Rock and roll. It started as a thrilling blend of blues and country, but it has exploded into a diverse and magnificent genre. With countless subgenres from progressive rock to punk, metal to math rock, pinpointing the “best” rock songs ever feels like an impossible task, more daunting than making a deal with the devil at the crossroads. So, we stripped it back to the essentials.
Our criteria were simple, yet demanding:
- Desert Island Discs: These songs must be so essential you’d want them with you if stranded on a desert island.
- Car Rock-Out Test: They have to be the ultimate tracks for headbanging and singing along to in your car.
- Genre Pioneers: These songs had to be groundbreaking, pushing rock music forward and setting new standards.
- Timelessness: They must be as powerful and relevant today as they were when they first hit the airwaves.
Did we nail it? We believe so! You might disagree, and that’s part of the beauty of music. We probably missed your personal favorite, and we might have included a song you can’t stand. But if this list ignites your passion for rock, sends you exploring both classic and contemporary sounds, and reminds you that it’s all connected, then we’ve achieved our goal.
So crank up the volume and dive into our definitive list of the 25 Best Rock Songs of all time.
1. “I Love Rock ‘N Roll” (1981) – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
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Who cares if it’s a cover? Joan Jett & The Blackhearts made “I Love Rock ‘N Roll” their own anthem with raw energy and unmistakable attitude. With her signature black shag haircut and guitar slung low, Joan Jett doesn’t just love rock; she embodies it. Her toughness is legendary. After the Runaways disbanded, she faced rejection from 23 labels before the chart-topping success of this iconic track. Producer Kenny Laguna’s genius is evident in the song’s stripped-down, chant-like structure, perfectly blending crisp handclaps with gritty guitar chords. And at the heart of it all is Jett’s voice – a husky, powerful force, delivering pure rock and roll victory in every word. This is a quintessential best rock song.
2. “Born to Run” (1975) – Bruce Springsteen
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“At night, we ride through the mansions of glory / In suicide machines” – not your typical rock lyrics, and “Born to Run” is anything but typical. This epic ode to love, cars, and the elusive American dream is Bruce Springsteen’s masterpiece and a cornerstone of best rock songs lists. The title track from his breakthrough album, “Born to Run” is a desperate escape anthem from New Jersey via Highway 9, running through his hometown of Freehold. Springsteen’s voice starts weary, almost monotone, gradually building with a massive wall of sound – guitars, organ, sax, drums, glockenspiel, bass, keyboards – culminating in rock’s most triumphant “woo-oah”s. Relentlessly driving forward like the fuel-injected machines he sings about, the song builds to a miraculous climax: hope triumphing over despair. It’s a timeless rock anthem.
3. “Starman” (1972) – David Bowie
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David Bowie’s “Starman” is a shimmering wonder, a glam rock tale of an alien reaching out to Earth’s children via radio. While the lyrics are sci-fi infused, the song is deeply rooted in classic American pop, from the “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” octave leap to the Morse code guitar riff reminiscent of “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” and the intro’s captivating “oh-oh-oh’s.” Like unfolding origami, each layer reveals new treasures, from Mick Ronson’s stratospheric guitar work to the feel-good chorus. Bowie’s iconic 1972 BBC TV performance of “Starman” was transformative, inspiring countless future stars like Bono and Boy George as children. It was as if the song’s lyrics became reality, cementing its place as one of the best rock songs and a cultural touchstone.
4. “Once in a Lifetime” (1980) – Talking Heads
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An anthem of existential disarray, Talking Heads’ signature song “Once in a Lifetime” is driven by Tina Weymouth’s mesmerizing bassline and Chris Frantz’s rhythmic drumming. Producer Brian Eno’s studio wizardry is crucial, transforming the band’s Fela Kuti-inspired jam sessions through innovative looping techniques, far ahead of its time. The result is a soundscape like being lost in a telephone exchange, filled with repeating signals, samples, and fragments. David Byrne’s haunting, questioning lyrics (“How did I get here?”) and his delivery – a blend of fortune teller and street preacher – elevate this track into a truly unique and best rock song. It’s a sonic and lyrical masterpiece of the new wave era.
