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100 Greatest Songs From 1971

Criteria: Songs listed are from Rock 'n' Roll and related sub-genres. Rankings are based on initial and lasting popularity and on acclaim received from critics and musicians.
Note: Yearly song lists go by earliest 'release date' (Single, Album, or Country of first release).
Not necessarily the year a song peaked in the U.S. charts.
No.
Song
Artist

Led Zeppelin band photo
Imagine single cover
What's Going On single cover
Let's Stay Together single cover
Maggie May single cover
American Pie single cover
Won't Get Fooled Again single cover
Brown Sugar single cover
1 Stairway To Heaven Led Zeppelin
2 Imagine John Lennon
3 What's Going On Marvin Gaye
4 Let's Stay Together Al Green
5 Maggie May Rod Stewart
6 American Pie Don McLean
7 Won't Get Fooled Again The Who
8 Brown Sugar Rolling Stones
9 Just My Imagination Temptations
10 Family Affair Sly and the Family Stone
11 Theme From "Shaft" Isaac Hayes
12 Me And Bobby McGee Janis Joplin
13 Baba O'Riley The Who
14 It's Too Late Carole King
15 Riders On The Storm Doors
16 Ain't No Sunshine Bill Withers
17 Rock And Roll Led Zeppelin
18 Changes David Bowie
19 Black Dog Led Zeppelin
20 Tired Of Being Alone Al Green
21 Mercy Mercy Me Marvin Gaye
22 Bang A Gong (Get It On) T. Rex
23 Roundabout Yes
24 Aqualung Jethro Tull
25 Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress) Hollies
26 Have You Seen Her Chi-Lites
27 Tiny Dancer Elton John
28 Respect Yourself Staple Singers
29 Without You Nilsson
30 Smiling Faces Sometimes Undisputed Truth
31 Behind Blue Eyes The Who
32 LA Woman Doors
33 Mr. Big Stuff Jean Knight
34 Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) Marvin Gaye
35 A Horse With No Name America
36 Locomotive Breath Jethro Tull
37 Rock Steady Aretha Franklin
38 Wild Horses Rolling Stones
39 Life On Mars? David Bowie
40 Take Me Home, Country Roads John Denver
41 Vincent Don McLean
42 You've Got A Friend James Taylor
43 Happy Xmas (War Is Over) John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band
44 Slipping into Darkness War
45 Superstar Carpenters
46 Clean Up Woman Betty Wright
47 Betcha By Golly Wow Stylistics
48 Hocus Pocus Focus
49 Morning Has Broken Cat Stevens
50 I Feel The Earth Move Carole King
51 You Are Everything Stylistics
52 Love Her Madly Doors
53 It Don't Come Easy Ringo Starr
54 Stay With Me Faces
55 Jealous Guy John Lennon
56 Never Can Say Goodbye Jackson 5
57 Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get Dramatics
58 When The Levee Breaks Led Zeppelin
59 If Bread
60 Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey Paul & Linda McCartney
61 Maggot Brain Funkadelic
62 How Can You Mend A Broken Heart Bee Gees
63 Can't You Hear Me Knocking Rolling Stones
64 Sylvia's Mother Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show
65 Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves Cher
66 Thin Line Between Love And Hate Persuaders
67 I've Seen All Good People Yes
68 I Am, I Said Neil Diamond
69 Got To Be There Michael Jackson
70 Rainy Days and Mondays Carpenters
71 Peace Train Cat Stevens
72 Case Of You Joni Mitchell
73 I Gotcha Joe Tex
74 Spanish Harlem Aretha Franklin
75 Mercedes Benz Janis Joplin
76 Day After Day Badfinger
77 Wild Night Van Morrison
78 Hot Pants James Brown
79 Jeepster T. Rex
80 If You Really Love Me Stevie Wonder
81 Another Day Paul McCartney
82 In the Rain Dramatics
83 Brand New Key Melanie
84 Indian Reservation Raiders
85 Want Ads Honey Cone
86 Coat Of Many Colors Dolly Parton
87 I'd Love To Change The World Ten Years After
88 She's A Lady Tom Jones
89 Treat Her Like A Lady Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
90 So Far Away Carole King
91 Grandma's Hands Bill Withers
92 Baby Blue Badfinger
93 Baby I'm-a Want You Bread
94 The Revolution Will Not Be Televised Gil Scott-Heron
95 Echoes Pink Floyd
96 Drowning In The Sea Of Love Joe Simon
97 Famous Blue Raincoat Leonard Cohen
98 Sweet City Woman Stampeders
99 Never Been To Spain Three Dog Night
100 Bridge Over Troubled Water Aretha Franklin
20 more worth mentioning.
101 Going To California Led Zeppelin
102 Hold Your Head Up Argent
103 Levon Elton John
104 That's the Way I Feel About Cha Bobby Womack
105 The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys Traffic
106 All Day Music War
107 Don't Pull Your Love Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
108 Bitch Rolling Stones
109 Statesboro Blues Allman Brothers Band
110 Bargain The Who
111 Make It Funky James Brown
112 Hot Rod Lincoln Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen
113 An Old Fashioned Love Song Three Dog Night
114 Do You Know What I Mean Lee Michaels
115 Funky Nassau Beginning Of The End
116 Reason To Believe Rod Stewart
117 I Just Want To Celebrate Rare Earth
118 No One To Depend On Santana
119 Scorpio Dennis Coffey & the Detroit Guitar Band
120 She's Not Just Another Woman Eighth Day
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1971
Brian's Choice: An unheralded great record from 1971
* Oh Me Oh My Aretha Franklin
Lew's Choice:
* Change Partners Stephen Stills
Bruce's Choice:
* Girls In The City Esquires
Adam's Choice:
* Oak Fire Lee Michaels
Brett's Choice:
* Bubble Gum The Blues/I'm A Cruiser Emitt Rhodes


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