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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | Radio Free EuropeR.E.M. | 62 | 16 | #1 | 1 | 1983–2025 |
| 102 | Mysterious WaysU2 | 74 | 22 | #2 | – | 1991–2025 |
| 103 | Bullet With Butterfly WingsThe Smashing Pumpkins | 63 | 20 | #1 | 1 | 1995–2023 |
| 104 | Mr. JonesCounting Crows | 70 | 23 | #4 | – | 1994–2025 |
| 105 | Nothing Else MattersMetallica | 63 | 10 | #5 | – | 1992–2025 |
| 106 | ZombieThe Cranberries | 71 | 20 | #1 | 1 | 1994–2026 |
| 107 | Lightning CrashesLive | 58 | 21 | #1 | 3 | 1995–2026 |
| 108 | There is a Light That Never Goes OutThe Smiths | 77 | 14 | #1 | 1 | 1986–2025 |
| 109 | CannonballThe Breeders | 60 | 21 | #1 | 1 | 1993–2026 |
| 110 | Lust For LifeIggy Pop | 67 | 20 | #1 | 2 | 1987–2026 |
| 111 | God Save the QueenThe Sex Pistols | 63 | 17 | #3 | – | 1977–2022 |
| 112 | PlushStone Temple Pilots | 59 | 22 | #1 | 2 | 1993–2025 |
| 113 | Pictures of YouThe Cure | 61 | 19 | #4 | – | 1990–2023 |
| 114 | TemptedSqueeze | 71 | 20 | #21 | – | 1981–2026 |
| 115 | In BloomNirvana | 59 | 19 | #12 | – | 1992–2026 |
| 116 | The DistanceCake | 58 | 17 | #1 | 1 | 1996–2024 |
| 117 | Where Is My Mind?The Pixies | 64 | 13 | #5 | – | 1988–2026 |
| 118 | Sympathy For The DevilThe Rolling Stones | 65 | 12 | #1 | 1 | 1987–2026 |
| 119 | Buddy HollyWeezer | 62 | 18 | #8 | – | 1994–2024 |
| 120 | Love SongThe Cure | 62 | 18 | #1 | 1 | 1989–2023 |
| 121 | I Will FollowU2 | 69 | 18 | #9 | – | 1981–2025 |
| 122 | StrangeloveDepeche Mode | 58 | 12 | #2 | – | 1987–2023 |
| 123 | In the EndLinkin Park | 54 | 17 | #1 | 4 | 2001–2026 |
| 124 | Just Can't Get EnoughDepeche Mode | 59 | 15 | #2 | – | 1981–2022 |
| 125 | Yellow LedbetterPearl Jam | 57 | 17 | #2 | – | 1994–2026 |
| 126 | BadU2 | 59 | 18 | #5 | – | 1985–2026 |
| 127 | Would?Alice In Chains | 62 | 17 | #6 | – | 1992–2026 |
| 128 | Beautiful DayU2 | 66 | 23 | #2 | – | 2000–2025 |
| 129 | YellowColdplay | 65 | 20 | #4 | – | 2000–2025 |
| 130 | LaidJames | 59 | 21 | #1 | 1 | 1993–2026 |
| 131 | When I Come AroundGreen Day | 60 | 20 | #2 | – | 1994–2025 |
| 132 | Boulevard of Broken DreamsGreen Day | 53 | 24 | #1 | 3 | 2004–2025 |
| 133 | LowCracker | 56 | 18 | #9 | – | 1993–2025 |
| 134 | Girlfriend in a ComaThe Smiths | 57 | 13 | #2 | – | 1987–2014 |
| 135 | Ball and ChainSocial Distortion | 56 | 14 | #2 | – | 1990–2023 |
| 136 | Friday I'm in LoveThe Cure | 57 | 20 | #1 | 1 | 1992–2026 |
| 137 | Float OnModest Mouse | 55 | 22 | #1 | 5 | 2004–2024 |
| 138 | Everybody HurtsR.E.M. | 64 | 18 | #1 | 1 | 1992–2024 |
| 139 | Tonight, TonightThe Smashing Pumpkins | 59 | 20 | #5 | – | 1996–2025 |
| 140 | Champagne SupernovaOasis | 65 | 19 | #11 | – | 1996–2025 |
| 141 | Under the Milky WayThe Church | 66 | 18 | #3 | – | 1988–2026 |
| 142 | Where It's AtBeck | 58 | 20 | #2 | – | 1996–2026 |
| 143 | Take Me OutFranz Ferdinand | 55 | 26 | #1 | 1 | 2004–2026 |
| 144 | RelaxFrankie Goes to Hollywood | 55 | 15 | #1 | 1 | 1984–2019 |
| 145 | Master of PuppetsMetallica | 48 | 5 | #1 | 13 | 1990–2026 |
| 146 | ImagineJohn Lennon | 54 | 10 | #1 | 2 | 1987–2026 |
| 147 | Born to RunBruce Springsteen | 61 | 13 | #1 | 1 | 1978–2026 |
| 148 | Love ShackThe B-52's | 61 | 20 | #1 | 1 | 1989–2026 |
| 149 | Feel Good Inc.Gorillaz | 50 | 19 | #1 | 6 | 2005–2025 |
| 150 | Every Breath You TakeThe Police | 56 | 19 | #3 | – | 1983–2025 |
