Where do I find a list of the top thousand songs of the 20th century?

[StephenCampbell]

I've recently begun a restaurant gig which requires that you know basically every song ever written. I need to rapidly build my repertoire as fast as possible. I have the Real Book, and will be getting volume 2 soon, so that covers a lot of the standards, but for pop hits, like Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Elton John, etc, those aren't covered under "Jazz standards," and I basically need to know as many popular songs as possible, from across the spectrum, from Lady Gaga to whatever was being played in the 1910s.

Is there a way to get a list of something like the top 1000 songs, overall, from the past hundred years? That would be a good place for me to start, I could just learn them at 30 or 40 a month and build a decent repertoire within a couple years.

Thanks!

Edit: Another way to think of it would be the top 10 songs of each year from 1910 to today... that would be a thousand songs.

 

[imaketouchtheme]

Your job sounds like no fun.

 

[FrankieTDouglas]

...listen to music?

Or get a better job.

 

[Grey Beard]

I suppose that you have tried that Magic Music Machine called Google?
KGB

 

[StephenCampbell]

Well I just spoke with the owner, and he said I don't have to know all the songs. He said it's better to just develop a few sets that I can play really well.

So nevermind I guess....

 

[iJohnHenry]

He won't get repeat business that way, if you play well that is.

You could develop a following, which would benefit you both.

If you keep it fresh, you better get a bigger tip bowl.