The Top Songs of All Time

While its hard to pinpoint which songs were the greatest, there were some songs that were just magical. Whether it was expressing the simplicity of young love to being a profound statement to the world, each of the songs listed had their own impact.

Number five is "Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen. Released in 1975, "Born to Run" would catapult Springsteen into American pop culture. Widely known as Springsteen's last effort as a hit record, the single rooted in what would become Springsteen's trademark, desperation. The song would become not only a critical success but also a commercial hit. The song would also showcase Springsteen's talent for poetic lyrics. While the song was a mainstream hit, its audience was geared toward the working man.

Number four is "Imagine" by John Lennon. Released in 1971, the song speaks of a peaceful world in the midst of the Vietnam War. With his gift of painting a picture with words, Lennon did just that with "Imagine". His imagery helped people picture what he was tying to express. The single was released to wide acclaim and to this day is remembered at any major event. Whether he intended the song to become his signature song is unknown but that is what the song has become. The positive message of the song still resonates to this day. Imagine has been adopted as the official song for several organizations, among them, Amnesty International.

Number three is "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The song put the world on notice that the Beatles had arrived. After arriving they were never to leave pop culture. Instantly selling over a million copies upon release, the song would launch Beatlemania. Never before had the world saw witness to such a phenomenon as the Beatles. The song would launch a British invasion, led by the Beatles, on to the American charts. The song was the Beatles first number one single on the American charts, starting a run of 19 number one singles. With its distinctive start and thunderous lyrics, the song started an invasion that is still felt to this day.

Number two is a little musical symphony created by Brain Wilson called "Good Vibrations". The song was released in 1967 and was an immediate hit for the Beach Boys. About two years earlier, Wilson had retired from the road to devote more time to his music. He was already writing, arranging, and producing most of the Beach Boys records, but his retirement from the road gave him more time to craft his skills. Good Vibrations was a work in progress that took Wilson over six months to record. With Carl Wilson's breathtaking vocals carrying Wilson's sophisticated lyrics, the song itself took on a life of its own. Wilson enveloped the lyrics in swirling sounds of music that made the song magical. The song is the peak of Wilson's true genius. He also would unknowingly, set the tone for the rest of the decade, because it was not too long after the songs release that the "summer of love" began.

The greatest song would be Elvis', "Heartbreak Hotel". The song was Elvis' first release for RCA/Victor and it quickly went to number one. It would be Elvis' first number one single. But more importantly, the song would leapfrog Elvis from a regional, southern act, to a national, and eventually world, star. The song would not only enable Elvis to become a cultural icon but would also enable him to change pop music. Elvis would be the first "teenage idol", one that teenagers didn't have to share with their parents. "Heartbreak Hotel" would start a revolt for teenagers to become their own selves.

Most of these songs helped define their generations. But they were equally important for progressing rock-n-roll into what we know now. Some started mini-revolutions while one went straight to the conscious' of the people. While it would be a great task to pick the greatest song ever recorded, any of these five songs could be considered for the title.