Rock is the ultimate music genre. It’s one of the most diverse and influential styles ever seen. It has shaped generations on many more levels than just their musical taste. Rock is a state of mind and a way of life.

This edition of Sound Sunday is dedicated to no other than Classic Rock.

A Quiet Intro

Genre: alternative, indie, classic rock

Over the past 15 years Jeff has recorded and released 8 solo albums (…) He’s had multiple TV placements with his music including songs used on CBS and Comedy Central. Mallon studied guitar (technique & theory) at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA, and also with world-renowned guitarist Richie Kotzen.
Source: JeffMallon.com

Right On Track

Genre: indie, classic rock, garage rock

After the mellow start, an indie band from Calgary takes us further into this edition of Sound Sunday, and it’s not a detour. Enjoy 12 minutes of fine rock.

Groovy Classic Rock

Genre: funk, classic rock, hard rock

What the fans say: This style of rock music is exactly what’s missing from commercial radio these days. – This is a nice change of pace if you’re in the mood for some classic rock with a funky blues rock groove. No frills, just easy listening feel good music that is done really well!
Source: Bandcamp

Toronto’s Rock Superhero

Genre: acoustic, rock, classic rock

Toronto based musician Will Black is taking it up with the big rock stars. This free EP contains tracks from his 2008 debut album Dancing With The Dead and a Bon Jovi cover.

Energetic UK Rock

Genre: alternative, classic rock, grunge

One of Southampton’s longest serving original unsigned rock n’ roll bands, we are delighted to offer 2 of our studio albums for free download.
Source: Bandcamp

The Sound of the 80s

Genre: classic rock, hard rock

Drysill are an Icelandic hard rock band. This album was originally released in 1985. On Bandcamp, this record is brought to you by Deathcrush Records.

Retro Rock From Georgia

Genre: alternative, hard rock, classic rock

With intricate, sweeping guitar solos, bombastic bass lines, elegant vocal harmonies, and a deluge of beautifully articulated drum fills, Breathing Kansas is developing into a musical powerhouse destined to reshape the music industry.
Source: Bandcamp

Hand Made Rock

Genre: alternative, hard rock, classic rock

Original Hard Rock and Alternative Rock from Lincoln, NE. We are a band that has sounds and roots from 70’s and 80’s rock, with some modern influences and styles. We like to combine our favorite music genres and create our own sound, and we believe that music shouldn’t be processed over computers or digitally, but made the old fashioned way; Guitars, Tube Amps, Drums, and Loud Sound.
Source: Bandcamp

Gina Rocking The Lead Vocals

Genre: classic rock, stoner

Formed in Monterrey, Mexico by siblings Miguel & Gina Ríos. Spacegoat play a blend of classic rock with influences spanning from early Sabbath to Janis Joplin.
Source: Bandcamp

Southern Cali Rock

Genre: alternative, rock & roll, classic rock

Wicked Tongues are a rock band from San Diego, California.

Real Hard Rock

Genre: classic rock, hard rock, metal rock

4 piece Hard Rock band hailing from Birmingham, England. Inspired by the likes of Black Stone Cherry, Soundgarden & Black Label Society, GlassBullet have developed their own huge, unique sound, making their mark on Birmingham Music Scene.
Source: Bandcamp

Classic Stoner Rock

Genre: classic rock, riff rock, stoner rock

A fan says: On this EP Yellabird have decided to generally inject a little more muscle into their guitars, creating a heavier, more riff-driven style, still with the southern rock twang that adds character! I’d personally prefer to hear gruffer, edgier vocals as well, though.
Source: Bandcamp

Heavy Blues Rock

Genre: hard rock, classic rock, space rock, heavy rock, metal

In Borås, the most rainy city in Sweden, a band like no other is slowly beginning to rise from the fountains of boredom. Mixing metal, blues and classic rock they sound truly unique. This is their 2013 debut album and the fans think it rocks!
Source: Bandcamp

Long Live Polka Rock It Is!

