard - Make It Do (1952)
162. Little Walter - It Ain't Right (1955)
161. The Chuck A Lucks - The Devil's Train (1958)
160. Sarah Vaughan - Perdido (1950)
159. Jiants - Tornado (1959)
158. Johnny Cash - Don't Take Your Guns To Town (1958)
157. Big Mama Thornton - Walking Blues (1954)
156. Patti Page - Tennessee Waltz (1950)
155. Hank Williams - Kaw-Liga (1953)
154. Junior Parker - Feelin Good (1953)
153. Percy Mayfield - Please Send Me Someone To Love (1950)
152. Original Cast of the 1951 NBC Telecast & Thomas Schippers - This Is My Box (1951)
151. Kay Starr - Wheel Of Fortune (1952)
Continuing with 150 through 126 (posted Jan 18, 2013)
150. Hank Williams - Jambalaya (On the Bayou) (1952)
149. Buddy Holly - It's So Easy (1958)
148. Teresa Brewer - Ricochet (1953)
147. Hank Thompson - Big Beaver (1954)
146. Jackie Brenston - Rocket 88 (1951)
145. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - Got A Job (1958)
144. Johnny Cash - I Still Miss Someone (1958)
143. Robert Alda - Luck Be a Lady (1950)
142. The Clovers - Blue Velvet (1955)
141. Hank Williams - Hey, Good Lookin' (1951)
140. Robert Preston - Seventy Six Trombones (1958)
139. Santo & Johnny - Sleepwalk (1959)
138. Sonny Clark - Cool Struttin' (1958)
137. Coasters - Poison Ivy (1959)
136. Dion & The Belmonts - I Wonder Why (1958)
135. Hank Thompson - A Six Pack To Go (1959)
134. Nappy Brown - The Right Time (1957)
133. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - The Drum Thunder Suite (1958)
132. Brownie Mc Ghee - Anna Mae (1955)
131. Betty & Dupree - I Hope You're Satisfied (1959)
130. Sarah Vaughan - Nice Work If You Can Get It (1950)
129. The Mighty Terror And His Calipsonians - Heading North (1958)
128. Les Paul & Mary Ford - In The Good Old Summertime (1950)
127. Johnny Cash - Big River (1957)
126. The Viscounts - Harlem Nocturne (1959)
Continuing with 125 through 101 (posted Jan 19, 2013)
125. Hank Williams - Cold, Cold Heart (1951)
124. Johnny Mathis - It's Not for Me to Say (1957)
123. Junior Parker - Love My Baby (1953)
122. Thurston Harris - Purple Stew (1958)
121. Bobby Freeman - Betty Lou Got A New Pair Of Shoes (1959)
120. The Swallows - It Ain't The Meat (1950)
119. Percy Mayfield - Louisiana (1952)
118. Gene Vincent - Be-Bop-A-Lula (1956)
117. Kitty Wells - It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels (1952)
116. Buddy Holly - That'll Be The Day (1957)
115. Lonnie Donegan - Talking Guitar Blues (1959)
114. Tony Martin - I Get Ideas (1951)
113. Elvis Presley - I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine (1954)
112. The Isley Brothers - Yes Indeed (1959)
111. Ray Anthony - Peter Gunn Theme (1958)
110. Bo Diddley - Diddley Daddy (1955)
109. Johnny "Guitar" Watson - One More Kiss (1959)
108. Lillian Briggs - Can't Stop (1955)
107. Bing Crosby - Cool Water (1952)
106. Sonny Clark - Blue Minor (1958)
105. Evelyn Freeman - Didn't It Rain (1958)
104. Fats Domino - Ain't That A Shame? (1955)
103. Gene Kelly - Singin' in the Rain (1952)
102. Big Mama Thornton - Hound Dog (1953)
101. Georgia Gibbs - The Kiss Of Fire (1952)
Continuing with 100 through 81 (posted Jan 20, 2013)
100. Carl Perkins - Matchbox (1957)
99. Frank Sinatra - The Lady Is A Tramp (1957)
98. Rosemary Clooney - Come On-A My House (1951)
97. Marty Robbins - The Hanging Tree (1959)
96. Anton Karas - The Third Man Theme (1950)
95. Louis Prima - Jump, Jive, An' Wail (1957)
94. Frank Sinatra - You Make Me Feel So Young (1956)
93. Buddy Holly - Words Of Love (1958)
92. Carl Perkins - Honey Don't (1955)
91. Dean Martin - That's Amore (1953)
90. Jim Hall and His Radio Pals - Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Potassium (1959)
89. The Chordettes - Mr. Sandman (1954)
88. Elvis Presley - Hound Dog (1956)
87. Hank Snow - The Golden Rocket (1950)
86. Nat King Cole - Unforgettable (1951)
85. The Everly Brothers - Wake Up Little Susie (1959)
84. Jerry Lee Lewis - Great Balls Of Fire (1958)
83. Coasters - Down In Mexico (1956)
82. Harry Belafonte - Day-O (Banana Boat) (1956)
81. Lonnie Donegan - Jack O'Diamonds (1957)
Continuing with 80 through 61 (posted Jan 21, 2013)
80. Sarah Vaughan - Ain't Misbehavin' (1950)
79. Clarence "Frogman" Henry - Ain't Got No Home (1956)
78. Sonny Rollins - Strode Rode (1956)
77. The Chordettes - Love Never Changes (1956)
76. Sam Cooke - Peace In The Valley (1951)
