5 Contemporary Artists Carrying the Torch of Classic Rock

There’s something almost rebellious about loving classic rock in 2026. In an era where algorithmic playlists dominate and attention spans shrink to the length of a TikTok clip, there are artists out there refusing to trade riffs for ringtones. They pick up Les Pauls instead of laptops. They record in analog studios. They sound, quite frankly, like the 1970s never ended.

In 2025, one of the most unexpected cultural trends has been the deep and growing connection between a new generation and classic rock. Once considered music for boomers and Gen Xers, classic rock is now pulsing through fresh playlists, fashion, and social identities. Honestly, that’s not surprising when you think about it. The songwriting and production quality from 1967 to 1982 remain unmatched in popular music, with big drums, soaring guitar solos, and hooks that lodge firmly in the brain after just one listen.

The artists below didn’t just stumble onto this sound. They chose it. They studied it, lived it, and then made it their own. Let’s dive in.

Greta Van Fleet: Michigan’s Time Travelers

Greta Van Fleet is an American rock band formed in Frankenmuth, Michigan in 2012. From the moment they arrived, they were impossible to ignore. At the heart of Greta Van Fleet’s appeal lies their ability to revive the classic rock sound of the 1960s and 1970s with astonishing authenticity, from the wailing vocals of lead singer Josh Kiszka to the blistering guitar riffs of his brother Jake, channeling the spirit of rock legends like Robert Plant and Jimmy Page with uncanny precision.

I think what makes them genuinely fascinating is the sheer commitment. This isn’t pastiche. Greta Van Fleet have taken the Led Zeppelin template and modernized it for a new generation, with Josh Kiszka’s Plant-like wail and Jake Kiszka’s bluesy, virtuosic guitar echoing Zeppelin’s riffs and dramatic shifts, with tracks like “Safari Song” and “Highway Tune” channeling the raw energy and epic build of classic 70s hard rock.

Their debut single “Highway Tune” topped the Billboard U.S. Mainstream Rock and Active Rock charts in September 2017 for four weeks in a row. That kind of debut doesn’t happen by accident. Their EP “From the Fires” went on to win the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album, and their debut full-length studio album, “Anthem of the Peaceful Army,” was released on October 19, 2018, and topped the Billboard Rock Albums chart in the first week after its release.

Greta Van Fleet’s music has been categorized as hard rock, blues rock, and progressive rock, and they are sometimes considered part of a classic rock revival. That label fits. While their roots lie in classic rock, the band’s willingness to experiment and explore new territories suggests that their influence on the rock landscape is far from over.

Rival Sons: Long Beach’s Blues-Soaked Powerhouse

Rival Sons is a rock band formed in Long Beach, California in 2009, consisting of Jay Buchanan on lead vocals, Scott Holiday on guitar, Dave Beste on bass, and Michael Miley on drums. Here’s the thing about Rival Sons: they are, without question, one of the most underrated bands on the planet. In the United States, they remain criminally under-the-radar compared to their European reception.

Anyone who worships the hard rock and heavy blues sounds of Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple – the electric classic rock sound of the 70s – will simply love the LA-based band Rival Sons. In fact, they are one of the best sounding bands in years. The connection to those icons runs deep. The band toured with Deep Purple on their 2016 European tour, following which they toured as the main supporting act on the entirety of Black Sabbath’s notable The End Tour throughout 2016 and early 2017.

Buchanan’s voice, known for its wide range, dynamic power, and blues-influenced phrasing, has earned him critical recognition as one of the most distinctive modern rock vocalists. That voice is something else. It carries weight, gospel fire, and a rawness you simply can’t fake. Rival Sons draw on Deep Purple’s muscular hard rock and organ-infused swagger, with Scott Holiday’s bluesy guitar riffs and the band’s tight, dynamic arrangements echoing the driving force of classic 70s rock, while Jay Buchanan’s commanding vocals tie the whole stunning picture together.

They have released eight albums and one EP, and have twice been nominated for Grammy awards. Eight albums deep, and somehow still not a household name in America. It’s baffling, honestly. Their untreated and unabashed sound has given vintage rock junkies a new catalog to sink their teeth into, and although the classics will forever satisfy, the taste of something fresh is always a sweet welcome.

Dirty Honey: Putting the Roll Back in Rock

Dirty Honey were formed in 2017 as The Shags by John Notto on guitar and Marc LaBelle on vocals, later joined by bassist Justin Smolian, and after drummer Corey Coverstone joined, the group changed their name to Dirty Honey. From that relatively quiet beginning, something remarkable happened.

Their song “When I’m Gone” was the first ever track from an unsigned band to reach the number one spot on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. Let that sink in. No label. No machine behind them. Just the music. Los Angeles classic rock revival group Dirty Honey’s sound is reminiscent of acts like Aerosmith, Guns N’ Roses, Led Zeppelin, and The Black Crowes.

