Song · Joni Mitchell
“Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell
From the album Ladies of the Canyon (1970)
“Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell appears on 16 radio countdowns from 8 stations between 2001 and 2026. It was first released in 1970 on the album Ladies of the Canyon. Its best result is #96 on the WYEP 913 Essential Songs. In the combined RockLists rankings it is #4,752 alternative song of all time.
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"Big Yellow Taxi" came off Joni Mitchell's third album, Ladies of the Canyon, and Reprise put it out as a single in April 1970. It's Mitchell at her breeziest and sharpest at once: just her acoustic guitar and that quicksilver voice, a little percussion from Milt Holland, and the Saskatunes chiming in on backing vocals and a melody that bounces along like it hasn't a care.
The single did well at home in Canada and bigger still in Australia and Britain, reaching 11 on the UK chart, while it stalled at 67 in America; a live version she released in 1974 did better there, climbing to 24.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
RockLists rankings
Alternative & Modern Rock
Indie & Adult Alternative
Classic Rock
All Rock Formats
All-time and decade countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 1133 | WFPK | WFPK 2001 Greatest Songs of All Time | 2000 |
| 2004 | 384 | Virgin Radio | Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) | 500 |
| 2004 | 190 | WXPN | WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Songs (2004) | 885 |
| 2005 | 417 | Virgin Radio | Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) | 500 |
| 2006 | 358 | Virgin Radio | Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2006) | 500 |
| 2007 | 270 | WTMD | WTMD Top 897 Songs of All Time | 897 |
| 2009 | 96 | WYEP | WYEP 913 Essential Songs | 913 |
| 2009 | 594 | WXPN | WXPN 885 Desert Island Songs (2009) | 885 |
| 2010 | 317 | WXPN | WXPN 885 Ultimate Road Trip Songs (2010) | 885 |
| 2014 | 330 | WXPN | WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Songs (2014) | 885 |
| 2014 | 904 | Big 100 | BIG 1000 New Year's Countdown (2014) | 1000 |
| 2018 | 503 | The Current | The Current's 893 Essential Songs | 892 |
| 2020 | 243 | WXPN | WXPN 2020 Greatest Songs of All Time | 2020 |
| 2022 | 312 | 90.9 The Bridge | 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '70s | 908 |
| 2023 | 204 | WYEP | WYEP Countdown to Fall 2023 | 1229 |
| 2026 | 539 | WYEP | WYEP Greatest Songs of All Time | 1180 |
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