Rock is a genre that is by many looked upon like a holy grail of music. I share that opinion. Rock is simply superior in every way imaginable. Today, I welcome you all to my picks for the best fifteen songs this genre has to offer. Hope you enjoy!! Also, please remember that music is in fact subjective.
This track is the first real rock classic most of us ever heard. It truly is a classic. Queen did wonders creating this song, one that offers everything. From its moody intro, great instrumentation, to the big, amazing crescendo it offers, "Bohemian Rhapsody" lives in the world it created. A timeless song that every generation alive can agree sounds incredible, even today.
An absolute masterpiece. LCD Soundsystem for sure put some LSD in this one... Not my best joke, but regardless, "Dance Yrself Clean" infects your brain like no other song ever. The first half of this track, the build up, it's so pretty and also kind of emotional. It has that "empty" vibe to it, like something you seek is missing. And what you seek is that big, enormous drop that happens a bit after the third minute of this track. Once it starts, head bopping becomes a reflex.
Car Seat Headrest are always bound to cause a reaction. Be that because of how blown away you are by their unique sound and song progressions, or because of your dislike for them courtesy of those two same reasons. This track offers some of the best instrumentation the bend ever put out, as well as a great lyrical and singing performance from Will Toledo. Every teen was at a certain moment obsessed with this track, for a good reason.
Black midi rose to the fame super fast, it's a shame band broke up before they reached their full potential. However, on "953" we get to witness the absolute peak performance from them, up to date. It is so easy to give in and let this track have its ways with your body. Haunting but also super catchy guitars and those powerful drums infect your brain the moment you hear them. Geordie has the most normal singing approach to a Black Midi song ever, making it easy to listen to even for people who are not used to their usual sound.
Everyone's favorite song from their emo phase proves to all of the parents that it in fact wasn't a phase! My Chemical Romance finally are starting to get the praise they more then deserve, almost 20 years after their magnum-opus, "Black Parade" came out. The track I'm talking about right now is the modern version of "Bohemian Rhapsody", but even better. "WTTBP" is a great, moody, catchy, emotional and unique song, that for sure going to leave you feeling both pumped out and empty once you finish it.
From MCR to The Beatles... well, that's how this list functions. This track right here is, in my opinion, by far the best, most straight to the point song these legends have made in their more than rich career. It is super easy to listen to, yet it isn't your everyday "tralalal" song, hell no. It is truly hard to understand how The Beatles created such a track in the 60s. If you told me that The Strokes released this yesterday, I would have believed you.
This being the number 9 spot only proves how many incredible tracks rock has to offer. All of the songs before are amazing, of course, but the difference between the number 9 and the number 1 spot is much smaller than the difference between "Let Down" and "Oh! Darling". Radiohead have made countless, and I mean truly countless classics over the years. This song means a lot to me, so it pains me to put it this low, but it had to be done... Insane guiatars, amazing vocals and other-wordly progressions are the highlights of this one.
Best thing The Strokes ever released. This song is impossible to describe. Each section of it is perfect, yet the entire track gradually gets better and better. Julian's vocal performance is so good, I get goosebumps every time I hear that final part of it. You can for sure make a case for this song to be ranked higher.
Grandparents of rock had to be here. It was extremely hard for me to choose a single track that I consider to be their best, yet in the end it had to be this 12 minute long powerhouse of a song titled, "Starless". That guitar will be the death of me. It sounds like literal perfection. Every note is there for a reason. Rest of the track evolves around it, patiently waiting for a moment in which it explodes. Once that explosion happens, you feel surprised, because the co-star of the song, saxophone, takes over, and for the first time proves that it could be a big part of a rock song.
A song that is longer then most of the modern albums. Do not get scared of the 33 minute run-time, trust me, you can not get ready for this song regardless. No matter how hard you try to prepare for it, you will fail. It simply is stronger than you. I find it kind of pointless to even talk about it, I mean, what can I even say? It would take me hours just scratch the surface. One thing is for sure though, you are bound to be hypnotized, scared, pumped up, horrified, happy and then once it ends completely empty.
