Let's make a Classic Rock Crash Course!

I've got an idea. Let's make a playlist that's a crash course in classic rock!

That is, 100 or 150 (or perhaps even 200, but not more than that) classic rock songs that can serve as an introduction to the "genre" for someone who's completely unfamiliar with it. We're going for the most significant songs here, not necessarily the best. The ones "everyone should know". The Bohemian Rhapsodies, Stairways To Heaven and Purple Hazes of this world.

So will this list be full of cliché songs you've heard a hundred times over? Yes. Not a problem; it's meant for people who don't even know those, after all.

Some artists (like the Beatles or Queen) will probably end up with 15 or more songs on the list, while others (like Steppenwolf with "Born To Be Wild") may have only one. This isn't a problem, either.

The creation of the list will be a two-phase process. First off, we'll make a longlist. Nominate as many or as few songs as you like for this, even if you're not sure they deserve a spot among the final 100 or 150; it's a longlist, and it's allowed to grow as bloated as it likes. There are some criteria for inclusion, though:

• The song must have been released between 1960 and 1989.
• "Classic rock" is defined very broadly here, but try to nominate songs only if the "rock" part makes at least some sense. For example, from Bob Dylan, "The Ballad Of Hollis Brown" wouldn't qualify, but "Subterranean Homesick Blues" and "Like A Rolling Stone" would. Metal and punk don't fly, either – but we'll count Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and similar stuff as hard rock rather than metal.
• The song must have some claim to fame. No matter how awesome you think a song is, if it was never very popular or influential, don't nominate it. We're trying to introduce people to the "canon" of classic rock here; they can find the obscure stuff later. For example, I consider this one of the greatest classic rock songs ever, but I'm not going to nominate it because it's nowhere near "big" enough.
• When in doubt, nominate! If I really think your nomination doesn't meet the criteria, I'll say so and we can discuss it in here.

I've created a spreadsheet for the longlist so you can check if a song has already been nominated by someone else. (Please do check this before nominating a song; it's less work for me that way). I think I've covered a lot of ground with my own nominations, though by no means everything.

Once we have a good longlist – I'm thinking of setting this moment at one or two months from now, or whenever no new nominations have come in for X days – we'll start trimming it down to the actual list. This will be done through a voting process whose details I have yet to work out.

So, let's hear your suggestions for this great canon, so that the uninitiated may be shown the beauty of classic rock!

edited 3rd Jan '14 4:11:16 PM by MidnightRambler

Mache dich, mein Herze, rein...

Hey man, Steppenwolf also has "Magic Carpet Ride", aka one of those classic weed songs.

Insert witty 'n clever quip here.

I agree with Magic Carpet Ride my local Classic Rock radio station plays it a lot.

Batman Ninja more like Batman's Bizarre Adventure

Okay, "Magic Carpet Ride" added. Now let's hear more, everyone!

Mache dich, mein Herze, rein...

"2112" by Rush perhaps for one of the more popular examples of more North American, hard rockish prog epics.

Only Death Is Real

For the Beatles, there's still even a lot that can go on there that aren't on there, but I'd say a few of the most egregious omissions are "All You Need is Love" (DA DADADADA), "I Am the Walrus", and "Strawberry Fields Forever". And I suppose there's Joe Cocker's version of "With a Little Help from My Friends".

For Black Sabbath, "Iron Man", since it is their most famous song, and, going solo here, Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train".

Steve Miller could have "Take the Money and Run".

The Stooges would get "Search and Destroy", one of the key proto-punk songs, and possibly "I Wanna Be Your Dog" (I've heard it used in different forms of media a lot).

Electric Light Orchestra would have a few here:

• "Mr. Blue Sky", natch
• "Evil Woman"
• "Do Ya"

Looking at the list, I wouldn't call Billy Joel's "Goodnight Saigon" one of his better known or essential songs, but I would nominate a few tracks off of Glass Houses, like "You May Be Right", "Don't Ask Me Why", and "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me". Earlier on, we have "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant", his most well known long song, as well as from the same album "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song", "Just the Way You Are", "Only the Good Die Young", and "She's Always a Woman". "The Longest Time" could qualify, but it's more of a doo-wop song than a rock song. Later on, arguably, "The River of Dreams", though it might miss the timeline you established a bit.

We'd be remiss to ignore punk here, so here are some basics:

• The Ramones
  • "Blitzkrieg Bop"
  • "I Wanna Be Sedated"
• The Sex Pistols
  • "God Save the Queen"

Jefferson Airplane is missing "White Rabbit", and it could be argued that their later incarnation's "We Built This City" qualifies.

I don't know much KISS, but I do know "Rock and Roll All Nite" and "Detroit Rock City".

