 In 1989 , Rolling Stone magazine ranked " Instant Karma ! " the 79th best single of the previous 25 years . In NME Originals : Beatles – The Solo Years 1970 – 1980 , David Stubbs lists the song second among Lennon 's " ten solo gems " ( behind " Cold Turkey " ) , with the comment : " ' Instant Karma ! ' epitomises the Lennon paradox , melding hippie idealism and rock 'n'roll primal energy in an exhilarating mix . " Matt Melis of Consequence of Sound placed it third on his 2009 list of " Top Ten Songs by Ex @-@ Beatles " . According to the website Acclaimed Music , " Instant Karma ! " has also appeared in the following critics ' best @-@ songs lists and books , among others : Dave Marsh 's The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made ( 1989 ; at number 638 ) , 1000 Songs that Rock Your World by Dave Thompson ( 2011 ; number 56 ) , the NME 's " The 100 Best Songs of the 1970s " ( 2012 ; number 77 ) , and Q magazine 's " The 1001 Best Songs Ever " ( 2003 ; number 193 ) . The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame includes the track among its " 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll " . 
