3 Addictive Pop Hooks Every Classic Rock Fan Knows by Heart

Pop music and rock music overlap. At times, it can be hard to place a song in either category wholly. Unless you’re a rock purist, and then you have a definite line in the sand. Despite their discernment, rock superfans would have no problems with the three songs below. These may not be in their preferred genre, but odds are, they can sing along to every word of these pop hooks.

Videos by American Songwriter

[RELATED: 3 Songs That You Can’t Fully Understand Through Listening to Them—These Tracks Need Extra Context]

“Sledgehammer” (Peter Gabriel)

Peter Gabriel is primarily considered a rock artist, but “Sledgehammer” is a pop song through and through. Though the instrumentation lives in the rock world, there is no mistaking this song’s sugar-coated chorus for anything other than pop perfection.

“Sledgehammer” features an earworm hook that pop stars should be envious of. Wow! Oh, let me be your sledgehammer / This will be my testimony, Gabriel sings in this iconic, suggestive hit. The song gains an added edge from its rock influences, yet rock purists would have a hard time categorizing it as such. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t as quick to sing along to this track as the rest of us.

“Since U Been Gone” (Kelly Clarkson)

Kelly Clarkson has proved her merit in pretty much every genre at this point, but one she hasn’t explored enough is rock. Clarkson’s powerful vocals would put most of the modern rock world to shame if she decided to jump genres. If you need evidence of that fact, revisit “Since U Been Gone.”

This rock-tinged pop song sees Clarkson belt out an anthemic chorus. Most of the world knows this pop hook—even rock superfans who wouldn’t dare admit they listened to pop otherwise.

[RELATED: Kelly Clarkson Reassures Fans She Isn’t Done With Music as She Exits Her Talk Show]

“Shallow” (Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper)

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone on earth who doesn’t know “Shallow,” written for the latest remake of A Star Is Born. Though Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper were portraying rock-ish artists, purists of the genre would have a hard time calling this song anything other than an edgy pop track. Nevertheless, no one can deny that “Shallow’s” hook has an era-defining level of catchiness.

Though very few can go note-for-note with Lady Gaga, many try. This song has become a karaoke classic since its release. Everyone loves “Shallow” to an extent, so it’s impossible to escape.

(Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)