Legendary hard rock masterpieces and popular songs etched in the history of music
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!
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Legendary hard rock masterpieces and popular songs etched in music history (11–20)
ParanoidBlack Sabbath
Black Sabbath are the quintessential pioneers of all hard rock and heavy metal, and they also had a massive impact on genres like hardcore punk and alternative rock.
Even as we enter the 2020s, they remain a legendary band held in constant respect.
Their towering achievements in music history can’t be summed up in a few sentences, but here I’ll introduce one of their signature songs: Paranoid.
It’s the title track of their second album, Paranoid, released in 1970 by the original lineup featuring the eternal icon Ozzy Osbourne, and it’s a staple number that’s always played live.
From the instantly recognizable intro guitar riff by the famed Tony Iommi to its almost occult, spellbinding allure, it’s a masterpiece among masterpieces.
The Final CountdownEurope
This is the biggest hit by Europe, the Swedish band, famous for its heroic keyboard phrase.
Known as pioneers of Nordic metal, they perfected their appeal with a melodic hard rock style that incorporates lyrical keyboard lines—an immortal classic in the history of hard rock and heavy metal.
Many in Japan may fondly remember that it also became a hit when it was used in a commercial.
The TrooperIron Maiden
Iron Maiden is a British rock band that helped lead the global heavy metal boom.
This is one of their many popular songs, The Trooper.
The song is based on the poem “The Charge of the Light Brigade” and was written about the Battle of Balaclava.
It sings about the futile heroism of the soldiers.
Rock music is often thought to be just loud playing and shouting, but when you read the lyrics, you often find surprisingly deep meaning in them.
Breaking The LawJudas Priest
A song characterized by a simple main riff and chorus.
Released as a single from the album “British Steel,” it became one of Judas Priest’s major breakthrough tracks.
It is now considered one of the most famous hard rock and heavy metal songs.
Cum On Feel The NoiseQuiet Riot
Quiet Riot is one of the quintessential American hard rock bands of the 1980s, and is also known as a leading force that propelled the so-called LA metal boom.
Their history goes back a long way: the band was originally formed in 1973 around Randy Rhoads, who would go down in history as a legendary guitarist.
Although the two albums they released in the ’70s did not achieve commercial success, the band restarted after the tragic accident that struck Randy Rhoads while he was performing as a member of Ozzy Osbourne’s band.
Their 1983 release Metal Health—dedicated to Randy Rhoads—became a massive hit.
This track is a cover of Slade and is one of their signature songs.
Its irresistibly singalong-friendly, catchy melody and tight sound capture the very essence of 1980s heavy metal!
JumpVan Halen
Van Halen, the hard rock band led by Eddie Van Halen—renowned as a pioneer of right-hand tapping—has an essential signature song: Jump.
Many people have probably heard its synthesizer intro, which evokes a near-futuristic vibe.
Despite being a hard rock band, the arrangement focuses more on synthesizer than guitar—fresh and striking at the time—but the members were not enthusiastic about the idea.
In a bind, Eddie asked the hugely popular producer Ted Templeman to take on production, which helped persuade the band.
Behind every classic, there are the struggles of leadership and inevitable clashes among members.
Legendary hard rock masterpieces and fan favorites etched in music history (21–30)
Purple HazeThe Jimi Hendrix Experience
A song inspired by a dream Hendrix had of walking on the ocean floor shrouded in purple mist.
It was written the day after Christmas in 1966.
Part of the lyrics were drawn from a collection of poems he occasionally jotted down.
One of the guitar tracks uses a device called the Octavia.