This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wisconsin chapter.
Classic rock is a huge part of who I am. It has defined so many aspects of my personality and my style. Since this has impacted my life so greatly, I crafted a guide to help anyone looking to explore this type of music!
Bruno Cervera
When starting to explore classic rock, it’s good to experiment with the most popular bands first! Doing this helps you get a feel for those certain vibes that you’re looking for. Queen is always an essential starting point. The most important reason why you should start with Queen is because you probably know a few of their songs! “Bohemian Rhapsody” is a good example of a song that is widely heard of. Queen incorporates many genres into their music, so it really helps you get a taste of the many different aspects of classic rock. Their music tends to be lengthy, but every minute is worth the listen. Classic rock though, in general, tends to have longer music. This is why they are a critical starting point. I highly recommend it!
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After Queen, you can really go two ways. Either the heavier side of a rock or the side that is more mellow. If you chose heavy, I would definitely start with Metallica. This band definitely has a whirlwind of songs. Metallica Black is the best album to start with. This album has a mix of some of their heavier and mellow tracks! You will not regret listening to them. Their lyrics hold so much meaning and have a lot of character. This will add the spice that you are looking for in your life!
Tessa Pesicka / Her Campus
If you decide Metallica’s metal is not for you, definitely try a more mellow side of classic rock! The Eagles are a good place to start for this. You have probably heard of their famous “Hotel California,” but that’s just a taste of their wonderful music. The reason why I recommend the Eagles so highly is because their music holds power. Their music tells stories and helps you understand the deeper meaning behind their music. The Eagles definitely have a way with words as they have personally helped me through hard times. Give them a listen and they will take you on a mesmerizing journey that will help you grow.
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The final band that I present for this guide is Pink Floyd. I would definitely listen to the other bands I stated first, because Pink Floyd is very different and complex. Despite this fact, they’re my favorite band of all time! Their albums are concept albums, which means their songs tend to go in order to display a collective meaning as a whole. The Wall is personally my favorite album of all time. It incorporates many moods into their songs that will definitely bring you down a road of confusion, but essentially a road of discovery. The songs in this album are very difficult to wrap your head around at first. Once you piece together their songs to understand what they want you to learn, it’s such a mind blowing experience! Pink Floyd has definitely mastered the art of music. Their words paint pictures depicting things that sometimes you don’t want to accept. If you should take anything away from this guide, it’s to give them a listen!
Photo by Matt Hardy from Pexels
Exploring music is fun! Music is a good way of dealing with many emotions, so being able to explore new genres really helps you obtain a better understanding of what you like. Classic rock has changed my life. I will be forever grateful for this genre of music that has taught me so much about myself. I hope that throughout your personal exploration you begin to understand more of how you personally connect to music and what that means to you! Enjoy the journey!
I am a senior at the greatest university— the University of Wisconsin. I am in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, double tracking in reporting and strategic communications and earning a certificate in and Digital Studies. I am a lover of dance, hiking, writing for Her Campus, the Badgers and strawberry acais. I am also a president of Her Campus Wisconsin.
