They roar, they clap, they get entertained, they get the truth, and they provide vindication and redemption to the people on stage.
They imitate their fashion sense, they ink their bodies with images, and they create communities which go on to achieve the better good.
No wonder rock acts continue to thank their fans for their on-going love, devotion and support.
But as these 30 songs show, musicians show their gratitude in many different ways.
(1) AC/DC: ‘For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)’ (1981)
Not only the standout of AC/DC‘s Brian Johnson-era, ‘For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)’ was also easily the top contender for this list.
Everything was set up to generate frantic fist pumping and loud squawks of “bitchin’!”.
The doomsday intro, Angus and Malcolm cutting lines against each other, and Brian Johnson intro’ing “Tonight we ride to the guitar bite.”
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Taking its title from the ancient Roman gladiator salute (“Ave, Caesar, morituri te salutant” or “Hail Caesar, those who are about to die salute you”), the cannons were inspired by the televised wedding of Charles and Di which they were watching in their Paris hotel room.
Johnson told Fox News he was often burned onstage when the cannons went off, “That might be because (they) use real gunpowder, and related to Q Magazine, “I’ve seen Mal leap like he’s been shot with a burning amber in the back of his T-shirt. He didn’t stop playing, though.”
Hear it here:
(2) Korn: ‘4U’ (1999)
Korn singer Jonathan Davis successfully lit a fire with the disenchanted with songs about his own demons (‘Alone I Break’) and of others (‘Faget’) or celebrating fans (‘Justin’ who wanted to hang out with them before he died).
But with ‘4Y’ from Issues, he brought the personal and the community together: “You will never know/ What I’d do for you/ What you are/ Help me through/ I’d do it for you.”
(3) Oasis: ‘D’You Know What I Mean?’ (1997)
Written for Oasis‘ Be Here Now, Noel Gallagher went for a simple chant for the chorus: “All my people right here, right now, d’you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah.”
One line celebrated their rise from Manchester scruffs to riding in a Rolls Royce (“Coming in a mess, going out in style”) while another hinted of an argument with a religious figure over their respective followings.
The video, shot at the derelict Beckton Gas Works in London, portrayed the gathering of the tribes, throwing smoke grenades while a flock of British Army helicopters (actually only two were used) hovered apocalyptically above.
(4) Hilltop Hoods: ‘The Nosebleed Section’ (2003)
Adelaide’s Hilltop Hoods have written a few serenades to their represents.
But ‘The Nosebleed Section’ stood out, with lines like, “This is for the headsets loving the mix/ My people in the front, all covered in spit” and “So jump with us, down in the front if it’s (If it’s your flavour) your flavour come get drunk with us, (woo).”
It was a cousin to ‘The Calling’, which celebrated how the devotion and hospitality of Hilltop fans ensures they have a pace to stay everywhere.
(5) Taylor Swift: ‘Long Live’ (2010)
Tay-Tay opened up: “This song for me is like looking at a photo album of all the award shows, and all the stadium shows, and all the hands in the air in the crowd.
“It’s sort of the first love song that I’ve written to my team.”
(6) Led Zeppelin: The Ocean (1973)
From the stage, thousands of fan swaying to Led Zeppelin’s thunderous rock looked like the surge of the ocean – “singing to an ocean, I can hear the ocean’s roar/ Play for free, I play for me and play a whole lot more, more.”
Of course, homesickness comes into the equation, with singer Robert Plant lamenting on the last line about the “girl who won my heart”.
It was Plant’s daughter Carmen Jane, aged three at the time, now a 51-year old dancer.
When recording, Zeppelin liked to keep all sounds that feed in, so you’ll hear a phone ring at 1:37-1:38, with the second ring at 1:41.
(7) Kings of Leon: ‘ Fans’ (2007)
Kings Of Leon found recognition in Britain before the US, so it was not surprising their fan homage highlighted “All of London sing / ‘Cos England swings and they sure love the tales I bring”.
(8) BTS: ‘Pied Piper’ (2017)
It was a love song for BTS fans but also a warning that they shouldn’t devote all their time swooning over the K-Pop kuties.
Included on the Love Yourself: Her album, the first verse laid it down: “Now stop watching and study/ Your parents and bosses hate me.”
(9) Delta Goodrem: ‘Wings’ (2015)
This chat smack of self-empowerment and liberation to Delta Goodrem fans on the drum-heavy chart topping ‘Wings’ was from her fifth album Wings of the Wild.
(10) Lady Gaga: ‘Applause’
Lady Gaga explained via Twitter that there’s a difference between artists, and “celebrities” who do it for the attention.
“What we create doesn’t live on unless there’s an audience to remember it. So I may need your attention at first, so I can sing you my song.
“But it’s the ‘Applause’ after that that lets me know if I’ve entertained you.”
