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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | Super Bon BonSoul Coughing | 38 | 20 | #8 | – | 1997–2026 |
| 1902 | Don't Stop Me NowQueen | 30 | 12 | #13 | – | 2001–2026 |
| 1903 | HookBlues Traveler | 41 | 19 | #38 | – | 1994–2026 |
| 1904 | Too MuchDave Matthews Band | 31 | 13 | #7 | – | 1996–2023 |
| 1905 | Dance, DanceFall Out Boy | 28 | 19 | #9 | – | 2005–2026 |
| 1906 | Superman's SongCrash Test Dummies | 22 | 5 | #4 | – | 1991–2024 |
| 1907 | Rainy Day Woman #12 & #35Bob Dylan | 38 | 16 | #145 | – | 1994–2025 |
| 1908 | MykonosFleet Foxes | 23 | 11 | #9 | – | 2009–2026 |
| 1909 | Hungry HeartBruce Springsteen | 42 | 19 | #68 | – | 1982–2026 |
| 1910 | Heartache TonightThe Eagles | 47 | 21 | #177 | – | 1991–2026 |
| 1911 | You Know I'm No GoodAmy Winehouse | 28 | 11 | #9 | – | 2007–2026 |
| 1912 | Let It DieFoo Fighters | 29 | 20 | #2 | – | 2007–2023 |
| 1913 | Shakedown StreetThe Grateful Dead | 38 | 15 | #32 | – | 1996–2026 |
| 1914 | Into My ArmsNick Cave and the Bad Seeds | 28 | 5 | #18 | – | 1997–2026 |
| 1915 | WishlistPearl Jam | 39 | 19 | #10 | – | 1998–2026 |
| 1916 | Ah! Leah!Donnie Iris | 35 | 15 | #42 | – | 1982–2026 |
| 1917 | Rain KingCounting Crows | 30 | 10 | #12 | – | 1994–2026 |
| 1918 | Finest WorksongR.E.M. | 25 | 11 | #67 | – | 1987–2026 |
| 1919 | Mmm Mmm Mmm MmmCrash Test Dummies | 44 | 19 | #6 | – | 1994–2025 |
| 1920 | Chocolate CakeCrowded House | 22 | 6 | #20 | – | 1991–2022 |
| 1921 | Walking In My ShoesDepeche Mode | 29 | 10 | #19 | – | 1993–2023 |
| 1922 | SlideGoo Goo Dolls | 38 | 18 | #23 | – | 1998–2023 |
| 1923 | Accidents Will HappenElvis Costello & the Attractions | 24 | 10 | #121 | – | 1989–2024 |
| 1924 | Tom's DinerSuzanne Vega | 22 | 13 | #24 | – | 1990–2026 |
| 1925 | Bad Bad NewsLeon Bridges | 20 | 11 | #1 | 1 | 2018–2026 |
| 1926 | Hands DownDashboard Confessional | 28 | 22 | #6 | – | 2003–2022 |
| 1927 | ElephantTame Impala | 30 | 23 | #6 | – | 2012–2026 |
| 1928 | JetPaul McCartney and Wings | 40 | 14 | #47 | – | 1991–2026 |
| 1929 | LazarusDavid Bowie | 18 | 13 | #1 | 2 | 2016–2025 |
| 1930 | LovefoolThe Cardigans | 36 | 23 | #14 | – | 1996–2025 |
| 1931 | StrengthThe Alarm | 33 | 8 | #20 | – | 1985–2025 |
| 1932 | Lay Down SallyEric Clapton | 38 | 17 | #170 | – | 1991–2026 |
| 1933 | Black GoldSoul Asylum | 33 | 13 | #35 | – | 1992–2023 |
| 1934 | Don't Go AwayOasis | 31 | 15 | #20 | – | 1997–2021 |
| 1935 | RubyKaiser Chiefs | 29 | 18 | #2 | – | 2007–2026 |
| 1936 | QueerGarbage | 35 | 16 | #21 | – | 1995–2023 |
| 1937 | Shut Up & DanceWalk the Moon | 26 | 19 | #1 | 1 | 2014–2026 |
| 1938 | Wrapped Around Your FingerThe Police | 38 | 21 | #29 | – | 1983–2025 |
| 1939 | RoadrunnerThe Modern Lovers | 32 | 10 | #22 | – | 1976–2026 |
| 1940 | Tupelo HoneyVan Morrison | 25 | 13 | #20 | – | 1991–2026 |
| 1941 | Straight OnHeart | 43 | 19 | #11 | – | 1978–2025 |
| 1942 | Finding Out True Love is BlindLouis XIV | 25 | 16 | #5 | – | 2004–2014 |
| 1943 | Perfect DayLou Reed | 39 | 9 | #12 | – | 1987–2026 |
| 1944 | Up All NightBeck | 26 | 20 | #2 | – | 2016–2026 |
| 1945 | Atlantic CityBruce Springsteen | 25 | 10 | #21 | – | 2001–2026 |
| 1946 | Bat Out of HellMeat Loaf | 26 | 13 | #32 | – | 1991–2026 |
| 1947 | Shake It UpThe Cars | 45 | 24 | #19 | – | 1981–2026 |
| 1948 | New RoseThe Damned | 24 | 5 | #8 | – | 1978–2022 |
| 1949 | The Royal WeSilversun Pickups | 24 | 20 | #5 | – | 2010–2014 |
