[2025] The State of Western Hard Rock Today: A Roundup of Notable Tracks

Up On YouMr. BIG

Mr. Big – Up On You (Official Music Video)

MR.

BIG, who achieved worldwide success from the 1980s through the 1990s, return with a powerful new song that carries the spirit of hard rock into the present.

Its lyrics about intimate relationships pair perfectly with an energetic sound.

Drawing attention as the lead single from the album “TEN,” released in July 2024, the track is featured on their highly anticipated new record—their first in seven years.

Showcasing soaring vocals and virtuosic guitar work, this song represents the band at their very best.

It’s highly recommended for anyone struggling with love or relationships—and above all, for those who truly love fiery rock ’n’ roll.

Like A Woman CanHalestorm

Halestorm – Like A Woman Can (Official Video)

This is a blues-charged anthem from Hailstorm, a powerhouse American rock band that proudly boasts a Grammy win.

According to vocalist Lzzy Hale, the song explores themes of her own sexuality and self-discovery, and it’s sure to resonate deeply with listeners.

The moment her soft vocals suddenly turn into soul-wrenching shouts is truly goosebump-inducing.

The track is featured on the album “Everest,” released in August 2025, and its creation is rooted in her personal story of overcoming hardship.

Its powerful message of loving and affirming your true self will gently push you forward when you’re feeling lost or in need of confidence.

Highway TuneGreta Van Fleet

Greta Van Fleet – Highway Tune (Official Video)

Greta Van Fleet is an American band that made waves with a classic hard rock sound you wouldn’t expect from a group that debuted in 2017.

It’s astonishing that their average age was just 19 at the time of the “Highway Tune” release.

With three of the four members being brothers, their tight, cohesive band sound is especially compelling.

HallelujahBlack Veil Brides

Black Veil Brides – Hallelujah

Black Veil Brides, the American rock band that fuses glam metal and hard rock while captivating listeners with a gothic aesthetic.

Their new release is an anthem that insists empathy between people matters more than voices brandishing ideology, powerfully affirming misfits and outsiders.

The structure is nothing short of breathtaking, unfolding from solemn, gospel-style choruses into explosive guitar riffs and fierce shouts.

Released in July 2025, this work showcases the evolution of this powerhouse band, whose guitarist won an award in 2012.

If you’ve ever felt suffocated by society’s pressure to conform or have a burning desire to be yourself, this song will give you a push forward.

Don’t miss its fiery message.

SHINEFear, and Loathing in Las Vegas

SHINE / Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas【Full ver.】

For the single released in 2017, Sxun made “wanting to sing together with everyone at live shows” the theme, and while making the most of So’s voice, they crafted it in consultation to choose a key that’s easy to sing for both men and women.

It’s a song that’s easy for anyone to sing.

The EndMammoth

Mammoth: The End (Official Video)

Mammoth, led by Wolfgang Van Halen—the son of iconic American guitarist Eddie Van Halen—released a powerful new track in May 2025 featuring his father’s legendary “Frankenstein” guitar.

Blending aggressive guitar riffs, driving verses, and a memorable chorus in perfect balance, the song carries the traditions of hard rock while embracing a modern sensibility.

The music video, directed by filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, includes numerous celebrity cameos—such as Danny Trejo—as an homage to the film From Dusk Till Dawn.

A proven talent whose debut album, Mammoth WVH, hit No.

1 on Billboard’s Hard Rock Albums chart and earned a Grammy nomination, Wolfgang delivers a track that’s a must-listen for anyone who wants to experience the guitar prowess inherited from his father alongside his own distinctive creative vision.

Darkness Always WinsHalestorm

Halestorm – Darkness Always Wins (Official Music Video)

When you’re faced with harsh realities and feel your spirit about to break, what do you do? This work by the Grammy-winning American rock band Halestorm is a powerful song that poses that very question.

While it acknowledges the cold reality that history repeats itself and that evil sometimes prevails, it is by no means a song of surrender.

It carries the message that the future will never end as long as we become warriors who confront the monsters and keep holding high the light of hope.

Released in April 2025 and followed by a grand music video in June of the same year, the piece unfolds from a quiet piano into a dramatic soundscape.

It will make you believe even more strongly that there is a light that must be kindled precisely within despair.