Just yesterday in Berlin, Jay-Z was rapping his ode to New York, “Empire State of Mind,” at the MTV Europe Music Awards (see photos here!) and today he was back in Manhattan doing his Blueprint 3 hit at the Yankees’ World Series victory parade. “Empire” has gone global, and Jay-Z and Keys’ song has not only become an unofficial theme for the Yankees and one of autumn’s biggest hits, it’s also one of the best New York songs ever. But is it the best? That’s what we’re asking our readers in this weekend’s Rock List. Tell us your favorite songs about the Big Apple, and on Monday we’ll reveal NY’s true anthem. Check out our personal picks below:

• Billy Joel – “New York State of Mind”
• Jay-Z – “Empire State of Mind”
• Madonna – “I Love New York”
• LCD Soundsystem – “New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down”
• Bruce Springsteen – “New York City Serenade”

In honor of Halloween, our weekend Rock List was devoted to haunting Ghost Songs — or songs that just have the word “ghost” in the title. We counted the votes, and Johnny Cash’s terrifying retelling of “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky” beat out other poltergeist-inspired tracks from Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins and Bruce Springsteen. Cash’s eerie live rendition of “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky” from The Muppets Show hovers up top, and the Readers’ List of Ghost Songs is below:

1. Johnny Cash – “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky”
2. The Replacements – “Rock ‘N Roll Ghost”
3. Bruce Springsteen – “The Ghost of Tom Joad”
4. Nine Inch Nails – “1 Ghosts I”
5. Rage Against the Machine – “The Ghost of Tom Joad” (more…)

In what we hope will by law become a Halloween tradition, Jimmy Kimmel Live somehow managed to convince Ghostface Killah to tell a ghost story on television last night. The story itself wasn’t that horrifying, but as a tribute to Tony Starks and all those kids trick or treating on October 31st wearing a white linen bed sheet with the eyeholes cut out as a costume, this spooky weekend’s Rock List is dedicated to Ghost Songs. Tell us which tracks make you say “Boo!” the loudest, and on Monday we’ll count up the favorites. Until then, here’s just a handful of ghoulish songs we found on our iPod to get you in the Halloween mood:

• Bruce Springsteen – “Ghost of Tom Joad”
• Tegan and Sara – “Walking With a Ghost”
• Suicide – “Ghost Rider”
• Ghostface Killah – “Ghost Deini”
• Neutral Milk Hotel – “Ghost”

Plus, see spooky shots of rockers in their best Halloween costumes.

Photo: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty
Last week, inspired by Adam Lambert’s new single “Time for Miracles,” we asked for your favorite songs that deal with time. Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon centerpiece “Time” was predictably victorious, edging out tracks by Prince, Nine Inch Nails and the Rolling Stones. As for Lambert, he surprisingly didn’t make the cut. Check out the Readers’ list below:

1. Pink Floyd – “Time”
2. Bob Dylan – “The Times They Are a-Changin’”
3. Coldplay – “Clocks”
4. Nine Inch Nails – “Beside You in Time”
5. Cyndi Lauper – “Time After Time”
(more…)

As evidenced by Rolling Stone’s trio of stories about Adam Lambert’s new song “Time for Miracles,” we spent a large amount of time listening to the Wild Idol’s single from 2012 this week. So we’re devoting this weekend’s Rock List to other songs about “time” that have withstood the test of time. Leave your favorites in our comments, and on Monday we’ll take count the votes. Our picks:

• Pink Floyd – “Time”
• Coldplay – “Clocks”
• Bob Dylan – “The Times They Are a-Changin’”
• The Human League – “Seconds”
• The Beastie Boys – “Time to Get Ill”

Photo: Kravitz/FilmMagic
So it turns out the Balloon Boy fiasco was one big hoax. That didn’t prevent us from dedicating last weekend’s Rock List to Falcon Heene and songs about flying. We called the local news, then the FAA, then the local police before finally tallying the votes — which had the readers choosing Foo Fighters’ “Learn to Fly” as the best aviation-inspired song, edging out stiff competition from Pearl Jam, Pink Floyd and Neil Young. Check below for the full Top 15:

1. Foo Fighters – “Learn to Fly”
2. Pearl Jam – “Given to Fly”
3. Tom Petty – “Learning to Fly”
4. Steve Miller Band – “Fly Like an Eagle”
5. The Beatles – “Flying” (more…)

Photo: Honda/AFP/Getty

Yesterday, the world was riveted by the story of Falcon Heene, the Colorado kid who was thought to have stowed away in his dad’s makeshift flying saucer … but was actually just hiding in a box in the attic like any normal six-year-old. As a tribute to Balloon Boy — who had the RS offices glued to the TV like Sully’s Hudson River landing — this weekend’s Rock List is dedicated to Flying Songs. Tell us your favorite aviation-inspired songs, and on Monday we’ll reveal the tune that will likely provide the opening credits music for the inevitable Heene family reality show. Before you soar, check out our picks below:

• Ozzy Osbourne – “Flying High Again”
• The Beatles – “Free As a Bird”
• R, Kelly – “I Believe I Can Fly”
• Led Zeppelin – “Night Flight”
• Nick Drake – “Fly”

Photo: Kent/WireImage.com

Following President Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize win last week, we asked our readers to tell us their favorite peace songs. It’s fitting that in the same weekend Yoko Ono unveiled the Imagine Peace Tower in Reykjavik, the Rolling Stone readers also selected the Plastic Ono Band’s “Give Peace a Chance” as the Best Peace Song. The famous bed-in chant edged out similarly peaceful songs from Elvis Costello, U2 and, umm, Megadeth. For the full Readers’ Rock List of Peace Songs, check below:

