Only God Knows Why
1999
The first ballad Kid Rock ever cut, its opening lines written, by his account, in a jail cell.
★ 1.6
The Songs canon
Sourced and sung.
Every song chosen by hand, with the recording to play it.
Browse all 2,393 songs or filter by genre, subject, artist, and year.
Browse all 2,393 songs or filter by genre, subject, artist, and year.
Rock Me Amadeus
1985
Falco rapped Mozart's debts over a Bolland and Bolland production, and gave the Hot 100 its only German-language number one.
★ 2.6
Overnight Celebrity
2004
Kanye looped a 1978 Lenny Williams record, Miri Ben-Ari sawed the violin, and Twista outran both to number six.
★ 2.8
Beverly Hills
2005 · From Make Believe
Rick Rubin produced it, the video was shot at the Playboy Mansion, and Cuomo swears the longing was sincere.
★ 3.0
Airplanes
2010
Alex da Kid's beat, Hayley Williams on the hook, and a wish on a passing plane that went diamond.
★ 3.2
Applause
2013
Snippets leaked online, so Gaga rushed it to radio a week early, cheering the crowd that cheers her.
★ 3.3
Jenny From the Block
2002
A Boogie Down Productions interpolation under the bridge, and Lopez answering the tabloids without once breaking her stride.
★ 3.4
Holy Grail
2013 · From Magna Carta Holy Grail
Timbaland and The-Dream produced it, Timberlake sings the hook, and Courtney Love cleared the Nirvana interpolation underneath.
★ 3.8
Circus
2008
Claude Kelly's ringleader conceit, a Dr. Luke stomp, and Spears back on top of the spectacle that swallowed her.
★ 4.2
I'm Real
2001
A Yellow Magic Orchestra synth loop from 1978, reportedly cleared for Mariah Carey first, carries Lopez to number one.
★ 4.3
Name
1995
Rzeznik twisted tuning pegs until a second high E replaced the B string, and that open ring carries the song.
★ 4.4
Get Back
2005
Cartoon-sized arms in a men's room, courtesy of Spike Jonze, and Tom Cruise dancing to it in Tropic Thunder.
★ 4.4
Notorious
1986 · From Notorious
Nile Rodgers brought the riff and the Borneo Horns; the band, down to three, answered its own bad press.
★ 4.7
Around the World (RHCP)
1999 · From Californication
Frusciante back in the band and playing deliberately spare, while Flea's bass run opens Californication at a sprint.
★ 4.8
Look at Me Now
2011
Diplo and Afrojack made the beat for a mixtape; Busta Rhymes' double-time verse pushed it to diamond.
★ 4.9
Juke Box Hero
1982
Two unfinished songs Mutt Lange stitched together, and a kid outside the arena hearing one guitar through the wall.
★ 4.9
Forever (Drake)
2009
Boi-1da's beat was first meant for Kardinal Offishall; Kanye, by his account, rewrote his verse for two days after Eminem.
★ 5.2
Tennis Court
2013 · From Pure Heroine
Cut with Joel Little in a small Auckland studio, the beat built before a word, that "Yeah" doing everything.
★ 5.4
Candle in the Wind 1997Elton John
Candle in the Wind 1997
1997
Taupin rewrote his Marilyn Monroe lyric for Diana, George Martin added strings hours after the funeral, and 33 million sold.
★ 5.5