| 1950 | White Winter HymnalFleet Foxes | 26 | 11 | #9 | – | 2008–2026 |
| 1951 | FadeStaind | 24 | 20 | #13 | – | 2001–2022 |
| 1952 | BandagesHot Hot Heat | 40 | 25 | #3 | – | 2003–2022 |
| 1953 | WrongDepeche Mode | 28 | 27 | #5 | – | 2009–2010 |
| 1954 | NauseaBeck | 26 | 18 | #8 | – | 2006–2022 |
| 1955 | J.A.R.Green Day | 34 | 13 | #15 | – | 1995–2014 |
| 1956 | Prove My LoveViolent Femmes | 20 | 3 | #103 | – | 1989–2014 |
| 1957 | FashionDavid Bowie | 25 | 9 | #16 | – | 1980–2021 |
| 1958 | Golden Slumbers MedleyThe Beatles | 21 | 9 | #6 | – | 1991–2026 |
| 1959 | Raining BloodSlayer | 19 | 2 | #4 | – | 2009–2026 |
| 1960 | Be SweetJapanese Breakfast | 22 | 15 | #2 | – | 2021–2026 |
| 1961 | Carry OnCrosby, Stills, Nash, and Young | 30 | 14 | #74 | – | 1991–2025 |
| 1962 | Weird ScienceOingo Boingo | 32 | 9 | #34 | – | 1985–2026 |
| 1963 | Stray Cat StrutThe Stray Cats | 31 | 13 | #53 | – | 1982–2023 |
| 1964 | SatelliteGuster | 28 | 11 | #23 | – | 2006–2025 |
| 1965 | OutsideAaron Lewis | 22 | 20 | #1 | 2 | 2000–2022 |
| 1966 | Moving In StereoThe Cars | 37 | 20 | #124 | – | 1997–2026 |
| 1967 | A Little Bit of EverythingDawes | 20 | 6 | #2 | – | 2011–2026 |
| 1968 | Particle ManThey Might Be Giants | 19 | 5 | #45 | – | 1991–2022 |
| 1969 | Rock SuperstarCypress Hill | 23 | 15 | #4 | – | 2000–2026 |
| 1970 | ViennaUltravox | 33 | 11 | #18 | – | 1987–2026 |
| 1971 | Long TimeCake | 29 | 25 | #9 | – | 2011–2025 |
| 1972 | American WomanLenny Kravitz | 33 | 22 | #10 | – | 1999–2026 |
| 1973 | Big BallsAC/DC | 38 | 15 | #18 | – | 1990–2026 |
| 1974 | DecodeParamore | 25 | 20 | #3 | – | 2008–2009 |
| 1975 | StarsHum | 31 | 21 | #30 | – | 1995–2026 |
| 1976 | The Man Who Sold The WorldDavid Bowie | 30 | 10 | #75 | – | 1999–2026 |
| 1977 | Tom's DinerDNA | 25 | 7 | #14 | – | 1990–2023 |
| 1978 | Sitting, Waiting, WishingJack Johnson | 28 | 19 | #7 | – | 2004–2025 |
| 1979 | Hanging By a MomentLifehouse | 27 | 19 | #1 | 1 | 2000–2019 |
| 1980 | This is AmericaChildish Gambino | 21 | 9 | #1 | 1 | 2018–2026 |
| 1981 | Whoever You AreGeggy Tah | 33 | 14 | #20 | – | 1996–2026 |
| 1982 | Car Wheels On A Gravel RoadLucinda Williams | 21 | 6 | #3 | – | 2001–2026 |
| 1983 | Dark NecessitiesRed Hot Chili Peppers | 23 | 21 | #5 | – | 2016–2025 |
| 1984 | I Don't KnowOzzy Osbourne | 29 | 13 | #15 | – | 1980–2026 |
| 1985 | Darling NikkiFoo Fighters | 37 | 16 | #10 | – | 2003–2024 |
| 1986 | Oye Como VaSantana | 37 | 19 | #48 | – | 1997–2026 |
| 1987 | The FuneralBand of Horses | 21 | 9 | #31 | – | 2006–2026 |
| 1988 | Our Lips Are SealedThe Go-Go's | 33 | 16 | #32 | – | 1981–2026 |
| 1989 | CardinalKacey Musgraves | 18 | 14 | #2 | – | 2024–2026 |
| 1990 | 99 LuftballoonsNena | 25 | 11 | #15 | – | 1983–2024 |
| 1991 | Looks That KillMotley Crue | 30 | 9 | #19 | – | 1990–2026 |
| 1992 | Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-DaThe Beatles | 29 | 8 | #22 | – | 2002–2026 |
| 1993 | The Dead HeartMidnight Oil | 33 | 12 | #20 | – | 1988–2023 |
| 1994 | JarsChevelle | 22 | 18 | #2 | – | 2009–2011 |
| 1995 | Mountain ManCrash Kings | 26 | 20 | #2 | – | 2009–2014 |
| 1996 | Party Out of BoundsThe B-52's | 25 | 6 | #91 | – | 1988–2014 |
| 1997 | Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)The Beatles | 23 | 11 | #44 | – | 1982–2026 |
| 1998 | Crush StoryToo Much Joy | 22 | 4 | #14 | – | 1991–2014 |
| 1999 | ChangeTears for Fears | 34 | 9 | #32 | – | 1983–2023 |
| 2000 | Middle of NowhereHot Hot Heat | 22 | 14 | #6 | – | 2005–2014 |