G33Z3RBetaOnLine

15 Songs Everyone Knows But Nobody Can Name | G33Z3R Radio

Published July 2, 2026

15 Songs Everyone Knows But Nobody Can Name

You know the melody. You can hum the chorus. You've heard it in a hundred movies, commercials, and grocery stores. But if someone asked you the name of the song — or the artist — you'd just stare at them.

These are those songs. The ones that live in your brain without a label.

1. "Baba O'Riley" — The Who (1971)

You call it "Teenage Wasteland." It's not called "Teenage Wasteland." The song is named after Meher Baba and Terry Riley. That synthesizer intro is one of the most recognizable openings in rock history, and it's been in so many movie trailers that it might as well be public domain. Pete Townshend wrote it as part of an abandoned rock opera.

Year: 1971

2. "Roundabout" — Yes (1972)

You know the bass line. You know the acoustic guitar intro. You probably know it from the "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" meme, which introduced it to an entirely new generation. It peaked at #13 on the Hot 100 — the biggest hit from one of prog rock's biggest bands. It's eight and a half minutes long and you've never once skipped it.

Year: 1972

3. "Take Five" — The Dave Brubeck Quartet (1961)

You've heard this in every coffee shop, hotel lobby, and "sophisticated" montage ever made. Written by saxophonist Paul Desmond, it's one of the best-selling jazz singles ever. The unusual 5/4 time signature is where the name comes from. You hum it without knowing what it is.

Year: 1961

4. "Green Onions" — Booker T. & the M.G.'s (1962)

That Hammond organ riff. You know it from "The Sandlot," from car commercials, from every scene in every movie where someone walks into a pool hall looking cool. It hit #3 on the Hot 100 in 1962 and has been the sound of effortless swagger ever since.

Year: 1962

5. "Life in a Northern Town" — The Dream Academy (1986)

"Hey ma ma ma." That chant. You've hummed it a thousand times and never once Googled who sang it. The Dream Academy peaked at #7 on the Hot 100 with a tribute song to Nick Drake. It sounds like a cold morning, a cup of tea, and a memory you can't quite place.

Year: 1986

6. "Tarzan Boy" — Baltimora (1986)

That yodel. You know the yodel. Italian singer Jimmy McShane (performing as Baltimora) peaked at #13 on the Hot 100 with a hook so catchy it showed up in a Listerine commercial and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III." You've been singing it for decades without knowing who made it.

Year: 1986

7. "Rock and Roll Part 2" — Gary Glitter (1972)

The "Hey!" song. Played at every sporting event in America for decades. You know the "dun dun dun dun DUN — hey!" chant without knowing the title, the artist, or anything else about it. Most stadiums quietly stopped playing it after Gary Glitter's criminal convictions, but the chant lives on in your head.

Year: 1972

8. "Feels Like the First Time" — Foreigner (1977)

The song is a hit. You've heard it hundreds of times. But if someone said "name a Foreigner song," you'd probably say "I Want to Know What Love Is" or "Cold as Ice" first. This one peaked at #4 on the Hot 100 and lives in that weird space where it's a massive classic that somehow doesn't get credit for it.

Year: 1977

9. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" — Tears for Fears (1985)

You can identify it from the first guitar note. It hit #1 on the Hot 100. But say "Tears for Fears" to most people and they'll pause. Say "the 'everybody wants to rule the world' band" and they'll nod immediately. The song is more famous than the band, which is both impressive and a little unfair.

Year: 1985

10. "O Fortuna" — Carl Orff (1937)

You know it as "that dramatic choir song from every movie trailer." It's the opening and closing movement of "Carmina Burana," based on medieval poems. It's been used in "Excalibur," "Jackass," "The Doors," and roughly 10,000 commercials. You've been humming it wrong your entire life.

Year: Composed in 1935-36

11. "Stand" — R.E.M. (1989)

"Stand in the place where you live, now face north." R.E.M.'s pop single peaked at #6 on the Hot 100 and became their most radio-friendly song until "Losing My Religion." It was used as the theme for the short-lived Chris Elliott show "Get a Life." Everyone knows the chorus. Almost nobody connects it to R.E.M.

Year: 1989

12. "Fox on the Run" — Sweet (1975)

Glam rock riff you've heard in "Guardians of the Galaxy," "Dazed and Confused," and a dozen car commercials. Sweet peaked at #5 on the Hot 100 with this one. It sounds like the 70s distilled into three minutes — big drums, crunchy guitars, and vocals that don't care about subtlety.

Year: 1975

13. "In the Air Tonight" — Phil Collins (1981)

You know the drum fill. Everyone knows the drum fill. It's the most anticipated moment in any song from the 80s — three minutes of moody synths building to that one explosive beat. It peaked at #19 on the Hot 100 (lower than you'd think). The urban legend about the drowning witness isn't true, but the song is still haunting.

Year: 1981

14. "What I Like About You" — The Romantics (1980)

You know "what I like about you — you hold me tight." It peaked at #49 on the Hot 100 — barely a hit by chart standards — but it's been used in so many TV shows, movies, and commercials that it feels like a #1 song. The Romantics have spent four decades being more famous than their chart positions suggest.

Year: 1980

15. "867-5309/Jenny" — Tommy Tutone (1982)

You know the number. You've probably sung the number. You might have even called the number. But say "Tommy Tutone" and most people draw a blank. The song peaked at #4 on the Hot 100. The phone number is more famous than the artist, which is either the greatest or saddest legacy a song can have.

Year: 1982

Now You Know

Next time one of these songs comes on and someone asks "what is this?" — you'll actually have the answer.

G33Z3R Radio has full content for every year from 1960 to 1999, including every song on this list.

Visit G33Z3R Radio →

More from G33Z3R Radio

🎮 The Arcade📆 Browse by year🏆 Top Lists📦 The Crate📝 All posts