Lovely Western music

Recommendation of Western Rock: Recommended Foreign Rock Bands, Popular Bands

Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICKeisuke Hane
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. After working at a music studio and in wedding sound engineering, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with various instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in middle school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on personal music activities and professional experience, produces daily articles, including song introductions, features on music festivals around Japan, and live reports. Enjoys a wide range of music, from domestic and international rock to, more recently, a broad spectrum of J-pop.
music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and have been contributing to music magazines and web media for over 15 years. Although Western music is my main field, I always strive to stay curious with the motto, “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in a band, where I was a bassist responsible for songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve performed on include bass, guitar, and piano. I resumed piano lessons after turning 40 and have been continuing ever since!

You still hear people say things like, “I listen to Japanese rock bands, but I’m not so good with Western music,” even today, when it’s easier than ever to listen online to music from any era and anywhere in the world from the comfort of your home.

There are many reasons for this, but it seems some people feel a hurdle simply because the lyrics aren’t in Japanese.

So this time, we’ll introduce recommended Western rock bands for those who are thinking of getting into Western rock.

From legendary big names to bands lighting up the 2020s, we’ve picked a diverse lineup to enjoy!

Recommendations for Western Rock: Recommended and Popular Foreign Bands (51–60)

The TrooperIron Maiden

Iron Maiden – The Trooper (Official Video)

The TrooperIron Maiden

A metal band known for its rare triple-guitar lineup, they have become one of the most renowned HR/HM bands in the world.

As a leading act of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal that emerged in the early 1980s in the UK, they were at the forefront of the movement and continue to be highly active today, with total album sales exceeding 100 million.

The imagery associated with metal and their CD cover art might make them seem hard to approach, but the beautiful melodies and aggressive band sound heard in songs like The Trooper and Aces High are sure to hook you after just one listen.

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Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)Journey

Journey – Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) (Official HD Video – 1983)

Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)Journey

Journey is an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1973.

Their music evolved from progressive rock to a style that incorporated pop elements.

From 1978 to 1987, they enjoyed their greatest commercial success, and the album Escape reached No.

1 on the Billboard 200.

In a USA Today poll, they were named the fifth most popular rock band in the United States.

They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017, and their album sales in the U.

S.

have exceeded 52 million.

Ranging from ballads to grand arena rock, Journey’s diverse catalog is recommended not only for rock fans but also for anyone who loves melodic songs.

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HoppipollaSigur Rós

Sigur Ross – Hoppipolla

HoppipollaSigur Rós

An anti-rock, post-rock band.

If you’re tired of three- or four-minute rock songs with strummed guitars, try this church-like, dreamlike music.

It will surely shock you enough to change your outlook on life.

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Come TogetherSpiritualized

Come Together

Come TogetherSpiritualized

They’re one of the quintessentially eccentric rock bands from the UK.

They have an extraordinary obsession with sound, so I recommend listening to them on high-end audio or in hi-res.

I think you can also feel their dedication to the guitar in this music video.

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[Recommendations for Western Rock] Recommended Western Bands, Popular Bands (61–70)

Youngblood5 Seconds of Summer

5 Seconds of Summer – Youngblood (Official Video)

Youngblood5 Seconds of Summer

5 Seconds of Summer are a rock band from Australia—not the UK or the US.

They originally started out on YouTube, covering songs by various artists, gradually growing their fanbase and climbing to their current status—a very modern origin story for a band.

Their sound is also highly contemporary: while they’re a band, they actively incorporate electronic elements into their music.

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Walk This WayAerosmith

Aerosmith – Walk This Way (Live From The Office Depot Center, Sunrise, FL, April 3, 2004)

Walk This WayAerosmith

Aerosmith is the world-famous monster band born on America’s East Coast.

Since their formation in 1970, they’ve continued performing with the original members, despite a few lineup changes over the years.

They drew attention from their 1973 record debut and went on in the ’70s to release a string of classics that left their mark on rock history, including Toys in the Attic, Rocks, and Draw the Line.

While their popularity dipped somewhat in the ’80s, it’s widely known that Run-D.

M.

C.

’s 1986 rap cover of Walk This Way became a massive hit.

After that, they scored more successes with songs like I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing, the theme for the film Armageddon, and Jaded, making them a band beloved across two generations.

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Don’t Wanna FightAlabama Shakes

Alabama Shakes – Don’t Wanna Fight (Official Video – Live from Capitol Studio A)

Don't Wanna FightAlabama Shakes

Anyway, the sound is amazing.

Especially the rich, full-bodied feel of the guitar strings—can there be any better recording than this? And the soulful vocals, plus the drums that are a bit off-kilter in a way that actually highlights the band’s strengths even more.

There aren’t many bands this outstanding, are there?

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