With so many music genres to listen to, narrowing down your options isn’t always a simple feat. Tons of people lean in the direction of loving hard rock and metal, though. Hard rock and metal music are usually loud and expressive. Hard rock and metal could never be compared to other low-key genres like jazz or dream pop.
The instruments typically used in rock and heavy metal songs are electric guitars, electric basses, drum kits, bass guitars, electric keyboards, and decked-out microphones where lead singers can show off their vocals. Other common instruments used in hard rock and heavy metal bands include steel pans, flare drums, bagpipes, and didgeridoos. The more intense a song is, the better it fits into the rock and heavy-metal categories.
Oftentimes, listeners can’t comprehend the lyrics since the words are drowned out by the clashing noises of the instruments. One clear thing is that baby boomers are incredibly attached to hard rock and heavy metal bands they’ve been listening to for decades. While we’re on the topic of baby boomers, click here to uncover the most popular country music artists among people of that age range.
To compile this list of the most popular hard rock and heavy metal music artists among baby boomers, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the results of a survey conducted by YouGov. Additional information came from music sources including Billboard and Rolling Stone.
1. Van Halen
Van Halen is a beloved rock band that formed in 1973. Van Halen came together in Pasadena, California with aspirations of making it big in the rock music scene. Van Halen’s made up of several talented musicians including Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, David Lee Roth, and Mark Stone. Michael Anthony, Sammy Hagar, Gary Cherone, and Wolfgang Van Halen are other members also.
Some of the biggest songs you’ve heard from the band have been “Runnin’ With the Devil,” “And the Cradle Will Rock,” and “Where Have All the Good Times Gone.” As a group, Van Halen has taken home awards like the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year, the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance, and the American Music Award for Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Album.
2. Steppenwolf
Steppenwolf is a rock band that’s been around for decades. They first formed in 1967, but didn’t gain tons of traction until a year later in 1968. They remained at the top of their game until 1972 when they started slowing their roll. Steppenwolf came together in Los Angeles, California with Jerry Edmonton as the drummer, Goldie McJohn as the keyboard artist, and John K as the lead singer.
They released songs like “Don’t Step On The Grass, Sam,” “Straight Shootin’ Woman,” and “Forty Days and Forty Nights.” Arguably, their most popular song ever was “Born to Be Wild.” It was recorded and released as part of their debut album, which also happened to be self-titled. It certainly put them on the map in the rock music world since the song was so catchy and unforgettable.
3. The Guess Who
The Guess Who is a rock band that came together in Winnipeg, Manitoba. 1965 was when they decided they wanted to make waves in the music industry. The original list of members who stuck around from 1965 until 1975 was extensive. Garry Peterson, Jim Kale, Randy Bachman, Chad Allan, Bob Ashley, Burton Cummings, Bruce Decker, and Kurt Winter were all part of the lineup.
Greg Leskiw, Donnie McDougall, Bill Wallace, and Domenic Troiano contributed their musical talents as well. A handful of the songs they released were “Runnin’ Back To Saskatoon,” “A Wednesday in Your Garden,” and “No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature.” The Guess Who was inducted into the Canadian music Hall of Fame in 1987.
4. Alice Cooper
For several decades, Alice Cooper has been charming rock music lovers with his raspy voice, stage presence, and songwriting skills. Cooper is currently in his 70s, but he made a name for himself decades ago in the fall of 1970 with the hit single “I’m Eighteen.” He went onto release songs like “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” “How You Gonna See Me Now,” and “Welcome to My Nightmare.” Cooper has always been recognized for wearing thick black eyeliner and pale white facial makeup.
His aesthetic is certainly part of his allure in the rock music community. Baby boomers have a lot of respect for Cooper, which is part of the reason why he has such an impressive net worth of $50 million. His baby boomer fanbase has contributed to album sales, merchandise sales, and concert ticket sales over the years.
5. Joe Walsh
Joe Walsh has an incredible career that spans across five decades in the rock music industry. Plenty of people know and love him from his time as a member of the Eagles. Others have endless respect for him as a solo artist. The singer, songwriter, and guitar player is currently in his 70s, but he was making waves when he was in his 20s. While he was part of the Eagles, he helped release the song “Hotel California,” which is arguably one of the most noteworthy songs come from the rock music genre.
Other songs Walsh was part with the Eagles have been “Love Will Keep Us Alive,” “Pretty Maids All in a Row,” and “Help Me Thru the Night.” Walsh is currently sitting on a net worth of $75 million, which speaks volumes about his level of musical prowess and overall talent.
6. AC/DC
When the members of AC/DC first decided to form a rock band, it all took place in Australia back in 1973. Angus Young started out as the lead guitarist while Malcolm Young handled things as the rhythm guitarist. Other individuals who are current members of the band are Phil Rudd, Cliff Williams, Brian Johnson, and Stevie Young. Songs like “You Shook Me All Night Long,” “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” and “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)” put them on the map as a rock band.
