Monday, Aug. 26, is National Dog Appreciation Day, but we love dogs so much, we're playing our favorite pooch-related songs all week. Men can claim them all they want, but dogs are everyone's best friend.

SONG OF THE monDAY

Blue was written by Peter Yarrow and Paul Stookey and recorded by the trio Peter, Paul & Mary. It was released in 1964 as the B-side for the song The Times They Are A-Changin’. The live version of Blue is the fourth track on the 1964 album, Peter, Paul & Mary In Concert.

SONG OF THE tuesDAY

Atomic Dog is a 1982 George Clinton song from the album, Computer Games. It was the P-Funk All-Star's last number one on the R&B charts. In 2007, courts found Atomic Dog guilty of copyright infringement for its use of Public Announcement's lyrics "Bow wow wow, yippie yo, yippie yea" from the song, D.O.G in Me.

SONG OF THE wednesDAY

Written by Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones, Black Dog is the opening track on Led Zeppelin’s 1971 album, Led Zeppelin IV. Released with a B-side of Misty Mountain Top, it peaked at No. 15 on Billboard Hot 100.

SONG OF THE thursDAY

Hound Dog was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and originally recorded by Big Mama Thornton in 1952. Though Elvis made the song famous in 1956, Big Mama's version is credited with helping spur the mix of R&B into rock music. It was her only hit, but it marked the success of race-mixing in music a year before Brown v. Board of Education mandated the desegregation of public schools.

SONG OF THE friDAY

The More Boys I Meet is from Carrie Underwood's 2007 album, Carnival Ride. It's the eleventh track on the album but was never released as a single. We think the humorous take on dating would have been a No. 1, smash hit among women listeners, if it had gotten some airplay in that male-dominated world of country radio. Though, at Vinyl, we think the more people we meet, the more we love our dog.

SONG OF THE saturDAY

Credited to Lennon-McCartney, Paul McCartney wrote Martha My Dear about for his Old English Sheepdog, Martha. It was recorded by the Beatles in 1968 for their double album, The Beatles (White Album).

SONG OF THE sunDAY

I Wanna Have Dog Breath is by Howard Hanger and recorded as Howard Hanger Jazz Fantasy for the 1997 children's album, Dog Breath & Other Mind Boggling Hits for Kids. Other great jams include, Apples and Bananas, Read a Book, and I've Got an Elephant Up My Nose.

Last week, we honored the heat. By the weekend, the effort brought us a little cool down. Since the mandatory odd and even watering days have been implemented, the yards in Mooseville look like dried-up plots of sand, so this week we're celebrating all things desert in hopes that we get a little more rain out of the tribute.

SONG OF THE monDAY

Kashmir was written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant and included on Led Zeppelin’s sixth studio album Physical Graffiti (1975). With the help of John Bonham, it took Plant and Page three years to write the song. Inspired by a trip through the desert area of Morocco, Kashmir has been a staple at all Zeppelin concerts since 1975, and all members of the band agree that it’s their best musical achievement.

SONG OF THE tuesDAY

Desert Pete was released in 1963 from the Kingston Trio’s album, Sunny Side. Written by Billy Edd Wheeler, the song was, along with the b-side of Ballad of the Thresher, the lead single for the album. About a cowboy trying to draw water from a well, Desert Pete fared well on the charts, peaking at No. 33 on Billboard.

SONG OF THE wednesDAY

The title song from Hotel California is considered one of the best songs (and guitar solos) Eagles ever recorded. Written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey, with music by Don Felder, Hotel California is an interpretation of the high life in Los Angeles, American decadence, and The Beverly Hills Hotel, but some think the song's about Satanism.

SONG OF THE thursDAY

Written by Dewey Bunnell and recorded by America, A Horse with No Name was released in the US in 1972 from the album, America (1971). Originally called Desert Song, A Horse with No Name was not originally on the band’s self-titled debut. Added later, it hit the top spot on Billboard Hot 100 and is considered America’s most-popular hit.

SONG OF THE friDAY

A Flower in the Desert is from The Cult’s 1984 album, Dreamtime. It’s a reworking of the Southern Death Cult’s song, Flowers in the Forrest. Though A Flower in the Desert wasn’t officially released as a single. Instead, it was the b-side for the song Spiritwalker.

SONG OF THE saturDAY

Written by Toy Caldwell, Desert Skies is from The Marshall Tucker Band’s sixth studio album, Carolina Dreams (1977). Heard It In a Love Song was the only song from that album to land on Billboard Hot 100. Desert Skies was never released as a single.

SONG OF THE sunDAY

Desert Rose is from Sting's 1999 album Brand New Day. Featuring Cheb Mami, the song depicts Adam's agony over his banishment from Eden, and the desert rose is Eve. Jaguar used it in a TV ad in 2000, and prior to their merging with Sirius, it was used in "technical mishap" messages for XM Satellite Radio.

We’re about to enter the hottest, driest month of the year in Mooseville. Though we prefer cooler, wetter seasons, we must pay tribute to the heat so that we can rejoice extra joyfully when it’s relieved.

SONG OF THE monDAY

The Heat Is On was written by Harold Faltermeyer and Keith Forsey. It was recorded by Glenn Frey and released in 1985 as part of the soundtrack for the 1984 movie, Beverly Hills Cop, starring Eddie Murphy. The song hit No. 2 on Billboard Hot 100, edged out of the top spot by REO Speedwagon’s Can’t Fight This Feeling.

