Top 100
Here is a list of the best acoustic songs ever written. Acoustic music has come a long way over the years, so many are “oldies” and many are “newies.” We are basing this list off of historical album sales, the ever so objective factor of acoustic-ness, but mostly how easily they make us cry. They are mostly arranged in alphabetical order, by song – so make sure you check out the whole list! Feel free to give your input on suggestions, changes, discards, or songs we may have forgot about.
Click the links to listen to the songs.
Listen 1-9 Listen 10-19 Listen 20-29 Listen 30-39 Listen 40-49
Listen 50-59 Listen 60-69 Listen 70-79 Listen 80-89 Listen 90-100
1. 3 AM – Matchbox 20
2. 10,000 Stones – Adrianne
3. A Million Years – Teddy Geiger
4. Against the Wind – Bob Seger
5. All We Are – Matt Nathanson
6. American Pie – Don McLean
7. And I Love Her – The Beatles
8. Angie – Rolling Stones
9. Annie’s Song – John Denver
10. Another Lonely Day – Ben Harper
11. Baby I Love Your Way – Peter Frampton
12. Best Deceptions – Dashboard Confessional
13. Blackbird – The Beatles
14. Blower’s Daughter – Damien Rice
15. Blowing In the Wind – Bob Dylan
16. Boy With A Coin – Iron and Wine
17. Brilliant Dance – Dashboard Confessional
18. Bron-Y-Aur Stomp – Led Zeppelin
19. Bubbly – Colby Collait
20. Bulletproof Weeks – Matt Nathanson
21. Cannonball – Damien Rice
22. I Will Follow You Into The Dark – Death Cab for Cutie
23. Creep – Radiohead
24. Deacon Blues – Steely Dan
25. Desolation Row – Bob Dylan
26. Devil In Me – Kate Voegele
27. Down By The River – Neil Young
28. Dust In the Wind – Kansas
29. Elephant – Damien Rice
30. Everlong – Foo Fighters
31. Fire and Rain – James Taylor
32. Flake – Jack Johnson
33. Forever – Ben Harper
34. Friends – Led Zeppelin
35. Gravity – Sara Bareilles
36. Guinevere – Crosby, Stills & Nash
37. Hallelujah – Damien Rice
38. Hard to Imagine – Pearl Jam
39. Where Did You Sleep Last Night? – Nirvana
40. Heaven Beside You – Alice in Chains
41. Heros of War – Rise Against
42. Hey Joe – Jimi Hendrix
43. Hiding My Heart – Brandi Carlile
44. Home – Holly Conlan
45. Horse With No Name – America
46. Hotel California – The Eagles
47. House of the Rising Sun – The Animals
48. I Miss You – Incubus
49. If You Could Read My Mind – Gordon Lightfoot
50. In A Graveyard – Rufus Wainwright
51. Astair – Matt Costa
52. In Your Eyes – Jeffery Gaines
53. Cathedrals – Jump Little Children
54. Just a Song Before I Go – Crosby, Stills & Nash
55. Layla – Eric Clapton
56. Living in Your Letters – Dashboard Confessional
57. Life By the Drop – Stevie Ray Vaughan
58. Sweet Melissa – Allman Brothers
59. Merry Happy – Kate Nash
60. Midnight Rider – Allman Brothers
61. More Than Words – Extreme
62. Naked As We Came – Iron and Wine
63. No One’s Aware – Jack Savoretti
64. Garotas – Leoni
65. Nutshell – Alice in Chains
66. Off He Goes – Pearl Jam
67. Paperweight – Joshua Radin
68. Plush – Stone Temple Pilots
69. Push – Matchbox 20
70. Realign – Godsmack
71. Redemption Song – Bob Marley
72. Run – Collective Soul
73. Sandman – America
74. Say It Ain’t So – Mozella
75. Scratch – Kendall Payne
76. Shimmer – Fuel
77. Simple Man – Lynrd Skynyrd
78. Sittin’, Waitin’, Wishin’ – Jack Johnson
79. Slide – Goo Goo Dolls
80. Southern Man – Neil Young
81. Star Mile – Joshua Radin
82. Stay – U2
83. Swing Life Away – Rise Against
84. Tears in Heaven – Eric Clapton
85. The Magic Bus – The Who
86. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down – The Band
87. The Past Recedes – John Frusciante
88. The Special Two – Missy Higgins
89. The Way I Am – Ingrid Michaelson
90. Time of Your Life – Greenday
91. Times Like These – Foo Fighters
92. Tuesday’s Gone – Metallica
93. Vegetable Car – Joshua Radin
94. What Can I Say – Brandi Carlile
95. When September Ends – Greenday
96. Where I Stood – Missy Higgins
97. Who Am I To Say – Hope
98. Wild Horses – Dave Matthews
99. Wonderwall – Oasis
100. You’ve Got a Friend – James Taylor
19 Replies to "Top 100"
music connoisseur on May 3, 2010
You seriously only have 1 Death Cab song? Not even their best at that. Naked as we came by Iron & Wine isn’t even that good! Where’s your City & Colour?
