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The stars and stripes will be out in full force as Independence Day is upon us, and to celebrate the July 4th weekend this Rock List to dedicated to the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave. The songs don’t necessarily have to be patriotic; they just need to have “America” in the title. On Monday, we’ll count up the Readers’ favorites and reveal the Rock List: American Songs. Before you get distracted by fireworks and barbecues, check out our picks:

• Estelle – “American Boy”
• Prince – “America”
• LCD Soundsystem – “North American Scum”
• Tom Petty – “American Girl”
• David Bowie – “I’m Afraid of Americans”

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To pay tribute to Michael Jackson’s musical legacy, we asked our readers to tell us their favorite songs by the King of Pop. The votes spanned Jackson’s entire career, but it was his Thriller hit “Billie Jean” that touched the most readers’ hearts, edging out the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back,” Off the Wall’s “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough” and many more classics from the biggest performer of his time. Check out the whole Readers’ Rock List below:

1. “Billie Jean”
2. “Wanna Be Startin’ Something”
3. “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough”
4. “I Want You Back”
5. “Rock With You” (more…)

With this week’s Rock List, we ask our readers to look back at Michael Jackson’s incredible musical legacy, from the Jackson 5 to his record-breaking solo career, and share with us their favorite King of Pop songs. On Monday, after a weekend of looking back at the singer’s career, we’ll reveal the Readers’ List of favorite Michael Jackson tracks. Before you let our Michael Jackson Essential Playlist be your guide, check out Rock Daily’s picks below:

• “Beat It”
• “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough”
• “I Want You Back”
• “Human Nature”
• “Man in the Mirror”

Photo: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty

Last week, to celebrate Sir Paul’s 67th birthday, we asked our readers to tell us their favorite McCartney songs, from his work with the Beatles to Wings to his solo years. After counting the votes, the Fab Four’s “Hey Jude” was voted the best of all Paul songs, beating out classics like “Yesterday,” “Band on the Run” and “Eleanor Rigby.” For the Readers’ Top 15 Macca Songs, check the full list below.

1. “Hey Jude”
2. “Penny Lane”
3. “Maybe I’m Amazed”
4. “Helter Skelter”
5. “Oh! Darling” (more…)

Photo: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty

Exactly 67 years ago yesterday, June 18th, a child named James Paul McCartney was born in Liverpool, England, who had kind of a big impact on music history. To celebrate the occasion Rock Daily is giving Sir Paul the gift of Rock List. From his time with the Beatles to Wings to his solo career, look back over Macca’s storied, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-worthy catalog and tell us your favorites — songs that feature Paul on lead vocals only, it doesn’t matter if “Happiness Is A Warm Gun” is credited to Lennon/McCartney — and on Monday we’ll tally the votes and present the Readers’ List of Paul McCartney songs. Here’s just a tiny sampling of some of our faves:

• “Maybe I’m Amazed”
• “Yesterday”
• “Mother Nature’s Son”
• “Band on the Run”
• “Long Haired Lady”

On Friday, inspired by Bret Michaels’ Tony-related injuries and last night’s season premiere of HBO’s True Blood, we asked our readers to tell us their favorite blood-themed songs. After tallying the votes, Bob Dylan’s Bringing It All Back Home classic “It’s All Right, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)” was the target of your blood lust, cutting in front of songs by Pearl Jam, Pixies and even Michael Jackson. For the full Readers’ List, check below:

1. Bob Dylan – “It’s All Right, Ma, (I’m Only Bleeding)”
2. U2 - “Sunday Bloody Sunday”
3. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Blood Sugar Sex Magik”
4. Black Sabbath – “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”
5. Pearl Jam- “Blood” (more…)

After seeing Bret Michaels’ bloody post-Tony collision photographs and setting our DVRs for the premiere of HBO’s True Blood on Sunday, we’ve got the red stuff on our minds, so this weekend’s rock list is devoted to Blood Songs. Since it’s a rather limited subject, we’ll open up the floor to vampires, bites and other assorted types of flesh wounds. Tell us your favorite songs on the subject, and on Monday we’ll look through the votes and tally what’s one of the most morbid Rock Lists in Rock Daily history. Check out our picks below:

• Pearl Jam – “Blood”
• U2 – “Sunday Bloody Sunday”
• The Rolling Stones – “Let It Bleed”
• Radiohead – “We Suck Young Blood”
• AC/DC – “If You Want Blood (You Got It)”

Last week, to celebrate Pearl Jam’s forthcoming album Backspacer and the band’s performance of new song “Got Some” on The Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien, we asked our readers for their favorite songs by the Seattle quintet. We’ve tallied the votes, and of the three Ten songs that finished in the Top Three of the poll, the band’s triumphant “Alive” was voted the Readers’ favorite, beating out tracks spanning the band’s entire catalog. For the full Readers’ List, check below:

