When you’re in need of a confidence boost and only have a few minutes to do it, you virtually can’t go wrong with rock ‘n’ roll. The bravado, the swagger, the sexiness, the power: everything about this musical genre practically demands confidence. And when you’re lacking it on your own, these rock songs offer some to spare.
“Brass In Pocket” by The Pretenders
The Pretenders gifted the world the ultimate confidence-boosting rock song with the 1979 release of “Brass In Pocket”. Chrissy Hynde’s self-assured vocal delivery and empowering lyrics made this an easy pick for this list. Indeed, you just can’t get more confident than lines like “Cause I’m gonna make you see / there’s nobody else here, no one like me / I’m special, so special / I gotta have some of your attention.”
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“Young Lust” by Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd didn’t always focus on the sexual hedonism of rock ‘n’ roll in their songwriting. But when they did, they made it count. Rock songs like “Young Lust” are so swaggering and cocky that it’s hard not to feel a confidence boost while listening to it. From the very first lines, David Gilmour’s raspy delivery invites us to feel like we’re busting down the door, too. “Where are all the good times? / Who’s gonna show this stranger around?”
“Jump” by Van Halen
Aside from “Eye Of The Tiger” by Survivor, this might be one of the most obvious choices for a list of rock songs that boost confidence. “Jump” by Van Halen offers an empowering message from the very first verse, and it gets no less encouraging from there. “I get up, and nothing gets me down / You got it tough, I’ve seen the toughest around / And I know, baby, just how you feel / You got to roll with the punches to get to what’s real.”
“All Right Now” by Free
When life kicks you down, you have to get back up, which is a lesson that Free learned the hard way after having an especially terrible gig. The song that came out of that experience was surprisingly optimistic, given that they walked off the stage to metaphorical crickets. “All Right Now” reminds all of us that no matter how bad things may seem in the moment, the only way out is through, and everything will be okay.
“We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister
Sometimes, confidence looks like standing up for yourself even when it’s scary. No classic rock song describes this feeling quite as succinctly as Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It”. Just try listening to this song before having to tell someone off and not feeling absolutely pumped up afterward. “We’re not gonna take it / No, we ain’t gonna take it / We’re not gonna take it anymore.”
“Roadhouse Blues” by The Doors
Finally, closing out this list of rock songs that are guaranteed to give you an instant confidence boost is “Roadhouse Blues” by The Doors. It’s a little hedonistic, sardonic, and nihilistic. But in that way, the song is also a helpful reminder to not take ourselves (or this existence) so seriously. Just do what you want. “The future’s uncertain and the end is always near / Let it roll, baby, roll.”
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