With The List, American Songwriter details the best, the brightest, the most enduring, the worst, the most hated, and the most surprising songs ever–among many other qualifiers. If you’re looking for our definitive rankings on music, you’ll find them below.
Queen – Freddie Mercury in Brussels, Belgium April 1982 (Photo by Ilpo Musto/Shutterstock)
ATLANTA – FEBRUARY 24: Singer-songwriter Jonathan Edwards performs at The Great Southeast Music Hall on February 24, 1974 in Atlanta, Georgia. ( Photo by Tom Hill/Getty Images)
Unspecified – 1977: (L-R) Paul Lynde, Tony Randall, Harry Wayne Casey (of KC & The Sunshine Band), LeVar Burton dressed as fruit appearing in sketch on the ABC tv special 'The Paul Lynde Comedy Hour'. (Photo by Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – NOVEMBER 19: EDITORIAL USE ONLY Luke Combs performs onstage during the 59th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 19, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
(GERMANY OUT) Paul McCartney, Mitglied der Musikgruppe "Beatles", im Jahr 1966 auf Tournee in Hamburg, wo die "Beatles" zwei 30minütige Konzerte in der Ernst-Merck-Halle gaben. (Photo by Peter Timmullstein bild via Getty Images)
