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 (51–60)

Rockin’ In The Free WorldNeil Young

Rockin’ in the Free World

Rockin' In The Free WorldNeil Young

Canada’s legendary musician Neil Young defies easy categorization, but his style of blasting distorted guitar at high volume is a defining hallmark.

This track is a fan favorite that appears in both acoustic and electric versions on Freedom, the hit album Young released in 1989.

The hard-edged guitar and bass, along with a song structure that alternates between calm and explosive passages, had a major impact on the grunge sound that exploded in popularity from the 1990s onward.

The song was also featured in Michael Moore’s film Fahrenheit 9/11.

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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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Wanted ManRatt

RATT – Wanted Man (Official Music Video)

Wanted ManRatt

Although it was a transitional period between heavy metal and hard rock that still retained a hint of Black Sabbath-like darkness, in Los Angeles—where breezy sounds like AOR and fusion dominated—it evolved into music that coexisted with pop.

Ratt is a representative band of LA metal.

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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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Legendary hard rock masterpieces and popular songs that have made their mark in music history (61–70)

Mississippi QueenMountain

Mississippi Queen

Mississippi QueenMountain

Mountain, an American hard rock band, possesses strong songwriting and performance abilities shaped by a wide range of musical influences, including American country music.

While this song is their most famous as a hard rock band, listening to their other tracks reveals a surprising breadth of variety.

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Deserted Cities of the HeartCream

Cream – Live Cream II – 1 – Deserted Cities of the Heart

Deserted Cities of the HeartCream

This is a track from the 1968 double album Wheels of Fire by the supergroup that featured legendary players Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, and Ginger Baker.

Also known in Japan by the title “Arehateta Machi” (“Deserted City”), it’s a hidden gem that showcases their harder edge.

As you can especially tell from the live recordings, the band’s ensemble—three players each refusing to back down—is thrilling and undeniably cool.

Busy, intricate drumming, a restlessly moving bass, and a roaring guitar solo… it’s a number so powerful it would send your average hard rock band running for the hills.

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renegadeFortune

fortune-Renegade

renegadeFortune

To be frank, the vocals are weak.

The playing isn’t particularly skillful either.

However, the beauty of the guitar and keyboard melodies more than makes up for it.

It’s brimming with melancholy.

The melodic sense is outstanding.

It’s a bittersweet song that somehow evokes an image of a Nordic sunset.

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