100 Greatest Rock Epics

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

Criteria:
Influence, impact, reputation, popularity after release and overlasting popularity
Composition, variety and uniqueness
Technical ability shown and difficulty to play
Lyrical content



1. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody




Released in 1975, "Bohemian Rhapsody" changed the history of rock music. Its smooth blending of touching ballad, versatile opera and melodic hard rock proved to be really popular, launching Queen into superstardom. Freddie Mercury's versatile, clean vocals, combined with Brian May's memorable guitar solo, excellent playing of Roger Taylor and John Deacon and the huge vocal harmonies, created the desired effect for the track. The song competes with Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" for the title of 'the greatest rock song ever released'.

2. Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven



"Stairway to Heaven" has often fought for the title of 'the greatest rock song ever released' against other rock giant, Queen. Often cited as 'the most magnificient song of Led Zeppelin's whole career', "Stairway to Heaven" shaped the whole rock music again after its release in 1970. The immense popularity of the track was the result of combining Robert Plant's powerful vocals, Jimmy Page's legendary acoustic guitar intro and revered guitar solo, John Bonham's furious rock beats and John Paul Jones' steady basslines as one lenghty track. Still after many years, the song is one of the most popular songs played in radio stations all over the world.


3. Deep Purple - Child in Time



Written as a protest song to the Vietnam War, "Child in Time" brought then-unknown hard rock band Deep Purple huge fame and fortune. The song was released in 1970, and with the huge success of their new album In Rock, it became band's concert staple. Over 10 minutes long, the song was known for the famous keyboard riff and Ian Gillan's powerful vocal performance. It also featured Richie Blackmore playing one of his best-known guitar solos. Still immensely popular among the rock fans, "Child in Time" will forever be known as one of hard rock's finest epics.

4. Bob Dylan - Desolation Row



Released in 1965, Highway 61 Revisited brought Bob Dylan large critical and commercial success. The album had huge set of memorable songs and among those songs was Dylan's lyrical epic, "Desolation Row". The song was an immense poetic epic, where Dylan was rumoured to be talking about Duluth lynchings. Whatever the lyrics concern, "Desolation Row" is often cited as 'one of Dylan's most ambitious songs to date'.

5. The Beatles - A Day in the Life



In 1967, The Beatles released their eight album which would become 'one of the most important rock albums of all time'. This strong concept album contained "A Day in the Life", The Beatles' attempt to create lenghty, epic track. The group succeeded really well, and the song has been described as 'one of the most ambitious, influential, and groundbreaking works in pop music history'. The unique orchestration sweeps through the piece, and the song ends with the famous E-major chord after the mad finale of the orchestra. "A Day in the Life" will eternally stay as one of popular music's most famous and respected pieces.

6. The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again



The climax to one of The Who's most acclaimed albums, Who's Next, "Won't Get Fooled Again" is an eight-and-a-half minute epic that has become regarded as one of the best songs the band ever put to record. Featuring some of Pete Townshend's most evocative lyrics and Roger Daltrey's most powerful vocals, the song tells the story of a revolution which ends in ironic failure. Won't Get Fooled Again also features one of the strongest performances by drummer Keith Moon, whose constant pounding away at the toms reflect the themes of frustration and rebellion.

7. Pink Floyd - Shine On You Crazy Diamond



Pink Floyd's 1975 magnum opus may well be the most brilliant composition of 1970s rock. The lengthy solo passages of guitarist David Gilmour and keyboardist Richard Wright work to tell the tragic tale of Syd Barrett, one of the founding members of Pink Floyd who was driven to madness by his drug addiction. Bassist Roger Waters tells the tale through vivid imagery and heart-wrenching vocals. Clocking in at over 26 minutes, the song (the longest in Floyd's career) had to be split into two parts in order to fit it on the album Wish You Were Here.

