Name Your 20 Essential Songs

[dsmith2904]

The latest issue of Q (well, stateside at least) has a giant list of the essential songs, albums and artists. Included in this list are smaller lists from various artists (like Brandon from The Killers) of their 20 essential songs.

From this, I thought it would be cool to learn what the 20 essential songs from Interferencers are. These are the songs you can't imagine life without, the ones that give you chills, make you smile, make you cry every time you hear them.

My Essential 20 (in alphabetical order):
ABBA "The Name of the Game"
The Beach Boys "God Only Knows"
The Beatles "Revolution"
Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach "God Give Me Strength"
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young "Our House"
Bobby Darin "Beyond the Sea"
Dee-Lite "Groove is in the Heart"
Don Henley "The Heart of the Matter"
INXS "Mystify"
Madonna "Vogue"
Kylie Minogue "Can't Get You Out of My Head"
Stevie Nicks "Rooms on Fire"
Nirvana "All Apologies"
No Doubt "Sunday Morning"
The Ramones "I Wanna Be Sedated"
The Rolling Stones "Honky Tonk Women"
The Ronnettes "Be My Baby"
Rod Stewart "Downtown Train"
Tina Turner "Proud Mary"
U2 "One"

 

[korczykp]

U2 "Where the Streets Have No Name"
U2 "Bad"
U2 "Sunday, Bloody Sunday"
The Beatles "Revolution"
Queen "Who Wants to Live Forever?"
REM "Losing My Religion"
Aerosmith "Dream On"
Coldplay "Clocks"
Eminem "Lose Yourself"
Green Day "Jesus of Suburbia"
Metallica "One"
Metallica "Fade to Black"
Nirvana "Lithium"
Red Hot Chili Peppers "Under the Bridge"
The Police "Synchronicity II"
The Who "Baba O'Reilly"
Guns N' Roses "November Rain"
Led Zeppelin "Stairway to Heaven"
Pink Floyd "Hey You"
Blue Oyster Cult "Don't Fear the Reaper"

 

[ponkine]

The Beatles - Something
Led Zeppelin - Stairway To Heaven
Pink Floyd - Echoes or Comfortably Numb
Oasis - Songbird
Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees
John Lennon - Imagine
George Harrison - My Sweet Lord
The Police - Roxanne
Peter Gabriel - Biko
REM - Losing My Religion
Cat Stevens - Where do the children play
Ben E. King - Stand By Me
Simon & Garfunkel - The sounds of silence
Elton John - Your Song
Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight
Bob Dylan - Times They Are A-Changin'
Bob Marley - Iron Lion Zion
Inti Illimani - El Aparecido
Los Jaivas - Sube A Nacer Conmigo Hermano
U2 - I Still Haven´t Found What I´m Looking For

Peace

 

[Pero]

U2-With or Without you
U2-One
U2-The Fly
Nirvana-Lithium
Pink Floyd-Another Brick in the Wall(2)
Pink Floyd-Wish You Were Here
The Police-Every Breath You Take
ACDC-Highway To Hell
Dire Straits-Sultans Of Swing
Metallica-Nothing Else Matters
Metallica-One
Guns 'n' Roses-November Rain
Guns 'n' Roses-Sweet Child O' Mine
RHCP-The Zephyr Song
Bob Dylan-Like A Rolling Stone
R.E.M.-Imitation of life
Deep Purple-Smoke On The Water
Lynyrd Skynyrd-Sweet Home Alabama
Led Zeppelin-Stairway To Heaven
U2-Where The Streets Have No Name

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Hmmm...

1. "Pretty Woman"-Roy Orbinson
2. "Layla"-Derek & the Dominoes (Eric's acoustic version from "Unplugged" could also fit here, too, as that's how I first heard this song-they played the acoustic version of it on the radio all the time when I was little. Either way, this song should be here)
3. "Brown-Eyed Girl"-Van Morrison
4. "My Girl"-Temptations
5. "Imagine"-John Lennon
6. "Angel Of Harlem"-U2
7. "Mary Jane's Last Dance"-Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
8. "Penny Lane"-The Beatles
9. "Ruby Tuesday"-Rolling Stones
10. "Nights In White Satin"-Moody Blues
11. "Tempted"-Squeeze
12. "With Or Without You"-U2
13. "In Your Eyes"-Peter Gabriel
14. "Love Shack"-B-52s
15. "Come On Eileen"-Dexy's Midnight Runners
16. "Don't Dream It's Over"-Crowded House
17. "Into Temptation"-Crowded House
18. "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?"-The Clash
19. "Harvest Moon"-Neil Young
20. "Alison"-Elvis Costello

There's probably a ton more I'm forgetting, but regardless, there's my 20 songs I definitely wouldn't want to go through life without.

