Which songs do Boomers love the most?

Over Easter 2021, the Boom All Time Chart was compiled from thousands of votes.

Vote now for the 2022 chart!



1

A Whiter Shade of Pale

Procol Harum

1967

Johann Sebastian Bach's Air on a G String inspired the organ part. This was their debut single


2

Bohemian Rhapsody

Queen

1975

Spent 14 weeks on and off at number 1 - 3rd best selling single of all time - only single to top the charts at two separate Christmases


3

God Only Knows

Beach Boys

1966

Originally only the B Side to 'Wouldn't it be Nice' in the US!


4

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Simon & Garfunkel

1970

Watching how rapturous the crowds were when the song was performed, Paul Simon now wishes he'd sung lead vocals :)


5

Waterloo Sunset

Kinks

1967

Terry and Julie were thought to be Terence Stamp and Julie Christie, but writer Ray Davies later denied they were his inspiration. Closed the 2012 London Olympics


6

I'm Not In Love

10cc

1975

Written mostly by Eric Stewart as a riposte to his wife's declaration that he did not tell her often enough that he loved her


7

Good Vibrations

Beach Boys

1966

At the time, the most expensive single ever recorded in terms of studio time used


8

Hey Jude

Beatles

1968

The first single on Apple Records, written by Paul about John's son Julian


9

Nights in White Satin

Moody Blues

1967


10

In My life

Beatles

1965

John's first truly autobiographical composition


11

Strawberry Fields Forever

Beatles

1967

Strawberry Fields was a Salvation Army home in Liverpool which John Lennon used to visit


12

Music

John Miles

1976


13

Hotel California

Eagles

1976

The guitar solo to this song by Joe Walsh has been voted best ever by readers of Guitarist magazine


14

Stairway to Heaven

Led Zeppelin

1971

When asked why the song was so popular, Robert Plant said "Depending on what day it is, I still interpret the song a different way - and I wrote the lyrics."


15

House of the Rising Sun

Animals

1964


16

Albatross

Fleetwood Mac

1969

One of four instrumentals in the chart


17

Baker Street

Gerry Rafferty

1978

The Raf Ravenscroft Sax solo led to a resurgence in saxophone sales


18

Penny Lane

Beatles

1967


19

MacArthur Park

Richard Harris

1968

Written by Jimmy Webb about his break-up with his then girlfriend. Richard Harris had just filmed Camelot and wanted to make a hit single


20

Like A Rolling Stone

Bob Dylan

1965


21

Mr. Blue Sky

ELO

1977


22

My Way

Frank Sinatra

1969

Originally a French song, new lyrics were created in English by Paul Anka. This song spent 75 weeks on the UK charts


23

San Francisco (be sure to wear some flowers in your hair)

Scott McKenzie

1967


24

I Heard it Through the Grapevine

Marvin Gaye

1970

Originally a big hit for Gladys Knight and was a big hit, this version has become an acclaimed soul classic


25

Out of Time

Chris Farlowe

1966


26

Eleanor Rigby

Beatles

1966


27

Year of the Cat

Al Stewart

1976

Produced by Alan Parsons


28

Imagine

John Lennon

1971


29

Maggie May

Rod Stewart

1971

One of two singles to have both A and B side in the charts


30

Young Girl

Gary Puckett & The Union Gap

1968


31

Born To Run

Bruce Springsteen

1975

The title track of one of the most critically acclaimed rock albums of all time. Bruce said he wanted it to sound like "Roy Orbison singing Bob Dylan, produced by Spector"


32

Won't Get Fooled again

Who

1971


33

A Day in the Life

Beatles

1967

Drug references meant this was originally banned by the BBC, but it's now regarded as one of their finest works


34

Home Thoughts from Abroad

Clifford T Ward

1973

The Worcestershire singer-songwriter whose work was much played on radio by specific presenters - and enjoyed hugely - yet failed to achieve the chart successes he deserved


35

Get Back

Beatles

1970

Performed as part of the group's rooftop performance in Savile Row


36

Wichita Lineman

Glen Campbell

1968


37

Everlasting Love

Love Affair

1968

A classic song covered numerous times - and one of only two songs to chart in the UK in the 1960s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s for different acts


