The Pitchfork 500
Pitchfork 500 : Our Guide to the Greatest Songs from Punk to the Present
Pitchfork 500 is a book compiling the greatest songs from 1977 to 2006, published in 2008 by Pitchfork Media. The book focuses on specific genres including, indie rock, hip-hop, electronic, pop, metal, and experimental underground. The book is broken down into 9 chronological periods, each period beginning with a description of the music scene before the featured artists, and how those artists changed the music scene.[1]
Statistics
Prince and Talking Heads had the most songs featured on the list with 4 each. New Order, OutKast, Pavement, Pixies, Radiohead, The Clash, The Cure, The Smiths received 3 spots each. 38 bands had at least two songs listed.
1977-1979 had the most songs on the list with 66, and 1997-1999 had the fewest with 38.
1977-1979
Kraftwerk – Trans-Europe Express
Patti Smith – Rock'n'Roll Nigger
Sex Pistols – God Save the Queen
The Clash – (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais
Buzzcocks – Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)?
Vic Godard and the Subway Sect – Parallel Lines
X-Ray Spex – Oh Bondage! Up Yours!
The Adverts – One Chord Wonders
Giorgio Moroder - The Chase
Thelma Houston – Don't Leave Me This Way
Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive
Michael Jackson – Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough
Marvin Gaye – Got To Give It Up
Public Image Ltd – Public Image
Misfits – Night of the Living Dead
Wire – Outdoor Miner
Althea and Donna – Uptown Top Ranking
Lee Perry – Roast Fish and Cornbread
Willi Williams – Armagideon Time
The Pop Group – She Is Beyond Good and Evil
The Clash – The Guns of Brixton
James Chance and the Contortions – Contort Yourself
Suicide – Dream Baby Dream
Cabaret Voltaire – Nag Nag Nag
Throbbing Gristle – Hot on the Heels of Love
Candido – Jingo
Dinosaur L – Kiss Me Again
Machine – There but for the Grace of God Go I
Blue Öyster Cult – (Don't Fear) The Reaper
Van Halen – Runnin' with the Devil
Electric Light Orchestra – Mr Blue Sky
The Only Ones – Another Girl, Another Planet
The Undertones – Teenage Kicks
Plastic Bertrand – Ça Plane Pour Moi
The Records – Starry Eyes
Elvis Costello and the Attractions – Radio Radio
Talking Heads – Memories Can’t Wait
1980-1982
Kurtis Blow – The Breaks Spoonie Gee Meets the Sequence – Monster Jam The Sugarhill Gang – 8th Wonder The Treacherous Three – The New Rap Language The Clash – The Magnificent Seven Talking Heads – Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) Yoko Ono – Walking on Thin Ice Klein + MBO – Dirty Talk ESG – Moody Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five – The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel Funky 4+1 – That’s The Joint Kraftwerk – Numbers/Computer World 2 Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force – Planet Rock Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five – The Message Glenn Branca – Lesson No. 1 for Electric Guitar Laurie Anderson – O Superman (For Massenet) Joy Division – Atmosphere The Fall – Totally Wired Elvis Costello and the Attractions – Beyond Belief The Pretenders – Back on the Chain Gang The B-52’s – Private Idaho Dexys Midnight Runners – There There My Dear Young Marble Giants – Final Day Altered Images – Happy Birthday The Specials – Ghost Town Robert Wyatt – Shipbuilding Bauhaus – Third Uncle Adam and the Ants – Kings of the Wild Frontier Scritti Politti – The Sweetest Girl The Human League – Don’t You Want Me Soft Cell – Tainted Love The Associates – Party Fears Two ABC – All of My Heart New Order – Temptation The Jam – Town Called Malice Duran Duran – The Chauffeur The English Beat – Save It for Later The Go-Go’s – Our Lips Are Sealed Tom Tom Club – Genius of Love Prince – Dirty Mind Daryl Hall & John Oates – I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do) Michael Jackson – Billie Jean ABBA – The Day Before You Came Roxy Music – More Than This Queen – Under Pressure Bruce Springsteen – Atlantic City Journey – Don’t Stop Believing Bad Brains – Pay to Cum Minor Threat – Minor Threat Dead Kennedys – Holiday in Cambodia Black Flag – Rise Above Wipers – Youth of America Flipper – Sex Bomb Motorhead – Ace of Spades Iron Maiden – Run to the Hills Orange Juice – Blue Boy The Television Personalities – This Angry Silence The Fall – The Classical The Clean – Tally Ho! The Feelies – The Boy with the Perpetual Nervousness R.E.M. – Radio Free Europe Violent Femmes – Blister in the Sun Mission of Burma – That’s When I Reach for My Revolver
