40 songs that changed the world

Rolling Stone magazine, in its 40th anniversary edition, has published a list of 40 songs that changed the world. And what do you know ... some are even from the 80s. Click here for the full list.

"That's Alright" by the always-overrated Elvis Presley was No. 1 on the list. You have to go all the way down to No. 10 to get a truly worthy song -- "Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan. (Though it appears the ranking is actually chronological, which dimishes its impact already.)
 

But overall, I think they picked a fair number from the 80s, even if the selection themselves are sometimes suspect. Here they are, along with their rank among the top 40:

28. "TV Party" - Black Flag
29. "Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson
30. "When Doves Cry" - Prince.
31. "Pride (In The Name of Love)" - U2
32. "Like a Virgin" - Madonna
33. "Walk This Way" - Run DMC/Aerosmith
34. "Just Like Heaven" - The Cure
35. "Sweet Child O' Mine" - Guns N Roses
36. "Bring The Noise" - Public Enemy

I'm surprised that neither "Do They Know It's Christmastime" by Band-Aid nor "We Are The World" by USA for Africa made the list. It makes you wonder what "changed the world" meant in the eyes of Rolling Stone's editors. These are songs that may have changed music history but not world history.

That being said, I can live without "TV Party." But add Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and replace "Like a Virgin" with "Material Girl" -- the real anthem of the 80s.

Other artists who deserve to be there: The Replacements, AC/DC, Peter Gabriel, The Dead Kennedys and REM. Bands from outside the 80s that didn't make the list include The Doors, The Who and Pink Floyd. So it wasn't just the 80s that is oddly represented.

Comments

[bassnote]

Rolling Stone magazine never gets these lists right.

[Hamptune]

Yeah, I don't get it. Sugarhill Gang basically launched a new genre.

[GlennS.]

Elvis is always overrated? Seems to me that since his death Elvis has more often been a target of derision for everyone from lame comedians to self-conscious hipsters.

Hey, even I sometimes fall into this mindset, but then I'm reminded of what it was that made him famous in the first place. This past weekend I popped one of his CDs in my car player on a whim. It had been a while since I had listened to any Elvis music, but as I drove around doing my errands, listening to tracks like "Mystery Train" and "Heartbreak Hotel", it struck me all over again just what a damn great singer he was. He had emotion, humor, and yes he could rock.

I say forget the silly movies, forget the weight gain (apparently the one unforgivable sin in rock and roll), and just listen to the music. You may be surprised. Yes, he really was that good.

[bassnote]

I have never thought Elvis to be overrated. Elvis was an artist who truly did change the world. I don't know if I agree with the song that was chosen, I think Hound Dog would have been a better choice.

[Max]

Hamptune: "Rapper's Delight" is on the list, right above "TV Party".

What Pink Floyd song would you have picked? It's like trying to pick an individual song from "Abbey Road"; nothing stands out, but when you put them all together, it's a big ol' pile of awesome.

[Spears]

Sugarhill Gang's hit was in 1979, so I left it off my abbreviated list. It was on Rolling Stone's list -- and rightfully so.

I'm not sure why I don't like Elvis. I guess I always thought he got a lot of credit that could have been spread over a larger number of worthy bands.

[Hamptune]

I saw it, just though it deserved to be closer to the top rather than closer to Brittney Spears...

[Bgirl]

Elvis, like so many other rockers of that era, ripped off black southern R & B and made it "acceptable" for white audiences. Still happening today.

[Greg R.]

A) Every single one of the top 10 is indispensable. "That's Alright" maybe was not the FIRST rock and roll song..I'd argue that was Jackie Brensten's "Rocket 88" or Wynonie Harris' "Good Rocking Tonight", but it was the first song many people heard and as such did "change the world".

B) I agree that "We are the World" should have made the list. Not so much as a song, the lyric is execrable, but because of the slew of megastar benefits it spawned.

C)"Material Girl" would be a much better "world changing" Madonna song.

D)I'd add the Buggles "Video Killed the Radio Star" because of its MTV tie-in. Shame such a great song launched what killed music IMHO. (The idea that the video is "more important" than the song.)

Much as I like them, I still think of the Replacements as an outsider band. Grab any 10 people and maybe 1 or 2 of them will be able to name ANY song by the Mats. Gabriel should be there with "In Your Eyes" possibly. AC/DC should probably be there for "You Shook Me All Night Long". Dead Kennedys I place alongside the Mats...unless you're a big punk fan you don't know their stuff and one could argue the Ramones or the Clash are more representative "world changing" acts for popularizing the movement. Much as I like "Losing my Religion", I'd go with "End of the World as we Know It" or "The One I Love" as being more "world changing" since they helped bring R.E.M. and other "college rock" acts into the mainstream. They were already there when "Religion" hit.

[Greg R.]

And yes, Bgirl, Elvis DID rip off black R&B artists but unlike Pat Boone he didn't suck at it and he always talked them up and tried to turn his fans onto them.

Many black rock and rollers went on to widespread pop success because of Elvis' championing at a time when black music was "dangerous" to many whites.