Welcome to the Top 20 Rock Songs of 2019.  These songs are my favorite songs of the year and were not necessarily played on the radio or even shot up the charts.  They just moved me in some way good or bad!

If you missed the Top Rock Albums of 2019 or the Top Albums of 2019 (that were not Rock), just click on the link and go check them out.

It is time to start the list so here we go…

#20 -“Chase the Feeling (feat. Chris Cester)” by Wolfmother – Single:

No album, just a single and anything they put out will probably end up on my list.  It is full of the distorted guitar sound that is reminiscent of Wolfmother and don’t forget that voice os Andrew Stockdale.  The drum fills are great and that groove keeps the song driving forward.  I hope this is a sign of things to come.

#19 – “All Animal” by Through Fire off the album ‘All Animal’:

I like it loud and I like it heavy at times and this does both.  Pounding drums, blistering guitars and vocals that can scream it out or sing with such great melodies.  A modern rock sound that rips it from the opening notes until the very end.  Perfect for driving down the road at 100mph as it wakes up the beast in you!!

#18 – “Brighter Than the Sun” by The Alarm off the album ‘Sigma’:

Mike Peters and the band bring me back to early The Alarm days with the signature guitar sound and Mike’s vocals are on point.  A slow starter turns into a rocking, uptempo feel good song which we all need from time to time.  The only thing missing is that harmonica sound that would have made this a Top 10 song.  Not much better than a good The Alarm song.

#17 – “If I’m Not There I’ll Be Here” by Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ off the album ‘Live the Love Beautiful’:

The best song on the album is hands down, “If I’m Not There I’ll Be Here”.  The song is a kick ass, fist in the face rocker.  Laur’s guitars are full of distortion, feedback and he is bending notes in every direction they will go and then some.

#16 – “Bring It Baby” by Texas Hippie Coalition off the album ‘High in the Saddle’:

It’s stripper music…plain and simple.  It is gritty, dirty, nasty ass Texas rock & roll music that would fit perfect for a stripper to be pole-dancing and making a few bucks.  And let me tell you, there is nothing wrong with that and sometimes we all need a little stripper music.

#15 – “Renegade Music” by Papa Roach off the album ‘Who Do You Trust?’:

Papa Roach take this song from the Rage Against the Machine playbook at his the vibe of RATM and I am okay with that. It feels like a protest song filled with anger, heavy drums and ripping guitars.  It gets your head banging and you are ready to stand up and fight for whatever the cause.  I need that every now and again.

#14 – “Better Part of Me” by Michael Sweet off the album ‘Ten’:

The opening track to his 10th solo album comes at you like a bat out of hell.  What I love about it is that it reminds me of very early Stryper and I love that.  As a result, it got my attention and grabbed a hold of me and wouldn’t let go.  It is one great song to kick off the album and quickly became my favorite song on the album…however, there are many more to like as well.

#13 – “Shock” by Tesla off the album ‘Shock’:

Iis really a modern, rock song and when it gets going, it can’t be stopped.  The rawness and raspiness edge to Jeff Keith’s vocals are the star here. There are electronica elements with the drum sound, but thankfully more of an enhancement than hinderance and you even get Phil Collen from Def Leppard for the backing vocals.

#12 – “Oh My God” by Hellyeah off the album ‘Welcome Home’:

Vinnie Paul’s last album and he will be missed.  Hellyeah delivered a stellar album to say their goodbyes to him.  This song is nothing short of earth shattering metal that is like a bat to the head.  I love the change in tempo from the highs and the lows and when it gets going make sure your seatbelt is on and grab that ‘oh shit’ bar in your car and hold on.

#11 – “City of Angels” by Soren Andersen off the album ‘Guilty Pleasures’:

From the opening track, “City of Angels”, you know you are in for something special.  At times there is a whole Satriani vibe to the song because it is a song full of melodies and typical song structure you can almost sing along with the guitars which is what I want in an instrumental. There is no showboating for the sake of showboating.  He isn’t going, “hey, look what I can do!!”.  He is giving you his heart and emotions in his songs.

