100 Greatest Epic Rock Songs
Criteria: This list of Rock Epic Songs was compiled and ranked based on Influence, Impact, Reputation, Popularity after release, Overlasting popularity, Composition, Song length, Variety, Uniqueness, Technical ability shown, and Difficulty to play.
What makes an epic song?
- Requires at least 5 minutes length.
- Versatile composition featuring time changes, unique instruments and sounds, etc.
- (Usually) Instrumental solos or versatile vocals.
- Lyrics and song themes, emotional topics.
What makes an epic song?
- Requires at least 5 minutes length.
- Versatile composition featuring time changes, unique instruments and sounds, etc.
- (Usually) Instrumental solos or versatile vocals.
- Lyrics and song themes, emotional topics.
Greatest Epic Rock Songs
1. Bohemian Rhapsody
Queen
2. Stairway to Heaven
Led Zeppelin
3. Child in Time
Deep Purple
4. Desolation Row
Bob Dylan
5. A Day in the Life
The Beatles
6. Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Pink Floyd
7. Hotel California
Eagles
8. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Iron Butterfly
9. The End
The Doors
10. Layla
Derek and the Dominos
Queen
2. Stairway to Heaven
Led Zeppelin
3. Child in Time
Deep Purple
4. Desolation Row
Bob Dylan
5. A Day in the Life
The Beatles
6. Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Pink Floyd
7. Hotel California
Eagles
8. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Iron Butterfly
9. The End
The Doors
10. Layla
Derek and the Dominos
11. Free Bird
Lynyrd Skynyrd
12. Love Reign O'er Me
The Who
13. American Pie
Don McLean
14. Victim of Changes
Judas Priest
15. War Pigs
Black Sabbath
16. 2112
Rush
17. 21st Century Schizoid Man
King Crimson
18. Master of Puppets
Metallica
19. Hallowed Be Thy Name
Iron Maiden
20. November Rain
Guns N' Roses
21. Close to the Edge
Yes
22. Tubular Bells
Mike Oldfield
23. Supper's Ready
Genesis
24. Won't Get Fooled Again
The Who
25. Karn Evil 9
Emerson, Lake and Palmer
26. Jungleland
Bruce Springsteen
27. Madame George
Van Morrison
28. Firth of Fifth
Genesis
29. Sister Ray
The Velvet Underground
30. Xanadu
Rush
31. I Want You (She's So Heavy)
The Beatles
32. Evie
Stevie Wright
33. Bat Out of Hell
Meat Loaf
34. Sympathy with the Devils
The Rolling Stone
35. Echoes
Pink Floyd
36. Cortez the Killer
Neil Young
37. Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
38. Stargazer
Rainbow
39. Paranoid Android
Radiohead
40. Thick as a Brick
Jethro Tull
41. When the Music's Over
The Doors
42. Abbey Road Medley
The Beatles
43. The Rolling Stones
Midnight Rambler
44. 1983...(A Merman I Should Turn to Be)
Jimi Hendrix Experience
45. That's It for the Other One
Grateful Dead
46. The Court of the Crimson King
King Crimson
47. Question
The Moody Blues
48. Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding
Elton John
49. Tarkus
Emerson, Lake and Palmer
50. Starship Trooper
Yes
51. Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands
Bob Dylan
52. Pull Me Under
Dream Theater
53. I Am the Resurrection
The Stone Roses
54. Cygnus X-1
Rush
55. Comfortably Numb
Pink Floyd
56. MacArthur Park
Richard Harris
57. Aqualung
Jethro Tull
58. One
Metallica
59. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
Crosby, Stills & Nash
60. Time
Pink Floyd
61. Keeper of the Seven Keys
Helloween
62. Foreplay/Long Time
Boston
63. Living for the City
Stevie Wonder
64. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
Metallica
65. Kashmir
Led Zeppelin
66. Green Grass and High Tides
The Outlaws
67. Cemetery Gates
Pantera
68. Paradise by the Dashboard Light
Meat Loaf
69. Purple Rain
Prince
70. Rooster
Alice in Chains
71. Three Days
Jane's Addiction
72. Oh Well
Fleetwood Mac
73. Down by the River
Neil Young
74. Carry On Wayward Son
Kansas
75. Holy Wars...The Punishment Due
Megadeth
76. Magnum Opus
