3 Rock Songs That Prove Simplicity Beats Virtuosity

Sometimes the best songs are the simplest. While it’s always fun to see someone flex the breadth of their talents, that approach doesn’t always equal a timeless, universally loved song. At times, a sparser canvas is what a listener needs to attach themselves to a song. The three rock songs below prove that fact. These efforts are oh-so simple, but they don’t need anything intricate to wow audiences.

Videos by American Songwriter

[RELATED: 3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1970s That No One Remembers Anymore (but They Were Better Than the Rest)]

“Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” (Bob Dylan)

Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” is pretty one-note throughout the song. While that could’ve proved boring, the strength of Dylan’s lyricism shines with a simple backdrop.

“Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” tackles mortality in an unbashedly simple way. It’s getting dark, too dark to see / I feel I’m knockin’ on heaven’s door, he sings. He stares that concept right in the eye and gives the listener answers to one of life’s biggest mysteries.

“Free Fallin’” (Tom Petty)

Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’” is one of the most iconic rock ballads of all time. It’s a song that has been covered countless times and is beloved by multi-generations. All of its fanfare is made all the more impressive by its simplicity.

This song shines because it is so uncomplicated. The catchiness of this melody is readily apparent thanks to its sparse instrumentation. Subsequent covers have doubled down on this song’s simplicity, many choosing to sing it as a wholly acoustic number.

[RELATED: Tom Petty Won His 1995 Grammy While in a Chicken Shack: “I Was Not in a Good Headspace”]

“Wish You Were Here” (Pink Floyd)

Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” is straightforward, especially when compared to most of the band’s discography. This song about mental decline is stunningly subtle. It wouldn’t be the approach many bands would take for a song of this theme, but that out-of-the-box mindset is what set Pink Floyd apart from their peers.

Most of this song is structured around a simple guitar riff. It repeats nearly ad nauseam but pulls back just as it’s about to get boring. This keenly written track is the perfect example of when and how to use simplicity in songwriting. If anyone needed to be convinced of the merits of a simple song, this would be the track that changed their mind.

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

(Photo by Storm Thorgerson/Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment)