Music is amazing, isn’t it? It’s been labeled as a universal language for centuries and there is nothing that brings people together more than music. There are millions, if not billions of artists and genres of music, and so many of them make people’s lives more enjoyable. So while some are held in higher regard than others, there’s no question that music is one hundred percent subjective.
With that being said, I came across a question many years ago that I haven’t forgotten to this day: What is the greatest song of all time?
While it is a very simple question, it’s hard to deny how difficult it is to answer. There are so many songs and there are so many reasons why they could be the greatest. However, here I will dive deeper into the topic.
According to a poll sent out to Highlands High School students, unsurprisingly, there was a very wide variety of songs that were considered to be the greatest.
Among this wide variety, artists like David Bowie, Radiohead, Lauryn Hill, and somehow even Kodak Black were seen.
Some of these results were expected, but a majority weren’t. This changed my perspective immediately, as even though I knew how different people’s tastes are, I didn’t really know how different they are.
While many consider lots of music to be objectively good or bad, I have finally come to terms with that not being true. For example, Imagine Dragons is a very divisive band. In my opinion, they’re awful, but someone across from me could possibly say that they’re great.
I looked in so many places, across hundreds of albums, and in the end I’ve come to one single conclusion—there is no real greatest song of all time. There is no definitive greatest artist, album, or even live performance. Like I said in the beginning, music is completely subjective.
Now of course that does not mean that you can’t have an opinion. We all have opinions that may shock or anger others when it comes to music, and when it comes to the greatest song of all time, that’s unchanged. But, with all that being said, here are some of the songs that I would consider to possibly be the greatest of them all.
‘Long Season – Live’ by Fishmans is a 43 minute mammoth of a song. First, Fishmans was a Japanese dream pop band that lasted from 1987-1999, when the frontman Shinji Sato died. I must say that ‘Long Season’ is utterly transcendent and it defies just about every conventional music standard. Despite its immense length, the dreamy synths make me feel lost in a world that doesn’t exist. There’s an incredible bassline that plays for almost the entirety of the song, as well as a gentle piano chord that also plays for the majority of its length. ‘Long Season – Live’ is not only a performance, but a fitting sendoff to one of Japan’s greatest artists.
‘Paranoid Android’ by Radiohead is an insane track that blends experimental and alternative rock. Being found on the universally acclaimed album “OK Computer,” ‘Paranoid Android’ is at times energetic and hard hitting, while also being one of the most haunting pieces of music ever performed. Trust me, the guitar solo about halfway through is one of the things that really made me want to talk about music. Thom Yorke just oozes charisma on this track, and he’s backed up by possibly the greatest instrumental of the 90’s.
‘Dance Yrself Clean’ by LCD Soundsystem is an amazingly produced electronic anthem that has the best drop I’ve ever heard in my entire life. The drop from the melancholy intro into the abrasive and energetic body of the song is genuinely something that everybody needs to hear at least once in their life. While the drop is amazing, the rest of the song is perfect as well, as the opening verses and the somber closing verses make for one of the best listening experiences of any song ever.
‘In the Aeroplane Over the Sea’ by Neutral Milk Hotel is the third track off of their 1997 album of the same name. This album is near and dear to my heart and this song especially is absolutely precious to me. This song is undeniably about the young Jewish girl, Anne Frank. Jeff Mangum, the frontman of Neutral Milk Hotel read the diary of Anne Frank and was so touched by her story, that he began having nightmares and he wanted nothing more than to go back and rescue her from the awful situation that she was in. This song however, is about finding optimism and peace in this cruel world. He imagines Heaven, and how he wishes to see Frank when his life is all said and done. Combine this powerful message to the enchanting instrumental behind it, and you have one of if not the greatest songs of all time.
With all that being said, again, there is no definitive greatest song of all time. But, I think it’s awesome to make claims and arguments about this debate. So please, if you could, recommend some songs that you feel are the greatest ever released.
