A collection of popular Western rock ballads: a roundup of moving, tear-jerking masterpieces.

To Be With YouMr. BIG

Mr. Big – To Be With You 4K Video

A rock band whose members all possess outstanding musicianship and enjoy immense popularity in Japan, Mr.

Big’s song is featured here.

Included on their second album, “Lean Into It,” it’s known as one of their signature tracks that reached No.

1 on the U.

S.

charts.

While it’s a ballad featuring acoustic guitar and soulful vocals, the prominent presence of both guitar and bass overflows with Mr.

Big’s distinctive character.

With exquisite choral work that elevates the song’s completeness, it’s a classic rock ballad that showcases the band’s pop sensibilities.

AloneHeart

Heart – Alone

This is the 26th single by the rock band Heart, known as pioneers among groups led by female rock musicians, and active as a musical unit formed by the Wilson sisters—vocalist Ann Wilson and guitarist Nancy Wilson.

Released in 1987, it spent three consecutive weeks at No.

1 in the U.

S.

, a track that epitomizes the classic rock ballad.

Its timeless ensemble—melancholic piano and a weeping guitar solo—still stirs the soul today.

The powerful high-tone vocals create an even more sentimental atmosphere, making it a number renowned as a standard of rock ballads.

(Everything I Do) I Do It For You (Official Music Video)Bryan Adams

Bryan Adams – (Everything I Do) I Do It For You

This is the 29th single by singer-songwriter Bryan Adams, who at 19 signed with a record label and is talented enough as a photographer to be featured in magazines.

Used as the theme song for the film Robin Hood, it became a massive hit, topping the U.

S.

charts for seven consecutive weeks and the U.

K.

charts for sixteen.

Beginning with a gentle vocal and delicate piano ensemble that gradually builds into a full band sound, the arrangement conveys the coolness of a rock ballad.

Brimming with classic beauty throughout, it is a timeless ballad that never loses its luster, no matter the era.

PhotographNickelback

Nickelback – Photograph [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

This is the fifth single by Nickelback, the Canadian rock band known for selling over 50 million albums worldwide.

Taken from their fifth album, All The Right Reasons—often hailed as the most successful rock album of the 21st century—the track opens with a powerful melody over acoustic guitar that truly stirs the soul.

The arrangement blends a sense of melancholy with pop sensibility, perfectly matching the slightly gritty vocals characteristic of a rock band.

It’s a power ballad with an outstanding ensemble—intense yet beautiful—that you could listen to forever.

NumbLinkin Park

Numb (Official Music Video) [4K UPGRADE] – Linkin Park

This is the eighth single by Linkin Park, the American rock band hailed as the best-selling band of the 21st century and a major influence on the rock scene since the 2000s.

Released as a single from their second album, Meteora, it is also known as the band’s biggest hit.

The emotional vocals—switching between a clear, translucent singing voice and a near-scream approach—combine with the dramatically unfolding arrangement to create a truly unique presence.

While incorporating an aggressive rock sound, its beautiful melody lingers in the ear, making it a modern rock ballad.

Open ArmsJourney

Journey – Open Arms (Official Video – 1982)

A five-piece rock band that stands as a leading figure in American progressive hard rock, Journey continues to work energetically while overcoming various hardships.

This is their 27th single.

It was released as a single from their seventh album, Escape, the band’s first to hit No.

1 in the United States, and it also drew attention in Japan when it was used as the theme song for the 2004 film Umizaru.

You can feel that it contains all the elements you’d want in a rock ballad—lyrical melodies, dramatic arrangements, and memorable guitar phrases.

The fact that it was used in Japan more than 20 years after its release further proves the song’s timeless beauty as a ballad.

I Remember YouSkid Row

Skid Row – I Remember You (Official Music Video)

A five-piece rock band that made a striking debut in the late phase of the LA metal movement, which peaked in the 1980s, Skid Row quickly became a popular act.

This single, cut from their debut album “Skid Row,” is a beautiful ballad that highlights the commanding presence of then-vocalist Sebastian Bach.

The fusion of aggressive, metal-tinged guitar sounds with a dramatic melody showcases the band’s musical depth beyond sheer intensity.

It’s a classic, standard rock ballad that reaffirms the enduring power of the genre.