1. “Alive”
2. “Black”
3. “Jeremy”
4. “Rearviewmirror”
5. “Yellow Ledbetter” (more…)

Photo: Mazur/WireImage

Earlier this week, Pearl Jam revealed plans to release their ninth album Backspacer, played a secret Seattle show for a Target commercial, then celebrated the announcement by performing their new song “Get Some” on the premiere episode of The Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien. For this weekend’s Rock List, let’s look back at the Seattle legends’ discography, from Ten to the avocado-covered LP, and tally up the best Pearl Jam songs. Here are some of our picks:

• “Porch”
• “Tremor Christ”
• “Dissident”
• “Alive”
• “Present Tense”

Photo: Ouderkirk/WireImage

In honor of Jay Leno’s final night as host of The Tonight Show, and to prepare for Conan O’Brien’s debut later today, this weekend’s Rock List was dedicated to “Tonight Songs.” Dozens of evening-inspired song choices were cast, but the Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness stunner “Tonight, Tonight” took first place, probably because it used the theme of the Rock List twice in its title. Billy Corgan and whoever’s in the Pumpkins these days edged out the Beatles, Bob Dylan and the Postal Service for the crown. For the full Readers’ Rock List, check the results below:

1. Smashing Pumpkins – “Tonight, Tonight”
2. The Beatles – “A Hard Day’s Night”
3. Spinal Tap - “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight”
4. Bob Dylan – I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight”
5. INXS – “Need You Tonight” (more…)

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Tonight marks the end of an era as Jay Leno will host The Tonight Show for the final time. To pay tribute to Leno and his long run as the emcee of NBC’s 11:35 p.m. hour, this weekend’s Rock List is dedicated to “Tonight Songs.” Tell us your favorite songs that have the word in the title (or just “Night” if you’re stumped), and on Monday, just in time for Conan O’Brien’s debut episode as Tonight Show host (with Pearl Jam and Will Ferrell on the couch), we’ll announce the winners. Before you set your DVRs and get all teary-eyed by Jay’s goodbyes, here are our picks:

• Neil Young – “Tonight’s the Night”
• Kiss – “Tomorrow and Tonight”
• Bob Dylan – “Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You”
• TV on the Radio – “Tonight”
• The Misfits – “Night of the Living Dead”

Photo: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty

To celebrate Memorial Day, Friday’s Rock List was dedicated to Holiday Songs. After tallying the votes, which featured both “Holiday” and actual holidays in the song titles, John Lennon’s timeless ode for peace during the Vietnam War “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” claimed the most readers’ votes, edging out festive-themed tracks by the Dead Kennedys, Bruce Springsteen, Weezer and Madonna. For the full Rock List of Holiday Songs, check out the Top 15:

1. John Lennon – “Happy Xmas (War is Over)”
2. Dead Kennedys – “Holiday In Cambodia”
3. U2 – “New Year’s Day”
4. Sex Pistols – “Holidays In the Sun”
5. Green Day – “Holiday” (more…)

We feel like we need a vacation after this week’s American Idol madness, so Memorial Day couldn’t have arrived at the perfect moment. To celebrate the long weekend, this Rock List is dedicated to Holiday Songs. Whether the word “holiday” is in the title or the song pays homage to a special day on the calendar, suggest your favorite tunes and on Tuesday we’ll reveal the Readers’ List. Before we all start boarding buses to the beach, check out our picks (and some photos of rock stars on the sand) for inspiration:

• Weezer – “Holiday”
• OutKast – “Happy Valentine’s Day”
• Madonna – “Holiday”
• Bruce Springsteen – “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)”
• Teenage Fanclub – “Alcoholiday”

With a Billie Joe Armstrong and Co. on our cover and 21st Century Breakdown on shelves, we asked for readers’ favorite Green Day songs for our weekly Rock List. After counting the votes, American Idiot’s “Jesus of Suburbia” beat out a trio of Dookie hits to claim first place. Singles like “When I Come Around” and “Wake Me Up When September Ends” didn’t make the Readers’ Top 15, with the voters opting for deeper cuts like “Christie Road” and “Burnout.” Here’s how the votes were divided:

1. “Jesus of Suburbia”
2. “Basket Case”
3. “Longview”
4. “Welcome to Paradise”
5. “Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)” (more…)

All the chatter about the hot new Star Trek movie got us thinking about how often “stars” of all kinds come up in songs. David Bowie could probably fill a Rock List by himself, but we figured we’d branch out a bit. Hit us with your suggestions in the comments and we’ll tally up a list on Monday. Here’s a few to get you going:

• “Star Man” - David Bowie
• “Lucky Star” - Madonna
• “Rock ‘n’ Roll Star” - Oasis
• “California Stars” - Billy Bragg and Wilco
• “Rock Star” - Hole