The most-charted alternative rock songs
Every song in the archive ranked by its combined results across all 1,186 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1701 | Oliver's ArmyElvis Costello & the Attractions | 27 | 8 | #35 | – | 1990–2020 |
| 1702 | CirclesSoul Coughing | 43 | 21 | #8 | – | 1998–2023 |
| 1703 | Einstein On The Beach (For An Eggman)Counting Crows | 25 | 11 | #11 | – | 1994–2021 |
| 1704 | Last ChildAerosmith | 39 | 19 | #127 | – | 1990–2026 |
| 1705 | Loser3 Doors Down | 30 | 21 | #13 | – | 2000–2023 |
| 1706 | Sour GirlStone Temple Pilots | 32 | 24 | #6 | – | 1999–2023 |
| 1707 | Nice to Know YouIncubus | 33 | 21 | #3 | – | 2001–2026 |
| 1708 | Dont Wanna FightAlabama Shakes | 26 | 19 | #1 | 2 | 2015–2026 |
| 1709 | Drops Of Jupiter (Tell Me)Train | 30 | 19 | #1 | 1 | 2001–2025 |
| 1710 | WarningIncubus | 25 | 22 | #7 | – | 2002–2026 |
| 1711 | BudapestGeorge Ezra | 29 | 20 | #3 | – | 2014–2026 |
| 1712 | Sowing the Seeds of LoveTears for Fears | 33 | 12 | #5 | – | 1989–2025 |
| 1713 | Bastards of YoungThe Replacements | 31 | 10 | #86 | – | 1989–2026 |
| 1714 | Birth, School, Work, DeathThe Godfathers | 32 | 7 | #39 | – | 1988–2026 |
| 1715 | Lampshades On FireModest Mouse | 30 | 23 | #2 | – | 2014–2026 |
| 1716 | Head GamesForeigner | 53 | 22 | #198 | – | 1982–2026 |
| 1717 | Always On The RunLenny Kravitz | 22 | 8 | #9 | – | 1991–2021 |
| 1718 | Thunder Kiss '65White Zombie | 34 | 15 | #46 | – | 1993–2025 |
| 1719 | This CorrosionSisters of Mercy | 36 | 14 | #7 | – | 1987–2023 |
| 1720 | ReflektorThe Arcade Fire | 25 | 21 | #3 | – | 2013–2026 |
| 1721 | Stop Your SobbingThe Pretenders | 29 | 7 | #42 | – | 1982–2024 |
| 1722 | Girls And BoysBlur | 42 | 20 | #16 | – | 1994–2025 |
| 1723 | Two WeeksGrizzly Bear | 26 | 16 | #5 | – | 2009–2026 |
| 1724 | No You GirlsFranz Ferdinand | 26 | 24 | #4 | – | 2009–2026 |
| 1725 | DriveThe Cars | 33 | 18 | #33 | – | 1984–2026 |
| 1726 | ZeroYeah Yeah Yeahs | 28 | 26 | #10 | – | 2009–2025 |
| 1727 | Your WomanWhite Town | 39 | 22 | #14 | – | 1996–2025 |
| 1728 | EightiesKilling Joke | 29 | 9 | #37 | – | 1984–2023 |
| 1729 | Games Without FrontiersPeter Gabriel | 53 | 25 | #20 | – | 1980–2026 |
| 1730 | Sell OutReel Big Fish | 32 | 19 | #4 | – | 1997–2024 |
| 1731 | We Care A LotFaith No More | 33 | 11 | #29 | – | 1987–2025 |
| 1732 | Long Road to RuinFoo Fighters | 29 | 21 | #5 | – | 2007–2011 |
| 1733 | The Sound Of WinterBush | 27 | 21 | #2 | – | 2011–2023 |
| 1734 | Waiting RoomFugazi | 29 | 14 | #11 | – | 2001–2026 |
| 1735 | Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)The Arcade Fire | 26 | 16 | #9 | – | 2005–2024 |
| 1736 | Silent LucidityQueensryche | 37 | 13 | #32 | – | 1991–2026 |
| 1737 | With a Little Help from My FriendsJoe Cocker | 37 | 14 | #16 | – | 1987–2026 |
| 1738 | Bridge Over Troubled WaterSimon and Garfunkel | 24 | 10 | #20 | – | 1987–2026 |
| 1739 | BitchThe Rolling Stones | 36 | 17 | #96 | – | 1982–2026 |
| 1740 | If I Had A $1,000,000Barenaked Ladies | 24 | 8 | #69 | – | 1999–2025 |
| 1741 | GracelandPaul Simon | 25 | 9 | #10 | – | 2001–2026 |
| 1742 | If We Were VampiresJason Isbell & The 400 Unit | 17 | 7 | #1 | 3 | 2017–2026 |
| 1743 | Instant StreetdEUS | 27 | 1 | #23 | – | 1999–2025 |
| 1744 | What I AmEdie Brickell And New Bohemians | 34 | 13 | #9 | – | 1988–2023 |
| 1745 | Dope NoseWeezer | 30 | 20 | #8 | – | 2002–2014 |
| 1746 | CowboyKid Rock | 33 | 22 | #8 | – | 1999–2025 |
| 1747 | BlackbirdThe Beatles | 25 | 11 | #39 | – | 1996–2026 |
| 1748 | Street Spirit (Fade Out)Radiohead | 28 | 6 | #15 | – | 1996–2025 |
