How to Love
2011 · From Tha Carter IV
Wayne named Tupac's "Keep Ya Head Up" as his model, then sang it over acoustic guitar into the top five.
★ 2.5
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.
Pretty Girl Rock
2010
Ne-Yo and Chuck Harmony built it on a Just the Two of Us sample; Kahn's video parades a century of divas.
★ 2.7
The Man
2014
A lyric lifted from Your Song put Elton John and Bernie Taupin on the credits of a self-made anthem.
★ 3.3
All About that Bass
2014
Forty minutes to write, eight weeks at number one, and Kadish playing the drums, guitar and bass himself.
★ 3.6
Wonder
1995
Merchant wrote it for twins she knew with a rare skin condition, and it later inspired R.J. Palacio's novel.
★ 4.0
The SignAce of Base
The Sign
1993
A synth flute over a Banbarra drum sample, cut at Cheiron in Stockholm, and Billboard's biggest single of 1994.
★ 4.2
Roar
2013
Perry left therapy sick of staying quiet, and Bonnie McKee turned that into pop's loudest dust-yourself-off chorus.
★ 4.3
All Star
1999
Greg Camp studied the Billboard top fifty for parts, then Shrek used it as temp music and never replaced it.
★ 4.8
Greatest Love Of All
1984 · From Whitney Houston
Linda Creed wrote the words while ill with cancer, and died weeks before Houston's version reached number one.
★ 5.2
Gravity
2006
Alicia Keys sings backing behind Pino Palladino's bass, and Mayer called it the most important song he has written.
★ 5.3
The Rubberband Man
1976
Started life as "The Fat Man", written by Bell for his teased son, and Philippe Wynne made it fly.
★ 5.5
Genie in a Bottle
1999
David Frank looped eight bars the night before the session; Aguilera re-sang her vocal softer and topped the Hot 100.
★ 5.5
Beautiful
2002
Perry wrote it for herself, then refused Aguilera a retake; the demo vocal is what reached number two.
★ 6.1
i
2014 · From To Pimp a Butterfly
Rahki built it on the Isley Brothers' That Lady, and Lamar turned self-love into two Grammys.
★ 6.4