57 articles
Immigrant Song
Immigrant Song: 1970 Led Zeppelin song by Plant and Page opening Led Zeppelin III, inspired by the band's June 22, 1970 Reykjavik, Iceland concert; Viking-themed, 2:25, US No. 16 hit, famous for Thor: Ragnarok and School of Rock uses.
Iron Man (song)
Iron Man (song): Black Sabbath heavy metal track, fourth song on Paranoid (1970), credited to Iommi, Osbourne, Butler, Ward; sci-fi revenge lyrics, not the Marvel hero, later used in Iron Man films.
Jump (Van Halen song)
"Jump" is a 1983 Van Halen single from the album 1984, built on Eddie Van Halen's Oberheim OB-Xa synth riff with lyrics by David Lee Roth. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks, the band's only #1, reached #7 in the UK, and was later reimagined as a 2026 FIFA World Cup anthem.
Killing in the Name
"Killing in the Name" is a 1992 protest song by Rage Against the Machine, first single from their debut album, written in drop D tuning, protesting LAPD brutality and Klan links, later UK Christmas Number 1 in 2009.
Master of Puppets (song)
Master of Puppets is Metallica's 1986 anti-drug thrash metal title track, written by Hetfield, Ulrich, Burton, and Hammett, recorded in Copenhagen, and later a first-time chart hit via Stranger Things.
Nothing Else Matters
Nothing Else Matters: Metallica power ballad by Hetfield and Ulrich from the 1991 Black Album; third single April 20, 1992; No. 34 Hot 100, No. 6 UK; 1,332 live performances and orchestral S&M versions.
November Rain
November Rain: Guns N' Roses power ballad written by Axl Rose, on Use Your Illusion I (1991), No. 3 Billboard Hot 100, 8:57 video, MTV most-requested, 2022 orchestral version.
One (Metallica song)
"One" is a 1988 anti-war song by Metallica, written by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich for the album ...And Justice for All and based on Dalton Trumbo's novel Johnny Got His Gun.
Panama (song)
"Panama" is a 1984 hard rock song by Van Halen, third single from the album 1984, peaking at #13 on the Hot 100. Written by all four band members, it is about a car, not the country, and features Eddie Van Halen's Lamborghini Miura S engine revving in the bridge.
Paranoid (Black Sabbath song)
Paranoid (Black Sabbath song): 1970 single and title track of the album Paranoid, written as filler in about 30 minutes, UK No. 4, Billboard Hot 100 No. 61, the band's signature song.
Poison (Alice Cooper song)
Poison is a hard rock song by Alice Cooper, released in 1989 as the lead single from the album Trash. It became his biggest international hit.
Pour Some Sugar on Me
Pour Some Sugar on Me: 1987 Def Leppard single from Hysteria, written in 10 days with Mutt Lange, US number two hit that drove the album to diamond status.
Ratatata
RATATATA, also written Ratatata, is a 2024 joint single by Japanese kawaii metal group BABYMETAL and German electronicore band Electric Callboy, released May 23, 2024; it hit number 1 on Billboard's Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart and appears on METAL FORTH and TANZNEID.
Rollin' (Limp Bizkit song)
Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle), 2000 Limp Bizkit single from Chocolate Starfish; UK No. 1 single, MTV VMA-winning World Trade Center video, Swizz Beatz Urban Assault Vehicle remix, one billion Spotify streams in 2026.
Sextape (song)
Sextape is a 2010 song by Deftones from Diamond Eyes, track 8, 4:01, written by Carpenter, Cunningham, Delgado, Moreno, and Vega, produced by Nick Raskulinecz; a dreamy shoegaze-like track whose title the band says means nothing.
Since You Been Gone
"Since You Been Gone" is a 1975/1976 Russ Ballard rock song, best known through Rainbow's 1979 cover with Graham Bonnet, which peaked at No. 6 in the UK; distinct from Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone."
Smoke on the Water
Smoke on the Water is Deep Purple's 1972 Machine Head song about the 4 December 1971 Montreux Casino fire during a Frank Zappa concert; its fourths-harmonized G minor riff is the classic beginner guitar riff, and Blackmore rejoined the band to play it in 2026.
The Final Countdown (song)
The Final Countdown is a 1986 single by Swedish rock band Europe, written by Joey Tempest, from the album of the same name. Its Korg Polysix keyboard fanfare topped charts in 25 countries; guitarist John Norum quit in November 1986.
The Trooper
The Trooper is a 1983 Iron Maiden song by Steve Harris from Piece of Mind, based on Tennyson's Charge of the Light Brigade and the 1854 Battle of Balaclava, known for its galloping rhythm, twin-guitar harmonies, UK No. 12 single peak, and Trooper beer namesake.
The Unforgiven (song)
The Unforgiven is a 1991 Metallica song by Hetfield, Ulrich, and Hammett, track 4 on the Black Album, its second single, reaching number 10 on Billboard Mainstream Rock and starting a three-song trilogy.
Through the Fire and Flames
Through the Fire and Flames is a 2006 DragonForce power metal single from Inhuman Rampage, written by ZP Theart and Sam Totman, played at 200 bpm in C minor, and famous as the hardest final track of Guitar Hero III, earning US platinum certification.
Thunderstruck (song)
Thunderstruck is a 1990 hard rock song by AC/DC, lead single and opener of The Razors Edge, written by Angus and Malcolm Young from a warm-up riff, peaking at UK Number 13 and becoming a sports anthem.
To Live Is to Die
To Live Is to Die: Metallica instrumental from ...And Justice for All (1988), a tribute to bassist Cliff Burton, who died in a 1986 bus crash in Sweden; posthumous Burton co-writing credit, spoken-word poem, performed live once in 2011.
War Pigs
War Pigs is Black Sabbath's anti-war opening track on Paranoid (1970), originally titled Walpurgis; Geezer Butler's lyrics attack Vietnam War profiteers, and the album was renamed after the last-minute hit single Paranoid.
We're Not Gonna Take It (Twisted Sister song)
Twisted Sister's 1984 heavy metal single from Stay Hungry, written by Dee Snider on the tune of 'O Come All Ye Faithful'; reached No. 21 on the Hot 100, sparked the PMRC 'Filthy Fifteen' controversy, and became a protest anthem.
Wind of Change (Scorpions song)
Wind of Change is a 1990 power ballad by German band Scorpions, written by Klaus Meine after the 1989 Moscow Music Peace Festival; whistled intro, January 1991 single, No. 4 US, later lyric changes for Ukraine.
You Shook Me All Night Long
"You Shook Me All Night Long" is a 1980 AC/DC hard rock song from Back in Black, the band's first single with singer Brian Johnson, peaking at No. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 38 in the UK.