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Song · Talking Heads

“Once in a Lifetime” by Talking Heads

From the album Remain in Light (1980)

“Once in a Lifetime” by Talking Heads appears on 72 radio countdowns from 23 stations between 1980 and 2026. It was first released in 1980 on the album Remain in Light. Its best result is #9 on the KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1980. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #9 alternative song of 1980, #98 alternative song of all time and #75 of the '80s.

72countdowns
23stations
#9best position
0#1 finishes
2top 10 finishes
1980–2026years charted

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

Classic Rock

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1980 9 KROQ Los Angeles, CA KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1980 106

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
– 31 WLIR / WDRE WLIR Top 200 Songs of the 1980s 200
1987 62 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (1987) 100
1988 256 Live 105 Live 105 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1988) 501
1988 112 WLIR / WDRE WLIR Top 200 Songs of All-Time (1988) 200
1988 67 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (1988) 100
1989 75 91X 91X Top 191 Songs of the 1980s (1989) 191
1989 9 WFNX WFNX Top 101 Songs of the Decade (December 1989) 101
1989 158 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1989) 495
1989 193 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989) 500
1990 61 Live 105 Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1990) 299
1990 79 Triple J Triple J Hottest 100 of All-Time (1990) 100
1991 270 Live 105 Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1991) 302
1991 77 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1991) 500
1991 172 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (1991 Edition) 1002
1991 89 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (1991) 100
1991 326 WNEW-FM WNEW Firecracker 500 (1991) 500
1992 133 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1992) 500
1992 44 Live 105 Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1992) 299
1992 96 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (1992) 100
1994 79 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1994) 497
1994 43 Live 105 Live 105 Revolutionary 500 (July 1994) 500
1994 59 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994) 500
1995 201 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1995) 500
1996 152 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1996) 500
1996 59 Q101 Q101 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (1996) 500
1996 52 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1996) 498
1996 95 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (1996) 100
1997 95 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (1997) 100
1998 139 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1998) 488
1999 24 WLIR / WDRE WLIR Top 300 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 300
1999 79 WFNX WFNX Top 500 Songs of All-Time (June 1999) 500
1999 100 107.7 The End The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1077
1999 16 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999) 1002
2001 75 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 500
2001 138 WBRU WBRU Modern Rock Top 500 (2001) 500
2002 332 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2002) 500
2002 694 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) 2002
2003 202 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2003) 500
2003 251 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003) 2044
2004 135 Y100 Y100 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (July 2004) 300
2004 161 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 500
2004 204 WXPN WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Songs (2004) 885
2005 187 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2005) 500
2005 326 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 500
2006 311 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2006) 500
2006 124 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2006) 499
2006 376 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2006) 500
2006 30 107.7 The End The End Top 107 Resurrection Songs (December 2006) 107
2007 188 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2008 132 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 405 Live 105 Live 105 Memorial 500 Song List (2009) 500
2009 136 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2009 286 WXPN WXPN 885 Desert Island Songs (2009) 885
2010 145 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2011 155 CD101 CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) 2011
2012 234 WXPN WXPN 885 Greatest Rock Songs (2012) 885
2013 157 CD101 CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) 2012
2014 157 CD101 CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) 2013
2014 68 WXPN WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Songs (2014) 885
2018 60 The Current The Current's 893 Essential Songs 892
2019 37 KEXP KEXP Listeners' Favorite Songs of All Time 627
2020 75 WXPN WXPN 2020 Greatest Songs of All Time 2020
2021 193 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2021) 1043
2022 14 KEXP KEXP Top Songs of the Last 50 Years (1972-2022) 491
2022 408 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2022) 500
2022 556 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2022) 1043
2023 400 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2023) 1043
2024 472 KQRS KQRS KQ 500 (2024) 499
2024 257 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2024) 1043
2025 98 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2025) 1043
2026 334 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2026) 500

Also listed as: Once In A Lifetime; Once In a Lifetime; Once in A Lifetime; Once in a lifetime.

Charting alongside it in 1980

Best songs of 1980 →
  1. 1Whip ItDevo
  2. 2The WaitThe Pretenders
  3. 3RefugeeTom Petty
  4. 4She's So ColdThe Rolling Stones
  5. 5Give Me Back My ManThe B-52's
  6. 6Another Brick in the Wall Part IIPink Floyd