What is your idea of a rock anthem? Though the term is kind of amorphous, falling into the “I know it when I hear it” category, there are a few broad principles we can sketch out. There is usually an insistent, mid-tempo beat that does not shape-shift throughout the song.
Often, but not always, electric guitars are at the center of the sonic attack. And often, but not always, the lyrics are uplifting and triumphant.
Perhaps most of all, the chorus provides for a great sing-along opportunity in a large concert hall. The kind of sound that fills an arena. That’s the main reason for the steady mid-tempo. That makes it easier to sing.
12 recent rock anthems that fans will love
That sing-along quality was mentioned by YouTuber Rick Beato in a post I watched recently. Beato was counting down his top 20 rock anthems. I really enjoy Beato’s videos. The man knows his stuff. I usually disagree with some of his personal favs, but I always learn something interesting.
But Beato’s tastes are definitely moored in his past. I figure we are about the same age and grew up listening to the same rock from the late ‘60s to the early ‘80s. But I get the feeling that he liked that stuff way more than I did.
Beato’s rock anthem countdown focused exclusively on the 20th century. I think the most recent one he had was Pearl Jam’s “Alive” from 1991, but I may be remembering wrong. I know there was nothing post-2000.
I understand the reason for that. Rock and roll had stopped being the titanic force it once was by 2000. But in my quest to remind everyone that the genre lives on with some great recent bands and some great new music, I began to wonder if there were indeed great rock anthems created in the 21st century.
I came up with the following dozen. This isn’t meant to be a definitive list. Just a leaping-off point to show that even if the musical landscape has changed, rock and roll can still produce anthemic moments.
In chronological order…
“Stay Together For the Kids” by Blink 182 (2001)
It’s a little bit hard to choose this song when the album it comes from – Take Off You Pants and Jacket – literally opens with a different anthem. “Anthem, Pt 2,” a follow-up of sorts to the final track on their previous album, would be a reasonable choice for this list. But “Stay Together For the Kids” is clearly a better choice.
Lyrically, it is probably the most downbeat of the songs on this entire list. But the story of family dysfunction gives way to one of the most cathartic sing-along choruses in modern rock and quickly became a staple of Blink’s live shows.
“Mr. Brightside” by the Killers (2003)
Another lyrically depressing song that has such an infectious melody you just need to sing along. Every time I have seen the Killers, they have either opened or closed their show with this song.
“Seven Nation Army” by the White Stripes (2003)
This is the song that many people think of when they hear the phrase rock anthem. It has become a staple at sporting events, from high school to the pros. Everyone knows the seven-note phrase that forms the core of “Seven Nation Army.”
The cool thing is that that lyric-less musical phrase is, in fact, the sing-along part. That is what fans chant – those notes. Apparently, when you’re as gifted as Jack White, you don’t need the words.
“Swing Life Away” by Rise Against (2004)
On Rick Beato’s list, he threw a curveball around number 10. He had Dobie Gray’s “Drift Away.” I get the sing-along nature of the chorus, but that is not what I think of when I consider rock anthems. But I figured it did give me the chance to go a little far afield on my list.
“Swing Life Away” isn’t nearly as outside-the-box as drift-away. (Speaking of boxes, if you’re waiting for “Man in the Box,” you’ll be disappointed. It isn’t here. Neither is “Rooster.” Sorry, AIC fans.)
I have “Swing Life Away” here primarily to show that a rock anthem can be acoustic, provided it has the right build to that glorious chorus and evokes the proper feelings of uplift. Not that this is essential, but “Swing Life Away” usually gets a good position in the middle of Rise Against live shows.
“Uprising” by Muse (2009)
The top spot in Beato’s countdown went to Queen’s “We Will Rock You.” Beato is fond of saying that any of his top 5 choices on any list could easily be rearranged with a different number 1. But when he got to the top of his rock anthems, he said “We Will Rock You” was the only real choice.
I kind of feel the same way about “Uprising” on this modern list. That doesn’t mean I like the song more than many of the others here. It just means that if you want a song that checks all the anthemic boxes, this is your choice.
“Know Your Enemy” by Green Day (2009)
I’m not sure Billy Joe Armstrong can write a rock song that is not an anthem these days. Of all the bands on this list, Green Day had the most to choose from. Half of American Idiot could probably stand in here. “Bang Bang” and “The American Dream is Killing Me” show that the trio is still cranking out unstoppable sing-alongs.
I like this one from 21st Century Breakdown because it is almost impossible not to sing along when you hear it.
“Howling for You” by the Black Keys (2010)
This has the chant-inspiring drum intro, but then the wiry guitar and spoken-word melody seem to take the song in a different direction, at least for a few moments. But sometimes, all it takes is a few well-placed and properly syncopated “Da da da da das” to get an audience back into the groove.
“I Miss the Misery” by Halestorm (2012)
Lzzy Hale invites you in with her opening scream of the title. Then, after settling into a classic mid-tempo groove in the verse, the chorus becomes a glorious burst of masochism. This has become a pretty standard concert opener for Halestorm, though they moved it to second in the lineup last year so they could feature the new song “Fallen Star.”
“I Miss the Misery” is far more anthemic.
“Wide Awake” by Parquet Courts (2018)
I must admit, Parquet Courts didn’t leap to my mind when I began this list. Not that they can’t supply a rock anthem – I think they can probably produce interesting songs in virtually any rock-adjacent genre – but I just don’t really associate them with getting a big arena to start singing along.
This song could have been a hit on the dance floor at Paradise Garage or Crackers back in the day. The disco-tinged polyrhythms provide a funky groove, and even if you don’t know all the lyrics, you can still chant out the repeated title throughout.
“Monkey Mind” by the Bobby Lees (2022)
OK, I admit it. I am stoked about seeing the Bobby Lees back in action in October, and that probably has them at the forefront of my mind right now. It isn’t exactly easy to sing along with this one because Sam Quartin has such a unique vocal style.
But Kendall Wind and Macky Brown always provide a rhythm that encourages involvement. By the time you reach the chorus, everyone knows the words.
“Monkey mind … It’s just my mon-key mind!”
“Big Dick Energy” by Lambrini Girls (2025)
I had to check with my editor to see if I could use the word “Dick” in this story. That matters a lot here because, as great an anthem as this song is, it is only the second-best anthem on the Lambrini Girls' sensational debut album Who Let the Dogs Out.
The most anthemic song they have produced is the final track, and my own personal propriety has me squeamish about writing out that one. Besides, that song may violate the speed rule, being too fast to sing along with. But “Big Dick Energy” is a fine stand-in, and ever-so-slightly slower. They generally close their shows with one or the other, often played back-to-back.
“The Great Divide” by Noah Kahan (2026)
If you’ve had the chance to see Noah Kahan live, you can’t help but be taken with the joy he conveys, even when his songs are covering downbeat subject matter. He may be the best composer of rock anthems we have going today, usually predicated on a massive guitar attack and built on his vocal skill in starting small and building to triumphant choruses.
He does all that in this title track from his very popular new album. It may never replace “Stick Season” as his biggest fan favorite – it hasn’t in my ears – but I do think it hits the rock anthem mark more closely.
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