Best Beatles Songs Of All Time, Per Music Pros & Fans

Few bands have had the lasting impact on music and culture that The Beatles have achieved. From their early days in Liverpool to their meteoric rise to international stardom, The Beatles revolutionized the music industry with their innovative sound and timeless lyrics. With a catalog spanning just a decade, they managed to craft some of the most iconic and enduring songs in history. This article delves into the best Beatles songs, highlighting the tracks that not only defined an era but also continue to resonate with new generations of listeners. Whether you're a lifelong fan or a newcomer to their music, these songs represent the pinnacle of The Beatles' creative genius. Because every “best Beatles songs” list could very well have its own top five, we went by what 15 music pros rave about the most. Below, these experts rank them from fab to far out. 

1. “A Day in the Life”

This song was the most mentioned across all 15 of the sources we consulted. Rolling Stone puts this song above the rest, writing, “‘A Day in the Life’ is the sound of the Beatles on a historic roll. ‘It was a peak,’ John Lennon told Rolling Stone in 1970. It’s also the ultimate Lennon-McCartney collaboration.” 

“A Day in the Life” by The Beatles encapsulates a hauntingly surreal and multi-layered atmosphere that blends the mundane with the extraordinary. The song opens with John Lennon's ethereal vocals over a sparse, melancholic piano, creating an introspective and almost dreamlike quality. As the lyrics unfold, they paint vivid, fragmented scenes from everyday life, infused with a sense of existential contemplation. The orchestral crescendos add a dramatic, almost chaotic intensity, contrasting sharply with Paul McCartney's upbeat interlude, which briefly introduces a whimsical, day-to-day perspective.

This juxtaposition of styles and moods culminates in a powerful final chord that lingers in the listener's mind, leaving an impression of both wonder and introspection. “No one knits together the grandiose and the mundane like The Beatles. Lyrically, ‘A Day in the Life’ is pure poetic banality: John goes to the pictures and worries about holes in the road while Paul gets startled by his alarm clock and smokes a joint on the bus. But musically it’s an apocalypse: from the concrete opening piano chords to the queasy orchestral climax, this song feels like the end of, well, everything,” TimeOut says.

This song is a winner, according to For The Win: “I tried to see if I could think of a Beatles song that was better, mostly because if you polled 1,000 fans, I’d bet this song would come out on top. But there’s a reason for that, isn’t it? It’s not so much a song as it is a symphony. And this is the apex of the Lennon-McCartney partnership that produced so many amazing songs — John on the verse, Paul on the bridge, leading up to that thunderous piano chord that gives me chills nearly every time I hear it.”

2. “In My Life”

This tune has a similar title to the first pick, but don't get them twisted! According to SmoothRadio, “This emotional track is a reflective look at one’s life, and was written by both McCartney and Lennon, though both men disputed each other’s contributions later in life. Lennon later said that the song was his ‘first real major piece of work’ as it was the first time he wrote personal lyrics about his own life.”

“In My Life” by The Beatles exudes a nostalgic and introspective vibe, marked by its tender lyrics and gentle melody. The song captures a reflective mood as John Lennon's heartfelt vocals convey a sense of reminiscence and gratitude for past experiences and relationships. “The song is one of the best Beatles songs of all time, held in high regard by both fans and critics. Many Beatles songs bestow upon you a warm feeling of nostalgia, but this song best encapsulates that feeling in a single track,” Music Grotto raves.

The delicate guitar work and subtle harmonies enhance the intimate and serene atmosphere, making “In My Life” a timeless ode to cherished memories and the enduring nature of love and friendship. Gold Radio calls this one of the best: “It’s maybe impossible to say that any one Beatles song is their best, but it’s hard to give any sort of argument against ‘In My Life.’ It’s a gorgeous, wonderful, heartbreaking and nostalgic study of life and loss. A masterpiece.” 

3. “Yesterday”

PinkVilla chooses this popular track as a top pick: “When this song was first released in 1965, it immediately became popular. It was first included in ‘Help!’ and later made available as a single. The audience reacted favorably to this Lennon McCartney tune. This Beatles song is made lovely by the acoustic guitar playing in the background.” 