(11) The Who: ‘Join Together’ (1972)
The Who came up with different ideas – like a three day concert – as a way to break down the barriers between the and their following.
‘Join Together’ signified both were on equal footing: “You don’t have to play/ You can follow or lead the way/ Oh won’t you join together with the band.”
(12) Choirboys: ‘Run To Paradise’ (1987)
‘Run To Paradise’’, which tore up the charts to #3, was not specifically about Choirboys fans but the types who went to see gigs.
Singer Mark Gable, who wrote it with guitarist Brad Carr, told the Brisbane Courier Mail, “It’s more about misspent youth, the waste I saw in the ’70s on the northern beaches of Sydney.
“It’s about being on the dole, surfing instead of working, smoking dope and drinking, people getting trashed in pubs on the weekend.”
(13) Christina Aguilera: ‘Thank You (Dedication To Fans…)’(2006)
Recorded for Back To Basics, which topped the Australian charts, ‘Thank You’ featured voice messages from fans, such as “You’re so amazing” or “You inspired me to carry on living” – including those who averted suicide, escaped trauma and survived living through the Iraq war.
(14) T-Rex: ‘Children Of The Revolution’ (1972)
Coming on a run of UK chart toppers for Marc Bolan and T-Rex, ‘Children of the Revolution’ smiled on a rising gen of glam kids with the smarts not to be fooled by earlier pop heroes.
The line, “I drive a Rolls Royce because it’s good for my voice” and reference to ‘Twist And Shout’ was said to tweak the nose of John Lennon who preached communism while living in mansions, and infuriated other owners of the Rolls Royce limousine by painting his in psychedelic colours!
The hit version had Elton John on piano and Ringo Starr on second drums.
Listen to it here:
(15) Justin Bieber: ‘U Smile’ (2010)
Justin Bieber tweeted, “I wrote it for all my fans who got me here.
“U took me from a small town in Canada to this amazing opportunity I am living now. I am so grateful for everything and so blessed for all of your support.”
The video ranked high on the cringe-o-meter, of a fan becoming his girlfriend.
The Bieb added: “I took the opportunity 2 make a video 4 the fans, about a fan, and how we could fall IN LOVE.”
Justin Bieber’s ‘U Smile’ video
(16) Sham 69: ‘Angels With Dirty Faces’ (1978)
British punk band Sham 69, who had five Top 20 hits in he UK, took the title of their tribute song (“Angels from lonely places/ kids like me and you”) from James Cagney’s 1938 gangster flick.
The band’s name came from a fading piece of graffiti that singer Jimmy Pursey spotted.
It originally sprayed Walton and Hersham ’69, referencing when the soccer club took out the Athenian League title in 1969.
(17) Twenty One Pilots: ‘Heathens’ (2016)
Twenty Oe Pilots band member Tyler Joseph was commissioned to write ‘Heathens’ for the soundtrack of US superhero flick Suicide Squad.
But the more he wrote, the more he realised it was about their audience.
He said at the time, “I want this song to be a Twenty One Pilots song first. I want it to resonate with our fans and make sense at our show.”
It hit #2 in the US and up for three Grammys.
(18) George Harrison: ‘Apple Scruffs’ (1970)
George Harrison was the least comfortable with the intensity of Beatlemania.
He never got over how offered for auction was a piece of toast from his breakfast in 1963, a cigarette end found in his car ashtray and a jellybean he gave a fan.
But like the others, he was fond of the fans who’d gather in all kinds of weather outside the Apple Records building or various recording studios, hoping to get a hello from them.
“Their part in the play is equally as important as ours,” he told Disc magazine about the devoted fans whom he affectionately dubbed Apple Scruffs.
The song emerged on his triple album All Things Must Pass in 1970.
Paul McCartney wrote ‘She Came In Through The Bathroom Window’ about one who climbed up a ladder to his upstairs loo.
(19) Rose Tattoo: ‘We Can’t Be Beaten’ (1982)
Few Aussie acts had the bond with their crowd that the Tatts enjoyed.
These were people whom they thought could initiate a new movement: “If you wanna be in my gang/ stand up with me/ we’ll start a revolution/ make the streets free.”
It was written by Angry Anderson with guitarist Rob Riley for the Scarred For Life album.
(20) Supernaut: ‘The Kids Are Out Tonite’ (1977)
Always under the heavy influence of David Bowie, Supernaut, originally from Perth, had similar ideas about audiences initiating social changes with violence if need be: “The kids are out tonight/ their hearts are filled with spite/ they mean to win tonight.”
(21) One Direction: ‘Steal My Girl’ (2014)
British cuties One Direction waved the ref flag to their rivals: our fans the Directioners are important to us so don’t you think you can steal them away.
