Tag: Classic Rock

Robert Plant Won’t “Stairway” Into Led Zeppelin’s Greatest Hits on Tour

Robert Plant just wrapped up the European leg of his tour with his band Saving Grace, and as the North American dates approach this October, fans hoping for a full-on Led Zeppelin greatest hits setlist might want to adjust their expectations.

Yes, Plant has been sprinkling in a few Zeppelin favorites like “The Rain Song” and “Ramble On”, but don’t expect the legendary frontman to belt out some of the band’s most famous anthems. His reason? In his words, “to do it for the sake of it was never what Zeppelin was about.”

Plant explained that the so-called “hits” from Led Zeppelin are tricky to place in today’s context.

“They fit as a sort of memoir,” he said, adding that it’s not that he hates songs like “Stairway to Heaven”, but he’s not drawn to the idea of performing them just for nostalgia’s sake.

Instead, Plant has a soft spot for some of Zeppelin’s deeper cuts. He praised tracks like “For Your Life” from the album “Presence” and the epic “Achilles Last Stand”, calling it “extraordinary that three people and a singer can do that.” To him, these songs capture more of the magic and challenge that made the band legendary in the first place.

In another bit of classic Plant independence, he also declined an invite from Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi to attend the band’s “Back to the Beginning” show. “I said, Tony, I’d love to come, but I can’t come… I don’t know anything about what’s going on in that world now,” he explained. Plant stressed that it’s not about disrespect — he simply feels his creative life has moved into “other places that are so rich.”

So, when you see Robert Plant live in 2025, expect a mix of Saving Grace’s material, a few carefully chosen Zeppelin tracks, and a setlist that reflects where he is now, not just where he’s been.

For Plant, it’s about keeping the music alive in the present, not locking it in the amber of classic rock history.

It’s a bold move in an era when nostalgia tours dominate the live music circuit, but then again, Robert Plant has never been one to follow the crowd. And judging by his energy and curiosity, it seems like he plans to keep it that way.

Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion” Tops List of 100 Classic Rock Songs by 100 Artists

Classic rock rankings usually feel like déjà vu, with the same handful of bands hogging the top spots. But UltimateClassicRock.com just gave the genre a fun shake-up by creating a list of the Top 100 Classic Rock Songs — with one important twist: only one song per artist.

That means no Beatles triple-play, no Led Zeppelin overload, and no Queen domination. Just one iconic track each, battling it out for rock supremacy.

And the crown goes to… Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion”. Released in 1975, it’s still one of the band’s most recognizable riffs and a permanent fixture on any rock radio playlist.

Right behind it at #2 is Led Zeppelin’s epic “Kashmir”, followed by The Rolling Stones’ gritty “Gimme Shelter” in third. The rest of the top five is just as stacked: AC/DC’s “Back in Black” at #4, and The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life” rounding things out at #5.

Here’s how the rest of the Top 20 shakes out:

  1. “All Along the Watchtower” – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
  2. “Bohemian Rhapsody” – Queen
  3. “Everybody Wants Some!!” – Van Halen
  4. “Comfortably Numb” – Pink Floyd
  5. “Paranoid” – Black Sabbath
  6. “Baba O’Riley” – The Who
  7. “Sweet Child O’ Mine” – Guns N’ Roses
  8. “Don’t Stop Believin’” – Journey
  9. “Sweet Home Alabama” – Lynyrd Skynyrd
  10. “Fortunate Son” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
  11. “Born to Run” – Bruce Springsteen
  12. “Crazy Train” – Ozzy Osbourne
  13. “L.A. Woman” – The Doors
  14. “La Grange” – ZZ Top
  15. “Hotel California” – Eagles

The full list spans decades of rock history, from psychedelic ’60s anthems to arena-shaking ’80s hits. And because of the one-song-per-artist rule, it’s a much more diverse playlist than the usual “Greatest Rock Songs” countdowns.

Fans online are already debating the rankings, questioning whether Bohemian Rhapsody should be higher, if Hotel California is underrated at #20, and whether it’s even possible to pick just one Pink Floyd song without starting a fight.

If nothing else, the list is a killer crash course in rock history — perfect for building a playlist that’ll keep you air-guitaring for hours without repeating the same band twice.

Bad Classic Rock Covers You Probably Forgot (or Tried To)

If you’ve ever had the misfortune of hearing a classic rock cover that was so bad it felt like a personal attack, you’re not alone. Music fans have strong opinions, and “Ultimate Classic Rock” put together a list of cringe-worthy renditions that many would rather forget. Think “American Pie” by Madonna or U2’s version of “Fortunate Son.”

Let’s just say, some of these tracks have aged about as well as unrefrigerated potato salad.

