Recommended hard rock and heavy metal

Legendary hard rock masterpieces and popular songs etched in the history of music

Live Spot LugHirata Hiroyasu
I’m Hiroyasu Hirata from Live Spot RAG. When I was 15, I was blown away by how cool music—especially rock—was, and I started playing guitar and formed a band. I’m from Kochi Prefecture, where there weren’t many live houses or concert venues, so there were few opportunities to experience live music. Back then, our sources of information were magazines, CDs, and even VHS tapes (!?). Still, I was captivated by the sparkle of music, and I spent my days enjoying guitar and music, mostly neglecting my studies. I moved to Kyoto for university and “graduated” from the light music club, so to speak (laugh). Until then, I mainly listened to Japanese rock and Western hard rock, but thanks to seniors and peers I learned there was so much more music in the world. Now I listen to anything that strikes me as good, regardless of genre. After graduating, I joined RAG. After about six years in the office and about ten years in the music studio, I now work at the long-established Live Spot RAG, which has been around for 39 years, mainly handling promotions. Being exposed to the “real music” performed by Japan’s top musicians and delivering it to our audience lets me feel the brilliance of music anew every day. I still play guitar and keep a band going casually, and in recent years I’ve even started singing—better late than never. I’ve fully become an old guy by now, but I hope we can continue to chase “what lies beyond the dreams I painted with music back then” together.

Hard rock, rooted in blues rock, transformed its sound to become heavier and more dramatic.

The achievements of Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Van Halen, Queen, and Aerosmith are nothing short of legendary.

For those who listened in real time, it remains a beloved formative musical experience; for younger generations, it offers chances to discover music they didn’t know and to make new findings.

In this article, we’ve picked out great hard rock bands and classic tracks that will surely be talked about for generations to come.

Even within the hard rock genre, there are songs that head in many different directions, so please enjoy!

Legendary hard rock masterpieces and popular songs etched in the history of music (71–80)

pickin up the piecesGlenn Hughes

Glenn Hughes Pickin’ Up The Pieces

pickin up the piecesGlenn Hughes

If you’re talking about pioneers of hard rock, Deep Purple is one of the first that comes to mind, and Glenn Hughes was a member of that band.

This track was made with members of Europe serving as the backing band.

His wide-ranging, soulful vocals are one of a kind, and his individuality shines through fully on this song as well.

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We’re An American BandGrand Funk Railroad

We’re An American Band (Remastered 2002)

We're An American BandGrand Funk Railroad

As the title suggests, this is a signature track by Grand Funk Railroad, a hard rock band that symbolizes America.

The intro’s cowbell really gives it that classic American hard rock feel.

Drummer Don Brewer handles the lead vocals.

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wicked sensationLynch Mob

LYNCH MOB ¤ Wicked Sensation (1990)

wicked sensationLynch Mob

A band formed by former Dokken guitar hero George Lynch.

Featuring soaring high tones in the vocals riding over an LA-style sound, this is a textbook example of American hard rock.

The guitar solo—flashy yet tightly composed, with stretchy, rapid-fire runs—is a must-hear.

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i am iQueensrÿche

Queensryche – I Am I

i am iQueensrÿche

From the 1994 album “Promised Land.” While the album as a whole carries a dark atmosphere, this track blends a throbbing groove with a psychedelic sense of weightlessness.

When I first heard it, it felt so unlike their usual style.

But the more I listened, the more that strange vibe became addictive, and now it’s one of my favorites.

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RemedyThe Black Crowes

The Black Crowes – Remedy

RemedyThe Black Crowes

The Black Crowes debuted in a Rolling Stones style, but from their second album they shifted direction to a sound that, while retaining an American Southern rock flavor, evokes Led Zeppelin.

The already hard-driving rhythms became even tighter than on their previous work.

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