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Cover of London Calling by The Clash
Cover: London Calling

Song · The Clash

“London Calling” by The Clash

From the album London Calling (1979)

“London Calling” by The Clash appears on 122 radio countdowns from 40 stations between 1980 and 2026. It was first released in 1979 on the album London Calling. Its best result is #1 on The Colorado Sound Top 800 Songs About Places, and it was voted number one on three countdowns in total. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #67 alternative song of 1980, #37 alternative song of all time and #301 of the '80s.

122countdowns
40stations
#1best position
3#1 finishes
8top 10 finishes
1980–2026years charted

Watch

The Clash - London Calling (Official Video)

Video from YouTube (theclashVEVO). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube

"London Calling" is the title track of the Clash's 1979 double album, released as a single from it, and it's the sound of the end of the world as reported by a punk band with its eyes wide open. The mood is apocalyptic, the message is political, and the delivery is a rant, pure and furious.

The song stalks rather than charges. Joe Strummer and Mick Jones share the guitars and vocals, their chopping rhythm locking into Paul Simonon's ominous bassline while Topper Headon's drums and percussion march along with military menace. Strummer's voice sounds like a pirate radio broadcast from the end of the world, howling warnings into the dark.

Guy Stevens produced, and Bill Price engineered, and together they gave the band a big, echoing post-punk sound that makes the whole track feel enormous and doom-laden. It has never stopped sounding urgent.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

Classic Rock

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1980 67 KROQ Los Angeles, CA KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1980 106