1983-1986
The Smiths – This Charming Man Sonic Youth – Death Valley ‘69 Husker Du – Pink Turns to Blue Meat Puppets – Plateau The Replacements – I Will Dare Minutemen – History Lesson (Part II) R.E.M. – So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry) Echo and the Bunnymen – The Killing Moon The Cure – Close to Me Siouxsie and the Banshees – Cities in Dust Run-D.M.C. – It’s Like That Crash Crew – On the Radio Rammelzee vs. K-Rob – Beat Bop Boogie Down Productions – South Bronx New Order – Blue Monday Prince and the Revolution – When Doves Cry Talking Heads – This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody) Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) U2 – New Year’s Day Simple Minds – Don’t You (Forget About Me) The Replacements – Bastards of Young The Mekons – Last Dance Big Black – Kerosene Scratch Acid – The Greatest Gift The Jesus and Mary Chain – Just Like Honey The Smiths – How Soon Is Now? Cocteau Twins – Lorelei New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle Billy Bragg – A New England Metallica – Battery Slayer – Angel of Death Saint Vitus – Clear Windowpane Einsturzende Neubauten – Halber Mensch Art of Noise – Beat Box (Diversion One) Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Relax Liquid Liquid – Optimo Alexander Robotnick – Problemes d’Amour Shannon – Let the Music Play Section 25 – Looking from a Hilltop (Restructure) Madonna – Holiday Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want to Have Fun Prince – Kiss Run-D.M.C. – Rock Box LL Cool J – I Can’t Live Without My Radio Beastie Boys – No Sleep Till Brooklyn Mantronix – Needle to the Groove The Go-Betweens – Cattle and Cane The Chills – Pink Frost Felt – Primitive Painters The Smiths – There Is a Light That Never Goes Out Tom Waits – Jockey Full of Bourbon Bruce Springsteen – I’m on Fire Scott Walker – Rawhide U2 – Bad Don Henley – The Boys of Summer Paul Simon – Graceland Wayne Smith – Under Me Sleng Teng Anthony “Red” Rose – Tempo Model 500 – No UFO’s
1987-1990
Mr. Fingers – Can You Feel It Rhythim Is Rhythim – Strings of Life A Guy Called Gerald – Voodoo Ray M/A/R/R/S – Pump Up The Volume My Blood Valentine – You Made Me Realise Spacemen 3 – Walking With Jesus Ride – Dreams Burn Down Glaxie 500 – Blue Thunder Happy Mondays – Kinky Afro The Stone Roses – She Bangs the Drums Sonic Youth – Teen Age Riot Dinosaur Jr. – Freak Scene Butthole Surfers – Human Cannonball Pixies – Where Is My Mind? Fugazi – Waiting Room Audio Two – Top Billin’ Eric B & Rakim – I Know You Got Soul Public Enemy – Rebel Without a Pause N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – The Mercy Seat Ministry – Stigmata The Jesus and Mary Chain – Head On The Sugarcubes – Birthday The Cure – Just Like Heaven Morrissey – Everyday Is Like Sunday The Pogues – Fairytale of New York The Wedding Present – My Favourite Dress The Field Mice – Emma’s House Another Sunny Day – You Should All Be Murdered The Dead Milkmen – Punk Rock Girl The Primitives – Crash The La’s – There She Goes They Might Be Giants – Birdhouse in Your Soul Superchunk – Slack Motherfucker Fugazi – Merchandise The Jesus Lizard – Mouth Breather Slick Rick – Children’s Story Gang Starr – Just to Get a Rep Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock – It Takes Two Sal-n-Pepa – Push It Beastie Boys – Hey Ladies De La Soul – Me Myself and I Biz Markie – Just a Friend Public Enemy – Fight The Power Guns N’ Roses – Welcome to the Jungle Swans – Beautiful Child John Zorn – The Sicilian Clan Prince and the Revolution – If I Was Your Girlfriend Madonna – Like a Prayer Deee-Lite – Groove Is in the Heart Pet Shop Boys – Being Boring Sinead O’Conner – Nothing Compares 2 U The Orb – Little Fluffy Clouds The KLF – Wichita Lineman Was a Song I Once Heard 808 State – Pacific State Orbital – Chime Depeche Mode – Enjoy the Sileince My Blood Valentine – Soon The Vaselines – Son of a Gun Beat Happening – Indian Summer Daniel Johnston – Some Things Last a Long Time Mudhoney – Touch Me I’m Sick Pixies – Wave of Mutilation
