Jimi Hendrix was on the 8th year of his career when he passed away (Image: Getty)
He passed away at just 27 years old, but Jimi Hendrix left behind a legacy so colossal that even now – nearly 55 years on – his catalogue pulls in almost 4 billion Spotify streams – without new music, a TikTok revival, or a world tour.
With a career of just three official studio albums, some jaw-dropping live recordings, and a reputation built on guitar excellence, Hendrix released songs about the most various themes, and became an icon in his own right.
Here, based on Spotify streams, we rank the ten best songs ever released by Jimi Hendrix:
10. Red House
66,573,251 streams
Pure, raw blues royalty, ‘Red House’ was full of effects and studio experimentation. It first appeared on the UK version of Are You Experienced, though it was cut from the US release.
But onstage, it was a staple – stretching to 15 minutes in some performances, giving Hendrix space to bend notes and wring emotion out of the track.
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9. Crosstown Traffic
81,797,407 streams
Hendrix didn’t do much of what we describe as classic pop, but ‘Crosstown Traffic’ is about as close as he came. The song is short, punchy, and packed with hooks – and even a kazoo solo.
The lyrics are very ‘60s: frustration, psychedelic metaphors, and being stuck in more ways than one. “You’re just like crosstown traffic, so hard to get through.”
8. Castles Made of Sand
88,670,297 streams
One of Hendrix’s most personal and poetic songs, ‘Castles Made of Sand’ tells three different stories about disappointment and loss – all set to a gentle, backwards guitar track. He never explained exactly what it meant, but fans have long read into the lyrics as reflections on his childhood, family turmoil, and feelings of isolation.
It was buried deep in Axis: Bold As Love, but it’s become a cult favourite and a go-to track for die-hard fans.
7. Foxey Lady
107,004,463 streams
‘Foxey Lady’ is Hendrix’s rock star persona at its best. It became a live favourite, often stretching past ten minutes with improvised solos and mid-song antics. On record, it’s tight guitar-focused, and just danceable enough.
It also holds a special place in pop culture, as it’s known to be one of the first riffs players try to learn (and one of the hardest to get right).
6. The Wind Cries Mary
123,235,326 streams
Written after a domestic row with then-girlfriend Kathy Etchingham (her middle name was Mary), this track showed a softer, more lyrical side to Hendrix. The chord changes are jazz-tinged and subtle, while the lyrics hint at regret and longing. Hendrix recorded it in just a few takes, right after a different session ended early.
Producer Chas Chandler was so impressed he insisted they keep it – resulting in a UK top 10 hit in 1967.
5. Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
213,810,183 streams
‘Voodoo Child (Slight Return)’ was Hendrix at his most explosive – an angry sounding hit recorded in a single take.
Originally a jam session between Hendrix and Steve Winwood under the title Voodoo Chile, the Slight Return version is tighter and louder. The opening riff is one of the most recognisable in the genre, and the song has become a symbol of Hendrix’s power -used by athletes, in films, and as the final song at Woodstock.
4. Hey Joe
328,807,113 streams
Hey Joe was the first single Hendrix released – and it’s often the first one that comes to mind when most of us think of him. But while it’s iconic, it’s also a cover (originally by Billy Roberts) and a little less personal than his later work, even if it changed the trajectory of his career.
Recorded shortly after forming the Experience, the track showed off Hendrix’s bluesy vocal power, his slow-burning solo, and intricate chord progressions. What really made it pop was the Top of the Pops performance in the UK, which turned ‘Hey Joe’ into a national obsession.
3. Little Wing
320,534,570 streams
Clocking in at just over two minutes, ‘Little Wing’ is filled with emotion. Hendrix wrote it as a tribute to a kind of spiritual female figure (part girlfriend, part guardian angel), and also as a glimpse of his soul. Hendrix’s voice is soft and gentle, a contrast to his usual vocal style.
‘Little Wing’ has been covered by everyone from Eric Clapton to Stevie Ray Vaughan.
2. Purple Haze
382,565,545 streams
With a remarkable opening chord scrape, impressive lyrics and a psychedelic style, ‘Purple Haze’ is the song that made Hendrix a solo star and helped launch the Experience into orbit.
Written in early 1967 and released as a single in the UK, it became an instant counterculture anthem. Its mix of distorted blues and sci-fi surrealism made it a favourite with counterculture kids and guitar students alike.
1. All Along the Watchtower
783,557,802 streams
It’s not even his song, but it almost became one with time – Bob Dylan wrote ‘All Along the Watchtower’, but Hendrix reinvented it completely by layering guitar parts and restyling Dylan’s cryptic verses.
Released in 1968 as part of Electric Ladyland, it became Hendrix’s highest-charting single in the US. Dylan later admitted he was blown away by the cover, adopting Hendrix’s arrangement in his own live performances – making it the definitive version eventually. From the Watchmen film to countless war documentaries, this is still how most people first meet Hendrix’s sound.