75. Dorothy Love Coates - He's Right On Time (1956)
74. Big John Greer - You Played on My Piano (1951)
73. Big Mama Thornton - I Smell A Rat (1954)
72. Tennessee Ernie Ford - Sixteen Tons (1955)
71. Ray Anthony - Dragnet (1953)
70. Frank Sinatra - My Funny Valentine (1953)
69. Les Paul & Mary Ford - Brazil (1950)
68. Alfred Drake & Chorus - Oklahoma (1955)
67. Elvis Presley - I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (1954)
66. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Are You Real? (1958)
65. Frank Sinatra - I Get A Kick Out Of You (1953)
64. Charles Mingus - Jelly Roll (1959)
63. Chuck Berry - School Days (1957)
62. Stars of Faith - Mean Old World (1958)
61. Miles Davis - Freddie Freeloader (1959)
Continuing with 60 through 41 (posted Jan 22, 2013)
60. Jesse & Buzzy - Going Back To Orleans (1958)
59. Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong - Gone Fishin' (1951)
58. James Brown - Try Me (1958)
57. Ornette Coleman - Lonely Woman (1959)
56. Clifton Chenier - Boppin' the Rock (1955)
55. Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock (1957)
54. Billy The Kid Emerson - Red Hot (1955)
53. Little Walter - Off The Wall (1953)
52. Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley (1955)
51. Thelonious Monk - Bemsha Swing (1956)
50. Johnny Mathis - Chances Are (1957)
49. Sun Ra - India (1956)
48. Lefty Frizzell - I Love You a Thousand Ways (1950)
47. Eddie Cochran - Summertime Blues (1958)
46. Nat King Cole - Mona Lisa (1950)
45. Sam Cooke - Wonderful (1956)
44. Chuck Berry - Rock And Roll Music (1957)
43. Five Blind Boys - Count Me In (1954)
42. Peggy Lee - Black Coffee (1956)
41. Martin Denny - Quiet Village (1957)
Continuing with 40 through 31 (posted Jan 23, 2013)
40. Elvis Presley - HeartBreak Hotel (1956)
39. Robins - Riot In Cell Block #9 (1954)
38. Hank Williams - Take These Chains from My Heart (1953)
37. Sax Kari - Chocolate Fizz (1958)
36. Fats Domino - Blueberry Hill (1956)
35. Webb Pierce - There Stands The Glass (1953)
34. The Larks - Coffee Cigarettes And Tears (1951)
33. Jimmy Dale - Tennessee Ghost Train (1953)
32. Patsy Cline - Walkin' After Midnight (1957)
31. Little Richard - Tutti Frutti (1955)
Continuing with 30 through 21 (posted Jan 24, 2013)
30.The Louvin Brothers - I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby (1956)
29. Johnny Cash - Luther Played The Boogie (1959)
28. Sun Ra - Watusa (1959)
27. Buddy Holly - Peggy Sue (1957)
26. Five Blind Boys - Stand By Me (1954)
25. Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode (1957)
24. Elvis Presley - That's All Right (1954)
23. Miles Davis - Milestones (1958)
22. Charles Mingus - Boogie Stop Shuffle (1959)
21. Little Walter - My Babe (1955)
Continuing with 20 through 11 (posted Jan 25, 2013)
20. Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues (1957)
19. Screamin' Jay Hawkins - I Put a Spell On You (1956)
18. Hank Williams - Your Cheatin' Heart (1953)
17. The Isley Brothers - Shout (Parts 1 and 2) (1959)
16. Sam Cooke - I'm So Glad (Trouble Don't Last Always) (1955)
15. Bo Diddley - I'm A Man (1955)
14. Carl Perkins - Blue Suede Shoes (1955)
13. Link Wray - Rumble (1958)
12. The Clovers - One Mint Julep (1952)
11. Bill Haley & The Comets - Rock Around the Clock (1954)
Continuing with 10 through 6 (posted Jan 26, 2013)
10. Joe Liggins - Pink Champagne (1950)
9. Elvis Presley - Blue Moon Of Kentucky (1954)
8. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Moanin' (1958)
7. Carl Perkins - Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby (1957)
6. Jerry Lee Lewis - Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (1957)
Wrapping up the countdown with 5 though 1 (posted Jan 27, 2013)
5. Buddy Holly - Not Fade Away (1958)
4. Johnny Cash - I Walk The Line (1957)
3. Miles Davis - So What (1959)
2. Chuck Berry - Roll Over Beethoven (1956)
1. Elvis Presley - Mystery Train (1955)
I'll probably update later to provide a few more links to youtube or elsewhere, but that concludes countdown #6. For more thoughts on the various countdowns, see here.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Best of the 2012 Best Track Lists
The end of year lists are out. There are so many of them and they come out so early. There must be a strong demand for lists, or maybe just a very great supply of list makers.