Kansas
77. We the People Who are Darker than Blue
Curtis Mayfield
78. Baba O'Riley
The Who
79. Powerslave
Iron Maiden
80. Achilles Last Stand
Led Zeppelin
81. Iron Man
Black Sabbath
82. A Change of Seasons
Dream Theater
83. Christian Woman
Type O Negative
84. Stan
Eminem
85. Gates of Babylon
Rainbow
86. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
Billy Joel
87. High Hopes
Pink Floyd
88. Heaven and Hell
Black Sabbath
89. Innuendo
Queen
90. Dry County
Bon Jovi
91. Gates of Valhalla
Manowar
92. Ghost Love Score
Nightwish
93. Estranged
Guns N' Roses
94. Ænema
Tool
95. Lizard
King Crimson
96. For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)
AC/DC
97. The Prophet's Song
Queen
98. Megalomaniah
Black Sabbat
99. Brothers in Arms
Dire Straits
100. Champagne Supernova
Oasis
Lynyrd Skynyrd
12. Love Reign O'er Me
The Who
13. American Pie
Don McLean
14. Victim of Changes
Judas Priest
15. War Pigs
Black Sabbath
16. 2112
Rush
17. 21st Century Schizoid Man
King Crimson
18. Master of Puppets
Metallica
19. Hallowed Be Thy Name
Iron Maiden
20. November Rain
Guns N' Roses
21. Close to the Edge
Yes
22. Tubular Bells
Mike Oldfield
23. Supper's Ready
Genesis
24. Won't Get Fooled Again
The Who
25. Karn Evil 9
Emerson, Lake and Palmer
26. Jungleland
Bruce Springsteen
27. Madame George
Van Morrison
28. Firth of Fifth
Genesis
29. Sister Ray
The Velvet Underground
30. Xanadu
Rush
31. I Want You (She's So Heavy)
The Beatles
32. Evie
Stevie Wright
33. Bat Out of Hell
Meat Loaf
34. Sympathy with the Devils
The Rolling Stone
35. Echoes
Pink Floyd
36. Cortez the Killer
Neil Young
37. Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
38. Stargazer
Rainbow
39. Paranoid Android
Radiohead
40. Thick as a Brick
Jethro Tull
41. When the Music's Over
The Doors
42. Abbey Road Medley
The Beatles
43. The Rolling Stones
Midnight Rambler
44. 1983...(A Merman I Should Turn to Be)
Jimi Hendrix Experience
45. That's It for the Other One
Grateful Dead
46. The Court of the Crimson King
King Crimson
47. Question
The Moody Blues
48. Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding
Elton John
49. Tarkus
Emerson, Lake and Palmer
50. Starship Trooper
Yes
51. Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands
Bob Dylan
52. Pull Me Under
Dream Theater
53. I Am the Resurrection
The Stone Roses
54. Cygnus X-1
Rush
55. Comfortably Numb
Pink Floyd
56. MacArthur Park
Richard Harris
57. Aqualung
Jethro Tull
58. One
Metallica
59. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
Crosby, Stills & Nash
60. Time
Pink Floyd
61. Keeper of the Seven Keys
Helloween
62. Foreplay/Long Time
Boston
63. Living for the City
Stevie Wonder
64. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
Metallica
65. Kashmir
Led Zeppelin
66. Green Grass and High Tides
The Outlaws
67. Cemetery Gates
Pantera
68. Paradise by the Dashboard Light
Meat Loaf
69. Purple Rain
Prince
70. Rooster
Alice in Chains
71. Three Days
Jane's Addiction
72. Oh Well
Fleetwood Mac
73. Down by the River
Neil Young
74. Carry On Wayward Son
Kansas
75. Holy Wars...The Punishment Due
Megadeth
76. Magnum Opus
Kansas
77. We the People Who are Darker than Blue
Curtis Mayfield
78. Baba O'Riley
The Who
79. Powerslave
Iron Maiden
80. Achilles Last Stand
Led Zeppelin
81. Iron Man
Black Sabbath
82. A Change of Seasons
Dream Theater
83. Christian Woman
Type O Negative
84. Stan
Eminem
85. Gates of Babylon
Rainbow
86. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
Billy Joel
87. High Hopes
Pink Floyd
88. Heaven and Hell
Black Sabbath
89. Innuendo
Queen
90. Dry County
Bon Jovi
91. Gates of Valhalla
Manowar
92. Ghost Love Score
Nightwish
93. Estranged
Guns N' Roses
94. Ænema
Tool
95. Lizard
King Crimson
96. For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)
AC/DC
97. The Prophet's Song
Queen
98. Megalomaniah
Black Sabbat
99. Brothers in Arms
Dire Straits
100. Champagne Supernova
Oasis
101. Knights of Cydonia
Muse
102. Loaded
Primal Scream
103. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Iron Maiden
104. Cassandra Gemini
The Mars Volta
105. Fade to Black
Metallica
106. New Potato-Caboose
Grateful Dead
107. Soma
The Smashing Pumpkins
108. Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare-All)
Type O Negative
109. Baker Street
Gerry Rafferty
110. Whipping Post
The Allman Brothers Band
111. Band on the Run
Wings
112. Land
Patti Smith
113. Trilogy
Sonic Youth
114. Floods
Pantera
115. Heart of the Sunrise
Yes
116. And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda
The Pogues
117. Dancing with the Moonlight Kit
Genesis
118. Heroin
The Velvet Underground
119. You Can't Always Get What You Want
The Rolling Stones
120. Who Are You
The Who
121. Forever Autumn
Jeff Wayne
122. We're in This Together
Nine Inch Nails
123. Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts
Manowar
124. Oh Comely
Neutral Milk Hotel
125. Still Loving You
Scorpions
126. In My Darkest Hour
Megadeth
127. Tunnel of Love
Dire Straits
128. Willie the Pimp
Frank Zappa
129. Love Is Like Oxygen
Sweet
130. Total Eclipse of the Heart
Bonnie Tyler
131. Wake Up
Rage Against the Machine
132. B-Boy Bouillabaisse
Beastie Boys
133. Who Wants to Live Forever
Queen
134. I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
Meat Loaf
135. Jizzlober
Faith No More
136. Come Sail Away
Styx
137. L'Via L'Viaquez
The Mars Volta
138. Larks' Tongues in Aspic
King Crimson
139. Eulogy
Tool
140. Halo of Flies
Alice Cooper
141. Phantom of the Opera
Iron Maiden
142. When the Levee Breaks
Led Zeppelin
143. Beyond the Realms of Death
Judas Priest
144. The Unforgiven
Metallica
145. Atom Heart Mother
Pink Floyd
146. Black Sabbath
Into the Void
147. New Year's Day
U2
148. No Quarter
Led Zeppelin
149. Under a Glass Moon
Dream Theater
150. A Quick One, While He's Away
The Who
151. Black Juju
Alice Cooper
152. Juicy
The Notorious B.I.G.
153. Dogs
Pink Floyd
154. Suite Sister Mary
Queensrÿche
155. Freedom
Rage Against the Machine
156. Jesus Christ Pose
Soundgarden
157. Trapped in the Closet
R. Kelly
158. Billy the Mountain
The Mothers of Invention
159. Fear of the Dark
Iron Maiden
160. Jesus of Suburbia
Green Day
161. No More Pain
2Pac
162. Black Rose Immortal
Opeth
163. Don't Fear (The Reaper)
Blue Öyster Cult
164. Civil War
Guns N' Roses
165. Art of Life
X-Japan
166. Wherever I May Roam
Metallica
167. April
Deep Purple
168. Pictures of a City
King Crimson
169. Worn Down Piano
Mark & Clark Band
170. Earth Song
Michael Jackson
171. Arriving Somewhere but Not Here
Porcupine Tree
172. Alexander the Great
Iron Maiden
173. No More Tears
Ozzy Osbourne
174. Lateralus
Tool
175. The Divine Wings of Tragedy
Symphony X
176. Lady Fantasy
Camel
177. Grendel
Marillion
178. Doctor Jimmy
The Who
179. I'm Mandy Fly Me
10cc
180. The Adventures of Greggery Peccary
Frank Zappa
181. Still of the Night
Whitesnake
182. Tupelo Honey
Van Morrison
183. Gone
Kanye West
184. Come Together
Primal Scream
185. Dopesmoker
Sleep
186. Octavarium
Dream Theater
187. Gargoyles, Angels of Darkness
Rhapsody of Fire
188. Breaking into Heaven
The Stone Roses
189. Roads to Madness
Queensrÿche
190. I'm Your Captain / Closer to Home
Grand Funk Railroad
191. Had a Dream (Sleeping with the Enemy)
Roger Hodgson
192. Godless
Danzig
193. Marathon
Rush
194. The Road to Hell
Chris Rea
195. Cowgirl in the Sand
Neil Young
196. King for a Day
Faith No More
197. Moment of Surrender
U2
198. Kim
Eminem
199. Marquee Moon
Television
200. Coma
Guns N' Roses
Muse
102. Loaded
Primal Scream
103. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Iron Maiden
104. Cassandra Gemini
The Mars Volta
105. Fade to Black
Metallica
106. New Potato-Caboose
Grateful Dead
