Classic rock radio has a tendency to play the same songs over and over again, effectively ruining them for years to come. Here are three overplayed songs that I can’t stand, plus three that I wish had more airplay, from Journey to Scott Walker and more in between.
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“Don’t Stop Believin’” — Journey
“Don’t Stop Believin’” is one of Journey’s most recognizable songs and also the one that gets the most airplay on classic rock radio to this day. Personally, I had my obsession with classic rock in high school, as all teenage girls must. “Don’t Stop Believin’,” however, was one of those classic rock songs that have since become instant skips due to how overplayed radio has made it.
The song was released as the second single from Journey’s 1981 album Escape. It has interesting composition, as the chorus doesn’t come until the song is nearly over. Additionally, it mimics the cadence of a train to keep with the general imagery. However, all the unique compositions and Top 10 placements in the world can’t erase the fact that “Don’t Stop Believin’” is a hugely irritating song.
“Old Time Rock and Roll” — Bob Seger
Released in 1979, Bob Seger, George Jackson, and Tom E. Jones’ “Old Time Rock and Roll” gained renewed interest in 1983 when it was prominently featured in the film Risky Business. Since then, it’s been overplayed to death on classic rock radio.
While it’s been featured on the Top 40 Singles of All Time list, the 100 Years, 100 Songs list, and even named a Song of the Century by the RIAA, “Old Time Rock and Roll” remains a trite push for wallowing in nostalgia. It firmly rejects modernity and refuses to adapt to the changing times. Yeah, that old time rock and roll is good, but there’s also a lot of great new music out there to discover. Essentially, “Old Time Rock and Roll” will always feel like “old man yells at cloud” to me.
“Smoke on the Water” — Deep Purple
“Smoke on the Water” has an iconic guitar riff, but that doesn’t excuse it for being a monumentally overplayed classic rock song. It also serves as one of the more popular songs amateur guitar players like to whip out at parties, besides “Wonderwall.”
Released in 1972, “Smoke on the Water” chronicles the true story of the Montreux Casino fire in Switzerland the previous year. Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention were playing a show there when someone in the audience fired a flare gun at the ceiling, which sent the place up in flames. There were no injuries, unless you count the complete destruction of the casino and all the Mothers’ equipment. While the story and background of “Smoke on the Water” is definitely interesting, it still remains overplayed.
Classic Rock Songs That Deserved More Exposure
“The Old Man’s Back Again” — Scott Walker
Released in 1969 on Scott Walker’s album Scott 4, “The Old Man’s Back Again” is a highly underrated song depicting the end of the Prague Spring and Czechoslovakia’s backslide into fascism in 1968. The song is “Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime,” which returned to then-Czechoslovakia after a short period of progressive reform. A powerful classic laden with Walker’s highly evocative imagery.
“Tangerine” — Led Zeppelin
“Tangerine” was released on Led Zeppelin’s 1970 album Led Zeppelin III. It’s a more folksy, acoustic take on the classic rock band’s sound, but ramps up near the middle with some distorted guitar before settling into pedal steel. According to critics, there were early influences for “Stairway to Heaven” in the guitar phrases of “Tangerine,” making this a crucial track in Led Zeppelin’s discography.
“Emotional Rescue” — The Rolling Stones
“Emotional Rescue” was featured on the Rolling Stones’ 1980 album of the same name. The song was recorded during a time of upheaval between Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, as Richards was getting sober and demanding to be included in the band’s business. “Emotional Rescue” is allegedly about a woman in crisis whose boyfriend wants to help her out, and Jagger’s unique shift from falsetto to his normal vocals in the middle of the song makes for an interesting experience.
Featured Image by Paul Natkin/Getty Images
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