Top 100
Journal Entry - 11.09.2025
My cousin told me his top 10 songs of all time. I'm gonna one up him and do 100. I did this all in the span of an hour (give or take), so I don't know how valid this list is. I am positive I am missing some and others got snubbed.
This is a snapshot in time of what songs mean the most to me as of November 2025. I've done my best to consider the longevity of some. A lot of these have been on this "list" for years, others just sneaking in recently. I bet this may look different next year. For now, here it is.
100. We're Going to Be Friends - The White Stripes
99. Trouble - Ray LaMontagne
98. I Know - Fiona Apple
97. Kyoto - Phoebe Bridgers
96. Lullabye - Emmitt Rhodes
95. Leaving, On a Jet Plane - John Denver
94. Beast Of Burden - The Rolling Stones
93. April Come She Will - Simon & Garfunkel
92. Just Like Heaven - The Cure
91. Casimir Pulaski Day - Sufjan Stevens
90. Clay Pigeons - Blaze Foley
89. Small Town - John Mellencamp
88. Forget the Flowers - Wilco
87. Silver Soul - Beach House
86. Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
85. In My Life - The Beatles
84. We Rule the School - Belle and Sebastian
83. Diplomat's Son - Vampire Weekend
82. Swingin Party - The Replacements
81. Gentle On My Mind - Glen Gampbell
80. Gone for Good - The Shins
79. Thirteen - Big Star
78. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right - Bob Dylan
77. Mykonos - Fleet Foxes
76. My Way - Frank Sinatra
75. I Am Everyone Else - Declan McKenna
74. Somewhere Only We Know - Keane
73. Laid - James
72. Forest Whitaker - Bad Books
71. Another Story - The Head And The Heart
70. Stand By Me - Oasis
69. Shark Smile - Edit - Big Thief
68. Waltz #2 (XO) - Elliott Smith
67. Is This Love - Bob Marley
66. Song for Leigh - The Walkmen
65. Ends of the Earth - Lord Huron
64. Silly Love Songs - Wings
63. White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes
62. Beautiful Boy - John Lennon
61. Clementine - Elliott Smith
60. Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap
59. Is This It - The Strokes
58. Vincent - Don McLean
57. Cousins - Vampire Weekend
56. Into the Mystic - Van Morrison
55. All Things Must Pass - George Harrison
54. Kids - Current Joys
53. Suitcase Full of Sparks - Gregory Alan Isakov
52. Sweet Jane - The Velvet Underground
51. Simple Song - The Shins
50. You Only Live Once - The Strokes
49. On Melancholy Hill - Gorillaz
48. She's Electric - Oasis
47. Selfess - The Strokes
46. Shake Me Down - Cage The Elephant
45. Sleep On The Floor - The Lumineers
44. Wild Horses - The Rolling Stones
43. No Surprises - Radiohead
42. Pale Blue Eyes - The Velvet Underground
41. Time to Pretend - MGMT
40. Bags - Clairo
39. Fake Plastic Trees - Radiohead
38. Stephanie Says - The Velvet Underground
37. A Day In The Life - The Beatles
36. Operator - Jim Croce
35. Ode To The Mets - The Strokes
34. Stuck on the puzzle - Alex Turner
33. A 1000 Times - Hamilton Leithauser, Rostam
32. Apocalypse - Cigarettes After Sex
31. Instant Crush - Daft Punk, Julian Casablancas
30. Friday I'm in Love - The Cure
29. The Stable Song - Gregory Alan Isakov
28. Real Love Baby - Father John Misty
27. Unforgettable - Nat King Cole
26. The Wind - Yusuf / Cat Stevens
25. Upside Down - Jack Johnson
24. Across The Universe - The Beatles
23. Ooh La La - Faces
22. Change - Big Thief
21. These Days - Nico
20. Cigarette Daydreams - Cage The Elephant
19. Virginia May - Gregory Alan Isakov
18. God Only Knows - The Beach Boys
17. Father And Son - Yusuf / Cat Stevens
16. Heaven - The Walkmen
15. Let Down - Radiohead
14. 80's Comedown Machine - The Strokes
13. Don't Look Back In Anger - Oasis
12. No Woman No Cry - Bob Marley
11. For Emma - Bon Iver
Top 10
gave this part some more thought.
10. Time After Time - Chet Baker
"I only know what I know"
The song to walk around a city at night to.
This whole album is a masterpiece, but this is the standout for me.
I first listened to this when I was in Paris for my semester abroad, and it is what drew me into the city. I remember listening to this on repeat as I walked around the city at night. It brings back great memories. Chet's got a great voice too, one that cuts right through.
9. Hero - Family of the Year
"Let me go"
A song to make you feel change.
Check out my Boyhood (link) entry and you can see why I like this song.
This song has been a constant for me over the years. It is one I'll play during big moments of change to remind myself of my own boyhood.
8. Fade Into You - Mazzy Star
"Color your eyes with what's not there"
My favorite love song.
This is just a great moody tune that can make you feel real deep. A lot of Mazzy Star songs can do that, but this one especially. Really great lyrics too.
7. Heroes - David Bowie
"We can be Heroes / Just for one day"
A song that will make you feel infinite.
Such a powerful song. It is an anthem. I just realized I have two songs named Hero(es) on this list. Anyways, this is a great song to drive and sing along to.
6. Piledriver Waltz - Alex Turner
"Mysteries flashing amber"
Alex Turner movie soundtrack genius.
Definitely a newer addition to the list but I can't stop listening to it. The album version is great, but the Submarine soundtrack version is even better.
Something about it, not really sure how to describe it. Doesn't give you much time to breathe. Just a solid 3 some minutes of picture painting.
5. California Stars - Billy Bragg, Wilco
"I'd love to feel your hand touching mine"
God bless Woody Guthrie.
Billy Bragg and Wilco made this album re-doing Woody lyrics. They stumbled upon some old song lyrics he hadn't recorded which became California Stars. This is a great one to put on in the kitchen as you cook at night.
4. Amsterdam - Gregory Alan Isakov
"That howling wind, she'll take everything"
Hit the road and don't look back.
I'm not sure what switched or happened over the past couple years, but I have not stopped listening to him.
You saw a couple of his songs on this list, and Amsterdam was the catalyst. Always makes me think of heading west.
Great song for a rainy day, too.
3. This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) - Talking Heads
"Home is where I want to be"
Super goofy instant dance song madness.
Now this is a fun song. Fun to dance to and fun to sing along. Big fan of the Stop Making Sense version as well.
He wears that damn silly suit and it gets me everytime.
2. Kids - MGMT
"Control yourself"
The ultimate indie song.
I listened this throughout high school, college, and now post-grad. Can feel the riff in the veins.
A great song to put on at a party. Another one I'll dance to and sing along to on auto.
The Indie Rock revolution of the early 2000s and 2010s has a grip on me and this is one that won't let go.
1. New Slang - The Shins
"When you notice the stripes"
The perfect song.
I remember randomly finding this song back in the fall of 2019. I added it to my "fall" playlist, not thinking too much about it.
It's been 6 years now of listening to New Slang and this was the easiest pick of them all.
From 0:00 to end it hits every mark. A song that'll change the direction of your life when you hear it. Maybe I'm hyping it up too much, but you should listen to it if you haven't.
Hope you enjoyed the list. Sorry to the songs that didn't make it. Maybe next year is your year.