What would any summer be without Alice Cooper's "School's Out"?

A lot of Bon Jovi misses your cutoff date (otherwise, I'd totally nominate "Wanted Dead or Alive"), but "Livin' on a Prayer" totally makes the grade here.

Speaking of NJ classic rock, the Boss is missing "Dancing in the Dark" and "Glory Days".

One Elvis Presley song that fits in your timeframe is definitely "Suspicious Minds", and one could argue for "If I Can Dream", though that one is more of a pop ballad than anything I suppose.

Oh hey, I just realized the lack of folk rock!

• Simon And Garfunkel
  • "The Sound of Silence"
  • "Mrs. Robinson"
  • "Bridge over Troubled Water"
  • "I Am a Rock"
  • "A Hazy Shade of Winter"
  • "Scarborough Fair/Canticle"
  • "Homeward Bound"
  • "America" (doubly qualifies due to Yes's popular take on the song)
• The Byrds
  • "Eight Miles High"
  • "Turn, Turn, Turn (To Everything is a Season)"

Van Halen also has "Eruption". Sure, it's technically just a guitar solo, but it is one of their most famous guitar solos, and it was used in Back To The Future to great effect.

And speaking of Back to the Future, would you include Huey Lewis And The News? Because if so, "The Power of Love", "Back in Time", and "The Heart of Rock and Roll" could make the list.

Getting into more '80s, some Journey as well. "Don't Stop Believin'" is the obvious choice, but there's also "Any Way You Want it" and "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" (the former due to radio popularity and its overuse in car commercials and the latter due to popularity as a song and due to its legendarily awful music video).

Some New Wave needs to get in there as well, and one of the definitive bands here is the Talking Heads.

• "Psycho Killer"
• "Burning Down the House"
• "Once in a Lifetime"

Other new wave would include Devo, who has "Whip It", though I'm not particularly well versed in them or in New Wave as a whole, so I can't exactly say much more. But, I suppose, that's just as well for a list like this. Though I suppose we could throw in Men Without Hats's "The Safety Dance" as well.

One thing you need to fix is under "Under Pressure", which should be jointly credited to Queen and David Bowie. Speaking of which (SEGUE!)...

• David Bowie
  • Ch-ch-ch-ch-"Changes" (TUUURN TO FACE THE STRAAANGE—)
  • "Let's Dance"
  • Arguably, his and Mick Jagger's homoerotic masterpiece that is their cover of "Dancing in the Street".
  • "Fame"
  • "Starman"
  • "Ziggy Stardust"
  • "Suffragette City"
  • "Rock 'n Roll Suicide"
  • "Ashes to Ashes"
  • "I'm Afraid of Americans"
  • "Magic Dance"
  • "The Man Who Sold the World"
  • "All the Young Dudes" (technically initially released by Mott The Hoople, but Bowie wrote it and later released his own version almost identical to theirs)
  • I'd argue "Cygnet Committee", but that's more one I like a lot rather than one that qualifies it for this list. Have a listen if you've never heard it before.

Oh, more Beatles, "Across the Universe", due to how culturally ingrained that song has become to the point of there being a popular movie which grabs its title (and main musical number) from the song.

Some solo Beatles stuff as well:

• Paul Mc Cartney
  • "Maybe I'm Amazed"
  • (with Wings) "Band on the Run", "Jet", "Live and Let Die"
• John Lennon
  • "Imagine"
  • "Give Peace a Chance"
  • "Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)"
  • "Mother"
  • "Power to the People"
  • "Give Me Some Truth"
  • "Working Class Hero"
  • "Happy Xmas (War is Over)"
  • "Whatever Gets You Through the Night"
• George Harrison
  • "My Sweet Lord"
  • "Got My Mind Set On You" (technically a cover, but a much better known cover)
  • "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)"
  • "Bangla Desh" (sic)
  • "All Those Years Ago"
• Ringo Starr
  • LOL

Okay, that was mean. The only song I can think of for Ringo, though, is "It Don't Come Easy" and, arguably, "The No-No Song", but I'd hardly call the latter essential. Maybe "Photograph"?

The Velvet Underground could also have "I'm Sticking With You" added to the list, if only due to more contemporary popularity (such as its use in Juno...or maybe it was just on the soundtrack, I don't remember). "All Tomorrow's Parties" qualifies too; there's even a music festival named after it.

...I'm really enjoying making this list way too much.

edited 3rd Jan '14 8:17:17 PM by Odd1

Insert witty 'n clever quip here.

