Few genres have had such an enormous influence on culture, art, and fashion as classic rock has. In the 1960s, bands likeThe BeatlesandThe Rollling Stonesdominated the airwaves andrepresented the vastly changing culture of the time.They represented rebellion, creativity, and a longing for freedom that was expressed through the counterculture of the time. Many of these bands created some of the most stunning and unique music in history. Bands in the 70s and 80s continued this with more stadium-orientated music, while embodying the liberating feel-good spirit of the genre.
With so many different bands and styles in the genre, it’s difficult to gather a list of the most consequential or influential in the genre. From The Stone’s apocalytic “Gimme Shelter”, to The Beatles' innovative and experimental song, “A Day in the Life”, this list includes some of the most essential songs of the genre. Each of these songs trulycapture the spirit and essence of classic rock.
10All Along the Watchtower (1968)
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Jimi Hendrixis without a shadow of a doubt the most influential andconsequential guitarist in the history of classic rock. His wicked live performances featured an extraterrestrial manipulation of guitar feedback and transcendental shredding that was unlike anything heard before and anything that would come after. He essentially rewrote the vocabulary for the electric guitar and stretched the possibilities of what an artist could do with it. His initial onstage encounter withEric Clapton, who at the time was considered the top dog of the blues guitar scene, left him so rattled that he marched off-stage and reportedly commented toChas Chandler"you never told me has was that ****ing good".
While original compositions like “Purple Haze” and “Voodoo Chile” are definitive classics and expressive, awe-inspiring works from his discography, there’s one cover by Hendrix that remains one of his most iconic pieces, and a defining piece of classic rock. An ardent fan ofBob Dylan, Hendrix decided to begin recording a cover of his song “All Along the Watchtower” on August 17, 2025. The track features guest appearances fromDave MasonandBrian Jonesand features some of Hendrix’s most stunning guitar work. The remarkable call and response arrangement of the song focuses on a vibrant melodic line that burns through the piece with radiant energy. Hendrix achieved a unique slide guitar sound by playing the strings with a nearby lighter. This energetic piece of music was a defining moment in the genre that captures the raw energy of Hendrix at the height of his powers, and its raw psychedelic style perfectly symbolizes the spirit of the classic rock of the late 60s.
9"A Day in the Life" (1967)
The Beatles
The Beatlesare often talked about as the greatest band of all time. Given their enormous influence on music and their astounding discography that boasts some ofthe greatest songs in the history of music, it’s tough to argue against this.Paul McCartneyandJohn Lennonhave given the world some of the most memorable songs of all time, including “And I Love Her”, “Happiness Is a Warm Gun,” “Hey Jude”, and “I Am the Walrus.“George HarrisonandRingo Starralso contributed many incredible songs, including “Something” and “With a Little Help from my Friends”. But among this legendary discography, one song stands shoulders above the others.
“A Day in the Life” from the Fab Four’s seminal albumSgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Bandisone of the most evocative and mesmerizing songs in the history of classic rock, and it’s a composition of undeniable influence within the genre. The melody, beginning and middle sections were primarily penned by Lennon, who took inspiration from various newspaper articles, while McCartney contributed the sped-up middle section.
All four band members took part in shaping the arrangement. “A Day in the Life” is a dreamy piece of music that starts off with a slow and ethereal melody beforeplunging into a hypnotizing orchestral glissandothat explodes into an upbeat middle section that’s followed by a final glissando that closes with an explosive final chord. The orchestral portions of the song were inspired by Lennon and McCartney’s interest in avante-garde composers likeJohn CageandLuciano Berio. “A Day in the Life” is unlike anything in the history of music and reflects the height ofThe Beatlesat the summit of their creative output. It’s one of their most stunning and experimental songs and has been covered several times by artists includingStingandJeff Beck.
8"Baba O' Riley” (1971)
The Whoare one of the most celebrated and iconic rock bands of all time. They’re a legendary band with an enormous influence on rock music that includes the development of the Marshall Stack and the use of synthesizers.Pete Townhsend’sguitar style, which heavily implemented feedback and power chords, was highly influential among later bands, andKeith Moon’senergetic drum styleplaces him among the all-time greatest players, right beside drummers likeJohn Bonham.The Who’sgot a plenitude of legendary tracks, but perhaps their biggest contribution to the genre came with “Baba O’Riley” off their fifth studio album,Who’s Next(1972).
