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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1801 | ConfettiThe Lemonheads | 16 | 3 | #56 | – | 1992–2023 |
| 1802 | Scarlet BegoniasThe Grateful Dead | 12 | 3 | #134 | – | 1996–2025 |
| 1803 | Roots Bloody RootsSepultura | 18 | 1 | #10 | – | 2009–2026 |
| 1804 | ClublandElvis Costello & the Attractions | 15 | 2 | #505 | – | 1999–2014 |
| 1805 | Channel ZThe B-52's | 13 | 5 | #8 | – | 1989–2014 |
| 1806 | Sexx LawsBeck | 19 | 11 | #26 | – | 1999–2024 |
| 1807 | Girlfriend Is BetterTalking Heads | 16 | 3 | #431 | – | 1999–2026 |
| 1808 | CocaineEric Clapton | 15 | 6 | #24 | – | 1991–2026 |
| 1809 | Never Too LateThree Days Grace | 13 | 7 | #4 | – | 2007–2011 |
| 1810 | Not For YouPearl Jam | 25 | 9 | #24 | – | 1994–2014 |
| 1811 | Come Out and Play (Keep 'Em Separated)The Offspring | 10 | 3 | #29 | – | 1995–2014 |
| 1812 | Dust in the WindKansas | 15 | 6 | #69 | – | 1991–2026 |
| 1813 | Come UndoneDuran Duran | 22 | 9 | #5 | – | 1993–2014 |
| 1814 | Everyday SunshineFishbone | 19 | 4 | #491 | – | 1994–2023 |
| 1815 | Up All NightBoomtown Rats | 20 | 3 | #92 | – | 1981–2014 |
| 1816 | Got You (Where I Want You)The Flys | 18 | 9 | #20 | – | 1998–2004 |
| 1817 | ChicagoSufjan Stevens | 12 | 6 | #21 | – | 2006–2026 |
| 1818 | Ticket to RideThe Beatles | 18 | 6 | #91 | – | 1996–2026 |
| 1819 | It's My LifeNo Doubt | 15 | 10 | #6 | – | 2003–2005 |
| 1820 | Achin' To BeThe Replacements | 18 | 4 | #61 | – | 1989–2014 |
| 1821 | Good Times Bad TimesLed Zeppelin | 15 | 8 | #31 | – | 1990–2025 |
| 1822 | Whisper to a ScreamIcicle Works | 16 | 8 | #59 | – | 1991–2003 |
| 1823 | The Bad TouchBloodhound Gang | 15 | 10 | #6 | – | 1999–2024 |
| 1824 | TarantulaThe Smashing Pumpkins | 12 | 12 | #9 | – | 2007 |
| 1825 | MayonnaiseThe Smashing Pumpkins | 25 | 11 | #74 | – | 1993–2023 |
| 1826 | The Dope ShowMarilyn Manson | 17 | 10 | #25 | – | 1998–2007 |
| 1827 | Nth DegreeMorningwood | 16 | 8 | #34 | – | 2005–2014 |
| 1828 | Sweet LullabyDeep Forest | 16 | 2 | #14 | – | 1993–2014 |
| 1829 | Getting Away With MurderPapa Roach | 15 | 12 | #11 | – | 2004–2005 |
| 1830 | SatisfiedSqueeze | 17 | 4 | #18 | – | 1991–2014 |
| 1831 | How to Save a LifeThe Fray | 17 | 9 | #10 | – | 2006–2024 |
| 1832 | Eminence FrontThe Who | 16 | 5 | #71 | – | 1996–2026 |
| 1833 | Ten Years GoneLed Zeppelin | 12 | 4 | #57 | – | 1990–2025 |
| 1834 | Jimmy Olsen's BluesThe Spin Doctors | 14 | 1 | #650 | – | 1999–2014 |
| 1835 | Come Back DownToad The Wet Sprocket | 14 | 1 | #720 | – | 1999–2014 |
| 1836 | Just Another DayOingo Boingo | 15 | 3 | #27 | – | 1985–1999 |
| 1837 | We Are All on DrugsWeezer | 19 | 17 | #30 | – | 2005–2009 |
| 1838 | Pass The MicBeastie Boys | 18 | 5 | #371 | – | 1999–2023 |
| 1839 | School's OutAlice Cooper | 15 | 7 | #7 | – | 1990–2025 |
| 1840 | WonderfulEverclear | 17 | 11 | #29 | – | 2000–2014 |
| 1841 | Fields of JoyLenny Kravitz | 15 | 2 | #597 | – | 1999–2014 |
| 1842 | SuperstitionStevie Wonder | 16 | 8 | #20 | – | 1991–2026 |
| 1843 | Tomorrow PeopleZiggy Marley | 17 | 5 | #23 | – | 1988–2005 |
| 1844 | American GirlTom Petty | 10 | 6 | #25 | – | 1991–2025 |
| 1845 | Ruby TuesdayThe Rolling Stones | 19 | 7 | #216 | – | 1991–2025 |
| 1846 | Far BehindCandlebox | 16 | 9 | #7 | – | 1994–2007 |
| 1847 | Talk of the TownThe Pretenders | 24 | 7 | #59 | – | 1980–2014 |
| 1848 | She Talks to AngelsBlack Crowes | 15 | 8 | #92 | – | 1991–2025 |
| 1849 | Fluorescent AdolescentArctic Monkeys | 14 | 7 | #11 | – | 2007–2025 |
