10 Greatest Rock Anthems Of All Time
1. Hey Jude - The Beatles
Not every rock anthem necessarily needs to have a message behind it. For as much as lyricists might like to talk about the ills of society or how things have to change, it serves just as well to give positive energy to the world. Whereas other '60s acts were calling for revolution, Hey Jude by the Beatles showed the true power of what rock music could do at its best.
From an instrumental perspective, the song is absolutely extravagant, starting from Paul McCartney's vocal to a full on orchestra by the end. Instead of the usual rock and roll jargon though, this was actually written as a message of hope from Paul to John Lennon's son Julian, who was watching his parents go through a very public divorce. As such, this song is the definition of a pick me up, with Paul assuring us all that we all have the ability to take a sad song and make it better.
Even with its mammoth runtime of 8 minutes, Hey Jude hasn't lost its luster as one of the most feel good songs in the rock canon, as the "NA NA NA" chorus prompts a singalong with even the most skeptical of listeners. By walking away from the traditional rock and roll tropes, Hey Jude went beyond just a rock anthem and became one of the greatest sonic equivalents to a ray of sunlight.