'Glee' Turns 5, Let's Rank Their Best Performances

Five years, five seasons, 108 episodes, and over 600 (SIX HUNDRED!) musical performances later, we’re getting ready to bid farewell to Glee as it heads into its sixth and final season. They certainly didn’t get there without hardship or controversy, though. No one ever thought a show like Glee would work. I mean, a bunch of twentysomething actors posing as high school kids singing songs from Sondheim to Barbra Streisand to Vanilla Ice on prime time television? It hardly seemed plausible, but somehow with its quick wit, cast of unknowns, and mainly untapped reserves of talent, everything that seemed odd about the program is what ultimately worked for it. The show about championing the underdog was the underdog itself. And boy, did they show everyone.

Arguably, the one thing Glee has never faltered on in the past five years has been the music, where the heart of the show lies. They’ve done some truly amazing covers that have appealed not only to the kids watching the show, but the parents who watch with them. If Glee had to claim one sole success out of the many it’s achieved, it should be that they have taught today’s youth that there is so much more than the Top 40 hits and that there is merit is music of all kinds. In honor of the impact Glee has had, we’ve decided to rank its top best 65 performances from the last five seasons (and I assure you, it was not easy limiting it to 65).

Here’s our list of the best performances that have made us laugh, cry, clap, and dance along since 2009:

65. DON'T SPEAK

64. DOO WOP (THAT THING)

This was GOOD.

63. POMPEII

The reason we loved this so much was that it gave us that early Glee feeling late in the 5th Season when things seemed awry.

62. ALL THAT JAZZ

61. SMOOTH CRIMINAL

60. SONGBIRD

Arguably Naya Rivera's best vocal performance.

59. LAST CHRISTMAS

December isn't the same without hearing Lea Michele whispering "Christma.s"

58. FORGET YOU

57. SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW

I mean, Darren Criss, that is all.

56. THE SCIENTIST

Powerful and heartfelt performance by all. One of the bright lights in the 4th season.

55. TAKE ME OR LEAVE ME

Perfection.

54. I DREAMED A DREAM

53. GET HAPPY/HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN

I'm not sure if I love this performance or I love it because Lea Michele and Chris Colfer look like they're having the time of their lives.

52. THE SAFETY DANCE

Artie can break it down!

51. PUSH IT

I still hysterically laugh to this day watching it. This is what made Glee, Glee.

50. BORN THIS WAY

Iconic.

49. YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT

I love the character transformation from the first performance to the last.

48. LEAN ON ME

So. Many. Feelings.

47. YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE

I felt like I was graduating all over again watching this, such a great deliverance by the "seniors."

46. SO EMOTIONAL

This made us too question why Rachel and Santana had waited so long to duet with their amazing vocals and fired up attitudes.

45. FOR GOOD

I mean...

44. SHAKE IT OUT

Hauntingly beautiful.

43. MY LOVE IS YOUR LOVE

*Warm Fuzzies*

42. I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU

Sang it, Mercedes.

41. THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE

Who cut those onions?!

40. HOMEWARD BOUND/HOME

Love, love, LOVE this mash up.

39. MARRY YOU & JUST THE WAY YOU ARE

I wish I could've attended the Hudson/Hummel wedding. It looked like the bomb.com.

38. AND I AM TELLING YOU I'M NOT GOING

~DIVA~

37. COUGH SYRUP

Probably one of Glee's most poignant songs/montages. I was left gutted after watching it.

36. JESSIE'S GIRL

Everything about this, YES. Cory Monteith was such a dreamboat.

35. GLORY DAYS

34. RIVER DEEP — MOUNTAIN HIGH

One of my favorite duets of the series. SO MUCH FUN!

33. I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND

You're killing me, Smalls.

32. IF I WERE A BOY

Amazing how they transformed this song.

31. JUST THE WAY YOU ARE

Loved the song in relation to the dynamic of this group. Plus it sounded freakin' amazing.

30. KEEP HOLDIN' ON

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29. START ME UP/LIVIN' ON A PRAYER

28. JUMP!

This was the greatest and I lived vicariously through them as they fufilled everyone's childhood fantasy of mattress jumping.

27. I'LL STAND BY YOU

It's hard to watch this now, but Monteith showed so much depth so early on in his portrayal of Finn Hudson.

26. IMAGINE

So very poignant.

25. TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART

This may be the only reason I ever got the Old School version out of my head.

24. WE'VE GOT TONITE

So much romantic/sexual tension, one of the best songs in later Glee.

23. BARRACUDA

Adam Lambert and Lea Michele, that is all.

22. I'M A SLAVE 4 U

Heather Morris is a god.

21. SINGING IN THE RAIN/UMBRELLA

20. OPEN YOUR HEART/BORDERLINE

This solidified their rank as the top couple on Glee/In life. I'm swooning.

19. VALERIE

This was Naya Rivera's first real shot at a solo and she KILLED it.

18. LIKE A VIRGIN

17. RUMOUR HAS IT/SOMEONE LIKE YOU

16. DON'T RAIN ON MY PARADE

Obviously.

15. WE FOUND LOVE

Glee, ruining normal proposals since 2012.

14. WITHOUT YOU

Seriously, was there any question that these two were dating?

13. NO ONE IS ALONE

Honestly, I haven't stopped listening to it since it aired. The vocals are perfect. PERFECT.

12. YESTERDAY

Lea Michele channeled her heartbreak into something beautiful.

10. NATIONALS 2012 (EDGE OF GLORY, IT'S ALL COMING BACK TO ME NOW, PARADISE BY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT)

I mean if they didn't actually win Nationals, they sure won it in my heart.

9. THRILLER/HEADS WILL ROLL

So bad ass.

8. TO SIR, WITH LOVE

<3

7. BETH

Still crying about this...

6. MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE

This just goes without saying. You can feel it.

5. I FEEL PRETTY/UNPRETTY

Best mash up hands down of the entire series.

4. BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

Jonathan Groff slayed it.

3. DON'T STOP BELIEVIN'

This song/performance IS Glee.

2. FAITHFULLY/JOURNEY MEDLEY

That, ladies and gentlemen, is a duet.

1. SOMEBODY TO LOVE

Everything Glee embodies-- unparalleled singing, cheesy choreographed dancing, and the undeniable chemistry between the group.

We salute you, Glee. Here's to making the 6th season everything it ought to be.

Image: FOX