3 Classic Rock Songs That Wouldn’t Be the Same Without the Background Vocals

From The Everly Brothers, The Beatles, and The Beach Boys to Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and Pixies, background vocals have defined many classic rock songs. And if you’ve never tried, singing harmonies isn’t as easy as these legends make it look. You must stay in your lane of intervals without being pulled into the lead singer’s notes. The backing singer blends into a supportive role to sweeten, lift, or add weight to a melody and, routinely, the hook.

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Occasionally, the background singer steps into the spotlight, not so much as a lead vocalist, but by adding a vital element to a classic song that wouldn’t be the same without them. Here are three tunes where the BGVs get to be the star.

“Wanted Dead Or Alive” by Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi’s country rock hit uses an outlaw metaphor to describe the lifestyle of a hard-touring rock band. Though the band is named after lead singer Jon Bon Jovi, the guitarist Richie Sambora was crucial to their colossal success in the 1980s. Sambora is an accomplished shredder, but he also co-wrote many of Bon Jovi’s biggest hits, including this one. And this song wouldn’t be the same without Sambora’s echoing “Wanted” each time Bon Jovi shouts the stadium-sized chorus.

“Runnin’ With The Devil” by Van Halen

There are many things to discuss about early Van Halen. One typically begins with Eddie Van Halen and how he utterly transformed the electric guitar. Then there are the primal howls and cartoonish lyrics of frontman David Lee Roth. And Eddie’s brother, Alex, who powered the band on songs like “Hot For Teacher” and “Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love”. But the bassist, Michael Anthony, was responsible for another signature part of Van Halen’s sound. While Roth bellowed and grunted, Anthony sang high, sweet-voiced harmonies, which gave Van Halen’s hard rock a summery Beach Boys vibe.

“Would?” by Alice In Chains

Alice In Chains separated themselves from the other Seattle bands with the dark vocal harmonies of singer Layne Staley and guitarist Jerry Cantrell. Often, their voices would blend into something singular, forming gloomy chords to match the band’s grungy anthems. “Would” first appeared in Cameron Crowe’s 1992 grunge rom-com, Singles. Written for Andrew Wood, the late Mother Love Bone singer, whose young death shaped the future of rock music in both its tragedy and the band that formed in its aftermath, Pearl Jam.

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