Angela

 

[djerdap]

U2 - With or Without You
U2 - The Fly
Pearl Jam - Black
Pearl Jam - Immortality
Radiohead - Climbing Up the Walls
Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees
The Cure - A Forest
The Cure - Burn
The Cure - Fascination Street
The Stone Roses - I Am the Resurrection
The Stone Roses - Elephant Stone
Pixies - Debaser
Alice in Chains - Nutshell
Led Zeppelin - Achilles Last Stand
The Doors - The End
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Knock Me Down
R.E.M. - Country Feedback
New Order - Close Range
The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again
The Ramones - My Brain is Hanging Upside Down

 

[Jack In The Box]

I'm too lazy

 

[D'oh!]

Train - drops of jupiter
The Beatles - Yesterday
The Beatles - Come Together
Red hot chilli papers - Californication
The Wallflowers - Sixth Avenue Heartache
Foo Fighters - Learn to fly
Aerosmith - I don't wanna miss a thing
Lenny Kravitz - Again
Elton John - Your song
Tupac - Changes
Coldplay - The Scientist
Oasis - Supersonic
Oasis - Sunday morning call
Oasis - Stop cryin your heart out
U2 - Beautiful day
U2 - Miracle Drug
U2 - Until the end of the world
Tonic - Flowerman
Noel Gallagher - X Files Theme
The Beatles - Ticket to ride

 

[greenlight7-11]

U2 - Stay (Faraway, So Close!)
Nine Inch Nails - Piggy
Pearl Jam - Black
R.E.M. - Drive
Depeche Mode - Walking In My Shoes
The Cure - Burn
The Jesus & Mary Chain - Sidewalking
Morrissey - Everyday Is Like Sunday
The Smiths - Unloveable
Echo & The Bunnymen - Rust
Radiohead - How To Disappear Completely
Crowded House - Weather With You
David Bowie - Rebel Rebel
Stone Temple Pilots - Big Empty
10,000 Maniacs - Candy Everybody Wants
Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
Cowboy Junkies - Sweet Jane
Mazzy Star - Fade Into You
Tori Amos - Caught A Lite Sneeze
Patti Smith - Birdland

 

[pax]

"God Only Knows" Beach Boys (dsmith and I have something in common, LOL)
"In My Life" the Beatles
"One" U2
"Running to Stand Still" U2
"Silent All These Years" Tori Amos
"Ruby Tuesday" the Rolling Stones
"In a Big Country" Big Country (it's on the brain because it's been my alarm clock song for about 2 weeks)
"At Last" Etta James
"Midnight Train to Georgia" Gladys Knight and the Pips
"Everything's Not Lost" Coldplay
"I Believe in Miracles" Hot Chocolate
"Thunder Road" Bruce Springsteen
"These Are Days" 10,000 Maniacs
"Unchained Melody" the Righteous Brothers
"The Boxer" Simon and Garfunkel
"Think" Aretha Franklin
"Love Reign O'er Me" the Who
"Into the Mystic" Van Morrison
"Dancing Queen" ABBA
"Everybody Hurts" R.E.M.

 

[Aardvark747]

U2 - Heartland
U2 - One
U2 - Where The Streets Have No Name
U2 - Stay (Faraway, so Close!)
U2 - Lemon
Pink Floyd - Echoes
Metallica - Battery
Neil Young - Like a Hurricane
Queen - The Show Must Go On
George Michael - Careless Whisper
Guns n Roses - Don't Cry
Metallica - Fade to Black
Pink Floyd - Time
The Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody
Elton John - Song For Guy
Manic St. Preachers - The Everlasting
Queen - Innuendo
David Bowie - Starman
Michael Jackson - Give In To Me
Michael Jackson - You Are Not Alone

 

[Muggsy]

mine:

U2 - one
U2 - stay
U2 - Zooropa
MetallicA - Hero of the day
MetallicA - Outlaw Torn
MetallicA - Human
MetallicA - One
Pantera - Cemetery Gates
Nirvana - Lithium
Nirvana - Polly
Queen - Innuendo
Cypress Hill - Illusions
Cypress Hill - Latin Thugs
Depeche Mode - When I lose myself
The Cure - Lovecats
The cure - Killing an arab
The Doors - Alabama song
The Doors - Love me two times
Aerosmith - Amazing
Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight, tonight