SONG OF THE tuesDAY

Written by the Holland-Dozier-Holland writing team, (Love Is Like a) Heat Wave was first made popular by Martha and the Vandellas. Released in 1963 from the album, Heat Wave, on the Motown subsidiary label, Gordy, the song peaked at No. 4 on Billboard Hot 100 but hit No. 1 on Billboard Hot R&B and stayed there for four consecutive weeks.

SONG OF THE wednesDAY

Too Hot was recorded by Kool & The Gang for their 1979 album, Ladies’ Night. It peaked at No. 5 on Billboard Hot 100 but hit No. 3 on Billboard Hot R&B. In 1995, Coolio covered the song for his album, Gangsta’s Paradise. He kept most of the original song but inserted raps addressing HIV/AIDS.

SONG OF THE thursDAY

Written by Grace Potter and Mark Batson, Hot Summer Night is the twelfth track on Grace Potter & The Nocturnals’ third studio album, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals (2010). Though the song was not released as a single, it was used in 2011, along with Paris (Ooh La La), in an episode of MTV’s television show, Awkward.

SONG OF THE friDAY

Released on April 16, 2002, Hot in Herre is from Nelly’s second studio album, Nellyville (2002). The song opens with samples from Neil Young’s There’s a World and Nancy Sinatra’s As Tears Go By, and its hook is from Chuck Brown & The Soul Searcher’s 1979 single Bustin’ Loose. In the US, Hot in Herre nabbed the top spot on Billboard Hot 100, Top 40, Hot R&B, and Hot Rap and earned Nelly a Grammy for Best Male Rap Solo Performance.

SONG OF THE saturDAY

Hot-Hot-Hot was written by Arrow and featured on the 1982 album, Hot Hot Hot. It's been covered by several artists, including Buster Poindexter and The Merrymen, and has used in a ton of movies and TV shows and was the official theme song for the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. Argentina beat West Germany 3-2 that year for their second title. Their first was in 1978.

SONG OF THE sunDAY

A Hundred and Ten In the Shade is from John Fogerty’s 1997 album, Blue Moon Swamp. Fogerty wrote the song from the perspective of a slave who had to endure hard labor in sweltering heat. He uses a bottleneck guitar and a dobro and is accompanied by the gospel group, The Fairfield Four.

In honor of July 4th, we're paying tribute this week with seven spectacularly patriotic songs to celebrate America and our Independence.

SONG OF THE monDAY

Written by Bruce Springsteen, Born in the U.S.A. was released on Oct. 30, 1984 from the album, Born in the U.S.A. (1984). The song is about the harmful effects of the Vietnam War had on soldiers and the treatment of veterans after they return home. It landed on the charts in 13 countries and peaked at No. 9 in the US on Billboard Hot 100.

SONG OF THE tuesDAY

America was written by Neil Diamond and included on his 1980 soundtrack, The Jazz Singer. The song hit No. 8 on Billboard Hot 100 and became Diamond's sixth No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary charts. It was recorded in a studio but crowd tracks were put in to give it a live performance feel.

SONG OF THE wednesDAY

Written by Aimee Mann, 4th of July is from her 1993 debut solo album, Whatever. Elvis Costello included the album, with special note for 4th of July, in his Costello’s 500 for Vanity Fair. Though the song was never released as an official single, it is featured on Mann’s 2010 album, Live at St. Ann’s Warehouse.

SONG OF THE thursDAY

Written by Gretchen Peters, Independence Day was recorded and released as the third single from Martina McBride’s 1993 album, The Way That I Am. Originally offered to Reba McEntire, Independence Day is one of our favorite songs of all-time. Tackling the tough issue of domestic violation, the song peaked at No. 12 on Billboard Hot Country. Currently, CMT has it ranked it at 50 in their 100 Greatest Songs of Country Music.

SONG OF THE friDAY

Firework was released as the third single from Katy Perry’s third studio album, Teenage Dream (2010). She co-wrote the song with Ester Dean and producers StarGate and Sandy Vee. It hit No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 and landed in the top five on 20 charts around the world. It was nominated for two Grammys and, according to Nielsen, was the fifth most-played song on the radio in 2011.

SONG OF THE saturDAY

America was released from Simon & Garfunkel's fourth studio album, Bookends (1968). Written by Paul Simon and inspired by a road trip he took with his girlfriend Kathy Chitty in 1964. It was re-released as a single in 1972 to promote the album, Simon & Garfunkel Greatest Hits. It was also performed for the 1983 live album, The Concert in Central Park. To date, it is considered one of Simon's best songwriting efforts.

SONG OF THE sunDAY

God Bless the U.S.A. was written by Lee Greenwood and first appeared on the 1984 album, You’ve Got a Good Love Comin’. The song reached No. 7 on Billboard Hot Country and was used as the theme for the 1984 Republican National Convention. In 1990, it was used heavily as a way to boost troop’s morale in 1990 during the Gulf War. It rose to prominence again after the September 11 attacks.

Chosen to commemorate the Stonewall Riots of 1969, June is LGBT Pride Month.

The Stonewall Inn had been a heterosexual nightclub  until three members of the mafia turned it into a gay club in 1966. During that time, it was the only gay bar in New York City where dancing was allowed.

Gay Pride parades began after a police raid on the Stonewall Inn had gone terribly violent in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969.

