With parents’ weekend being right around the corner, I wanted to give a quick rundown of the dad rock you will likely hear along your road trip with your family and throughout Pullman this weekend.  For those who do not know, Dad rock is exactly what it sounds like: rock ‘n’ roll music that your dad listens to all the time to a point where you subconsciously know all of the lyrics because as he says “this is real music.”

10. “Rock And Roll All Nite” by Kiss

An all-time feel-good song, “Rock And Roll All Nite” explains the simple joys of life: rock ‘n’ rolling all night, and partying every day. This song is not too groundbreaking and it is not a musical masterpiece, but it does not have to be. That is the beauty of Kiss, they deliver amazing songs that are pretty widely accessible.

9. “The Boys Are Back in Town” by Thin Lizzy

Another classic song, “The Boys Are Back in Town” starts to make itself known again between the end of spring and the start of summer. The feel-good aspect of getting back together with friends really sets the tone for the start of summer and is definitely a dad rock song.

8. “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones

One of the first guitar riffs that new guitar players learn, this song is simple, yet effective and is widely recognized worldwide. The rock ‘n’ roll world was forever altered after the Stones released this song, it is widely influential and an all-around good listen.

7. “La Grange” by ZZ Top

The gravely vocals by Billy Gibbons along with the crunchy guitar, also done by Gibbons, give the Texas blues trio the building blocks of one of the best classic rock songs to come out of that era. The guitar solo is riddled with pinch harmonics, which is guitar jargon for the squealy, squeaky sound that the guitar makes towards the end of the song.

6. “Fly Like An Eagle” by The Steve Miller Band

The crisp guitar tone that starts this song off is super catchy, and the almost synthesizer-esque vocals laid down by Steve Miller give this song an immediately recognizable and chill atmosphere.

5. “Kickstart my Heart” by Motley Crue

The same song that kicks off WSU football games, “Kickstart my Heart” is a heart-thumping, adrenaline-racing song that seems to be playing every sunny day in Pullman towards the end of the semester when the weather finally clears up.

4. “Light my Fire” by The Doors

Maybe it is Jim Morrison, maybe it is the extended organ solo, but “Light my Fire” is a staple on classic rock radio and will likely stay that way for the foreseeable future.

3. “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” by Beastie Boys

“No! Sleep! ‘till Brooklyn!” This tune by the Beastie Boys is a really fun and goofy sing-along song where everybody pulls out their air guitar for.

2. “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses

I feel like this song is pretty colloquially known by most people, even those who are not too invested or interested in the classic rock music scene. Slash is an all-time great and recognizable guitar player. Equipped with his legendary top hat and iconic curly long hair, he brings down the house with his guitar playing for this song.

1. “Highway to Hell” by AC/DC

You. Will. Hear. This. Song. So. Freaking. Often. “Highway to Hell” is a great song, but it has been overplayed like no other. Walking through Greek Row on parents’ weekend, I guarantee you will hear this song. A lot of AC/DC songs are similar, and “Highway to Hell” is not an exception but it is a fun song that most people know and is a good sing-along.