38

Something in the Air

Thunderclap Newman

1969


39

Life On Mars

David Bowie

1971

Featuring Rick Wakeman on piano, and with famously cut up and jumbled lyrics


40

Cathy's Clown

Everly Brothers

1960


41

All Right Now

Free

1970


42

The Air That I Breathe

Hollies

1974

Originally written by Albert Hammond and Mike Hazelwood


43

My Sweet Lord

George Harrison

1970

The first Number 1 single for an ex-Beatle, and famously also the subject of a lawsuit for infringing He's So Fine by the Chiffons


44

Wuthering Heights

Kate Bush

1978


45

Eloise

Barry Ryan

1968

Written by this act's brother, and influenced by Richard Harris's MacArthur Park. Jimmy Page, later of Led Zeppelin, and Glen Campbell both played on the recording


46

Alone Again Or

Love

1967


47

Forever Autumn

Justin Hayward

1978

Written by Jeff Wayne for his theatrical masterpiece War of The Worlds


48

All Along The Watchtower

Jimi Hendrix

1968


49

Runaway

Del Shannon

1961

His real name was Charles Weedon Westover. He worked as a carpet salesman before turning to pop music


50

Reflections Of My Life

Marmalade

1969


51

Caroline

Fortunes

1964

Indelibly linked with the pirate station of the same name.


52

The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)

Walker Brothers

1967


53

I Say a Little Prayer

Aretha Franklin

1968

One of a number of Bacharach / David compositions in the chart - written for Dionne Warwick as a woman's concern for her man serving in the Vietnam War


54

Dancing Queen

Abba

1976


55

Brown Sugar

Rolling Stones

1971

First played live at the infamous Altamont Speedway concert in 1969


56

Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay

Otis Redding

1968


57

Without You

Harry Nilsson

1971

Originally written by Badfinger, this version is one of two international best-selling versions of the song


58

In Dreams

Roy Orbison

1963


59

All You Need is Love

Beatles

1967

The song that launched Boom Radio


60

Telstar

Tornados

1962

One of four instrumentals in the chart


61

This Old Heart Of Mine

Isley Brothers

1966


62

Layla

Derek & the Dominos

1970

One of two songs written for Patti Boyd in the chart


63

American Pie

Don McLean

1971


64

Vincent

Don McLean

1971

Written about the Artist Van Gogh, and the songwriter's belief his suicide was driven by illness not madness


65

He Ain't Heavy (He's My Brother)

Hollies

1969


66

It's Now or Never

Elvis Presley

1960

This is Elvis's best selling single ever


67

Silence is Golden

Tremeloes

1967


68

Man of the World

Fleetwood Mac

1971


69

California Dreamin'

Mamas and Papas

1965


70

Summer Holiday

Cliff Richard

1963

The theme tune to the second best performing film of 1963 in Britain (behind From Russia With Love).


71

She Loves You

Beatles

1963


72

Here, There and Everywhere

Beatles

1966


73

The Winner Takes It All

Abba

1980

Clearly written about the marriage break-up at the heart of the group, although subsequently denied by Bjorn


74

Get it On

T Rex

1971


75

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

Shirelles

1960


76

The Boxer

Simon & Garfunkel

1965

In part, inspired by verses from the Bible, which Paul was reading at the time


77

I Only Want To Be With You

Dusty Springfield

1963


78

What A Wonderful World

Louis Armstrong

1967

Only became a hit in the United States ten years after its initial release aftre being featured in the movie Good Morning Vietnam


79

Downtown

Petula Clark

1964


80

Badge

Cream

1969


81

(I can't get no) Satisfaction

Rolling Stones

1965

A song originally only played on pirate radio in the UK because its lyrics were considered too sexually suggestive


82

All I See Is You

Dusty Springfield

1965


83

You've Got A Friend

James Taylor

1971

Written by Carole King, apparently inspired by an earlier lyric in James Taylor's Fire and Rain about not being able to find a friend


84

Do I Love You

Frank Wilson

1965

Highest Northern Soul single in the chart


85

Son of a Preacher Man

Dusty Springfield

1968


86

Free Bird

Lynyrd Skynyrd

1974


87

Goodbye to Love

Carpenters

1972

Inspired by a 1940s Bing Crosby film which refers to the song's title but never plays it. One of the first power ballads to include a fuzz guitar


88

Honky Tonk Woman

Rolling Stones

1969


89

Love Grows

Edison Lighthouse

1970


90

Wonderful Land

Shadows

1962

One of four instrumentals in the chart


91

Yesterday

Beatles

1965


92

Can't Help Falling in Love

Elvis Presley

1961

Recorded for the film Blue Hawaii, this song became the King's finale in his 60s/70s live performances


