\n<\/p>\n
The Top 50 American Rock Songs don’t necessarily scream “U.S.A.! U.S.A.!,” but there’s no mistaking the country of origin for most of these artists.<\/p>\n
The songs below, as selected by the UCR staff,\u00a0reflect\u00a0a certain coming of age for rock music through the decades\u00a0\u2014 from 1950s pioneers through revolutions in the ’60s, ’70s and beyond. The Summer of Love, punk music and the rise of alternative rock in the ’90s are all reflected in these choices.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0story explores American music\u00a0since the second half of the 20th century through its big cities, backstreets and everything in between. The artists and songs listed here have shaped the cultural landscape over the years, and decades later, they still\u00a0ring as proudly as they did when they were first released.<\/p>\n
50. Jerry Lee Lewis, “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” (From 1957 single)<\/strong><\/p>\n R&B singer Big Maybelle recorded the first version of\u00a0“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” in 1955 in a\u00a0record arranged\u00a0by Quincy Jones<\/a>. But recent Sun Records signee Jerry Lee Lewis<\/a> recorded\u00a0the song at his second session for the label in 1957 and hit No. 1 on the R&B and country charts (the single stalled at No. 3 on Billboard’s main tally). It\u00a0remains a cornerstone record of rock ‘n’ roll’s emergence in the second half of the ’50s.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 49. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, “I Love Rock ‘n Roll” (From I Love Rock ‘n Roll<\/em>, 1981)<\/strong><\/p>\n Two years removed from her scarring experience in the Runaways<\/a>, Los Angeles-based Joan Jett<\/a> titled her second solo album <\/a>after a 1976 riff-driven song by little-heard London band the Arrows and led the LP with it. The track was also the lead single, and thanks to support from the nascent MTV network, “I Love Rock ‘n Roll” shot to No. 1, making Jett and her band the Blackhearts one of the biggest successes of the era.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 48. Motley Crue, “Kickstart My Heart” (From Dr. Feelgood<\/em>, 1989)<\/strong><\/p>\n Inspired by bassist Nikki Sixx’<\/a>s 1987 overdose in which his heart temporarily stopped beating, Motley Crue<\/a>‘s 1989 Top 30 single, the second from their only No. 1 album,\u00a0Dr. Feelgood<\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>rides a wave\u00a0of squawking talk box played by guitarist Mick Mars<\/a>. “Kickstart My Heart” (written solely by Sixx) served as the prelude to the LP’s big power ballad, “Without You,” a\u00a0No. 8\u00a0hit that became the group’s final\u00a0appearance in the Top 10.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 47. Little Richard, “Tutti Frutti”<\/strong> (From 1955 single)<\/strong><\/p>\n One of rock ‘n’ roll’s first warning shots, “Tutti Frutti” was more than a rallying cry from wild-man pioneer Little Richard<\/a>; it was a call to arms for a new generation raised on postwar affluence and idealism. More than half a century from its release, the song’s famous refrain of “A-wop-bop-a-loo-mop-a-lop-bam-boom!<\/em>” still sounds like a message from another world. The blueprints of rock music\u00a0\u2014 from garages to punk\u00a0\u2014 start here.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 46. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion” (From Out of Time<\/em>, 1991)<\/strong><\/p>\n R.E.M.<\/a> started their second decade with the biggest song of their career, from their first No. 1 album. The Athens, Georgia, quartet was the leading act to emerge from the American college-radio boom of the ’80s; by the end of the decade, they were signed to a major label\u00a0in one of the most lucrative deals ever made. “Losing My Religion” introduced R.E.M. and their enigmatic gothic pop to a hungry new audience.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> Top 50 American Rock Albums<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 45. Aerosmith, “Walk This Way”<\/strong> (From Toys in the Attic<\/em>, 1975)<\/strong><\/p>\n “Walk This Way” saved\u00a0Aerosmith<\/a>‘s career twice: first in 1975 when the song became their second Top 10 hit, proving they weren’t going to be one-hit wonders, and again in 1986, when Run-D.M.C. enlisted singer Steven Tyler<\/a> and guitarist Joe Perry<\/a> to guest on their hit rap remake, sparking a renewed interest in the band leading to more Top 10s. The\u00a0slinking riff is one of the group’s most defining moments and a career summation.