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Song · The Police

“Message in a Bottle” by The Police

From the album Reggatta de Blanc (1979)

“Message in a Bottle” by The Police appears on 61 radio countdowns from 19 stations between 1987 and 2025. It was first released in 1979 on the album Reggatta de Blanc. Its best result is #24 on the Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2001). In the combined RockLists rankings it is #175 alternative song of all time.

61countdowns
19stations
#24best position
0#1 finishes
0top 10 finishes
1987–2025years charted

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

Classic Rock

All Rock Formats

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1987 92 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (1987) 100
1988 258 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1988) 496
1988 29 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (1988) 100
1989 131 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1989) 495
1989 421 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989) 500
1990 99 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (1990) 100
1991 395 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1991) 500
1991 335 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (1991 Edition) 1002
1991 135 WNEW-FM WNEW Firecracker 500 (1991) 500
1992 180 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1992) 500
1992 86 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (1992) 100
1993 80 Studio Brussel Studio Brussel De Tijdloze 100 (1993) 100
1994 157 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1994) 497
1994 92 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994) 500
1995 238 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1995) 500
1996 433 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1996) 500
1996 93 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1996) 498
1996 104 WNEW-FM WNEW Firecracker 500 (1996) 500
1998 221 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1998) 488
1999 515 107.7 The End The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1077
1999 274 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1999) 500
1999 519 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
1999 192 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999) 1002
2000 241 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2000) 500
2000 519 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2001 242 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2001) 498
2001 519 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2001 24 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 500
2001 132 WBRU WBRU Modern Rock Top 500 (2001) 500
2002 142 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2002) 500
2002 519 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2002 130 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) 2002
2003 55 91X 91X Top 91 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 91
2003 119 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2003) 500
2003 519 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2003 110 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003) 2044
2004 471 107.7 The End The End Original Alternative 500 (May 2004) 500
2004 519 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2004 546 WXPN WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Songs (2004) 885
2004 44 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 500
2005 131 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2005) 500
2005 519 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2005 152 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 500
2006 116 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2006) 499
2006 151 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2006) 500
2008 377 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2008) 500
2009 269 Live 105 Live 105 Memorial 500 Song List (2009) 500
2009 132 WXPN WXPN 885 Desert Island Songs (2009) 885
2014 621 WXPN WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Songs (2014) 885
2018 876 The Current The Current's 893 Essential Songs 892
2020 635 WXPN WXPN 2020 Greatest Songs of All Time 2020
2021 677 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2021) 1043
2021 133 WCSX WCSX Rock & Roll 500 (2021) 499
2022 543 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2022) 1043
2022 282 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2022) 500
2023 466 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2023) 1043
2024 173 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2024) 1043
2024 339 KQRS KQRS KQ 500 (2024) 499
2024 261 KEXP The Best Opening Tracks of All Time 738
2025 391 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2025) 1043
2025 102 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2025) 500

Also listed as: Message In A Bottle; Message In a Bottle.