3 of the Most Anthemic Songs Released by Soft Rock Bands

Soft rock bands aren’t typically known for their anthems. They often work with breezy sounds, delivering songs better suited to lying around than to screaming at the top of your lungs. But some soft rock bands manage to keep their sound while still pulling off anthems. The three bands below accomplished that mix. Revisit these anthemic tracks released by soft rock legends.

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“Hotel California” — The Eagles

The Eagles’ “Hotel California” is one of their most anthemic tracks. This soft rock band has proven its anthemic ability on numerous occasions, but this masterpiece stands out from the pack. If you’ve ever been to an Eagles concert, you know just how crowd-pleasing this track is. From the first guitar riff to the dueling solos at the end, “Hotel California” is a hard departure for these soft rock legends.

“Hotel California” swaps The Eagles’ typically tender sound for something befitting a story of this scale. You couldn’t tell a twisted tale like this without turning up the energy. While many of The Eagles’ other biggest hits are mild at best, this track saw them abandon the carefree vibe they had grown their name on. In favor of something far more consequential.

“What A Fool Believes” — The Doobie Brothers

The Doobie Brothers relied not on amped up rock to make their anthem on this list, but instead leaned heavily into pop. “What A Fool Believes” is a pop hit through and through. Though the instrumentation keeps it in the rock conversation, it’s far less yachty and far more floor-filling.

While many of The Doobies’ songs are tailor-made for driving with the windows down, not a care in the world, “What A Fool Believes” is something different. This anthem demands audience participation. It’s a powerhouse track that leaves the band’s soft rock affiliation for a moment.

“Africa” — Toto

Moving on to another yacht rock band, the final song on this list is Toto’s “Africa.” This is one of those songs that defies genre lines or generations. Everyone who hears this song can find something to enjoy, no matter what music they typically listen to. That’s in part due to its anthemic quality.

Everyone loves a good anthem. We love to be compelled to sing along to something, feeling the collective energy of a great song. That’s the energy that “Africa” accomplishes.

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