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 44. Buffalo Springfield, “For What It’s Worth” (From 1966 single)<\/strong><\/p>\n Not the anti-war song it’s often mistaken for, “For What It’s Worth” was inspired by something closer to home for the Los Angeles-based Buffalo Springfield<\/a>: clashes between young people and police after a curfew was set in Hollywood’s Sunset Strip area. The song’s message is open to interpretation (“There’s something happening here, but what it is ain’t exactly clear<\/em>“), transcending scenes and decades.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 43. Green Day, “American Idiot”<\/strong> (From American Idiot<\/em>, 2004)<\/strong><\/p>\n Nearly a decade after their breakout album\u00a0Dookie<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0Green Day<\/a>\u00a0aimed for larger ambitions with their\u00a02004 LP. Drawing inspiration from ’60s artists like\u00a0the Kinks<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0the Who<\/a>, who transformed their basic rock ‘n’ roll foundation into conceptual works, the California punk trio addressed Bush-era policies through the\u00a0songs of American Idiot<\/em>. Disillusionment and the dumbing\u00a0down of a nation spark both LP and the title song.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 42. Guns N’ Roses, “Sweet Child O’ Mine” (From Appetite for Destruction<\/em>, 1987)<\/strong><\/p>\n Guns N’ Roses <\/a>barnstormed through the late ’80s like a band with a purpose. And in a way, they were. Dissatisfied with the path hard rock had taken during the MTV era of spandex and glam, the hard-partying Los Angeles quintet reveled in the danger and debauchery of an earlier era, backing up the bad behavior with a debut<\/a> that\u00a0hit harder and fiercer than its contemporaries. Pop hit “Sweet Child O’ Mine” detours briefly.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 41. Lou Reed, “Walk on the Wild Side” (From Transformer<\/em>, 1972)<\/strong><\/p>\n Lou Reed<\/a> made his best solo\u00a0LP two years after leaving the Velvet Underground <\/a>and reshaping rock music’s boundaries with the band. Released six months after his self-titled debut,\u00a0Transformer<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>showed off a new Reed in late 1972: less stubborn, more commercial and willing to make a compromise or two in service of his songs.\u00a0A celebration of the\u00a0tattered, “Walk on the Wild Side” was his only chart single.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 40. The Beach Boys, “God Only Knows”<\/strong> (From Pet Sounds<\/em>, 1966)<\/strong><\/p>\n Brian Wilson<\/a>‘s 1964 retirement from touring opened new chapters for himself and the Beach Boys<\/a>. In 1966, he released the masterpiece\u00a0Pet Sounds<\/a><\/em>, a landmark pop record that continues to influence generations of artists and vision-seekers.\u00a0<\/span>Calling the gorgeous hymn-like “God Only Knows” its centerpiece downplays the significance of everything else he created on the LP. He never did make anything\u00a0as grand, though.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 39. Simon and Garfunkel, “The Sound of Silence” (From Sounds of Silence<\/em>, 1966)<\/strong><\/p>\n The first version of “The Sound of Silence” appeared on Simon and Garfunkel<\/a>‘s 1964 debut,\u00a0Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.<\/a><\/i>, but after the\u00a0LP failed to find an audience, Paul Simon<\/a> moved to London to pursue a solo career. Fast-forward to summer 1965, and producer Tom Wilson, taking note of the folk-rock explosion in the U.S., remixed the song with drums and electric instruments. It went to No. 1, and Simon came home.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 38. Bob Dylan, “The Times They Are A-Changin'”<\/strong> (From The Times They Are A-Changin’<\/em>, 1964)<\/strong><\/p>\n Only a\u00a0few years into his career, Bob Dylan<\/a> was still courting the folk audience he coveted early on, hoping to compose a song that could be passed down through generations like the ancient\u00a0European ballads he loved.\u00a0“The Times They Are A-Changin'” was deliberately written as such a tune, one with a melody as universal as its message. The song led and gave title to Dylan’s third album<\/a>, released early in 1964.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 37. Blue Oyster Cult, “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”<\/strong> (From Agents of Fortune<\/em>, 1976)<\/strong><\/p>\n The song that ended up as a Saturday Night Live<\/em> <\/a>punch line started with more serious intentions. Blue Oyster Cult<\/a> singer and songwriter Buck Dharma had death on his mind when he wrote\u00a0“(Don’t Fear) The Reaper.”\u00a0Wanting to\u00a0quiet some of his internal\u00a0anxiety about dying, he penned the band’s only Top 10 hit about coming to terms with the inevitable \u2014 deep thoughts paired with pop splendor …\u00a0 and, of course, that cowbell.