Originally written for Townshend’s ambitiousLifehousealbum, a rock opera that never came to fruition, “Baba O’Riley” was penned as a piece about a farmer who was leaving for London. The title is a reference to Townshend’s guruMeher Babaand avante-garde composerTerry Riley, and features a mesmerizing organ section that is inspired by Riley’s influence. The lyrics, which were about the farmer character, were also acommentary on the teenage fans of rock and rollduring the late 60s and 70s. Townshend’s lyrics reflect the deplorable conditions of the Isle of Wight Festival after their show, as well as the strung-out state of teenagers high on acid at Woodstock. Although the lyricswere penned as a kind of lamentation, many fans embraced the song as a celebration of teenage rebellion.
7"Fortunate Son” (1969)
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revivalwere one of the most popular performing rock bands in the 1960s, and they remain a staple of classic rock radio to this day. At the height of their careers, they played the legendary Woodstock Festival, and were the first big headliners to sign on to perform.Creedence Clearwater Revivalis known for mixing blues and country to create some of the most hard-hitting southern rock in the history of the genre. Some of their biggest hits include “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?”, “Bad Moon Rising”, and “Down on the Corner”. But perhaps their most memorable and consequential song is “Fortunate Son”.
Released in October 1969 at the height of the Vietnam War, “Fortunate Son” grew into one of the most famous protest songs of the century. According to its writer,John Fogerty,the piece speaks to the “unfairness of class war itself”, as opposed to being a direct jab at the war. In his memoir, Fogerty claims that when he was writing the lyrics, he was thinking specifically aboutDwight Eisenhower’s son,David Eisenhower. The verses take aim at wealthy individuals who aren’t forced to fight in a war, before delivering a chorus that declares that the singer isn’t one of these “fortunate sons”. Though the song never mentions the Vietnam War directly, the lyrics of the song were clear enough to listeners who took it as arallying cry against the brutality of the war. “Fortunate Song” captures the frustration of the 1960s youth who grew increasingly disenchanted with the hypocrisy and warmongering inclinations of their predecessors.
6"Gimme Shelter" (1969)
The Rolling Stones
While many people argue thatThe Beatlesare the “greatest rock band of all time”, The Rolling Stonesare typically regarded and introduced as “the greatestrock and rollband of all time”, and with good reason too, The Stones are the quintessential rock band.Mick Jagger’selectrifying stage presence,Keith Richards’legendary riffs,CharlieWatts’jazz-influenced drumming, andBill Wyman’sphenomenal bass work. We can’t forget to mentionBrian Jones’original leadership and creative output as well asMick Taylor’sstunning contributions andRonnie Woods’contemporary run with the band. The Stones are infamous for their impressive performances, decadent lifestyles, and legendary catalog. With songs like “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”, “Paint It Black”, “Sympathy for the Devil”, “Wild Horses”, “Dead Flowers”, and “Tumbling Dice”, The Stones' impact and influence on classic rock is unquestioned. But there’s one haunting song in their discography that captures them at the height of their power.
“Gimme Shelter” is an apocalyptic masterpiece of music that opens with one of the moststaggering guitar riffs in the history of classic rock, before being followed by Jagger’s howling vocals. The song was written during the height of the Vietnam War and reflects a great deal of the tension, anger and fear people were feeling at the time. The tension of the riff was inspired by the jealousy and suspicion Richards felt regarding Jagger andAnita Pallenberg’srelationship. Pallenberg, who Richard’s was dating at the time, was away filmingPerformancewith Jagger while Richards began developing the piece. “Gimme Shelter” features anintensity and violent beautyto it that’s unlike anything the Stones had recorded before or have recorded since. SingerMerry Claytonwas abruptly woken up late one night to come in and record the vocals and the powerful, guttural performance was so much that ittragically induced a miscarriage. Her pain and strain are palpable on the record as you can hear her voice cracking at the height of the performance. This legendary piece of music is often hailed as one of their best songs, and it’s frequently featured on classic rock stationsas well asMartin Scorsesefilms.
