Song · Sly and the Family Stone
“Everyday People” by Sly and the Family Stone
From the album Stand! (1969)
“Everyday People” by Sly and the Family Stone appears on 12 radio countdowns from 9 stations between 1991 and 2026. It was first released in 1969 on the album Stand!. Its best result is #125 on The Colorado Sound Top 800 Mood Booster Songs. In the combined RockLists rankings it is #1,007 indie & aaa song of all time.
Watch
Video from YouTube (SlyATFamilyStoneVEVO). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube
"Everyday People" was Sly Stone's plea for peace and equality between races and social groups, and it became the first Sly and the Family Stone single to top both the Soul Singles chart and the Billboard Hot 100, staying at the top of the pop chart for a month in early 1969 and going on to anchor the Stand! album. Billboard later ranked it the No. 5 song of 1969.
The message wasn't just words. The Family Stone was an early integrated band, with white members Greg Errico on drums and Jerry Martini on sax alongside Rose Stone on keys and Cynthia Robinson on trumpet, plus Larry Graham on bass and Freddie Stone on guitar. Next to the band's usual funk and psychedelic freak-outs, this one ambles along at a mid-tempo with a plainer pop feel, and the easy stroll only makes the point hit harder.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
RockLists rankings
Indie & Adult Alternative
Classic Rock
All Rock Formats
All-time and decade countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 311 | WNEW-FM | WNEW Firecracker 500 (1991) | 500 |
| 2001 | 1818 | WFPK | WFPK 2001 Greatest Songs of All Time | 2000 |
| 2014 | 773 | Big 100 | BIG 1000 New Year's Countdown (2014) | 1000 |
| 2016 | 471 | WYEP | WYEP 913 Countdown 2016 | 913 |
| 2018 | 358 | The Current | The Current's 893 Essential Songs | 892 |
| 2020 | 735 | WXPN | WXPN 2020 Greatest Songs of All Time | 2020 |
| 2022 | 1367 | WYEP | WYEP Countdown to Fall 2022 | 603 |
| 2023 | 738 | 90.9 The Bridge | 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of All Time | 909 |
| 2023 | 875 | WYEP | WYEP Countdown to Fall 2023 | 1229 |
| 2025 | 817 | Q104.3 | Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2025) | 1043 |
| 2025 | 125 | The Colorado Sound | The Colorado Sound Top 800 Mood Booster Songs | 800 |
| 2026 | 515 | WYEP | WYEP Greatest Songs of All Time | 1180 |
Comments
Log in or create a free account to join the conversation about "Everyday People" by Sly and the Family Stone.
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts.