Pink Floyd's Only No. 1 Hit Joins Stones, Talking Heads on Greatest-Songs Lists

Several classic rock songs are being revisited through prominent “greatest” lists and retrospective rankings. Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2” remains the band’s only No. 1 single, with producer Bob Ezrin helping transform Roger Waters’ spare composition into a commercial hit featuring disco-influenced drums and a children’s choir. The Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil” was ranked No. 8 among classic rock songs with the greatest opening lines, celebrated for immediately introducing Mick Jagger’s devilish narrator before moving through religion and major historical events. Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime” was named among the greatest rock songs despite reaching only No. 103 on Billboard’s Bubbling Under chart; its distinctive sound emerged from David Byrne and Brian Eno’s experimentation and Byrne’s sermon-like vocal approach.