Some rock ballads just never get old. And some still manage to get people on their feet, lighters (or phones) in hand, swaying to their entrancing power. Let’s look at a few rock ballads from years past that still make us want to sing along, shall we?
“Stairway To Heaven” by Led Zeppelin (1971)
“Stairway To Heaven” is one of the most classic 1970s ballads around. And even though Led Zeppelin has been dead and gone as a band for decades now, any live cover of this song still gets people on their feet.
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Like many of Led Zeppelin’s songs, this gem wasn’t actually released as a single back in 1971, so it never made any waves on the charts. But it made waves among fans, and it’s still the band’s most famous song to this day.
“Dream On” by Aerosmith (1973)
This might just be the power ballad of power ballads. Steven Tyler’s screeching vocals, coupled with the atmospheric energy of this hard rock classic, make it into something that just never seems to get old.
The original release of “Dream On” was a bit of a flop upon its release. It wasn’t until the song was re-released in 1976 that it finally made it to the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
“Dust In The Wind” by Kansas (1978)
This soft rock song from Kansas still gets under the skin of listeners today, in a very good way. “Dust In The Wind” is a fairly hopeless song about how everything humanity has accomplished is futile, just dust in the wind. But the way Steve Walsh delivers those vocals makes it sound almost hopeful.
“Dust In The Wind” was an international hit back in 1978, peaking at No. 6 on the Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts in the US. It was also successful in Canada, Belgium, France, and elsewhere.
“November Rain” by Guns N’ Roses (1992)
“November Rain” might just be Guns N’ Roses’ most famous ballad of their career. They brought the art of the power ballad straight from the 1970s all the way to the 1990s. It’s the kind of song that always gets people on their feet, even today, and it’s more than deserving of a spot on our list of rock ballads.
“November Rain” was a smash hit in 1992, peaking at No. 3 on the Hot 100 and No. 4 on the UK Singles chart.
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