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15th September 2021
06:49pm BST

So says Rolling Stone:
"'Respect' catalysed rock & roll, gospel, and blues to create the model for soul music that artists still look to today (Mariah Carey called Franklin “my mentor”).
"Just as important, the song’s unapologetic demands resonated powerfully with the civil rights movement and emergent feminist revolution, fitting for an artist who donated to the Black Panther Party and sang at the funeral of Martin Luther King Jr.
"In her 1999 memoir, Franklin wrote that the song reflected 'the need of the average man and woman in the street, the businessman, the mother, the fireman, the teacher — everyone wanted respect.' We still do."
Number 500 on the list, for the record, goes to 'Stronger' by Kanye West.
West, David Bowie, John Lennon, Queen, Prince, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Nirvana, Bob Dylan and Beyoncé are among the names in the higher numbers, the top 25 of which you can see below.
25. Kanye West ft. Pusha T – 'Runaway'
24. The Beatles – 'A Day in the Life'
23. David Bowie – 'Heroes'
22. The Ronettes – 'Be My Baby'
21. Billie Holiday – 'Strange Fruit'
20. Robyn – 'Dancing On My Own'
19. John Lennon – 'Imagine'
18. Prince and The Revolution – 'Purple Rain'
17. Queen – 'Bohemian Rhapsody'
16. Beyoncé ft. JAY-Z – 'Crazy In Love'
15. The Beatles – 'I Want to Hold Your Hand'
14. The Kinks – 'Waterloo Sunset'
13. The Rolling Stones – 'Gimme Shelter'
12. Stevie Wonder – 'Superstition'
11. The Beach Boys – 'God Only Knows'
10. OutKast – 'Hey Ya!'
9. Fleetwood Mac – 'Dreams'
8. Missy Elliot – 'Get Your Freak On'
7. The Beatles – 'Strawberry Fields Forever'
6. Marvin Gaye – 'What's Going On'
5. Nirvana – 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'
4. Bob Dylan – 'Like a Rolling Stone'
3. Sam Cooke – 'A Change is Gonna Come'
2. Public Enemy – 'Fight The Power'
1. Aretha Franklin – 'Respect'
The full list of all 500 songs is available right here.Explore more on these topics: