Little Ditties: 20 Short But Sweet Classic Rock Songs That Leave Us Wanting More

Following up our list at the start of the year featuring classic rock’s longest songs, we now bring you a selection of the shortest songs. Why? Because you can’t have one list without the other. Because you gotta show both sides of the spectrum. And because for songs that are 2 minutes or less, these little bad boys pack a serious punch.

It’s not an easy feat to say so much with so little, but would you expect any less from these legends? From The Beatles to The Who, Pink Floyd to Queen, these guys have all mastered the very short song (and by “song” we mean a vocal melody + chord progression, unless it’s a cappella). Here’s a list of 20 short but sweet classic rock songs. The wee little jams that may have initially served as interludes, transitional songs or hidden album tracks, but ended up classics in their own right.

20. Heart “Dreamboat Annie” (2:01)

19. The Box Tops “The Letter” (1:55)

18. Elton John “Goodbye” (1:52)

17. David Bowie “Breaking Glass” (1:51)

16. The Kinks “Gotta Get the First Plane Home” (1:49)

15. The Rolling Stones “Not Fade Away” (1:48)

14. Janis Joplin “Mercedes Benz” (1:47)

12. Journey “Good Morning Girl” (1:44)

10. Cheap Trick “Hello There” (1:40)

8. Neil Young “Cripple Creek Ferry” (1:33)

7. Pink Floyd “Pigs on the Wing 1” (1:25)

6. Elvis Costello “Welcome to the Working Week” (1:23)

5. Jethro Tull “Cheap Day Return” (1:23)

4. Queen “Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon” (1:07)

2. Pink Floyd “Stop” (:30)

1. The Beatles “Her Majesty” (:27)