It was obvious the band was destined for greatness when they started raking in awards such as the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance, the iHeartRadio Music Award for Rock Album of the Year, and the Echo Award for Best International Rock/Alternative Group.
7. KISS
A quick rewind to 1973 sheds light on the formation of KISS as an American rock band. Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss came together to form the rock band in New York City. The first song they released was in the spring of 1974 titled “Let Me Know.” After that, they went onto release attention-grabbing songs like “I Was Made For Lovin’ You,” “God Gave Rock ‘N’ Roll To You II,” and “Every Time I Look at You.”
They attracted a baby boomer fan base with their edgy lyrics – and they also attracted an induction into the Rock Hall of Fame in 2014. KISS currently has 2.81 million subscribers on YouTube who are still checking for updates and new music from the band. Even though it’s been about 50 years, KISS is still as active as ever.
8. Trans-Siberian Orchestra
The Trans-Siberian Orchestra has been around since 1996 with a long list of members involved. In total, about 24 vocalists and dancers perform in sync for audiences who can appreciate the artistry. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra relies on several instruments including drums, keyboards, guitars, basses, and strings. During the holiday season, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra truly has its time to shine.
Songs like “O Come All Ye Faithful / O Holy Night,” “A Mad Russian’s Christmas,” and “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve” tend to put their fans into a holiday spirit. The brilliant mind who came up with the concept of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in the first place was Paul O’Neill. His plan was to create a progressive rock band that didn’t fit into the confines of typical rock music. He definitely achieved his goal with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
9. Guns N’ Roses
In 1985, two local bands decided to merge and make magic happen. Hollywood Rose and LA Guns were operating as two separate groups before coming together to form Guns N’ Roses in Los Angeles, California. Members of the band who’ve garnered the most attention over the years include Axl Rose, Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Steven Adler, Buckethead, and Duff McKagan. One of the biggest songs Guns N’ Roses released was called “Sweet Child O’ Mine.”
They didn’t stop there, though. Other bangers from their discography include “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door,” “Since I Don’t Have You,” and “You Could Be Mine.” Over the years, Guns N’ Roses earned tons of awards including the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist, the World Music Award for World’s Best Group, and the American Music Award for Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Album.
10. Def Leppard
There’s a lot to respect about Def Leppard as a rock band in the eyes of baby boomers around the globe. Def Leppard formed in 1976 while residing in England. The band members have changed over the years, but since 1992, Rick Savage, Phil Collen, Joe Elliott, Rick Allen, and Vivian Campbell are the talented musicians in the lineup. Def Leppard is known for bringing the wave of heavy metal music to Britain in the early 80s, despite the fact that it was mainly an American genre at the time.
Some of their most popular tracks were “Bringin’ On the Heartbreak,” “When Love & Hate Collide,” and “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad.” As a band, Def Leppard has attracted more than 1.5 million followers on Instagram. A huge bulk of those followers happen to be baby boomers who are interested in keeping up with them and their updates.
11. Sammy Hagar
Samy Hager made waves as part of a rock band called Montrose before pursuing a solo career in the rock music industry. He also spent time with Van Halen. His solo career was successful, which is why so many baby boomers have endless respect for him. Hagar is affectionately known as Red Rocker by his fan base since he knows what he’s doing as a singer, guitar player, and lyricist.
Some of the biggest songs from Hagar have been “Finish What Ya Started,” “There’s Only One Way to Rock,” and “Hear About It Later.” His net worth currently stands at $150 million, which serves as proof that his diehard fans have been supporting him for years. Along with being a singer, guitar player, and songwriter, Hagar expanded his portfolio as a composer, author, actor, and businessman.
12. Mötley Crüe
Baby boomers have been obsessed with Mötley Crüe as a band since they first formed in Hollywood, California back in 1981. Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee are the base guitarist and drummer who always made headlines for their personal lives and offstage behaviors back in the day. Other members of the band include Mick Mars, Vince Neil, John Corabi, and Greg Leon. “Stick to Your Guns/Toast of the Town” was the first single to came from the band when they were ready to start garnering attention.
They followed it up with “Too Young to Fall in Love,” “Smokin’ In The Boys Room,” and “Ten Seconds to Love.” Since Mötley Crüe first got started, they’ve been able to sell more than 100 million albums worldwide. Baby boomer fans who are interested in catching shows from Mötley Crüe can make that happen since the band is still touring in 2024.
13. Rush
Rush is a rock band that formed in 1968 in Toronto, Canada. The primary members of the band were Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart. The first song they recorded and released was called “Not Fade Away” in 1973. Other songs from Rush that attracted baby boomer fans were “By-Tor And The Snow Dog,” “A Passage To Bangkok,” and “Closer to the Heart.” In 2013, Rush was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after raking in several Juno Awards and seven Grammy nominations.
