I believe there are songs in the relatively short history of Rock music that are important. They often signify a watershed moment where the direction of Rock changed, or they are simply so recognizable that you can't think about Rock without thinking of that song.
Here are 10 that I think are important for those reasons described above. What are yours?
1. Hound Dog. Elvis Presley's version;
2. Not Fade Away. Buddy Holly
3. Whiter Shade of Pale. Procol Harem;
4. House of the Rising Sun. The Animals;
5. Purple Haze. Jimi Hendrix;
6. Sunshine of Your Love. Cream;
7. Satisfaction. The Rolling Stones;
8. White Rabbit. The Jefferson Airplane;
9. For What It's Worth. Buffalo Springfield;
10. Whole Lotta Love. Led Zeppelin
I've got a handful of others, but I wanted to leave some room for others. Hated to leave "Sultans" off.
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June 18, 2026, 04:40 PM
oddball
Ten songs, that is tough.
These are not necessarily my "favorite" or what I consider the best songs, but milestones and influential rock n roll songs.
1- Hound Dog- Elvis Presley
2. Johnny B. Goode- Chuck Berry
3. I Wanna Hold Your Hand- The Beatles
4. You Really Got Me- The Kinks
5. Satisfaction- The Rolling Stones
6. Like A Rolling Stone- Bob Dylan
7. Day in The Life- The Beatles
8. God Save The Queen.- The Sex Pistols
9. Good Vibrations- The Beach Boys
10. Eruption- Van Halen
"I’m not going to read Time Magazine, I’m not going to read Newsweek, I’m not going to read any of these magazines; I mean, because they have too much to lose by printing the truth"- Bob Dylan, 1965
June 18, 2026, 04:49 PM
YellowJacket
1. Little Richard - Tutti Frutti 2. The Everly Brothers - Bye Bye Love (big influence on Beatles and Beach Boys and S&G) 3. The Beatles - I Want to Hold Your Hand (first big American song for the greatest band of all time) 4. The Rolling Stones - Satisfaction 5. Bob Dylan - Like a Rolling Stone (Dylan going electric) 6. The Beatles - A Day in the Life (really, the whole Sgt Peppers record what could be achieved in a studio) 7. Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze (showed what might be possible on a guitar) 8. The Ramones - Blietzkrieg Bop (biggest stylistic impact of the late 70s) 9. Beastie Boys - Fight for Your Right (hugely influential for hip-hop melding into rock/pop music 10. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit (perhaps the last great spike on the curve of rock n roll music)This message has been edited. Last edited by: YellowJacket,
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June 18, 2026, 05:24 PM
6guns
This is really tough. I tried not to use songs other members mentioned, but that's hard. A very good list of songs mentioned so far!
I thought of big songs that got tons of airplay and still do. Some changed The direction of music...or were on the cusp of it. This list could easily be 20 or 30.
I didn't mention very early rock as it did not click with me. and I know I'm omitting a LOT of great artists.
In no particular order:
Stairway to Heaven
Free Bird
Hotel California
Good Vibrations
Turn Turn Turn
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Bohemian Rhapsody
Roundabout
Satisfaction
Jeremy
ETA, I didn't include artist names as you all know them anyway.
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June 18, 2026, 05:50 PM
HRK
All good songs....
Rocket 88 - Jackie Robinson and his Delta Cats
Like a Rolling Stone - Dylan
Purple Haze - Hendrix
Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
House of the Rising Sun -The Animals
Crossroads - originally a Robert Johnson blues song from 1936, arguably the first Rock and Roll song before RNR was a thing, but in reality it was pure blues, and we all know Gospel begat the Blues, Blues begat RNR, it survived into several others doing recordings including Clapton
Gimme Shelter -The Stones
LA Woman -The Doors
Baba O'Riley - The Who
I could name several AC/DC songs Thunderstruck, You Shook Me all Night Long, Highway to Hell, Back in Black, It's a long way to the top, Dirty Deeds, ok yeah I'm a fan of that kind of RNR!
June 18, 2026, 09:30 PM
TMats
I left off some really important ones, didn’t I. Chuck Berry needs to be there, Beatles, sure. Dylan, no doubt. The Everlys, the Beach Boys…others mentioned. One thing I never claimed is that there are only 10 important songs, I just stopped at 10 to leave some room. Maybe “Sweet Jane” goes in there somewhere.