For anyone whose knowledge of hard rock goes beyond regurgitated rock radio playlists, Dirty Honey is much more similar in style and approach to Humble Pie than Zeppelin, and close your eyes and you’d be forgiven for thinking singer Marc Labelle was the late great Steve Marriott. That’s a bold comparison, but it holds up. They’ve got a soaring singer, big beefy riffs, scorching guitar solos, and a four-on-the-floor rhythm section who holds it all down. Whereas their peers try so hard to make records that sound like they could’ve been recorded in 1972, Dirty Honey does so effortlessly. In fact, the average rock listener would probably think this record was recorded in 1972.

After touring and opening for other groups like The Black Crowes, Guns N’ Roses, Kiss, and Rival Sons, Dirty Honey put out their sophomore album “Can’t Find the Breaks” in November 2023. Their catalog also includes live album “Mayhem and Revelry,” which dropped in February 2025. Every release sounds like a love letter to the golden era, and the live shows, reportedly, are absolutely ferocious.

The Struts: Glam Rock Royalty with a Modern Edge

The bastard love child of The Stones, Def Leppard, and Queen, The Struts have been flying the Union Jack for glammy hard rock for a number of years, and much like other Sheffield-based bands are probably bigger overseas in the USA than they are in their native country. There’s a theatrical, over-the-top quality to The Struts that feels deeply connected to the golden age of rock spectacle. Think glitter, swagger, and absolutely zero apologies.

Frontman Luke Spiller is the kind of performer that should be filling arenas. The man struts, screams, and emotes like someone who genuinely believes rock and roll can still save the world. There’s no denying the talent of the band, with guitarist Adam Slack taking his place as the Perry to Spiller’s Tyler, the Richards to his Jagger, and with bassist Jed Elliott and drummer Gethin Davies bringing the bluesy rhythms that base The Struts firmly in the classics.

Thankfully, they are now getting recognition, with their incendiary live show filling up with some modern and classic rock anthems. Their catalog draws from the best of Queen, Aerosmith, and early Rolling Stones, filtering those influences through a 21st century sensibility without losing an ounce of the original swagger. It’s hard to say for sure, but I think they might be the most purely fun live band in this entire list.

Laura Cox: France’s Fiery Torchbearer

Not every classic rock revivalist comes from the American Midwest or the UK. French guitarist and singer Laura Cox’s music is a vibrant fusion of classic rock’s grit and modern energy, and with her fiery guitar riffs and soulful vocals, Cox draws inspiration from iconic rock legends like AC/DC and Lynyrd Skynyrd to infuse her own signature style, breathing new life into the genre.

Cox is, genuinely, a revelation. She plays guitar with the kind of conviction that reminds you why the instrument became a symbol of rebellion in the first place. There’s nothing polished or over-produced about her approach. It’s raw, it’s loud, and it’s absolutely electrifying. She brings a distinctly European perspective to a sound that was, for decades, largely dominated by Anglo-American artists.

What sets Cox apart from many of her contemporaries is not just technical skill but authenticity. She doesn’t look like she’s performing a tribute act or ticking boxes on a classic rock checklist. She sounds like someone who grew up genuinely obsessed with these sounds, who internalized them so deeply that playing this way is simply her natural voice. Bands and artists like Laura Cox are keeping rock music alive and well, paying homage to classic rock sounds while infusing their music with fresh perspectives, styles, and energy, pushing the boundaries of rock music, experimenting with new sounds and attracting new audiences.

In a genre sometimes accused of being too male and too Anglo, Cox’s rise is quietly revolutionary.

The Torch Burns On

Classic rock was never supposed to be a museum piece. It was always supposed to be alive, loud, and in constant conversation with whoever picked it up next. In 2024, the Recording Industry Association of America reported that catalog music accounted for seventy-two percent of all streams in the United States, and classic rock is the largest slice of that catalog pie. The numbers confirm what fans already know in their bones.

Every few decades people begin to worry rock is dead, that the latest musicians do not have the spirit of rock and roll burning within them, and that rock’s time has gone and the torch has been passed onto other genres of music. They fear there will never be a new rock anthem again. Yet here we are, and the torch is very much still lit.

Greta Van Fleet, Rival Sons, Dirty Honey, The Struts, and Laura Cox are not simply copying their heroes. They are in genuine dialogue with them, taking what was built in those legendary studios decades ago and pushing it forward with their own energy, stories, and voices. Whether it’s the crackle of vinyl, the wail of an electric guitar, or the emotional pull of an iconic solo, something about this older genre is resonating deeply with a generation raised on streaming and short-form content. What’s happening isn’t just a fleeting trend, it’s a full-circle revival, powered by both digital technology and an emotional hunger for authenticity.

Rock music has always been about truth, intensity, and the feeling that something real is at stake. These five artists understand that completely. Which of them do you think carries the torch most powerfully? Drop your thoughts in the comments.