93

Hello, Goodbye

Beatles

1967


94

Walk on the Wild Side

Lou Reed

1972

Produced by David Bowie, this song references many of the characters who surrounded Andy Warhol


95

Your Song

Elton John

1970


96

Let It Be

Beatles

1970


97

Night Fever

Bee Gees

1978

At one point, the Bee Gees had four of the top five positions in the Billboard chart in the US - and this was Number 1


98

Stand By Me

Ben E King

1961


99

Excerpt from 'A Teenage Opera'

Keith West

1967

There never was a full opera from which to take this as an excerpt! John Peel played it whilst a pirate which helped it to chart


100

Bobby's Girl

Susan Maughan

1962


101

Mr Tambourine Man

Byrds

1965

One of the songs that created the folk-rock sound in 1965


102

Woman

John Lennon

1981


103

I Can See Clearly Now

Johnny Nash

1972

Johnny had previously worked with Bob Marley, and it clearly shows in this song


104

Walk Away

Matt Monro

1964


105

Goin' Back

Dusty Springfield

1966

Written by Jerry Goffin and Carole King. King was going to record it herself - but then decided to offer it to Dusty instead.


106

Riders On The Storm

Doors

1971


107

(If Paradise Was) Half As Nice

Amen Corner

1969

Originally an Italian song, it was first offered in translation to the Tremeloes - who turned it down. Dave Clark 5 did record it - and so did the band who had the No 1 hit with it


108

Paint it Black

Rolling Stones

1966


109

Sound of Silence

Simon & Garfunkel

1964


110

Here Comes The Night

Them

1965

Jimmy Page played guitar - and Van Morrison was the singer - and this was his biggest ever chart hit


111

Itchycoo Park

Small Faces

1967


112

We've Only Just Begun

Carpenters

1970


113

Bat Out of Hell

Meatloaf

1978

Longest track in the chart


114

Laughter in the Rain

Neil Sedaka

1974


115

Midnight Train to Georgia

Gladys Knight & The Pips

1973

Originally written by Jim Weatherly after a conversation with Farah Fawcett about a "midnight plane to Houston"


116

Telephone Line

ELO

1977


117

Crossroads

Cream

1968

Originally a blues song from the 1930s


118

Rockin' All Over the World

Status Quo

1977


119

Annie's Song

John Denver

1974

Written for his then wife, and composed in 10 minutes flat in a ski lift in Aspen,Colorado


120

I've Got You Under My Skin

Frank Sinatra

1966


121

Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of my Life)

Kevin Johnson

1974

The only Australian on the chart


122

You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'

Righteous Brothers

1965


123

Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)

Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel

1975

Written as a riposte to his former band mates by Steve Harley


124

Young Hearts Run Free

Candi Staton

1976


125

Help

Beatles

1965


126

All The Young Dudes

Mott the Hoople

1972

Written by Bowie and given to the band after they'd rejected Suffragette City!


127

Tracks of my Tears

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

1965


128

You'll Never Walk Alone

Gerry & the Pacemakers

1963


129

Halfway to Paradise

Billy Fury

1961

The only person to equal the Beatles record of 24 hits in the 1960s in the UK


130

Band of Gold

Freda Payne

1970


131

The Long and Winding Road

Beatles

1970


132

Lay Lady Lay

Bob Dylan

1969

Originally written for the soundtrack to the film Midnight Cowboy - it wasn't finished in time though! Dylan later claimed it had been written for Barbra Streisand


133

Silver Machine

Hawkwind

1972


134

Desperado

Eagles

1973

The first song jointly written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey


135

Make It With You

Bread

1970


136

Comfortably Numb

Pink Floyd

1980


137

Where Do You Go to (My Lovely)

Peter Sarstedt

1969

Born and raised in India, he was the younger brother of '60s pop star Eden Kane


138

Woodstock

Matthews Southern Comfort

1970


139

Time Passages

Al Stewart

1978


140

Starman

David Bowie

1972

Recorded in 1972, his performance of this song on Top of the Pops is widely credited with making Bowie a major star


141

On Days Like These

Matt Monro

1969


142

Needles & Pins

Searchers

1964


143

Oh Pretty Woman

Roy Orbison

1964

Inspired by his wife Claudette, this song marked the high point of Roy's recording success