The high points of Rolling Stone's top 50 song list were Alabama Shakes at #1, First Aid Kit at #10, Grizzly Bear at #29, and Craig Finn at #40. My 8YO will be excited that the Wanted made the list (at #44), but why are they on Rolling Stone's list?
Paste's list of the top 50 songs of 2012 also had First Aid Kit and Alabama Shakes in the top 10. They also had a song I hadn't heard called "When I Write My Master's Thesis" at #2. That's the kind of thing that makes the Paste list a lot better than the Rolling Stones list, even if there's a lot of overlap. Grizzly Bear and Dr. Dog sat right outside the top 10 at #11 and #12.
The NME top 50 best tracks of 2012 list strings together a number of songs that I really like, but don't quite love, from #6 to #9 with Grimes, Jake Bugg, Bat For Lashes, and Tame Impala. Tame Impala shows up on a lot of lists this year. I liked their 2010 record better, and I didn't see that one on too many lists, so I'm suspicious that the new record is just benefiting from the belated buzz due to them in 2010.
The Spin 40 best songs of 2012 is too heavy on the generic pop music for my taste. There's some overlap with other lists on the alternative end of the Spin spectrum (e.g. Grimes, Bat for Lashes, Japandroids, and Cat Power), but the list is dominated by pretty mainstream stuff. On the other hand, maybe the other lists that left off Psy and Carly Rae and Kanye will look silly in 10 years. Call me skeptical (maybe).
Popmatters gives us the 75 best songs of 2012. Grimes and Japandroids come in at #1 and #2 here as well as showing up on countless other lists. They've got Frank Ocean's "Pyramids" at #3 helping him run the table showing up near the top of more lists than anyone else with more than one song in contention. I think I could like "Pyramids" if it was shorter. I tried to listen to some of his other hyped tracks when the record first came out with so much buzz, and I've concluded that he must be a writer's artist. I'm a listener and a list maker, not so much a writer. I'd like to see Cloud Nothings higher up than #52, but at least they made this list. Adventureous genre blending music also didn't do very well on any of the lists this year, so I was glad to see Django Django at #15 and Pepe Deluxe at #22.
Stereogum gives a positive review to Pitchfork's top 100 track list. Speaking of Cloud Nothings, they come in at #34 at Pitchfork. By being a top 100, there's more room for both some adventurous choices and mainstream hip-hop and dance choices. Pitchfork is probably the winner in terms of the most music that I haven't heard that I'm now interested in hearing after reading what they had to say about it. They might also be the winner in terms of the most music that I haven't heard that I'm still not interested in hearing after reading what they had to say about it. If Rolling Stone and Paste overvalue rootsy music, Pitchfork and NME definitely undervalue it. A perfect list would fall between for me with a few more obscure choices.
Prettty Much Amazing gives us a top 25 with a lot of overlap with Pitchfork in the top 10. They give their #1 to Fiona Apple, whose comeback is apparently stronger than I understood.
Esquire's list is moderately interesting just because it has so little overlap with the other critics lists and they need to be commended for including Lee Fields, who appears to have been ignored by everyone else. Nonetheless, the presentation of the list on the web site is probably too annoying for anyone other than the most committed list reader. MSN, with only a top 12, competes for annoying presentation.
I tried to dig up a few more obscure lists in the hopes of finding more unexpected gems. Two lists with potential are Jonk's top 100 songs and the Wounded Jukebox. Jonk gets extra points for waiting until the end of the year to post and for including a lot of stuff I haven't heard that I think I might like. The Wounded Jukebox gets points for being one of the only lists to include Edward Sharpe's "Man on Fire". Both lists get points for including Tallest Man on Earth and for introducing me to Lord Huron.
Now it's time to start making a list for New Year's record shopping so that I can be ready to make my own best of 2012 list a year from now. As I explained in 2011 and again more recently, I need a year to catch up.
The high points of Rolling Stone's top 50 song list were Alabama Shakes at #1, First Aid Kit at #10, Grizzly Bear at #29, and Craig Finn at #40. My 8YO will be excited that the Wanted made the list (at #44), but why are they on Rolling Stone's list?
Paste's list of the top 50 songs of 2012 also had First Aid Kit and Alabama Shakes in the top 10. They also had a song I hadn't heard called "When I Write My Master's Thesis" at #2. That's the kind of thing that makes the Paste list a lot better than the Rolling Stones list, even if there's a lot of overlap. Grizzly Bear and Dr. Dog sat right outside the top 10 at #11 and #12.
The NME top 50 best tracks of 2012 list strings together a number of songs that I really like, but don't quite love, from #6 to #9 with Grimes, Jake Bugg, Bat For Lashes, and Tame Impala. Tame Impala shows up on a lot of lists this year. I liked their 2010 record better, and I didn't see that one on too many lists, so I'm suspicious that the new record is just benefiting from the belated buzz due to them in 2010.