5"Stairway to Heaven" (1971)
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelinreigned supreme during the 1970s. They’re often regarded as one of the greatest, if not the greatest bands of all time, right up there in competition with The Stones and The Beatles.Robert Plant’sraw and ethereal singing was a perfect match forJimmy Page’sgroundbreaking guitar work, which included blues, country, and folksy influences.John Paul Jonesplayed a significant role as a stabilizing force in the band as both bassist and keyboardist. But the real MVP of the band was drummerJohn Bonham, whose thunderous playing gave the music a heartbeat like nothing ever heard in the history of rock music. Bonham was the heartbeat and the backbone of the band. Guitar legend Hendrix once commented that he had a “foot like a rabbit”.
Led Zeppelin has no shortage of legendary tracks. Works like “Whole Lotta Love”, “Black Dog” and “Misty Mountaintop” are staples of classic rock that only get better with time, and “Kashmir” is an ascendant piece of orchestral music that remains one of the most stunning works in all music. But the quintessential Led Zeppelin track, and the piece by them most truly defines the genre of classic rock, is none other than “Stairway to Heaven”. The openingguitar section by Page is empyrean and fragile, and Plant’s singing comes in with the grace and elegance of an Andean Condor. The solo is one of the most powerful pieces of guitar work ever committed to record. It’s the type of playing that reminds audienceshow beautiful and powerful rock music can be. “Stairway to Heaven” is one of the most requested songs in radio history, and the obsession amateur guitar students have with playing has made it a piece of music that’s regularly banned in guitar shops. This stunning piece of music remains one of the most requested songs to date, and with good reason.
4"Layla" (1971)
Derek and the Dominoes
Eric Clapton’shad a pretty great career. In the 1960s he enjoyed huge success with the supergroupCream, and together they released some of the most impressive music of the era. Songs by Creaminclude theBuddy Guy-inspired “Strange Brew”, the surrealistic “White Room”, and the legendary “Sunshine of Your Love”. At the height of his work in the 60s, Clapton was referred to as “God” by many of the British youth. It wasn’t until Hendrix blew audiences away that Slowhand’s domination of the scene suffered some erosion. But in 1971, following the disbanding of Cream, Clapton would help write one of classic rock’s greatest love songs.
In 1971, following the breakup of Cream, Clapton collaborated withJim Gordon,Carl Rader, andBobby Whitlockto formDerek and the Dominoes. The group would go on to record a single album that would spawn rock’s most notorious love song, “Layla”. This remarkable piece of music takes its name from the Persian story ofLayla and Manjun,about a princess married off by her father to a man she didn’t love, resulting in Manjun' subsequent madness. Clapton was able to relate to this story, as he was madly in love withGeorge Harrison’swife,Pattie Boyd. The song initially began as a slow-burning ballad, but a guest appearance by legendaryAllman Brothers BandguitaristDuane Allmanchanged everything. Allman composed the track’s signature riff, a fiery lick that turned the ballad into a passionate rock song. Allman and Clapton’s guitar chemistry was off the charts in this amazing track, and the final piano section of the song ties the whole piece together, transforming the song into a passionate cry of unrequited love into a moving instrumental. The song remains a staple of classic rock radio and is arguably Clapton’s best-known song, and the soulful piano section also enjoys a prominent place in cinema history as one of the most memorable pieces on the soundtrack togangster classicGoodfellas.
3"Comfortably Numb" (1979)
Pink Floyd
Pink Floydis one of the most influential bands in the history of rock music, and their psychedelic discography includes some of the most mind-bending music in the history of the art form. Their music ranges from avante-garde to hard progressive rock and psychedelic blues. In the early days of the band, under the direction ofSyd Barrett, the band wrote some of the most experimental tunes of the time. After Barrett left the group,Roger Watersbecame the driving architect of more structured work, which included classic concept albums likeThe Dark Side of the Moon,andThe Wall, which features one of their greatest hits, the classic “Comfortably Numb”.
