The listing is completely subjective. How could Del Shannon’s Runaway not even make the list? If it were on sales alone (thankfully not) Candle in the Wind would be at #1 overall. That and “Starting Over” hit #1 because of untimely deaths, and nothing more. Even obvious blunders like having the Captain and Tenille represented by “Do that to Me One More Time” instead of “Love Will Keep Us Together” and a VERY underrepresented Elvis make it clear that this was a list by committee, and not a very good one.
It also makes it clear that the committee liked black musicians, but no so much did they like MJ.
Or “at the hop” by bill haley.
Or “be bop a lula” by gene vincent
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDU9FP5_B2M