Walk This Way - Aerosmith
Run-DMC made this into a song that changed attitudes about rap. Along the way, it showed a new generation what Aerosmith could do.

Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
Since he's always in the news for so many other things, it's easy to forget what Michael Jackson did for Pop music. Thriller was the last album pretty much everyone heard. Since then, Pop has fragmented and listeners have gone their separate ways. It also changed MTV forever.

Over The Rainbow - Judy Garland
Written in 1938, it was the most famous song from what many people believe was the best movie ever made.

Every Breath You Take - The Police
It's always more powerful if it's from the heart. A lot of songs are open for interpretation, but Sting had a pretty good idea what this was about, and it might not be what you think.

Tiny Dancer - Elton John
Even if you don't know what it's about, you know it means something. You can't write a song this elegant unless you have something on your mind.

Stand By Me - Ben E King
A timeless message. Whenever it is brought back in a movie or commercial, it goes right back to the top of the charts.

Green Onions - Booker T. and the MGs
Many songs are credited to whoever sang on them, but someone had to play the instruments. In most cases, these session musicians never get the credit they deserve (try to name the drummer on any Motown hit). The house band at Stax Records made their own hit, which isn't easy to do without a vocalist.

American Pie - Don McLean
Shakespeare didn't give interviews explaining the deeper meaning of Hamlet, and Don McLean never explained just what the lyrics of "American Pie" mean. It makes them that much more fun to talk about.

Little Red Corvette - Prince
When the music is this good, you can slip in lyrics that would otherwise keep you off the radio. Prince toned down the Funk and made at least some effort to conceal the sex. The result was his first big hit.

Kashmir - Led Zeppelin
Most people consider "Stairway To Heaven" the song that defined Led Zeppelin. Robert Plant picks this one. His lyrics, Jimmy Page's guitar and John Bonham's drumming combined to make this their masterpiece.

Lady Marmalade - Labelle
It's naughty, and the chorus is in French. This is rarely the formula for a radio hit, but we can't think of a song that oozes more attitude. Maybe that's why it became a hit again 27 years later.

Beautiful Day - U2
How a band can age gracefully. U2, and Bono in particular, convinced us that they really do care about making the world a better place.

Layla - Derek and The Dominoes
If Eric Clapton and George Harrison were not outstanding songwriters, the story of the woman they both loved could be the subject of a bad daytime talk show. This stuff doesn't happen that often, which is why songs this powerful are so rare.

Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
If you could go back in time and play a song that would blow people's minds, this is the one. The producers of Back To The Future knew it, as did all the people who were inspired to pick up a guitar after hearing this.

Hotel California - The Eagles
Twin guitar solos and lyrics we may never figure out. Glen Frey compared it to an episode of The Twilight Zone.

Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
All this changed was everything. The title was out of nowhere and the words were hard to understand, but it was clear that these guys had something to say.