hihicanvaskid on May 11, 2010
What about Too Beautiful by He is We?
Haannah on May 12, 2010
Yes, with “hihicanvaskid”
He Is We, is amazing & one of the best acoustic duo’s. Also, where’s City & Colour? Or, “Dreaming of Heaven”?! But, some awesome songs on here.
calvin lee on June 22, 2010
this list is really bad.
matchbox 20 is number 1?
teddy gieger is 3?
i’m sorry, but that is just unacceptable.
admin on June 23, 2010
From the intro paragraph: “They are mostly arranged in alphabetical order…” Give me some credit! I’m sorry, but your comment is just unacceptable.
Singerguy1980 on June 28, 2010
Good list! Gotta throw another killer song atcha tho… Screaming Infidelities – Dashboard Confessional
ThrashRabbit on June 28, 2010
I am really liking this website! Definitely one i plan to follow, I am always looking for good acoustic songs. Is this simply going to be an adminstrator set list(/website), or is there going to be a way to make suggestions to the admins?
Whoknows on June 29, 2010
I can see why you were hesitant to make a list. Some people are just… Ahhh forget it.
Itsjason13 on June 30, 2010
City and Colour
Dallas Green
State Radio
Ray Lamontagne
admin on July 6, 2010
@ThrashRabbit – we’ve been thinking about having a user-submitted “aspect” of the site as well. This might include pages like this list as well as which songs get posted. Right now we are working on getting some of the details worked out. Thanks for the idea though! We always appreciate feedback.
j on July 6, 2010
not an altogether bad list. better than most lists you find. obviously a girl wrote this. id like to see a more ruthless version
24 on July 11, 2010
You forgot wish you were here by pink Floyd. One of the great acoustic solos
Kilroy on July 15, 2010
Radiohead is on the list.
List invalidated.
MissRose on July 23, 2010
Loving this list. I was after some good acoustic songs to learn.. and this is perfect. Thank you very much 
And can i just say to the people being critical.. not EVERY song is gonna be on this list that you like.. just think about it. 
Cheers’en x
jbest on July 24, 2010
@ calvin lee
Are you that stupid that you didn’t realize it’s in alphabetical order? It’s not best to worst. It’s a compilation of the top 100 acoustics songs as per someones judgement, no particular order other then alphabetical.
Wonder Bread on July 25, 2010
It is just absurd that you left out Hurt by Johnny Cash. His aging voice and beautiful melodies brings me to tears every time.
shen on July 31, 2010
Not a bad list I guess, but then not a good list. Where is John Martyn “Don’t wanna know” or “solid air”. Where is bright eyes “Lua” or “first day of my life”
Too many missing to mention.
dave101 on August 4, 2010
The Spill Canvas – The Tide
???????????????
Luigi Paolo on April 17, 2010
Have you guys ever considered putting
Rory Gallagher in your listing?
A.s.a.p. place this particular, by origin TJW song,
“AS THE CROW FLIES”, played by Rory Gallagher on his “Irish Tour” 1974. Acoustic guitar/harp live.
It will blow you away. Flawless perfection.
Mind you, Jimi Hendrix was asked by a journalist:
how is it to be seen as the best guitar player in the world?
His understated answer: I don’t know…ask Rory Gallagher.