Today, events and activities all over the country are organized to fight for equal rights and celebrate self-affirmation and dignity for all LGBT people. This week we're joining in the celebration with a musical tribute to all things gay.

SONG OF THE monDAY

Written by Chic members Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, I'm Coming Out was released in August, 1980 as the second single from Diana Ross's album, Diana. Rodgers and Edwards wrote the song after seeing three drag queens dressed as Diana Ross at a New York City club. When Ross found out that it was intended for the gay community, she freaked out. Talked off the ledge, I'm Coming Out became a smash-hit for Ross, landing on the charts in seven countries and peaking at No. 5 on Billboard Hot 100.

SONG OF THE tuesDAY

Village People is a disco group formed in 1977 and named after New York City’s Greenwich Village, which was known for its gay population at the time. The group openly targeted disco’s gay audience by featuring band members dressed in costumes to represent American masculinity and macho gay-fantasy personas. The song Y.M.C.A. is their most popular hit. Released in November 1978 from the album Cruisin’, it reached No. 2 on Billboard Hot 100, blocked from the top spot by Chic’s Le Freak and Rod Stewart’s Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?. Though the band publicly claim the song was actually about the YMCA, many believe it’s a double entendre celebrating the Y’s reputation, at the time, for being a popular cruising and hookup spot for gay men.

SONG OF THE wednesDAY

I Kissed a Girl is from Katy Perry’s second studio album, One of the Boys (2008). Though deemed controversial, it topped the charts in 17 countries and spent seven consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100. Earning nominations for both a Grammy and Kids’ Choice Award, the song is about curiosity and the beauty of women. Perry has performed I Kissed a Girl on countless shows, during the Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show, and for her 2009 live album, MTV Unplugged: Katy Perry.

SONG OF THE thursDAY

Written by Melissa Etheridge, Come to My Window is from her 1993 album, Yes I Am. This was the first song Etheridge released after she had publicly announced that she was gay. The lyrics allude to the singer’s activism for the acceptance of same-sex relationships, but the singer almost didn’t put the song on the album. Good thing she did. It peaked at No. 25 on Billboard Hot 100 and earned Etheridge a Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.

SONG OF THE friDAY

I Want to Break Free was written by John Deacon and released in 1984 from Queen's album, The Works. An idea proposed by Roger Taylor, the music video was a spoof of the British soap opera, Coronation Street, where band members dressed as the female characters of the show. In the UK, viewers understood the joke, but in the US, it was not well received. It depicts Freddie Mercury as a housewife (Bet Lynch) who wants to break free from her routines.

SONG OF THE saturDAY

Born This Way is the lead single from Lady Gaga’s second studio album, Born This Way (2011). While on the road with The Monster Ball Tour, Gaga was inspired by 1990s music that empowered women and the gay community. In interviews, she has said it’s her freedom song. Released in February 2011, Born This Way hit the top spot in 25 countries and was her third No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100.

SONG OF THE sunDAY

Written by Paul Jabara and Paul Schaffer,  It's Raining Men was first offered to Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Cher, and Barbra Streisand before The Weather Girls recorded it 1982 for their third studio album, Success. Originally billed as Two Tons O’ Fun, Martha Wash and Izora Rhodes-Armstead rejected the song at first but eventually agreed. Their version become an international hit, earned a Grammy nominations, is considered by many critics as one of the best songs of the 1980s, has sold over 6 million copies worldwide, and has become a staple song at gar bars all over the world.

As we head into arts festival season, we're paying tribute this week to writing, painting, pic taking, dancing, sculpting, and all things artsy-related because without art, the earth would just be eh.

SONG OF THE monDAY

Paperback Writer is the eleventh single by the Beatles. Released in 1966, it topped the charts in seven countries. Paul McCartney wrote it after his aunt asked him to write a song that wasn’t about love. He chose books. The lyrics are a letter to a publisher from an aspiring author. John Lennon said Paperback Writer was son to his song Day Tripper.

SONG OF THE tuesDAY

Art Class (Song for Yayoi Kusama) is from Superchunk’s eighth studio album Here’s to Shutting Up (2001). The song was released in 2002 as a single with two versions, one a faster-paced jam and the other an acoustic. We think both styles are great, but unfortunately, we can only feature one.

SONG OF THE wednesDAY

Paint It Black (originally Paint It, Black) was released by the Rolling Stones in 1966 as a single then later as the opening track to their album, Aftermath. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it hit the top spot in both the US and the UK, becoming the first number one song to use a sitar.

SONG OF THE thursDAY

Written by Emily Saliers, Virginia Woolf is from Indigo Girls’s fourth studio album, Rites of Passage (1992). It was inspired by The Diary of Virginia Woolf, a gift from Saliers’s mother who was a librarian. A live version of the song is included on the album, 1200 Curfews (1995).

SONG OF THE friDAY

(My Baby Does) Good Sculptures is from UK punk band the Rezillos’s debut album, Can’t Stand the Rezillos (1978). Released in December 1977 as the second single, the song was recorded in New York, and the album was the first by the band to be released under the Sire Records label.

SONG OF THE saturDAY

Written by Ray Davies, People Take Pictures of Each Other is the final track on the Kinks's 1968 album The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society. Through humorous lyrics, the song makes a deep statement about how people take pictures of each other to prove they exist or to tell that person that they love them.

