The Most Universally Accepted and Liked Song Thread

[Crow]

One that I do not think has been mentioned that has to be up there is:

Piano Man

this is a good pick & probably a better song than bohemian rhapsody imo

[Adami]

One that I do not think has been mentioned that has to be up there is:

Piano Man

this is a good pick & probably a better song than bohemian rhapsody imo

What? No.


Also I think BR crosses over into fan bases that Piano Man wouldn't. Fantastic song though.

[King Postwhore]

American Pie - Don Mclain

[jingle.boy]

One that I do not think has been mentioned that has to be up there is:

Piano Man

Good call. 

Speaking of which, I debated on whether to include Candle in the Wind in my list.  I think it would qualify.

[King Postwhore]

I was thinking a Beatles tune but there is so many big hits that it's hard to narrow down one.

[Mladen]

I was thinking a Beatles tune but there is so many big hits that it's hard to narrow down one.

Same here. I haven't been able to come up with the perfect choice for days now.

[MirrorMask]

I was thinking a Beatles tune but there is so many big hits that it's hard to narrow down one.

Let it Be?

[twosuitsluke]

I was thinking a Beatles tune but there is so many big hits that it's hard to narrow down one.

Let it Be?

Probably.  I was doing the same, trying to think of the perfect Beatles song. I think it's got to be up there.

One that I do not think has been mentioned that has to be up there is:

Piano Man

I don't think I even know the song you are talking about?

I would definitely go with Bohemian Rhapsody, it was the first song that jumped to my mind. I think it's also stayed relevant through generations due to films.

For those who remember it from the time it was released they remember how popular it was. I was born in 83 so for me my first exposure to it was the iconic scene from Wayne's World. Everyone of my generation at least knows that scene, even if they never watched the whole film. I personally watched that film loads when I was a kid. For the younger generation it was recently in Suicide Squad, a lot of kids found a love for it due to that.

Another great thing about it is the fact that if you hear it you can't help but sing it (maybe just my opinion). It's infectious and singing it with your friends (in a car if possible), or in a big crowd is just the greatest. I could understand some people being sick of it but I think the vast majority of people haven't heard it enough to be sick of it.

The final thing in all of this is purely about how popular certain songs are in certain parts of the world, that just makes the biggest difference.

[KevShmev]

One that I do not think has been mentioned that has to be up there is:

Piano Man

I don't think I even know the song you are talking about?

[SoundscapeMN]

Happy Birthday.

[King Postwhore]

One that I do not think has been mentioned that has to be up there is:

Piano Man

I don't think I even know the song you are talking about?

Holy cow.

[twosuitsluke]

One that I do not think has been mentioned that has to be up there is:

Piano Man

I don't think I even know the song you are talking about?

Holy cow.

I just YouTubed it, it seems familiar but I honestly don't know it well, at all! Is it bigger in America or something?

[KevShmev]

It is HUGE in America. It is literally one of those songs that I cannot imagine anyone not knowing.

[Train of Naught]

It is huge in Europe as well or at least from my knowledge. That's a good mention, but I think BR and the Michael Jackson/Beatles mentions are still more universally known and loved. Then again, barely anyone seems to be familiar with the song I mentioned which I thought to be one of the most popular songs of all time, so my perception is probably a bit skewed.

[KevShmev]

I thought I would listen to Hey Ya! and it would be one of those songs I knew, but never knew the name of. Nope, I had never heard that song before.

[Anguyen92]

I thought I would listen to Hey Ya! and it would be one of those songs I knew, but never knew the name of. Nope, I had never heard that song before.

That was the case for me.  I heard it before, a fair amount, but I could not recall the name of the band.  I thought it was made by The Black Eyed Peas, honestly.

[twosuitsluke]

It is huge in Europe as well or at least from my knowledge. That's a good mention, but I think BR and the Michael Jackson/Beatles mentions are still more universally known and loved. Then again, barely anyone seems to be familiar with the song I mentioned which I thought to be one of the most popular songs of all time, so my perception is probably a bit skewed.

Hey Ya! Was pretty huge over here when it came out in like 2004 or whenever. Everyone I know of my generation would know it instantly but I'm not so sure of the older generations, or the youngsters of today for that matter.

[Stadler]

My mom knows Piano Man.
My mom knows BoRhap (even if she doesn't know what it's called)
My mom has no idea what Hey Ya! is. 

The thing with Piano Man that Bohemian Rhapsody doesn't have is portability.  Karaoke.   Bar musicians.  I've heard "Piano Man" 100 times in bars if I've heard it once.  I don't know that I've ever heard a guy with a guitar, or a chick with a piano give us their solo take on "Boheman Rhapsody".   

[Architeuthis]

 More Than A Feeling - Boston

[Dublagent66]

Rock'n Me - Steve Miller

[Sycsa]

I've never heard of Piano Man either, and Billy Joel is just vaguely familiar by name. Like, I know he's probably in the music business, but I wouldn't bet my house on it. I don't know what he looks like and I don't know a single song by him. European millennials are a different breed.

My late dad, bless his soul, always hated Bohemian Rhapsody with a passion, so those people are out there. I think We Are The Champions is much more widely known and loved.

Except by the adorably pretentious vintageprog guy - https://vintageprog.com/classic70srock/queen.htm:

"Father to Son" is easily one of the best songs May ever wrote in the band and remains shamefully overlooked among many fans of the band, who seems to prefer later crap like "We are the Champions" instead. (...)"We Will Rock You" - just the kind of mindless crap your musically braindead neighbour will crank up whenever he wants to show everyone what a real badass he too can be

On a more contemporary note, Wiz Khalifa's See You Again has some potential on the long run to become a classic, it's a great song, an emotional one, and broke 3 billion views on YouTube.

[TheSilentHam]

Crazy Train came to mind, but no way does it beat BR

[wrighty]

In the U.K., BR routinely tops radio polls of the best song ever or similar - and that would be a mixed audience not a rock forum. It was also what I thought of immediately on seeing the thread title.

Bohemian Rhapsody wins - no question.

[twosuitsluke]

Was listening to the radio in the car with my girlfriend earlier. 'Brown Eyed Girl' by Van Morrison came on and I thought of this thread. I'm not sure how universally well known it is but it seems to be one of those songs everyone knows, even if they don't know who Van Morrison is. I know this song doesn't rival Bohemian Rhapsody but I'm interested to hear how well known it is in other parts of the world. Does everyone know it?

[jakepriest]

Bohemian Rhapsody for sure. I've never heard of Piano Man or Brown Eyed Girl.

[KevShmev]

Brown Eyed Girl is another great choice.  Unless you are living in a cave, that is a song pretty much everyone knows.

[Kwyjibo]

Seems I'm living in a cave 

[King Postwhore]

That's one deep cave.

[TAC]

LA Sleeze version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaeCSNNsAok

Actually this is an awesome album.

[Chino]

Everyone loves The Final Countdown

[jingle.boy]

Everyone loves The Final Countdown

You sure about that?

[BlobVanDam]

I knew it was going to be that video.

[Logain Ablar]

 

Oh man, painful. He didn't even hit any right notes by accident..