#10 – “Them Blues” by Collective Soul off the album ‘Blood’:

The song is a piano-based song that is very blues influenced and takes a more serious tone.  I love the slow opening piano notes and then a really cool and short guitar riff.  The best part is the super long guitar solo by Jesse Triplett to end the album…it is killer.  It lifts the song when it needing lifting and it made you feel all was going to be right with the world.  It is a time where lyrically and musically, everything that they wanted you to take away from the song comes across loud and clear.

#9 – “I Am John 5” by John 5 & the Creatures off the album ‘Invasion’:

The sound goes a little electronica with the the robot screaming “I Am John 5”.  And John 5 is on this in spades. It is a heart-pounding, adrenaline rush of speed guitar mixed with the electronica elements and some funk bass playing by Ian Ross.   The song will get you moving and hitting repeat quite frequently.

#8 – “Bow Down” by I Prevail off the album ‘Trauma’:

The electronica sounds, the heavy bass and the screeching guitars are an assault on the senses.  It comes at you with such power and force that you are immediately engulfed in the shockwave and blown back in your seat.   The vocals are both screaming and melodic and blend well together.  It is a force to be reckoned with.

#7 – “Trouble Is Your Middle Name” by Whitesnake off the album ‘Flesh & Blood’:

David Coverdale and company bring us a heavy, gritty blues song in the classic Whitesnake style.  Reb Beach and Joel Hoekstra bring the heavy with the guitars and rock your face off.  Whitesnake like this is why I love the band. Sit back and hold on tight!!

#6 – “U X’d My Heart” by the Defiants off the album ‘Zokusho’:

“U X’d My Heart” starts out with just a guitar and seems like another ballad, but you’d be wrong.  Paul’s vocals are stellar and he and Bruno have written another classic.  It’s as if the 80’s were back in full force and songs were fun again.  If Danger Danger isn’t really doing anything, thankfully these guys are.

#5 – “This Land” by Gary Clark Jr. off the album ‘This Land’:

The song opens with some menacing electronica sounds before Gary tears into with his blazing guitar.  It is rock, it is blues, it is wonderful.  The song itself, is inspired by Woodie Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” and Woodie even gets writing credits for the song.  The song has all the characteristics a great song needs…a good groove, a hook, an awesome guitar solo (oh that solo is something else) and lyrics that mean something.

#4 – “Do Your Worst” by Rival Sons off the album ‘Feral Roots’:

From the opening fuzzy guitar riffs of “Do Your Worst”, Rival Sons come out swinging with a pure rock & roll album.  It is bluesy, it is heavy, it is retro, it is fan’freaking’tastic.  It is so good, I am making up words. This is what Rock & Roll music should sound like.

#3 – “Untitled” by Tom Keifer off the album ‘Rise’:

“Untitled”  has this eerie guitar opening riff that turns in to a nasty blues riff and Keifer comes in with a deeper vocal before hitting that signature high pitch vocal we all know and love.

#2 – “Red Clouds” by Scott Stapp off the album ‘The Space Between the Shadows’:

“Red Clouds” is a very dark song, very Creed like and really what I love from Stapp and is what keeps me coming back for more.  It has a lot of religious themes in it and I love the lyrics of  “Reign Down, Reign Down, Red Clouds wash over me”, it is very impactful.  His faith is in full force with this one.  I can feel him dropping to his knees, arms raised high and screaming this to the heavens.

And the #1 Rock Song of 2019:

“Rock And Roll Deserves to Die” by The Darkness

The song has a grand epic feel to it and Justin Hawkins delivers a commanding vocal performance.  The falsettos he hits are high enough to shatter glass and windows all over the world.  It is both grandiose and bombastic as well as calm and serene.  It is a proclamation that Rock Ain’t Dead!!  Take the journey as it is a journey worth taking.

There you have it. My Top 20 Rock Songs of 2019.  I hope you enjoyed them as much as I have this year. I can’t wait to see what 2020 has in store for us with new music.  I am hoping for a better year with 2020 as I feel 2019 was lacking any real killer songs. There are a lot of great ones, but only a few that will continue to stay on my top songs list.

And that is it for the list for this year.  There will not be a list of the Top 20 Songs of 2019 that aren’t rock songs as I mostly stuck to Rock this year and I also forgot to compile a playlist of those songs during the year so there is no way I will be able to go back and find what I like for the year.  I just ran out of time. I will do my best to remember next year.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy New Year!