The 1960s were a time of great musical experimentation. The first classic rock anthems were written and released during this decade and gained huge popularity. Some iconic 1960s rock anthems include: The 1964 smash hit "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks, Bob Dylan's 1965 proto-anthem "Subterranean Homesick Blues," The Rolling Stones' 1968 hit "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and Jimi Hendrix's version of "All Along the Watchtower," which was also released in 1968.
The 1970s saw the birth of what many people consider to be the definition of the rock anthem. Rock had fully integrated itself into the mainstream and rock bands were filling stadiums all over the world. Some anthems of note from this decade include: Led Zeppelin's 1970 hit "Whole Lotta Love," The Who's 1971 classic "Baba O'Riley," Lynyrd Skynyrd's 1974 track "Free Bird" and progressive rock group Pink Floyd's 1979 release "Comfortably Numb."
The 1980s were a decade of flamboyance and excess. Rock anthems had become extremely commercially viable and were a massive source of revenue for record companies. Many iconic rock anthems were released in the 1980s. A few standout tracks include: Pat Benatar's classic 1983 song "Love is a Battlefield," Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run" in 1985, Bon Jovi's 1986 single "Livin' on a Prayer" and the 1988 hit "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns 'n' Roses.
The 1990s saw the birth of the Grunge movement, a genre that had emerged among disillusioned youth as a reaction to the decadent rock bands of the 1980s. Grunge was defined by simple chord patterns, distorted guitars and thoughtful lyrics. Some notable anthems include: Nirvana's 1991 smash hit "Smells Like Teen Spirit," the 1992 single "Them Bones" by Alice in Chains, Soundgarden's 1994 track "Black Hole Sun" and the 1998 hit "Celebrity Skin" by Hole.