Neil Young is one of the great self-made men of North American rock n’ roll. A man possessing great self-belief, plenty of talent, and non the most radio-friendly voice, he has crafted a musical legacy like few others.

In truth, being a true blue fan of Neil Young just about covers all of your musical needs. There is much that his discography, which sometimes includes work from his famous backing band, Crazy Horse, offers.

I am narrowing things down to their very essence and picking the very best songs that Neil Young, one of the greatest rock artists of all time, ever recorded.

Top 10 Greatest Songs by Neil Young

10. “After the Gold Rush”

It’s a testament to just what calibre of songs Neil Young wrote, along with Joni Mitchell and CSN, the most famous member of the Laurel Canyon folk-rock scene of the 1970s. Young might not be the most vocally impressive of the bunch, but certainly one of the most interesting.

Young was a masterful songwriter with plenty to say. He had plenty to say about a world going wrong. “After the Gold Rush” might not be about anything in particular. But it captures the feeling of the moment better than nearly any other song.

9. “Cowgirl in the Sand”

If anything, Neil Young was a splendid guitar player from the get-go. Not merely a technical wizard, Young’s solos took listeners on a journey. “Cowgirl in the Sand” is one of Young’s longest, most memorable songs. Verses about love, lust and betrayal are broken up by excellent, explosive guitar lines.

8. “The Needle and the Damage Done”

Neil Young could have just made soft folk records throughout the 1970s. He didn’t coast on his success. He tackled material that challenged his audience.

“The Needle and the Damage Done” is a short, honest song about drug addiction and its consequences. It’s likely inspired by the death of Crazy Horse guitarist Danny Whitten. It’s a real heartbreaker.

7. “Rockin’ in the Free World”

Neil Young did not mellow with age. He didn’t lose his interest in new sounds, either. By 1989, Young saw the world changing and wanted to write songs that expressed that change.

“Rockin’ in the Free World” is the most anthemic of those songs. It talks about the U.S.A. going down the wrong path and other places in the world just fighting like hell to reach a similar level to the U.S. It cries out for freedom at a time when most places on the planet have very little of it.

6. “Ohio”

Young could always write quickly. He could do it best, however, when something really stuck out and moved him. The lyrics reference a student march that turned bloody in Ohio.

Most remarkably, Young read an article about the incident on the morning on which he wrote the song and presented it to the rest of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. It’s a decisive protest song led by one of the musician’s greatest guitar riffs.

5. “Cinnamon Girl”

Speaking of great guitar work, “Cinnamon Girl” distilled the essence of Young’s creativity on the six-string to a few incredible lines. It’s a simple song. It’s also a song that showcases the musician’s fascination with loud garage rock. It’s no wonder Young would later earn the nickname “father of grunge.”

4. “Cortez the Killer”

If the stories are to be believed, Young wrote “Cortez the Killer” as a kid while sitting in bed and suffering from food poisoning. Impressive as that may be, it’s the way that Neil uses his guitar and lyrics to convey the story. “Cortez the Killer” is a tale of a perfect world torn apart by greed.

3. “Helpless”

Writing songs has provided a public diary of sorts for Neil Young. Some of his songs contain plenty of observations. Some rely on a few words and melodies to convey a mood.

“Helpless” doesn’t use too many lyrics or much fancy guitar work. But it conveys its message with tremendous poignancy. We do the best we can while knowing we are helpless against many of the forces that govern the world!

2. “Like a Hurricane”

Neil Young is an unorthodox guitar player and songwriter. “Like a Hurricane” is pure romantic rock. The lyrics talk about a love affair that could blow everything away. Meanwhile, the guitar master searches and finds emotional territory of which most musicians will be in awe.

1. “Heart of Gold”

“Heart of Gold” is, of course, the greatest Neil Young song. Coincidentally, it’s his biggest hit and one of the most emblematic songs of the 1970s.

A melancholy tune written with major chords, “Heart of Gold” tells the story of a lifelong journey to find truth and beauty. It’s Young’s own tale of El Dorado. It’s a hopeless search for perfection. And it’s one of the greatest songs of all time.