What song IS the greatest song ever?

[NedimNapoleon]

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Everybodys argument is invalid, this is the best

 

[Arakhor]

Grieg's Morning is a great piece of classical piece. I also like Holst's Jupiter.

 

[W|M]

Everybodys argument is invalid, this is the best

I absolutely hate it.

 

[North King]

I listened to a lot of classical music 6-12 months ago when driving and one composer after the next could not keep the mood. I'm sure they claimed artistic reasons, but I think they were responding to the short attention spans of the times

I mean, I suppose you can label any music any way you like. Modern music doesn't develop ideas, ever, it just has verse, chorus, bridge, and repeats the ideas identically, it rarely modulates. It's for stupid people whose minds require a full recapitulation of any idea presented in the music.

I don't think that's a particularly fair summary, nor do I think yours was of classical music.

 

[vbraun]

I too compose, have made money related to music, and did study some music in college. I can say that classical music often suffers from being WAY too ADHD. It can't stick with a mood or motif the way modern music can. One minute it's dark and delicious, a moment later it's flippant and cheerful. It's like they spent hours laboring over their sheet music, and got bored and decided to keep switching it up to keep themselves interested, not realize their audience would hear those hours of work in a matter of under-a-minutes.

You may like this thing called minimalism. Of the very little that I've heard, Shaker Loops by John Adams is very good. Other minimalistic composers include the likes of Steve Reich, Terry Riley, and Philip Glass. Changes happen slowly and one at a time.

"Classical Music" as a genre is extremely varied, much more so than any other genre, especially when including music of the last century. If you can't find "Classical Music" you like, you either aren't trying hard enough, or aren't looking in the right places.

 

[Ingvina Freyr]

Some people like classical music, some like rock'n'roll, some folks enjoy both. The best song in the world ever written must be loved by all. There has to be consensus as explained in the OP. Does this song have what it takes?

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[North King]

Impossible criteria. Every song will have detractors, because some people just like being contrary. Conversely, some people don't even HAVE favorite songs.

 

[Ingvina Freyr]

It doesn't have to be their favourite song, nor yours. The assembled twenty just have to agree that the song you played for them most likely qualifies as the best song ever written.

Example: One of my absolute favourite songs is Springsteens Thunder Road. However, I do not think it qualifies as the greatest song ever. I am aware that some people don't care for it at all (I know, crazy isn't it?) On the other hand, I have never met a person who didn't like/loves Beatles Yesterday, thus it qualifies.

 

[Rub'Rum]

On the other hand, I have never met a person who didn't like/loves Beatles Yesterday, thus it qualifies.

I could present you several grown up people who don't like it, hehe.

 

[azzaman333]

It doesn't have to be their favourite song, nor yours. The assembled twenty just have to agree that the song you played for them most likely qualifies as the best song ever written.

Example: One of my absolute favourite songs is Springsteens Thunder Road. However, I do not think it qualifies as the greatest song ever. I am aware that some people don't care for it at all (I know, crazy isn't it?) On the other hand, I have never met a person who didn't like/loves Beatles Yesterday, thus it qualifies.

I hate the Beatles.

 

[SpiritWolf]

Although it is incorrect to refer to purely instrumental music as "songs" (songs are sung and must involve a vocal part, as opposed to the general word for music, "piece"), everything is called a "song" in popular music even if it is not correct usage--probably a consequence of songs dominating contemporary musical output.

Nonetheless, I will stick with songs:

Schubert's "Ständchen"

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It has spawned many effective transcriptions.


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[Clement]

And whereas this may not be the greatest song ever either, it probably is the oldest surviving song


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Hauntingly beautiful, and for some strange reason oddly familiar, i don't think i have heard it before, yet i almost seem to recognise it as if i had, the lyrics are incredibly profound and seem to speak to me personally, thanks for posting this.

 

[Kyriakos]

Glad you liked it too

 

[ParadigmShifter]

This is good too


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[Clement]

This is good too


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That's a great song.

These are some nice chants, i came across them a few years ago by accident and i don't know what they mean as they are in arabic, i can't listen to the second one without welling up and getting a lump in my throat.


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[Kyriakos]

A calm piece by Vangelis


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[caketastydelish]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=594WLzzb3JI