Classic rock. When we think of the genre, bands like Led Zeppelin, The Who, the Rolling Stones and many others rush to mind. Those big, bombastic stadium rockers with banshee voices and guitars that part the silver clouds above.
Videos by American Songwriter
But does that mean the genre has to stay rooted in the mid-20th century? Does that mean there can be no bands in contemporary times that fit the bill? No, of course not. There are groups today that also embody the designation.
[RELATED: 4 Classic Rock Songs You Didn’t Know Rick Rubin Produced]
1. Greta Van Fleet
Much has been made about this Michigan-born group’s resemblance to the kings of classic rock, Led Zeppelin. Big guitars, and swelling vocals—yes, these are the calling cards of both bands, some five decades apart. But to simply compare the two would be myopic. Greta Van Fleet stands on its own two feet, metaphorically speaking. The band sells out big venues, filling them with psychedelic rock befitting Woodstock in any era. With a new album out this year, Starcatcher, the family band, that started in 2012, is here to stay for good.
2. Ayron Jones
Ayron Jones is rock ‘n’ roll incarnate. With two songs that have hit No. 1 on the Billboard rock charts—”Mercy” in 2021 and “Blood In The Water” in 2023—Jones is proving that he belongs with the biggest of names and on the brightest of marquees. With a six-string prowess that recalls the greats like Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jones, who recently opened for the Rolling Stones in concert, knows his way around a guitar and an amp, to say the least. He released his latest album, Chronicles of the Kid, this year.
3. Death Valley Girls
Classic rock isn’t always just about bashing the doors down with instrumental force. It is also a feeling, transportation to another place thanks to hypnotizing vocals, brilliant keyboards, and tones that turn your brain into a drug-like gumbo. Enter Death Valley Girls. The group has perhaps the best vocal sound in indie rock, with harmonies that resemble the flames of the roaring sun. The band’s latest single, “Magic Powers,” has been a hit on college radio all year. The band could be from 1962, 1976 or any other time since. Thank goodness for us, they’re here today.
Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/FilmMagic