Choosing a single song from Pink Floyd felt like a crime. There are so many amazing picks to be made, yet the one I love the most is this one right here. I feel like this is more of a statement than a track. It doesn't feel like I'm listening to music when I put this song on. It feels like I'm in my class, listening to my profesor talking about something that I'll later forget. You can not forget this song though. It would be amazing if you could, I would love to experience it again for the first time. Even now, after listening to it for too many times, it still always leaves me amazed by the pure brilliance Pink Floyd created.
It is very hard for me to listen to this song. It provokes so many emotions, both welcomed and not welcomed, all at once. I have to see Sigur Ros play live at some point. It would be a dream come true. Even though it is hard to listen to, "Milano" is one of the prettiest tracks I have ever heard in my entire life. The whole atmosphere Sigur Ros creates is other-worldly. Like you are missing something you never had, like you are waiting for something amazing to happen, but you don't know what. It's a once in a lifetime type of song. Sonically, that piano and guitars, as well as strings, make you forget everything. You just float while you listen to them, combined with the beautiful performance from the lead singer.
A song that got released a couple of years ago is already a classic. That's how good "Basketball Shoes" is. All of the greatness of "Ants From Up There" shines the brightest on the closer of the album - this track. Isaac Wood delivers one of the best vocal and lyrical performances of this decade. You can hear pain, agony and despair every time he opens his mouth. Strong British accent of his only ads fuel to the fire, as it makes you feel like you are listening to an ancient English poet singing his heart out for the first time ever, and nailing it. Rest of the band creates an epic atmosphere. All of the instruments sound so cinematic, every note is there for a reason. The final crescendo is one of the best moments in all of music, ever. The slow build up only builds the tension, and once the instruments explode it feels like a meteor hit your ears, in the best way possible. It sounds so beautiful, every member of the band gave their all and it absolutely shows. Sad to know we will never hear them create a track like this one since Isaac left the band, but we can keep playing this one over and over and over again, because no matter how many times you hear it, you will always be blown away by it.
This one has some sort of magic in it, for sure. On surface, "Bloodhail" doesn't seem that different that your standard slow-core song. But once u finish it you understand that this tracks is in a league of its own. It makes you feel like you are floating in darkness, like there is no light around you. That description could make you think: What? Who would listen to such a song?" and you are right! Who would listen to one of the most agonizing tracks ever made - no one. But, if you ever decide to listen to it, you are going to keep listening to it for as long as you are alive, that's that magic I mentioned earlier. Somehow, it makes you glued to the sound Have A Nice Life created on "Bloodhail".
HONORABLE MENTIONS: "Seven Nation Army" by The White Strips (alternative rock), "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers (pure rock), "Space Dementia" by Muse (alternative rock), "Where Is My Mind" by Pixies (alternative rock) and "Smells Like Teens Spirit" by Nirvana (grunge)
Not the best rock song of all time, but the best song of all time. This band is in my opinion the best musical group ever, and I don't think it's even close. I could have put any song they ever released at this spot and it would have been fair, but "Sleep" is that theatrical, that supreme, that unique, that beautiful, that it simply had to be my final pick. It's a 23 minute compositions that consists multiple parts. There are slow, classical, builds up, crescendos, slow parts, builds up, builds up, crescendos, slow parts, short build up and then another, final crescendo. Each minute of any Godspeed You! song has it's own ecosystem, "Sleep" is an exception though. It has it's own atmosphere. It's more of a planet than a song. A big planet, Mars maybe, I don't know. This Canadian band has made numerous, countless classics, but "Lift Your Skinny Fists..." is an album that is a perfect example on how music should sound. There is not a single second on that record that is wasted, every little thing, no matter how insignificant it may sound on the first listen, is there for a reason. Each time they get into a studio and start working on a song, it's like they are building an apartment complex. The way they do things so delicately, with so much care and emotion is what makes them be the best band of all time in my opinion. The fact that they are able to tell a story and make you feel all kinds of emotions, anger, despair, happiness, pain, hope, without the use of words, only with their incredible instruments is also something that we might never get to witness again. So, everyone, cherish it. Be thankful that you discovered this band.