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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1801 | Teenage RiotSonic Youth | 32 | 13 | #19 | – | 1988–2026 |
| 1802 | Cigarette DaydreamsCage The Elephant | 28 | 20 | #4 | – | 2014–2026 |
| 1803 | Building a MysterySarah McLachlan | 36 | 22 | #10 | – | 1997–2026 |
| 1804 | Box of RainThe Grateful Dead | 24 | 9 | #65 | – | 1996–2026 |
| 1805 | WalkPantera | 25 | 6 | #4 | – | 1997–2026 |
| 1806 | Too Late For LoveDef Leppard | 49 | 18 | #90 | – | 1990–2026 |
| 1807 | Into The Great Wide OpenTom Petty & The Heartbreakers | 46 | 21 | #71 | – | 1991–2026 |
| 1808 | This TimeINXS | 25 | 7 | #8 | – | 1985–2014 |
| 1809 | Shakin'Eddie Money | 46 | 19 | #79 | – | 1997–2026 |
| 1810 | HippychickSoho | 28 | 12 | #5 | – | 1990–2023 |
| 1811 | Chains of LoveErasure | 34 | 12 | #7 | – | 1988–2025 |
| 1812 | Beg, Steal Or BorrowRay LaMontagne | 21 | 16 | #1 | 1 | 2010–2026 |
| 1813 | Police and ThievesThe Clash | 29 | 7 | #23 | – | 1978–2024 |
| 1814 | SonneRammstein | 25 | 2 | #9 | – | 2001–2026 |
| 1815 | These DaysFoo Fighters | 33 | 25 | #3 | – | 2011–2025 |
| 1816 | Song for ZulaPhosphorescent | 21 | 12 | #1 | 1 | 2013–2026 |
| 1817 | HeathensTwenty One Pilots | 21 | 16 | #1 | 3 | 2016–2026 |
| 1818 | Ready to Let GoCage The Elephant | 23 | 19 | #1 | 1 | 2019–2026 |
| 1819 | You And Your HeartJack Johnson | 27 | 26 | #4 | – | 2010–2013 |
| 1820 | DrownThe Smashing Pumpkins | 27 | 13 | #9 | – | 1992–2023 |
| 1821 | Long Live RockThe Who | 38 | 15 | #56 | – | 1982–2025 |
| 1822 | Pedestrian At BestCourtney Barnett | 22 | 14 | #4 | – | 2015–2026 |
| 1823 | I Was WrongSocial Distortion | 36 | 15 | #29 | – | 1996–2023 |
| 1824 | CrazyAerosmith | 40 | 20 | #103 | – | 1996–2026 |
| 1825 | Just BecauseJane's Addiction | 28 | 24 | #7 | – | 2003–2010 |
| 1826 | Ruby TuesdayThe Rolling Stones | 38 | 20 | #78 | – | 1982–2026 |
| 1827 | Wild ChildThe Black Keys | 24 | 22 | #1 | 1 | 2022–2026 |
| 1828 | This FireFranz Ferdinand | 30 | 23 | #21 | – | 2004–2014 |
| 1829 | mangetoutWet Leg | 21 | 20 | #1 | 2 | 2025–2026 |
| 1830 | The PromiseWhen in Rome | 24 | 9 | #11 | – | 1987–2026 |
| 1831 | I Want YouElvis Costello & the Attractions | 33 | 4 | #16 | – | 1986–2022 |
| 1832 | SmoothSantana | 31 | 17 | #1 | 1 | 1999–2026 |
| 1833 | Steppin' OutJoe Jackson | 32 | 13 | #66 | – | 1982–2026 |
| 1834 | I Need Never Get OldNathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats | 20 | 12 | #4 | – | 2016–2026 |
| 1835 | Little Fluffy CloudsThe Orb | 30 | 13 | #42 | – | 1990–2025 |
| 1836 | Ballroom BlitzSweet | 46 | 22 | #11 | – | 1991–2026 |
| 1837 | The BoxerSimon and Garfunkel | 22 | 8 | #26 | – | 2001–2026 |
| 1838 | A Girl Like YouThe Smithereens | 51 | 16 | #30 | – | 1989–2026 |
| 1839 | Addicted to LoveRobert Palmer | 44 | 25 | #50 | – | 1986–2026 |
| 1840 | My SacrificeCreed | 27 | 22 | #5 | – | 2001–2025 |
| 1841 | Windows Are Rolled DownAmos Lee | 26 | 18 | #1 | 2 | 2010–2026 |
| 1842 | A Case Of YouJoni Mitchell | 18 | 7 | #15 | – | 2001–2026 |
| 1843 | Waiting In VainBob Marley | 27 | 10 | #32 | – | 1977–2026 |
| 1844 | StarbursterFontaines D.C. | 21 | 16 | #1 | 3 | 2024–2026 |
| 1845 | Running AwayHoobastank | 22 | 19 | #4 | – | 2001–2010 |
| 1846 | RainThe Cult | 25 | 8 | #74 | – | 1988–2014 |
| 1847 | Life In A Northern TownThe Dream Academy | 30 | 9 | #145 | – | 1991–2024 |
| 1848 | Get FreeThe Vines | 31 | 24 | #5 | – | 2002–2022 |
| 1849 | Rock and Roll FanatsyBad Company | 28 | 11 | #55 | – | 1994–2023 |
