The 6 Greatest Songs of All Time

Submitted by Awesome on Tue, 07/10/2012 - 16:12
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  1. Napalm Death - You Suffer
  2. All music - or anything created by humans, for that matter - is, by definition, flawed. This song, the world's shortest, transcends those inevitable flaws because it is a deep-rooted, instinctive cry of pain and anger unburdened by imperfect lyrics or flawed song structure. It is not the most appealing song to listen to, nor did it even probably take much effort to create. But it defines the spirit of music and even human existence in general and can never be bettered.
  3. Orgasm Addict - Buzzcocks
  4. This is a song that hurls by and hits you, two minutes later leaving an almost impossibly powerful, intangible impression. Key to this transcendence is the drum work, which is so fast and rhythmic that it singlehandedly propels the song. Also, the lyrics, which are both funny yet when taken seriously quite profound, lift this piece above the limitations of pretty much every other song. This is the apotheosis of true rock n' roll.
  5. New Dawn Fades - Joy Division
  6. Easily the most intense song ever committed to tape, "New Dawn Fades" seems to eliminate the boundary between mere music and the actual human experience. After the greatest bass intro of all time, Ian Curtis' majestic voice details his deathly struggle in such a profound way that, years later, it can still connect the listener to his pain - all pain, even - like no other song. Listening to it at night is simply as good as music gets.
  7. One - U2
  8. This is my favorite song of all time, meaning I actually enjoy listening to it much more than "You Suffer". But it's a pop song, and thus cannot achieve the artistic status of the three pieces listed above and probably doesn't deserve to be on this list at all. The lyrics, however, are some of the greatest ever written. The melody by itself is barely exceptional but coupled with the lyrics the song takes on a transcendent, hymn-like quality.
  9. Horse Latitudes - The Doors
  10. At the time of its release, this was the greatest song ever written, an effective antidote to the slight pop fluff churned out by certain, insect-named bands. As Morrison reads his captivating poetry, the piece begins to take the mind to a new realm, one that previously only Morrison himself had experienced. By the end of the song, the notion of what makes a good rock song is completely turned on its head, thus influencing indirectly the songs listed above it, especially the first two.
  11. Poptones - Public Image Ltd.
  12. On first listen, "Poptones" (don't be fooled by the title, this is as far away from pop as you can get) may seem to be an unremarkable song. Nonsensical lyrics and John Lydon's screechy whine sit atop Keith Levene's ringing, endlessly repeated guitar figure - for over 7 minutes. But gradually, Lydon & co. begin to invade the listener's consciousness and create something so powerful and sublime that a whole new kind of truth is unveiled. Musically and lyrically, there have been many songs like "Poptones". Yet it stands alone as being completely unique.
Author Comments: 

Not my favorite songs, but rather the ones I have scientifically proven to be the greatest.

Awesome08/21/2012

Most of these picks were influenced by the critic Bobby Slick. I tried not to rip him off, but the guy is really dead-on with his reviews. If you've never heard of him, check out his new blog at: http://awesomerockreviews.wordpress.com