The 100 Greatest Two Hit Wonders of All Time

1. The Presidents of the United States of America

2. Spin Doctors

3. Steppenwolf

4. Irene Cara

5. The Chi-Lites

6. Whitesnake

7. Terence Trent D'Arby

8. Tesla

9. A Flock of Seagulls

10. Twisted Sister

11. Tone-Loc

12. Rancid

13. Scorpions

14. Fine Young Cannibals

15. Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock

16. Amerie

17. The Romantics

18. Corey Hart

19. Delta Rae

20. The Power Station

21. Quiet Riot

22. Mr. Mister

23. The Dandy Warhols

24. Extreme

25. James Bay

26. John Parr

27. Carl Thomas

28. Domino

29. Kim Wilde

30. Soul Coughing

31. General Public

32. City High

33. Candlebox

34. Bloodhound Gang

35. MisterWives

36. Rugburns

37. JoJo

38. The Motels

39. Berlin

40. Del Amitri

41. Naked Eyes

42. Embrace

43. The Refreshments

44. Ready for the World

45. Stereo MC's

46. Glass Tiger

47. Echosmith

48. Was (Not Was)

49. The Rembrandts

50. Everlast

51. Sixpence None the Richer

52. Sophie B. Hawkins

53. Soul for Real

54. Seven Mary Three

55. Sister Hazel

56. Filter

57. Junior M.A.F.I.A.

58. Erin McCarley

59. Europe

60. Zero 7

61. The Foundations

62. Switchfoot

63. Howie Day

64. Phantogram

65. Fun Lovin' Criminals

66. Suzanne Vega

67. The Spencer Davis Group

68. One eskimO

69. Damn Yankees

70. Cameo

71. Walk the Moon

72. Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise

73. Inner Circle

74. Snap!

75. Level 42

76. Stacie Orrico

77. Falco

78. Glenn Medeiros

79. Nine Days

80. Vanessa Hudgens

81. Broken Bells

82. Animotion

83. Blue Swede

84. Fort Minor

85. Vanilla Ice

86. Lit

87. The Soup Dragons

88. Jackie DeShannon

89. The Ting Tings

90. Ugly Kid Joe

91. Amy Macdonald

92. The Donnas

93. Veruca Salt

94. Lita Ford

95. Mad Season

96. White Zombie

97. Another Bad Creation

98. White Lion

99. Dream

100. The KLF

25 Deep Cuts from the Golden Age of Alternative Rock

Earlier this week I posted my list of the 100 Greatest Songs from the Golden Age of Alternative Rock. The mid nineties was a time when the music business was so prosperous that even minimal effort could result in a Gold record. I doubt anyone outside of the Deal family could name a second song by The Breeders yet Last Splash still went platinum. I contributed to many of those RIAA certifications (R.I.P. BMG 10 albums for a penny deals that they kept letting you quit and renew for a new batch of albums).

1. Anna Begins – Counting Crows: Not only one of my favorite deep cuts from the era, but one of my favorite songs ever in the history of the world. “Every time she sneezes I believe it is love” meant everything to me in my youth. Still does.

2. The World Has Turned and Left Me Here – Weezer: The Blue Album had the most songs of any album on my list as every song is great. This is my favorite of the rest, just another great teenage anthem.

3. Where Did You Sleep Last Night – Nirvana: Quite possibly the greatest performance ever to air on MTV Unplugged.

4. Warehouse – Dave Matthew Band: Record companies are usually good at releasing singles, but for some reasons the singles off of Dave Matthews Band albums are never my favorites. Ants Marching may be my fifth favorite song off their major label debut. The best is Warehouse which only get more epic when you hear it live. And thanks for the band’s penchant for releasing live albums, which will be easy to find because even though they always switch up set lists, there is always a good chance that this song will be represented.

5. Bad Habit – The Offspring: The ultimate road rage song. I probably listened to it way too much while learning to drive.

6. Immortality – Pearl Jam: No list is perfect and my own personal eyeballing of mine is there could have been a lot more Pearl Jam. It is probably after the success of the first album, they decided to step back from the spotlight not making music video or releasing proper singles leaving individual radio station to play their own favorites. Immortality is just the kind of mood I am in right now, but anything on those next two albums is worth checking out.

7. Let Me In – R.E.M.: Those first three R.E.M. albums from the nineties are worth checking out, this is probably the best track on their most fuzzed out album of the trio.