144

Diana

Paul Anka

1957


145

If I Fell

Beatles

1964


146

Move It

Cliff Richard

1958

Cliff's first single, originally the B side, but was flipped and became one of the first authentic Rock'n'Roll records produced outside the US


147

Please Please Me

Beatles

1963


148

The Best Is Yet To Come

Clifford T Ward

1981


149

Wouldn't It Be Nice

Beach Boys

1966

One of two singles to have both A & B side in the charts


150

You Don't Have To Say You Love Me

Dusty Springfield

1966


151

I Feel Love

Donna Summer

1977

Labeled one of the most influential songs ever recorded, laying the foundations for electronic disco music


152

Rhythm Of The Rain

Cascades

1963


153

River Deep Mountain High

Ike & Tina Turner

1966


154

Be My Baby

Ronettes

1963

The quintessential 'Wall of Sound' recording


155

The Last Time

Rolling Stones

1965


156

Something

Beatles

1969

The first of two songs written for Patti Boyd in the chart


157

The Boys of Summer

Don Henley

1984


158

All I Have To Do is Dream

Everly Brothers

1958

Recorded in just two takes in Nashville in 1958


159

All Over the World

Francoise Hardy

1964


160

Lyin’ Eyes

Eagles

1975


161

Tin Soldier

Small Faces

1967


162

Don't Be Cruel

Elvis Presley

1956

The oldest track in the chart


163

The Wonder of you

Elvis Presley

1970


164

Crazy

Patsy Cline

1961

Written by Willie Nelson


165

A Lover's Concerto

Toys

1965


166

Apache

Shadows

1960

One of four instrumentals in the Boom chart


167

It's Getting Better

Mama Cass

1969


168

Only the Lonely

Roy Orbison

1960

Written by Roy - and turned down by both Elvis and the Everly Brothers


169

My Generation

Who

1965


170

Sloop John B

Beach Boys

1966

A Bahamian folk song, at least 100 years old, converted into a pop hit by the Beach Boys


171

What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted

Jimmy Ruffin

1966


172

Sweet Caroline

Neil Diamond

1969

Originally written for John F Kennedy's daughter in 1969, it has now become a favourite in sports stadia the World over


173

Massachusetts

Bee Gees

1967


174

Pretty Flamingo

Manfred Mann

1966


175

Light my Fire

Doors

1967

The band's first big success, and the first release by Elektra records to sell 1 million copies


176

Those Were the Days

Mary Hopkin

1968


177

Go Now

Moody Blues

1964


178

Native New Yorker

Odyssey

1977

The only sister act in the charts - Lillian and Louise Lopez - along with their son Stephen Collazo


179

No Regrets

Walker Brothers

1975


180

The Young Ones

Cliff Richard

1962


181

Heaven Must Have Sent You

Elgins

1966

One of two bona-fide Northern Soul classics on the chart. Written by Motown's Holland-Dozier-Holland


182

I Saw the Light

Todd Rundgren

1973


183

Let's Go to San Francisco

Flowerpot Men

1967


184

Little Does She Know

Kursaal Flyers

1977

One of the biggest acts ever to emerge from Southend-On-Sea


185

Time in a Bottle

Jim Croce

1974


186

Summertime Blues

Eddie Cochran

1958

Shortest track in the chart


187

Anyone Who Had a Heart

Cilla Black

1964


188

Could It Be Forever

David Cassidy

1972


189

Love is the Answer

England Dan and John Ford Coley

1979

Despite the name, they are both from Texas!


190

I'm a Believer

Monkees

1968


191

Reason to Believe

Rod Stewart

1971

One of two singles to have both A & B side in the charts


192

Nothing Rhymed

Gilbert O'Sullivan

1970

One of two acts from the Republic of Ireland on the chart


193

Africa

Toto

1982


194

Jesamine

Casuals

1968

Paul Weller from the Jam has repeatedly referred to this as one of his all time favourite singles


195

Atomic

Blondie

1980


196

This Boy

Beatles

1963


197

For What It’s Worth

Buffalo Springfield

1966

One of two part-Canadian acts on the chart - this song is often used in movies to set the scene for unrest and protest


198

Metal Guru

T Rex

1972


199

I Want to Hold Your Hand

Beatles

1963


200

It Doesn't Matter Anymore

Buddy Holly

1958

First UK posthumous No. 1


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