The Spin 40 best songs of 2012 is too heavy on the generic pop music for my taste. There's some overlap with other lists on the alternative end of the Spin spectrum (e.g. Grimes, Bat for Lashes, Japandroids, and Cat Power), but the list is dominated by pretty mainstream stuff. On the other hand, maybe the other lists that left off Psy and Carly Rae and Kanye will look silly in 10 years. Call me skeptical (maybe).
Popmatters gives us the 75 best songs of 2012. Grimes and Japandroids come in at #1 and #2 here as well as showing up on countless other lists. They've got Frank Ocean's "Pyramids" at #3 helping him run the table showing up near the top of more lists than anyone else with more than one song in contention. I think I could like "Pyramids" if it was shorter. I tried to listen to some of his other hyped tracks when the record first came out with so much buzz, and I've concluded that he must be a writer's artist. I'm a listener and a list maker, not so much a writer. I'd like to see Cloud Nothings higher up than #52, but at least they made this list. Adventureous genre blending music also didn't do very well on any of the lists this year, so I was glad to see Django Django at #15 and Pepe Deluxe at #22.
Stereogum gives a positive review to Pitchfork's top 100 track list. Speaking of Cloud Nothings, they come in at #34 at Pitchfork. By being a top 100, there's more room for both some adventurous choices and mainstream hip-hop and dance choices. Pitchfork is probably the winner in terms of the most music that I haven't heard that I'm now interested in hearing after reading what they had to say about it. They might also be the winner in terms of the most music that I haven't heard that I'm still not interested in hearing after reading what they had to say about it. If Rolling Stone and Paste overvalue rootsy music, Pitchfork and NME definitely undervalue it. A perfect list would fall between for me with a few more obscure choices.
Prettty Much Amazing gives us a top 25 with a lot of overlap with Pitchfork in the top 10. They give their #1 to Fiona Apple, whose comeback is apparently stronger than I understood.
Esquire's list is moderately interesting just because it has so little overlap with the other critics lists and they need to be commended for including Lee Fields, who appears to have been ignored by everyone else. Nonetheless, the presentation of the list on the web site is probably too annoying for anyone other than the most committed list reader. MSN, with only a top 12, competes for annoying presentation.
I tried to dig up a few more obscure lists in the hopes of finding more unexpected gems. Two lists with potential are Jonk's top 100 songs and the Wounded Jukebox. Jonk gets extra points for waiting until the end of the year to post and for including a lot of stuff I haven't heard that I think I might like. The Wounded Jukebox gets points for being one of the only lists to include Edward Sharpe's "Man on Fire". Both lists get points for including Tallest Man on Earth and for introducing me to Lord Huron.
Now it's time to start making a list for New Year's record shopping so that I can be ready to make my own best of 2012 list a year from now. As I explained in 2011 and again more recently, I need a year to catch up.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Best Tracks of 2011 (with the benefit of a year's reflection)
A year ago, I decided to start a new tradition here. It's a bit hard to claim something as a tradition when it's only been done once. Now it will be twice. So that you don't have to click over to it, here's what I said a year ago:
"I've decided to start a new year-end tradition. I'm going to count down the top tracks from the previous year. Let me be clear. I'm reviewing the year that ended a full year ago. I'm not counting down the just-completed year. It's too soon, and everybody's doing the current year. They have editors and deadlines. I don't. I'm going with the previous year. I will have had time to catch up and reflect."
This list of the 75 best tracks of 2011 is both longer and better than it would have been if I had made it a year ago.
75) Bon Iver - Calgary
74) Cass McCombs - County Line
73) My Brightest Diamond - There's a Rat
72) Wilco - Art Of Almost
71) EMA - California
70) Adele - Rolling In The Deep
69) Peter Bjorn And John - Breaker Breaker
68) Destroyer - Savage Night At The Opera
67) Nicki Minaj - Super Bass
66) Wild Flag - Romance
65) The Dodos - Don't Stop
64) The Strokes - Machu Picchu
63) Peter Bjorn And John - Second Chance
62) Erik Friedlander - Low Country Cupola
61) Sloan - Shadow Of Love
60) R.E.M. - ÜBerlin
59) Phantogram - Don't Move
58) Veronica Falls - Right Side Of My Brain
57) The Ettes - Teeth
56) Washed Out - Eyes Be Closed
55) Alexander - Truth
54) Secret Cities - Always Friends
53) The Bevis Frond - The Divide
52) The Vaccines - Norgaard
51) TV On The Radio - Caffeinated Consciousness
50) The Baseball Project - Panda and The Freak
49) My Morning Jacket - You Wanna Freak Out
48) Cults - Go Outside
47) The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow
46) Lana Del Rey - Video Games
45) Bell - Meaninglessness
44) Smith Westerns - Weekend
43) John Maus - Quantum Leap
42) Girls - Honey Bunny
41) tUnE-yArDs - Bizness
40) Chain And The Gang - Why Not?
