@Arnie Popowich

Discover new music from artists we think you'll like. Refreshed every Friday.

We have radio to thank for inventing classic rock. Conceived as a programming format, it emerged in the ’80s when stations began devoting heavy airtime to a mix of beloved titans from the ’60s and ’70s (The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Bob Seger) and then-current hitmakers (Tom Petty, John Mellencamp) whose music contains heavy echoes of the vintage stuff. Even when classic rock opens its ranks to ’90s alt-rockers such as Soundgarden, it’s because they sound old-school. In terms of stylistic variety, the format boasts considerable leg room. Classic rock rotation can and does include soaring ballads from Pink Floyd, The Beatles, and Elton John, and even the occasional glam nugget from David Bowie. Yet at the end of the day, the format definitely relies heaviest on thunderous hard-rock anthems perfect for Friday night parties or powering you through your workday.

The sound of rock has changed a hundred times since the late '60s, but its essence—cranking it up and finding salvation through sound—is pretty much the same. From the freedom salvos of the Summer of Love through the alternative revolution to now, what follows is rock chiseled to weather the winds of time, guitar firmly at its center. We regularly update this playlist. If you like a song, add it to your library.

Naive as it sounds to say, there’s nothing like an old love song. Doo-wop, Motown, Elvis, Al Green: This music didn’t just change the course of pop, it gave us a shared language for one of the more mysterious feelings in the human experience. And while styles change, the essence remains the same. So pull out your slow-dancing shoes and give yourself over to the deep romance inside. Our editors update picks now and then, so if you hear something you like, remember to add it to your library.

We have radio to thank for inventing classic rock. Conceived as a programming format, it emerged in the ’80s when stations began devoting heavy airtime to a mix of beloved titans from the ’60s and ’70s (The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Bob Seger) and then-current hitmakers (Tom Petty, John Mellencamp) whose music contains heavy echoes of the vintage stuff. Even when classic rock opens its ranks to ’90s alt-rockers such as Soundgarden, it’s because they sound old-school. In terms of stylistic variety, the format boasts considerable leg room. Classic rock rotation can and does include soaring ballads from Pink Floyd, The Beatles, and Elton John, and even the occasional glam nugget from David Bowie. Yet at the end of the day, the format definitely relies heaviest on thunderous hard-rock anthems perfect for Friday night parties or powering you through your workday.

The sound of rock has changed a hundred times since the late '60s, but its essence—cranking it up and finding salvation through sound—is pretty much the same. From the freedom salvos of the Summer of Love through the alternative revolution to now, what follows is rock chiseled to weather the winds of time, guitar firmly at its center. We regularly update this playlist. If you like a song, add it to your library.