1991-1993
Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit Pavement – Summer Babe Archers of Loaf – Web in Front Yo La Tengo – From a Motel 6 Sebadoh – The Freed Pig A Tribe Called Quest – Check the Rhime De La Soul – A Roller Skating Jam Named ‘Saturdays’ Black Sheep – The Choice Is Yours Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy Tricky – Aftermath (Version 1) Primal Scream – Higher Than the Sun Spiritualized – Step into the Breeze Slowdive – Alison Aphex Twin – Xtal Talk Talk – Ascension Day Slint – Good Morning, Captain Disco Inferno – The Last Dance Stereolab – French Disko Acen – Trip II the Moon Pts. 1 and 2 The Future Sound of London – Papua New Guinea Human Resource – Dominator (Joey Beltram Mix) Metalheadz – Terminator Omni Trio – Renegade Snares Red House Painters – New Jersey Teenage Fanclub – The Concept Heavenly – C Is the Heavenly Option Tindersticks – City Sickness Unrest – Make Out Club Tenor Saw/Buju Banton – Ring the Alarm Quick Dr. Dre – Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang Ice Cube – It Was a Good Day 2Pac – I Get Around Souls of Mischief – 93 ‘Til Infinity Suede – The Drowners Blur – For Tomorrow Elastica – Stutter Ween – Doctor Rock Wu-Tang Clan – Protect Ya Neck Geto Boys – Mind Playing Tricks on Me Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth – They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.) Bikini Kill – Rebel Girl Melvins – Hooch Dinosaur Jr. – Start Choppin’ Pixies – U-Mass Liz Phair – Divorce Song PJ Harvey – Rid of Me The Afghan Whigs – Debonair Rage Against the Machine – Killing in the Name The Lemonheads – It’s a Shame About Ray Beck – Loser The Breeders – Cannonball Nirvana – Scentless Apprentice
1994-1996
Hole – Violet Smashing Pumpkins – 1979 Green Day – Longview Weezer – Say It Ain’t So Blur – Girls & Boys Oasis – Live Forever Pulp – Common People The Notorious B.I.G. – Juicy Nas – It Ain’t Hard to Tell Mobb Deep – Shook Ones, Pt. 2 GZA – 4th Chamber Pavement – Gold Soundz Built to Spill – Car Modest Mouse – Broke Frank Black – Headache The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – Bellbottoms Guided by Voices – I Am a Scientist Nine Inch Nails – Closer Bjork – Hyper-Ballad Beck – Devil’s Haircut Portishead – Sour Times (Nobody Loves Me) Saint Etienne – Like a Motorway Basic Channel – Octagon Paperclip People – Throw DJ Shadow – Midnight in a Perfect World Dr. Octagon – Blue Flowers Common – I Used to Lover H.E.R. Jeff Buckley – Grace Mazzy Star – Fade Into You Arthur Russell – This Is How We Walk on the Moon Low – Words The Auteurs – Unsolved Child Murder Jawbox – Savory Drive Like Jehu – Luau Brainiac – Pussyfootin’ Napalm Death – Twist the Knife (Slowly) Darkthrone – En As I Dype Skogen Ol’ Dirty Bastard – Brooklyn Zoo Snoop Doggy Dogg – Gin and Juice Luniz – I Got 5 on It Cutty Ranks – Limb by Limb The Prodigy – No Good (Start the Dance) Underworld – Born Slippy (NUXX) The Chemical Brothers – Setting Sun Daft Punk – Da Funk Belle and Sebastian – The State I Am In Elliott Smith – Needle in the Hay The Magnetic Fields – Take Ecstasy with Me Palace Music – New Partner Arab Strap – The First Big Weekend Tortoise – Gamera The Sea and Cake – Parasol Pavement – Rattled by the Rush Guided by Voices – Game of Pricks Weezer – El Scorcho
1997-1999