39) Austra - Beat And The Pulse
38) Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks
37) Atari Logic - Around The Bay
36) Factory Floor - Two Different Ways
35) Akron/Family - Silly Bears
34) The War On Drugs - Baby Missiles
33) Yellow Ostrich - WHALE
32) Okkervil River - Rider
31) The Fresh & Onlys - Keep Telling Everybody Lies
30) Girls Names - I Could Die
29) Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know
28) The Bandana Splits - Sometimes
27) Dengue Fever - Family Business
26) M83 - Midnight City
25) Amy LaVere - You Can't Keep Me
24) The Mountain Goats - The Autopsy Garland
23) Jerusalem and The Starbaskets - Chocolate Covered Everyberry
22) Fleet Foxes - Sim Sala Bim
21) Title Tracks - Turn Your Face
20) The Head and the Heart - Sounds Like Hallelujah
19) Crystal Stilts - Radiant Door
18) Battles - Ice Cream (Featuring Matias Aguayo)
17) Ward White - 1964
16) Rob Crow - Purpose
15) Little Dragon - Ritual Union
14) Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - Simple Girl
13) The Wooden Birds - Be No Lie
12) The Feelies - Later On
11) Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers - Heaven In Stereo
10) Let's Wrestle - I Am Useful
9) Generationals - I Promise
8) Nicolas Jaar - Space Is Only Noise If You Can See
7) Sandro Perri - Changes
6) Those Darlins - Screws Get Loose
5) P.J. Harvey - The Words That Maketh Murder
4) Fujiya & Miyagi - Pills
3) Pistol Annies - Hell On Heels
2) Bill Callahan - Free's
1) Blitzen Trapper - Fletcher
And now I have a full year to troll through all the best of 2012 lists that were rushed out over the last couple of weeks. Some are better than others. Some have songs that will grow on me. Some have songs that will age rapidly and poorly. Look for my 2012 list here at the end of 2013.
"I've decided to start a new year-end tradition. I'm going to count down the top tracks from the previous year. Let me be clear. I'm reviewing the year that ended a full year ago. I'm not counting down the just-completed year. It's too soon, and everybody's doing the current year. They have editors and deadlines. I don't. I'm going with the previous year. I will have had time to catch up and reflect."
This list of the 75 best tracks of 2011 is both longer and better than it would have been if I had made it a year ago.
75) Bon Iver - Calgary
74) Cass McCombs - County Line
73) My Brightest Diamond - There's a Rat
72) Wilco - Art Of Almost
71) EMA - California
70) Adele - Rolling In The Deep
69) Peter Bjorn And John - Breaker Breaker
68) Destroyer - Savage Night At The Opera
67) Nicki Minaj - Super Bass
66) Wild Flag - Romance
65) The Dodos - Don't Stop
64) The Strokes - Machu Picchu
63) Peter Bjorn And John - Second Chance
62) Erik Friedlander - Low Country Cupola
61) Sloan - Shadow Of Love
60) R.E.M. - ÜBerlin
59) Phantogram - Don't Move
58) Veronica Falls - Right Side Of My Brain
57) The Ettes - Teeth
56) Washed Out - Eyes Be Closed
55) Alexander - Truth
54) Secret Cities - Always Friends
53) The Bevis Frond - The Divide
52) The Vaccines - Norgaard
51) TV On The Radio - Caffeinated Consciousness
50) The Baseball Project - Panda and The Freak
49) My Morning Jacket - You Wanna Freak Out
48) Cults - Go Outside
47) The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow
46) Lana Del Rey - Video Games
45) Bell - Meaninglessness
44) Smith Westerns - Weekend
43) John Maus - Quantum Leap
42) Girls - Honey Bunny
41) tUnE-yArDs - Bizness
40) Chain And The Gang - Why Not?
39) Austra - Beat And The Pulse
38) Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks
37) Atari Logic - Around The Bay
36) Factory Floor - Two Different Ways
35) Akron/Family - Silly Bears
34) The War On Drugs - Baby Missiles
33) Yellow Ostrich - WHALE
32) Okkervil River - Rider
31) The Fresh & Onlys - Keep Telling Everybody Lies
30) Girls Names - I Could Die
29) Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know
28) The Bandana Splits - Sometimes
27) Dengue Fever - Family Business
26) M83 - Midnight City
25) Amy LaVere - You Can't Keep Me
24) The Mountain Goats - The Autopsy Garland
23) Jerusalem and The Starbaskets - Chocolate Covered Everyberry
22) Fleet Foxes - Sim Sala Bim
21) Title Tracks - Turn Your Face
20) The Head and the Heart - Sounds Like Hallelujah
19) Crystal Stilts - Radiant Door
18) Battles - Ice Cream (Featuring Matias Aguayo)
17) Ward White - 1964
16) Rob Crow - Purpose
15) Little Dragon - Ritual Union
14) Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - Simple Girl
13) The Wooden Birds - Be No Lie
12) The Feelies - Later On
11) Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers - Heaven In Stereo
10) Let's Wrestle - I Am Useful
9) Generationals - I Promise
8) Nicolas Jaar - Space Is Only Noise If You Can See
7) Sandro Perri - Changes
6) Those Darlins - Screws Get Loose
5) P.J. Harvey - The Words That Maketh Murder
4) Fujiya & Miyagi - Pills
3) Pistol Annies - Hell On Heels
2) Bill Callahan - Free's
1) Blitzen Trapper - Fletcher
And now I have a full year to troll through all the best of 2012 lists that were rushed out over the last couple of weeks. Some are better than others. Some have songs that will grow on me. Some have songs that will age rapidly and poorly. Look for my 2012 list here at the end of 2013.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Top 30 Rainiest Songs
As Hurricane Sandy approaches, people in the Mid Atlantic region of the US will be focused on preparations, or possibly distracted by questions as to whether or not one should or should not make preparations. On the West Coast of the US, we are neither focused nor distracted by such preparations. Therefore, there is time to make a list of the 30 rainiest songs, ranked roughly in order of raininess (as opposed to greatness or chart success or some other not meteorological criteria).