107. Soma
The Smashing Pumpkins
108. Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare-All)
Type O Negative
109. Baker Street
Gerry Rafferty
110. Whipping Post
The Allman Brothers Band
111. Band on the Run
Wings
112. Land
Patti Smith
113. Trilogy
Sonic Youth
114. Floods
Pantera
115. Heart of the Sunrise
Yes
116. And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda
The Pogues
117. Dancing with the Moonlight Kit
Genesis
118. Heroin
The Velvet Underground
119. You Can't Always Get What You Want
The Rolling Stones
120. Who Are You
The Who
121. Forever Autumn
Jeff Wayne
122. We're in This Together
Nine Inch Nails
123. Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts
Manowar
124. Oh Comely
Neutral Milk Hotel
125. Still Loving You
Scorpions
126. In My Darkest Hour
Megadeth
127. Tunnel of Love
Dire Straits
128. Willie the Pimp
Frank Zappa
129. Love Is Like Oxygen
Sweet
130. Total Eclipse of the Heart
Bonnie Tyler
131. Wake Up
Rage Against the Machine
132. B-Boy Bouillabaisse
Beastie Boys
133. Who Wants to Live Forever
Queen
134. I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
Meat Loaf
135. Jizzlober
Faith No More
136. Come Sail Away
Styx
137. L'Via L'Viaquez
The Mars Volta
138. Larks' Tongues in Aspic
King Crimson
139. Eulogy
Tool
140. Halo of Flies
Alice Cooper
141. Phantom of the Opera
Iron Maiden
142. When the Levee Breaks
Led Zeppelin
143. Beyond the Realms of Death
Judas Priest
144. The Unforgiven
Metallica
145. Atom Heart Mother
Pink Floyd
146. Black Sabbath
Into the Void
147. New Year's Day
U2
148. No Quarter
Led Zeppelin
149. Under a Glass Moon
Dream Theater
150. A Quick One, While He's Away
The Who
151. Black Juju
Alice Cooper
152. Juicy
The Notorious B.I.G.
153. Dogs
Pink Floyd
154. Suite Sister Mary
Queensrÿche
155. Freedom
Rage Against the Machine
156. Jesus Christ Pose
Soundgarden
157. Trapped in the Closet
R. Kelly
158. Billy the Mountain
The Mothers of Invention
159. Fear of the Dark
Iron Maiden
160. Jesus of Suburbia
Green Day
161. No More Pain
2Pac
162. Black Rose Immortal
Opeth
163. Don't Fear (The Reaper)
Blue Öyster Cult
164. Civil War
Guns N' Roses
165. Art of Life
X-Japan
166. Wherever I May Roam
Metallica
167. April
Deep Purple
168. Pictures of a City
King Crimson
169. Worn Down Piano
Mark & Clark Band
170. Earth Song
Michael Jackson
171. Arriving Somewhere but Not Here
Porcupine Tree
172. Alexander the Great
Iron Maiden
173. No More Tears
Ozzy Osbourne
174. Lateralus
Tool
175. The Divine Wings of Tragedy
Symphony X
176. Lady Fantasy
Camel
177. Grendel
Marillion
178. Doctor Jimmy
The Who
179. I'm Mandy Fly Me
10cc
180. The Adventures of Greggery Peccary
Frank Zappa
181. Still of the Night
Whitesnake
182. Tupelo Honey
Van Morrison
183. Gone
Kanye West
184. Come Together
Primal Scream
185. Dopesmoker
Sleep
186. Octavarium
Dream Theater
187. Gargoyles, Angels of Darkness
Rhapsody of Fire
188. Breaking into Heaven
The Stone Roses
189. Roads to Madness
Queensrÿche
190. I'm Your Captain / Closer to Home
Grand Funk Railroad
191. Had a Dream (Sleeping with the Enemy)
Roger Hodgson
192. Godless
Danzig
193. Marathon
Rush
194. The Road to Hell
Chris Rea
195. Cowgirl in the Sand
Neil Young
196. King for a Day
Faith No More
197. Moment of Surrender
U2
198. Kim
Eminem
199. Marquee Moon
Television
200. Coma
Guns N' Roses
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10 Greatest Rock Epic Albums:
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Led Zeppelin
2. Wish You Were Here -Pink Floyd
3. A Night at the Opera
Queen
4. Quadrophenia
The Who
5. In the Court of the Crimson King
King Crimson
6. Selling England by the Pound
Genesis
7. A Farewell to Kings
Rush
8. Bat Out of Hell
Meat Loaf
9. Master of Puppets
Metallica
10. Close to the Edge
Yes
Edited By: Tim
List Begun: 2011-01-25
List Begun: 2011-01-25