8. Happy Endings – Better than Ezra: I recently read an article where the lead singer suggested that they may have had Goo Goo Doll’s career had they been on a better record label and not one that went under. As a owner of all their albums sans their last I would have to agree as they made some of the best adult contemporary music of the past decade. You can hear them go down that root on songs like this.

9. Sad Songs and Waltzes – Cake: The band had a minor hit with their I Will Survive cover, another stand out on the same album was this Willie Nelson classic. The irony of course was during the alt-rock era, depressing songs were all the rage.

10. I'm the Ocean – Neil Young: The godfather of grunge hooked up with Pearl Jam and made an album which sounded exactly like you expected. This seven minute epic without a chorus is the highlight of the Mirror Ball album.

11. I Love You Mary Jane – Sonic Youth and Cypress Hill: When I first started working on my list I considered some more “alternative” rap song like Insane in the Brain. Instead I will include Cypress Hill’s awesomely weird collaboration with Sonic Youth for the Judgment Night Soundtrack where the two bonded over their love of the sticky icky. The song worked a lot better than their track with Pearl Jam.

12. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness – Smashing Pumpkins: In the of the alt-rock heyday, who would have expected the Smashing Pumpkins to start their double album with a sweet, well, melon collie, piano-based instrumental.

13. Sir Psycho Sexy – Red Hot Chili Peppers: The Peppers are weird to begin with, but this was easily their most bizarre track from Blood Sugar Sex Magic. The teenage version of myself loved the lady cop verse.

14. Slide Away – Oasis: That first album was brit-pop gold, this was definitely my favorite non-single.

15. The Wanderer – U2: Nirvana gets a lot of credit for the start of the alt-rock era, but with Achtung Baby, U2 was getting weird at the same time. They got even weirder on Zoorepa which ended with a country euro-trash song featuring Johnny Cash on vocals, a year before his carreer got resurrected with the American Recordings series.

16. Swing On This - Alice In Chains: Who would have guessed Alice in Chain would ever release a song that was actually danceable?

17. Pillar of Davidson – Live: There were plenty of epic songs on Throwing Copper, this song may have actually been the most epic.

18. Bogusflow – Beck: DGC Rarities vol. 1 was a must own by any alt-rock fan with plenty of rare gems. At the time, Beck was heading for one hit wonderdom and this drunken Bob Dylan type song was not going to help him out of that label but was awesome nonetheless. I am still waiting for vol. 2.

19. Mad Dog 20 / 20 – Teenage Fanclub: Fun fact: The first legal drink I ever bought was Mad Dog 20/20. I cannot confirm nor deny it is because of this song.

20. April 29, 1992 (Miami) – Sublime: Humorously the band actually got the date wrong in the actual lyrics song (April 26), legend has it that the take with the mistake was the best so they kept it.

21. Steven's Last Night In Town – Ben Folds Five: There were not many New Orleans inspired tracks during the alt rock era, but this one was really good.

22. Brother – Toad the Wet Sprocket: This was off their “rarities” album which was one of the few albums that was just as good as the “proper” albums in an artist discography.

23. Price to Pay – Blues Traveler: Just great storytelling in this song and of course plenty of harmonica.

24. Carrion – Fiona Apple: The big hits of this album were song of Fiona’s more angry songs; I also appreciate her more subtle songs like this one.

25. Nada – The Refreshments: In the introduction I mentioned how easy it was to get a Gold album, this is one of the few bands from the time that did not manage one and I am not sure why, I really enjoyed both of their albums. Maybe too southern and not enough alternative in their rock. And then too weird for the country crowd. Nada was a great way to end that first album.


Honorable Mentions

Shamrocks and Shenanigans (Butch Vig Mix) – House of Pain: Another rap song I considered for this list, but the Butch Vig version. Vig was fresh from producing Nevermind and a few years away from becoming a founding member of Garbage and gave an alt-rock bent to the song.

Iron Man – The Cardigans: I considered a couple songs by the band for this list but Lovefool was a bit too poppy and Been It just missed the cut (had I expanded the end date by a year, My Favorite Mistake would definitely made the list). But the album was much more weird and darker than you would expect from the group that brought you Lovefool, case in point this trippy cover of the Black Sabbath song.