SONG OF THE sunDAY

Mona Lisa was written by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston for the movie Captain Carey, U.S.A. (1950). The song refers to Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and won an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Nat King Cole’s version spent eight weeks at the top spot on Billboard in May 1950 and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1992.

In Mooseville, we spend a great deal of time looking up in April. We watch for clouds, storms, blue skies and orange sunsets. That’s why we’re paying tribute to the sky this week at Vinyl. After all, it’s the limit.

SONG OF THE monDAY

Blue Skies was written by Irving Berlin in 1926 for the musical, Betsy, and first performed by Belle Baker. It was one of the first songs featured in a talkie when Al Jolson performed it in The Jazz Singer (1927). Willie Nelson covered it in 1978 for his album, Stardust, but we prefer Eva Cassidy’s version from her 1996 album, Live at Blues Alley.

SONG OF THE tuesDAY

Written and produced by Jeff Lynne, Mr. Blue Sky is from Electric Light Orchestra’s seventh studio album, Out of the Blue (1977). Released as the second single, it peaked at No. 35 in the US on Billboard Hot 100 and No. 6 on the UK Singles chart. Lynne said he wrote Mr. Blue Sky after a two-week bout of gloomy weather in Switzerland. When the sun came out, he wrote 14 songs in just two weeks.

SONG OF THE wednesDAY

Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds is from the Beatles’ 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Written by John Lennon but credited to Lennon-McCartney, the song's allegedly based on a drawing by Lennon’s son Julian and was inspired by Lewis Carroll’s book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Others say that Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds is about drugs, and the title is an acronym for LSD.

SONG OF THE thursDAY

Wheel In the Sky is by Journey and was released in 1978 from Infinity, their fourth studio album, the first with vocalist Steve Perry. It started as a poem called “Wheels In My Mind” by Diane Valory, bassist Ross Valory’s wife. The song was part of a new, edgier sound the band was going for and became their first hit on Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 57.

SONG OF THE friDAY

Ribbon In the Sky is a 1982 hit by Stevie Wonder that was originally featured on the album, Stevie Wonder’s Original Musiquarium I. The song peaked at No. 54 on Billboard Hot 100 and No. 10 on Hot R&B. It earned a Grammy nomination and has been covered or sampled by artists like Boyz II Men, Will Smith, and Diana Ross. In 2012, Wonder performed the song Whitney Houston’s funeral.

SONG OF THE saturDAY

Written by Roger Waters, Goodbye Blue Sky is an anti-war song from Pink Floyd's 1979 double album, The Wall. The song starts with chirping skylarks followed by a child's voice, recorded by Harry Waters, and then airplanes. The lyrics go on to describe the Blitz, a German bombing campaign in Britain between 1940 and 1941.

SONG OF THE sunDAY

Spirit in the Sky was written and originally recorded by Norman Greenbaum. It was released in December 1969 from the album, Spirit in the Sky. It peaked at No. 3 on Billboard Hot 100  and stayed in the Top 100 for 15 weeks. Greenbaum wrote the song after watching Porter Wagoner sing a gospel song on TV.

Winter is still putting up a fight, but we're paying tribute this week to Spring, in all its rage and glory, in hopes that the gesture is rewarded with plenty of warm weather, a calm rain season, and loads of hearty blooms.

SONG OF THE monDAY

With lyrics by Yip Harburg, Vernon Duke composed April In Paris for the 1932 Broadway musical, Walk a Little Faster. It was originally performed by Freddy Martin. The 1952 remake was inspired by the movie of the same name. Billie Holiday covered the song on her 1958 album, All or Nothing At All.

SONG OF THE tuesDAY

Spring Affair is from Donna Summer’s 1976 concept album, Four Seasons of Love. The song represents spring on the album and is over eight minutes long. It tells of the beginning of a new relationship and was sampled heavily on Super Disco by Étienne de Crécy (feat. Alex Gopher) on the 1996 album, Super Discount.

SONG OF THE wednesDAY

Spring Fever is from Elvis Presley's 1965 album, Girl Happy. Excluding compilations, it was his sixth consecutive album that was also a soundtrack. The movie, Girl Happy, was released on March 12, 1965 and was Presley's eighteenth feature film.

SONG OF THE thursDAY

Spring Again is by Lou Rawls and was released from, Unmistakably Lou (1977). The album won a Grammy in 1978, but See You When I Git There was the only song released as a single in the US. Though Spring Again isn’t as popular as some of his other hits, we certainly do appreciate this jam.

SONG OF THE friDAY

Spring Vacation is from That's Why God Made the Radio, the twenty-ninth studio album from The Beach Boys. The album was released in 2012 to coincide with the band's 50th anniversary. It was the first album to feature original material since 1992 and the first since co-founder Carl Wilson died.

SONG OF THE saturDAY

Spring Day is by South Korean boy band, BTS. Released as the lead single from their 2016 album Wings, the song uses seasonal metaphors to discuss the temporary absence of a friend. It won Song of the Year at Melon Music Awards in 2017 and has currently surpassed 2.5 million downloads.

SONG OF THE sunDAY

Bom Bom Bom (Spring Spring Spring) is from South Korean singer-songwriter Roy Kim. It was the first single released from his 2013 album, Love Love Love. It wasn't until after Bom Bom Bom was released that he recorded the rest of the album.