5. “Rebel Girl” (1993) – Bikini Kill
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In the 90s punk scene, mosh pits were dominated by machismo, and feminism was often dismissed. Then came Bikini Kill, fronted by the fierce Kathleen Hanna, who roared “Girls to the front!” and “Revolution girl style now!” “Rebel Girl” is Bikini Kill’s original riot grrrl anthem, powered by raw guitars and an unstoppable beat. While there are several versions, the ’98 recording, featuring Joan Jett’s beefed-up guitar riffs, is a standout. But the constant is Hanna’s powerful voice, perfectly capturing teenage girlhood with unparalleled intensity (only Poly Styrene comes close). Her Valley girl snarl is arresting, proclaiming friendship, revolution, and yes, desire. When she sang, a generation heard the sound of revolution, making it a best rock song for female empowerment.
6. “Where Is My Mind?” (1988) – Pixies
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Pixies, hailed by David Bowie as “a psychotic Beatles” and cited by Kurt Cobain as a major influence, mastered the “loud-quiet-loud” dynamic. Choosing just one “best” Pixies song is nearly impossible from their catalog of quirky, catchy, and intensely hummable tracks. However, “Where Is My Mind?” comes incredibly close. Defined by Joey Santiago’s melodic guitar waves, Black Francis’s dreamlike, panic-stricken storytelling, and Kim Deal’s ethereal “ooh-ooh’s” echoing from the studio bathroom (creating an underwater graveyard effect), this song, like all Pixies songs, finds magic in contrasts: dreamy versus screaming, darkness versus light. The result is like surf rock ignited, a truly best rock song that’s both haunting and unforgettable.
7. “Whole Lotta Love” (1969) – Led Zeppelin
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As a cornerstone of the classic rock canon, it’s easy to overlook how unconventional Led Zeppelin truly is, largely thanks to drummer John Bonham. Defying the typical rock formula where drums follow bass, Bonham locked in with Jimmy Page’s guitar, forging a heavy, winding sound unlike anything before. Even with its iconic guitar riffs, Robert Plant’s over-the-top blues lyrics, and a psychedelic theremin breakdown, “Whole Lotta Love” remains grounded by Bonzo’s powerful drumming. It’s a raw, blues-infused powerhouse, a best rock song that redefined heaviness and cemented Led Zeppelin’s legendary status.
8. “La Grange” (1973) – ZZ Top
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To fully grasp the radical nature of ZZ Top’s “La Grange” – a heavy, swinging, blues-rock behemoth – remember it dropped in 1973 when Tony Orlando and Dawn topped the charts. Billy Gibbons (guitar), Frank Beard (drums), and Dusty Hill (bass) fused modern rock with boogie blues, topped with some of the most crunchy, funky, and fiery guitar work ever recorded. The result was a completely new groove. While they later embraced a slicker, commercial image, in this era, they were just a trio of BBQ-loving Texas eccentrics doing their thing. “La Grange” is a best rock song that epitomizes raw, Texan blues-rock at its finest.
9. “Fell in Love With a Girl” (2001) – The White Stripes
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If you need a song that sounds like falling in love feels, “Fell in Love With a Girl” is it. The White Stripes understand love isn’t just hearts and flowers – it’s also snotty sing-alongs, slashing guitars, and wild energy that makes you want to jump for joy. Orson Welles said, “The enemy of art is the absence of limitations,” a mantra The White Stripes seemed to embrace. Limitation is their signature – from the three-color palette to the two-person lineup, Meg White’s simple drumming to Jack White’s love for cheap plastic guitars. If you’re puzzled how something so minimal can create such a massive sound, just ask Welles. This best rock song is a testament to raw energy and minimalist genius.
10. “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1975) – Queen
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The making of “Bohemian Rhapsody” is legendary – from marathon vocal sessions to weeks of recording and countless overdubs. But none of that matters when you press play on Queen’s operatic rock masterpiece. One key to this “mock opera’s” (as Freddie Mercury called it) enduring appeal is how much fun it is to sing along to. As entertaining as a blockbuster film, as satisfying as a feast, “Bohemian Rhapsody” – intro, ballad, solo, opera, hard rock, outro – is a monument to joyful creative excess. It’s undeniably one of the best rock songs ever, a timeless classic that continues to amaze.
11. “Gimme Shelter” (1969) – The Rolling Stones
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For a taste of chaos, look at 1969: the Manson murders, the Vietnam draft, Nixon’s election. The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” perfectly captured the end of the “peace and love” era, summing up the era’s desperation through Keith Richards’ freight-train shuffle and the panicked gospel of Mick Jagger and Merry Clayton. Clayton’s wrenching vocals, the song’s core power, came from an impromptu midnight session where she delivered the iconic “rape/murder” lines in her pajamas. A final, cursed touch: Richards’ guitar fell apart on the last note. They kept it – the sound of breaking perfectly ended a song about societal breakdown. “Gimme Shelter” is a best rock song that embodies the turbulent late 60s.
