Every Hit Added to Rolling Stone's Top-100 'Greatest Songs'

These are the songs added to the top 100 of Rolling Stone magazine's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in its 2021 update—the first full revision since the original 2004 list.

The publication made a slight update in 2010, adding 25 songs from the 2000s and 1994's "Juicy" by The Notorious B.I.G. Back then, the top 25 remained unchanged.

In September 2021, the music magazine gave the list a total reboot.

Thirty songs from the 2010s were added, and more than half the entries did not feature on either of the two previous editions. Some of the songs in the 2004 top 100 are either out of the list completely.

"Fight the Power" by Public Enemy (1989)

Number 2

Public Enemy
lavor Flav (L) and Chuck D of Public Enemy perform at Freedom Hill Amphitheater on August 6, 2016 in Sterling Heights, Michigan. (Photo by Scott Legato/Getty Images) Scott Legato/Getty

American hip hop group Public Enemy are number 2 in the 2021 Rolling Stone's list after Aretha Franklin's "Respect" who is number 1. "Fight the Power," a song about racism, censorship and civil liberties was written for the soundtrack of Spike Lee's 1989 iconic film Do the Right Thing.

"Get your Freak on" by Missy Elliot (2001)

Number 8

Missy Elliott Impressed By Fan's 'Work It' Cover
Rapper Missy Elliott is impressed by a Rhode Island fans cover of "Work It." Here, Elliot is pictured performing onstage during the 2018 Essence Festival at Louisiana Superdome on July 7, 2018, in New Orleans,... Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for Essence

Rolling Stone says that 'Timbaland delivers an amazing bhangra beat while Missy throws down like some weird-ass cheerleader who knows that the world is listening."

The song is now in the 10 best songs of all time, according to Rolling Stone.

"Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac (1977)

Number 9

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Fleetwood Mac members Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham, pose in the recording studio in Los Angeles, California 1980. Aaron Rapoport/Getty

The highest entry for a newly added song is "Dreams" by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac at number 9, which was a No. 1 hit in the U.S, back in 1977.

"Crazy in Love" by Beyoncé (2003)

Number 16

50 Crazy-in-Love
"Crazy in Love" (2003) “Crazy in Love” set the template for Beyonce's entire career, from its jubilant pop-meets-R&B beat, her collaboration with Jay-Z and its pitch-perfect music video. Columbia

The song that established Beyoncé as the biggest superstar of the century, and a musical powerhouse, was added to the list in the revised 2010 edition.

Rolling Stone says that producer Rich Harrison "constructed the song's beat around a horn sample lifted from the Chi-Lites' 1970 song 'Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So),' but he kept it in the can until he found the right artist to record it."

"Dancing on my Own" by Robyn, (2010)

Number 20

The highest entry for a newly added song from the 2010s is "Dancing On My Own" at number 20.

According to Rolling Stone, the song is "the killer single that elevated her to something approaching voice-of-a-generation status among America's burned-out youth".

"Dancing on My Own" gained momentum in the 2010s and it was part of the soundtrack of a memorable scene in HBO's Girls.

"Runaway" by Kanye West, 2010

Number 25

Kanye West
Kanye West performs Sunday Service during the 2019 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival on April 21, 2019 in Indio, California. Getty/Rich Fury

"Runaway" is Kanye's musical response to the Taylor Swift controversy (he interrupted her at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards during her acceptance speech) but it's also a nine-minute personal meditation on failed relationships and public infamy. The song serves as a "toast to the douchebags."

Eleven years ago, no other song compared to "Runaway," and in 2021, Rolling Stone listed the song at number 25 in the greatest songs ever.

"Royals" by Lorde (2011)

Number 30

Lorde
Singer-songwriter Lorde performs on stage during day 1 of iHeartRadio Beach Ball at PNE Amphitheatre on September 3, 2017 in Vancouver, Canada. Andrew Chin/Getty Images

"Royals" ranks at number 30 on Rolling Stone's '500 Best Songs of All Time'. When the song about longing for wealth and fame was released, it went straight to number one on the U.S. charts.

"Seven Nation Army" by White Stripes (2003)

Number 36

On Rolling Stone's 2010 updated version of the RS500, the song was listed at No. 286 .In its latest 2021 update, "Seven Nation Army" is listed at number 36.

In 2018 the song was placed at No. 3 in the "100 greatest songs of the 21st century"

"Outkast" by B.O.B. (2000)

Number 39

OutKast on stage at Lakewood Amphitheatre
Andre 3000 and Big Boi of Outkast perform onstage at ONE Musicfest at Lakewood Amphitheatre on September 10, 2016, in Atlanta. Paras Griffin/Getty Images

André 3000 and Big Boi have said about the song "Everybody's been doing music like they all have the same formula: E = MC2. Outkast was an idea before it was a song".

"Allright" by Kendrick Lamar (2015)

Number 45

'To Pimp a Butterfly’ by Kendrick Lamar
Mike Pont / Getty Images

Kendrick Lamar "Alright" was released in the spring of 2015 and the song became very popular with the Black Lives Matter movement, activists all over America could be heard chanting "we gon' be alright".

"Paper Planes" by M.I.A (2008)

Number 46

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M.I.A. performs onstage at the Vulture Festival Presents MIA + Solange at Webster Hall on May 10, 2014, in New York City. Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for New York Magazine

"The other songs on the chart were Katy Perry and the Jonas Brothers," said M.I.A. about her hip hop hit, "Then you saw 'Paper Planes,' and it's cool because there's hope."

"Paper Planes" is included in the Rolling Stone '500 Greatest Songs of All Time', and at number two on its 2018 list 'The 100 Greatest Songs of the Century – So Far'.

