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 (41–50)

How Come It Never RainsThe Dogs D’Amour

Dogs D’ Amour – How Come It Never Rains (live)

How Come It Never RainsThe Dogs D'Amour

The Dogs D’Amour gained popularity with mellow songs and hard-edged performances.

Their Rolling Stones–like style won them many fans in Japan as well.

VO Tyla’s husky voice is another attraction.

It seems they are still active, going through lineup changes, breakups, and reunions.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

overnight sensationFireHouse

Firehouse-Overnight sensation [HQ and LYRICS]

overnight sensationFireHouse

They’re an American band.

In their early days, they had many catchy, straightforward songs.

Among them, this is my favorite.

It’s in my top five favorite songs.

High notes, up-tempo pace, flashy guitar solos—everything you want from hard rock is packed into this one track.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

change comes aroundHarem Scarem

Harem Scarem – Mood Swings II 04 – Change Comes Around

change comes aroundHarem Scarem

They’re a hard rock band from Canada.

It’s the fourth track from their debut album, featuring a driving, cutting rhythm intertwined with high-pitched vocals.

The guitar solo is plenty melodic, and the overall arrangement is polished to a level you wouldn’t expect from a first album.

The rapid-fire shifts in the song’s development are exciting, and the way it slows down at the end is a nice touch.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

stars and the moonFair Warning

FAIR WARNING – Stars and the Moon

stars and the moonFair Warning

It’s a band originally formed by members of Germany’s ZENO.

Their first album was very well received, and this is the first track on the follow-up album.

That said, it’s hard to deny that it’s overshadowed by the album’s strongest killer tune, “Burning Heart.” Even so, despite its mid-tempo pace, I think it’s a great song that really captures their signature style.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

freak of the weekFreak Kitchen

Freak Kitchen – Freak of the Week – Official Music Video

freak of the weekFreak Kitchen

A Swedish trio led by Mattias Eklundh, famed as an eccentric/virtuoso guitarist.

Their catchy melodies riding atop a thick, three-piece-defying sound are highly addictive.

What they do is technically very demanding, yet the distinctive melodies that make you forget the difficulty are a unique hallmark found only in this band.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

(I Can’t Get No) SatisfactionThe Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones – (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (Official Lyric Video)

(I Can't Get No) SatisfactionThe Rolling Stones

The song was released in the United States on June 6, 1965, just one month after Keith Richards came up with the guitar riff.

It spent four weeks at No.

1 on the U.S.

charts.

The track was used in the 1984 film Starman, starring Jeff Bridges.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Rising ForceYngwie Malmsteen

Rising Force

Rising ForceYngwie Malmsteen

In the hard rock/heavy metal scene—where the guitar came to the point of determining a band’s popularity—speedsters emerged who showed off blistering fast playing.

Yngwie Malmsteen is a prime example; trained in classical guitar, his technique was exceptional.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem