TOP 10 HARD ROCK / METAL SONGS
#10 Airbourne (2007). "Runnin' Wild". Runnin' Wild. The breakout Australian rock band, Airbourne, produced one of the greatest hard rock songs I have ever heard. For a modern band with influences from AC/DC and Metallica, Airbourne is a force to reckoned with. On their debut album, they hit #21 on the Australian billboards, #62 on the UK charts and placing on many more charts in different countries. "Runnin' Wild" is a modern hard rock adrenaline rush of a song. The band has a new, fresh and unique sound which can be shown in this song. The fast tempo, heavy drums, borderline rock/metal vocals and lyrics evoke feeling. By the end of this song, anyone would be "runnin' wild and free".
#9 Guns N Roses (1987). "Welcome to the Jungle". Appetite for Destruction. The only words that can prepare you for a song of this magnitude would be, "Welcome To The Jungle." It shows that Guns N Roses is a band where anything can happen with them and anything is possible musically when they put themselves up to the task. The crazy guitar riffs and solos will "bring you to your knees" and there is nothing you can do to prevent it. It is one of the iconic songs of Guns N Roses and the 80's. With Axl Rose's unique singing style and the guitar work of Slash, this song "will bring you down." This song has everything a person could want in hard rock, a shredding solo, catchy chorus, and a great overall sound.
#8 Ozzy Osbourne (1983). "Bark at the Moon". Bark at the Moon. The first song recorded after the death of former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Randy Rhodes. Rhodes was replace by Jake Lee on guitar. The guitar riffs and solos in the song are fast, technical and complex. There is a very basic but driving bass line that plays throughout the entirety of the song. The lyrics of this hard rock song portray a mythical beast which terrorizes a town. You will "listen in awe" at this song in all of its hard rock greatness. It is one of the few truly amazing songs that have emerged from Ozzy Osbourne's solo career.
#7 Rush (1976). "2112". 2112. "2112" by Rush is a 20 minute and 33 second progressive rock epic. It tells the story of a post apocalyptic dystopian society ruled by a group of priests. This song defines Rush as one of the classic hard rock/progressive rock bands of music. The duration of the song is a feat of extreme talent in itself. The band demonstrates perfect timing, composition skill, immense instrumental skill and perfectly written lyrics. Rush is a band that was great back then and has progressively gotten even better over the years.
#6 AC/DC (1990). "Thunderstruck". The Razors Edge. The only way to describe "Thunderstruck" is to call it a hard rock masterpiece. There is no hard rock song that can compare to the epic piece written by AC/DC. This song will leave you "shakin' at the knees" from the power of the guitars and drums together. It is yet another song by AC/DC that shows Brian Johnson as one of the greatest and most consistent vocalists in music. The intro of the song contains one of the greatest and most recognizable guitar riffs played in rock. The driving bass line and lyrics make you wish the song would never end. The song will leave you absolutely "Thunderstruck".
#5 Megadeth (1986). "Peace Sells". Peace sells... But Who's Buying?. "Peace Sells" is one of the few great thrash/speed metal works that has been controversial as well as critical of the political system. The song criticizes politics as well as politicians in the typical Megadeth manner. The song is a public criticism of the political system of our country, a message which any angry citizen can relate with. Dave Mustaine provides his own unique and harsh vocals which are equal to that of his counterpart, James Hetfield, from the opposing heavy metal band Metallica. "Peace Sells" is another unbelievable thrashing song filled with insane guitar solos done by Mustaine and unrivaled bass lines played by David Ellefson. Megadeth is an unstoppable and unrelenting force of metal which still pounds out amazing songs today.
#4 Metallica (1986). "Master of Puppets". Master of Puppets. The song "Master of Puppets" is what sets the bar in heavy metal for all bands. It is a heavy metal work of perfection in which very few songs of the genre can surpass. The song features some of the greatest metal musicians of all time such as bassist Cliff Burton, guitarist Kirk Hammett, and guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield. This song will be "twisting your mind" with many of the heaviest guitar riffs ever played in metal as well as the harsh/commanding vocals of Hetfield. You will find that Metallica will "rule you too" and you will not be able to escape their heavy metal masterpieces. This song will only have you "come crawling faster" to get more.
#3 Judas Priest (1990). "Painkiller". Painkiller. This a speed metal masterpiece was created by one of the most influential metal bands of all time. The song has your heart pounding and your mind racing from the moment of the crushing drum solo in the beginning to the ripping guitar solos. The lyrics bring you into the world of metal where everything is "faster than a bullet" and filled with "terrifying screams". There is no metal band like Judas Priest. They have their own signature sound which cannot be imitated by any other band. The album from which the song "Painkiller" comes from has been a driving influence on many bands today who have adopted a similar sound. This song will bring you under the "deadly wheels" of the "painkiller".
#2 Iron Maiden (1982). "Hallowed Be Thy Name". The Number of the Beast. This is one of the greatest songs written by a metal band. It was written by the most successful metal band of all time, Iron Maiden. The song contains a driving bass line that carries the song forward until the end. The lyrics tell a chilling story of a man on death row who is going to his execution. It is the greatest song written by Iron Maiden by far musically through lyrics and skill. The powerful operatic and screaming vocals of Bruce Dickinson evoke emotion in the listener as they hear the narrative of a man knowingly going to his death. The song also has an amazing shredding solo played by guitarist Adrian Smith. "Hallowed Be Thy Name" is considered one of the greatest metal songs of all time.
#1 Black Sabbath (1970) "War Pigs". Paranoid. Black Sabbath is the godfather of metal and they have written some of the greatest metal songs of all time. "War Pigs" is the equivalent of the Mona L:isa in metal. It is a work of art which has withstood the test of time in the minds of rockers and metal heads. There is no song that can convey a sense of darkness with lyrics and instrumental riffs such as "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath. This "war machine" of a song "keeps turning" and finds itself at #1 and it will continue through the ages as a true classic metal song.
