Hard Rock
Emerged from late 1960s blues rock intensification
Cranked amps, power chords, and zero subtlety.
Hard rock is the direct ancestor of heavy metal and the louder, meaner sibling of classic rock. It took blues rock's foundation and cranked every dial past ten: more distortion, more volume, more swagger.
From Led Zeppelin's crushing riffs to Van Halen's acrobatic fretwork to Guns N' Roses' dangerous glamour, hard rock has always been about impact. It's the sound of a Marshall stack pushed to its limits in a room full of people who came to feel it in their chest.
Defining Characteristics
—Power chords
—High-gain guitar tones
—Driving rhythms
—Strong vocal melodies
—Blues-rock foundation
Essential Artists
Essential Albums
1975
Physical Graffiti—Led Zeppelin
1979
Highway to Hell—AC/DC
1978
Van Halen—Van Halen
1987
Appetite for Destruction—Guns N' Roses
1976
Jailbreak—Thin Lizzy