1960s – The Birth of Rock as Art
The Beatles – "A Day in the Life" (1967)
The Rolling Stones – "Paint It Black" (1966)
Jimi Hendrix – "All Along the Watchtower" (1968)
The Doors – "Break on Through (To the Other Side)" (1967)
The Who – "I Can See for Miles" (1967)
Cream – "White Room" (1968)
The Kinks – "You Really Got Me" (1964)
Bob Dylan – "Subterranean Homesick Blues" (1965)
Jefferson Airplane – "White Rabbit" (1967)
The Byrds – "Eight Miles High" (1966)
Simon & Garfunkel – "The Sound of Silence" (1965)
The Beach Boys – "Good Vibrations" (1966)
The Animals – "House of the Rising Sun" (1964)
Buffalo Springfield – "For What It’s Worth" (1967)
Janis Joplin (with Big Brother) – "Piece of My Heart" (1968)
1970s – The Golden Age of Rock
Led Zeppelin – "Stairway to Heaven" (1971)
Pink Floyd – "Comfortably Numb" (1979)
Queen – "Bohemian Rhapsody" (1975)
AC/DC – "Highway to Hell" (1979)
Lynyrd Skynyrd – "Sweet Home Alabama" (1974)
The Eagles – "Hotel California" (1976)
Aerosmith – "Walk This Way" (1975)
Fleetwood Mac – "The Chain" (1977)
David Bowie – "Ziggy Stardust" (1972)
Black Sabbath – "Paranoid" (1970)
The Rolling Stones – "Angie" (1973)
Boston – "Peace of Mind" (1976)
Deep Purple – "Smoke on the Water" (1972)
The Clash – "London Calling" (1979)
Ramones – "Blitzkrieg Bop" (1976)
1980s – Rock Diversifies and Dominates
Guns N’ Roses – "Sweet Child o' Mine" (1987)
Bon Jovi – "Livin’ on a Prayer" (1986)
AC/DC – "Back in Black" (1980)
Queen – "Another One Bites the Dust" (1980)
U2 – "With or Without You" (1987)
The Police – "Every Breath You Take" (1983)
Def Leppard – "Pour Some Sugar on Me" (1987)
Journey – "Don’t Stop Believin’" (1981)
Van Halen – "Jump" (1984)
Metallica – "For Whom the Bell Tolls" (1984)
Bruce Springsteen – "Born in the U.S.A." (1984)
Toto – "Hold the Line" (1982)
Dire Straits – "Money for Nothing" (1985)
R.E.M. – "The One I Love" (1987)
Pat Benatar – "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" (1980)