Top 21 Science Fiction Songs

In order to celebrate my birthday, I'm paying tribute to my past. Before I was an awesome music nerd, I was a dorky sci-fi nerd. Down to every last detail, I complained all about the continuity errors in Battlestar Galactia, I knew the names of all the knights of the Jedi council, and I even got into online debates about how much better Captain Picard was than Captain Kirk, (well he was!!!). Any way, in the spirit of the day, I'm counting my favorite Sci-Fi themed songs. There are 21 songs, a la 2001: A Space Odyssey. Nerds unite!

21. Rocket by Def Leppard

20. Supermassive Black Hole by Muse

19. Across the Universe by The Beatles

18. Space Trucking by Deep Purple

17. Riders on the Storm by The Doors

16. Walking on the Moon by The Police

15. Painkiller by Judas Priest

14. Learn to Fly by Foo Fighters

13. Astronomy by Blue Oyster Cult

12. Hangar 18 by Megadeth

11. Metropolis Pt. 1 by Dream Theater

10. Space Oddity by David Bowie

9. 2112 by Rush

8. Stargazer by Rainbow

7. Man On The Moon by R.E.M.

6. Ziggy Stardust by David Bowie

5. Paranoid Android by Radiohead

We haven't heard music like this since the likes of Pink Floyd. And that's a good thing.

4. Brain Damage/Eclipse by Pink Floyd

What an excellent closer the masterpiece Dark Side of the Moon. I really can't imagine listening to one song without the other. That's like seeing Han Solo without Chewbacca. It ain't right.

3. Starlight by Muse

Ahhh... What an epic song. This is what Coldplay would sound like if they were say sci-fi nerds. Just builds and builds, like Stairway to Heaven.

2. Rocket Man by Elton John

In my opinion, this is Elton John's only good song. And what a song. I can see why people like him if he could make a song like this. I normally dislike piano oriented rock, but this is really a piece of art. Remarkable. Especially when you compare it to the odious "Candle in the Wind" (which is sad, because after its affiliation with Princess Diana's death, so now I look like an asshole for hating it).

1. Life On Mars? by David Bowie

Yeah, I'm a huge David Bowie fan. And this is his masterpiece. The term genius should be used more lightly than it is. David Bowie is a rock n' roll genius. Not just in his brilliant songwriting, but in the incredible way he presented it as well, one of the greatest showmen of rock. Also one the few times where such a theatrical artist also has songs to match, whereas most of the time it's all style no substance (I'm looking at you Gaga, and I'm not typing your first name because you don't deserve such a formal title). Either way, Life On Mars is a mysterious song to compliment its mysterious question. The rest you just have to hear.