Most Iconic Song From Every Rock Hall (Performer, Influence) Inductee + Side Categories (Updated 2023 Inductees)

Updated 2023 Inductees

What is the most iconic song by a singer or band?  In some cases that one song is not their biggest seller, biggest chart performer or even their best song.  But it is that one song that springs to mind whenever people talk about their favorite artists.  Some of these choices were easy, others were tougher. A few acts didn't seem to have just one, but a number of iconic songs. 

Below is a listing of the most iconic song by Rock Hall Performers and Musical Influence inductees.  Some Non-Performer inductees are also included, if they had a prominent performing career (e.g. Herb Alpert). Also listed are most Musical Excellence inductees.

AC/DC - "Back In Black"

Abba - "Dancing Queen"

Aerosmith - "Dream On"

Al Green - "Let's Stay Together"

Al Kooper - "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know"

Albert King - "Born Under A Bad Sign"

Alice Cooper - "School's Out"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allman Brothers Band ' "Ramblin' Man"

Animals - "House of the Rising Sun"

Aretha Franklin - "Respect"

B.B. King - "Thrill Is Gone"

Band - "The Weight"

Beach Boys - "Good Vibrations"

Beastie Boys - "Fight For Your Right"

Beatles - "Hey Jude"

Bee Gees - "Stayin' Alive"

Bessie Smith - "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out"

Big Joe Turner - "Shake, Rattle and Roll"

Bill Haley & the Comets - "Rock Around The Clock"

Bill Monroe - "Blue Moon Of Kentucky"

Bill Withers - "Lean On Me"

Billie Holiday - "Strange Fruit"

Billy Joel - "Piano Man"

Billy Preston - “Nothing From Nothing”

Black Sabbath - "Paranoid"

Blondie - "Heart of Glass"

Bo Diddley - "I'm A Man"

Bob Dylan - "Like A Rolling Stone"

Bob Marley - "No Woman, No Cry"

Bob Seger - "Night Moves”

Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys - "New San Antonio Rose"

Bobby "Blue" Bland - "Farther Up The Road"

Bobby Darin - "Mack the Knife"

Bobby Womack - "If You Think You're Lonely Now"

Bon Jovi - "Livin' On A Prayer"

Bonnie Raitt - "I Can't Make You Love Me"

Booker T. and the MG's - "Green Onions"

Brenda Lee - “Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree"

Bruce Springsteen - "Born To Run"

Buddy Guy - "Damn Right, I've Got The Blues"

Buddy Holly & the Crickets - "That'll Be The Day"

Buffalo Springfield - "For What It's Worth"

Byrds - "Turn! Turn! Turn!"

Carl Perkins - "Blue Suede Shoes"

Carly Simon - "You're So Vain"

Carole King - "It's Too Late"

Cars - "Just What I Needed"

Cat Stevens - "Wild World"

Chaka Khan - “I’m Every Woman”

Charles Brown - "Please Come Home For Christmas"

Charley Patton - "Pony Blues"

Cheap Trick - "I Want You To Want Me"

Chet Atkins - "Yakety Axe"

Chicago - "25 or 6 to 4"

Chuck Berry - "Johnny B. Goode"

Clash - "London Calling"

Clyde McPhatter - "Lover Please"

Coasters - "Yakety Yak"

Cream - "Sunshine Of Your Love"

Creedence Clearwater Revival - "Proud Mary"

Crosby, Stills & Nash - "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes"

Cure - "Friday I'm In Love"

Curtis Mayfield - "Superfly"

Darlene Love - "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"

Daryl Hall & John Oates - "You Make My Dreams"

Dave Clark Five - "Glad All Over"

David Bowie - "Heroes"

Deep Purple - "Smoke On The Water"

Def Leppard - "Pour Some Sugar On Me"

Del Shannon - "Runaway"

Dells - "Oh What A Night"

Depeche Mode - "Enjoy the Silence"

Dinah Washington - "What A Diff'rence A Day Makes"

Dion - "The Wanderer"

Dire Straits - "Money For Nothing"

Dolly Parton - "Jolene"

Donna Summer - "Last Dance"

Doobie Brothers - "Listen To The Music"

Doors - "Light My Fire"

Dr. John - "Right Place Wrong Time"

Drifters - "Under the Boardwalk"

Duane Eddy - "Rebel Rouser"

Duran Duran - “Hungry Like The Wolf”

Dusty Springfield - "Son Of A Preacher Man"

ELO - "Mr. Blue Sky"

Eagles - "Hotel California"

Earth, Wind & Fire - "September"

Eddie Cochran - "Summertime Blues"

Elizabeth Cotten - "Freight Train"