TRIBUTE TO WINTER

TRIBUTE TO SUMMER

TRIBUTE TO FALL

We used to put some stock into Rolling Stone Magazine’s opinion, until we took a closer look at their selections for the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. We were shocked to see that only 52 songs by women had made the list.

492:Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive
491: Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – I Love Rock N’ Roll
485: LaBelle – Lady Marmalade
482: Kelly Clarkson – Since U Been Gone
476: Aretha Franklin – Do Right Woman, Do Right Man
475: The Supremes – Where Did Our Love Go
466: Missy Elliott – Get UR Freak On
454: The Shangri-Las – Leader of the Pack
446: Salt-N-Pepa – Push It
439: Gladys Knight and the Pips – Midnight Train to Georgia
419: Bobbie Gentry – Ode to Billie Joe
418: Donna Summer – I Feel Love
412: Rihanna (ft. Jay-Z) – Umbrella
409: The Shirelles – Tonight’s the Night
404: The Shangri-Las – Remember (Walkin’ in the Sand)
369: Roberta Flack – Killing Me Softly With His Song
367: Martha and the Vandellas – Nowhere to Run
359: Little Eva – The Locomotion
352: Lavern Baker – Jim Dandy
348: The Supremes – You Keep Me Hangin’ On
339: Bonnie Raitt – I Can’t Make You Love Me
332: The Supremes – Baby Love
331: Patti Smith Group – Dancing Barefoot
316: Tina Turner – What’s Love Got To Do With It
306: Madonna – Like a Prayer
305: Blondie – One Way or Another
289: Blondie – Call Me
288: Joni Mitchell – Help Me
284: The Dixie Cups – Chapel of Love
269: The Ronettes – Walking in the Rain     
267: The Crystals – He’s a Rebel
259: Blondie – Heart of Glass
252: Aretha Franklin – Chain of Fools
242: Dusty Springfield – Son of a Preacher Man
241: Patsy Cline – I Fall to Pieces
236: M.I.A. – Paper Planes
219: Dolly Parton – Jolene
199: The Chantels – Maybe
194: Amy Winehouse – Rehab
189: Aretha Franklin – I Never Loved a Man
171: Joni Mitchell – Both Sides Now
167: Tracy Chapman – Fast Car
165: Sinead O’Connor – Nothing Compares to U
148: Janis Joplin – Me and Bobby McGee
126: The Shirelles – Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
118: Beyoncé (ft. Jay-z) – Crazy in Love
104: Donna Summer – Hot Stuff
85: Patsy Cline – Crazy
70: Dionne Warwick – Walk On By
40: Martha and the Vandellas – Dancin’ in the Street
22: The Ronettes – Be My Baby
5. Aretha Franklin – Respect

Although we appreciate these women and recognize that their work is worthy of the honor, shame on you, Rolling Stone. Only 10% of your 500 Greatest Songs of All Time are by women.

Add injury to insult, the blurb write-ups about the females differ greatly than the ones written about the men. Look at Patti Smith Group, Madonna, and Blondie as examples.

We recognize that Blondie is technically a band that includes men, but we put them in the "52 group" because of Debbie Harry. Regardless if Blondie belongs on the list or not, it seems that masturbation and sex are important topics for inclusion when it comes to discussing female artists. Compare those to this one that discusses both the lyrics and the music behind The Clash’s Train in Vain.

Or how about this Jay-Z plug, who coincidentally gets a credit on two of the female contenders. Both Beyoncé and Rihanna have to share their title with him, as if either haven’t released multiple songs over the course of their careers that are worthy of a stand-alone credit.

Take a gander at this weak-ass review of Tina Turner’s What’s Love Got To Do With It. The woman survived domestic violence. She lost all her money, royalty rights, and label to the jerk-wad abuser. At 44 years-old, she fought back and relaunched her career with the release of Private Dancer (1984), and this is all you can manage to say about the single that became her first and only No. 1 hit in the US?

In our book, Rolling Stone discriminates against women, and we no longer value that rag’s opinion on anything music-related. Out of respect for all the female artists who have clawed their way in, thru, around, and above this industry, we’re rearing up to say -  Hey Rolling Stone, we can give you at least 198 women you overlooked for your 500 Greatest Who Gives a Shit What You Think List of All Time, but let’s just start with these twenty.

NOTE: The list is numbered, but those numbers don't represent a ranking.

1. Alanis Morissette - Ironic

To not include anything from Alanis Morissette’s 1995 album, Jagged Little Pill, is a travesty. Released in June 1995, it topped the charts in 13 countries, sold over 33 million copies worldwide and was nominated for 9 Grammys, winning five including Album of the Year. At the time, Morissette was the youngest artist to nab the honor. Rolling Stone even ranked it No. 327 on its list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. You Oughta Know, Hand In My Pocket, Mary Jane, You Learn – there are several great songs to choose from.

Ironic was written by Morissette and Glen Ballard and released as the third single from Jagged Little Pill. It hit No. 4 on Billboard Hot 100. It's so good that many didn’t notice, despite the title’s suggestion, that most of the situations aren’t actually examples of irony but rather bad luck. Some raked Morissette over the coals for the “oversight,” though one might argue that singing a song about irony without using examples of irony could be viewed as ironic.

2. Pointer Sisters - Neutron Dance

Written by Allee Willis, Neutron Dance is from the 1983 Pointer Sisters album, Break Out. Featured in the movie Beverly Hills Cop, the song was released in November 1984 during the height of the Cold War. Ruth Pointer sang lead vocals but originally didn’t want to do the song because of the association the word neutron had with the neutron bomb, which had been dominating headlines. She tried to convince Willis to change the lyrics, but to no avail. Later Pointer admitted she was glad she had recorded the song.

