# VH1's The Greatest... whaddya think of their rankings? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 21, 2003, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vh1s-the-greatest-whaddya-think-of-their-rankings/163022 "2003-03-21T04:39:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vh1s-the-greatest-whaddya-think-of-their-rankings/163022/1 "2003-03-21T04:39:28Z")
In case you don’t know, this is the VH1 show that ranks musical moments and accomplishments based on, I believe, feedback from music industry folks from across the spectrum. You can find their past lists [here](http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/episode_list.jhtml). I’m not a huge music consumer, so I’m not sure what I think of most of their lists (like “Satisfaction” as the greatest rock song of all time, or the Beatles’ **Revolver** as greatest album), though I can at least think about the ones not directly related to music (I think John Lennon’s murder does rank up there as one of the great shocking moments of music history). And I can at least express my outrage about “I Will Always Love You” being called the greatest love song of all time. 🙂 While I realize that lists like these are always hugely subjective, I have to wonder: what do you all think of their rankings? ---
**Author:** ![ECJones29](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@ECJones29](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ECJones29)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vh1s-the-greatest-whaddya-think-of-their-rankings/163022/2 "2003-03-21T06:32:27Z")
VH1 lists should carry a disclaimer: **"For Entertainment Purposes Only; Please, No Wagering"** They’re o.k. as far as they go; I really enjoyed the One Hit Wonders and later picked up some of the songs on that countdown that I’d forgotten. I just wish they still played music all day. I used to get a lot of housework done with VH1 in the background. My house is pretty filthy now. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vh1s-the-greatest-whaddya-think-of-their-rankings/163022/3 "2003-03-21T06:46:00Z")
All I know is the people making these lists must be on something highly illegal. **Bill Clinton** playing the sax on TV is the #1 moment that rocked tv? At least when MTV in a very unarogant fashion named the launching of their network as #1 when they did their own list, it fit. In the long run, the shows are pretty entertaining. I’m not sure if it’s because of those mentioned illegal substances or because they are trying to give the show a balance, but they do a HORRIBLE job of ranking them. Stuff that belongs in the top 20 can be in the bottom 90, and really insignifigant events can make the top 20 instead. It’s been a while since I watched one so I can’t provide a specific example, but I’m sure someone will soon…there are just so many times when I was watching a major event be featured, and then the one above it is so dull and insignificant that I just scream out “oh come on, as if those two can compare!” having Macarana be the #1 One Hit Wonder is something I could easily agree with however ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vh1s-the-greatest-whaddya-think-of-their-rankings/163022/4 "2003-03-21T07:31:40Z")
On their list of “50 Sexiest Video Moments” (or something like that): Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again” video–you know the one, with Tawnee Kitaen on the hood of the car–comes in only at #38. That is totally bogus! ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vh1s-the-greatest-whaddya-think-of-their-rankings/163022/5 "2003-03-21T16:40:38Z")
Have to agree with the Beatles as #1 Artists. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vh1s-the-greatest-whaddya-think-of-their-rankings/163022/6 "2003-03-21T18:56:56Z")
Being a music nut and a list making type of person, I had made these kinds of lists with friends some time ago. I was pleasantly surprised that Revolver topped the list, since “conventional wisdom” (FWIW) had typically held Sgt. Pepper’s as the best album. I had argued long and hard for Revolver with friends, so VH-1 scored credibility point with me for that one. Other than that, Beatles as most important band (and the top 10 - 20 below them) and Satisfaction as best song (and the top 10 - 20 below them, except for Hey Jude as the best Beatles song - should be “I want to hold your hand” and higher on the list), those lists seem to reflect standard thought. Beyond that, my only complaint is that there are too many darn lists - shocking moments? Women in rock (after already doing artists, regardless of gender?), Hard rock (okay, I liked this one, but I have a soft spot for the genre) and on and on and on. Enough already! ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vh1s-the-greatest-whaddya-think-of-their-rankings/163022/7 "2003-03-21T20:01:36Z")
Video Killed the Radio Star is the best VH1 program I’ve seen. While it didn’t have a lot to do with ranking and lists, it did focus on some more interesting bits of music arcana like the tropes of gangsta rap video. Their lists are mostly predictable and vanilla (love the Beatles, love Madonna), but I know what to expect so I usually not disappointed. I do, however, think Billy Idol should have been higher on their Sexiest Artists List than #55. Come on. They did put Duran Duran at #20, so I suppose that makes up for it. ---
**Author:** ![djf750](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@djf750](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/djf750)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vh1s-the-greatest-whaddya-think-of-their-rankings/163022/8 "2003-03-21T20:47:17Z")
I saw a show once on VH1 hosted by kevin bacon listing the top one hundred rock acts of all time. Jethro Tull wasn’t on it. And didn’t VH1 do the show with rock groups from prison? Consider the source. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vh1s-the-greatest-whaddya-think-of-their-rankings/163022/9 "2003-03-21T22:29:29Z")
I was surprised to see Pearl Jam come in ahead of Iggy Pop on the Hard Rock list. I love Pearl Jam, and they’ve obviously sold a lot more albums, but Iggy was obviously more influential. Pearl Jam hasn’t even had _time_ to be that influential. But Eddie Vedder is sexier than Kurt Cobain, no matter what their Sexiests Artists list said. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vh1s-the-greatest-whaddya-think-of-their-rankings/163022/10 "2003-03-22T05:37:38Z")
Personally, I always worry about any of these “100 Greatest” lists when they don’t explain the voting procedure. When it isn’t explained, I always get the vague feeling that the guys in the mailroom select the lists.