While I love this kind of music, I'm hesitant to use the term "Classic Rock" since it covers such as broad variety of style and movements in rock history. I mean, it feels weird to group the countercultural acid rock of the late-60s together with the commercialized Arena Rock of the late-70s/early-80s. I see "Classic Rock" as more of a radio format than an actual genre. Speaking of radio, my local classic rock station has started playing Pearl Jam songs, so clearly the definition of "classic rock" is broadening even further.

Not that I think there's anything wrong with creating this list, I just wanted to get my reservations about the matter out of the way before I participated.

Anyway, here's my suggestions:
Aerosmith - Dream On
Blue Oyster Cult - Don't Fear the Reaper
Boston - More than a Feeling, Peace of Mind, Foreplay/Long Time
The Cars - Just What I Needed, My Best Friend's Girl
Cheap Trick - I Want You to Want Me, Surrender
Cream - Sunshine of Your Love
Derek & the Dominoes - Layla
Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way
Heart - Barracuda, Magic Man
Kansas - Carry on Wayward Son, Dust in the Wind
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama, Free Bird
Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Blinded by the Light
John Mellencamp - Jack & Diane, Hurts So Good
Pat Benatar - Heartbreaker, Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Rush - Tom Sawyer, The Spirit of Radio
Santana - Black Magic Woman
Styx - Come Sail Away, Renegade
Tom Petty - Free Fallin', Runnin' Down a Dream
Toto - Hold the Line
Yes - Roundabout, Owner of a Lonely Heart

For the record, I added more to my list after posted

I forgot, is Derek and the Dominoes' "Layla" on the list? If not, that's an egregious omission.

Oh, hey, would "The Kids Are Alright" qualify for The Who as well?

edited 3rd Jan '14 8:23:04 PM by Odd1

Insert witty 'n clever quip here.

I'd have thought you could extend the years mentioned back to 1955. The 50s had their share of classic rock 'n' roll... Which is actually different from rock, but never mind...

"They say I'm old fashioned, and live in the past, but sometimes I think progress progresses too fast."

Don't actively listen to most bands labelled as classic rock, unless it's leans towards metal or prog, but I know enough about it to contribute. For now (mostly based on popularity and what I hear on rock radio):

• Motorhead - Ace of Spades (if Sabbath qualifies, so should they)
• Budgie - Breadfan
• Scorpions - Winds of Change, Rock You Like a Hurricane
• Toto - Africa
• The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary
• Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade of Pale
• Marillion - Kayleigh
• Billy Idol - Rebel Yell, White Wedding
• Whitesnake - Is This Love?
• Twisted Sister - I Wanna Rock, We're Not Gonna Take It
• Moody Blues - Nights in White Satin
• The Clash - London Calling
• Chicago - Hard To Say I'm Sorry, If You Leave Me Now, 25 or 6 to 4
• Thin Lizzy - The Boys are Back in Town, Whiskey in the Jar
• Survivor - Eye of the Tiger
• Rainbow - Man on the Silver Mountain, Stargazer, Since You Been Gone, Kill the King
• Styx - Mr. Roboto
• Loverboy - Working for the Weekend
• Stealers Wheel - Stuck in the Middle with You
• Kenny Loggins - Danger Zone

edited 4th Jan '14 5:56:09 AM by supergod

For we shall slay evil with logic...

I agree that the list should extend back further to the '50s. The entire rock 'n roll songbook was written then. And Aldo, it's not that rock 'n roll is different from rock, it's just a subgenre of rock—it just happens to be the very first form of rock to have existed, back when it was in its primitive (but equally powerful...hell, arguably even more powerful) state.

edited 4th Jan '14 1:41:26 PM by Odd1

Insert witty 'n clever quip here.

There is sort of a difference in that rock 'n' roll is dance music while rock isn't.

"They say I'm old fashioned, and live in the past, but sometimes I think progress progresses too fast."

Thirding the 50's idea, perhaps we can even add in the odd proto-rock bands as well just to give a fuller picture.

Only Death Is Real

As long it's something you'd hear on a rock station/show, it should be fine.

For we shall slay evil with logic...

Well, obviously...

• Chuck Berry ("Johnny B. Goode", "Rock and Roll Music", "Roll Over Beethoven", "Too Much Monkey Business", "Memphis, Tennessee", "You Can't Catch Me", "Carol", "Sweet Little Sixteen", "Maybelline", "Reelin' and Rockin'", "My Ding-a-Ling"),
• Little Richard ("Keep a-Knockin'", "Lucille", "Tutti Frutti", "Good Golly Miss Molly", "Kansas City / Hey Hey Hey Hey"),
• Elvis Presley ("Hound Dog, "Jailhouse Rock", "Heartbreak Hotel", "All Shook Up", "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear", "Little Sister", "Can't Help Falling in Love", "Return to Sender", "(You're the) Devil in Disguise", "In the Ghetto", "Burning Love"),
• Jerry Lee Lewis ("Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On", "Great Balls of Fire"...I know there's more, but I'm blanking at the moment)
• and Buddy Holly ("Peggy Sue", "That'll Be the Day", "Words of Love", "Not Fade Away", "Crying, Waiting, Hoping", "Oh Boy!")...

have to be there. We could include a couple of Johnny Cash songs too, since you are likely to hear him on a classic rock station. ("Ring of Fire", "Walk the Line", "Jackson", "The Man in Black", etc.) And this list won't mean bo diddley if we didn't include Bo Diddley's "Bo Diddley" from the album Bo Diddley.

