[Masterpiece Selection] A Compilation of Classic Western Rock Songs
Many music listeners, regardless of generation, probably learned the word “rock” from Western music.
To convey the enduring greatness of Western rock across any era, this article highlights gem-like masterpieces born over more than 60 years of rock history, delivering a curated selection of the best rock songs for those who want to start exploring Western rock.
Articles like this tend to focus on classic oldies, but our lineup also includes artists from the 2000s onward.
So even if you used to listen to rock back in the day, be sure to check it out!
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[Masterpiece Selection] A Collection of Classic Western Rock Songs (31–40)
NumbLinkin Park
Transcending the confines of nu metal, the song released in 2003 by Linkin Park—one of the most successful rock bands of the 2000s—can rightly be called one of their signature works.
Featured on the album Meteora, the track quickly dominated the charts after its release, peaking at No.
11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spending three consecutive weeks at No.
1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, cementing its overwhelming popularity.
With its fierce guitar riffs, rap verses, and Chester Bennington’s emotionally charged vocals, the song powerfully captures themes of identity exploration and social pressure.
It resonated deeply with many young listeners and garnered widespread empathy.
In 2018, it surpassed one billion views on YouTube, becoming a landmark achievement in the rock world.
JumpVan Halen
A song by the four-piece rock band Van Halen, led by Edward Van Halen, who passed away in 2020.
While the band revolutionized rock guitar by creating the groundbreaking technique known as tapping, this track includes the surprise of him playing keyboards rather than guitar for half of the song.
It could also be said to showcase the band’s boundless musicality, as the keyboard riff that runs from the intro is the most famous part of the track.
It’s a song everyone should hear at least once—one that continues to live on in the hearts of rock fans around the world.
I Don’t Want to Miss a ThingAerosmith
Aerosmith’s signature song “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing,” famous as the theme song of the classic film Armageddon.
Among the many hits Aerosmith has released, it’s one of their most representative tracks.
The song was actually written by American songwriter Diane Warren.
She came up with it when she was commissioned to write the film’s theme and saw the final scene of Armageddon.
At first, it was planned to be sung by a female vocalist like Celine Dion.
However, Diane felt it needed more power, so she decided to have Aerosmith perform it.
The Vengeful OneDisturbed
Disturbed is an American heavy metal band formed in 1994.
They are based in Chicago, a city known as a hidden gem of the American music scene.
Since signing with Giant Records in 2000, they have achieved the remarkable feat of having every album they release go platinum.
Their classic track “The Vengeful One” features razor-sharp guitar riffs, biting vocals, and thunderous drums, making for a ferocious song.
It’s especially recommended for anyone interested in heavy metal!
Welcome To The Black ParadeMy Chemical Romance
The word “emo,” which is now used as if it’s a given, originally referred to a subgenre that emerged from the hardcore scene in the 1990s, and it was the emo boom that swept through the Western rock scene in the 2000s that directly propelled it into the mainstream.
Not all bands labeled as emo necessarily agreed with the term, but one of the flagship bands of that boom—and hugely popular in Japan as well, headlining the main stage at Summer Sonic and successfully playing the Nippon Budokan—was My Chemical Romance, known as My Chem.
As of 2022, My Chem have reunited and are touring, and their 2006 classic “Welcome to the Black Parade,” the song that catapulted them from promising newcomers to a top band in the rock scene, is a superb rock number that transcends the “emo” category and is something we’d love younger listeners to discover.
With a grand, almost old-school rock opera concept revived for the 2000s, it’s dramatically structured yet incredibly catchy—a work that feels like it poured in all the sensibility and craftsmanship they possessed at the time.
If you once avoided them just because they were riding a trend, now that we’re well into the 2020s, why not give them another listen?
[Masterpiece Selection] Collection of Classic Western Rock Songs (41–50)
Let’s DanceDavid Bowie
David Bowie’s smash hit “Let’s Dance,” released in 1983.
His past performances and numerous anecdotes made him famous as a musician with an occult aura.
However, this track is often described as “major-label Bowie.” Set to a mid-tempo, danceable rhythm section topped with his sexy vocals, it’s a song with an irresistible groove, full of mood and emotion.
A classic that stands as one of the signature works of his career.
When Doves CryPrince
Prince is the very definition of a superstar among superstars—a musician whose name is indelibly etched in American music history.
His track “When Doves Cry” appears on an album that was a massive commercial success and is widely regarded as a classic.
Among its releases, this single in particular showcases his dazzling sensibility, offering a completely new listening experience.
No wonder: it contains no bass or guitar, and its rhythm is built from uniquely striking attack sounds.
And yet it remains effortlessly listenable and pop, a track with a mysteriously compelling groove.