They were also inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame years prior in 1994. Rush hasn’t been on tour since 2015, but that doesn’t mean their fans can’t look back at all of their iconic memories. On their official website, they have links to photos and clips from all their past tour dates dating back to 1974.
14. Ted Nugent
Baby boomers everywhere can appreciate Ted Nugent as a rockstar. Along with being a talented musician, he’s also known for his songwriting capabilities and willingness to be a political activist. The first song to put Nugent on the map was “Cat Scratch Fever” in 1977. After that, he went onto release songs like “Wang Dang Sweet Poontang,” “Journey to the Center of the Mind,” and “Just What The Doctor Ordered.”
With more than half a million followers on Instagram, it’s obvious that Nugent has his fair share of supporters. Even though rock music is the main thing drawing in his fan base, he shares a lot of content about his hunting expeditions, his religious connections, and the loved ones he enjoys spending quality time with. According to his official website, he’s still offering tour dates in 2024.
15. David Lee Roth
Another rockstar who baby boomers can’t get enough of is David Lee Roth. He served as the lead vocalist in Van Halen for three separate stints starting in the 70s and ending in 2020. One of the reasons baby boomers are head over heels in love with Roth is that he has an energetic stage presence that people find totally magnetic.
Some of his most noteworthy songs include “Finish What Ya Started,” “Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love,” and “Just a Gigolo / I Ain’t Got Nobody. With a net worth of $60 million, it’s clear that Roth has fans who are willing to support him on his career path. Along with being a beloved rockstar, Roth’s also made a name for himself as a DJ, lyricist, and author.
16. Ozzy Osbourne
Plenty of baby boomers can agree that it would be impossible to list beloved rockstars off without mentioning Ozzy Osbourne. He rose to fame in the 1970s as the lead singer of Black Sabbath. Rock music lovers know all about Black Sabbath as a hard-hitting heavy metal band with a long list of bangers to jam out too. During that time, Osbourne was affectionately nicknamed the “Prince of Darkness” by his fan base.
Some of the most popular songs from Osbourne include “Under the Graveyard,” “Close My Eyes Forever,” and “See You on the Other Side.” Fans got to know Osbourne on a deeper level when his hit reality TV show “Osbourne” landed on television. It aired from 2002 until 2005 following Osbourne, his wife Sharon Osbourne, and his kids Jack and Kelly Osbourne.
17. Metallica
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - SEPTEMBER 19: James Hetfield (L) and Kirk Hammett of the band Metallica perform on stage during a concert in the Rock in Rio Festival on September 19, 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
In the eyes of baby boomers, rock music reached a wonderful new level when Metallica was formed in 1981. Metallica came together in Los Angeles, California with Lars Ulrich as the drummer and James Hetfield as the guitarist and lead vocalist. The first song to attract rock music lovers to Metallica was “Hit the Lights” in 1982. That song got people interested in Metallica and everything they could possibly offer the rock community.
They went onto release bangers like “Nothing Else Matters,” “The Day That Never Comes,” and “Fight Fire With Fire.” Some of the awards Metallica can claim are the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance, the MTV Video Music Award for Best Rock Video, and the iHeartRadio Music Award for Rock Artist of the Year.
18. Stone Temple Pilots
When baby boomers think about rock bands that changed the world, Stone Temple Pilots often comes to mind. Stone Temple Pilots formed in San Diego, California a few decades back in 1989. At original the band lineup consisted of Eric Kretz, Scott Weiland, and brothers Dean and Robert DeLeo.
Things were running smoothly for the band until Weiland was fired in 2013. Prior to any of that drama, they were recognized for recording impeccable music for their fans to jam out too. Some of their biggest songs were “Interstate Love Song,” “Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart,” and “Where the River Goes.”
19. Judas Priest
Judas Priest is an iconic rock band that baby boomers love listening to. In 1969, Judas Priest came together in Birmingham, England. Since then, more than 50 million albums have been sold to fans of Judas Priest who are enchanted by their heavy metal sound. To this day, plenty of people consider them one of the best metal bands of all time.
Part of the reason they’re so adored is their willingness to record attention-grabbing songs. “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’,” “Heading Out to the Highway,” and “Beyond the Realms of Death” are just a few of the songs that make them stand out among their competitors. Judas Priest was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, which makes sense when you consider all of their Grammy nominations. In 2010, they actually took home a Grammy award as well.
20. Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden came to be in Leyton, London in 1975 thanks to songwriter and bass player Steve Harris. He had a vision for an iconic heavy metal band blossoming in the United Kingdom, and he made sure his dreams would be fulfilled. “For the Greater Good of God,” “Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” and “When The Wild Wind Blows” are just a few examples of songs from Iron Maiden.
These songs helped them build their devoted fan base. Some of the awards they’ve taken home include the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance, the Brit Award for British Live Act, and the Echo Award for Best International Rock/Alternative Group.Baby boomers definitely love their favorite rock stars and bands, but what about all their favorite movies? Click here for 10 must-see movies for baby boomers.