|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 23, 2022 14:23:49 GMT -5
236. The Smiths - “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out”
The Smiths didn’t last all that long before they imploded, but their genius has littered the alt scene with numerous classics, some of which never even made their studio albums. This one, meanwhile, is the inverse: released on The Queen Is Dead in 1986, it took until 1992 for it to get a single released, and by then the band had already been five years broken-up. Regardless, fans latched onto it and it remains one of their most beloved songs, an anthem of life, death, and love.
|
|
|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 23, 2022 14:32:08 GMT -5
235. The Presidents of the United States of America - “Peaches”
It took chords from Bad Company’s “Feel Like Makin’ Love” and was written based on a line overheard by singer Chris Ballew: “I’m moving to the country, I’m gonna eat a lot of peaches.” The almost comedic nature of this song propelled its band to fame and was even nominated for a Grammy.
|
|
|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 23, 2022 14:39:22 GMT -5
234. Liz Phair - “Never Said”
Written with the intention of having a “big radio hit”, this single from Liz Phair’s iconic Exile in Guyville remains one of her most beloved songs. It’s an inverse of The Rolling Stones song “Tumbling Dice”, and became a heavy player on alt radio and a hit with critics.
|
|
|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 23, 2022 14:46:01 GMT -5
233. Hootie & the Blowfish - “Let Her Cry”
Inspired by The Black Crowes and Bonnie Raitt, this single from the band’s debut album was lyrically composed in one sitting. It became a hit worldwide and even netted the group a Grammy.
|
|
|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 23, 2022 14:50:51 GMT -5
232. Alien Ant Farm - “Smooth Criminal”
Alien Ant Farm will go down in the history books as a band never known for their own original music, but man did they excel at this Michael Jackson cover. It originated as a guitar warm-up at gigs and ended up being a massive success worldwide. Their legacy is a small one, but then again, how many times have you turned on the radio just to hear this song playing again? Yeah.
|
|
|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 23, 2022 14:54:41 GMT -5
231. Cornershop - “Brimful of Asha”
An ode to Indian cinema, Cornershop’s biggest hit always had potential, but only took off when remixed by Fatboy Slim. Now it’s most famous for that one iconic line you’ll never get out of your head: “Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow.”
|
|
|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 23, 2022 22:03:45 GMT -5
230. Muse - “Madness”
The second-longest number one song in the Billboard Alternative Songs chart history is this stripped-down electronic rock song with heavy R&B influence. Written after a fight between frontman Matt Bellamy and his girlfriend, it became an instant success and is now one of the band’s most iconic songs.
|
|
|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 23, 2022 22:07:36 GMT -5
229. Matchbox Twenty - “Unwell”
A single from Matchbox Twenty’s third album, “Unwell” was a big hit in US radio. It became 2003’s second most-played song, reached No. 5 in the Hot 100, and remains one of the group’s most famous cuts. Also I hear it at work every fucking day, so hats off that.
|
|
|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 23, 2022 22:13:41 GMT -5
228. Nirvana - “About a Girl”
The Beatles influence is striking in this song from Nirvana’s first album, Bleach. While it was vastly different from their other early work, it was also one of the first signs of the band’s versatility as songwriters and even became one of the highlights on their MTV Unplugged concert.
|
|
|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 23, 2022 22:20:47 GMT -5
227. Moby - “South Side”
If you listen to the album version you just hear Moby; and if you’ve got the single, then Gwen Stefani is also present. Whatever the version, this song is one of the artist’s most famous songs. It was his sole single to chart in the Top 100 and was an even bigger hit in Canada, debuting at No. 3.
|
|
|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 23, 2022 22:28:56 GMT -5
226. Papa Roach - “Last Resort”
What a way to make an entrance. “Last Resort” was Papa Roach’s first single, and it remains their most beloved song for a reason. With a memorable Iron Maiden-esque riff and raw lyrics about suicidal thoughts, it resonated with audiences and ensured the group a place in the history books.
|
|
|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 23, 2022 22:34:24 GMT -5
225. PJ Harvey - “Down by the Water”
Utilizing more electronic instrumentation than most of PJ Harvey’s other music, this menacing track is about a woman drowning her daughter. It stood out, becoming a well-rotated video on MTV, a much played song on college radio, and her biggest hit on Billboard.
|
|
|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 23, 2022 22:40:04 GMT -5
224. Foo Fighters - “All My Life”
One of the band’s biggest hits, “All My Life” wasn’t expected by the band to be such a massive success. Yet its hard-hitting edge, combined with a lyrical ode to oral sex, was instantly latched onto by audiences, and was No. 1 for ten weeks on the Alternative Songs chart.
|
|
|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 23, 2022 22:46:13 GMT -5
223. Modern English - “I Melt With You”
One of the most played songs in US radio history, this anthem from the British Modern English was latched onto by disc jockeys and dance clubs. It never reached the Top 40 in the Billboard charts, but it’s still widely considered to be a ‘hit’, the band’s sole one.
|
|
|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 23, 2022 22:55:14 GMT -5
222. Pearl Jam - “Better Man”
Pearl Jam always had more sensitive lyrics focusing on the darker sides of humanity, and this iconic track deals with abusive relationships. Never released as a single and actually cut from the Vs. album, it was eventually included as part of Vitalogy and became a massive success, topping the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
|
|
|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 23, 2022 23:02:38 GMT -5
221. Living Colour - “Cult of Personality”
The second single from Living Colour’s debut album, “Cult of Personality” took off like a rocket, landing at No. 13 in the Hot 100 and remaining one of the most iconic hard rock songs of the ‘80s. It’s about leaders, their lies, and how they assemble fanbases of loyal supporters, and remains a relevant and chilling political statement to this day.
|
|
|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 23, 2022 23:08:15 GMT -5
220. The Sugarcubes - “Birthday”
Before her solo career took off, Björk was part of an Icelandic group called The Sugarcubes. Their most famous song, recorded in both Icelandic and English, is “Birthday”, which was a worldwide success and even performed by the band on Saturday Night Live.
|
|
|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 23, 2022 23:14:50 GMT -5
219. Suede - “Stay Together”
One of the Big 4 of britpop, Suede weren’t as successful in the US as in their home country (and had to release their music as the ‘London Suede’ for legal reasons). “Stay Together” became one of the group’s biggest hits, even though the band has disowned it and even Noel Gallagher considers it too dry. But British audiences dug the hell out of it, and it remains their signature song.
|
|
|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 23, 2022 23:21:36 GMT -5
218. The Replacements - “Alex Chilton”
An homage to Big Star frontman Alex Chilton, The Replacements scored a critical success with this track from their fifth album. Released as a promotional single, it is widely considered to be one of their best songs, even enjoyed by the man it was written about.
|
|
|
Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Aug 25, 2022 21:56:08 GMT -5
217. Mudhoney - “Touch Me I’m Sick”
Mudhoney’s signature song is a dirty, grimy two and a half minute alt rock classic. With it the band helped build the framework of the most explosive musical scene of the 1990s: grunge.
|
|