The 10 Best Counting Crows Songs of All-Time

Counting Crows is a rock band that was formed in California in 1991. The members of the band are lead vocalist Adam Duritz, drummer Jim Bogios, bassist Millard Powers, keyboardist Charlie Gillingham, and guitarists David Bryson, David Immergluck, and Dan Vickrey. After releasing their debut album ‘August and Everything After’ in 1993, the band gained popularity, and the album sold more than seven million copies. The band also received two Grammy Award nominations in 1994. They are known for their dynamic live performances, and they have sold more than 20 million albums during their career. Since Counting Crows was formed, the band has released seven studio albums, five live albums, two compilation albums, and 32 singles. Here are the 10 best Counting Crows songs of all time.

10. Hangingaround (1999)

 

‘Hangingaround’ peaked at number three on the Canadian charts, making it the band’s fifth top ten hit in the country and was a top 30 hit in the United States. It was co-written by Adam Duritz, Davis Bryson, Charlie Gillingham, Matt Malley, Ben Mize, and Dan Vickrey. An interesting fact about this song is that its chorus was used as the main theme for the 2006 NBC sitcom ‘Four Kings.’ This song appeared on the album ‘This Desert Life.’

9. Anna Begins (1993)

 

‘Anna Begins’ is a track that appeared on the Counting Crows debut album ‘August and Everything After’ in 1993. The song was not released as a single but is a favorite amongst fans. Duritz based this song on an Australian girl called Anna, who he met on holiday in Greece and who broke his heart. The song is about denial and covers how people try to deny their true feelings in a relationship.

8. Big Yellow Taxi (2002)

 

In terms of sales, ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ is one of Counting Crows’ most successful songs, as it was certified Silver in the UK, Gold in the United States, and Platinum in Australia. This song was the third of five singles released from the album ‘Hard Candy.’ The song was a top ten hit in Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand. It was written and originally performed by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell in 1970 and has since been covered by multiple other artists. The Counting Crows version of the song featured Vanessa Carlton.

7. Omaha (1993)

 

The second track on the 1993 album ‘August and Everything After’ was ‘Omaha.’ Although the track was never released as a single, it is a fan favorite and is a song that the band regularly includes in their playlist at live events. The city of Omaha was seemingly chosen at random by Adam Duritz when he wrote the track, but the lyrics reveal that he is using Omaha as a symbol of America and Western civilization. The song looks at the cycle of life and how everyone is born in circumstances that are beyond their control.

6. Goodnight Elisabeth (1996)

 

‘Goodnight Elisabeth’ appeared on the 1996 album ‘Recovering the Satellites,’ although it was never released independently as a single. Despite not being one of the band’s singles, ‘Goodnight Elisabeth’ has remained a fan favorite, and it is popular when played live. Duritz wrote this song about a girl he was dating when Counting Crows were first formed. After they broke up when he returned from a tour, he wanted the girl to know that she would always have a place in his heart.

5. Holiday in Spain (2004)

 

‘Holiday in Spain’ was the third single released from the album ‘Hard Candy.’ Counting Crows originally recorded the song in 2002, then re-recorded the track with the Dutch rock band BLØF. The song topped the charts in the Netherlands, where it was certified Platinum. The song was composed by Adam Duritz, who also wrote the lyrics with Peter Slager.

4. A Long December (1996)

 

‘A Long December’ was the second of Counting Crows’ singles to top the charts in Canada, and it peaked at number five on the US Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart. It was the second of three singles released from the album ‘Recovering the Satellites.’ The song was written by Adam Duritz, the frontman for Counting Crows.

3. Accidentally in Love (2004)

 

With the release of ‘Accidentally in Love,’ Counting Crows reached a wider audience as it was on the soundtrack for the 2004 film Shrek 2. Its highest chart position was in Ireland, where it peaked at number three on the charts. The song also reached number 11 in the Australian charts. It was certified Silver in the UK and Gold in the United States and Australia.

2. Round Here (1994)

 

‘Round Here’ was the second of two singles released from the 1993 album ‘August and Everything After,’ although this track was not released until the following year. It was written by lead vocalist Adam Duritz before Counting Crows were formed. He co-wrote the song with members of The Himalayans, including Dan Jewett, Chris Roldan, and Dave Janusko. The single reached number six in Canada and number 12 in Iceland.

1. Mr. Jones (1993)

 

According to Return of Rock, the best Counting Crows song of all time is Mr. Jones. It was the band’s debut single and the first of two singles released from their debut album, ‘August and Everything After.’ Despite being relatively unknown when they released this song, it was an instant hit, topping the charts in Canada and reaching number 13 in Australia. It was also a top 30 hit in the UK, although it did not chart in the band’s native country. The song was certified Gold in the UK.