Elmore James - "Dust My Broom"

Elton John - "Your Song"

Elvis Costello & the Attractions - “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding”

Elvis Presley - "Hound Dog”

Eminem - "Lose Yourself"

Eric Clapton - "Layla"

Etta James - "At Last"

Eurythmics - "Sweet Dreams"

Everly Brothers - "Bye Bye Love"

Fats Domino - "Blueberry Hill"

Flamingos - "I Only Have Eyes For You"

Fleetwood Mac - "Dreams"

Floyd Cramer - "Last Date"

Foo Fighters - "Best of You"

Four Seasons - "Sherry"

Four Tops - "I Can't Help Myself"

Frank Zappa - "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow"

Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers - "Why Do Fools Fall In Love"

Freddie King - "Going Down"

Gene Pitney - (Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance"

Gene Vincent & the Blue Caps - "Be-Bop-A-Lula"

Genesis - "Invisible Touch"

George Harrison - "My Sweet Lord"

George Michael - “Careless Whisper”

Gladys Knight & The Pips - "Midnight Train to Georgia"

Go-Go's - "We Got The Beat"

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - "Message"

Grateful Dead - "Truckin'"

Green Day - "Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)"

Guns 'N Roses - "Sweet Child O' Mine"

Hank Ballard & the Midnighters - "Finger Poppin' Time"

Hank Williams - "Hey, Good Lookin'"

Harry Belafonte - "Banana Boat"

Heart - "Barracuda"

Herb Alpert - "Rise"

Hollies - "Long Cool Woman"

Howlin' Wolf - "Smokestack Lightnin'"

Ike and Tina Turner - "Proud Mary"

Impressions - "People Get Ready"

Ink Spots - "If I Didn't Care"

Isaac Hayes - "Theme From Shaft"

Isley Brothers - "Who's That Lady"

Jackie Wilson - "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher"

Jackson 5 - "I Want You Back"

Jackson Browne - "Doctor My Eyes"

James Brown & the Famous Flames - "I Got You (I Feel Good)

James Taylor - "Fire and Rain"

Janet Jackson - "Nasty"

Janis Joplin - "Me and Bobby McGee"

Jay-Z - "Empire State of Mind"

Jeff Beck - "Beck's Bolero"

Jefferson Airplane - "Somebody To Love"

Jelly Roll Morton - Black Bottom Stomp"

Jerry Lee Lewis - "Great Balls of Fire"

Jimi Hendrix Experience - "Purple Haze"

Jimmie Rodgers - "In The Jailhouse Now"

Jimmy Cliff - "You Can Get It If You Really Want"

Jimmy Reed - "Big Boss Man"

Jimmy Yancey - "Yancey Stomp"

Joan Baez - "Night They Drove Old Dixie Down"

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - "I Love Rock 'N Roll"

John Lee Hooker - "Boom Boom"

John Lennon - "Imagine"

John Mellencamp - "Jack and Diane"

Johnny Cash - "Folsom Prison Blues"

Johnny Otis - "Willie and the Hand Jive"

Joni Mitchell - "Big Yellow Taxi"

Journey - "Don't Stop Believin'"

Judas Priest - "You've Got Another Thing Coming"

Kate Bush - “Running Up That Hill”

King Curtis - "Soul Twist"

Kinks - "Lola"

Kiss - "Rock and Roll All Nite"

Kraftwerk - "Autobahn"

LL Cool J - "Mama Said Knock You Out"

Laura Nyro - "Stoned Soul Picnic"

Lavern Baker - "Jim Dandy"

Lead Belly - "Where Did You Sleep Last Night"

Led Zeppelin - "Stairway to Heaven"

Leon Russell - "A Song For You"

Leonard Cohen - "Hallelujah"

Les Paul - "Vaya Con Dios" w/Mary Ford

Linda Ronstadt - "You're No Good"

Link Wray - “Rumble”

Lionel Richie - "All Night Long"

Little Anthony & The Imperials - "Tears On My Pillow"

Little Richard - "Tutti Frutti"

Little Walter - "My Babe"

Little Willie John - "Fever"

Lloyd Price - "Stagger Lee"

Lou Reed - "Walk On The Wild Side"

Louis Armstrong - " What A Wonderful World"

Louis Jordan - "Caldonia"

Lovin' Spoonful - "Do You Believe In Magic"

Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Sweet Home Alabama"

Ma Rainey - "Runaway Blues"

Madonna - "Like A Virgin"

Mamas and the Papas - "California Dreamin'"

Martha Reeves and the Vandellas - "Dancing In The Street"

Marvin Gaye - "What's Going On"

Metallica - "Enter Sandman"

Michael Jackson - "Billie Jean"