“Yesterday” by The Beatles evokes a poignant and melancholic vibe, characterized by its simple yet deeply moving melody. Paul McCartney's soulful vocals and the acoustic guitar accompaniment create a sense of intimacy and vulnerability. “It might be cliche to name ‘Yesterday’ as the best Beatles song, but cliches aren’t necessarily a bad thing when they’re this devastatingly beautiful. Its beauty can be found in its lyrics and its simplicity. It’s a masterclass in pop excellence, and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone to disagree with that,” WMMR writes.

The song's reflective lyrics express a longing for the past and a profound sense of loss, capturing the universal feeling of nostalgia and regret. This stripped-down arrangement, coupled with its emotional depth, makes “Yesterday” a timeless ballad that resonates with listeners' hearts. OldTimeMusic credits this song for taking The Beatles to the next level: “Paul McCartney’s composition and delivery of the song ‘Yesterday’ turned the tide again. It took The Beatles to another level again. An eternal tearjerker ever since … And, I might say, the scourge of the karaoke bar. It is still one of the Top 10 requested Beatles songs.”

4. “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”

“While My Guitar Gently Weeps” by The Beatles has a brooding and soulful vibe that's hard to shake. George Harrison's introspective lyrics mix perfectly with the song's moody guitar riffs.  “If you’re searching for the best Beatles songs ranked, many would agree that ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ is at the very top. Besides being a timeless hit, the song also has an interesting story behind it. George Harrison apparently decided to write the lyrics based on the first words he sees after opening a book in his parents’ house. The first words he saw was the phrase ‘gently weeps.’ And that’s how ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ was born,” MidderMusic tells.

The track's got this deep, emotional undercurrent, with the guitar literally crying out in a way that hits you right in the feels. Yardbarker calls it stirring: “George Harrison finally realized his songwriting potential with this blisteringly emotional track. As The Beatles began to grow further apart, Harrison turned inward; while his band mates dabbled in Indian spiritualism, Harrison firmly embraced it and poured all of his hopes and frustrations into this song. It was a stirring preview of what he’d accomplish with ‘All Things Must Pass.’” 

It's one of those songs where you can just feel the raw emotion and contemplation pouring out, making it a standout moment in their catalog. “Although ostensibly ‘a George song,’ this beloved White Album track has a secret, uncredited session musician: fellow Englishman and guitar hero Eric Clapton, with whom George shared a rather complicated relationship, plays the wailing guitar solo on ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps.’ Harrison blends his burgeoning East-meets-West musical and lyrical influences, and as such, ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ is one of his most lauded works with The Beatles,” writes Paste Magazine.

5. “Tomorrow Never Knows” 

“Tomorrow Never Knows” by The Beatles brings a trippy, otherworldly vibe that's totally captivating. According to Mojo, “The recording of the song is the perfect illustration of The Beatles’ experimental epiphany. McCartney recorded several tape loops in his home studio, capturing abstract, repeating phrases. Back at Abbey Road, these loops were loaded onto multiple tape machines, which were fed to the recording console. As the tape loops played endlessly, the group and engineer were able to raise and lower the volume of each loop, creating a sonic collage that faded in and out. [An] effect soon to be copied by tribes of would-be psychedelic voyagers.” 

With its psychedelic soundscapes, looping drum patterns, and surreal lyrics, the song feels like a journey into uncharted territory. John Lennon's vocals, echoing through layers of experimental production, create an atmosphere that's both hypnotic and mind-bending. NME credits this song as the origin of dance music: “It’s possible to trace the origins of most modern music back to The Beatles catalogue. But ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ was perhaps their most influential track of all. In trying to recreate the sound in Lennon’s head to emulate a transcendental acid high, the band experimented with loops, sampling, drone and tape manipulation, creating not just the epitome of psychedelia, but effectively inventing dance music.” 

It's one of those tracks where you can really hear The Beatles pushing the boundaries, blending Eastern influences with avant-garde techniques to create something that's ahead of its time and endlessly intriguing. “Here’s where LSD, The Tibetan Book Of The Dead and one of Ringo’s malapropisms collide. McCartney’s avant-garde tape loops, processed beats and backwards instrumentation and rock music shifted course once again,” says Louder.

What’s your favorite? Let us know which you think is the best Beatles song in the comments below. 

Sources used to create our list:

• Rolling Stone
• TimeOut
• For The Win
• SmoothRadio
• Music Grotto
• Gold Radio
• PinkVilla
• WMMR
• OldTimeMusic
• MidderMusic
• Yardbarker
• Paste Magazine
• Mojo
• NME
• Louder

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