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 36. The Ronettes, “Be My Baby” (From 1963 single)<\/strong><\/p>\n From the opening drums, which seem to be summoned from another planet, “Be My Baby” transformed pop radio’s landscape after its release in late 1963. One of Phil Spector<\/a>‘s most iconic recordings, and the first\u00a0time he incorporated a full orchestra into his Wall of Sound production, the song featured only one member of the Ronettes, singer Veronica Bennett, who became\u00a0Ronnie Spector<\/a> after marrying the producer.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 35. The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie” (From The Kingsmen in Person<\/em>, 1963)<\/strong><\/p>\n Controversial upon its release, and still unclear beneath the bang and clatter of the garage rock tsunami the Kingsmen kick up, “Louie Louie” is a defining track in the era before everything changed with the Beatles<\/a>. The song itself was written in 1955 by R&B and doo-wop singer Richard Berry; the Portland, Oregon-based rock band sped up the original’s island-vibe tempo, slurred\u00a0the lyrics and\u00a0racked up a No. 2 hit in 1963.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 34. Prince, “When Doves Cry”<\/strong> (From Purple Rain<\/em>, 1984)<\/strong><\/p>\n Although\u00a0the parent album was cocredited to his backing band, the Revolution, the first single from Purple Rain<\/em> was written, produced and solely performed by Prince<\/a>.\u00a0“When Doves Cry” sparked the 25-year-old Minneapolis artist’s rapid ascent from critical favorite to pop music’s biggest star during the summer of 1984. The song,\u00a0recorded without a bass line, was an unconventional introduction to the hit LP. Prince’s first No. 1<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 33. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road”<\/strong> (From Born to Run<\/em>, 1975)<\/strong><\/p>\n Bruce Springsteen<\/a>‘s breakthrough signature album<\/a> opens with a portrait as vivid as any in rock ‘n’ roll history. A swaying (or is\u00a0it waving?<\/a>) dress, a slamming screen door, Roy Orbison<\/a> on the radio \u2014 “Thunder Road” begins one of the greatest sagas of its or any era. Stating intentions (“I got this guitar and I’ve learned how to make it talk<\/em>“), Springsteen spends the next 39 minutes chasing down the American dream.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 32. The White Stripes, “Seven Nation Army”<\/strong> (From Elephant<\/em>, 2003)<\/strong><\/p>\n The stadium-sized riff that kept rock music afloat in the early part of the 21st century still sounds much bigger than the two people who play it on the record. The White Stripes<\/a> were beginning to attract attention beyond Detroit’s indie-rock scene when the duo released one of their greatest accomplishments: a hard rock\u00a0punk-blues track called “Seven Nation Army,” which would soon\u00a0shake stadiums around the world.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 31. ZZ Top, “Sharp Dressed Man” (From Eliminator<\/em>, 1983)<\/strong><\/p>\n ZZ Top<\/a>‘s 1983 makeover\u2014part MTV, part new wave\u2014couldn’t have come at a better time for the Texas trio.\u00a0After experimenting with synthesizers and dance beats in 1981’s\u00a0El Loco<\/em><\/a>, they fully embraced\u00a0the style with\u00a0Eliminator<\/em><\/a>, orchestrating a multimedia takeover that included videos, fashion and what resembled dance moves.<\/span>\u00a0“Sharp Dressed Man” served as a new statement and a formal introduction for new fans.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 30. The Mamas and the Papas, “California Dreamin'”<\/strong> (From 1965 single)<\/strong><\/p>\n Released at the end of the year when folk-rock fought for\u00a0airwaves space with the Beatles and other imported artists, the Mamas and the Papas’ “California Dreamin'” blew in like a fresh breeze,\u00a0proclaiming the sun-kissed benefits of their home state. The Wrecking Crew’s supple backing elevates\u00a0the track to its standing among\u00a0the quintessential California songs. Cass Elliot incorrectly sang “I began to pray<\/em>” for years.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 29. Ramones, “Blitzkrieg Bop”<\/strong> (From Ramones<\/em>, 1976)<\/strong><\/p>\n Ramones<\/a> ushered in a new era with the first song on their 1976 self-titled debut<\/a>. At a little more than two minutes, and with its three verses repeated line for line between\u00a0simple “Hey! Ho! Let’s go!<\/em>” choruses (partly inspired by the Bay City Rollers<\/a>‘ recent hit “Saturday Night”), the New York City quartet revitalized rock ‘n’ roll’s fundamental roots, igniting the punk rock movement in the U.S. before going global.