The 100 Greatest Songs From the Golden Age of Alternative Rock

1. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana

2. Sabotage - Beastie Boys

3. Would? - Alice in Chains

4. Creep - Radiohead

5. Loser - Beck

6. Undone - The Sweater Song - Weezer

7. Closer - Nine Inch Nails

8. Give It Away - Red Hot Chili Peppers

9. What I Got - Sublime

10. Mr. Jones - Counting Crows

11. Interstate Love Song - Stone Temple Pilots

12. Come Out and Play - Offspring

13. No Rain - Blind Melon

14. What's the Frequency, Kenneth? - R.E.M.

15. Santa Monica - Everclear

16. Bullet With Butterfly Wings - The Smashing Pumpkins

17. Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve

18. Run-Around - Blues Traveler

19. Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny Kravitz

20. Killing In the Name - Rage Against the Machine

21. I Alone - Live

22. Alive - Pearl Jam

23. Only Happy When It Rains - Garbage

24. Bound for the Floor - Local H

25. Peaches - The Presidents of the United States of America

26. Low - Cracker

27. Mysterious Ways - U2

28. Hey Man, Nice Shot - Filter

29. Liar - Rollins Band

30. All Mixed Up - 311

31. Song for the Dumped - Ben Folds Five

32. Pepper - Butthole Surfers

33. Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth With Money In My Hand - Primitive Radio Gods

34. Not an Addict - K's Choice

35. Criminal - Fiona Apple

36. Drive - R.E.M.

37. Here and Now - Letters to Cleo

38. Popular - Nada Surf

39. Shine - Collective Soul

40. Girlfriend - Matthew Sweet

41. Bad Reputation - Freedy Johnston

42. Heart-Shaped Box - Nirvana

43. Where It's At - Beck

44. The Distance - Cake

45. Cumbersome - Seven Mary Three

46. Self Esteem - Offspring

47. Supersonic - Oasis

48. Possum Kingdom - Toadies

49. Banditos - Refreshments

50. Good - Better Than Ezra

51. Fade Into You - Mazzy Star

52. Ants Marching - Dave Matthews Band

53. Live Forever - Oasis

54. Walk - Pantera

55. Rooster - Alice in Chains

56. Mockingbirds - Grant Lee Buffalo

57. Sleep to Dream - Fiona Apple

58. Spoonman - Soundgarden

59. Round Here - Counting Crows

60. 1979 - The Smashing Pumpkins

61. Spin the Bottle - Juliana Hatfield Three

62. Fall Down - Toad the Wet Sprocket

63. Possession - Sarah McLachlan

64. Fallín' - Teenage Fanclub and De La Soul

65. Desperately Wanting - Better Than Ezra

66. Santeria - Sublime

67. Bulls On Parade - Rage Against the Machine

68. Hitchhiker Joe - Rugburns

69. Longview - Green Day

70. Fake Plastic Trees - Radiohead

71. Cannonball - Breeders

72. Everlong - Foo Fighters

73. El Scorcho - Weezer

74. What Would You Say - Dave Matthews Band

75. Ruby Soho - Rancid

76. Everything Falls Apart - Dog's Eye View

77. Say It Ain't So - Weezer

78. Flagpole Sitta - Harvey Danger

79. Push - Moist

80. My Name Is Mud - Primus

81. Battle of Who Could Care Less - Ben Folds Five

82. The Impression That I Get - The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

83. Lump - The Presidents of the United States of America

84. Connected - Stereo MC's

85. Naked Eye - Luscious Jackson

86. Lithium - Nirvana

87. Date Rape - Sublime

88. Connection - Elastica

89. Buddy X - Neneh Cherry

90. The Freshmen - The Verve Pipe

91. Einstein On the Beach (For an Eggman) - Counting Crows

92. Buddy Holly - Weezer

93. I Got Id - Pearl Jam

94. Super Bon Bon - Soul Coughing

95. #1 Crush - Garbage

96. All Apologies - Nirvana

97. Big Me - Foo Fighters

98. I Will Survive - Cake

99. Until It Sleeps - Metallica

100. Fell On Black Days - Soundgarden


For the purpose of this list, the Golden Age of Alternative Rock started with the release of Smells Like Teen Spirit and ended when Limp Bizcuit released their first album.

The 100 Greatest Songs Featured in Grand Theft Auto

Today sees the release of Grand Theft Auto V which is rumored to have over four hundred songs including in the game (compared to just over six hundred in the previous games combined). Of course by the time you read this, you will probably find the exact songs somewhere on the internets and this list will already be outdated because it only covers songs featured up to Grand Theft Auto IV. You can listen to this list on Spotify at right.

