210. “Bye Bye Love” – The Everly Brothers
This is another Everly Brothers song that I spent a lot of time listening to when I was four with my step-grandma, but unlike “Wake up, Little Suzie” this one is not historically interesting, nor was it badass and controversial in its day. How could it have been?
Burnes’ Turns: No
Top 500 Consideration: No

209. “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” – Four Tops
This seems like such a strange song to be so beloved. Maybe it’s the archaic recording, but the chorus has always sounded almost dissonant to me. Not a fan.
Burnes’ Turns: No
Top 500 Consideration: No

208. “Lean on Me” – Bill Withers
Everybody knows this song. It’s definitely iconic, but it’s also a bit too basic and, dare I say, dull for me to consider it one of the best.
Burnes’ Turns: No
Top 500 Consideration: No

207. “Try a Little Tenderness” – Otis Redding
Otis Redding’s vocal delivery is out of this world, but the song’s runaway ending, called on the fly by the drummer, is a bit strange to me.
Burnes’ Turns: No
Top 500 Consideration: No

206. “Positively 4th Street” – Bob Dylan
This song was one of my first introductions to Bob Dylan. It was on a 2-disc collection of his work that my grandpa bought at Walmart or something. But I haven’t heard it in a long time because that CD wasn’t on Spotify until recently. It still evokes a lot of sentimentality in me, but it probably won’t be on my list.
Burnes’ Turns: Yes
Top 500 Consideration: Long Shot

205. “Come Together” – The Beatles
Despite its uniting message, “Come Together” was the last song that all four Beatles ever recorded together. It’s far from the best song on Abbey Road, but it’s the one that everybody knows (that isn’t “Here Comes the Sun”) so it gets the nod here. It probably won’t get the same on my list, though.
Burnes’ Turns: Yes
Top 500 Consideration: Long Shot

204. “Bizarre Love Triangle” – New Order
From the opening notes, it’s obvious that this came out of the ’80s, but it’s notably better than what you normally hear out of the worst decade of all time (which is probably why it wasn’t a big hit). It has a very digital city-esque vibe that I kind of dig.
Burnes’ Turns: No
Top 500 Consideration: No

203. “Loser” – Beck
Contrary to what Kanye West may think, Beck is definitely a superior artist to Beyonce. But this song, which he recorded in his producer’s kitchen for $200, isn’t a great example of that.
Burnes’ Turns: No
Top 500 Consideration: No

202. “Flash Light” – Parliament
If I was ever going to listen to Funk, Parliament and Funkadelic (which both had mastermind George Clinton behind them) would be my first stop. But I’m not.
Burnes’ Turns: No
Top 500 Consideration: No

201. “Hey Joe” – Jimi Hendrix
I remember being blown away by this song when I was first getting into music, but it sounds much less revolutionary now and much more like an endorsement for wife abuse. Still, the guitar work is fantastic and the climax is powerful.
Burnes’ Turns: No
Top 500 Consideration: Long Shot

200. “Don’t Be Cruel” – Elvis Presley
“Don’t Be Cruel” was released during what was by far my least-favorite portion of Elvis’ career where everything he did was really nothing more than Pop nonsense. But it was a No. 1 hit and famous as hell, so I’m not surprised to see it here.
Burnes’ Turns: No
Top 500 Consideration: No

199. “Maybe” – The Chantels
Unbelievable. The first time I heard the then 16-year-old Arlene Smith (who also wrote the song) belt out that opening note of this song, goosebumps immediately shot down my spine. This is real music done right, and the fact that every singer on the record was still in high school when it was released makes it that much more impressive.
Burnes’ Turns: Yes
Top 500 Consideration: Yes

198. “Sweet Child o’ Mine” – Guns N’ Roses
Other than Aerosmith, there is no other band that I love and know more about than Guns N’ Roses. And as any true Guns fan would tell you, we’re sick of hearing “Sweet Child o’ Mine.” Naturally that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a fantastic song and a musical triumph that is worthy of praise, but don’t forget that there is a lot of other stuff out there that’s just as good.
Burnes’ Turns: Yes
Top 500 Consideration: Yes

197. “Peggy Sue” – Buddy Holly
This is a perfect example of everything that’s wrong with this list. I have nothing against Buddy Holly (I actually quite like him), but there is no way in hell that “Peggy Sue” is one of the greatest songs ever recorded. Certainly there can be disagreements and differing opinions about what makes a great song. But there’s a difference between differing opinions and insulting intelligence. This is an example of the latter.
Burnes’ Turns: No
Top 500 Consideration: No

196. “There Goes My Baby” – The Drifters
Another song by The Drifters that sounds just like all of their other ones. If you’re into that, this is for you.
Burnes’ Turns: No
Top 500 Consideration: No

195. “Wichita Lineman” – Glen Campbell
There is a lot to love about this song: the soaring string section, the chord progression into the chorus, the clear vocal delivery from Glen Campbell. But, again, is this really one of the greatest songs of all time? I think not.
Burnes’ Turns: No
Top 500 Consideration: No

194. “Rehab” – Amy Winehouse
?uestlove has said that this is one of the greatest recordings of all time. Unlike with “Peggy Sue” I can understand how he reached that conclusion. However, it’s a conclusion with which I do not agree. But is it still a great song with a tragic undercurrent? Absolutely.
Burnes’ Turns: Yes
Top 500 Consideration: No

193. “Free Bird” – Lynyrd Skynyrd
For anybody that’s ever played Guitar Hero 2, it’s impossible to hear this song without fingering along (especially if you had to replay it as many times as I did in order to pass it). It can be tiring for repeated listeners, but it’s still worthy of consideration, especially when considering the guitar mastery that went into writing out that entire solo. They did that for every song.
Burnes’ Turns: Yes
Top 500 Consideration: Yes

192. “Knockin on Heaven’s Door” – Bob Dylan
This is a great song and one of Dylan’s greatest vocals on record, but I prefer the Guns N’ Roses version.
Burnes’ Turns: Yes
Top 500 Consideration: Yes (Guns N’ Roses)

191. “Stayin Alive” – Bee Gees
Of all of The Bee Gees’ songs, this is easily the most famous, and it’s also the one I’m least impressed with out of the songs that have appeared on this list. It’s still a great groove and I understand the appeal, but they’ve definitely got better stuff to their name.
Burnes’ Turns: No
Top 500 Consideration: No