| 1850 | Watching the WheelsJohn Lennon | 33 | 14 | #65 | – | 1982–2025 |
| 1851 | CleopatraLumineers | 24 | 17 | #2 | – | 2016–2025 |
| 1852 | So ColdBreaking Benjamin | 26 | 21 | #1 | 1 | 2004–2026 |
| 1853 | Look What You've DoneJet | 33 | 22 | #23 | – | 2004–2025 |
| 1854 | AmericaSimon and Garfunkel | 23 | 8 | #3 | – | 2001–2026 |
| 1855 | She's So ColdThe Rolling Stones | 38 | 16 | #4 | – | 1980–2026 |
| 1856 | Let DownRadiohead | 33 | 12 | #62 | – | 1997–2026 |
| 1857 | Sometimes AlwaysThe Jesus and Mary Chain | 24 | 10 | #31 | – | 1994–2026 |
| 1858 | All Day And All of the NightThe Kinks | 39 | 17 | #68 | – | 1982–2025 |
| 1859 | Jesus of SuburbiaGreen Day | 35 | 23 | #11 | – | 2004–2024 |
| 1860 | Positively 4th StreetBob Dylan | 27 | 10 | #37 | – | 1991–2026 |
| 1861 | If I Can't Change Your MindSugar | 29 | 8 | #91 | – | 1993–2026 |
| 1862 | SexualityBilly Bragg | 32 | 14 | #17 | – | 1991–2023 |
| 1863 | Hit ThatThe Offspring | 33 | 23 | #7 | – | 2003–2004 |
| 1864 | Animal I Have BecomeThree Days Grace | 23 | 16 | #1 | 2 | 2006–2025 |
| 1865 | The Walls Came DownThe Call | 32 | 7 | #106 | – | 1988–2021 |
| 1866 | Just Like YouThree Days Grace | 29 | 20 | #6 | – | 2003–2026 |
| 1867 | Crosseyed And PainlessTalking Heads | 36 | 10 | #37 | – | 1980–2026 |
| 1868 | Last Train HomeLostprophets | 23 | 20 | #2 | – | 2003–2010 |
| 1869 | Magic PowerTriumph | 42 | 17 | #149 | – | 1982–2026 |
| 1870 | No RootsAlice Merton | 26 | 17 | #3 | – | 2017–2026 |
| 1871 | You are the best thingRay LaMontagne | 22 | 12 | #6 | – | 2008–2026 |
| 1872 | Never Too LateThree Days Grace | 28 | 17 | #4 | – | 2007–2026 |
| 1873 | Wagon WheelOld Crow Medicine Show | 22 | 6 | #23 | – | 2007–2026 |
| 1874 | Coming HomeLeon Bridges | 23 | 14 | #4 | – | 2015–2026 |
| 1875 | Never Been Any ReasonHead East | 41 | 19 | #31 | – | 1994–2026 |
| 1876 | Your LoveThe Outfield | 46 | 17 | #68 | – | 1999–2026 |
| 1877 | HypnotizeSystem of a Down | 28 | 18 | #10 | – | 2005–2023 |
| 1878 | CenterfieldJohn Fogerty | 42 | 21 | #16 | – | 1991–2025 |
| 1879 | Love HurtsIncubus | 25 | 22 | #1 | 1 | 2008–2022 |
| 1880 | Peaceful Easy FeelingThe Eagles | 38 | 18 | #59 | – | 1982–2026 |
| 1881 | Here It Goes AgainOK Go | 29 | 18 | #2 | – | 2006–2025 |
| 1882 | TeardropMassive Attack | 25 | 15 | #21 | – | 1998–2026 |
| 1883 | HypotheticalsLake Street Dive | 21 | 13 | #1 | 1 | 2021–2026 |
| 1884 | Crosstown TrafficJimi Hendrix | 40 | 19 | #72 | – | 1990–2026 |
| 1885 | Geek Stink BreathGreen Day | 40 | 17 | #16 | – | 1995–2023 |
| 1886 | Kiss MeStephen 'Tin Tin' Duffy | 25 | 8 | #13 | – | 1984–2022 |
| 1887 | Big Time SensualityBjörk | 28 | 9 | #48 | – | 1994–2026 |
| 1888 | Way Down NowWorld Party | 28 | 12 | #40 | – | 1990–2022 |
| 1889 | With Arms Wide OpenCreed | 22 | 22 | #5 | – | 2000–2026 |
| 1890 | Sweet LeafBlack Sabbath | 38 | 14 | #68 | – | 1990–2026 |
| 1891 | Giving Up The GunVampire Weekend | 28 | 22 | #15 | – | 2010–2025 |
| 1892 | Come Original311 | 36 | 19 | #11 | – | 1999–2024 |
| 1893 | Always Something There To Remind MeNaked Eyes | 29 | 12 | #70 | – | 1988–2026 |
| 1894 | Heartbreak BeatThe Psychedelic Furs | 36 | 10 | #38 | – | 1986–2023 |
| 1895 | Hard SunEddie Vedder | 34 | 21 | #8 | – | 2007–2025 |
| 1896 | Angel of DeathSlayer | 19 | 2 | #5 | – | 2009–2026 |
| 1897 | Check My BrainAlice In Chains | 29 | 24 | #10 | – | 2009–2010 |
| 1898 | Rollin'Limp Bizkit | 25 | 19 | #2 | – | 2000–2023 |
| 1899 | Goodnight GoodnightHot Hot Heat | 23 | 15 | #15 | – | 2005–2022 |
| 1900 | BrokenLovelyTheBand | 20 | 16 | #1 | 1 | 2017–2026 |