The ranking of the 35 best horn rock songs according to Ultimate Classic Rock

Horns aren't always a crucial ingredient in rock songs. Often, though, they're exactly what makes the difference. Ultimate Classic Rock magazine decided to pay them tribute with a new ranking titled "The Top 35 Horn Rock Songs". The ingredients of a great horn-driven rock song aren't all that complicated, UCR argues in its introduction: "First, of course, you need horns. Then you need the essential elements of rock'n'roll — guitars, bass and drums — possibly flanked by keyboards and other instruments. Finally, the track needs drive, rhythm, the ability to carry you along." In Ultimate Classic Rock's ranking of the 35 best horn rock songs, "predictable names like Chicago, Blood, Sweat & Tears and Van Morrison show up more than once, but there's also room for less obvious artists, with songs that are no less significant for it." The criteria are fairly strict: "only rock artists were considered, which ruled out R&B, and every song had to feature at least two horn instruments." A sax solo or a single flugelhorn part wasn't enough, in other words: here the horns have to function as a genuine section, capable of giving the music extra punch.

So here's the ranking of the 35 best horn rock songs, according to Ultimate Classic Rock (full feature here).

35. The Replacements – Can’t Hardly Wait
34. Wings – Silly Love Songs
33. Blood, Sweat & Tears – You’ve Made Me So Very Happy
32. The Rolling Stones – Rocks Off
31. Genesis – No Reply at All
30. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes – I Don’t Want to Go Home
29. R.E.M. – Can’t Get There From Here
28. The Beatles – Got to Get You Into My Life
27. Lynyrd Skynyrd – What’s Your Name
26. Spiral Starecase – More Today Than Yesterday
25. Spirit – Mr. Skin
24. U2 – Angel of Harlem
23. Fleetwood Mac – Tusk
22. Golden Earring – Radar Love
21. Average White Band – Pick Up the Pieces
20. Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline
19. Chicago – Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
18. The Who – 5:15
17. David Bowie – Let’s Dance
16. Huey Lewis and the News – The Power of Love
15. Blood, Sweat & Tears – Spinning Wheel
14. Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer
13. Chicago – Saturday in the Park
12. Boz Scaggs – Lido Shuffle
11. Steely Dan – My Old School
10. Van Morrison – Caravan
9. The Doors – Touch Me
8. Van Morrison – Wild Night
7. Van Morrison – Domino
6. Paul Simon – You Can Call Me Al
5. Bruce Springsteen – Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
4. George Harrison – What Is Life
3. The Ides of March – Vehicle
2. The Rolling Stones – Bitch
1. Chicago – 25 or 6 to 4

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