12. “There She Goes, My Beautiful World” (2004) – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
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“You weren’t much of a muse / but then I weren’t much of a poet” – hardly a typical love song, but with Nick Cave, trust us, it is. Love in all its forms, from darkest depths to silliest heights, delivered with raw desperation, is his driving force. On Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus, his 13th album with the Bad Seeds, we meet “Nick Cave 2.0” – married, sober, channeling gospel power without losing his punk spirit. “There She Goes, My Beautiful World” presents him as a black-suited power-preacher, backed by a band on fire, raging holy poetry and name-dropping Larkin, Nabokov, and Thunders in what might be the greatest (and only?) rock song about writer’s block. This is a best rock song that showcases Cave’s evolution and lyrical genius.
13. “All Day and All of the Night” (1964) – The Kinks
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Unbelievably, this song, the sound of teenage lust pressed onto vinyl, came out in 1964, when Joey Ramone was 13 and “punk rock” was years away. Yet, its raw, modern sound wouldn’t be out of place on a contemporary indie label. Yes, the chords are sharp, deliberate, perfectly paced. Ray Davies is undeniably cool. But the magic lies in that frenetic tone – the dirty, grungy, unheard-of sludge created when guitarist Dave Davies slashed his amp speaker with a razor. Just like that – with a flick of the wrist – punk rock was born. “All Day and All of the Night” is a best rock song that prefigured punk decades early.
14. “London Calling” (1979) – The Clash
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If you were lucky enough to hear “London Calling” on the radio in 1980, those first 20 seconds would stop you dead. What else sounded like Topper Headon’s drum crash as Joe Strummer and Mick Jones joined in on guitars? Boots pounding asphalt, maybe? By the time the bass drops, “London Calling” becomes a rain-soaked, three-minute film, narrated by Strummer, a master storyteller. Clash songs are solid state instruments – low budget, low frills, muscular – and this is no exception. Guitars provide sharp flashes of color, but the focus remains on Strummer and his apocalyptic tale. Apocalyptic, yes, but never bleak – more like a call to arms. “London Calling” is a best rock song that’s both a warning and a rallying cry.
15. “Blitzkrieg Bop” (1976) – The Ramones
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The Ramones were the essence of simplicity and efficiency. Four members, four chords. Identical names, identical outfits. And you always knew their fast songs were starting when Joey Ramone (the Punk Giant) counted “1, 2, 3, 4!” or, in “Blitzkrieg Bop,” “Hey, ho, let’s go!” The Ramones weren’t rock gods, but oddballs, misfits, fellow outcasts in ripped jeans. They created catchy, bouncy, perfect pop-punk, but their true legacy is their democratic spirit – everyone was invited to the party. “Blitzkrieg Bop” is a best rock song that’s pure punk energy and inclusivity.
16. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (1991) – Nirvana
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“With the lights out, it’s less dangerous / Here we are now, entertain us.” Kurt Cobain famously hated fame. Emerging from the flannel-clad Pacific Northwest grunge scene, the success of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (platinum sales, critical acclaim) seemed to surprise him. An ironic, angry anthem for an ironic, angry generation, the mix of rhythmic punk power chords (inspired by Pixies’ “Debaser”), sarcastic lyrics, and Dave Grohl’s funk-inspired drumming created rock alchemy. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is a best rock song that defined a generation and the grunge movement.
17. “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” (1968) – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
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“Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” presents Jimi Hendrix as Zeus, hurling Stratocaster thunderbolts to earth. Hendrix as a fire-breathing rock monster, Godzilla in tie-dye, or simply Guitar God, telling tales of standing next to mountains, chopping them down, making islands – you know, rock god stuff. Then, Hendrix laughs, as if winking at the listener. The wild guitar work on this track is so incendiary, he earns those bragging rights and more. “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” is a best rock song that’s pure guitar god virtuosity.
18. “Gloria” (1975) – Patti Smith
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“Jesus died for somebody’s sins but not mine,” Patti Smith declares in rock’s coolest, most self-assured intro. Her “Gloria” is a fusion of Smith’s poem “Oath” and Van Morrison’s “Gloria.” She absolutely slays it, bending Morrison’s innocent bop to fit her darker, more complex vision. When she asserts, “My sins belong to me, me,” it’s chilling, the sound of a woman claiming her space in a male-dominated rock world, pushing aside the establishment and demanding room. And they made room. “Gloria” is a best rock song that’s a powerful statement of female artistry in rock.