 

[alia612]

The Cure - Plainsong
U2 - Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
The Cure - Pictures of You
U2 - City of Blinding Lights
The Replacements - Left of the Dial
The Replacements - Sixteen Blue
Big Star - Back of a Car
Big Star - September Gurls
Bright Eyes - We Are Nowhere and It's Now
Echo and the Bunnymen - Bring on the Dancing Horses
Robyn Hitchcock - I Often Dream of Trains
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Some Candy Talking
R.E.M. - You Are the Everything
R.E.M. - Half a World Away
R.E.M. - I've Been High
Morrissey - Come Back to Camden
The Smiths - There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
The Shins - New Slang
Paul Westerberg - Lookin' Up in Heaven
Reigning Sound - Stormy Weather

 

[Cute Irish Bono]

Not in all in the correct order and I am probably forgetting some:
1. U2-With or Without You
2. U2-Where the Streets Have No Name
3. U2-Babyface
4. U2-HMTMKMKM
5. Everclear-Father of Mine
6. Everclear-Everything to Everyone
7. Oleander-I Walk Alone
8. Oleander-Why I'm Here
9. Tears For Fears-Everybody Wants to Rule the World
10. Tears For Fears-Mother's Talk
11. dc Talk-Supernatural
12. dc Talk-Colored People
13. Billy Idol-Mony, Mony
14. Collective Soul-December
15. Collective Soul-The World I Know
16. Collective Soul-Shine
17. Hall & Oates-Want to
18. Hall & Oates-Grounds for Separation
19. Hall & Oates-Ennui on the Mountain
20. A-Ha-Take on Me

 

[saltwaterkiss26]

this will change tomorrow, but for today (in no particular order, denotes top 5)...

1. Rolling Stones, Bitch
2. U2, Bad (live WAiA version, of course!)
3. Eagles, Lyin Eyes
4. Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody
5. Led Zeppelin, Ramble On
6. The Who, Won't Get Fooled Again
7. Greg Allman, I'm No Angel
8. CCR, Lookin Out My Backdoor
9. Cream, White Room
10. Alice Cooper, Be My Lover
11. Eric Clapton, Next Time You See Her
12. Doors, LA Woman
13. Bad Company, Rock N Roll Fantasy
14. Supertramp, Breakfast in America
15. Bruce Springsteen, Darlington County
16. REM, Losing My Religion
17. Aerosmith, Dude Looks Like A Lady
18. Standells, Dirty Water
19. The Cars, Bye Bye Love
20. Nirvana, Smells Like Teen Spirit

 

[spencr00]

1. U2 - sometimes you cant make it on your own
2. U2 - one
3. Pilate - alright
4. Muse - stockholm synddrome
5. Muse - hysteria
6. The Beatles - in my life
7. The Beatles - let it be
8. Bush - headful of ghosts
9. Coldplay - warning sign
10. Radiohead - let down
11. Radiohead - true love waits
12. u2 - beautiful day
13. u2 - please
14. u2 - if god will send his angels
15. muse - plug in baby
16. muse - butterflies and hurricanes
17. coldplay - everything's not lost
18. coldplay - life is for living
19. pilate - endgame/a reprise
20. pilate - melt into the walls

 

[IWasBored]

just 20?!?! i came up with 30 and that's nowhere near comprehensive.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

9. Tears For Fears-Everybody Wants to Rule the World

That's a song I forgot to put in my list that I should've-I still remember the first time I ever heard that song, and I've always loved that song. "Shout" would be another good one to have added, too.

