Western Rock Popularity Ranking [2026]

Don’t Stop Me NowQueen50rank/position

Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now (Official Video)

A high-velocity arrangement featuring piano sounds delivers a liberating rock tune.

Included on Queen’s seventh album, “Jazz,” the track was also released as a single in January 1979.

The lyrics portray the protagonist’s unstoppable surge of exhilaration and energy as they revel in life, and that positive worldview is simply unbeatable.

Anchored by Freddie Mercury’s powerful piano and vocals, the chorus blooms with the band’s signature multi-tracked harmonies.

Featured in numerous works, including the film “Shaun of the Dead,” this song sets the stage for perfect moments at parties or on drives—truly a number that shakes the dance floor.

Somebody To LoveQueen51rank/position

Queen – Somebody To Love (Official Video)

I definitely think Queen has beautiful choruses, but I feel this song reaches its climax from the moment Freddie Mercury starts playing the piano.

As always, the vocals are gorgeous, and I don’t think there are many vocalists who can sing so naturally with that level of nuance and dynamic expression.

EvenflowPearl Jam52rank/position

Pearl Jam – Even Flow (Official Video)

Hailing from the same Seattle scene as Nirvana, they are a quintessential alternative rock band that transformed the early 1990s music landscape.

Despite lineup changes, they are one of the few bands that have never disbanded and have continued their activities well into the 2020s.

Frontman Eddie Vedder—whose voice is often compared to that of Jim Morrison—was hailed, alongside Kurt Cobain, as a spokesperson for Generation X.

Yet, as you can hear in the classic Even Flow introduced here, early Pearl Jam in particular is characterized by a dynamic sound built around 1970s-style hard rock riffs.

It’s a track that captures this great American rock band in their youth, so be sure to crank it up loud!

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KOH-1

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Johnny B. GoodeChuck Berry53rank/position

Johnny B. Goode

When it comes to songs that define the golden age of rock and roll, this one is indispensable.

Its story of the American Dream and the power of music grips listeners and never lets go.

The soundscape woven by Chuck Berry’s brilliant guitar playing and its lively rhythm is rock and roll in its purest form.

Released in 1958, the song earned high praise in Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” and was influential enough to be included on the Voyager Golden Record.

Its use in the film Back to the Future is also well known.

This track is dedicated to everyone who pursues their dreams through music.

Live ForeverOasis54rank/position

Oasis – Live Forever (Official HD Remastered Video)

Oasis is a band that has given me strength.

Noel Gallagher’s guitar solos feel more powerful than any UK rock I’ve heard before, and Liam Gallagher’s vocals are becoming addictive.

Surfin UsaThe Beach Boys55rank/position

Beach Boys – Surfin Usa HD

I bet many of you can recognize it from the intro alone.

A must-listen rock track for summer is the Beach Boys’ “Surfin’ U.S.A.” It’s a feel-good song that conjures up images of a sparkling ocean under a clear blue sky.

The clean-toned, surf-rock guitar sound is perfect for the season.

Many people may know it from the “Suzuki Xbee” commercial, too.

It’s a peaceful summer song with the message that “everyone’s surfing, just like in California.”

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Yoimachi Jēn

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Never MeantAmerican Football56rank/position

American Football – Never Meant [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

An emotionally moving song whose delicate phrases, woven by two interlacing guitars, seep deep into the heart.

It’s the opening track of the American indie rock band American Football’s 1999 album, American Football.

While it portrays the bittersweet feelings of a love nearing its end, the ensemble built on irregular time signatures and the softly resonant trumpet in the final section gently envelop those sentimental emotions.

Fifteen years after its release, the official music video was unveiled in 2014 and became a topic of conversation.

Like this track, if you listen on a night when you want to quietly immerse yourself in fading memories, you’ll feel a warm catharsis nestled within the sadness.