Professor Barnhardt's Journal poll's several writers for best songs of the last 25 years, in response to VH1's take on the same. Here are the top 5 of each listed - see the site for each writer's top 20 and the VH1 100:

VH1
1. Nirvana, "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
2. Michael Jackson, "Billie Jean"
3. Guns N' Roses, "Sweet Child O' Mine"
4. Eminem, "Lose Yourself"
5. U2, "One"

Tod Goldberg
1. "Jane Says," Jane's Addiction
If it hadn't been for Jane's Addiction, I might be talking about my great love for the Thompson Twins in this space.
2. "Anything, Anything," Dramarama
If you ever loved someone obsessively, or just liked slamming yourself into a wall, this was your song.
3. "Mountain Song," Jane's Addiction
Before Jane's, nothing sounded like this.
4. "She Sells Sanctuary," The Cult
Who knew that one day they'd sell Nissans to the strains of Ian Astbury yelping about the Texas sun?
5. "Still DRE," Dr. Dre
"Niggaz try to be the king but the ace is back..." Word.

James Norton
1. "Debaser," The Pixies
2. "Phiesope," Mu-Ziq
3. "Every Day I Write the Book," Elvis Costello
4. "Halcyon + On + On," Orbital
5. "Daylight," Aesop Rock

Marty Beckerman
1. "American Jesus," Bad Religion
Originators of "Thesaurus Rock," BR have been putting out the world's deepest punk rock for more than twenty years. Their latest release, 'The Process of Belief,' is by far their strongest effort yet. Especially considering that their last few albums have sucked more than Drew Barrymore during a round of 'Celebrity Jeapordy.'
2. "Take Warning," Operation Ivy
Recorded in 1989 — when the band members were only 19 years old — Operation Ivy's album "Energy" has become an item of cult affection long after the band split into Rancid and Common Rider. Smart, fast, catchy and angry; everything that today's radio-friendly punk desperately lacks. On the other hand, Avril Lavigne will probably let you teabag her for coke, so it all evens out in the end.
3. "Oliver's Army," Elvis Costello
Elvis is the fucking man, even if he has put on 7,000 pounds since his glory days.
4. "White Man in Hammersmith Palais," The Clash
The definitive political rock band, the Clash made the best music of the '80s and continued to piss off countless people when singer Joe Strummer died just three months before the planned reunion.
5. "Everlong," Foo Fighters
One of the best rock bands working today, even though they peaked back in the '90s with their sophomore album "The Colour and the Shape." Just pretend all the angry songs are about Courtney Love.

Jen Chung
1. "Our Lips are Sealed," Go-Gos
2. "Glory Days," Bruce Springsteen
3. "Creep," TLC
4. "Shadrach," Beastie Boys
5. "Bled White," Elliott Smith

Bob Sassone
1. "Whenever You're On My Mind," Marshall Crenshaw
He has his following, but I've never understood why everyone doesn't know him, and use his songs in movies and commercials so he can be a gazillionaire. Off my favorite album, "Field Day."
2. "Hackensack," Fountains Of Wayne
I bought this album ("Welcome Interstate Managers") only a couple of weeks ago, and I swear I've played this song 300 times. On the way back home I almost pulled the car over to cry, knowing that music like this exists in my life.
3. "Weak and Watered Down," Tommy Keene
The most underrated rock musician.
4. "Barely Breathing," Duncan Sheik
The guy has a knack for catchy, intelligent pop, and I think the first part of this song has some of the most perfect lyrics you'll ever hear.
5. "Boomtown," David and David
One of the Davids (Baerwald) went on to co-write and produce with many artists, including Sheryl Crow. Beautifully gritty songs about drunks and writers and other people who go to L.A.