southern rock
what it is
The heyday of Southern rock in the 1970s began with the 1973 release of the Allman Brothers Band’s Brothers and Sisters album, with its major hit "Ramblin' Man", and other Southern inflected tunes like "Jessica". [1] This album was a departure from previous Allman Brothers work, which until the death of band leader Duane Allman in late October 1971 had been purely blues rock. Dickey Betts' song "Blue Sky", which had appeared on the 1972 Eat a Peach album, was the one song recorded during the Duane Allman era that could in retrospect be seen as a bridge to Southern rock.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 1 · mainstream
the pop everyone knows
level 2 · the door
big names with a sharper edge
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make southern rock a playlist
turn these 33 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is southern rock?
The heyday of Southern rock in the 1970s began with the 1973 release of the Allman Brothers Band’s Brothers and Sisters album, with its major hit "Ramblin' Man", and other Southern inflected tunes like "Jessica". [1] This album was a departure from previous Allman Brothers work, which until the death of band leader Duane Allman in late October 1971 had been purely blues rock. Dickey Betts' song "Blue Sky", which had appeared on the 1972 Eat a Peach album, was the one song recorded during the Duane Allman era that could in retrospect be seen as a bridge to Southern rock.
What are good southern rock albums to start with?
Try Firewater by Whiskey Myers, Second Helping by Lynyrd Skynyrd, Strikes by Blackfoot, and Shake Your Money Maker by The Black Crowes.
Who are some women making southern rock?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/southern-rock/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making southern rock, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20