Science fiction elements have often been a popular theme in rock songs, especially with bands like Rush, David Bowie, and APP, among others. Here are the top 20 sci-fi songs of all time:
1 - 2112 by Rush, the ultimate sci-fi story told in song, about a future world with no music. An archeologist digs up a guitar and makes it work. He thinks he has made a great discovery, but the rulers fear it will lead to anarchy again. They try to banish him and his musical instrument.
1 (tie) - Have You Seen the Stars Tonite by Jefferson Starship from the "Blows Against the Empire" concept album, about a group escaping Earth in a hijacked starship.
2 - Science Fiction, Double Feature by Richard O'Brien from the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Michael Rennie was ill The Day the Earth Stood Still, but he told us where we stand...
2/tie - Space Oddity by David Bowie: ground control to Major Tom
3 - Veteran of the Psychic Wars (1982) by Blue Oyster Cult from the movie Heavy Metal
4 - My House on Mars by Ayreon from The Dream Sequencer CD, a great song set in 2084
I'm all alone - we're all alone, my future's unknown...
I reach out to the stars, out here in my house on Mars
I'm all alone - we're all alone, my future's unknown...
I reach out to the stars, out here in my house on Mars
5 - "39" by Queen, about a team who travel into space in 2039 to find a new planet for us, after we've used up the resources on Earth, and return in 2139 - not realizing they've been gone 100 years.
6 - Tommyknockers by Blind Guardian
7 - Magneto and Titanium Man by Wings (1975) from the Venus & Mars album
8 - I Robot by Alan Parsons Project, for Isaac Asimov's novel and movie: I, Robot
9 - Icarus: Borne on Wings of Steel by Kansas, and "Point of Known Return" is also a good sci-fi song from the same band.
10 - Echoes by Pink Floyd, a 23 minute mind-bending song from the Meddle LP. Eclipse is also appropriate from Dark Side of the Moon.
11 - Martian Landscape by UFO
12 - Mr. Roboto from Styx
13 - 1984 by David Bowie for George Orwell's novel 1984
14 - Starship Trooper (1971) by Yes
15 - The Stand by The Alarm, a song for Stephen King's The Stand
16 - Rocket Man (1972) by Elton John
17 - Children of the Sun by Billy Thorpe
18 - Flash (1984) by Queen, for Flash Gordon the space traveler
19 - To Tame a Land by Iron Maiden, based on Frank Herbert's "Dune" series of novels
20 - Twilight Zone by Golden Earring
Bonus Track: The Body Electric by Rush
Bonus Tracks: Space Age Love Song (1983) by Flock of Seagulls, Somewhere Out in Space (2001) by Gamma Ray and Iron Man (1972) Black Sabbath
See Also: Top 40 Songs About Space Travel
There you have it, the best science fiction told in song. We did not include songs about Frankenstein, even though it is a sci-fi story, because he has his own list of songs.
How about Starrider by Foreigner or Battlestar Dream by Cdn band Karroll Brothers.
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