Rock music may not seem like the obvious choice to get dance floors going, but there are actually numerous rock tracks that can spark lively dancing sessions.
These tracks cover everything from slow love ballads to headbanging masterpieces. A few examples: Mony Mony by Billy Joel features an engaging chorus that makes for the ideal song to invite others over for dancing sessions.
Barracuda by Heart
Heart’s rousing hard-rocking anthem “Barracuda” remains one of their signature songs, thanks to its memorable riff, mesmerizing vocal performance, & powerful sonic power – it became a renowned classic that is still danceable today!
This song’s history is captivating: it details the band’s discontent at Mushroom Records for publishing their 1975 album Dreamboat Annie with its cover depicting an incestuous relationship between Ann Wilson and Jane Wilson that caused outrage among their members.
Nancy immediately composed an emotionally powerful song to counter the promoter’s use of insensitive language and to protest rampant sexism in her industry – including criticism of Nancy’s body image and focus on sister Laura in their music videos. This powerful clap of fitful fists proved so effective as an antidote that it was honored with induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.
Crazy Train by The Prince of Darkness
Crazy Train is one of the iconic songs by Ozzy Osbourne, frontman for Black Sabbath’s doom-and-gloom heavy metal band. Ozzy’s life has been marked by public scandal and substance abuse; during this turbulent time “Crazy Train” became his signature tune and expressed Ozzy’s feelings of being lost within this chaotic world.
This classic song stands the test of time due to Ozzy’s distinct vocals and Randy Rhoads’ incredible guitar talents, drawing listeners in with its engaging riffs and drum beats. Furthermore, its lyrics discuss Ozzy’s feeling that the world is falling apart; these themes still resonate strongly today among many listeners.
Recently, footage emerged showing Ozzy enjoying Trick Daddy’s single, ‘Let’s Go,’ which includes a sample from “Crazy Train”. Check it out below!
Juke Box Hero by Blue Oyster Cult
Guitar Hero and Rock Band games have given many classic rock bands a fresh lease on life, reviving iconic acts from the Eighties like Blue Oyster Cult back into public view. Few groups are as revered in hard rock circles than Blue Oyster Cult. Long Island group Cultosaurus’ 1981 album included Juke Box Hero, a lively arena rock tune about a boy who dreams of becoming a rock star. With its shouty vocals and energetic drumming, this track serves as an anthem that anyone can rally behind and sing along to. Career of Evil captures the concept that great rock songs draw their inspiration from real-life experiences and relationships, such as those between Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac (Lindsey being involved with Stevie in writing her parts) which led directly to Fleetwood Mac’s song Career of Evil about this clash between Lindsey vs Stevie – which inspired this song’s composition!
Take It Easy by The Eagles is another prime example. Beginning with sparse guitar neck work and hoarse whispers before quickly building into an epic anthem of attitude and lust.
Buddy Holly by Weezer
This pop rock tune, written and released as the second single from Weezer’s 1994 debut album The Blue Album by Rivers Cuomo was later used as part of an Honda commercial featuring a family singing along.
Spike Jonze directed the music video for Happy Days’ hit single, featuring scenes from its hit 1970s television series Happy Days with some cast members making cameo appearances. It earned four MTV Video Music Awards including Best Alternative/Modern Rock Video.
Rivers Cuomo wrote the song in reference to a platonic friendship he had with a girl during high school who often fell victim to cruel jokes and insults. Although its chorus lyrics make reference to how she looks similar to Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, Cuomo himself has stated in the past that this song does not refer to romantic feelings but is instead meant as a parody.
Summer of ’69 by Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams first rose to international renown with Cuts Like a Knife from his third album’s title track Summer of 69 released in 1985, yet it remains popular today on radio stations and streaming services.
The song tells the tale of a young man fondly recalling his teenage years – from purchasing his first guitar, trying to form a band, and falling for his high school sweetheart – through this simple yet timeless rock tune which has come to be associated with nostalgia for days gone by.
Rock music song like this one are great because they make us feel good while at the same time bringing back memories of things that could have gone differently. Lyrically, “Jimmy quit, Jody got married” refers to members of Adams’ high school band who left when he went professional and married off Jody as part of Adams’ song lyrics.
The Boys Are Back In Town by Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy spent years perfecting their sound before reaching success on the mainstream scene. Frontman Phil Lynott’s Irish roots and Celtic culture had an enormous effect on their sound, while they needed something that would get them noticed outside of Ireland – The Boys Are Back In Town became that song for them when originally recorded for Jailbreak album in 1976 by veteran blues guitarist Mark Nauseef who filled in for drummer Brian Downey due to recent bar fight injuries sustained during recording session.
Thin Lizzy have achieved another masterpiece with their hard rock track “Big Time.” Packed with testosterone-charged lyrics that celebrate male stereotypes with style, this track quickly became the weekend anthem that it is today and made them household names worldwide – leading Metallica and other heavy metal bands to list Thin Lizzy as an influence.
Panama by Guns N’ Roses
In 1989 when the US invaded Panama in hot pursuit of Manuel Noriega, its military employed unconventional strategies. For example, they would play deafening volumes of music such as Guns N’ Roses and Elvis Presley to try to force Noriega’s surrender.
Appetite for Destruction was released and they saw success almost immediately with numerous hits from it. Although their subsequent albums largely adhered to hard rock genres, their Use Your Illusion Parts 1 & 2 albums featured balladry, acoustic blues, horn sections and lengthy art rock epics – expanding on what Appetite for Destruction offered them in terms of soundscape diversity.
Slash has recently addressed claims that some lyrics from Guns N’ Roses songs contain sexist material. He acknowledges that the band could have taken more care with their compositions but insists their songs shouldn’t be taken too seriously.
Free Bird by The Beatles
The Beatles are widely considered one of the greatest rock bands ever to grace this planet with their presence, yet they didn’t just cease performing after they split in 1970. Instead, in 1995 they issued Anthology – a massive multimedia project consisting of three double albums and an expansive hardback book which tells their entire tale from its inception to triumphant conclusion.
McCartney and Ono approached their former band members with an idea: to contribute unreleased John Lennon material that hadn’t previously been recorded and released, specifically using “Free as a Bird” by ELO’s Jeff Lynne to produce their album project.
The Beatles released their version of “You Must Believe in Me” in December 1995, reaching No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 charts – marking their 34th top ten hit in America and cementing them into rock music’s pantheon of all-time greats.