Papa Was A Rolling Stone
The Temptations
Papa Was A Rolling Stone by The Temptations (released in 1972) appeared in 27 of the 27 editions of the NPO Radio 2 Top 2000. Its highest chart entry was position 236 in 2005. The song first appeared on the list in 1999 and is still on it in 2025.
Chart history
All positions by edition
| Edition | Position |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 973 |
| 2024 | 904 |
| 2023 | 708 |
| 2022 | 677 |
| 2021 | 564 |
| 2020 | 516 |
| 2019 | 573 |
| 2018 | 487 |
| 2017 | 504 |
| 2016 | 474 |
| 2015 | 375 |
| 2014 | 318 |
| 2013 | 299 |
| 2012 | 329 |
| 2011 | 305 |
| 2010 | 337 |
| 2009 | 292 |
| 2008 | 285 |
| 2007 | 367 |
| 2006 | 296 |
| 2005 | 236 |
| 2004 | 265 |
| 2003 | 294 |
| 2002 | 296 |
| 2001 | 304 |
| 2000 | 330 |
| 1999 | 301 |
More by The Temptations
- My Girl best position 1581
- Treat Her Like A Lady best position 1877
How the song fared
On average, Papa Was A Rolling Stone was at position 430 in the 27 editions in which it was on the list. Its lowest chart entry was position 973 in 2025. It reached the top 10 0 times and the top 100 0 times. The longest consecutive run was 27 editions (up to and including 2025). The biggest rise came in 2008: from position 367 to position 285 (+82). The biggest fall came in 2024: from position 708 to position 904 (-196). In 2025, the song was at position 973 (in 2024: position 904).
Compared with all songs
In total, 4,925 different songs have appeared in the Top 2000. With 27 editions, this song shares that score with 530 other songs, and no songs were on the list in more editions. There are 727 songs that have ever ranked higher than position 236.
Also released in 1972
111 other songs from 1972 are in the Top 2000. The highest chart entries:
- Child In Time – Deep Purple best position 2
- Perfect Day – Lou Reed best position 34
- I Put A Spell On You – Creedence Clearwater Revival best position 36
- Morning Has Broken – Cat Stevens best position 76
- A Horse With No Name – America best position 96
- Old Man – Neil Young best position 112
Neighbours in the 2025 list
In 2025, this song was at position 973. Here I Go Again (Whitesnake) was at position 972, one place higher; Bad Dreams (Teddy Swims) was at position 974, one place lower.
Frequently asked questions
How often was Papa Was A Rolling Stone by The Temptations in the Top 2000?
Papa Was A Rolling Stone was on the list in 27 of the 27 editions (1999 to 2025), first in 1999 and most recently in 2025.
What is the highest position of Papa Was A Rolling Stone in the Top 2000?
The highest chart entry was position 236 in 2005.
How high was Papa Was A Rolling Stone in the 2025 Top 2000?
At position 973.