Genre: hard rock, classic rock, desert rock, psychedelic rock, stoner rock

ER began in 2012 as an a capella polka outfit. Quickly becoming embittered by the politics of polka they chose to move on to greyer pastures. But grazing those grey, mushroom covered pastures resulted in a 7 day hallucinatory nightmare; relentlessly pursued by a 10′ tall, purple, snarling, three-headed tuba player. “No one leaves Polka!” But after extensive plastic surgery and new names, they did.
Source: Bandcamp

Pure Strong Heart Pounding Rock & Roll

Genre: americana, classic rock, hard rock, blues

Their sound is based on the Classic Rock of the 60’s and 70’s, Blues/Rock and Southern Rock with strong melodies and meaningful lyrics.
Source: Bandcamp

Rock On

If you thought this edition rocked, please like, share, and comment! Your feedback keeps me going.

Explore more about: Download Management, Indie Music, Music Album, Sound Sunday.

1. BRAVO Robert for straightening these ungrateful morons out! Tina, I for one love your weekly lists - I don't always download everything if I don't like it, but I DON'T COMPLAIN! There is a lot to be said for the freedom of speech, but guys - don't blast someone for doing something out of the goodness of their hearts. As I understand it, Sound Sunday is a forum for new artists within various genres (alternative, rock, jazz, etc), not established artists who command gobs of money for their material.

2. Thanks Tina! A really good list, and we're pumped to be included!

   Ray (from Electric Ruin)

3. Tina,

   A nice compilation you made here.
   There are some nice sounds in there.

   And don't mind the other persons. They probably don't understand what sound sunday is about. :)

4. That's weird... The formatting got fixed when I refreshed the page.

   I've Never had anything like that happen before. Huh.

5. Hi,
   Robin from Saturn here. Thank you for the list Tina. Very good job indeed.
   Classic Rock don't have to be Elvis guys. What would you call Highway star and Child in time with Deep Purple? It's not metal. It's classic rock.
   But I also agree with you that the song from us here 'So, you have chosen death' not should be considered as classic rock.
   Check out 'Tower of terror' instead:
   http://saturnsweden.bandcamp.com/track/tower-of-terror
   Very more blues/ classic rock inspired.

   Our album 'Ascending' have a little something fore everyone. It's metal, hard rock, classic rock and blues. Give it a try.

   / Robin

   • Thanks for the feedback, Robin!

     I did embed the entire Ascending album by the way. 'So, You Have Chosen Death' is just the first song of that album, which you guys categorized as Classic Rock.

     Awesome music by the way! Thank you for sharing.

6. Whoa. The paragraph formatting on my last comment got completely screwed up...

   I tried to skip lines, and it didn't work. I'm guessing it's going to happen on this comment, as well.

   Does anybody know why that is(?), or is that just the way the comment system works, now (I haven't commented on here in a couple years, so a new system has probably been implemented since the last time I commented on a MakeUseOf article.).

   • It's our comment system. It shows a preview of your comment, just to confirm it was received (many comments are held in the moderating queue). Unfortunately, the formatting can't be maintained in the preview.

7. Poor Tina...

   I, for one, absolutely love the music she selected here, just like I do every Sunday.

   Just so you know, Tina, when I read the title, I was pretty sure you were NOT going to choose already famous 'classic' rock musicians, just because I know none of those artists release their music for free, which is more or less the point of Sound Sunday.

   Also, guys, use some logic, here: When has Tina EVER featured non-Indie groups, especially when it comes to major genres like this! When she says 'classic rock', she obviously means music that mirrors the sound of traditional 'classic rock'.

   Please, before you get frustrated with our ever so wonderful curator here (a.k.a. our beloved Tina Sieber), use some simple logic. What I mean is think about what kinds of artists have been featured in EVERY SINGLE past Sound Sunday, and from that, figure out the kinds of artists that will be in the next 1 million Sound Sundays to come, okay?

   Simply put, Sound Sundays are about artists who are basically unheard of, or just indie musicians in general! Okay?

   Sheesh, everyone!

   And, once again, thank you so much, Tina, for curating my favorite weekly feature from ANY site across the web!

