By Arianna Galloway

Have you ever wanted to expand the music you listen to? Well, I have the perfect suggestion for you: classic rock. It’s rebellious, raw, and, most of all, classic! 

Classic rock is an energetic genre of music with its famous guitar riffs and vocals, and rebellious themes. The term describes the era from the 1960s to the 1980s, but the 70s are considered the golden age of classic rock. Some classic rock radio stations even play songs from the 90s. 

Some of the most well-known bands are Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, Queen, Kiss, and AC/DC. But there are many more. I first started listening to classic rock when my mom played it in the car. I loved the energetic, upbeat tunes, and now I have a whole playlist. I think this genre of music is great for expanding your music style and is much better than the brainrot songs that many kids listen to today.

Hip-hop artists have sampled heavily from classic rock songs. Some famous songs you may know, like “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice, were sampled from classic rock. In that case, from “Under Pressure” by Queen and David Bowie.

There are so many good rock songs, but here are some to start with. In 1966, the Rolling Stones came out with the song “Paint it Black,” which has a very gritty and moody vibe. In 1986, New Jersey native Bon Jovi came out with “Livin’ On A Prayer” based on two people going through hard times, but still holding on. One last song to get you started is “Rock Bottom” by UFO, which has a great beat. Other artists I think are good are Def Leppard, Ozzy Osbourne, Journey, and Cheap Trick.  All of these songs are catchy, and they express music in a way that you may not be used to.

I asked around the school, and I found quite a few classic rock fans. Our head custodian, Mr. Phil, said it’s his favorite genre of music. “They took pride in music back then; it was more raw,” he said.

Our principal/superintendent, Dr. Heidelberg, said, “I like how the drums, the bass, and the guitar come together to produce a sound that you can easily identify as rock music.” 

Renata, in seventh grade, is also a fan. “I got into classic rock from Stranger Things,” she said. “Classic rock makes me feel hyped up, and has a good vibe to it.”

Mrs. Fox, a middle school math teacher, said it reminds her of her childhood. “ My dad used to blast it in the house,” she smiled.

As a music lover, I have many favorite songs, but out of the ones that I gave earlier, my favorite is probably “Livin’ On A Prayer.” The reason is that while it’s showing a sad emotion, it’s still very upbeat. Classic rock makes me hyped because of the drums and electric guitar used in most songs.

Expanding your music may be hard, so that’s why I made a Spotify playlist for you to get you started. Let me know what you think in the comments. Rock on!