8. Eagles - Hotel California



9. Iron Butterfly - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida



10. The Doors - The End



11. Derek and the Dominos - Layla



12. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird



13. The Who - Love Reign O'er Me



14. Don McLean - American Pie



15. Black Sabbath - War Pigs



16. Rush - 2112



17. King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man



18. Metallica - Master of Puppets



19. Iron Maiden - Hallowed Be Thy Name



20. Guns N' Roses - November Rain




21. Michael Jackson - Thriller
22. Judas Priest - Victim of Changes
23. Yes - Close to the Edge
24. Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells
25. Genesis - Supper's Ready
26. Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Karn Evil 9
27. Bruce Springsteen - Jungleland
28. Van Morrison - Madame George
29. Genesis - Firth of Fifth
30. The Velvet Underground - Sister Ray
31. Rush - Xanadu
32. The Beatles - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
33. Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell
34. The Rolling Stones - Sympathy with the Devil
35. Stevie Wright - Evie
36. Neil Young - Cortez the Killer
37. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
38. Rainbow - Stargazer
39. Pink Floyd - Echoes
40. Radiohead - Paranoid Android
41. The Doors - When the Music's Over
42. Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick
43. The Rolling Stones - Midnight Rambler
44. The Beatles - Abbey Road Medley
45. King Crimson - The Court of the Crimson King
46. Grateful Dead - That's It for the Other One
47. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - 1983... (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)
48. The Moody Blues - Question
49. Elton John - Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
50. Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Tarkus
51. Yes - Starship Trooper
52. Bob Dylan - Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands
53. Dream Theater - Pull Me Under
54. Rush - Cygnus X-1
55. Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb
56. Richard Harris - MacArthur Park
57. Jethro Tull - Aqualung
58. Metallica - One
59. Crosby, Stills & Nash – Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
60. Eminem - Stan
61. Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys
62. The Stone Roses - I Am the Resurrection
63. Stevie Wonder - Living for the City
64. Metallica - Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
65. Led Zeppelin - Kashmir
66. The Outlaws - Green Grass and High Tides
67. Pink Floyd - Time
68. Meat Loaf - Paradise by the Dashboard Light
69. Prince - Purple Rain
70. Pantera - Cemetery Gates
71. Black Sabbath - Iron Man
72. Fleetwood Mac - Oh Well
73. Neil Young - Down by the River
74. Kansas - Carry On Wayward Son
75. Megadeth - Holy Wars... The Punishment Due
76. Kansas - Magnum Opus
77. Curtis Mayfield - We the People Who are Darker than Blue
78. The Who - Baba O'Riley
79. Iron Maiden - Powerslave
80. Led Zeppelin - Achilles Last Stand
81. Alice in Chains - Rooster
82. Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons
83. Boston - Foreplay/Long Time
84. Jane's Addiction - Three Days
85. Rainbow - Gates of Babylon
86. Billy Joel - Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
87. Type O Negative - Christian Woman
88. Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
89. Queen - Innuendo
90. Bon Jovi - Dry County
91. Manowar - Gates of Valhalla
92. Nightwish - Ghost Love Score
93. Guns N' Roses - Estranged
94. Tool - Ænema
95. King Crimson - Lizard
96. AC/DC - For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)
97. Pink Floyd - High Hopes
98. Queen - The Prophet's Song
99. Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
100. Oasis - Champagne Supernova
101. Muse - Knights of Cydonia
102. Primal Scream - Loaded
103. Iron Maiden - Rime of the Ancient Mariner
104. The Mars Volta - Cassandra Gemini
105. Metallica - Fade to Black
106. Grateful Dead - New Potato-Caboose
107. The Smashing Pumpkins - Soma
108. Type O Negative - Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare-All)
109. Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street
110. The Allman Brothers Band - Whipping Post
111. Wings - Band on the Run
112. Patti Smith - Land
113. Sonic Youth - Trilogy
114. Pantera - Floods
115. Yes - Heart of the Sunrise
116. The Pogues - And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda
117. Genesis - Dancing with the Moonlight Kit
118. The Velvet Underground - Heroin
119. The Rolling Stones - You Can't Always Get What You Want
120. The Who - Who Are You
121. Jeff Wayne- Forever Autumn
122. Nine Inch Nails - We're in This Together
123. Black Sabbath - Megalomania
124. Neutral Milk Hotel - Oh Comely
125. Scorpions - Still Loving You
126. Beastie Boys - B-Boy Bouillabaisse
127. Dire Straits - Tunnel of Love
128. Frank Zappa - Willie the Pimp
129. Sweet - Love Is Like Oxygen
130. Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart
131. Rage Against the Machine - Wake Up
132. Manowar - Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts
133. Queen - Who Wants to Live Forever
134. Meat Loaf - I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
135. Faith No More - Jizzlober
136. Styx - Come Sail Away
137. The Mars Volta - L'Via L'Viaquez
138. King Crimson - Larks' Tongues in Aspic
139. Tool - Eulogy
140. Alice Cooper - Halo of Flies
141. Iron Maiden - Phantom of the Opera
142. Led Zeppelin - When the Levee Breaks
143. Judas Priest - Beyond the Realms of Death
144. Fates Warning - The Ivory Gate of Dreams
145. Metallica - The Unforgiven
146. Megadeth - In My Darkest Hour
147. Black Sabbath - Into the Void
148. U2 - New Year's Day
149. Led Zeppelin - No Quarter
150. Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother
151. Alice Cooper - Black Juju
152. The Who - A Quick One, While He's Away
153. Dream Theater - Learning to Live
154. Queensrÿche - Suite Sister Mary
155. The Notorious B.I.G. - Juicy
156. Soundgarden - Jesus Christ Pose
157. R. Kelly - Trapped in the Closet
158. The Mothers of Invention - Billy the Mountain
159. Rage Against the Machine - Freedom
160. Green Day - Jesus of Suburbia
161. 2Pac - No More Pain
162. Iron Maiden - Fear of the Dark
163. Opeth - Black Rose Immortal
164. Pink Floyd - Dogs
165. Blue Öyster Cult - Don't Fear (The Reaper)
166. Guns N' Roses - Civil War
167. X-Japan - Art of Life
168. Metallica - Wherever I May Roam
169. Mark & Clark Band - Worn Down Piano
170. King Crimson - Pictures of a City
171. Porcupine Tree - Arriving Somewhere but Not Here
172. Michael Jackson - Earth Song
173. Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears
174. Tool - Lateralus
175. Symphony X - The Divine Wings of Tragedy
176. Iron Maiden - Alexander the Great
177. Marillion - Grendel
178. Camel - Lady Fantasy
179. 10cc - I'm Mandy Fly Me
180. Frank Zappa- The Adventures of Greggery Peccary
181. Whitesnake - Still of the Night
182. Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey
183. Kanye West - Gone
184. The Who - Doctor Jimmy
185. Sleep - Dopesmoker
186. Dream Theater - Octavarium
187. Rhapsody of Fire - Gargoyles, Angels of Darkness
188. The Stone Roses - Breaking into Heaven
189. Primal Scream - Come Together
190. Grand Funk Railroad - I'm Your Captain/Closer to Home
191. Roger Hodgson - Had a Dream (Sleeping with the Enemy)
192. Queensrÿche - Roads to Madness
193. Deep Purple - April
194. Chris Rea - The Road to Hell
195. Neil Young - Cowgirl in the Sand
196. Danzig - Godless
197. U2 - Moment of Surrender
198. Eminem - Kim
199. Television - Marquee Moon
200. Guns N' Roses - Coma
201. GZA - Cold World
202. Faith No More - King for a Day
203. Supertramp - Fool's Overture
204. High Tide - Futilist's Lament
205. Temple of the Dog - Reach Down
206. Mercyful Fate - The Oath
207. The Notorious B.I.G. - Notorious Thugs
208. Iron Maiden - The Clansman
209. Pain of Salvation - Beyond the Pale
210. The Who - Rael
211. Gentle Giant - River
212. The Eagles - Last Resort
213. Symphony X - Through the Looking Glass
214. Deep Purple - Fools
215. The Smashing Pumpkins - Porcelina of the Vast Ocean
216. W.A.S.P. - The Great Misconceptions of Me
217. King Diamond - Black Horsemen
218. Iron Maiden - Sign of the Cross
219. Saga - You're Not Alone
220. Andre Matos - A New Moonlight
221. Spock's Beard - The Light
222. Counting Crows - Round Here
223. Harmonium - Histores Sans Paroles
224. Lost Horizon - Highlander (The One)
225. HIM - Sleepwalking Past Hope

