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Song · Nirvana

“Lithium” by Nirvana

From the album Nevermind (1991)

“Lithium” by Nirvana appears on 90 radio countdowns from 22 stations between 1991 and 2026. It was first released in 1991 on the album Nevermind. Its best result is #3 on the Triple J Hottest 100 of All-Time (1991). In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #15 alternative song of 1992, #50 alternative song of all time and #79 of the '90s.

90countdowns
22stations
#3best position
0#1 finishes
1top 10 finishes
1991–2026years charted

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

Classic Rock

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1991 25 John Peel (BBC Radio 1) John Peel's Festive Fifty of 1991 (the 'Phantom Fifty') 50
1992 29 KROQ Los Angeles, CA KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1992 107
1992 21 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana 91X Top 91 Songs of 1992 91
1992 41 Live 105 San Francisco, CA Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 1992 105
1992 29 Q101 Chicago, IL Q101 Top 101 Songs of 1992 101
1992 11 WHFS Washington, DC / Baltimore, MD WHFS Top 99.1 Songs of 1992 100
1992 95 CFNY 102.1 The Edge Toronto, ON CFNY Top 102 Songs of 1992 102

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1991 3 Triple J Triple J Hottest 100 of All-Time (1991) 100
1992 454 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1992) 500
1994 41 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1994) 497
1994 319 Live 105 Live 105 Revolutionary 500 (July 1994) 500
1995 34 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1995) 500
1995 102 Live 105 Live 105 Revolutionary 300 (July 1995) 300
1996 231 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1996) 500
1996 32 Q101 Q101 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (1996) 500
1998 45 Triple J Triple J Hottest 100 of All-Time (1998) 100
1999 109 KROQ KROQ Top 300 Most Requested Songs of the '90s (Labor Day 1999) 300
1999 63 WHFS WHFS Top 500 Songs of the '90s (December 1999) 500
1999 20 91X 91X Fat 500 Songs of All-Time (July 1999) 500
1999 43 Q101 Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1017
1999 58 WFNX WFNX Top 500 Songs of All-Time (June 1999) 500
1999 63 107.7 The End The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1077
1999 68 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
1999 142 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999) 1002
1999 33 The Buzz The Buzz Top 99 Songs of All-Time (1999) 99
1999 139 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (1999) 150
2000 488 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2000) 500
2000 68 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2001 484 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2001) 498
2001 78 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2001 69 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2001) 100
2001 66 WBRU WBRU Modern Rock Top 500 (2001) 500
2002 29 WFNX WFNX Top 50 Grunge Songs of All-Time (June 2002) 50
2002 379 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2002) 500
2002 78 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2002 43 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2002) 100
2002 217 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) 2002
2003 238 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2003) 500
2003 78 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2003 36 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2003) 100
2004 244 Q101 Q101 Top 300 Party Songs of All-Time (July 2004) 300
2004 11 107.7 The End The End Original Alternative 500 (May 2004) 500
2004 78 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2004 47 Y100 Y100 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (July 2004) 300
2004 39 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2004) 100
2005 45 Live 105 Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of the '90s (August 2005) 106
2005 158 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2005) 500
2005 81 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2005 60 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2005) 100
2006 61 107.7 The End The End Top 107 Songs of the '90s (December 2006) 107
2006 112 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2006) 500
2006 53 Live 105 Live 105 500 Co-Op Countdown (Memorial Day 2006) 500
2006 309 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2006) 499
2006 64 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2006) 100
2007 24 KROQ KROQ Top 500 Most Requested Songs of the '90s (Labor Day 2007) 500
2007 66 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2007 51 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2007) 100
2008 33 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2008) 500
2008 63 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2008 80 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2008) 100
2009 20 CFNY 102.1 The Edge The Top 200 Songs of the 90's According to 102.1 The Edge 200
2009 18 Live 105 Live 105 Memorial 500 Song List (2009) 500
2009 63 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2009 26 CFNY 102.1 The Edge 102.1 The Edge Top 200 Songs of All-Time (2009) 200
2009 93 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2009) 100
2009 74 Triple J Triple J Hottest 100 of All-Time (2009) 100
2009 768 WXPN WXPN 885 Desert Island Songs (2009) 885
2010 33 CFNY 102.1 The Edge 102.1 The Edge Top 200 Songs of the 90's (September 2010) 200
2010 60 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2010 69 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2010) 100
2011 64 CD101 CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) 2011
2011 54 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2011) 100
2012 58 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2012) 100
2012 27 CFNY 102.1 The Edge 102.1 The Edge Top 102 New Rock Songs of All-Time 102
2013 66 CD101 CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) 2012
2013 87 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2013) 100
2014 69 CD101 CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) 2013
2014 88 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2014) 100
2014 583 WXPN WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Songs (2014) 885
2015 83 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (2015) 100
2018 274 The Current The Current's 893 Essential Songs 892
2020 961 WXPN WXPN 2020 Greatest Songs of All Time 2020
2021 56 107.7 The End The End Obligatory Top 100 Alternative Songs of All Time (2021) 100
2021 524 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2021) 1043
2022 182 KEXP KEXP Top Songs of the Last 50 Years (1972-2022) 491
2023 109 The Current The Current's 893 Essential Songs of the '90s 893
2023 258 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2023) 1043
2024 280 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2024) 1043
2025 407 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2025) 1043
2026 359 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2026) 500

Charting alongside it in 1992

Best songs of 1992 →
  1. 1Friday I'm in LoveThe Cure
  2. 2Under the BridgeRed Hot Chili Peppers
  3. 3DriveR.E.M.
  4. 4OneU2
  5. 5JeremyPearl Jam
  6. 6TomorrowMorrissey