| 1850 | Paul RevereBeastie Boys | 15 | 6 | #30 | – | 1996–2009 |
| 1851 | Always the SunThe Stranglers | 27 | 8 | #16 | – | 1987–2014 |
| 1852 | 16 Military WivesThe Decemberists | 10 | 3 | #15 | – | 2005–2014 |
| 1853 | ViciousLou Reed | 17 | 3 | #401 | – | 1988–2024 |
| 1854 | Little Miss Can't Be WrongThe Spin Doctors | 14 | 1 | #666 | – | 1999–2014 |
| 1855 | Local GirlsGraham Parker | 11 | 3 | #264 | – | 1989–2005 |
| 1856 | Da FunkDaft Punk | 22 | 9 | #10 | – | 1997–2023 |
| 1857 | All My FriendsLCD Soundsystem | 9 | 4 | #10 | – | 2013–2025 |
| 1858 | Under the PressureThe War On Drugs | 11 | 6 | #3 | – | 2014–2026 |
| 1859 | TimebombThe Royal Crescent Mob | 14 | 1 | #183 | – | 1999–2014 |
| 1860 | Drive That FastThe Kitchens of Distinction | 15 | 2 | #41 | – | 1991–2014 |
| 1861 | Pump It UpElvis Costello | 20 | 6 | #123 | – | 1991–2026 |
| 1862 | Little WingJimi Hendrix | 12 | 4 | #73 | – | 1991–2025 |
| 1863 | The Everlasting GazeThe Smashing Pumpkins | 16 | 9 | #35 | – | 1999–2014 |
| 1864 | We Used To Be FriendsThe Dandy Warhols | 16 | 6 | #13 | – | 2003–2014 |
| 1865 | CeremonyNew Order | 13 | 7 | #4 | – | 1981–2024 |
| 1866 | Break on ThroughThe Doors | 14 | 6 | #119 | – | 1991–2026 |
| 1867 | Misty Mountain HopLed Zeppelin | 18 | 9 | #140 | – | 1990–2026 |
| 1868 | LukaSuzanne Vega | 25 | 10 | #10 | – | 1987–2011 |
| 1869 | SatelliteGuster | 16 | 6 | #23 | – | 2006–2024 |
| 1870 | What is LoveHoward Jones | 15 | 6 | #10 | – | 1984–2003 |
| 1871 | The Killing JarSiouxsie and the Banshees | 13 | 6 | #20 | – | 1988–2005 |
| 1872 | SmoothSantana | 17 | 9 | #24 | – | 1999–2025 |
| 1873 | Hold On Loosely.38 Special | 12 | 4 | #12 | – | 2021–2026 |
| 1874 | Caress Me DownSublime | 15 | 7 | #47 | – | 1997–2009 |
| 1875 | Kids In AmericaKim Wilde | 16 | 5 | #133 | – | 1988–2005 |
| 1876 | Cruel To Be KindNick Lowe | 22 | 7 | #281 | – | 1988–2025 |
| 1877 | SurrenderCheap Trick | 18 | 9 | #88 | – | 1996–2025 |
| 1878 | Hit Me With Your Best ShotPat Benatar | 14 | 6 | #34 | – | 1980–2026 |
| 1879 | Ca Plane Pour MoiPlastic Bertrand | 20 | 6 | #200 | – | 1988–2019 |
| 1880 | God Part IIU2 | 12 | 6 | #17 | – | 1988–2005 |
| 1881 | Your Silent FaceNew Order | 19 | 5 | #18 | – | 1983–2022 |
| 1882 | Lucky ManThe Verve | 23 | 12 | #31 | – | 1998–2025 |
| 1883 | DigIncubus | 12 | 8 | #3 | – | 2006–2009 |
| 1884 | The Statue Got Me HighThey Might Be Giants | 17 | 3 | #82 | – | 1992–2014 |
| 1885 | A Sort of HomecomingU2 | 19 | 7 | #57 | – | 1985–2024 |
| 1886 | ColdCrossfade | 13 | 10 | #8 | – | 2004–2005 |
| 1887 | Diamonds and GunsTransplants | 22 | 12 | #25 | – | 2002–2008 |
| 1888 | OneCreed | 10 | 8 | #2 | – | 1999–2001 |
| 1889 | Hit Me With Your Rhythm StickIan Dury & The Blockheads | 23 | 5 | #57 | – | 1991–2014 |
| 1890 | CarnivalNatalie Merchant | 15 | 8 | #9 | – | 1995–2005 |
| 1891 | Box Full of LettersWilco | 17 | 3 | #251 | – | 1996–2023 |
| 1892 | People Who DiedJim Carroll | 10 | 4 | #30 | – | 1981–2014 |
| 1893 | The BoxerSimon and Garfunkel | 12 | 4 | #78 | – | 2004–2025 |
| 1894 | No SurprisesRadiohead | 22 | 7 | #9 | – | 1998–2023 |
| 1895 | My CocoStellastarr* | 13 | 3 | #14 | – | 2004–2014 |
| 1896 | Lady Picture ShowStone Temple Pilots | 26 | 10 | #36 | – | 1996–2014 |
| 1897 | You're Gonna Go Far, KidThe Offspring | 11 | 7 | #1 | 1 | 2008–2010 |
| 1898 | Hey There DelilahPlain White T's | 11 | 10 | #4 | – | 2007–2008 |
| 1899 | Famous Last WordsMy Chemical Romance | 21 | 12 | #5 | – | 2006–2014 |
| 1900 | Kill Your TelevisionNed's Atomic Dustbin | 22 | 7 | #22 | – | 1990–2024 |