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40 Pop/Rock Songs That Have Become Anthemic
Includes audience participation!
This is one of the most challenging pieces I have ever worked on. And I know I am going to get pounded as a result. I may have to publish Part 2, 41–80, to appease my readers and validate my opinion!
Before we get into the countdown, let me tell you about a few parameters around its development.
I did not check out the other lists on the Internet until AFTER I had written this. Sometimes I would think, “damn, I missed that one,” but in the end, there are a couple of twists to my chart.
The sole source I used was Joel Whitburn’s “The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits,” with a few exceptions. First, the version I used ended with songs from 2009. This is OK because usually, a piece needs to be around longer than that to become an anthem.
However, there is one exception in my countdown. Guess which one!
A song may have come to mind that never appeared in the Top 40. Secondly, when shown the list to friends, they may have said, “What about this song or that song?” In which case, I either added it for consideration or I didn’t!
There might be a song or two representative of the artist, an icon that most everyone knows. As a result, they may be on the list—like a “lifetime achievement” award.
