The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll is an unordered list of 500 songs, created by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, that they believe have been most influential in shaping the course of rock and roll, though some of them belong to different styles even after the consolidation of rock music (like some 1980s and 1990s rap songs). It was organized by Hall of Fame museum curator James Henke who, according to the hall, "compiled the list with input from the museum’s curatorial staff and numerous rock critics and music experts." The list is part of a permanent exhibit at the museum, and was envisioned as part of the museum from its opening in 1995. The list contains songs from the 1920s through the 1990s.

Artists represented the largest number of times

The artists represented the highest number of times on the list are:

The Beatles - 7

Elvis Presley - 6

The Rolling Stones - 6

The Beach Boys - 5

Bob Dylan - 5

Led Zeppelin - 4

Eric Clapton - 4

Michael Jackson - 4

Robert Johnson - 4

Bob Marley - 4

Muddy Waters - 4

Stevie Wonder - 4

Neil Young - 4

Little Richard - 3

Ray Charles - 3

Chuck Berry - 3

James Brown - 3

Otis Redding - 3

Pink Floyd - 3

David Bowie - 3

The Byrds - 3

Sam Cooke - 3

Creedence Clearwater Revival - 3

The Drifters - 3

Aretha Franklin - 3

Marvin Gaye - 3

Woody Guthrie - 3

Jimi Hendrix - 3

Howlin' Wolf - 3

The Kinks - 3

John Lennon - 3

Lou Reed - 3

The Miracles - 3

Van Morrison - 3

Paul Simon - 3

Bruce Springsteen - 3

The Temptations - 3

U2 - 3

The Who - 3

Talking Heads - 2

The Allman Brothers Band - 2

AC/DC - 2

Aerosmith - 2

Ben E. King - 2

R.E.M. - 2

Footnotes

:a. In addition: solo John Lennon - 3, solo Paul McCartney - 1

:b. Including 2 with Cream, 1 with Derek and the Dominos; was not in The Yardbirds at the time of their song on list

:c. Including 2 with The Jackson 5

:d. Among which 2 are credited to The Wailers and 2 to Bob Marley & the Wailers

:e. Including 1 with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

:f. Including 2 with The Velvet Underground

:g. Among which 2 are credited to Simon and Garfunkel

:h. Not including 1 credited to Run-D.M.C.

References

1. FAQ
2. Artcom Museums Tour: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum, Cleveland, OH

External links

• The list, at the Hall of Fame's website