[Western Music] The World of Power Ballads: A Collection of Must-Listen Gems to Start With
Have you ever heard the term “power ballad”? It refers to songs in the ballad style that incorporate emotional guitar solos and solid, heavy drums, often featuring rich backing vocals, beautiful strings, and piano.
In fact, they’ve been around since the 1970s.
For those who know the golden age of Western music in the 1980s, the term is familiar, but many younger music fans may not know it well.
Even bands from heavier genres of the time, like heavy metal and hard rock, usually had at least one classic power ballad on their albums.
This time, we’ll be introducing some of the greatest power ballads in Western music!
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[Western Music] The World of Power Ballads: A Curated Collection of Must-Listen Gems (1–10)
Home Sweet HomeMötley Crüe
Motley Crüe, the rock band that has led the stadium rock genre with their flashy visuals and performances.
Their 1985 release Home Sweet Home is a power ballad that reflects on their hometown.
The song opens with the piano played by the band’s drummer, Tommy Lee, and then Vince Neil’s vocals gently come in over it.
The rest of the band joins, creating a track where you can enjoy a beautiful melody and a powerful band sound characteristic of a power ballad.
Love SongTesla
Tesla is one of the bands that epitomized the hair metal boom that swept the United States in the 1980s.
Among their songs, the standout power ballad is “Love Song.” It opens with simple guitar accompaniment and a commanding vocal performance.
Jeff Keith’s raspy voice and vocal prowess are utterly captivating.
The song expresses feelings for a loved one—true to its title, “Love Song” is a passionate ode to love.
Can’t Fight This FeelingREO Speed Wagon
REO Speedwagon is a rock band whose 1980 album Hi Infidelity recorded phenomenal sales.
Their 1984 release Can’t Fight This Feeling is a power ballad where I especially want you to pay attention to the guitar solo.
In particular, the mid-song guitar solo begins with very high notes called harmonics, adding a great touch of spice to the otherwise calm mood of the song—it makes you want to listen to it over and over!
AngelAerosmith
“Angel,” with its emotionally charged guitar solo in the intro, leaves a strong impression.
This song is a very famous ballad by the American rock legends Aerosmith, included on their 1987 album “Permanent Vacation.” The transition from Joey Kramer’s pre-chorus drum hits into Steven Tyler’s powerful vocals is a textbook example of a power ballad’s beautiful flow—and it’s truly moving!
(Everything I Do) I Do It For YouBryan Adams
Bryan Adams is a singer-songwriter from Canada.
His 1991 release “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” is a power ballad known for its strong vocals and rich harmonies.
It starts with a quiet piano accompaniment, so at first it seems like an ordinary ballad, but the band sound comes in partway through and the song builds more and more—that’s the key point.
The arrangement that ends with an emotional guitar solo is really cool, too!