| 1749 | Helplessness BluesFleet Foxes | 27 | 16 | #5 | – | 2011–2026 |
| 1750 | God is a BulletConcrete Blonde | 30 | 8 | #45 | – | 1989–2023 |
| 1751 | Hello GoodbyeThe Beatles | 32 | 11 | #95 | – | 2001–2025 |
| 1752 | UnbelieversVampire Weekend | 27 | 22 | #3 | – | 2013–2026 |
| 1753 | Tripping BilliesDave Matthews Band | 34 | 15 | #46 | – | 1997–2023 |
| 1754 | Don't Come Round Here No MoreTom Petty | 32 | 19 | #44 | – | 1989–2026 |
| 1755 | HurricaneBob Dylan | 29 | 12 | #44 | – | 1976–2026 |
| 1756 | RenegadesX Ambassadors | 21 | 18 | #1 | 2 | 2015–2026 |
| 1757 | VioletHole | 34 | 24 | #12 | – | 1995–2025 |
| 1758 | Celluloid HeroesThe Kinks | 33 | 10 | #19 | – | 1982–2026 |
| 1759 | (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red ShoesElvis Costello | 32 | 12 | #272 | – | 1989–2025 |
| 1760 | Love Plus OneHaircut 100 | 34 | 12 | #26 | – | 1982–2026 |
| 1761 | SorrowBad Religion | 29 | 10 | #1 | 1 | 2001–2023 |
| 1762 | Detachable PenisKing Missile | 31 | 11 | #29 | – | 1992–2009 |
| 1763 | Girls Got RhythmAC/DC | 41 | 20 | #14 | – | 1982–2026 |
| 1764 | One LoveBob Marley | 27 | 12 | #36 | – | 1992–2023 |
| 1765 | Keep the Car RunningThe Arcade Fire | 30 | 16 | #13 | – | 2007–2025 |
| 1766 | 12:51The Strokes | 34 | 24 | #8 | – | 2003–2025 |
| 1767 | Mad WorldTears for Fears | 38 | 17 | #5 | – | 1982–2026 |
| 1768 | I Want Your Hands On MeSinéad O'Connor | 36 | 7 | #29 | – | 1988–2021 |
| 1769 | Tomorrow Never KnowsThe Beatles | 24 | 10 | #63 | – | 1991–2026 |
| 1770 | I Can See For MilesThe Who | 35 | 15 | #32 | – | 1996–2026 |
| 1771 | The Long and Winding RoadThe Beatles | 28 | 12 | #68 | – | 1991–2026 |
| 1772 | Girls Not GreyAFI | 29 | 26 | #7 | – | 2003–2024 |
| 1773 | Lay it on the LineTriumph | 47 | 17 | #57 | – | 1990–2026 |
| 1774 | Novocaine for the SoulThe Eels | 39 | 23 | #16 | – | 1996–2026 |
| 1775 | Way Down We GoKaleo | 26 | 20 | #3 | – | 2015–2026 |
| 1776 | Lost In My MindThe Head and the Heart | 30 | 22 | #4 | – | 2011–2026 |
| 1777 | The CatalystLinkin Park | 26 | 23 | #3 | – | 2010–2020 |
| 1778 | Sister HavanaUrge Overkill | 35 | 12 | #16 | – | 1993–2024 |
| 1779 | The Less I Know the BetterTame Impala | 23 | 15 | #1 | 1 | 2015–2026 |
| 1780 | Doesn't Remind MeAudioslave | 31 | 21 | #4 | – | 2005–2025 |
| 1781 | I Wanna RockTwisted Sister | 39 | 18 | #80 | – | 1990–2026 |
| 1782 | Fall to PiecesVelvet Revolver | 24 | 22 | #6 | – | 2004–2019 |
| 1783 | Ghost TownThe Specials | 34 | 14 | #21 | – | 1981–2026 |
| 1784 | Hold Me NowThompson Twins | 31 | 12 | #10 | – | 1984–2026 |
| 1785 | Sign O The TimesPrince | 34 | 10 | #8 | – | 1987–2026 |
| 1786 | Bad DecisionsThe Strokes | 22 | 19 | #1 | 1 | 2020–2026 |
| 1787 | Baby, I Love Your WayPeter Frampton | 39 | 16 | #32 | – | 1997–2026 |
| 1788 | MarthaTom Waits | 26 | 1 | #18 | – | 1999–2025 |
| 1789 | Diane YoungVampire Weekend | 26 | 21 | #6 | – | 2013–2025 |
| 1790 | Good KisserLake Street Dive | 20 | 11 | #7 | – | 2018–2026 |
| 1791 | On a PlainNirvana | 32 | 15 | #32 | – | 1991–2023 |
| 1792 | CrossfireBrandon Flowers | 31 | 31 | #6 | – | 2010 |
| 1793 | Could You Be LovedBob Marley | 39 | 17 | #53 | – | 1999–2026 |
| 1794 | DesireGene Loves Jezebel | 31 | 9 | #6 | – | 1986–2009 |
| 1795 | Two PrincesThe Spin Doctors | 33 | 13 | #7 | – | 1993–2025 |
| 1796 | 21st Century Digital BoyBad Religion | 32 | 16 | #26 | – | 1994–2023 |
| 1797 | One ThingFinger Eleven | 29 | 20 | #11 | – | 2003–2020 |
| 1798 | Helter SkelterThe Beatles | 35 | 17 | #31 | – | 1982–2026 |
| 1799 | Rockaway BeachThe Ramones | 31 | 9 | #7 | – | 1988–2025 |
| 1800 | ButterflyCrazytown | 35 | 24 | #10 | – | 2000–2025 |