Neutron Dance became the fourth hit from Break Out, peaking at No. 6 on Billboard Hot 100. It was the group’s final Top 10 song, and its commercial success created unexpected tension on an international level. The Russian Government named Willis one of the most dangerous people living in the United States because they misinterpreted the lyrics as saying, “A powerful nuclear explosion is approaching; it will annihilate everyone; who cares if you have no car, no job, no money; just dance, dance, dance.”

 3. TLC - Waterfalls 

Written by Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, Marqueze Etheridge, and Organized Noize for TLC's 1994 album, CrazySexyCool, Waterfalls is the first hit song to reference HIV/AIDS. In 1995, the music video won MTV's Video of the Year, making TLC the first black artist or group ever to win that award.
 
Waterfalls earned two Grammy nominations (Record of the Year and Best Performance by a Duo or Group), landed in the Top 10 in 15 countries, spent seven weeks at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100, and was ranked No. 13 among VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of the Past 25 Years and No. 10 on Billboard’s list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.

4. Carole King - (You Make Me Feel Like ) A Natural Woman

Of the four songs Aretha Franklin has on Rolling Stone’s list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman isn’t one of them. It was written for Franklin by Carole King and Gerry Goffin and released as a single in 1967. It hit No. 8 on Billboard Hot 100 and has become one of Franklin’s signature songs. In 2015, she performed it at the Kennedy Center Honors to honor award-recipient Carole King.
 
King recorded the song for her landmark album, Tapestry (1971), which won four Grammys, has sold over 25 million copies worldwide, and is ranked No. 36 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The lead singles, It’s Too Late and I Feel the Earth Move, spent five weeks at the top of the charts. Either could easily be a contender for a greatest songs list. We chose (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman because Peggy Lee, Celine Dion, Mary J. Blige, and Gloria Estefan (to name a few) have all covered it and because Rolling Stone seems to favor Aretha Franklin songs. There’s nothing wrong with honoring the Lady of Soul’s work. We’re just spreading the love by giving some credit to Carole King.

5. Mariah Carey - Vision of Love

Vision of Love is the debut single from Mariah Carey’s 1990 debut album, Mariah Carey. Released on May 15, 1990, the song spent four weeks at No. on Billboard Hot 100, Adult Contemporary, and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop and landed on the charts in 11 other countries.
 
Vision of Love was the first time the world had ever heard Mariah’s whistle register, and it’s commonly credited for making melisma popular. Rolling Stone even credited the song for inspiring an entire American Idol vocal school, for better or worse, and for influencing virtually every other female R&B singer since the 90s. So, why a song with that kind of impact was not included on their 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list is unclear, other than they seem to discriminate against female artists and diminish the value of their work.

6. Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes

Bette Davis Eyes was written by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon. DeShannon recorded it for her 1974 album, New Arrangement. The original version has an R&B feel but didn’t have much commercial success.
 
Kim Carnes released her version in 1981 from the album, Mistaken Identity. Recorded in one take and with a synthesizer-based arrangement, the song landed at the top spot in 21 countries and won a Grammy for both Record and Song of the Year. It was Billboard’s biggest hit of 1981, spending nine weeks at No. 1, interrupted only once by Stars on 45. Actress, Bette Davis, then 73 years-old, wrote Carnes, DeShannon and Weiss thank you letters for making her relevant again. When they won Grammys for the song, she sent them roses.

7. Cyndi Lauper - True Colors

True Colors was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. The demo was a piano-based gospel ballad and originally about Steinberg’s mother. It was first offered to Anne Murray, who passed on the recording. Cyndi Lauper took it and stripped the arrangement of the song into something stark and simple. It was released on Aug. 28, 1986 from her second studio album, True Colors.
 
Landing on the charts in 16 countries and spending two weeks at the top spot on Billboard Hot 100. True Colors was nominated for a Grammy and became Lauper’s last No. 1 hit. It has become an anthem for the gay community and was used to help raise money for the Human Rights Campaign. Years after the song’s release, Lauper co-founded the True Colors Fund, a non-profit to help fight LGBT youth homelessness.

8. Ann Peebles - I Can't Stand the Rain

Ann Peebles wrote I Can't Stand the Rain with her husband Don Bryant and Bernie Miller. Released in 1973, it hit the charts in 13 countries and reached No. 6 on Billboard Hot R&B. The song might not be good enough for Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, but John Lennon told Billboard Magazine that "it was the best song ever."

Over the years, many artists have covered I Can’t Stand the Rain. To name a few, Eruption released a version in 1978, Tina Turner recorded it for Private Dancer (1984), Missy Elliott used it in her 1997 debut single The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly), and Seal has it on his 2008 album Soul.

9 Janet Jackson - Nasty

Nasty was released by Janet Jackson from her third studio album, Control on April 15, 1986. The single peaked at No. 3 on Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop. It was written by Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and was born out of a self-defense situation and became an autobiographical account of confronting abusive men.