Angela

 

[Lil'Bono]

queen- we are the champions
blue oyster cult- dont fear the reaper
the beatles- ballad of john and yoko
u2- sometimes you cant make it on your own
bell x1- eve,the apple of my eye
don henley- boys of summer
abba- dancing queen
the clash- rock the casbah
michael jackson-beat it
david bowie- modern love
the ramones- my brain is hanging upside down
u2- with or without you
don henley + patti smith-sometimes love it just aint enough
u2- where the streets have no name( live)
genesis- no son of mine
thin lizzy-dancing in the moonlight
horslips- dearg doom
mike + the mechanics- beggar on a beach of gold
something happens- hello,hello,hello
u2- last night on earth

 

[Kate1]

In no order

1. U2- the unforgettable fire
2. OASIS- hello
3. GNR- Sweet child of mine
4. Feeder- Just the way im feeling
5. The Hives- walk idiot walk
6. U2- Where the streets have no name
7. Oasis- Supersonic
8. Oasis- Go let it out
9. Oasis- Gas panic
10. U2- desire
11. Nirvana- come as you are
12. UB40- cant help falling in love with you
13. Rolling stones- paint it black
14. The beatles- get back
15. John lennon- imagine
16. George Micheal- careless whisper
17. Billy Idol- white wedding
18. Happy mondays- step on
19- stone roses- waterfall
20. stone roses- adored

 

[Saracene]

Just 20 is hard, but I'll try. In no particular order:

1. U2/Pavarotti - Miss Sarajevo
2. Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
3. Jeff Buckley- Hallelujah
4. REM - Losing My Religion
5. Velvet Underground - Heroin
6. Nick Cave & Bad Seeds - The Mercy Seat
7. Deep Purple - Child in Time
8. ABBA - Dancing Queen
9. PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love
10. The Smiths - The Queen is Dead
11. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
12. The Clash - Clash City Rockers
13. Massive Attack - Teardrop
14. Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights
15. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
16. Radiohead - No Surprises
17. The Flaming Lips - Do You Realise?
18. Oasis - Live Forever
19. The Doors - Waiting for the Sun
20. Marianne Faithful - Why'd Ya Do It?

 

[Bono's shades]

1. U2 - With or Without You
2. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
3. The Beatles - Let It Be
4. U2 - One
5. Elvis Costello - Radio, Radio
6. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
7. Aretha Franklin - Respect
8. U2 - Where the Streets Have No Name
9. The Clash - London Calling
10. Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
11. U2 - Pride (In The Name of Love)
12. Bruce Springsteen - She's the One
13. Beatles - Helter Skelter
14. Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody
15. Moody Blues - Nights in White Satin
16. Beatles - Revolution
17. U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
18. U2 - Bad
19. Ben E. King - Stand By Me
20. U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday

 

[beau2ifulday]

(in no particular order)

Edie Bricknell and The New Bohemians - What I Am
Madonna - Ray Of Light
Oasis - Wonderwall
U2 - Bad
U2 - Gone
U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday
Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
Tori Amos - Cornflake Girl
REM - Losing My Religion
Johnny Cash - Hurt
The Dandy Warhols - Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth
Coldplay - Amsterdam
Manic Street Preachers - A Design For Life
Manic Street Preachers - If You Tolerate This Then Your Children Will Be Next
The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony
Radiohead - Street Spirit (Fade Out)
David Bowie - Heroes
The Beatles - Let It Be
Goo Goo Dolls - Iris
Frank Sinatra - My Way

 

[WinnieThePoo]

Voila

off the wall...

1Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb
2U2 - Crumbs
3.The Police - Roxanne
4.George Michael - Freedom 90'
5.Madonna - Power of goodbye
6. Elvis Presley - Heartbreak Hotel
7. The Beatles - Let It Be
8. Queen - It's a Hard Life
9 . Genesis - MaMa
10. Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer
11. Rolling Stones - sympathy for a devil
12 . bobby Mcferin -don't worry be happy
13. Eagles - Hotel California
14. Bruce Springsteen- Streets Of Philadelphia
15. REM - Leaving New York
16. No Doubt - Just a Girl
17. Dideux Marouani - Paris - Transit - Moscou
18. Mike Oldfield - Moonlight shadow
19. anything by PJ Harvey
20. Dire Straits - Money For Nothing
ch-ch-checks for free.........

 

[intedomine]

No order:

1. Gloria - u2
2. Where the Streets have no name - u2
3. beautiful day - u2
4. strawberry fields forever - beatles
5. all over you - live
6. sweet release - live
7. made of stone - stone roses
8. shiny happy people - rem
9. morning glory - oasis
10. amsterdam - coldplay
11. aqualung - jethro tull
12. follow you down - ginblossoms
13. good morning - you am i
14. ship of fools - world party
15. dance hall days - wang chung
16. franternity - foo fighters
17. smells like teen spirit - nirvana
18. surfs up tonight - midnight oil
19. freaks - live
20. how soon is now - smiths


That was tough...can we try 100 sometime because i k now i've left out heaps