10 Greatest Hard Rock Anthems Ever

If you consider yourself a rock aficionado, there are those records that you can hang your hat on. No matter what kind of problems you may have going on in your life, there are always those songs that you can throw on and forget all of the excess baggage of reality. It's easy to just zone out to the music, but it could help a little bit if you can bang your head to it.

For all of the typical rock and roll that makes you want to dance or rock out, these songs are a bit of a different breed.

Sure, they might be able to pick you up off your feet, but these are the anthems that move that little something in your gut whenever you throw them on. Whether it's by telling you a story or just letting the music carry you to another place, these tracks have managed to contain some slice of everyday life within the span of just a few minutes.

It might not be the most pleasant ride in the world, but just like any deep tissue massage, it feels so much better once you stop banging your head. Once these songs grace your eardrums, the world seems to shine just a little bit brighter.

Punk was a breath of fresh air when it started putting safetypins through the cheeks of rock stars. At a time when rock was getting far too up-its-own-ass for its own good, the sounds of bands like the Sex Pistols and the Ramones gave you something, quick, loud, and to-the-point that never got old with repeated listens. The Clash may have been known for their vehement political approach, but they never let any message get in the way of a great tune.

On the surface, Complete Control is one of the most overtly political songs these rowdy punks ever wrote, with most of the subject matter being about the manipulative tactics record labels can enforce on young bands. It's definitely not for the average listener, but those "Oh-Oh" choruses will get you hooked in every time you hear it.

Though Mick Jones was known to take the more tuneful songs in the Clash catalog, Joe Strummer dominates this song from the word go, letting his everyman drawl sit over the fast paced groove as he talks about being controlled in the body and the mind.

Most people might offer something like Rock the Casbah or London Calling as the band's best, but when it comes down to the raw essence of what the Clash stood for, this is about as close to the bone as it gets.