"Idioteque" by Radiohead (2000)

Number 48

Radiohead Perform New York 2018
Ed O'Brien, Thom Yorke, Philip Selway, Jonny Greenwood, and Clive Deamer of Radiohead perform at Madison Square Garden on July 10, 2018 in New York City. Taylor Hill/Getty Images

"Idioteque" lyrics can be interpreted in a number of ways given their ambiguity, it makes references to the "Ice Age" and to technological trends whose sole purpose is avarice.

Rolling Stone says that "the band built a quaking glitch-core opus, driven by some of the most genuinely freaked-out vocals Thome Yorke ever delivered. And somehow it still became a monster stadium-rock moment live".

It ranked number 33 on the magazine's 2018 list of "100 Greatest Songs of the Century - So Far" and it is now number 48, in the RS 500.

"Gasolina" by Dady Yankee (2004)

Number 50

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One of the very few artists to feature in the list with a song not in the English language. Reuters

The highest entry not in the English language is "Gasolina" at number 50.

He is now the big 'Daddy' of all the reggaetoneros, but back in 2004 he was one of those who helped reggaeton go global. Rolling Stones says "the Puerto Rican rapper was in San Juan when he heard a man shout, 'Echa, mija, como te gusta la gasolina!"—a playful phrase lobbed at girls who would seek out the sleekest rides to get to parties.!

"Work it" by Missy Elliot (2000)

Number 56

missy elliot
Eric Thayer/Reuters

Ranking at number 56 is "Work it" by American rapper Missy Elliott, her biggest hit. The hip hop song was written by Missy Elliott and her producer Tim Timbaland Mosley.

"All too Well" by Taylor Swift (2012)

Number 69

Taylor Swift Virginia governor's race
Swift photographed during The BRIT Awards 2021 at The O2 Arena on May 11, 2021 in London, England. JMEnternational for BRIT Awards/Getty Images

At number 69 is Taylor Swift's break-up ballad. "It was a day when I was like a broken human walking to rehearsal, just feeling terrible about what was going on in my personal life," Swift told Rolling Stone, recalling the origins of "All Too Well."

"Formation" by Beyonce (2016)

Number 73

 Beyonce performs on stage.
Beyonce performs on stage during "The Formation World Tour" at the Georgia Dome on May 1, 2016, in Atlanta. Getty Images/Kevin Mazur/WireImage

The Black Power anthem, opened a debate on culture, racism and politics. It is listed at number 73 in the 500 greatest songs of all time and Rolling Stone also named the video, "the greatest music video of all time" in 2021.

"Common People" by Pulp (1995)

Number 75

New entry at number 75 is this classic from the Britpop heyday. Pulp's "Common People" is a classic of the 90s Britpop culture movement and it was a huge hit in 1995 when it was released. Good songs never get old.

"Back to Black" by Amy Winehouse (2006)

Number 79

Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse performing during her set at Lollapalooza music festival on August 5, 2007. Roger Kisby/Getty Images

The emotive singing style of Amy Winehouse and the acclaimed lyrics made "Back to Black" a critics and fans favourite.

The song entered the Billboard Hot 100 album chart at number 7, and Amy Winehouse became the highest debuting British female artist in the history of the U.S. albums chart.

"Rolling in the Deep" by Adele (2011)

Number 82

Adele Someone Like You
Adele performs on stage at the The BRIT Awards 2011 at O2 Arena on February 15, 2011 in London, England Getty Images

Adele's heartache song "Rolling in the Deep" ranks number 8 on the Rolling Stone list of "The 100 Greatest Songs of the 21st Century."

It was also the Billboard Year End Hot 100 Number One Single of 2011 and at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards, it won for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Short Form Music Video.

"All my friends" by LCD soundsystem (2007)

Number 87

LCD Soundsystem
James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem performs at Virgin Festival at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on August 4, 2007. Bill Auth/Reuters

Ranking 87 in the list is "All My Friends" by American rock band from Brooklyn, LCD Soundsystem. "All my friends" is a joyful anthem about celebrating all those bad decisions we made, as in the end, they all add up to the book of life.

"International Players Anthem (I Choose You)" by UKG (2007)

Number 91

The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group and it was number 10 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007. In 2021, Rolling Stone listed the song at number 91 in the 500 greatest songs of all time list.

"Since U Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson (2004)

Number 93

kelly clarkson american idol
'American Idol' winner Kelly Clarkson now hosts her own talk show. NBC

Rolling Stone ranked it at number 482 of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2010, and at number 93 in the latest ranking. "Since U Been Gone" was a commercial hit written by Max Martin and Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald who originally wrote it for Pink .

"Wonderwall" by Oasis (1995)

Number 95

Noel and Liam Gallagher at Wembley
Noel Gallagher (left) and Liam Gallagher of Oasis pose at Wembley Stadium on October 16, 2008 in London, England. Samir Hussein/Getty Images

One of Oasis most popular songs and according to the two brothers from Manchester, U.K., the song describes "an imaginary friend who's gonna come and save you from yourself".

Rolling Stone says that the song "earns at least $1 million a year and passed 1 billion Spotify streams in 2020."

At number 95, "Wonderwall" is now one of the 500 greatest songs ever created.

"99 Problems" by Jay-Z (2003)

Number 96

9 Jay Z - Nicholas Hunt:Getty Images
Getty Images/Nicholas Hunt

"If you don't like my lyrics, you can press fast forward, Got beef with radio if I don't play they show. They don't play my hits, well, I don't give a sh**".

But critics did love Jay-Z lyrics so much "99 Problems" came in at No. 2 on Rolling Stone's top 100 songs of the '00s and at No. 172 in the RS500 2010 updated list. In the latest 2021 raking, it is listed at No. 96.

Rolling Stone certainly like your lyrics, Jay-Z.

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