Detroit Free Press

Aretha hit was just named Greatest Song of All Time

- Brian McCollum

Aretha Franklin’s signature hit has another feather in its cap.

The Queen of Soul’s “Respect” is No. 1 in the latest version of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list, released Wednesday, giving Franklin the top spot in two of the magazine’s high-profile, debate-generating rankings.

The magazine says the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list was compiled from ballots submitted by more than 250 artists, journalist­s and industry figures.

Detroit music has dominated Rolling Stone’s lists in recent years:

Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” is No. 1 on the magazine’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, most recently updated in 2020. The title track of Gaye’s 1971 album is also No. 6 in the new songs ranking.

Franklin is No. 1 on the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time list, published in 2008.

Motown musician James Jamerson is No. 1 on the 50 Greatest Bassists of All Time list, published in 2020.

And now “Respect” finds itself atop the songs ranking, leading a top five featuring “Fight the Power” (Public Enemy), “A Change is Gonna Come” (Sam Cooke), “Like a Rolling Stone” (Bob Dylan) and “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (Nirvana).

The new list is the third version of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The original edition — with “Respect” at No. 5 and Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” in the top spot — was released in 2004. It was republishe­d six years later to incorporat­e 26 songs from the 2000s.

Wednesday’s No. 1 ranking is the latest accolade for Franklin’s 1967 hit: “Respect,” which placed No. 4 on “Songs of the Century,” a 2001 list produced by the Recording Industry Associatio­n of America and the National Endowment for the Arts. The track was also named to the Grammy Hall of Fame and is part of the National Recording Registry administer­ed by the Library of Congress.

In 2016, “Respect” ranked No. 1 on Detroit’s 100 Greatest Songs, a Free Press project that tabulated voting by the public, artists and music industry profession­als.

 ?? PROVIDED BY FRANK DRIGGS COLLECTION ?? One of popular music’s most acclaimed voices since the 1960s, Aretha Franklin scored her first No. 1 with “Respect.” On Wednesday, it topped a new list.
PROVIDED BY FRANK DRIGGS COLLECTION One of popular music’s most acclaimed voices since the 1960s, Aretha Franklin scored her first No. 1 with “Respect.” On Wednesday, it topped a new list.

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