Radiohead – Paranoid Android Bjork – Joga The Verve – Bitter Sweet Symphony Elliott Smith – Between the Bars Cat Power – Cross Bones Style The Clientele – Reflections After Jane Bonnie “Prince” Billy – I See a Darkness Smog – Teenage Spaceship Silver Jews – Random Rules Autechre – Arch Carrier Boards of Canada – Happy Cycling Herbert – So Now… Aphex Twin – Windowlicker Uilab – St. Elmo’s Fire Air – Le Soleil est Pres du Moi Massive Attack – Teardrop Black Star – Respiration The Notorious B.I.G. – Hypnotize Outkast – Spottieottiedopaliscious The Roots – The Next Movement The Flaming Lips – Waitin’ for a Superman The Beta Band – Dry the Rain The Olivia Tremor Control – Hideaway Neutral Milk Hotel – Holland, 1945 Super Furry Animals – Ice Hockey Hair Stardust – Music Sounds Better with You Basement Jaxx – Jump n’ Shout Wilco – Via Chicago Pulp – This Is Hardcore Belle and Sebastian – Lazy Line Painter Jane Yo La Tengo – Autumn Sweater Sleater-Kinney – One More Hour Refused – New Noise The Dismemberment Plan – The City Boredoms – Super Shine Mogwai – Like Herod Jim O’Rourke – Halfway to a Threeway Sigur Ros – Svefn-g-Englar
2000-2002
Daft Punk – One More Time Radiohead – Idioteque Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Storm The Avalanches – Since I Left You Broadcast – Come On Let’s Go Aaliyah – Try Again Justin Timberlake – Cry Me a River Luomo – Tessio Vitalic – La Rock 01 Kylie Minogue – Love at First Sight Jay-Z – Big Pimpin’ Outkast – B.O.B. Eminem – The Real Slim Shady Ghostface Killah – Nutmeg Missy Elliott – Get Ur Freak On The White Stripes – Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground The Strokes – The Modern Age …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead – Another Morning Stoner Interpol – Obstacle 1 Electric Six – Danger! High Voltage Golden Boy with Miss Kittin – Rippin Kittin’ Jurgen Paape – So Weit Wie Noch Nie Osymyso – Intro-Inspection The Knife – Heartbeats LCD Soundystem – Lossing My Edge The Rapture – House of Jealous Lovers The Streets – Weak Become Heroes Aesop Rock – Daylight Rjd2 – Good Times Roll Pt. 2 Bright Eyes – The Calendar Hung Itself Wilco – Poor Places Queens of the Stonge Age – No One Knows My Morning Jacket – The Way That He Sings Modest Mouse – 3rd Planet Clinic – Distortions Shellac – Prayer to God Mclusky – To Hell with Good Intentions Lightning Bolt – Ride the Sky The Microphones – The Moon The New Pornographers – Letter from an Occupant The Shins – New Slang The Decemberists – Here I Dreamt I Was an Architect Radiohead – Life in a Glasshouse Broken Social Scene – Cause = Time Deerhoof – This Magnificent Bird Will Rise Spoon – The Way We Get By Dizzee Rascal I Luv U M.O.P. – Ante Up Clipse – Grindin’ Talib Kweli – Get By Jay-Z – Takeover
2003-2006
Outkast – Hey Ya Kanye West – Through The Wire R. Kelly – Ignition (Remix) Beyonce – Crazy In Love Gnarls Barkley – Crazy !!! – Me and Giuliani Down by the School Yard (A True Story) TV on the Radio – Staring at the Sun Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Maps The Walkmen – The Rat Devendra Banhart – A Sight to Behold Joanna Newsom – Peach, Plum, Pear Sufjan Stevens – Casimir Pulaski Day Antony and the Johnsons – Hope There’s Someone Animal Collective – Leaf House The Books – Take Time M83 – Don’t Save Us from the Flames The Postal Service – Such Great Heights Annie – Heartbeat M.I.A. – Galang The White Stripes – Seven Nation Army Franz Ferdinand – Take Me Out The Fiery Furnaces – Here Comes the Summer The Mountain Goats – No Children The Wrens – She Sends Kisses Les Savy Fav – The Sweat Descends Ted Leo and the Pharmacists – Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone? The Exploding Hearts – Modern Kicks Art Brut – Formed a Band Boris – Farewell Mastodon – Sleeping Giant Madvillain – America’s Most Blunted T.I. – What You Know Kelly Clarkson – Since U Been Gone Amerie – 1 Thing Ciara – Oh The Go! Team – The Power Is On Feist – Mushaboom Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) Wolf Parade – I’ll Believe in Anything Band of Horses – The Funeral The Hold Steady – Stuck Between Stations Beirut – Postcards from Italy Johnny Boy – You Are the Generation That Bought More Shoes and You Get What You Deserve Love Is All – Busy Doing Nothing Jens Lekman – Black Cab Christian Falk – Dream On Peter Bjorn and John – Young Folks Justice vs. Simian – We Are Your Friends Hot Chip – Boy from School Animal Collective – Grass Black Dice – Cone Toaster Liars – The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack Panda Bear – Bros