30) The Doors - Riders On The Storm (1971)
29) Prince And The Revolution - Purple Rain (1984)
28) The Weather Girls - It's Raining Men (1983)
27) Beta Band - Dry The Rain (1997)
26) Neil Young - Like A Hurricane (1977)
25) James Taylor - Fire and Rain (1976)
24) Gnarls Barkley - Storm Coming (2006)
23) Can - She Brings the Rain (1970)
22) Led Zeppelin - Fool In The Rain (1978)
21) Grateful Dead - Box Of Rain (1970)
20) Bob Dylan - A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall (1963)
19) Smokey Hogg - It's Rainin' Here (1951)
18) Eurythmics - Here Comes The Rain Again (1983)
17) Push Kings - Raincoat Renegade (1997)
16) Graham Parker + The Rumour - Thunder And Rain (1977)
15) Beatles - Rain (1966)
14) Etta James - Stormy Weather (1961)
13) Robbie Fulks - It's Always Raining Somewhere (2005)
12) Faust - It's A Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl (1972)
11) Eruption - I Can't Stand the Rain (1978)
10) Orange Peels - I Don't Mind The Rain (1997)
9) Gene Kelly - Singin' in the Rain (1952)
8) Charles Mingus - The I Of Hurricane Sue (1972)
7) The Dils - Sound of the Rain (1980)
6) Interpreters - The Rains Are Coming (1997)
5) Marah - Rain Delay (1998)
4) Evelyn Freeman - Didn't It Rain (1958)
3) Creedence Clearwater Revival - Have You Ever Seen the Rain? (1970)
2) Violent Femmes - I Hear The Rain (1984)
1) Dorothy Morrison - Rain (1970)
30) The Doors - Riders On The Storm (1971)
29) Prince And The Revolution - Purple Rain (1984)
28) The Weather Girls - It's Raining Men (1983)
27) Beta Band - Dry The Rain (1997)
26) Neil Young - Like A Hurricane (1977)
25) James Taylor - Fire and Rain (1976)
24) Gnarls Barkley - Storm Coming (2006)
23) Can - She Brings the Rain (1970)
22) Led Zeppelin - Fool In The Rain (1978)
21) Grateful Dead - Box Of Rain (1970)
20) Bob Dylan - A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall (1963)
19) Smokey Hogg - It's Rainin' Here (1951)
18) Eurythmics - Here Comes The Rain Again (1983)
17) Push Kings - Raincoat Renegade (1997)
16) Graham Parker + The Rumour - Thunder And Rain (1977)
15) Beatles - Rain (1966)
14) Etta James - Stormy Weather (1961)
13) Robbie Fulks - It's Always Raining Somewhere (2005)
12) Faust - It's A Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl (1972)
11) Eruption - I Can't Stand the Rain (1978)
10) Orange Peels - I Don't Mind The Rain (1997)
9) Gene Kelly - Singin' in the Rain (1952)
8) Charles Mingus - The I Of Hurricane Sue (1972)
7) The Dils - Sound of the Rain (1980)
6) Interpreters - The Rains Are Coming (1997)
5) Marah - Rain Delay (1998)
4) Evelyn Freeman - Didn't It Rain (1958)
3) Creedence Clearwater Revival - Have You Ever Seen the Rain? (1970)
2) Violent Femmes - I Hear The Rain (1984)
1) Dorothy Morrison - Rain (1970)
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Make Your Own Chart at Rate Your Music
I've posted previously about Rate Your Music's nice feature that allows you to customize charts. It's cool enough that it's worth revisiting. A commenter inquired a while ago about my top 500 songs of the 1980s list. It didn't have the pop music the commenter was looking for. I had, myself, commented on the way that a lot of hardcore unexpectedly rose to the top of that list. I know it's a minority opinion that hardcore punk was among the best and most lasting contributions to music in the 80s, but what if we take that as a given? Did my list at least match the opinions of others who rate hardcore highly?
Here's a chart I made, with the make your own chart feature. Instead of just having albums or singles or eps on the chart, I chose the "everything" options. I decided to limit it to the 1980s for comparison with my own 80s list. I selected the genre "hardcore punk". We just called it hardcore in the 80s, but I guess other people have called other subgenres hardcore this or hardcore that, so I'm forced to use the term "hardcore punk" even though that term was never ever in use in my recollection. It sounds dorky. I also selected on ratings by users from the United States.