| 151 | Monkey Gone To HeavenThe Pixies | 59 | 15 | #5 | – | 1989–2019 |
| 152 | Scar TissueRed Hot Chili Peppers | 57 | 20 | #2 | – | 1999–2023 |
| 153 | Sex and CandyMarcy Playground | 57 | 18 | #3 | – | 1997–2023 |
| 154 | Undone (The Sweater Song)Weezer | 53 | 18 | #3 | – | 1994–2023 |
| 155 | American IdiotGreen Day | 50 | 24 | #1 | 5 | 2004–2024 |
| 156 | I AloneLive | 56 | 18 | #4 | – | 1994–2014 |
| 157 | Let's Go to BedThe Cure | 51 | 11 | #9 | – | 1983–2014 |
| 158 | Child in TimeDeep Purple | 42 | 3 | #1 | 7 | 1976–2025 |
| 159 | Pretty In PinkThe Psychedelic Furs | 58 | 15 | #9 | – | 1986–2026 |
| 160 | Why Can't I Be You?The Cure | 54 | 13 | #1 | 1 | 1987–2014 |
| 161 | So AliveLove and Rockets | 54 | 12 | #1 | 1 | 1989–2014 |
| 162 | SanteriaSublime | 52 | 17 | #4 | – | 1996–2026 |
| 163 | Mexican RadioWall of Voodoo | 56 | 12 | #9 | – | 1982–2023 |
| 164 | Here Comes Your ManThe Pixies | 53 | 18 | #2 | – | 1989–2026 |
| 165 | PepperButthole Surfers | 52 | 17 | #1 | 1 | 1996–2023 |
| 166 | Orange CrushR.E.M. | 59 | 16 | #1 | 1 | 1988–2025 |
| 167 | CarsGary Numan | 57 | 19 | #11 | – | 1980–2022 |
| 168 | Somebody Told MeThe Killers | 50 | 22 | #1 | 1 | 2004–2024 |
| 169 | ParanoidBlack Sabbath | 65 | 10 | #9 | – | 1987–2026 |
| 170 | Man in the BoxAlice In Chains | 55 | 17 | #3 | – | 1994–2026 |
| 171 | ThunderstruckAC/DC | 58 | 11 | #2 | – | 1990–2026 |
| 172 | Paint It BlackThe Rolling Stones | 64 | 10 | #17 | – | 1990–2026 |
| 173 | Comfortably NumbPink Floyd | 48 | 12 | #2 | – | 1980–2026 |
| 174 | The LovecatsThe Cure | 52 | 17 | #2 | – | 1983–2020 |
| 175 | Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)Eurythmics | 53 | 18 | #27 | – | 1983–2025 |
| 176 | Wrong WaySublime | 47 | 17 | #1 | 1 | 1997–2014 |
| 177 | Are You Gonna Be My GirlJet | 58 | 22 | #1 | 1 | 2003–2025 |
| 178 | CalifornicationRed Hot Chili Peppers | 60 | 20 | #2 | – | 2000–2025 |
| 179 | Flagpole SittaHarvey Danger | 50 | 16 | #1 | 1 | 1998–2024 |
| 180 | Route 66Depeche Mode | 50 | 8 | #1 | 2 | 1988–2014 |
| 181 | Knights of CydoniaMuse | 53 | 15 | #1 | 1 | 2006–2025 |
| 182 | Bigmouth Strikes AgainThe Smiths | 60 | 15 | #3 | – | 1986–2019 |
| 183 | Last NiteThe Strokes | 54 | 20 | #1 | 1 | 2001–2026 |
| 184 | Message in a BottleThe Police | 61 | 19 | #24 | – | 1987–2025 |
| 185 | GlycerineBush | 73 | 18 | #3 | – | 1995–2025 |
| 186 | Never Say NeverRomeo Void | 53 | 11 | #8 | – | 1981–2014 |
| 187 | Welcome to ParadiseGreen Day | 52 | 16 | #6 | – | 1994–2025 |
| 188 | Come Out and PlayThe Offspring | 43 | 18 | #2 | – | 1994–2025 |
| 189 | Running Up That HillKate Bush | 59 | 16 | #4 | – | 1985–2026 |
| 190 | Best of YouFoo Fighters | 45 | 21 | #1 | 1 | 2005–2025 |
| 191 | Purple RainPrince | 51 | 7 | #1 | 1 | 1987–2026 |
| 192 | Just A GirlNo Doubt | 54 | 18 | #2 | – | 1995–2024 |
| 193 | All Along the WatchtowerJimi Hendrix | 59 | 14 | #5 | – | 1976–2026 |
| 194 | AlisonElvis Costello | 49 | 14 | #3 | – | 1988–2024 |
| 195 | Love My WayThe Psychedelic Furs | 53 | 12 | #10 | – | 1982–2020 |
| 196 | ChangesDavid Bowie | 62 | 17 | #54 | – | 1988–2025 |
| 197 | LumpThe Presidents of the United States of America | 51 | 17 | #2 | – | 1995–2023 |
| 198 | Whole Lotta LoveLed Zeppelin | 66 | 14 | #16 | – | 1976–2026 |
| 199 | EpicFaith No More | 49 | 17 | #11 | – | 1990–2023 |
| 200 | All the Small Thingsblink-182 | 51 | 17 | #3 | – | 1999–2024 |