La Asociación Americana de Compositores celebra su centenario con sus 100 mejores canciones

Fue un 13 de febrero de 1914 cuando un grupo de músicos profesionales formaron la American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, también conocida como ASCAP.

El compositor Victor Herbert fue el impulsor de la iniciativa del nuevo grupo que pretendía proteger las composiciones de sus miembros. Hoy en día la Asociación consta de 500.000 miembros , con un total de unas nueve millones y medio de composiciones en su archivo. En sólo los últimos 6 años ha distribuido 5 billones de dólares por derechos. Como parte de su celebración, ASCAP ha creado una web, ASCAP100, que abarca la trayectoria desde la creación de la sociedad a la actualidad, así como un ranking de las 100 canciones más vistas o escuchadas en radio, televisión e internet.

ASCAP fue la primera sociedad hasta que en 1940 también se creó la Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI), por lo cual las canciones incluídas en esta segunda no están en la lista. Estas son las 100 canciones:

The ASCAP 100:

1. Happy Birthday to You – Written by Mildred J. Hill, Patty Smith Hill
2. My Girl – Written by Smokey Robinson, Ronald A. White
3. White Christmas – Written by Irving Berlin
4. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Written by Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin
5. Wind Beneath My Wings – Written by Jeff Silbar
6. Dancing in the Street – Written by Marvin Gaye, Ivy Jo Hunter
7. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Written by Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
8. What’s Love Got to Do With It – Written by Terence Ernest Britten
9. Can’t Help Falling in Love – Written by Luigi Creatore, George David Weiss, Hugo Peretti
10. I Can See Clearly Now – Written by Johnny Nash
11. Over the Rainbow – Written by Harold Arlen, E. Y. Harburg
12. Baby I Love Your Way – Written by Peter Frampton
13. As Time Goes By – Written by Herman Hupfeld
14. In the Air Tonight – Written by Phil Collins
15. (I’ve Had the) Time of My Life – Written by John Denicola, Franke Previte, Donald Markowitz
16. Take It Easy – Written by Jackson Browne
17. Drift Away – Written by Mentor Williams
18. Jingle Bell Rock – Written by Joseph Beal, James Boothe
19. Blue Moon – Written by Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
20. Sweet Dreams are Made of This – Written by Annie Lennox, David A. Stewart
21. The Greatest Love of All – Written by Michael Masser
22. Sweet Home Alabama – Written by Edward C. King
23. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – Written by John D. Marks
24. I Just Called to Say I Love You – Written by Stevie Wonder
25. Get Ready – Written by Smokey Robinson
26. Take My Breath Away – Written by Thomas Whitlock, Giorgio Moroder
27. My Guy – Written by Smokey Robinson
28. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow – Written by Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne
29. That’s What Friends are For – Written by Burt Bacharach
30. Celebration – Written by Ronald Bell, Eumir Deodato
31. Don’t You (Forget About Me) – Written by Keith Forsey
32. What a Wonderful World – Written by Robert Thiele, George David Weiss
33. Everybody Wants to Rule the World – Written by Chris Hughes
34. Do You Love Me – Written by Berry Gordy
35. When I Fall in Love – Written by Edward Heyman, Victor Young
36. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – Written by Bono, Larry Mullen Jr, The Edge, Adam Clayton
37. California Dreamin’ – Written by Michelle Phillips, John Phillips
38. Time After Time – Written by Rob Hyman
39. Careless Whisper – Written by George Michael, Andrew J. Ridgeley
40. I Only Have Eyes for You – Written by Al Dubin, Harry Warren
41. Can’t Fight This Feeling – Written by Kevin Cronin
42. I’ll Be Home for Christmas – Written by Kim Gannon, Buck Ram, Walter Kent
43. Unforgettable – Written by Irving Gordon
44. Little Drummer Boy – Written by Harry Simeone, Katherine Kennicott Davis, Henry Onorati
45. I Will Survive – Written by Dino Fekaris, Freddie Perren
46. The Boys of Summer – Written by Mike Campbell
47. Way You Do the Things You Do – Written by Smokey Robinson, Robert Rogers
48. Missing You – Written by John Waite, Mark Leonard, Chas Sanford
49. Vogue – Written by Shep Pettibone, Madonna Ciccone
50. Power of Love – Written by Huey Lewis, Chris Hayes, Johnny Colla
51. Great Balls of Fire – Written by Jack Hammer
52. Hotel California – Written by Don Felder
53. Dancing in the Dark – Written by Bruce Springsteen
54. Silver Bells – Written by Ray Evans, Jay Livingston
55. Come Together – Written by Paul McCartney
56. Tracks of My Tears – Written by Warren Moore, Marvin Tarplin, Smokey Robinson
57. The Way We Were – Written by Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Marvin Hamlisch
58. You Are So Beautiful – Written by Bruce Fisher
59. Sleigh Ride – Written by Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish
60. Oh What a Beautiful Morning (From Oklahoma) – Written by Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers
61. (Everything I Do) I Do It For You – Written by Bryan Adams, Robert John «Mutt» Lange
62. All Night Long – Written by Lionel Richie
63. Light My Fire – Written by John Densmore, Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger
64. Up Where We Belong – Written by Jack Nitzsche, Buffy Sainte-Marie
65. Play That Funky Music – Written by Rob Parissi
66. What’s Going On – Written by Al Cleveland, Marvin Gaye
67. Heaven – Written by Jim Vallance, Bryan Adams
68. You’re Still the One – Written by Robert John «Mutt» Lange
69. Flashdance…What a Feeling – Written by Giorgio Moroder, Irene Cara, Keith Forsey
70. Smooth – Written by Rob Thomas
71. Yesterday – Written by Paul McCartney
72. Ghostbusters – Written by Ray Parker Jr.
73. Moon River – Written by Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer
74. Born in the U.S.A. – Written by Bruce Springsteen
75. Footloose – Written by Kenny Loggins
76. Jack and Diane – Written by John Mellencamp
77. I’ll Be There – Written by Hal Davis, Bob West, Berry Gordon, Willie Hutch
78. How Will I Know – Written by Narada Michael Walden
79. You’re the Inspiration – Written by Peter Cetera
80. Sexual Healing – Written by David Ritz, Marvin Gaye
81. Smalltown – Written by John Mellencamp
82. She Drives Me Crazy – Written by Roland Gift, David Steele
83. Free Fallin – Written by Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty
84. U Can’t Touch This – Written by Rick James
85. Faith – Written by George Michael
86. Rock Around the Clock – Written by James E. Myers, Max C. Freedman
87. I Swear – Written by Gary Baker, Frank J. Myers
88. Breathe – Written by Holly Lamar
89. Girls Just Want to Have Fun – Written by Robert Hazard
90. Right Here Waiting – Written by Richard Marx
91. Saving All My Love for You – Written by Michael Masser
92. Let’s Get It On – Written by Marvin Gaye
93. Livin’ on a Prayer – Written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Desmond Child
94. Start Me Up – Written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards
95. These Dreams – Written by Martin Page, Bernie Taupin
96. I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing – Written by Diane Warren
97. Always and Forever – Written by Rod Temperton
98. Money for Nothing – Written by Mark Knopfler
99. Torn – Written by Scott Cutler, Phil Thornalley
100. How Do I Live – Written by Diane Warren