While "top of all time" is subjective, frequently cited, critically acclaimed, and highly streamed top three songs include Aretha Franklin's "Respect," Public Enemy's "Fight the Power," and Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come," according to Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.
There's no single "number one played song" due to different metrics (streams, sales, radio), but The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" is often cited as the most-streamed song on Spotify (over 5.2 billion streams), while Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" (1942) holds records for best-selling physical single ever, though data is debated. Currently, songs like Djo's "End of Beginning" or new hits by artists like Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars often top weekly charts.
There's no single "top 10 best songs" list, as it's subjective, but popular lists often feature classics like The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and Aretha Franklin's "Respect" alongside modern hits like The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" (a top chart/streamer) and current favorites like Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars' "Die With A Smile" and Billie Eilish's "BIRDS OF A FEATHER". Classic contenders often include Prince's "When Doves Cry" and The Beach Boys' "God Only Knows", while some critics point to Bob Dylan's work.
There's no single definitive "top 5," as it's subjective, but major lists often feature classics like Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, The Beatles' "Hey Jude," and David Bowie's "Heroes," while some modern hits like The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" appear on chart-based lists, showing a blend of critical acclaim and commercial success across different eras.
The #1 trending song today varies slightly by platform, but "Die With A Smile" by Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars is huge globally and on pop charts, while "Man I Need" by Olivia Dean is a top hit in Australia, and "End of Beginning" by Djo is #1 on Spotify's global chart, showing different popular tracks across charts.
The most streamed song of all-time on Spotify is Blinding Lights by The Weeknd, with 5,226,555,336 streams as of January 8, 2026. Other top tracks include Shape Of You, Sweater Weather, Starboy, As It Was, and many more.
As of early January 2026, The Weeknd is generally considered #1 on Spotify for monthly listeners, but Taylor Swift is the most-streamed artist in Spotify's history and often leads overall popularity, with Bruno Mars recently hitting a historic 150 million monthly listeners. The #1 spot can change daily, but The Weeknd currently leads in recent monthly listeners, while Bad Bunny remains a top contender, and Taylor Swift dominates overall historical streams.
There's no single "catchiest song ever," as it's subjective, but scientific studies often point to Spice Girls' "Wannabe" for quick memorability, while other research highlights anthems like Queen's "We Are the Champions" and novelty hits like Village People's "YMCA", all featuring strong hooks, vocal effort, and memorable melodies that stick in your head. Pop, rock, and even children's songs like "Baby Shark" frequently appear on lists, showing catchiness crosses genres.
3/4 time signature
This time signature gives us three beats per measure, with the quarter note getting one beat. It's the signature behind the graceful waltz and many folk and pop songs. If you count a rhythmic one-two-three, one-two-three, you're feeling the sway of the 3/4 time.
There's no single "best" hype song as it's subjective, but top contenders often cited include classics like Queen's "We Will Rock You", rock anthems like AC/DC's "Thunderstruck", rap bangers like Fort Minor's "Remember the Name" and Kendrick Lamar's "DNA.", and modern stadium hits like Imagine Dragons' "Thunder" and Panic! At The Disco's "High Hopes", with selections depending on genre preference, from stadium rock to hip-hop.
The title of the "most successful song of all time" depends on the metric, but Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" is the best-selling single ever (50+ million copies), while Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" is the highest-certified by official charts, and The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" holds streaming records on platforms like Spotify. For digital sales, Xiao Zhan's "Spotlight" is a record holder, and Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997" is a top seller since modern charts began.
These are the top ten of Rolling Stone's (500) Greatest Songs of All Time:
The "most played" song depends on the platform, but The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" is the all-time most-streamed song on Spotify (over 5.2 billion plays), while older tracks like Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" and Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997" lead in physical sales, and Disney's "It's a Small World" is arguably the most performed song ever. For streaming, Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" and The Neighbourhood's "Sweater Weather" also rank exceptionally high alongside "Blinding Lights".
The song “One Sweet Day,” by Mariah Carey, which she recorded with Boyz II Men, holds the longest- running number one song in history. The song spent 16 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.
This is a crazy milestone making Blinding Lights the first song in history to reach 5 billion streams on Spotify.
Indian playback singer Arijit Singh is the most-followed artist on Spotify.
The first number-one song of the Billboard Hot 100 was "Poor Little Fool" by Ricky Nelson, on August 4, 1958. As of the issue for the week ending on January 10, 2026, the Billboard Hot 100 has had 1,184 different number-one entries. The current number-one song on the chart is "The Fate of Ophelia" by Taylor Swift.
A song is made up of many elements, and how they blend together is what sets a good song apart from any other song. A good song should evoke emotions in the listener— joy, sadness, empowerment, etc. — the things that make us human.