40 Greatest Rock and Roll Songs

[RacerHistory]

Deep Purple wasn't inducted until last year. Smoke on the Water or especially Highway Star belong on a top 50 list.

And yes lineman, too much rock with too much variance to quantify a top 50 overall.

[smidge34]

When I see Joan Jett, Bon Jovi (REALLY? ROFLMAO!), Rod Stewart (Maggie May is laughable on this list) and as already mentioned, Green Day (STILL ROFLMAO!) listed yet no Kiss (Rock & Roll All Night has to be on a top-40 list right? Right??) or AC/DC (Time Of Your Life makes list but they leave out Back in Black, another classic up there with Stairway To Heaven? Cra Cra!).

[RacerHistory]

Also I will have to say it is generational for most. The music on the radio or record/8-track/cassette/cd-player (or wax cylinder for you Will  :mrgreen: ) plus the music of your teen years will have preference.

Also, in reguards to the Rock HoF: Madonna, Tupac, NWA, ABBA, R.U.N.-DMC, The Bee-Gees. All members. If that is a consideration then you must've considered "Like a Virgin", "All Eyez on Me", "Boyz-N-The Hood", "Knowing Me Knowing You", "It's Tricky", and "Stayin' Alive" for the list right?

[RI Will]

To me, there is a difference between Rock and Roll and Rock. AC/DC, Metallica, Black Sabbath and similar noise might be Rock. But it most certainly is not Rock and Roll.

[smidge34]

To me, there is a difference between Rock and Roll and Rock. AC/DC, Metallica, Black Sabbath and similar noise might be Rock. But it most certainly is not Rock and Roll.

You could make the same comparisons between Buddy Holly and then Journey, which aren't the same genre and you can add Green Day and Led Zeppelin as well which both made the list as well. I have a hard time considering Gladys Knight "rock & roll" too.

[RacerHistory]

From musicgenreslist.com :

Rock Genres

Adult Alternative Rock
American Trad Rock
Arena Rock
Blues-Rock
British Invasion
Death Metal/Black Metal
Glam Rock
Hair Metal
Hard Rock
Metal
Jam Bands
Prog-Rock/Art Rock
Psychedelic
Rock & Roll
Rockabilly
Roots Rock
Singer/Songwriter
Southern Rock
Surf
Tex-Mex


Rock can mean many different things to different folks.

[smidge34]

They left out punk and grunge, just off the top of my head.

[RacerHistory]

They left out punk and grunge, just off the top of my head.

Noticed that too, but I posted it mainly to clarify that there are almost as many flavors of Rock as Baskin Robbins has ice cream (well, when they had ice cream parlors)

[spaldy]

many moons ago in the 70's I was a DJ at a low power radio station that played primarily "rock and roll".

many of these songs would not have been on the play list.  

that playlist was determined by management but I'd say a decent percentage of these would not have been deemed "rock".

many of these would have been played on the "soft rock/easy listening" station down the road.