HARD ROCK ANTHOLOGY

The focus of this list is hard rock. If in the 70s hard rock was clearly defined, during the 80s this genre was generally referred to as heavy metal. While the connections between the two genres are evident, there are also many differences, first of all the presence in hard rock of traditional genres such as blues, rock'n'roll, country, folk and psychedelia that were absent in early heavy metal. The beloved godfathers of hard rock are heroes such as early bluesman Robert Johnson and Willie Dixon (Spoonful) and later Elvis Presley (Jailhouse Rock), Chuck Berry (Roll Over Beethoven), Little Richard (Lucille), Eddie Cochran (Summertime Blues), and Gene Vincent who, in the late '50s, had the courage to break the conformism of American society with their bad boy attitude and shocking rock 'n' roll. In the '60s, the Beatles with "Helter Skelter," The Kinks with "You Really Got Me," The Rolling Stones with "Satisfaction," The Animals (Boom Boom) and The Troggs with "Wild Thing" already set down the ABCs of hard rock. The Who, with their violent live concerts, and the Yardbirds with the three legendary axemen (Clapton, Beck, Page) made a giant step further in perfecting hard rock that was definitely conceived with the rise of the first power trios, Cream and Jimi Hendrix.
As decades passed, new genres have appeared, such as modern hard rock (or grunge), stoner,alternative and crossover, that refer to traditional hard rock as a primary inspiration for their sound. So I have included in this list groups such as Iron Maiden, Metallica, Muse, and many others that are not strictly hard rock but must be included in any hard rock anthology. The list is, of course, not complete and I have overlooked some related genres such as Scan rock, alternative and crossover, hard punk rock or AOR hard rock that could have been included. Hope you enjoy! Note that the list is continuously updated, so check regularly for updates.