There are several Janet Jackson songs that could have been included on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. We chose Nasty because the line “My first name ain't baby, it's Janet – Miss Jackson if you're nasty" has been used in pop culture in countless forms, Britney Spears, “Weird Al” Yankovic, and the Glee Cast have all covered the song, and it appears in the video games DJ Hero 2, Dance Central 2, and Lips. VH1 ranked it No. 30 on their list of 100 Greatest Songs of the Past 25 Years, and it’s listed at No. 79 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Pop Songs.

10. Wilson Phillips - Hold On

Written by Carnie Wilson, Chynna Phillips, and Glen Ballard, Hold On was the lead single from Wilson Phillips's 1990 album, Wilson Phillips. The song landed on the charts in 10 countries and was nominated for a Grammy. It hit No. 1 on Adult Contemporary, and though it topped Billboard for only one week, it was named Hot 100 Single of the Year for 1990 and is rank No. 15 on Billboard’s 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.
 
In 2011, it was featured in the movie, Bridesmaids. Wilson Phillips made a cameo performance, reminding some about and introducing others to the brilliance of that song.

11. Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You

I Will Always Love You was originally recorded by Dolly Parton in 1973. Released in 1974 from the album Jolene, it was written as a farewell to her partner and mentor, Porter Wagoner, after Dolly had decided to pursue a solo career. The song reached No. 1 on Billboard Hot Country in 1974, then again in 1982 when she re-recorded it for the soundtrack to the movie The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Landing at the top spot twice with one song is rare, a feat, at the time, that only Chubby Checker’s The Twist had accomplished.
 
Though recorded by several artists, including LeAnn Rimes and Linda Ronstadt, most people think Whitney Houston, even over Dolly, when it comes to I Will Always Love You. Recorded for the 1992 movie The Bodyguard, Whitney’s version spent 14 weeks at No. 1, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time and the current record-holder for best-selling single by a female artist. After Whitney’s death in 2012, it re-entered the charts again, making it only the second song ever to reach the top three on Billboard Hot 100 during separate runs.
 
Though Dolly Parton is ranked 219 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time for Jolene, Whitney Houston doesn’t make the list for anything – not Greatest Love of All, not Saving All My Love for You, not I Wanna Dance with Somebody, not How Will I Know, and certainly not I Will Always Love You. How insulting, Rolling Stone. Tsk you!

 12. Bette Midler - The Rose 

Written by Amanda McBroom, The Rose was made famous by Bette Midler with her recording for the 1979 movie, The Rose. The song hit No. 1 on Cashbox Top 100, spent five consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Adult Contemporary, and peaked at No. 3 on Billboard Hot 100. 

The Rose was one of seven options Midler had chosen for the soundtrack from a pool of over 30 songs. The song won her a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, beating out artists like Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer. It was never nominated for an Academy Award because it wasn’t written for the movie, but it won a Golden Globe and is ranked No. 83 on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Songs.

13. Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart

Total Eclipse of the Heart was written by Jim Steinman and made famous by Bonnie Tyler for the 1983 album, Faster Than the Speed of Night. The song spent four week at No. 1, made Tyler the first and only Welsh singer to hit the top spot on Billboard Hot 100, and was ranked No. 6 for Billboard’s Song of the Year for 1983 and No. 5 in the UK.

The song was originally about vampire love and had been titled “Vampires in Love,” but in interviews, Steinman says that Total Eclipse of the Heart had been written for Bonnie Tyler to sing and Bonnie Tyler alone.

14. Pat Benatar - Love Is a Battlefield

Love Is a Battlefield was released in September 1983 from Pat Benatar’s album, Live from Earth. Written by Holly Knight and Mike Chapman, it topped Billboard’s Mainstream Rock charts for four weeks and peaked at No. 5 on Billboard Hot 100. It’s her second American million-dollar hit and is tied with We Belong as her highest charting single.
 
Love Is a Battlefield won Benatar her fourth consecutive Grammy for Best Female Rock Performance, it’s been used in multiple movies and media, and VH1 has it ranked No. 30 on their list of 100 Greatest Songs of the 1980s.

15. J.J. Fad - Supersonic

Written by Juana Burns, Juanita Lee, Fatima Shaheed, Anna Cash, and Dania Birks, Supersonic was first recorded in 1987 with J.J. Fad’s original line-up and released as a B-side to Anotha Ho. In 1988, the band’s new line-up re-recorded the song and released it from their debut album, Supersonic.
 
The 1988 version stayed on Billboard Hot Dance for eight weeks, peaking at No. 10. It hit No. 22 on Hot R&B, was certified gold, and earned J.J. Fad a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance, the first time in history an all-female rap group had been nominated. Since its release, Supersonic has inspired and been used by several artists, including Fergie in Fergalicious and Eminem in Rap God.

16. Reba McEntire - Fancy

Bobbie Gentry wrote and recorded Fancy in 1969. It was included on the 1970 album, Fancy, which earned a Grammy nomination. According to Gentry, the song was her strongest women’s lib statement, and it became a crossover hit, peaking at No. 26 on Hot Country and No. 31 on Billboard Hot 100.
 
Originally producers didn’t want Reba McEntire to cover Fancy, but she did anyway and released it in 1991 from her Rumor Has It album (1990). Her version hit No. 8 on Hot Country, but the radio edit ended after the third verse, before Fancy makes it off the street. In 2014, Iggy Azalea used Reba’s version in a mashup released on the internet. Steven King’s Duma Key references the song and uses part of the lyrics for the book’s foreshadowing.