19. “Search and Destroy” (1973) – The Stooges
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You might know “Search and Destroy”‘s role in punk’s creation. But you might not know Bowie’s production influence. His decision to push Iggy Pop’s vocals and James Williamson’s wild guitar upfront (while lowering the rhythm section) inadvertently created a template for bands from the Sex Pistols to the White Stripes. The result is urgent, propulsive, raw, with Iggy’s supercharged lyrics about love and war, dripping with desperation. “Search and Destroy” is a best rock song that’s a proto-punk blueprint.
20. “Let’s Go Crazy” (1984) – Prince & The Revolution
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With purple bananas, elevators, church organs, feverish guitar solos, and rock’s best sermon/eulogy, Prince’s ode to partying (and religion – “de-elevator” means Satan) opened Purple Rain – album and film. Its mix of synth, drums, guitar, amazing wordplay (“Dr. Everything’ll-be-alright / will make everything go wrong”), and a howl that shames all others, stands the test of time. Now, the life-and-death lyrics have new poignancy, but songs like this secure his legacy. “Let’s Go Crazy” is a best rock song that’s a testament to Prince’s unmatched genius and showmanship.
21. “Tutti Frutti” (1955) – Little Richard
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Little Richard, a former drag performer (Princess Lavonne), exploded onto the 50s pop scene with gospel, blues, and fearless attitude. Richard, “King and Queen” of rock, screamed and played piano like his life depended on it. As EW noted, Richard openly explored gender and sexuality on stage, a first for a mainstream entertainer. To make “Tutti Frutti,” his first hit, radio-friendly, NSFW lyrics were swapped, but the vibrant spirit remained, turning “A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-lop-bam-boom” into a national catchphrase. “Tutti Frutti” is a best rock song that’s a foundational moment in rock and roll history.
22. “Johnny B. Goode” (1958) – Chuck Berry
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There’s little debate about rock and roll’s “inventor”: Chuck Berry. While “Maybellene” came first (1955), “Johnny B. Goode” truly blew the roof off, a wild guitar ride that influenced… well… everyone. And we mean everyone! “Johnny B. Goode” is a best rock song that’s the DNA of rock guitar and a cornerstone of the genre.
23. “Be My Baby” (1963) – The Ronettes
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Ronnie Spector (née Bennett), an 18-year-old singer from Spanish Harlem with a heartbreakingly emotional voice (and perfect winged eyeliner), recorded “Be My Baby” with producer Phil Spector, her future husband. Despite their tumultuous lives, this recording shines as a prime example of his “wall of sound” technique, capturing Ronnie’s perfect expression of young love – and rock history’s most iconic drum intros. Though she passed away in 2022, Ronnie’s voice endures. “Be My Baby” is a best rock song that’s a perfect blend of emotion and sonic innovation.
24. “A Day in the Life” (1967) – The Beatles
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The final track on The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is a surreal John Lennon/Paul McCartney collaboration for the ages. After John’s dark opening – “I read the news today, oh boy” – Paul steps in from another world, chirping about his cheerful morning. The song famously ends with a 40-piece orchestra going wild as McCartney directs them to crescendo from the lowest to highest notes, creating beautiful cacophony ending with a single E chord on three pianos. “A Day in the Life” is a mystery box of a song, a Beatles jewel showcasing rock’s endless creative potential. It’s a best rock song that’s a sonic adventure and a testament to The Beatles’ genius.
25. “Wuthering Heights” (1978) – Kate Bush
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Spoiler alert: “Wuthering Heights” is sung from ghost Cathy’s perspective. Non-spoiler alert: That’s not even the strangest thing about it. “Wuthering Heights” is a mood. While not traditionally rebellious, it’s possibly the most radical choice here. As bizarre now as ever, this Brontë novel set to music is greatness in a spinning chorus you can’t shake. Written by Kate Bush at 18, sung in “full banshee mode,” “Wuthering Heights” was initially rejected as a single. She insisted, filming a now-legendary video. In 2022, Stranger Things revived interest and a new fanbase. Long may she twirl. “Wuthering Heights” is a best rock song that’s utterly unique, haunting, and brilliantly unconventional.
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