  1. “Dancing in the Street” – Mick Jagger & David Bowie
    It’s iconic, but not necessarily in a good way. Equal parts campy and chaotic, this one still haunts YouTube comment sections.
  2. “Fortunate Son” – U2
    U2’s take on the Creedence Clearwater Revival protest anthem left fans wondering if irony died in the studio that day.
  3. “What’s Going On” – Cyndi Lauper
    Cyndi took a socially conscious Motown classic and gave it… whatever this was.
  4. “Faith” – Limp Bizkit
    George Michael meets Fred Durst. Need we say more?
  5. “American Pie” – Madonna
    She trimmed the song and added electronic beats. America still hasn’t forgiven her.
  6. “My Generation” – Hilary Duff
    When the Who said “Hope I die before I get old,” they probably didn’t imagine it sounding like Disney Channel.
  7. “Imagine” – Avril Lavigne
    A cover so safe it somehow manages to miss the emotional core entirely.
  8. “One Way or Another” – One Direction
    Teen pop energy meets punky Blondie attitude. One of those things got lost in translation.
  9. “I Love Rock ’N Roll” – Britney Spears
    Featured in her movie “Crossroads”, this version came with a pop sheen that left the grit behind.
  10. “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” – Paris Hilton
    No, Paris. Just… no.
  11. “Purple Haze” – The Cure
    Their sample-heavy, synth-drenched version of Hendrix’s classic felt more like a remix than a tribute.
  12. “Behind Blue Eyes” – Limp Bizkit
    Featuring a Speak & Spell bridge, it managed to alienate both Who fans and nu-metal fans.
  13. “Big Yellow Taxi” – Counting Crows
    A lifeless take on Joni Mitchell’s environmental anthem that critics called cloyingly commercial.
  14. “Anarchy in the U.K.” – Mötley Crüe
    The glam metal treatment stripped away the Sex Pistols’ sneering edge and punk attitude.
  15. “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” – Sugar Ray
    A too-smooth cover of Joe Jackson’s acerbic original, with none of the bite.
  16. “About a Girl” – Puddle of Mudd
    A live performance so off-key, it went viral for all the wrong reasons.
  17. “You Shook Me All Night Long” – Celine Dion & Anastacia
    Bombastic vocals and dance-pop flair tried to overpower AC/DC—and failed spectacularly.
  18. “Toys in the Attic” – R.E.M.
    Folk-rock meets hard rock, and neither comes out looking good.
  19. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” – Take That
    A bubblegum boy band tackling Nirvana’s anti-mainstream anthem. You can imagine how that went.
  20. “Cat’s in the Cradle” – Ugly Kid Joe
    Ironically a hit for them, but many felt their grungy take on the soft-rock ballad missed the emotional mark.
  21. “Papa Don’t Preach” – Kelly Osbourne
    Riding the coattails of reality TV, Kelly’s version lacked Madonna’s conviction—and energy.
  22. “Rocky Mountain Way” – Godsmack
    They gave Joe Walsh’s groove a heavy-metal makeover. It didn’t stick.
  23. “The Sound of Silence” – Disturbed
    Some loved it, some loathed it—but many felt it bulldozed the delicate poetry of the Simon & Garfunkel original.
  24. “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” – Nickelback feat. Kid Rock
    This cover ditched Elton John’s glam swagger for blaring guitars and a whole lot of testosterone.
  25. “Burning Down the House” – The Used
    Talking Heads’ funky, eccentric vibe got lost in an emo-punk blender.

If you’re brave enough, you can check out the full 35-entry list at UltimateClassicRock.com. Just maybe keep the volume low—and don’t say we didn’t warn you.

And if you’ve never seen the silent music video for “Dancing in the Street”… you’re welcome.

Ultimate Classic Rock Names the 50 Greatest Power Ballads

Ultimate Classic Rock has unveiled its ranking of the 50 Greatest Power Ballads in Rock History, and if you’re already humming synth-heavy melodies and picturing wind machines, you’re probably right on track. The list is a love letter to the genre’s golden era—the 1980s—though a few later entries snuck into the Top 10.

Taking the crown is Prince’s emotional epic “Purple Rain” from 1984. A ballad drenched in guitar solos, gospel vibes, and heartache, it’s a track that transcends genre and generation. Right behind it is Heart’s “Alone” (1987), a vocal powerhouse that helped define power ballads as vehicles for drama and desire.

The top five is rounded out by Guns N’ Roses’ “November Rain” (1991), a stadium-sized slow burn with an equally iconic video; Journey’s eternal karaoke staple “Don’t Stop Believin'” (1981); and Foreigner’s yearning anthem “I Want to Know What Love Is” (1984).

Here’s the complete Top 20:

  1. “Purple Rain” – Prince (1984)
  2. “Alone” – Heart (1987)
  3. “November Rain” – Guns N’ Roses (1991)
  4. “Don’t Stop Believin'” – Journey (1981)
  5. “I Want to Know What Love Is” – Foreigner (1984)
  6. “Home Sweet Home” – Mötley Crüe (1985)
  7. “Dream On” – Aerosmith (1973)
  8. “I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)” – Meat Loaf (1993)
  9. “Sister Christian” – Night Ranger (1983)
  10. “Heaven” – Bryan Adams (1983)
  11. “Keep on Loving You” – REO Speedwagon (1980)
  12. “Faithfully” – Journey (1983)
  13. “Broken Wings” – Mr. Mister (1985)
  14. “Heaven” – Warrant (1989)
  15. “Total Eclipse of the Heart” – Bonnie Tyler (1983)
  16. “More Than a Feeling” – Boston (1976)
  17. “Open Arms” – Journey (1981)
  18. “Against All Odds” – Phil Collins (1984)
  19. “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” – Poison (1988)
  20. “Wind of Change” – Scorpions (1990)

While power ballads saw their peak in the late ’80s and early ’90s, their influence lingers. These songs were the emotional reset buttons on hard rock albums, often becoming the biggest hits for bands otherwise known for distortion and swagger.

For a full list of all 50 songs—including the stories behind them—you can visit UltimateClassicRock.com. Just be prepared to fall down a nostalgia rabbit hole of teased hair, power chords, and slow-motion lighters in the air.

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