1. Nuthin' but a "G" Thang - Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg

2. Sister Christian - Night Ranger

3. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson

4. Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd

5. In the Air Tonight - Phil Collins

6. Cult of Personality - Living Colour

7. Running with the Night - Lionel Richie

8. I Know You Got Soul - Eric B. and Rakim

9. Strange Times - The Black Keys

10. Tempted - Squeeze

11. I Want to Know What Love Is - Foreigner

12. Killing In the Name - Rage Against the Machine

13. Children's Story - Slick Rick

14. The Message - Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five

15. 1979 - The Smashing Pumpkins

16. Blue Monday - New Order

17. Poison - Bell Biv DeVoe

18. Welcome to the Jungle - Guns N' Roses

19. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' - Michael Jackson

20. Express Yourself - N.W.A.

21. Wishing Well - Terence Trent D'Arby

22. I'll Be There for You / You're All I Need to Get By - Method Man featuring Mary J. Blige

23. It Takes Two - Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock

24. Relax - Frankie Goes to Hollywood

25. Remedy - The Black Crowes

26. Bump N' Grind - R. Kelly

27. I Love a Rainy Night - Eddie Rabbitt

28. Out of Touch - Hall and Oates

29. Run to You - Bryan Adams

30. Edge of Seventeen - Stevie Nicks

31. Check Yo Self ('The Message' Remix) - Ice Cube featuring Das EFX

32. Get At Me Dog - DMX and Sheek

33. Motownphilly - Boyz II Men

34. (Explative Deleted) Wit Dre Day (And Everybody's Celebratin') - Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg

35. Freek'n You - Jodeci

36. My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It) - En Vogue

37. Sexual Healing - Marvin Gaye

38. The One Thing - INXS

39. Barracuda - Heart

40. Self Control - Laura Branigan

41. Gloria - Laura Branigan

42. A Horse With No Name - America

43. Waiting for a Girl Like You - Foreigner

44. Africa - Toto

45. I Ran (So Far Away) - A Flock of Seagulls

46. Love Is a Battlefield - Pat Benatar

47. Low Rider - War

48. Crazy - Willie Nelson

49. Working for the Weekend - Loverboy

50. Sunglasses at Night - Corey Hart

51. Voices Carry - Til Tuesday

52. It Was a Good Day - Ice Cube

53. Something About You - Level 42

54. Cum On Feel the Noize - Quiet Riot

55. Nightshift - The Commodores

56. Don't Be Cruel - Bobby Brown

57. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) - Marvin Gaye

58. I'm Not In Love - 10cc

59. Queen of Hearts - Juice Newton

60. Two Tickets to Paradise - Eddie Money

61. I Can Dream About You - Dan Hartman

62. Baby Hold On - Eddie Money

63. Maneater - Hall and Oates

64. Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi

65. How I Could Just Kill a Man - Cypress Hill

66. Unsung - Helmet

67. Green Onions - Booker T. and The MG's

68. Personal Jesus - Depeche Mode

69. I Wanna Rock - Twisted Sister

70. Evil Woman - Electric Light Orchestra

71. Heart of Glass - Blondie

72. The Warrior - Scandel

73. Alwayz Into Somethin' - N.W.A.

74. In a Big Country - Big Country

75. You Dropped a Bomb On Me - Gap Band

76. Young Turks - Rod Stewart

77. We Belong - Pat Benatar

78. Movin' On Up - Primal Scream

79. Rock You Like a Hurricane - Scorpions

80. Green River - Creedence Clearwater Revival

81. Easy Lover - Philip Bailey and Phil Collins

82. Broken Wings - Mr. Mister

83. Deep Cover - Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg

84. Footsteps In the Dark, Pts. 1 and 2 - The Isley Brothers

85. Keep On Loving You - REO Speedwagon

86. Buffalo Stance - Neneh Cherry

87. Owner of a Lonely Heart - Yes

88. (I Just) Died in Your Arms - Cutting Crew

89. Turn You Inside-Out - R.E.M.

90. Renegade - Styx

91. Tainted Love - Gloria Jones

92. Harden My Heart - Quarterflash

93. Steppin' Out - Joe Jackson

94. You've Got Another Thing Comin' - Judas Priest

95. One Thing Leads to Another - The Fixx

96. Plush - Stone Temple Pilots

97. Between the Sheets - The Isley Brothers

98. The Payback - James Brown

99. White Wedding (Part 1) - Billy Idol

100. Runnin' Down a Dream - Tom Petty

The 25 Greatest Era in Rock and Roll History

It should be noted that I am defining “Rock and Roll” the same way the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame does in it is any popular music since the dawn of rock and roll in the fifties. I have included four key tracks from each era all of which I have added to a Spotify playlist for your listening pleasures with the widget at right.

