3 Rock Songs Everyone Knows, but No One Celebrates as They Should

Some songs are well known, but that doesn’t automatically mean they’ve gotten their due. Popularity can often obscure a song’s true artistic merit. That’s the case with the three rock songs below. All of these tracks are heavily played, but their ubiquity has kept them from being celebrated properly.

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“Keep On Loving You” — REO Speedwagon

REO Speedwagon is often written off as pop-leaning anthem-makers, set apart from rock artists who have something weighty to say. But, there is real weight in being earnest, and few bands lean into that more so than REO Speedwagon.

“Keep On Loving You” is a simple ballad, but it carries with it a wealth of emotions. “And I meant, every word I said / When I said that I love you / I meant that I love you forever,” the tender lyrics read. It may not be a rock song with a super-wide scope, but it’s still deeply affecting.

“How You Remind Me” — Nickelback

Nickelback is often subject to unfair criticism. The rockers have found themselves on the wrong end of bandwagoning that masks their true merit. “How You Remind Me” is a great example of how their appeal as a band has been hidden behind decades of bad rap.

“Never made it as a wise man / I couldn’t cut it as a poor man stealing / Tired of livin’ like a blind man / I’m sick of sight without a sense of feeling,” the lyrics to this rock song read. The band delivers vivid portraits in this gritty yet pop-appealing track. It’s the perfect mix of a catchy melody and twisted lyricism.

“Spirit In The Sky” — Norman Greenbaum

“Spirit In the Sky” has become a cultural calling card, appearing in countless films to denote a specific time and place. When you hear a song as much as we’ve all heard this one, you stop being able to hear it for what it is. It all just kind of greys out into recognizability, and the finer details get lost.

However, if we allow ourselves to take in those finer details again, we will find a rich storyline delivered perfectly. “Prepare yourself you know it’s a must / Gotta have a friend in Jesus / So you know that when you die / He’s gonna recommend you / To the spirit in the sky,” the thought-provoking lyrics read.

(Photo by Chris Walter/WireImage)