The Beatles have topped the listeners-voted Labor Day 500 list compiled and played by WCBS-FM.
The Labor Day 500 has been a tradition on the station for many, many years and has seen the ebb and flow of artists and genres. In the early days of the tradition, early rock and doo wop favorites would be a regular part of the the top forty but, as time has passed, many of those have fallen by the wayside and have been replaced by newer sounds.
This year, only two songs from the 1950’s made the top 500, Bobby Darin’s Mack the Knife at 25 and Elvis Presley’s Jailhouse Rock at 268. The 60’s then produced 134 of the songs, the 80’s 79.5 and the 90’s 1.5. The big winner, though, was the 70’s which accounted for 283 songs, over half the list.
Here is the top 40 from this year’s list. WCBS is expected to post the rest of the list in the next day or two.
Hey Jude – Beatles
Hotel California – Eagles
Sherry – Four Seasons
Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
Respect – Aretha Franklin
Your Song – Elton John
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – Rolling Stones
Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
American Pie – Don McLean
Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
December, 1963 (Oh What a Night) – Four Seasons
Billie Jean – Michael Jackson
Piano Man – Billy Joel
Get Down Tonight – K.C. & the Sunshine Band
Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees
Maggie Mae – Rod Stewart
More Than a Feeling – Boston
Livin’ On a Prayer – Bon Jovi
My Girl – Temptations
Margaritaville – Jimmy Buffett
Play That Funky Music – Wild Cherry
You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet – Bachman-Turner Overdrive
Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) – Hollies
Let It Be – Beatles
Mack the Knife – Bobby Darin
Sister Golden Hair – America
Are You Lonesome Tonight? – Elvis Presley
My Life – Billy Joel
Brick House – Commodores
New York, New York – Frank Sinatra
Rag Doll – Four Seasons
Dreams – Fleetwood Mac
The Joker – Steve Miller Band
Crocodile Rock – Elton John
Stand By Me – Ben E. King
Rock N’ Me – Steve Miller Band
Drift Away – Dobie Gray
Old Time Rock & Roll – Bob Seger
Dancing Queen – ABBA
Blinded By the Light – Manfred Mann