3 Members of Contemporary Rock Royalty and the Songs That Earned Them Their Crown

The three modern rock royals below had one song that instantly earned them their crown. These songs took them from promising hopefuls to genre mainstays. When we look back on their careers, we can see that these specific songs were watershed moments. These tracks completely changed the trajectory of these rockers’ careers. Revisit them to remember the moment these artists became icons.

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Dave Grohl — “Everlong”

Dave Grohl has long been a member of rock royalty. He took the 90s by storm with his bandmates in Nirvana, but he kept his momentum going with “Everlong”. This Foo Fighters staple made Grohl more than a man trying to find his second act, keeping his career afloat with an unarguably stellar band. He was arguably operating at the height of his powers with this track.

“If everything could ever be this real forever / If anything could ever be this good again / The only thing I’ll ever ask of you / You’ve got to promise not to stop when I say when,” the lyrics to his staple alt-rock love song read. “Everlong” single-handedly earned Grohl his crown as a frontman.

Billie Joe Armstrong — “American Idiot”

Few songs have better reflected their era than Green Day’s “American Idiot”. Billie Joe Armstrong and his other bandmates delivered a searing rebuke to the government. This song became the band’s signature and earned Armstrong his rock crown.

Armstrong proved himself as the voice of his generation with this track, bringing in like-minded listeners. He brought the true spirit of punk back, giving his opinion freely and not caring about any backlash he faced. Few frontmen could be better described as rock stars in the true sense of the word.

Hayley Williams — “Misery Business”

Speaking of songs that perfectly captured their era, “Misery Business” became the epitome of 2000s rock. Hayley Williams and the other members of Paramore edged up the pop-rock scene tenfold with this staple track.

“But God, does it feel so good / ‘Cause I got him where I want him now / And if you could, then you know you would,” the lyrics to this hard-edged, yet accessible song read. Williams’ vocals stagger the listener here. She sounds amazing in every song she sings, but “Misery Business” was the first indicator of how impressive she would become.

(Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for DraftKings)

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