Vh1 Top 100 Hard Rock Songs

In late 2008, the Vh1 Top 100 Hard Rock Songs of All Time countdown was a hot topic. The conversation went viral at the time and is still ongoing, to some extent, 15 years later.

According to the fans of the genre, iconic bands like Rage Against the Machine and Pantera should have earned at least one spot on the 100 Best Hard Rock Songs Ever list.

However, that was not the case, and the debate rages on to this day. Some critics even have an issue on what was counted as hard rock and what was left out.

While it is normal to argue that some of the choices are puzzling, it is hard not to recognize the value of such a list. It is a fantastic playlist that is worth a listen and even has historical value.

Vh1 Top 100 Hard Rock Songs Of All Time

100. Sammy Hagar – I Can’t Drive 55
99. Grand Funk Railroad – We’re an American Band
98. Buckcherry – Lit Up
97. The Edgar Winter Group – Frankenstein
96. Kansas – Carry on Wayward Son
95. Creed – Higher
94. The Darkness – I Believe in a Thing Called Love
93. Autograph – Turn Up the Radio
92. Night Ranger – Don’t Tell Me You Love Me
91. Smashing Pumpkins – Bullet with Butterfly Wings
90. Jethro Tull – Aqualung
89. Andrew W.K. – Party Hard
88. Alice in Chains – Would?
87. Winger – Seventeen
86. Marilyn Manson – The Beautiful People
85. Velvet Revolver – Slither
84. W.A.S.P. – I Wanna Be Somebody
83. Evanescence – Bring Me to Life
82. Rainbow – Since You Been Gone
81. Black Sabbath – Heaven and Hell
80. Journey – Any Way You Want It
79. Billy Idol – Rebel Yell
78. Bad Company – Feel Like Making Love
77. Soundgarden – Black Hole Sun
76. Lita Ford – Kiss Me Deadly
75. The White Stripes – Seven Nation Army
74. The Cult – Love Removal Machine
73. Thin Lizzy – Jailbreak
72. Pat Benatar – Heartbreaker
71. Jane’s Addiction – Mountain Song
70. Foreigner – Hot Blooded
69. Living Colour – Cult of Personality
68. White Zombie – More Human Than Human
67. ZZ Top – Tush
66. Europe – The Final Countdown
65. MC5 – Kick Out the Jams
64. Rollins Band – Liar
63. Survivor – Eye of the Tiger
62. Dokken – Breaking the Chains
61. Ratt – Round and Round
60. Skid Row – 18 and Life
59. Billy Squier – The Stroke
58. Stone Temple Pilots – Interstate Love Song
57. The Kinks – You Really Got Me
56. Warrant – Cherry Pie
55. Blue Oyster Cult – Don’t Fear the Reaper
54. Faith No More – Epic
53. Steppenwolf – Born to Be Wild
52. The Runaways – Cherry Bomb
51. Megadeth – Peace Sells
50. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Give It Away
49. Iggy and the Stooges – Search and Destroy
48. Korn – Freak on a Leash
47. Kid Rock – Bawitdaba
46. Anthrax – Madhouse
45. Foghat – Slow Ride
44. Cream – Sunshine of Your Love
43. Dio – Holy Diver
42. The Clash – Should I Stay or Should I Go
41. Quiet Riot – Cum on Feel the Noize
40. Talk Dirty To Me – Poison
39. More Than A Feeling – Boston
38. Stone Cold Crazy – Queen
37. My Generation – The Who
36. Hot For Teacher – Van Halen
33. School’s Out – Alice Cooper
34. Barracuda – Heart
33. Basket Case – Green Day
32. Cat Scratch Fever – Ted Nugent
31. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap – AC/DC
30. Even Flow – Pearl Jam
29. Bad Reputation – Joan Jett
28. Everlong – Foo Fighters
27. Still of the Night – Whitesnake
26. Free Bird – Lynyrd Skynyrd
25. Blitzkrieg Bop – The Ramones
24. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida – Iron Butterfly
23. Crazy Train – Ozzy Osbourne
22. Hey Joe – Jimi Hendrix Experience
21. Kashmir – Led Zeppelin
20. You Give Love a Bad Name – Bon Jovi
19. Tom Sawyer – Rush
18. Rock You Like a Hurricane – Scorpions
17. I Wanna Rock – Twisted Sister
16. Rock and Roll All Nite – Kiss
15. Dr. Feelgood – Motley Crue
14. Run To The Hills – Iron Maiden
13. Photograph – Def Leppard
12. Breaking the Law – Judas Priest
11. Smoke on the Water – Deep Purple
10. Ace of Spades – Motorhead
9. Runnin With the Devil – Van Halen
8. Walk This Way – Aerosmith
7. Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
6. Won’t Get Fooled Again – The Who
5. Enter Sandman – Metallica
4. Paranoid – Black Sabbath
3. Whole Lotta Love – Led Zeppelin
2. Back in Black – AC/DC
1. Welcome to the Jungle – Guns N’ Roses

For some commenters, there should be a distinction between greatness and popularity. Moreover, even the ranking is a source of debate.

For example, the song “Would?” by Alice in Chains ranks only 88. In clear, it is impossible to please everyone, but Vh1’s Top 100 Hard Rock Songs list tries anyway.

Do you think the Vh1 Top 100 Hard Rock Songs list is close to the truth? Which other songs should have been included? Which song should be removed?