Rock music is a genre characterized by iconic instruments such as electric guitars. Additionally, there is fast dance music as well as ballad-style songs in this style of music.
Since MTV no longer showcases music videos, YouTube has become the ideal interactive platform to enjoy this form of entertainment. So we have collected some of the top rock music YouTube videos as examples here.
1. Black Sabbath – Thunderstruck
Black Sabbath first made their mark as heavy metal pioneers with this groundbreaking debut album, an icon in rock music history. It featured some iconic metal songs and first used distorted guitar tones as an integral part of their sound; Black Sabbath would go on to experiment more with progressive metal in later releases.
This album marked the final recording with original drummer Bill Ward before his passing later that year. Additionally, Geezer Butler made his first appearance as bassist – adding something truly unique with his cross between lead and rhythm playing styles that combined perfectly with Tony Iommi’s guitar work and completed their dynamic duo sound.
Not a perfect album, but certainly one of their strongest early works. Some of their heavier tracks such as “War Pigs”, “Walpurgis” (from The OZZman Cometh album), and “Iron Man” stand out as classics in their own right; Paranoid stands out even further defining metal genre and is one of most beloved metal songs ever written.
Other songs on the album tend to be slower and more progressive, which is not necessarily bad, but I wish they’d worked harder at making it more metal oriented. Overall, a wonderful album and must-have for any metal fan.
“Thunderstruck” became an international hit, reaching number four on Australia’s Singles Chart and peaking at #5 on Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, it’s been featured in several movies such as Battleship, Planes: Fire & Rescue, Katie and Orbie: The Longest Yard and Deadpool 2. Furthermore, its video on YouTube has amassed more than one billion views; truly an evergreen tune!
2. Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine
Sweet Child O’ Mine may not be typical Guns N’ Roses material, yet it became an iconic moment in late 80s rock music culture and continues to define many fans’ experience of rock. Sweet Child O’ Mine remains an integral component of rock’n roll today and remains a classic rock tune.
This song’s opening guitar riff is immediately recognizably, even by non-hard rock fans. This legendary rock song has been watched by over one billion viewers on YouTube alone!
Classic rock songs stand the test of time due to their powerful juxtaposition between tough and tender elements. Lyrically, Axl Rose paints an image of demonic decadence; yet his voice sounds fragile like it might crack at any moment – something this classic tune perfectly illustrates. This song remains timeless today for this very reason.
Appetite For Destruction was initially not an enormous hit for GN’R; however, within several years of touring and playing live performances they quickly rose to fame. Standing apart from pop-metal acts at the time, GN’R were more interested in creating aggressive music with unbridled emotion that didn’t fit mainstream tastes.
This song and “Welcome To The Jungle” helped set a precedent for a new generation of rockers. Although grunge eventually put an end to hard rock revival, many children were raised listening to Guns N’ Roses and its contemporaries for some time afterward.
Axl Rose eventually ended up leaving, but all of his fellow members decided to reunite and tour again as GnR in 2016. Since 2016, their current lineup has been selling millions of tickets at their reunion shows and creating some iconic rock songs – most notably Sweet Child O’ Mine!
3. Toto – I’m Alive
After such a successful debut album, it can be difficult for bands to craft an equally successful second album – yet Toto managed this successfully with Toto IV. Featuring some of their iconic songs such as Africa and Rosanna as well as some slower tunes that remain classics such as Afraid of Love and Great Expectations, they created something truly brilliant with this follow up release.
Joe Williams returns as lead vocalist on this record, switching up from Falling In Between’s Joe Isola. His voice has matured significantly and seems more in control of the material than ever. Running Out of Time kickstarts this album hard, featuring an iconic Lukather guitar riff complemented by driving bass by Tim Lefebvre – bookending one of Toto’s signature choruses!
Bend is a slow acoustic ballad that shows off Steve’s adept acoustic guitar work on this record. While not essential, Bend provides another testament to their band’s talent in creating beautiful yet emotive music that stands the test of time.
Rosanna is another standout track on this record and should be instantly recognisable to anyone familiar with Toto. Williams sings the chorus beautifully while David Paich’s orchestration adds dynamic accents with strings, French horns and glockenspiel to build to its epic climax.
Toto IV is an incredible album and should be in every rock fan’s collection. Showcasing all of Toto’s talents and their long and distinguished history collaborating with legendary artists like Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson Steely Dan and Miles Davis as well as winning various awards including multiple Grammys over time is well worth checking out.