Bill Wyman's Rock & Roll Lists

"His aim is true" — Greil Marcus

For more than a decade, readers of New York magazine and its Vulture website have been delighted—and occasionally outraged—by Bill Wyman's exhaustive and unapologetically opinionated rankings of the songs of some of the greatest artists in rock and pop history.

Now, for the first time, those acclaimed rankings are collected in one volume. Covering everyone from the Beatles and Michael Jackson to the Eagles, Nirvana, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and every artist in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Wyman doesn't just rank the songs. He uncovers forgotten stories, reveals surprising financial and personal details, and places the music in the context of its era. The result is a fascinating journey through hundreds of songs and decades of rock history—packed with sharp insights, unexpected discoveries, and plenty of fodder for arguments.

"This is a collection of smart, pithy, exhaustive, and exquisitely well-written mini-critiques of some of popular music's best-known songs, with literally thousands of observations along the way to tickle you—and, yeah, maybe piss you off just a bit." — Jim DeRogatis

Written with Wyman's trademark wit, skepticism, and sparkling prose, these essays are as entertaining as they are informative. As you settle old debates, discover overlooked gems, or simply lose yourself in the history of popular music, you'll find yourself reading "just one more ranking."

"in addition to being subtle and deep, Wyman's lists are: FUN." — Stephen Metcalf, Slate

Bill Wyman (not the bassist from the Rolling Stones) is a journalist, editor, and one of America's leading rock critics. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, New York, The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, and many other publications. He is the former arts editor of Salon and former assistant managing editor of National Public Radio in Washington.

The definitive collection of Bill Wyman's legendary song rankings—at last in one volume.