Rolling Stone has published a brand-new list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time -- it's first since 2004 -- and the top-ranked tune is Aretha Franklin's classic 1967 version of Otis Redding's "Respect," moving up from #5 on the previous tally.
Explaining how the Queen of Soul's version of the song differed from Otis' original 1965 rendition, Rolling Stone notes, "In Redding's reading, a brawny march, he called for equal favor with volcanic force. Franklin wasn't asking for anything. She sang from higher ground: a woman calling for an end to the exhaustion and sacrifice of a raw deal with scorching sexual authority. In short: If you want some, you will earn it."
Other songs by veteran acts in the list's top 10 include Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" at #3, Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" at #4 -- it topped the 2004 tally -- Marvin's Gaye's "What's Going On" at #6, The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" at #7, and Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" at #9.
Also ranked high on the list are The Beach Boys' "God Only Knows" at #11, Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" at #12, The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" at #13, The Kinks' "Waterloo Sunset" at #14, The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" at #15, Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" at #17, Prince's "Purple Rain" at #18, and John Lennon's "Imagine" at #19.
Rolling Stone's ranking was determined by more than 250 artists, musicians, producers, music industry figures, critics and journalists, who all submitted in their top 50 choices, which the magazine then tabulated. More than half of the songs on the new list weren't present on the 2004 list.