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1988 105 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1988) 496
1988 16 Live 105 Live 105 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1988) 501
1988 63 WLIR / WDRE WLIR Top 200 Songs of All-Time (1988) 200
1989 15 WFNX WFNX Top 101 Songs of the Decade (December 1989) 101
1989 64 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1989) 495
1989 42 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989) 500
1989 18 Triple J Triple J Hottest 100 of All-Time (1989) 100
1990 136 Live 105 Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1990) 299
1990 28 Triple J Triple J Hottest 100 of All-Time (1990) 100
1991 59 Live 105 Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1991) 302
1991 32 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1991) 500
1991 23 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (1991 Edition) 1002
1991 97 Triple J Triple J Hottest 100 of All-Time (1991) 100
1992 106 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1992) 500
1992 31 Live 105 Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1992) 299
1994 143 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1994) 497
1994 257 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994) 500
1995 108 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1995) 500
1996 69 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1996) 500
1996 77 Q101 Q101 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (1996) 500
1996 211 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1996) 498
1996 474 WNEW-FM WNEW Firecracker 500 (1996) 500
1997 697 102.3 WBAB WBAB Top 1,023 Rock and Roll Songs of All Time (1997) 1023
1998 163 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1998) 488
1999 78 Channel 104.9 Channel 104.9 Top 101 Songs of the '80s (February 1999) 104
1999 24 91X 91X Fat 500 Songs of All-Time (July 1999) 500
1999 600 Q101 Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1017
1999 106 WLIR / WDRE WLIR Top 300 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 300
1999 72 WFNX WFNX Top 500 Songs of All-Time (June 1999) 500
1999 166 107.7 The End The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1077
1999 206 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1999) 500
1999 53 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
1999 170 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999) 1002
2000 129 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2000) 500
2000 53 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2001 131 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2001) 498
2001 47 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2001 156 WFPK WFPK 2001 Greatest Songs of All Time 2000
2001 361 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 500
2001 281 WBRU WBRU Modern Rock Top 500 (2001) 500
2002 96 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2002) 500
2002 47 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2002 4 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) 2002
2003 8 91X 91X Top 91 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 91
2003 46 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2003) 500
2003 47 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2003 35 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003) 2044
2004 17 107.7 The End The End Original Alternative 500 (May 2004) 500
2004 47 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2004 13 Y100 Y100 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (July 2004) 300
2004 43 WXPN WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Songs (2004) 885
2004 262 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 500
2005 11 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2005) 500
2005 39 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2005 66 The Edge KEDJ Top 103 on Independent Radio 103
2005 54 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 100 Brit Songs of All-Time (May 2005) 100
2005 367 99X 99X Freedom of Choice 1000 (2005) 1000
2005 72 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 500
2005 1 96.5 The Buzz 96.5 The Buzz Top 96 of the 70s & 80s 96
2006 282 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2006) 500
2006 294 Live 105 Live 105 500 Co-Op Countdown (Memorial Day 2006) 500
2006 10 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2006) 499
2006 266 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2006) 500
2006 1 107.7 The End The End Top 107 Resurrection Songs (December 2006) 107
2007 10 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2007 26 WTMD WTMD Top 897 Songs of All Time 897
2008 244 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2008) 500
2008 26 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 388 Live 105 Live 105 Memorial 500 Song List (2009) 500
2009 30 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2009 43 WYEP WYEP 913 Essential Songs 913
2009 73 Triple J Triple J Hottest 100 of All-Time (2009) 100
2009 95 WXPN WXPN 885 Desert Island Songs (2009) 885
2010 35 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2010 472 WXPN WXPN 885 Ultimate Road Trip Songs (2010) 885
2011 35 CD101 CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) 2011
2012 341 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2012) 500
2012 1168 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1200 Countdown (2012) 1200
2012 19 WYEP WYEP Top 500 Songs Countdown 500
2012 13 WXPN WXPN 885 Greatest Rock Songs (2012) 885
2013 35 CD101 CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) 2012
2013 528 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Grand Jam 1000 (2013) 1000
2014 37 CD101 CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) 2013
2014 777 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX 1K Countdown (2014) 1000
2014 33 WXPN WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Songs (2014) 885
2014 864 Big 100 BIG 1000 New Year's Countdown (2014) 1000
2015 529 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1007 Classic Rock Countdown (2015) 1007
2015 453 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Firecracker 500 (2015) 499
2016 369 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1007 Countdown for 2016 1007
2016 597 WYEP WYEP 913 Countdown 2016 913
2018 22 The Current The Current's 893 Essential Songs 892
2019 13 KEXP KEXP Listeners' Favorite Songs of All Time 627
2019 573 102.5 KZOK KZOK Top 1025 of 2019 1025
2020 47 WXPN WXPN 2020 Greatest Songs of All Time 2020
2020 337 DC101 The DC101 Top 500 500
2021 129 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '80s 909
2021 34 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2021) 1043
2021 117 WYEP WYEP 2021 Labor Day Countdown 168
2022 15 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '70s 908
2022 491 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2022) 500
2022 288 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2022) 1043
2022 395 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 1055 Colorado Sound Songs of All Time 1055
2022 294 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Big 500 (2022) 500
2022 494 97.1 The River River 500 (2022) 500
2022 413 X96 X96 Top 500 Alternative Songs of All Time 500
2022 13 KEXP KEXP Top Songs of the Last 50 Years (1972-2022) 491
2023 100 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 850 Songs of the 1980s 850
2023 442 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2023) 500
2023 314 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of All Time 909
2023 82 WYEP WYEP Countdown to Fall 2023 1229
2023 316 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2023) 1043
2023 1 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 800 Songs About Places 800
2024 24 WYEP WYEP Best Songs of the Past 50 Years 1049
2024 213 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2024) 1043
2024 4 KEXP The Best Opening Tracks of All Time 738
2025 244 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2025) 500
2025 298 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2025) 500
2025 289 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2025) 1043
2026 294 KXT KXT 917 Song Countdown 917
2026 306 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2026) 500
2026 103 WYEP WYEP Greatest Songs of All Time 1180

Charting alongside it in 1980

Best songs of 1980 →
  1. 1And the Cradle Will RockVan Halen
  2. 2Another One Bites the DustQueen
  3. 3Whip ItDevo
  4. 4Don't Stand So Close to MeThe Police
  5. 5Once in a LifetimeTalking Heads
  6. 6You Shook Me All Night LongAC/DC

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