1973 Rock Classic With Iconic Guitar Riff, Never a No. 1 Hit, Ranked Among Best ‘American Rock Songs' of All Time
In 1973, a hard rock song built around one unforgettable guitar riff helped define the sound of American arena rock for decades to come.
"Rock Candy" by Montrose was recently ranked among the best American rock songs of all time by Ultimate Classic Rock, further cementing its reputation as one of the most influential heavy rock tracks of the 1970s.
Despite never becoming a No. 1 hit, or even a major mainstream chart smash, the song evolved into a cornerstone of classic rock radio and guitar-driven hard rock.
At the center of the track was guitarist Ronnie Montrose, whose massive riff gave "Rock Candy" its instantly recognizable power. Thick, bluesy and relentlessly aggressive, the guitar work became hugely influential on later hard rock and heavy metal bands. The song also featured an early star-making vocal performance from Sammy Hagar, years before he became one of rock's biggest frontmen both as a solo artist and later with Van Halen.
"When I was 25 I knocked on Ronnie Montrose's door and asked if he wanted to start a band with me," Hagar told Louder. "I'd seen Ronnie the night before at a sold-out show Winterland with Edgar Winter, who had the number one album in the country, and so to me he was a big rock star and my ticket to the big time."
"Rock Candy" appeared on Montrose's self-titled debut album, a record that many fans and critics now consider one of the foundational hard rock albums of the decade. While the band never achieved the same commercial dominance as some of their contemporaries, Montrose became enormously respected among musicians because of the group's musicianship, energy and stripped-down heaviness.
The song itself was especially important because of its groove-oriented simplicity. Unlike more elaborate progressive rock songs dominating parts of the early 1970s, "Rock Candy" relied on pure force: pounding drums, swaggering vocals and one crushing riff. Over time, the track became a staple of rock playlists, sports arenas and road-trip soundtracks, helping it endure long after its original release.
"'Rock Candy' is a staple for 99 percent of the shows I've done in my life since 1972," Hagar said in a 2021 interview.
Many younger rock fans later discovered the song through its influence on generations of hard rock acts that followed, from 1980s metal bands to modern classic rock revival groups. Its inclusion among the greatest American rock songs of all time reflects how deeply the track shaped guitar-driven rock music, even without massive chart success.
"At the time, as with that whole Montrose record, I had no idea how legendary 'Rock Candy' would be," said Hagar.
More than 50 years later, "Rock Candy" still sounds loud, raw and timeless, a reminder that sometimes a legendary riff matters far more than a No. 1 single.
Related: 1972 Soft Rock Classic Became a Timeless Road Trip Anthem, Despite Never Reaching No. 1
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This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 8:44 PM.