Most classic rock songs are famous for a reason. They revolutionized the rock genre when they first came out. And fans back in the day recognized how incredible they were. That being said, a few of those songs have endured the test of time. One might even say they sound even better today than they did decades ago. Let’s look at just a few classic rock songs that fit the bill, shall we?
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1. “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” by The Clash
I’d be bold enough to say that this punk rock classic is the most memorable song on our list. The whole of this song is so much fun and very easy to sing along to. While punk tracks like The Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop” get used all the time in television commercials, “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” by The Clash lends a delightful vibe to anything it is used for. Few songs from the early 1980s have that kind of lasting power.
2. “All The Way From Memphis” by Mott The Hoople
You might be unfamiliar with this song’s title and the band itself, but “All The Way From Memphis” by Mott The Hoople will likely come back to you after hearing the song for just a few seconds. This 1973 glam-rock jam is as much of a throwback as it could be, considering it is a rock song about losing your guitar while on a world tour. Losing gear isn’t exactly a groundbreaking concept, but there’s something about this song that is so playful, more so than you’d expect from today’s musicians who take themselves very seriously.
3. “Lola” by The Kinks
Remember “Lola” by The Kinks? This warranted entry on our list of classic rock songs that sound even better today came out way back in 1970. It was ahead of its time, both sonically and in terms of its subject matter. “Lola” is a love song written about a transgender woman. That was quite a taboo subject back in 1970, and sadly, it would likely be considered taboo even today. But the song still resonates with the LGBTQ community through generations, and the vintage rock and roll energy of the song is refreshing to hear in today’s age of overproduced electronica-tinged pop.
4. “Fame” by David Bowie
A standout favorite among classic rock songs, “Fame” by David Bowie is just weird enough to be as huge today as it was back in 1975. While a lot of funk-rock songs from that era have fallen in popularity and been lost to time, “Fame” is still a fan favorite among Bowie diehards, both young and old.
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