# Best #1 single of all time: 1955-2014 (THE FINALS) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 23, 2014, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030 "2014-12-23T16:38:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/21 "2014-12-24T05:08:59Z")
This is actually not a bad list of songs. Don’t think the '90s or 2000’s are represented by their best, but even those decades have very strong entries. But… gotta give it to the King. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/22 "2014-12-24T05:48:12Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > To be honest, I’d never heard Lorde - “Royals”, or OutKast - “Hey Ya!” before. I didn’t vote in those years. > > Lorde sounds quite good actually. > > OutKast gives me a headache. Me too, I simply didn’t get OutKast. And why can’t they spell? And get off my lawn. I dithered between Billie Jean and Satisfaction. Went with Billie Jean because as at least one person said, the Stones had some much better tracks, but Billie Jean was pretty much the pinnacle of MJ’s output. And an amazing song I could listen to over and over again. ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/23 "2014-12-24T17:06:03Z")
**I’M** the _best_ single from that timeframe! (yes ladies, I’m still single) ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/24 "2014-12-24T17:37:03Z")
Not really happy with any of the choices which probably says something profound about Democracy… ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/25 "2014-12-24T17:43:40Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Not really happy with any of the choices which probably says something profound about Democracy… I dunno. I think this is a surprisingly solid list. All those songs would come up in a discussion about era-defining songs, I’d think. (Except maybe Royals–but I’m too close to it temporally to judge yet–and I guess I’d expect a disco number for the 70s, but “Superstition” hits the funk aspect of the 70s nicely). ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/26 "2014-12-24T18:00:18Z")
Not that the songs are bad. They are actually all pretty good at least. It’s just that they don’t feel like the best that music had to offer over the last fifty years. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/27 "2014-12-24T20:08:22Z")
^ This. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/28 "2014-12-24T20:35:45Z")
None of the above. I’d think there’d at least be a nomination by the Beatles. That omission cannot be justified by any standards I’m aware of. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/29 "2014-12-24T21:48:25Z")
In some article I saw long ago, #1 song of all time was Ave Maria. No, I do not have a cite. #2 was The Night Chicago Died (j/k) ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/30 "2014-12-24T21:51:35Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > None of the above. I’d think there’d at least be a nomination by the Beatles. That omission cannot be justified by any standards I’m aware of. Democracy. Only two Beatles songs - “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Something” - won the polls for their year, and they placed 2nd and 6th to Satisfaction in the decade poll. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/31 "2014-12-24T22:25:27Z")
If I remember correctly Rolling Stone magazine for a couple of decades placed “Stairway to Heaven” as the number one song on their list, and about 10 years or so ago decided Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” was the best R&R song ever. I’m OK with Satisfaction though. I mean I like about 100 songs better, but Satisfaction is a pretty good democratic choice. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/32 "2014-12-24T23:55:00Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Still, I voted for it as a poke in the eye for anyone who voted for Sinead O’Connor because her song title contains Leetspeak. Which does earn it stupidity points, but not enough. That isn’t leetspeak. That didn’t exist at the time. It was Princespeak. But, yeah, given the number of great songs that weren’t #1, this is a pretty good list. I think there’s a legitimate case to be made for each song as song of its decade. I went with Satisfaction even though I didn’t vote for it in either its year or decade poll. I think Royals was the only song on the list that I did. Did Rolling Stone really pick Stairway to Heaven? I know that it always seem to win the FM station polls in the '70s. Kind of surprised that it would win Rolling Stone polls. I was always under the impression that Rolling Stone never really loved Zeppelin. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/33 "2014-12-25T00:20:22Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > None of the above. I’d think there’d at least be a nomination by the Beatles. That omission cannot be justified by any standards I’m aware of. This is partly due to vote splitting – the Beatles had several years with two or more songs so good and popular that they were battling each other in our polls, allowing some other artist’s song to take the lead. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2014, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/34 "2014-12-25T00:24:50Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > … > Did Rolling Stone really pick Stairway to Heaven? I know that it always seem to win the FM station polls in the '70s. Kind of surprised that it would win Rolling Stone polls. I was always under the impression that Rolling Stone never really loved Zeppelin. You may be right. I may be crazy. 😉 It might have been FM polls that placed STH at number one, and not Rolling Stone. Anyway, “Satisfaction” is the number two song currently on their list, behind “Like a Rolling Stone.” So I think we did OK here. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2014, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/35 "2014-12-25T01:08:01Z")
I voted for Satisfaction before I looked and saw that it will quite likely be the winner. My mouse hovered between it and Billie Jean several times, but being a rocker at heart, I went for the Stones. I’ve\* loved\* these polls. I listened to songs I hadn’t heard in years, as well as songs I’d never heard before. They were mostly from 2000-2010. I asked myself, “What on earth was I doing that I missed this??” on several occasions, then realized that’s when I’d been listening to country. I had horses and country was ALWAYS on at the places I boarded. WHAT are we gonna do now? ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2014, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/36 "2014-12-25T02:53:58Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > WHAT are we gonna do now? ☹ You’ll see in a few days. I want to address the concerns of everyone whose biggest complaint was “but what about such-and-such a song that was so awesome this year and only peaked at #16?” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2014, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/37 "2014-12-25T03:16:34Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > You’ll see in a few days. I want to address the concerns of everyone whose biggest complaint was “but what about such-and-such a song that was so awesome this year and only peaked at #16?” 🙂 Well, that’s great Smapti, but all I can think of right now is “♬ t t t t too much time on my hands.♫” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Oly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oly/32/8255_2.png) [@Oly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oly)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2014, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/38 "2014-12-25T04:06:46Z")
Of these, Satisfaction with little hesitation. > [@](#): > > Until then, keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars. It was always nice to hear Casey Kasem say this. Thanks for keeping the quote alive in an apropos way. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2014, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/39 "2014-12-25T05:47:36Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > That isn’t leetspeak. That didn’t exist at the time. It was Princespeak. Leetspeak goes back to the early 80s, so the comment isn’t anachronistic. (I remember using it in the late 80s myself, but it had a history by then.) Then again, I’m sure Prince wasn’t modeling the title after leetspeak. (But **dropzone** ’s comment was being a bit facetious, of course.) ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2014, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-all-time-1955-2014-the-finals/708030/40 "2014-12-25T07:34:13Z")
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