_______________________________________________________ despite them
June 18, 2026, 09:32 PM
bendable
Spirit in the Sky : Norman Greenbaum Long Cool Woman , holliesThis message has been edited. Last edited by: bendable,
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June 19, 2026, 04:13 PM
pinbot1966
No particular order or the "best", but when I hear these songs I know all of the lyrics
1: Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues 2: Everly Brothers - Wake Up Little Suzy 3: Bob Dylan - Like A Rolling Stone 4: Chuck Berry - Johnny B Goode 5: Beach Boys - Good Vibrations 6: Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit 7: Stevie Wonder - Superstition 8: Stealers Wheel - Stuck In The Middle With You 9: AC/DC - Back In Black 10: Elton John - Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting
June 19, 2026, 10:11 PM
heydrich
I gotta add Stranglehold by Ted Nugent.This message has been edited. Last edited by: heydrich,
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June 28, 2026, 03:10 PM
4MUL8R
We seem to have forgotten the early 80s?
And for me, it is as mysterious as what happened to Amelia Earhart to list "rock" songs of 2000 - 2026. I am tired of listening to songs of my youth, and proclaiming them as excellent. Has anyone or any group made a Bohemian Rhapsody or More Than A Feeling in this century?
There is a song "Video Killed The Radio Star." Another is "Murder On Music Row." Both bemoan the lack of respect for an era of music. Did rap kill rock?
------- Trying to simplify my life...
July 02, 2026, 09:00 AM
Calif Phil
Walk on the wild side. Lou Reed
Sweet Home Alabama. Lynyrd Skynyrd
Ohio CSN&Y
Rumble Link Wray
Fortunate Son CCR
July 02, 2026, 02:21 PM
rat2306
No mention of "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and His Comets; until now.
July 02, 2026, 03:54 PM
V-Tail
Proud Mary
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July 02, 2026, 05:48 PM
TMats
quote:
Originally posted by rat2306: No mention of "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and His Comets; until now.
Or “Be-Bop-A-Lula,” Gene Vincent, or “Summertime Blues,” Eddie Cochran.
I’ll add “Jingo,” Santana. Nothing quite like it.
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July 02, 2026, 06:46 PM
6guns
^^^ I think Santana in general brought in a whole new genre to rock and roll.
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July 03, 2026, 08:07 AM
mr kablammo
quote:
Originally posted by rat2306: No mention of "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and His Comets; until now.
Probably #1, excepting maybe some early Sister Rosette Tharpe.
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye". The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupery, pilot and author, lost on mission, July 1944, Med Theatre.
July 03, 2026, 05:21 PM
rat2306
^^Was just watching a YouTube about the 15 songs that gave us the genre...this guy says "Razzle Dazzle" by Bill Haley and His Comets should have gotten the attention.
I love that he gave Ricky Nelson some credit for being the guy that helped win over the parents of the teens, and named "Stood Up" as his #6.
July 08, 2026, 08:28 AM
TMats
I just went back through the posts in this thread and realized how important the first 4 songs 6guns posted were. “Stairway” may well be the most recognized song in Rock history. Skynyrd has to be here, and if not “Free Bird,” then “Simple Man.” “Hotel Californis,” fer shur. If you read about “Good Vibrations” in Wiki, you’ll understand what a landmark song it was; how else would we know what a theremin is?
quote:
Originally posted by 6guns: Stairway to Heaven
Free Bird
Hotel California
Good Vibrations
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July 11, 2026, 09:44 AM
r0gue
quote:
Originally posted by TMats: I believe there are songs in the relatively short history of Rock music that are important. They often signify a watershed moment where the direction of Rock changed, or they are simply so recognizable that you can't think about Rock without thinking of that song.
Here are 10 that I think are important for those reasons described above. What are yours?
1. Hound Dog. Elvis Presley's version;
2. Not Fade Away. Buddy Holly
3. Whiter Shade of Pale. Procol Harem;
4. House of the Rising Sun. The Animals;
5. Purple Haze. Jimi Hendrix;
6. Sunshine of Your Love. Cream;
7. Satisfaction. The Rolling Stones;
8. White Rabbit. The Jefferson Airplane;
9. For What It's Worth. Buffalo Springfield;
10. Whole Lotta Love. Led Zeppelin
I've got a handful of others, but I wanted to leave some room for others. Hated to leave "Sultans" off.
So rock history ends in 1980 then, for the purposes of this exercise (or in the last 40 years, nothing was important enough to displace those you've listed)? Serious question. Like, are we saying all of the newer stuff is like, pop and metal and thrash and blah blah sub-categories?
July 12, 2026, 07:50 AM
TMats
quote:
So rock history ends in 1980 then, for the purposes of this exercise (or in the last 40 years, nothing was important enough to displace those you've listed)? Serious question. Like, are we saying all of the newer stuff is like, pop and metal and thrash and blah blah sub-categories?
Rogue, I didn’t put a timeline on this exercise. If you grew up in the 60s and 70s though, these recordings listed by myself and others were innovative, either something not heard before, or something hard to ignore.
I have no doubt that all of us who posted in this thread could add music that can be described as “important” from the 80s on. Michael Jackson, Grunge, etc. Go for it.
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