   • 50 - 70% of readers (depending on how popular an edition is) have not heard of Sound Sunday before or at least don't check it out regularly, so I can't blame them for this misunderstanding.

   • Exactly what I thought :)

   • Can't agree more with Robert. Good work, Tina!

8. I really think it would benefit Tina if she researched what Classic Rock is. These songs are NOT Classic Rock. Sorry, as a musician for the past 42 years, I have to say it like it is.

   • Hmmm.... I (71 years old) agree with Todd H. I'm not a musician but have loved rock since it appeared in the '50's with Elvis and so on. THAT is what CLASSIC rock to me . All of the above groups, excitable and enthusiastic as they are, aren't classic. Don't know what I'd call them, but certainly not CLASSIC if the original rock is what 'classic' refers to.

   • I guess there is a misunderstanding here. I looked at classic rock as a genre, meaning these artists sound -- in terms of style and quality -- much like the music you would hear on a classic rock radio station.

     The difference is, as you noticed, that few of these albums are actually from the 60s, 70s, or 80s. It's not the 'same old', it's more like retro classic rock. I should have made that clearer in the title and introduction.

9. oh PS...every song i heard sucked

   • I guess that's because you expected to hear something you already knew and none of the songs you listened to could live up to that expectation. It takes an open mind to appreciate music you haven't heard a hundred times already. Maybe try again another time.

10. lol,what a joke,,classic rock?? never heard any of the songs above,or any of the idiotic bands ,,hardly classic rock

    • You expected a compilation of artists like Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, or CCR, i.e. classic rock artists. What I did was feature musicians who make this type of music today; my point of view was that classic rock can be seen as a genre. I see why you are disappointed and I apologize for not making the idea for this edition clearer.

11. Tina, thanks for this!
    As the singer of Ten Minute Detour it's always incredibly encouraging to have our music recognized, large or small scale. It's what keeps us going and thanks to you, we're all feeling good about what we've worked so hard on. Keep an eye on us as we won't let you down in bringing a heavy, hard rock sound into your life!

    Cheers,
    Andrew

    • Thank you for sharing your music, Andrew. Really enjoyed listening to your EP! Feel free to send me a note (tina @ this domain) when you have new material.

Top Tracks on
Classic Rock

1. TrackArtistPopularity
2. Goodbye Yellow Brick RoadElton JohnGoodbye Yellow Brick RoadGoodbye Yellow Brick Road
3. Jackie BlueOzark Mountain DaredevilsJackie BlueJackie Blue
4. RevolutionThe BeatlesRevolutionRevolution
5. SignsFive Man Electrical BandSignsSigns
6. Stay With MeRod StewartStay With MeStay With Me
7. Stuck in the Middle with YouStealers WheelStuck in the Middle with YouStuck in the Middle with You
8. We Will Rock YouQueenWe Will Rock YouWe Will Rock You
9. LadyStyxLadyLady
10. T.N.T.AC/DCT.N.T.T.N.T.
11. No Sugar Tonight/New Mother NatureThe Guess WhoNo Sugar Tonight/New Mother NatureNo Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature
12. OhioCrosby, Stills, Nash & YoungOhioOhio
13. Those ShoesEaglesThose ShoesThose Shoes
14. Hey TonightCreedence Clearwater RevivalHey TonightHey Tonight
15. Do It AgainSteely DanDo It AgainDo It Again
16. Doctor My EyesJackson BrowneDoctor My EyesDoctor My Eyes
17. Piano ManBilly JoelPiano ManPiano Man
18. RhiannonFleetwood MacRhiannonRhiannon
19. Stay With MeFacesStay With MeStay With Me
20. Walk AwayJames GangWalk AwayWalk Away
21. Maybe I'm AmazedPaul McCartneyMaybe I'm AmazedMaybe I'm Amazed
22. Love the One You're WithStephen StillsLove the One You're WithLove the One You're With
23. Wish You Were HerePink FloydWish You Were HereWish You Were Here
24. Bang a Gong (Get It On)T. RexBang a Gong (Get It On)Bang a Gong (Get It On)
25. Rock OnDavid EssexRock OnRock On