Here's the top 10 as of October 21st, 2012
1. Misfits - Misfits
2. Minor Threat - Complete Discography
3. Minor Threat - Minor Threat (1984 compilation with 12 songs)
4. Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
5. Black Flag - The First Four Years
6. Minor Threat - Minor Threat (1981 ep with 8 songs)
7. Dead Kennedys - Holiday in Cambodia/Police Truck
8. Husker Du - Zen Arcade
9. Descendants - Two Things at Once
10. Misfits - Legacy of Brutality
It was really interesting to see that 4 of the top 5 releases and 6 of the top 10 are compilations. I think that reflects the uneven nature of hardcore releases and also the difficulty in obtaining some of the rarer singles, such that "best of" collections are necessary if you want all the best songs.
Apparently I left the Misfits off of my 1980s list. It's possible I got confused about what was really released in the late 70s versus the early 80s and inadvertently left them off of both lists, or its possible that I just forgot about them because I wasn't really into them during the 1980s. It was an oversight. It happens.
Minor Threat's Salad Days comes in at #3 on my 80s list and Minor Threat's Minor Threat comes in at #43, coming in outside of the top 40 only because of my one-song-per-band-inside-the-top-40 rule. The DK's Holiday in Cambodia is at #25 on my list, and Husker Du's Zen Arcade include my #1 song of the 1980s, Turn on the News.
Black Flag's "TV Party" made my top 100, but not my top 40. The Descendants, like the Misfits, got left off of my list. I can see now that the problem is that I've never gotten around to copying Two Things at Once into my iTunes library, which is the starting point of all my lists. I'll fix that today.
My list had the Bad Brains "I Against I" at #5. Although the Bad Brains, in general, do well on the Rate Your Music list, coming in at #11 with their 1982 release and #28 with their 1983 release, their 1985 release on which "I Against I" is the title track is all the way down at #92.
The Minutemen are lower than I think they ought to be at Rate Your Music, and I'm disappointed the Rat Music for Rat People compilation (including my #19 song "Cheap Tragedies" by the Avengers) doesn't show up. I was pleased, on the other hand, to see the Repo Man soundtrack at #25 at Rate Your Music.
Government Issue had 3 songs on my top 500, but none in the top 100, so maybe it's fitting that they don't show up until #255 on the Rate Your Music list. I'm guessing the rankings down that low are more volatile than the rankings at the top, so don't be surprised if it's no longer at #255 if you look for it yourself.
What's that? You aren't going to look yourself? OK - fine, but you should still make your own chart. It's fun, and it's easy.
Here's a chart I made, with the make your own chart feature. Instead of just having albums or singles or eps on the chart, I chose the "everything" options. I decided to limit it to the 1980s for comparison with my own 80s list. I selected the genre "hardcore punk". We just called it hardcore in the 80s, but I guess other people have called other subgenres hardcore this or hardcore that, so I'm forced to use the term "hardcore punk" even though that term was never ever in use in my recollection. It sounds dorky. I also selected on ratings by users from the United States.
Here's the top 10 as of October 21st, 2012
1. Misfits - Misfits
2. Minor Threat - Complete Discography
3. Minor Threat - Minor Threat (1984 compilation with 12 songs)
4. Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
5. Black Flag - The First Four Years
6. Minor Threat - Minor Threat (1981 ep with 8 songs)
7. Dead Kennedys - Holiday in Cambodia/Police Truck
8. Husker Du - Zen Arcade
9. Descendants - Two Things at Once
10. Misfits - Legacy of Brutality
It was really interesting to see that 4 of the top 5 releases and 6 of the top 10 are compilations. I think that reflects the uneven nature of hardcore releases and also the difficulty in obtaining some of the rarer singles, such that "best of" collections are necessary if you want all the best songs.
Apparently I left the Misfits off of my 1980s list. It's possible I got confused about what was really released in the late 70s versus the early 80s and inadvertently left them off of both lists, or its possible that I just forgot about them because I wasn't really into them during the 1980s. It was an oversight. It happens.
Minor Threat's Salad Days comes in at #3 on my 80s list and Minor Threat's Minor Threat comes in at #43, coming in outside of the top 40 only because of my one-song-per-band-inside-the-top-40 rule. The DK's Holiday in Cambodia is at #25 on my list, and Husker Du's Zen Arcade include my #1 song of the 1980s, Turn on the News.
Black Flag's "TV Party" made my top 100, but not my top 40. The Descendants, like the Misfits, got left off of my list. I can see now that the problem is that I've never gotten around to copying Two Things at Once into my iTunes library, which is the starting point of all my lists. I'll fix that today.
My list had the Bad Brains "I Against I" at #5. Although the Bad Brains, in general, do well on the Rate Your Music list, coming in at #11 with their 1982 release and #28 with their 1983 release, their 1985 release on which "I Against I" is the title track is all the way down at #92.
The Minutemen are lower than I think they ought to be at Rate Your Music, and I'm disappointed the Rat Music for Rat People compilation (including my #19 song "Cheap Tragedies" by the Avengers) doesn't show up. I was pleased, on the other hand, to see the Repo Man soundtrack at #25 at Rate Your Music.