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 28. Aerosmith, “Dream On”<\/strong> (From Aerosmith<\/em>, 1973)<\/strong><\/p>\n Aerosmith’s first single wasn’t a hit\u00a0right away. It took a late-1975 reissue of the 1973 song to finally\u00a0break “Dream On” into the Top 10, the band’s\u00a0first\u00a0appearance there. The second chance came after the success of their third album,\u00a0Toys in the Attic<\/a><\/em>, a watershed moment in the group’s career. The now-hot Aerosmith seized the moment and rereleased the power ballad live favorite from their\u00a0debut LP, a concert staple since.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n READ MORE: <\/strong>Top 100 Live Albums<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 27. Elvis Presley, “Suspicious Minds” (From 1969 single)<\/strong><\/p>\n The mid-’60s weren’t a great time for Elvis Presley<\/a>. After bringing rock\u00a0music to its most commercial point\u00a0in the ’50s, his career was interrupted for a stint in the Army. His return to entertainment at the top of the next decade was marked by quick, cash-in movies and mostly half-committed soundtrack work. Then he made a comeback TV special in 1968, followed by sessions in Memphis that included the great “Suspicious Minds.”<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 26. The Byrds, “Mr. Tambourine Man”<\/strong> (From Mr. Tambourine Man<\/em>, 1965)<\/strong><\/p>\n Bob Dylan’s five-and-a-half-minute winding 1965\u00a0song was trimmed by three verses and by over half its length when the Byrds<\/a> reworked the acoustic\u00a0Bringing It All Back Home<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>song into a folk-rock classic just a month later. Adding “jingle jangle” 12-string electric guitar and warm harmonies, and adjusting the song’s key, the group shot to No. 1 with their cover, effectively launching both their career and the folk-rock explosion.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 25. Bruce Springsteen, “Born in the U.S.A.” (From Born in the U.S.A.<\/em>, 1984)<\/strong><\/p>\n Bruce Springsteen had been on the verge of superstardom for almost a decade when his big moment finally arrived in the summer of 1984 with his seventh album. Boss Fever spanned the world as\u00a0Born in the U.S.A.<\/a><\/em> chalked up hit after hit single; all seven reached the Top 10 in the New Jersey singer-songwriter’s home nation. The title track was the third and a misconstrued anthem of patriotism in the face of societal neglect.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 24. Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water”<\/strong> (From Bridge Over Troubled Water<\/em>, 1970)<\/strong><\/p>\n Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel<\/a>‘s relationship was collapsing toward the end of the making of their fifth and final album, the Grammy-winning Bridge Over Troubled Water<\/em>. The centerpiece title song was a showcase for both artists: a milestone for writer Simon and one of Garfunkel’s most delicate and sky-scraping vocal performances. “Bridge Over Troubled Water” soon became a standard; the original remains the best.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 23. Alice Cooper, “School’s Out”<\/strong> (From School’s Out<\/em>, 1972)<\/strong><\/p>\n Is there a more appropriate line in a song that celebrates the\u00a0end of the school year\u00a0than Alice Cooper<\/a>‘s casually defiant “We can’t even think of a word that rhymes<\/em>” in their Top 10 hit “School’s Out”? The 1972 song anchored the group’s fifth LP<\/a>, released just seven months after\u00a0Killer<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>made the Michigan rockers a must-see live act. “School’s Out” has lost none of its impact over the years, its message still on point every June.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 22. Tom Petty, “Free Fallin'”<\/strong> (From Full Moon Fever<\/em>, 1989)<\/strong><\/p>\n The opening song on Tom Petty<\/a>‘s first solo album, 1989’s Full Moon Fever<\/a><\/em>, ushered in a new era for the Heartbreakers frontman following his appearance in the Traveling Wilburys<\/a> supergroup the year before. That project’s producer, Electric Light Orchestra<\/a>‘s Jeff Lynne<\/a>, returned to aid Petty; the new journey paid off. The\u00a0LP revived Petty’s commercial draw in the ’90s;\u00a0“Free Fallin'”\u00a0was part of his live sets until his 2017 death.