WDVE's Memorial Day 500 has a new twist this year
In 1985, classic rock radio station 102.5 WDVE started a tradition of playing a countdown of the top 500 best rock songs over Memorial Day weekend. For the most part, their way of formulating that list has been a bit mysterious.
This year, for the 40th anniversary of the Memorial Day 500, they’re changing things up.
“For at least the past month, people had to submit their top 10 all-time rock tunes,” said ‘DVE Electric Lunch’s Michele Michaels. “Just pick out your top 10 and we’ll crunch the numbers and we’ll see how it all shakes out.”
She said that listener votes have played a role in the past, but now it’s purely down to the people’s choice.
“We’re completely no fingers in there, no algorithms, no factoring in requests, it’s going to be purely listener votes of their top 10,” Michaels said.
This year’s list will be entirely formulated based on those Top 10 lists volunteered by listeners. According to Chad Tyson, afternoon drive host on WDVE, they got a lot of submissions.
We’re letting you help us build this year’s Memorial Day 500 Countdown!
Submit your Top 10 Song List ????https://t.co/hL14tQY0dE
— 102.5 WDVE (@DVERADIO) May 1, 2025
The Memorial Day 500 was the brainchild of former ‘DVE program director Greg Gillespie, who had connections to Indianapolis and thought that doing a 500 of a different kind would be a fun addition to the station’s holiday weekend programming. Michaels was with ‘DVE in 1985 for that first weekend, and she’ll be kicking off the 2025 countdown at 10 a.m. on Friday with number 500.
After nearly two decades off the airwaves, the 500 returned in 2019, in celebration of the station’s 50th anniversary. It’s stuck around since then and remains a popular point of interest for Pittsburghers to follow.
“This literally has become as much of a Pittsburgh tradition as putting out parking chairs or, you know, slowing down before the tunnels. I will be in my neighborhood and I will hear the 500 coming from other people’s decks and garages,” Michaels said.
That spirit isn’t just local. WDVE is an iHeartRadio station, so fans who may be living far away — or traveling for the holiday — can still keep track of the countdown for all four days with the iHeartRadio app.
“That’s the cool part about it, you get listeners worldwide on this thing,” Tyson said.
But what of the list itself? Back in the 1980s, Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” was No. 1. And for the most part, that dominance has continued since the list’s revival in 2019. It topped the list in 2020, 2023 and 2024, and even when other classics — “Another Brick in the Wall” by Pink Floyd; “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen; and “Back in Black” by AC/DC — usurped the epic tune, it was always nipping at their heels at No. 2.
So will this year’s list prove that the listeners also think “Stairway” is the best rock song of all time? Tyson isn’t sure.
“It really throws everything into chaos, because there is some level of consistency in the past few years,” he said.
“I think I’ll laugh either way, if it’s like it’s always been or it’s totally different, I think it’s going to be super fun,” Michaels said.
Both Michaels and Tyson agreed that making a Top 10 list like the ones submitted by listeners would be an impossible task.
Tyson will be on the air for the home stretch on Monday; No. 1 will likely be unveiled and played around 7 p.m. He said he’s avoiding spoilers.
“I told them, I don’t want to see the list until I get down to number one on Monday night, when I’m wrapping up myself. I want to be as surprised as everybody else,” he said. “I’m just looking forward to how it all plays out, because there’s the unknown factor this year.”
The bottom of the list has historically seen a lot more movement than the top 10. Since 2019, the songs just making the cut at No. 500 have been “Pumping Iron” by the Iron City Houserockers; “Everlong” by the Foo Fighters; “Black Betty” by Ram Jam; “Touch of Grey” by the Grateful Dead; “Hollywood Nights” by Bob Seger; and “Monkey Bars” by Coney Hatch.
Michaels said that there are some artists who she thinks will still sit stalwart near the top.
“I think in the top 10, you’re going to have Zeppelin, the Stones, AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses, maybe Ozzy’s ‘Crazy Train,’ some Pearl Jam thrown in.”
Tyson is sure there will be a little local flair throughout the four days of the countdown as well.
“I bet there’ll be some Donnie (Iris), I bet there’ll be some Joe (Grushecky), some Clarks.”
Will the list not be over until the lady who’s buying a stairway to Heaven sings, or will everything be different this year? Will more ’90s bands than ever make their way into the 500? Will — as this writer predicts — Tom Petty finally crack the Top 20 (his highest appearance in modern times was No. 29 last year with “Breakdown”) or will this year be another heartbreaker?
Michaels can’t wait to hear listeners’ reactions.
“On Tuesday, let it fly, throw down on Tuesday if you’re cranky about the outcome, it’s all on you guys!” she said.
Related:
• 2019. WDVE revives the Memorial Day 500 music countdown
• 2019. WDVE Memorial Day 500 ends in major upset
• 2020. Familiar song returns to No. 1 in WDVE Memorial Day 500 countdown
• 2021. WDVE's Memorial Day 500 has a new No. 1
• 2022. It's an upset: 'Bohemian Rhapsody' tops DVE Memorial Day 500
• 2024. 'Stairway to Heaven' holds onto top spot in WDVE's Memorial Day 500
Alexis Papalia is a TribLive staff writer. She can be reached at apapalia@triblive.com.
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