Government Issue had 3 songs on my top 500, but none in the top 100, so maybe it's fitting that they don't show up until #255 on the Rate Your Music list. I'm guessing the rankings down that low are more volatile than the rankings at the top, so don't be surprised if it's no longer at #255 if you look for it yourself.
What's that? You aren't going to look yourself? OK - fine, but you should still make your own chart. It's fun, and it's easy.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Will the People's Choice Get Punk Right?
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland is a pretty cool place. The Hall of Fame has gotten a lot wrong, particularly as it moved into the years of potential punk-era inductees, but you don't have to care about the actual inductees to enjoy the Museum. So, I want to be clear that I'm about to start complaining about the Hall and not the Museum.
The Hall of Fame has decided to start giving regular people some votes. I think that will probably help bands like Rush that have big followings and not a lot of critical love, but I don't think it will help punk bands. There's a web site called The People's Choice that has been gathering votes from regular people for a bit longer. They've been advancing one year each month rather than one year each year, and as of this writing they're up to 1975.
In 1975, at the people's choice, we are rapidly approaching the first wave of important and widely known punk bands, and we have already reached the bands that are borderline punk/proto-punk. Let's consider 5 such bands and their chances for the Hall.
1) The New York Dolls - Listen to Trash from 1973 and tell me it's not punk rock. Unlike the other bands here, the New York Dolls have been nominated and snubbed.
2) Rocket from the Tombs - Before the Dead Boys performed Sonic Reducer, Rocket From the Tombs, featuring some of what would become Pere Ubu, was playing it in 1975.
3) Pere Ubu - The fact that the Hall is in Cleveland makes it especially galling that Ubu has never even been nominated. It was 1976's Final Solution that became a seminal early punk classic, but their first single was 1975's 30 Seconds Over Tokyo. They haven't been nominated at the People's Choice in the class of 1975. Get over there, and put them in as a write-in like I did.
4) Death - I didn't know about this band until a few years ago. I know I'm not alone in that. They may not be quite Hall worthy, given that they had so little output, but you have to respect that they were doing this in the mid 70s.
5) Jonathan Richman - This is definitely not proto-punk in the same way as the other 4 bands listed here. The beauty of punk is the way it stripped everything down to basics and still packed a punch. Jonathan was more about the stripping-it-down angle than the packing-a-punch angle, and may have more in common with indie rock than punk as a result. Along with Ubu and The New York Dolls, he's long overdue to enter the Hall.
I'll be honest. I don't have a lot of hope for these bands at either the Hall or the People's Choice. I assume the Ramones and Sex Pistols have a chance at getting in on the first ballot, but I'm interested how The Jam, The Clash, The Buzzcocks, The Cure, and later, Bad Brains, Black Flag, Minor Threat, Minutemen, and Husker Du do in the voting versus their commercially successful contemporaries.
The Hall of Fame has decided to start giving regular people some votes. I think that will probably help bands like Rush that have big followings and not a lot of critical love, but I don't think it will help punk bands. There's a web site called The People's Choice that has been gathering votes from regular people for a bit longer. They've been advancing one year each month rather than one year each year, and as of this writing they're up to 1975.
In 1975, at the people's choice, we are rapidly approaching the first wave of important and widely known punk bands, and we have already reached the bands that are borderline punk/proto-punk. Let's consider 5 such bands and their chances for the Hall.
1) The New York Dolls - Listen to Trash from 1973 and tell me it's not punk rock. Unlike the other bands here, the New York Dolls have been nominated and snubbed.
2) Rocket from the Tombs - Before the Dead Boys performed Sonic Reducer, Rocket From the Tombs, featuring some of what would become Pere Ubu, was playing it in 1975.
3) Pere Ubu - The fact that the Hall is in Cleveland makes it especially galling that Ubu has never even been nominated. It was 1976's Final Solution that became a seminal early punk classic, but their first single was 1975's 30 Seconds Over Tokyo. They haven't been nominated at the People's Choice in the class of 1975. Get over there, and put them in as a write-in like I did.
4) Death - I didn't know about this band until a few years ago. I know I'm not alone in that. They may not be quite Hall worthy, given that they had so little output, but you have to respect that they were doing this in the mid 70s.
5) Jonathan Richman - This is definitely not proto-punk in the same way as the other 4 bands listed here. The beauty of punk is the way it stripped everything down to basics and still packed a punch. Jonathan was more about the stripping-it-down angle than the packing-a-punch angle, and may have more in common with indie rock than punk as a result. Along with Ubu and The New York Dolls, he's long overdue to enter the Hall.
I'll be honest. I don't have a lot of hope for these bands at either the Hall or the People's Choice. I assume the Ramones and Sex Pistols have a chance at getting in on the first ballot, but I'm interested how The Jam, The Clash, The Buzzcocks, The Cure, and later, Bad Brains, Black Flag, Minor Threat, Minutemen, and Husker Du do in the voting versus their commercially successful contemporaries.
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