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 21. Elvis Presley, “Hound Dog”<\/strong> (From 1956 single)<\/strong><\/p>\n Elvis Presley wasn’t the first to record “Hound Dog,” but his 1956\u00a0cover of Big Mama Thornton’s 1952 R&B hit was\u00a0a crucial\u00a0building block to rock ‘n’ roll. Released with “Don’t Be Cruel” on the B-side (at first it was the other way around), Presley’s single quickly made it to the top of the chart, staying there for 11 weeks, a record held for more than three and a half decades. It was also a No. 1 on the country and R&B charts.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 20. Kiss, “Rock and Roll All Nite”<\/strong> (From Alive!<\/em>, 1975)<\/strong><\/p>\n “Rock and Roll All Nite” first appeared on\u00a0Kiss<\/a>‘ third album,\u00a0Dressed to Kill<\/em><\/a>, in early 1975. The live version later that year on\u00a0Alive!<\/em><\/a>\u00a0<\/em>more accurately bottles the band’s growing popularity.\u00a0Mid-’70s hard rock anthems don’t get more to the point than “Rock and Roll All Nite.” The album helped make Kiss one of the decade’s most popular bands; this song goes a long way in keeping them there over the years.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 19. Steely Dan, “Reelin’ in the Years”<\/strong> (From Can’t Buy a Thrill<\/em>, 1972)<\/strong><\/p>\n Jimmy Page<\/a> once called session guitarist Elliott Randall’s midsong solo on “Reelin’ in the Years” his all-time favorite. It’s easy to hear why: The blurring but fluid 25-second fret showcase pushes the song to new levels. But\u00a0“Reelin’ in the Years” also helped define Steely Dan<\/a> in other ways, from Donald Fagen<\/a>‘s\u00a0circuitous delivery to the song’s cutting subject to the expert playing throughout. And then Randall returns for the end.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 18. Cyndi Lauper, “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”<\/strong> (From She’s So Unusual<\/em>, 1983)<\/strong><\/p>\n Cyndi Lauper <\/a>didn’t write “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” but she may as well have. Robert Hazard’s 1979 song was tailor-made for the Brooklyn-born singer, who introduced listeners to her form of bubblegum pop new wave with the 1983 single pulled from her debut solo album,\u00a0She’s So Unusual<\/em>. A widely\u00a0played MTV video increased her popularity with viewers, who quickly embraced her vibrant personality.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 17. Montrose, “Rock Candy”<\/strong> (From Montrose<\/em>, 1973)<\/strong><\/p>\n Sammy Hagar<\/a> has made quite a career\u00a0for\u00a0“Hard Candy,” the last song written and recorded for Montrose<\/a>‘s self-titled debut album<\/a> in 1973. Since then, Hagar has rerecorded the song and made it a regular feature in his live shows. The thundering drums that open the song \u2014 played by Denny Carmassi \u2014 owe more than a passing thanks to John Bonham<\/a>‘s similar intro to Led Zeppelin<\/a>‘s “When the Levee Breaks.”<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 16. Bob Dylan, “Tangled Up in Blue”<\/strong> (From Blood on the Tracks<\/em>, 1975)<\/strong><\/p>\n Bob Dylan was coming out of a rocky start to the ’70s when he released his 15th album not long after wrapping a history-making tour with his old\u00a0road buddies the Band<\/a> in 1974.\u00a0Blood on the Tracks<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>marked another (not the first, not the last) comeback for Dylan, who surveyed a toppling relationship throughout the LP’s 51 minutes. The slightly\u00a0oblique “Tangled Up in Blue” starts the album, reflecting on time and connection.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 15. Don Henley, “The Boys of Summer” (From Building the Perfect Beast<\/em>, 1984)<\/strong><\/p>\n The “Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac” line in Don Henley<\/a>‘s “The Boys of Summer” was real. The singer and songwriter,\u00a0between stints in the temporarily disbanded Eagles<\/a>,\u00a0was driving down a California\u00a0freeway when he was passed by a luxury vehicle\u00a0brandishing a bumper sticker for the counterculture icons.\u00a0The irony wasn’t lost on Henley, who used it as a springboard about\u00a0fading idealism in the Reagan era.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 14. Boston, “More Than a Feeling” (From Boston<\/em>, 1976)<\/strong><\/p>\n Tom Scholz<\/a>, the mastermind behind Boston<\/a>, spent seven years woodshedding songs for the band’s debut album in his Massachusetts basement before they finally secured a record deal in 1975. “More Than a Feeling” emerged almost fully formed,\u00a0its buzzing riff supporting a chewy pop song at its core. The song helped spur Boston<\/em><\/a> to quick multiplatinum sales, still one of the biggest-selling LPs of all time.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 13. The Doors, “Light My Fire”<\/strong> (From The Doors<\/em>, 1967)<\/strong><\/p>\n