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.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 20: Afroman attends the 2019 Daytime Beauty Awards at The Taglyan Complex on September 20, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic )
ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – OCTOBER 25: Adam Granduciel from the band The War on Drugs performs on day 1 of Harvest Rock 2025 on October 25, 2025 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Marc Grimwade/WireImage)
(MANDATORY CREDIT Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images) Roger Waters, Nick Mason, David Gilmour, Richard Wright of Pink Floyd, group portrait off stage at Hakone Aphrodite, Japan, 6th August 1971. (Photo by Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images)
(MANDATORY CREDIT Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images) Backstage area at the Moscow Music Peace Festival 1989 at Luzhiniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia, 12th and 13th August 1989. (L-R) Richie Sambora (guitar) (Bon Jovi),Klaus Meine (vocals) (Scorpions), Jon Bon Jovi (vocals) (Bon Jovi). (Photo by Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images)
Musician Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam performs at Lollapalooza 2 Music Festival on August 12, 1992 at Waterloo Village in Stanhope, New Jersey. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
PAYSON – FEBRUARY 17: The movie "Footloose", directed by Herbert Ross and written by Dean Pitchford. Seen here from left, Chris Penn as Willard, Kevin Bacon as Ren and Frances Lee McCain as Ethel. Initial theatrical release February 17, 1984. Screen capture. Paramount Pictures. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)