10 Greatest Rock Epic Albums

1. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV



2. Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here



3. Queen - A Night at the Opera



4. The Who - Quadrophenia



5. King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King



6. Genesis - Selling England by the Pound



7. Rush - A Farewell to Kings



8. Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell



9. Metallica - Master of Puppets



10. Yes - Close to the Edge



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Edit: I removed this 'Mini Epic'-list because it wasn't the best out there.

So, let's keep continuing where we left at... Any suggestions?

What do you think, does Lynyrd Skynyrd have any other significant epics than "Free Bird"? I'm not sure about "Tuesday's Gone" or "Simple Man", I remember them being quite simple and standard songs but I could be wrong...

Sleep - Dopesmoker

Desolation Row? Yeah, it's long, but it doesn't change.

It's definitely an influental epic song and it's lenght helps it too. Forget that and suggest new songs!

It's more to do with the lyrical themes and stories that qualify it for this list though.

Timitz - If the list is essentially done, you should ask Lew to get it published.

It is almost, I'll do few minor changes though. Comments about the list?

Looking good, mate. I don't know a lot of the stuff on there, so I can't really comment on the ordering, but the stuff I do know seems fine.

Since A Farewell to Kings landed two epics on the list, while 2112 landed one, shouldn't A Farewell to Kings take 2112's spot on the ten greatest epic albums list?

Okay. "A Quick One While He's Away" and "Rael", both mini-operas from The Who.

I have a feeling that the list is done! What do you people think about it, any complains? Check it out, would be cool having it in the frontpage!

OK, I'll give Lew a bell about publishing it.

It's good stuff.

I'd have to agree. I mentioned on the old board that 2112 only has one epic, which sort of prevents the entire album from being epic.

And why is Master of Puppets on the list? It's not a complaint; I'm just wondering.