Gentry is ranked No. 419 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time for Ode to Billie Joe, but we think Fancy is among her best work, and Reba McEntire shoots a little more grit and a whole lot of passion into this fantastic song.

17. Nancy Sinatra - These Boots Are Made for Walkin'

Written by Lee Hazlewood, These Boots Are Made for Walkin’ was recorded by Nancy Sinatra and released as the second single from her album, Boots (1965). Originally Hazlewood didn’t want Sinatra to record the song, stating that “it wasn’t really a girl’s song.” Sinatra called bullshit and convinced him to let her give it a go. Released in December 1965, it became an international hit, topping the charts in seven countries including No. 1 in the U.S. on Billboard Hot 100. Sinatra recorded a promotional video, now a music video, that played on jukeboxes across the country to help promote the song.
 
Sinatra’s These Boots Are Made for Walkin’ has been used in a ton of movies and TV shows, including Full Metal Jacket (1987), Now and Then (1995), Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997), and Ocean’s 8 (2018). Dozens of artists have covered the song, including Megadeth, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Jessica Simpson. Goodyear used it in an ad campaign selling “wide boots” tires, and Pitchfork Media ranked it 114 in their list of the 200 Best Songs of the 1960s.

18. Etta James - At Last

At Last was written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren for the 1941 musical movie Sun Valley Serenade. Glen Miller Orchestra recorded it several times, hitting No. 9 on the singles chart in 1942.

Etta James released a version from her 1960 album At Last! that has proven the test of time. Released in April 1961, it was her second No. 2 Hot R&B single and soon became a cross-over hit, landing at No. 47 on Billboard Hot 100. The passionate vocals and beautiful orchestra arrangement has made the song one of the most popular tunes played at weddings. Countless artists have covered it, including Beyoncé, Céline Dion, and Aretha Franklin, but no artist owns At Last more than Etta James.

19. Stevie Nicks - Edge of Seventeen

Edge of Seventeen was written by Stevie Nicks and released as the third single from her 1981 debut solo album, Bella Donna. Just missing the Top 10 on Billboard Hot 100, it peaked at No. 11 but landed at No. 4 on Billboard Mainstream Rock.
 
The song features a 16th-note guitar riff, played by Waddy Wachtel, and was inspired by the death of her uncle and the murder of John Lennon, both happening in the same week. According to Nicks, the ‘white winged dove’ represents the spirit leaving the body and the title came from a conversation Nicks had with Jane Petty, Tom Petty’s first wife. Jane said the two had met ‘at the age of seventeen’ but Nicks heard ‘edge of seventeen’.

20. Jackie DeShannon - Put a Little Love In Your Heart

Jackie DeShannon wrote Put a Little Love In Your Heart with her brother Randy Myers and Jimmy Holiday. The song was released in June 1969 and is DeShannon’s highest-charting hit, reaching No. 4 on Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on Adult Contemporary and rivaling the success of her signature song, What the World Needs Now Is Love, which should also be a contender for Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
 
Annie Lennox and Al Green recorded a version for the 1988 movie, Scrooged that landed at No. 9 on Billboard Hot 100, No. 2 on Adult Contemporary, and became a Top 40 hit in several countries. But, no matter how many artists cover Put a Little Love In Your Heart, it will always be Jackie DeShannon’s song.

This week we're taking time to pay tribute to winter. With shorter days and longer nights, Winter's not only the coldest season of the year, it's the coolest.

SONG OF THE monDAY

Hazy Shade of Winter was originally released in 1966 by Simon & Garfunkel for their album, Bookends, as A Hazy Shade of Winter. The original peaked at No. 13 on Billboard Hot 100. The Bangles recorded it for the 1987 movie, Less Than Zero, and their version hit No. 2. The song also appears on the soundtrack for Stranger Things.

SONG OF THE tuesDAY

Winter is from Tori Amos's debut studio album Little Earthquakes. Released in 1992, the song is about her relationship with her father, who was a minister. It was Amos's first single to reach the top 40 in any country, peaking at No. 25 in the UK.

SONG OF THE wednesDAY

Winter Song was written by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson. Performed as a duet and released in December 2008, it appears on the compilation album, The Hotel Café Presents Winter Songs. Many considered it a Christmas song, but the holiday is never mentioned in the lyrics. 

SONG OF THE thursDAY

Written by Steve Miller, Winter Time is from Steve Miller Band’s 1977 album, Book of Dreams. The song is the third track on the album, and although it was released only in the Netherlands, this calming and hypnotic tune is an overlooked, sit back and chill, gem.

SONG OF THE friDAY

Winter Winds is the second single from Mumford & Sons's debut studio album, Sigh No More. It was released in the UK only in December 2009 and peaked at No. 29 in Belgium. Winter Winds is about working to make a difficult relationship work, but is now considered a Christmas song and has been included on several holiday compilation albums.

SONG OF THE saturDAY

The Hounds of Winter is from Sting’s fifth studio album, Mercury Falling (1996). The album earned him two Grammy nominations, but The Hounds of Winter was never released as a single. It’s the lead track and the first song Sting wrote for the project.

SONG OF THE sunDAY

White Winter Hymnal is the first single from Fleet Foxes’ debit album, Fleet Foxes (2008). It was released with a B-side of the non-album track, Isles. It’s been covered by several artists, including Pentatonix for their 2014 album, That’s Christmas To Me.

TRIBUTE TO SUMMER

TRIBUTE TO SPRING

TRIBUTE TO FALL