If we were to include some proto-rock, we'd be dipping back into the '40s, and as much as I love to pimp Louis Jordan (the missing link between jazz and rock and roll!), he's not particularly well-known beyond music historians. Same for most other influential artists from the period leading up to rock and roll.

Not really. Rock is probably one of the most diverse genres there is in terms of how many subgenres there are. There's tons of rock music that serves the function of dance music. Even then, if you wanna get technical, pretty much anything with a beat can serve the function of dance music.

edited 4th Jan '14 5:47:46 PM by Odd1

Insert witty 'n clever quip here.

You probably heard his song "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby" in that one Tom and Jerry cartoon.

Of course, rock 'n' roll hit the scene as a dance music, but like jazz before it, there was rock 'n' roll made for dancing and meant to listen to. Like in the years before it, if it was under a band's name it was dance music, but if it was a singer, it was meant to listen to.

Then, by the end of the 60s, that all went up in pieces.

"They say I'm old fashioned, and live in the past, but sometimes I think progress progresses too fast."

That doesn't make it not rock, though...

Insert witty 'n clever quip here.

Nominating:

Styx "Boat on the River" Deep Purple "Smoke on the Water", "Child in Time"

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Can I add some power ballads?

• Sister Christian-Night Ranger
• Every Rose Has Its Thorn-Poison
• When I See You Smile-Bad English
• Here I Go Again-Whitesnake

And perhaps even a few others:

• Don't You (Forget About Me)-Simple Minds
• Bad Company-Bad Company
• The Unknown Soldier-The Doors
• Hot Blooded-Foreigner
• Cold As Ice-Foreigner
• Rosanna-Toto
• Summer of 69-Bryan Adams
• Footloose-Kenny Loggins

That's all I got for now. Good for a 16 year old's music selection?

I am expressing multiple attitudes simultaneously. To which are you referring?

"Bad Company"? By Bad Company? From the album Bad Company?

(While we're on the subject, "Shooting Star" by Bad Company as well.)

Insert witty 'n clever quip here.

http://www.concerthotels.com/100-years-of-rock

Could that be helpful?

All I got is prog rock. Stuck to the popular stuff and whatnot.

• Emerson Lake and Palmer
  • Lucky Man
  • Knife Edge
  • Karn Evil 9:1st Impression Pt 2
• Genesis
  • Watcher of the Skies
  • Dancing With The Moonlit Knight
  • The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
  • A Trick of the Tail
  • Follow You Follow Me
  • Misunderstanding
  • Turn It On Again
  • That's All
  • Invisible Touch
• Jethro Tull
  • Aqualung
  • Wind Up
  • Thick as a Brick
• Kansas
  • Carry On My Wayward Son
  • Point of Know Return
  • Dust In The Wind
• Peter Gabriel
  • Solisbury Hill
  • Here Comes The Flood
  • Games Without Frontiers
  • Sledgehammer
  • In Your Eyes
• Phil Collins
  • In The Air Tonight
• Rush
  • Working Man
  • Fly By Night
  • 2112
  • Closer to the Heart
  • The Spirit of Radio
  • Tom Sawyer
  • Red Barchetta
• Yes
  • Yours is No Disgrace
  • Roundabout
  • Owner of a Lonely Heart

[secretly biting my tongue for nominating more 80s Genesis than 70s Genesis]

I kinda wanna recommend Velveet Underground too. All y'all should listen to Sister Ray at least once. Really incredible stuff

edited 11th Jan '14 12:54:59 AM by iamathousandapples

"I could eat a knob at night" - Karl Pilkington

Oh, yeah, I forgot The Logical Song and Give A Little Bit by Supertramp.

I am expressing multiple attitudes simultaneously. To which are you referring?

I knew I was forgetting something. Also I forgot Frank Zappa :/ but I can't think of any songs. I'm the Slime maybe? Stinkfoot?

"I could eat a knob at night" - Karl Pilkington

Rambly, are you still monitoring the thread?

Insert witty 'n clever quip here.