1. Mid 60’s Motown
I Was Made to Love Her – Stevie Wonder
The Tracks of My Tears – Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
My Girl – The Temptations
You Can't Hurry Love – The Supremes

2. Late 80’s Hip-Hop
Fight the Power – Public Enemy
Mama Said Knock You Out - LL Cool J
Award Tour – A Tribe Called Quest
Passin' Me By – The Pharcyde

3. Late 60’s Rock
All Along the Watchtower – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Sunshine of Your Love – Cream
Gimme Shelter – The Rolling Stones
For What It's Worth – Buffalo Springfield

4. Mid 90’s Alternative Rock
Sabotage – Beastie Boys
What's the Frequency, Kenneth? – R.E.M.
Give It Away – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Bullet With Butterfly Wings – Smashing Pumpkins

5. Mid 60’s Pop
Good Vibrations – The Beach Boys
Hey Jude – The Beatles
California Dreamin' – The Mamas and Papas
I'm a Believer – The Monkees

6. Early 70’s Soul
A Song for You – Donny Hathaway
What's Going On – Marvin Gaye
If You Don't Know Me By Now – Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes
Take Me to the River – Al Green

7. Mid 80’s Pop
When Doves Cry - Prince
Beat It – Michal Jackson
Hello – Lionel Richie
You Make My Dreams – Hall and Oats

8. Early 10’s Folk
The Cave – Mumford and Sons
Stubborn Love – The Lumineers
Barton Hollow – The Civil Wars
Helplessness Blues – Fleet Foxes

9. Mid 80’s Rock
Glory Days – Bruce Springstreen
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2
Pink Houses – John Mellencamp
Sharp Dressed Man – ZZ Top

10. Mid 90’s RnB
End of the Road – Boyz II Men
Feenin' – Jodeci
Every Time I Close My Eyes – Babyface
Always Be My Baby – Mariah Carey

11. Late 70’s Punk
London Calling – The Clash
I Wanna Be Sedated – The Ramones
Lust for Life – Iggy Pop
Anarchy In the U.K. – The Sex Pistols

12. Late 60’s Singer Songwriters
Like a Rolling Stone – Bob Dylan
Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
The Boxer – Simon and Garfunkel
Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season) – The Byrds

13. Early 90’s Gangsta Rap
Mind Playing Tricks On Me – The Geto Boys
Nuthin' but a "G" Thang – Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg
New Jack Hustler (Nino's Theme) – Ice T
Straight Outta Compton – N.W.A.

14. Mid 60’s Garage Rock
You Really Got Me – The Kinks
Fortunate Son – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Louie Louie – The Kingsmen
96 Tears - ? and the Mysterians

15. Mid 70’s Arena Rock
Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin
Free Bird – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Dream On – Aerosmith
Feel Like Makin' Love – Bad Company

16. Late 90’s Pop-Rock
Hold My Hand – Hootie and the Blowfish
Crash Into Me – Dave Matthews Band
Desperately Wanting – Better Than Ezra
One Week – Barenaked Ladies

17. Early 80’s New Wave
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic – The Police
Blue Monday – New Order
One Way Or Another – Blondie
Magic – The Cars

18. Early 90’s Grunge
Would? – Alice in Chains
Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
Alive – Pearl Jam
Fell On Black Days – Soundgarden

19. Late 00’s British Neo-Soul
Rolling in the Deep - Adele
Rehab – Amy Winehouse
LDN – Lily Allen
Mercy - Duffy

20. Early 00’s British Pop-Rock
Clocks – Coldplay
Run – Snow Patrol
Mr. Brightside – The Killers
Babylon – David Grey

21. Early 70’s Laurel Canyon
Fire and Rain – James Taylor
Doctor My Eyes – Jackson Browne
Suite: Judy Blue Eyes – Crosby Still and Nash
So Far Away - Carol King

22. Early 00’s Singer Songwriters
No Such Thing – John Mayer
Everywhere – Michelle Branch
Flake – Jack Johnson
The Blower's Daughter – Damian Rice

23. Mid 90’s Lilith Fair
Building a Mystery – Sarah McLaughlin
You Were Meant for Me – Jewel
Never Is a Promise – Fiona Apple
Life Is Sweet – Natalie Merchant

24. Late 00’s Indie Pop
Young Folks – Peter Bjorn and John
Fidelity – Regina Spektor
1234 – Feist
Portions for Foxes – Rilo Kiley

25. 50’s Dawn of Rock and Roll
Hound Dog – Elvis Presley
Johnny B. Goode – Chuck Berry
I Got a Woman – Ray Charles
Great Balls of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis