The most-charted alternative rock songs
Every song in the archive ranked by its combined results across all 597 countdowns: year-end lists, all-time lists and decade lists alike. A song rises here by appearing often and placing high. For rankings by year see songs by year; for the listener-voted all-time lists only, see the greatest songs of all time.
| # | Song | Lists | Stations | Best | #1s | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smells Like Teen SpiritNirvana | 134 | 27 | #1 | 43 | 1991–2026 |
| 2 | AlivePearl Jam | 119 | 24 | #1 | 1 | 1991–2025 |
| 3 | CreepRadiohead | 111 | 24 | #1 | 1 | 1992–2026 |
| 4 | Under the BridgeRed Hot Chili Peppers | 117 | 24 | #1 | 4 | 1991–2025 |
| 5 | Sunday Bloody SundayU2 | 116 | 24 | #2 | – | 1983–2025 |
| 6 | Love Will Tear Us ApartJoy Division | 120 | 21 | #1 | 3 | 1980–2026 |
| 7 | Losing My ReligionR.E.M. | 115 | 25 | #1 | 2 | 1991–2025 |
| 8 | OneU2 | 114 | 25 | #1 | 1 | 1991–2026 |
| 9 | With or Without YouU2 | 123 | 24 | #3 | – | 1987–2025 |
| 10 | BlackPearl Jam | 101 | 23 | #1 | 11 | 1992–2026 |
| 11 | How Soon is Now?The Smiths | 85 | 22 | #1 | 12 | 1984–2026 |
| 12 | Just Like HeavenThe Cure | 82 | 21 | #1 | 3 | 1987–2026 |
| 13 | JeremyPearl Jam | 104 | 22 | #2 | – | 1992–2026 |
| 14 | EverlongFoo Fighters | 96 | 23 | #1 | 1 | 1997–2026 |
| 15 | Come As You AreNirvana | 97 | 23 | #1 | 1 | 1991–2026 |
| 16 | Blue MondayNew Order | 82 | 19 | #1 | 2 | 1983–2023 |
| 17 | WonderwallOasis | 104 | 27 | #1 | 6 | 1995–2026 |
| 18 | Stairway to HeavenLed Zeppelin | 73 | 12 | #1 | 12 | 1976–2026 |
| 19 | New Year's DayU2 | 100 | 24 | #4 | – | 1983–2025 |
| 20 | I Wanna Be SedatedThe Ramones | 81 | 21 | #1 | 1 | 1988–2025 |
| 21 | London CallingThe Clash | 88 | 23 | #1 | 1 | 1980–2026 |
| 22 | Blister in the SunViolent Femmes | 78 | 21 | #1 | 4 | 1988–2026 |
| 23 | Should I Stay or Should I Go?The Clash | 86 | 24 | #8 | – | 1982–2025 |
| 24 | HeroesDavid Bowie | 93 | 20 | #1 | 2 | 1977–2026 |
| 25 | Bohemian RhapsodyQueen | 69 | 12 | #2 | – | 1987–2026 |
| 26 | DisarmThe Smashing Pumpkins | 84 | 18 | #3 | – | 1993–2023 |
| 27 | LoserBeck | 77 | 23 | #2 | – | 1993–2025 |
| 28 | Bizarre Love TriangleNew Order | 76 | 18 | #1 | 3 | 1986–2023 |
| 29 | Rock the CasbahThe Clash | 87 | 24 | #1 | 1 | 1982–2026 |
| 30 | Song 2Blur | 82 | 24 | #2 | – | 1997–2025 |
| 31 | Give It AwayRed Hot Chili Peppers | 75 | 21 | #3 | – | 1991–2025 |
| 32 | Been Caught StealingJane's Addiction | 73 | 20 | #1 | 7 | 1990–2023 |
| 33 | Killing in the NameRage Against the Machine | 85 | 18 | #2 | – | 1993–2026 |
| 34 | Enjoy the SilenceDepeche Mode | 88 | 21 | #2 | – | 1990–2026 |
| 35 | Pride (In the Name of Love)U2 | 83 | 23 | #1 | 1 | 1984–2025 |
| 36 | RoxanneThe Police | 82 | 23 | #10 | – | 1987–2026 |
| 37 | Anarchy in the U.K.The Sex Pistols | 85 | 21 | #1 | 5 | 1978–2025 |
| 38 | Burning Down the HouseTalking Heads | 83 | 21 | #8 | – | 1983–2026 |
| 39 | LithiumNirvana | 90 | 22 | #3 | – | 1991–2026 |
| 40 | Even FlowPearl Jam | 74 | 20 | #5 | – | 1992–2025 |
| 41 | The One I LoveR.E.M. | 91 | 21 | #5 | – | 1987–2026 |
| 42 | Mr. BrightsideThe Killers | 80 | 28 | #1 | 2 | 2004–2026 |
| 43 | SchismTool | 71 | 19 | #1 | 1 | 2001–2026 |
| 44 | Karma PoliceRadiohead | 92 | 21 | #2 | – | 1997–2023 |
| 45 | I Melt With YouModern English | 71 | 16 | #2 | – | 1983–2025 |
| 46 | Head Like a HoleNine Inch Nails | 65 | 18 | #1 | 1 | 1990–2024 |
| 47 | Jane SaysJane's Addiction | 70 | 18 | #2 | – | 1988–2024 |
| 48 | SabotageBeastie Boys | 73 | 22 | #3 | – | 1994–2024 |
| 49 | OneMetallica | 68 | 11 | #2 | – | 1990–2026 |
| 50 | Where the Streets Have No NameU2 | 77 | 22 | #5 | – | 1987–2026 |
| 51 | Seven Nation ArmyThe White Stripes | 70 | 27 | #1 | 10 | 2003–2026 |
| 52 | Black Hole SunSoundgarden | 75 | 25 | #2 | – | 1994–2026 |
| 53 | TodayThe Smashing Pumpkins | 67 | 20 | #2 | – | 1993–2024 |
| 54 | Rock LobsterThe B-52's | 71 | 19 | #5 | – | 1988–2026 |
| 55 | Boys Don't CryThe Cure | 73 | 18 | #1 | 1 | 1986–2024 |
| 56 | Dear GodXTC | 76 | 16 | #1 | 1 | 1986–2022 |
| 57 | No One KnowsQueens of the Stone Age | 84 | 23 | #1 | 1 | 2002–2025 |
| 58 | Space OddityDavid Bowie | 84 | 17 | #8 | – | 1987–2026 |
| 59 | Personal JesusDepeche Mode | 69 | 18 | #4 | – | 1989–2026 |
| 60 | CloserNine Inch Nails | 67 | 19 | #1 | 1 | 1994–2023 |
| 61 | Sultans of SwingDire Straits | 67 | 12 | #6 | – | 1978–2026 |
| 62 | Basket CaseGreen Day | 74 | 19 | #1 | 1 | 1994–2025 |
| 63 | It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)R.E.M. | 69 | 21 | #2 | – | 1987–2025 |
| 64 | LongviewGreen Day | 63 | 19 | #1 | 2 | 1994–2025 |
| 65 | Beds are BurningMidnight Oil | 80 | 23 | #3 | – | 1988–2025 |
| 66 | She Sells SanctuaryThe Cult | 67 | 17 | #4 | – | 1985–2023 |
| 67 | All ApologiesNirvana | 69 | 23 | #2 | – | 1993–2026 |
| 68 | IntergalacticBeastie Boys | 63 | 18 | #1 | 6 | 1998–2023 |
| 69 | Bitter Sweet SymphonyThe Verve | 71 | 25 | #1 | 1 | 1997–2026 |
| 70 | Don't You (Forget About Me)Simple Minds | 79 | 20 | #1 | 1 | 1985–2025 |
| 71 | What I GotSublime | 63 | 20 | #1 | 1 | 1996–2025 |
| 72 | ClocksColdplay | 71 | 23 | #1 | 2 | 2002–2024 |
| 73 | I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking ForU2 | 69 | 24 | #16 | – | 1987–2026 |
| 74 | Tainted LoveSoft Cell | 64 | 17 | #1 | 2 | 1982–2020 |
| 75 | A ForestThe Cure | 58 | 10 | #4 | – | 1980–2025 |
| 76 | Train in VainThe Clash | 68 | 19 | #10 | – | 1980–2025 |
| 77 | Chop SueySystem of a Down | 62 | 16 | #1 | 2 | 2001–2026 |
| 78 | 1979The Smashing Pumpkins | 70 | 24 | #2 | – | 1995–2025 |
| 79 | Interstate Love SongStone Temple Pilots | 63 | 22 | #5 | – | 1994–2025 |
| 80 | Once in a LifetimeTalking Heads | 72 | 23 | #9 | – | 1980–2026 |
| 81 | Better ManPearl Jam | 71 | 25 | #3 | – | 1994–2026 |
| 82 | DaughterPearl Jam | 65 | 19 | #1 | 1 | 1993–2025 |
| 83 | Heart-Shaped BoxNirvana | 63 | 18 | #6 | – | 1993–2026 |
| 84 | Enter SandmanMetallica | 73 | 16 | #5 | – | 1991–2026 |
| 85 | People are PeopleDepeche Mode | 59 | 13 | #11 | – | 1984–2023 |
| 86 | True FaithNew Order | 69 | 17 | #3 | – | 1987–2023 |
| 87 | In Between DaysThe Cure | 72 | 20 | #3 | – | 1985–2024 |
| 88 | Everybody Wants to Rule the WorldTears for Fears | 71 | 19 | #9 | – | 1985–2026 |
| 89 | No RainBlind Melon | 65 | 19 | #2 | – | 1993–2025 |
| 90 | Hotel CaliforniaThe Eagles | 65 | 11 | #3 | – | 1987–2026 |
| 91 | Close to MeThe Cure | 72 | 19 | #11 | – | 1985–2022 |
| 92 | Whip ItDevo | 64 | 15 | #1 | 1 | 1980–2026 |
| 93 | Wish You Were HerePink Floyd | 56 | 10 | #3 | – | 1989–2026 |
| 94 | Psycho KillerTalking Heads | 71 | 19 | #6 | – | 1987–2025 |
| 95 | In Your EyesPeter Gabriel | 66 | 20 | #10 | – | 1986–2026 |
| 96 | Dead Man's PartyOingo Boingo | 59 | 11 | #1 | 1 | 1985–2023 |
| 97 | Paranoid AndroidRadiohead | 68 | 15 | #5 | – | 1997–2026 |
| 98 | Are You Gonna Go My WayLenny Kravitz | 66 | 22 | #3 | – | 1993–2025 |
| 99 | Self-EsteemThe Offspring | 62 | 19 | #1 | 1 | 1994–2025 |
| 100 | Lips Like SugarEcho and the Bunnymen | 60 | 13 | #2 | – | 1987–2023 |