Miles Davis - "Blue in Green"

Missy Elliott - “Get Ur Freak On”

Moody Blues - "Nights In White Satin"

Moonglows - "Sincerely"

Muddy Waters - "Mannish Boy"

N.W.A. - "Fuck Tha Police"

Nat "King" Cole - "The Christmas Song"

Neil Diamond - "Sweet Caroline"

Neil Young - "Heart Of Gold"

Nile Rodgers - "Good Times" w/Chic

Nina Simone - "Feeling Good"

Nine Inch Nails - "Hurt"

Nirvana - "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

Notorious B.I.G. - "Hypnotize"

O'Jays - "Love Train"

Orioles - "Crying In The Chapel"

Otis Redding - "(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay"

Parliament-Funkadelic - "Give Up The Funk" (Parliament)/"One Nation Under A Groove" (Funkadelic)

Pat Benatar - "Hit Me With Your Best Shot"

Patti Smith - "Because The Night"

Paul Butterfield Blues Band - "Born In Chicago"

Paul McCartney - "Maybe I'm Amazed"

Paul Simon -"You Can Call Me Al"

Pearl Jam - "Alive"

Percy Sledge - "When A Man Loves A Woman"

Pete Seeger - "Where Have All The Flowers Gone"

Peter Gabriel - "Sledgehammer"

Pink Floyd - "Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2"

Platters - "Only You"

Police - "Every Breath You Take"

Pretenders - "Brass In Pocket"

Prince - "Purple Rain"

Professor Longhair - "Tipitina"

Public Enemy - "Fight The Power"

Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody"

Quincy Jones - "Soul Bossa Nova"

Rage Against the Machine - “Killing In The Name”

R.E.M. - "Losing My Religion"

Randy Newman - "I Love L.A."

Randy Rhoads - "Crazy Train" w/Ozzy Osbourne

Ray Charles - "Georgia On My Mind"

Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Under The Bridge"

Ricky Nelson - "Garden Party"

Righteous Brothers - "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"

Ringo Starr - "It Don't Come Easy"

Ritchie Valens - "La Bamba"

Robert Johnson - "Cross Road Blues"

Rod Stewart - "Maggie May"

Rolling Stones - "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"

Ronettes - "Be My Baby"

Roxy Music - "More Than This"

Roy Orbison - "Oh, Pretty Woman"

Run DMC - "Walk This Way" w/Aerosmith

Rush - "Tom Sawyer"

Ruth Brown - "Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean"

Sam Cooke - "A Change Is Gonna Come"

Sam and Dave - "Soul Man"

Santana - "Oye Como Va"

Sex Pistols - "Anarchy In The U.K."

Sheryl Crow  - “All I Wanna Do”

Shirelles - "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow"

Simon & Garfunkel - "Bridge Over Troubled Water"

Sister Rosetta Tharpe - "Rock Me"

Sly and the Family Stone - "Everyday People'

Small Faces/Faces - "Itchycoo Park" (Small Faces/"Stay With Me" (Faces)

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - "Tracks Of My Tears”

Solomon Burke - "Cry To Me"

Soul Stirrers - "Wade In The Water"

Spinners - “I’ll Be Around” 

Staple Singers - "I'll Take You There"

Steely Dan - "Rikki Don't Lose That Number"

Steve Miller - "The Joker"

Stevie Nicks - "Edge of Seventeen"

Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - "Pride and Joy"

Stevie Wonder - "Superstition"

Stooges - "I Wanna Be Your Dog"

Supremes - "Stop! In The Name of Love"

Sylvia Robinson - "Love Is Strange" w/Mickey Baker

T-Bone Walker - "Call It Stormy Monday"

T. Rex - "Bang A Gong (Get It On)"

Talking Heads - "Burning Down The House"

Temptations - "My Girl"

Tina Turner - "What's Love Got To Do With It"

Todd Rundgren - "Hello It's Me"

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - "Refugee”

Tom Waits - "Ol' 55"

Traffic - "Dear Mr. Fantasy"

Tupac Shakur - "California Love"

U2 - "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"

Van Morrison - "Brown Eyed Girl"

Velvet Underground - "Sweet Jane"

Ventures - "Walk, Don't Run"

Wanda Jackson - "Let's Have A Party"

Whitney Houston - "I Will Always Love You"

Who - "Baba O'Riley"

Willie Nelson - “On The Road Again”

Wilson Pickett - "In The Midnight Hour"

Woody Guthrie - "This Land Is Your Land"

Yardbirds - "For Your Love"

Yes - "Owner Of A Lonely Heart"

ZZ Top - "La Grange"

Zombies - "Time Of The Season"