(22) Jay-Z: ‘Thank You’ (2009)
Complete with a sample from ‘Ele E Ela” by Brazilian singer-songwriter Marcos Valle, ‘Thank You’ emerged on the The Blueprint 3 album.
Opening the song, Jay Z told fans to hold their applause as it was for them, and not for him.
He attributes his success to them – “Just got 10 #1 albums. Maybe now 11.”
At that time, he had eight chart topping solo albums, as well as with Kanye West and Linkin Park.
(23) Exodus: ‘Til Death Do Us Part’ (1987)
‘Til Death Do Us Part’ was the first song new singer Steve “Zetro” Souza wrote with Exodus.
It talked about the “power…total annihilation, crushing through creation” each time their enemies attacked them.
Souza said in a 2014 interview it’s a testament to their following that carried them through.
“I know that most people don’t like our type of music: It’s not really socially acceptable. They don’t play us on the radio. But don’t worry, fans, ’til death do us part.”
(24) Fall Out Boy: ‘Thriller’ (2007)
Like the above song, Fall Out Boy thanked their “diehard” fans, acknowledging they could have lost faith and walked away during the years before the band broke through.
The lyrics were triumphant: “Yeah, what you critics said would never happen/ We dedicate this album to anybody people said couldn’t make it/ To the fans that held us down ’til everybody came around/ Welcome, it’s here!”
Jay-Z’s spoken word intro was recorded on tour in Australia and sent to the band in New York.
(25) The Rolling Stones: ‘We Love You’ (1967)
The Rolling Stones’ drug busts in 1967 were part of a conspiracy to stomp out these long-hairs.
It was most obvious at the famous bust when no less than 18 rozzers raided Keith Richards’ Redlands estate on February 12 just as he, Mick Jagger and friends were coming off LSD trips.
The drug haul wasn’t much but Richards was hit with an 18 month jail sentence (because it was his house) while Jagger copped three months.
Outraged fans held protest rallies. The Who announced they would record and release Stones covers to keep their music in the public eye, and The Beatles expressed anger.
Best of all, the highbrow conservative Times of London newspaper wrote a scathing editorial titled “Who Breaks a Butterfly on a Wheel?” essentially calling the whole thing ridiculous.
The sentences were ultimately overturned.
‘We Love You’ started with sounds of a heavy-booted prison officer walking to a cell to lock the door.
The whole track was set upas brooding and conspiratorial, from Nick Hopkins’ recurring piano riff to Brian Jones’ Arabesque mellotron (an early synthesiser), high vocals including an uncredited John Lennon and Paul McCartney, to lines like, “we don’t care if you hound we/ and lock the doors around we” and “you will never win we, your uniforms don’t fit we.”
The accompanying promo clip was based o The Trials Of Oscar Wilde.
The BBC’s Top of The Pops took one look at scenes of Jones nodding off stoned, and binned it.
See below why they did:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP6sxfrikDo
(26) Mi-Sex: ‘Where Do They Go’(1984)
Mi-Sex looked out at the crowd – the girl who dresses up for the occasion, the guy who spends big – and pondered, “Where do they go when the night time is over?”
(27) Martin Garrix & Troye Sivan: ‘There For You’ (2017)
‘There For You’ penned by Troye Sivan was both about love and friendship, and an anthem to LGBTQ visibility and acceptance.
“When you’re screaming, but they only hear you whisper, I’ll be loud for you. But you gotta be there for me, too.”
Sivan confirmed: “Not to be over dramatic, but this song is in my eyes about you guys.
“You guys have been there, every step of the way. Got me through last year which was a crazy one.
“I hope I can do the same for you.”
(28) The Ramones: ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ (1976)
All the punks pogoing frantically to the Ramones chant “Hey, Ho, Let’s Go!”, written as a song everyone could sing along to at shows, would have been devastated to discover it was inspired by the Bay City Rollers’ ‘Saturday Night’ which had the chant “S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y, night.”
Joey Ramone admitted: “I hate to blow the mystique, but at the time we really liked bubblegum music, and we really liked the Bay City Rollers.”
(29) Olly Murs: ‘Army Of Two’ (2012)
Olly Murs told The Daily Star, “It’s about my fans, that we are together – is nice.
“It’s a bit cheesy to write a song about you and your fans but you could interpret it as a relationship, marching to the future together.
“It was written as me speaking to them saying to grow with me and we can keep going.”
See the video here:
(30) Weezer: ‘Across The Sea’ (1996)
Weezer frontman River Cuomo wrote ‘Across The Sea’ after he received a fan letter from a girl in Japan asking about his time at Harvard University in 1995.
He fell in love with her, but never bothered to contact her.
“It was such a great letter. I was very lonely at the time, but at the same time I was very depressed that I would never meet her.
“Even if I did see her, she was probably some fourteen-year-old girl, who didn’t speak English.”
