Anyway, in 2009, the Japanese magazine Record Collectors (see all my latest posts for more info) posted two lists of the best 100 songs covering the 1954-1966 period: one for UK and one for US. I only found the US list, here:
http://soulful.cocolog-nifty.com/soulog ... -ca9e.html
Here's the transcription.
1 | Bob Dylan | Like a Rolling Stone | 1965
2 | The Ronettes | Be My Baby | 1963
3 | The Beach Boys | Good Vibrations | 1966
4 | The Byrds | Mr. Tambourine Man | 1965
5 | Chuck Berry | Johnny B. Goode | 1958
6 | The Crickets | That'll Be the Day | 1957
7 | Ray Charles | What'd I Say | 1959
8 | Elvis Presley | Heartbreak Hotel | 1956
9 | Sam Cooke | A Change Is Gonna Come | 1964
10 | Martha & the Vandellas | Dancing in the Streets | 1964
11 | Sam Cooke | You Send Me | 1957
12 | The Righteous Brothers | You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling | 1964
13 | Little Richard | Tutti Frutti | 1955
14 | Elvis Presley | Hound Dog | 1956
15 | The Temptations | My Girl | 1964
16 | The Lovin' Spoonful | Do You Believe in Magic | 1965
17 | Bo Diddley | Bo Diddley | 1955
18 | The Supremes | Stop! In the Name of Love | 1965
19 | Eddie Cochran | Summertime Blues | 1958
20 | The Impressions | People Get Ready | 1965
21 | Elvis Presley | That's All Right | 1954
22 | The Kingsmen | Louie Louie | 1963
23 | The Ventures | Slaughter on Tenth Avenue | 1964
24 | Little Richard | Long Tall Sally | 1956
25 | James Brown | I Got You (I Feel Good) | 1965
26 | Martha & the Vandellas | Heatwave | 1963
27 | The Penguins | Earth Angel | 1954
28 | The Shirelles | Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow | 1960
29 | Roy Orbison | Oh, Pretty Woman | 1964
30 | The Everly Brothers | Bye Bye Love | 1957
31 | Ben E. King | Stand by Me | 1961
32 | The Five Satins | In the Still of the Nite | 1956
33 | Buddy Holly | Peggy Sue | 1957
34 | The Miracles | You've Really Got a Hold on Me | 1962
35 | Simon & Garfunkel | The Sound of Silence | 1965
36 | Little Eva | The Loco-Motion | 1962
37 | The Lovin' Spoonful | Summer in the City | 1966
38 | The Beach Boys | I Get Around | 1964
39 | Otis Redding | Try a Little Tenderness | 1966
40 | Elvis Presley | Don't Be Cruel | 1956
41 | The Everly Brothers | All I Have to Do Is Dream | 1958
42 | Booker T. & the MG's | Green Onions | 1962
43 | Bill Haley | Rock Around the Clock | 1954
44 | Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers | Why Do Fools Fall in Love | 1955
45 | The Rascals | Good Lovin' | 1966
46 | Otis Redding | I've Been Loving You Too Long | 1965
47 | The Byrds | Turn! Turn! Turn! | 1965
48 | Chuck Berry | Maybellene | 1955
49 | Eddie Cochran | Somethin' Else | 1959
50 | The Ventures | Walk Don't Run | 1960
51 | The Mamas and the Papas | California Dreamin' | 1965
52 | Ritchie Valens | La bamba | 1958
53 | Fats Domino | Ain't That a Shame | 1955
54 | The Flamingos | I Only Have Eyes for You | 1959
55 | The Moonglows | Sincerely | 1954
56 | The Shangri-Las | Leader of the Pack | 1964
57 | The Monkees | Last Train to Clarksville | 1966
58 | Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps | Be-Bop-a-Lula | 1956
59 | Peter, Paul & Mary | Blowin' in the Wind | 1963
60 | Roy Orbison | Crying | 1961
61 | The Four Tops | Reach Out I'll Be There | 1966
62 | Ricky Nelson | Travelin' Man | 1961
63 | Little Peggy March | I Will Follow Him | 1963
64 | Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels | Devil with A Blue Dress On & Good Golly Miss Molly | 1966
65 | The Everly Brothers | Cathy's Clown | 1960
66 | Little Richard | Lucille | 1957
67 | The Four Seasons | Sherry | 1962
68 | Dion | Runaround Sue | 1961
69 | Ray Charles | Georgia on My Mind | 1960
70 | The Four Tops | I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) | 1965
71 | Jerry Lee Lewis | Great Balls of Fire | 1957
72 | Roy Orbison | Only the Lonely | 1960
73 | Fats Domino | Blueberry Hill | 1956
74 | Nancy Sinatra | These Boots Are Made for Walking | 1965
75 | Del Shannon | Runaway | 1961
76 | Bobby Fuller Four | I Fought the Law | 1965
77 | The Supremes | Baby Love | 1964
78 | The Drifters | There Goes My Baby | 1959
79 | Johnny Burnette | The Train Kept a-Rollin' | 1956
80 | Sam & Dave | Hold On, I'm Coming | 1966
81 | Carl Perkins | Blue Suede Shoes | 1956
82 | The Miracles | The Tracks of My Tears | 1965
83 | Dick Dale and His Del-Tones | Miserlou | 1962
84 | Santo & Johnny | Sleep Walk | 1959
85 | The Drifters | Up on the Roof | 1962
86 | Chuck Berry | Sweet Little Rock and Roller | 1959
87 | The Sonics | Psycho | 1965
88 | Percy Sledge | When a Man Loves a Woman | 1966
89 | Bobby Darin | Mack the Knife | 1959
90 | Elvis Presley | Love Me Tender | 1956
91 | Elvis Presley | Jailhouse Rock | 1957
92 | The Byrds | Eight Miles High | 1966
93 | Sam Cooke | Wonderful World | 1960
94 | Paul Revere & the Raiders | Kicks | 1966
95 | The Beach Boys | Don't Worry Baby | 1964
96 | The Music Machine | Talk Talk | 1966
97 | Bob Dylan | Just Like a Woman | 1966
98 | The Coasters | Yakety Yak | 1958
99 | Mary Wells | My Guy | 1964
100 | Little Richard | Good Golly Miss Molly | 1958
As you will see, aside from a couple odd picks, there's nothing out of the ordinary in this list.
Also Henrik, I think at this point I need to apologize for hammering the forum with all these foreign lists lately. I've been finding a sick sense of fun in this treasure hunt, and I just couldn't stop. I wish I'd have found more songs lists since that's what you're currently working on, but as I said, I've been extremely unsuccessful aside from this one, with most songs lists I found based on public vote
I know that adding the albums lists I've found will be troublesome, whenever you will tackle it. If you need help, just let me know.