[imagesource: Photo Illustration by Sean McCabe]

Before there was Spotify, and curated playlists for every occasion, there was Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the top 500 songs in history.

You could download them all as a playlist, pop it on in the background, and take a trip down memory lane with classic after classic.

The ranking was released in 2004, and now it’s been given an overhaul.

In consultation with more than 250 artists, writers, and industry figures, the magazine chose a “brand-new list full of historic favourites, world-changing anthems, and new classics”.

Before we cover how the top 10 has changed, here’s more from Rolling Stone:

Nearly 4,000 songs received votes. Where the 2004 version of the list was dominated by early rock and soul, the new edition contains more hip-hop, modern country, indie rock, Latin pop, reggae, and R&B. More than half the songs here — 254 in all — weren’t present on the old list, including a third of the Top 100.

The result is a more expansive, inclusive vision of pop, music that keeps rewriting its history with every beat.

Despite the updated voting system, only one song from post-2004 cracked a spot in the top 20 – Robyn’s ‘Dancing On My Own’, in 20th:

Via NewsAU, here’s how the top 10 looked before the updated ranking:

1. Bob Dylan — Like A Rolling Stone (1965)

2. The Rolling Stone — (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (1965)

3. John Lennon — Imagine (1971)

4. Marvin Gaye — What’s Going On (1971)

5. Aretha Franklin — Respect (1967)

6. The Beach Boys — Good Vibrations (1966)

7. Chuck Berry — Johnny B. Goode (1958)

8. The Beatles — Hey Jude (1968)

9. Nirvana — Smells Like Teen Spirit (1991)

10. Ray Charles — What’d I Say (1959)

The big winner in the new top 10 is Aretha Franklin, who (sorry in advance) is getting the respect she deserves.

Yessir, ‘Respect’ now sits at number one:

1. Aretha Franklin — Respect (1967)

2. Public Enemy — Fight The Power (1989)

3. Sam Cooke — A Change Is Gonna Come (1964)

4. Bob Dylan — Like A Rolling Stone (1965)

5. Nirvana — Smells Like Teen Spirit (1991)

6. Marvin Gaye — What’s Going On (1971)

7. The Beatles — Strawberry Fields Forever (1967)

8. Missy Elliott — Get Ur Freak On (2001)

9. Fleetwood Mac — Dreams (1977)

10. OutKast — Hey Ya! (2003)

Let’s start with number 10.

I get it. ‘Hey Ya!’ is one of those songs that, despite hearing it thousands of times over the past 18 years, still gets the feet tapping.

As for the top spot – did you know ‘Respect’ was actually written and originally recorded by Otis Redding?

He released his version in 1965, before Aretha famously covered it two years later. Her version is significantly different in style, and also has some of the lyrics tweaked.

Go on, Aretha:

Otis’ original, if you’re after a comparison:

Regarding the update, here are all the post-2004 songs that cracked the top 50:

20. Robyn — Dancing On My Own (2010)

25. Kanye West ft Pusha T — Runaway (2010)

30. Lorde — Royals (2011)

45. Kendrick Lamar — Alright (2015)

46. M.I.A. — Paper Planes (2008)

50. Daddy Yankee ft Glory — Gasolina (2010)

And now I feel old again.

You can see the full list of all 500 songs here.

[sources:rollingstone&newsau]