Written by Waters, “Comfortably Numb” is a beautifully engaging piece of music that takes listeners into the journey of its sedated narrator, who recalls a time when they were injected with tranquilizers before a show. The music manages to perfectly convey the docile transcendence of being under the influence of sedative drugs and imbues it with anascendant beauty that feels like pure catharsiseach time the chorus hits. There’s a haunting profundity to the song that’s rendered with such effortless grace that it manages to captivate audiences from beginning to end. The twin guitar solos byDavid Gilmourare among the best recorded on any song in the genre. This killer track is flawlessly composed forThe Wall, but the best version undeniably comes from the Waters andVan Morrisonlive performance recorded in 1990 forThe Wall-Live in Berlin.Morrison absolutely kills on this trackwith a voice that’s never sounded better, and they’re supported by unbelievable solos fromThe Band’sRick Di FonzoandSnowy White.
2"L.A. Woman" 1970
The Doorswere one of the most popular and distinct bands of the 1960s. Their guitarist,Robby Krieger,was a guitarist who was as good at playing flamenco as he was playing the blues; their drummer,John Densmore,had a jazz sensibility that gave the band a tight-knit sound, and their keyboardist,Ray Manzarek,played both bass and keyboards. This unique makeup of instrumentalists gave the band a bizarre carnivalesque sound that set it apart from most of the other Californian bands of the time. Their lead singer,Jim Morrison,is one of rock music’s most enigmatic frontmen. A voracious reader, Morrison read everything fromFriederich NietzschetoArthur Rimbaud, contributing to his uniquely poetic songwriting. In the band’s short run, they created some of the best rock music in history with a slew of classics, including “Break On Through”, “Roadhouse Blues”, and “People Are Strange”.
But perhaps their greatest and most definitive contribution to classic rock is the groovy blues-driven “L.A. Woman”. This quintessential Doors song was seen as Morrison’s “final goodbye” to Los Angeles right before he left for Paris,a trip he sadly never returned from. The song takes inspiration fromJohn Rechy’snovelCity of Night,and its lyrics paint a vivid picture of L.A. The rhythm of the song has a bouncy, breezy feel that perfectly captures the spirit of late L.A. It’s the kind of song that you can’t skip during a warm sunny afternoon cruise to the beach. Krieger’s guitar playing is sharp and funky, keeping the energy burning through the record from start to finish, and the addition ofJerry Scheffon bass gave the Doors' sound an entirely new dimension that was perfectly suited to this song. Morrison’s delivery has adrunken style to it that’s fun, looseand energetic. “L.A. Woman” is arguably their greatest piece of music and its sound and style seemed to prefigure much of the rock music that would be released in the 70s.
1"You Shook Me All Night Long" (1980)
WhenBon Scottsuddenly passed away from alcohol poisoning, it seemed thatAC/DCwould never recover. After all, Scott was a rock and roll maverick. He was an outstanding frontman who could party with the best, and his energetic performances were an essential component of AC/DC’s greatness. Thankfully, for rock bands far and wide,Brian Johnsonwas recruited to fill in for Scott. “You Shook Me All Night” was the band’s first single with their new lead singer, and the rest is history.
“You Shook Me All Night Long” epitomizes classic rock. It’s loud, gritty, raunchy, musically powerful, and it’s a song that’s fit to tear any stadium down.Angus Young’s wicked guitar work shines through this party anthemand is enough to breathe life into any room and the lyrics of the song are among the best from the band. However, this incredible song has beenthe subject of much controversysince its release. A few of Scott’s ex-girlfriends, as well as his friend and booking agent, have claimed that parts of the lyrics were taken directly from him, especially the most popular lyric in the song: “She told me to come, but I was already there”. Whether or not Scott wrote the song, or what his contributions may have been, remains a point of discussion for fans. In spite of the controversy, “You Shook Me All Night Long” remains one of the greatest classic rock songs of all time, and one of the genre’s most defining.
Keep Reading:10 Classic Rock Albums From The 1970s & 80s Every Fan Must Own