1. Plastic Ono Band – “Give Peace a Chance”
2. Elvis Costello & The Attractions – “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding”
3. Megadeth – “Peace Sells”
4. Cat Stevens – “Peace Train”
5. John Lennon – “Imagine” (more…)

Photo: Furniss/WireImage.com

President Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this morning, just nine months into his first term in office, for his efforts to rid the world of nuclear weapons and his strides toward curbing global warming. To celebrate Obama’s honor, this long weekend’s Rock List will focus on songs that promote “Peace.” Tell us your favorites, and on Tuesday we’ll count up the ballots and announce who wins the rock list for Peace Song (it’s like winning the Nobel without the international prestige and cash reward). Until then, check out our picks below:

• Elvis Costello – “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding”
• Plastic Ono Band – “Give Peace a Chance”
• Thom Yorke – “Atoms for Peace”
• The Doors – “Peace Frog”
• Weezer – “Peace”

Photo: Natkin/WireImage

Last week, with U2 bringing their 360° Tour to stadiums all across North America and Bono and the Edge on the cover of the new issue of Rolling Stone, we asked our readers to tell us their favorite songs by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Irishmen. After tabulating the votes, it seems like we’re all in agreement: “Bad” is really good. The Unforgettable Fire centerpiece, a six-minute masterpiece that was never even released as a single, was voted the fan favorite, beating out radio hits and classics like “One,” “With or Without You” and “Mysterious Ways.” Both Achtung Baby and The Joshua Tree landed five songs on the Readers’ List. To see the Top 20 U2 songs as voted by the fans, check out the full results below:

1. “Bad”
2. “One”
3. “Sunday Bloody Sunday”
4. “Ultraviolet (Light My Way)”
5. “Where the Streets Have No Name” (more…)

Photograph by Sam Jones
With U2’s giant spaceship of a 360° Tour landing in stadiums across the country and Bono and the Edge on the current cover of Rolling Stone, all the stars have aligned for a Rock List to finally be dedicated to the Irish rockers. Our feature in the new issue finds Bono and the boys attempting to resurrect the obscure song “Your Blue Room,” a track from the band’s Passengers collaboration with Brian Eno. Bono has been fixated on the song lately, but what we want to know is what U2 songs our readers have been fixated on for the last three decades. Tell us your favorite tracks by the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, and on Monday we’ll reveal the Readers’ Rock List of U2 Songs. Before you go diving into their discography, check out some of our picks below:

• “Bad”
• “Running To Stand Still”
• “One”
• “All I Want Is You”
• “Mysterious Ways”

Photo: McConnell/Getty

Last week, after revealing that Kiss had finally been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, we asked our readers what other acts have been overlooked by Rock Immortality. We expected Rush to dominate this poll, but it was the fans of “Weird Al” Yankovic who came rushing to Rolling Stone, demanding that the king of musical satire get a HOF nod. Frustrated fans of the Smiths, Tom Waits and Television also had their say, as did those who felt Lou Reed should be recognized for his solo works. For the full Readers’ Rock List, check below:

1. “Weird Al” Yankovic
2. Rush
3. The Moody Blues
4. The Smiths
5. Alice Cooper (more…)

For years, members of the Kiss Army stamped their feet in unison every time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations were announced and the Gods of Thunder weren’t on the short list. That all changed this year: Kiss is finally up for Rock Immortality, opening the door for another band with a fervent fanbase to demand justice.

So this weekend’s Rock List is dedicated to bands our readers feel should be nominated for the Rock Hall. We’re fully expecting a rush of Rush fans to dominate the polls, but as evidenced from the feedback from our 2010 nominations story, there are dozens of artists readers feel should be inducted, so have your say in the comments. Until then, here are some artists to spark the debate:

• Tom Waits
• The Beastie Boys
• Rush
• Sonic Youth
• Warren Zevon

Last week, in honor of Megan Fox, America’s Sexiest Bad Girl, gracing the new issue of Rolling Stone, we asked our readers to tell us their favorite Songs About Girls. We kept things on a first name basis, and while songs dedicated to the likes of Sheena, Jane, Billie Jean and Nikki all made the Rock List, it was the classic Beatles’ ode to a girl named Prudence that received the most votes. Sadly, no tracks about “Megan” made the final cut. Check out the full list below:

1. The Beatles – “Dear Prudence”
2. The Ramones – “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker”
3. Derek and the Dominos – “Layla”
4. The Rolling Stones – “Angie”
5. The Beatles – “Eleanor Rigby” (more…)

Last week, after a non-stop listening session of all the Beatles’ remastered albums in both stereo and mono (read our review here), we asked readers to name their favorite Beatles LP. After tallying the votes, the band’s swan song Abbey Road was voted the fan favorite, with a clear divide between the preference between pre- and post- Rubber Soul evident in the balloting. Predictably, whether you consider it a true album or not, Yellow Submarine finished last. See the Readers’ ranking of the Beatles’ albums below:

1. Abbey Road
2. The Beatles (The White Album)
3. Revolver
4. Rubber Soul
5. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
6. Magical Mystery Tour
7. Please Please Me
8. Help!
9. Let It Be
10. With the Beatles
11. A Hard Day’s Night
12. Beatles for Sale
13. Yellow Submarine