The typical duration of a song today is about three and a half minutes. That’s quite reasonable. Nonetheless, several musicians out there didn’t feel the need to shorten their songs to such a brief duration. And we’re happy they chose not to. These four rock tracks total more than 20 minutes, and every minute is essential for these amazing musical works.
Among all the rock songs exceeding 20 minutes on our list, this track is the longest. Not a group to choose simple tunes, The Flaming Lips produced “7 Skies H3 (Can’t Shut Off My Head)” in 2011 over a span of 1,440 minutes. The CD edition is reduced to 50 minutes, yet that 24-hour-long original version is truly something to behold.
This distinctive experimental rock piece was captured in segments, with certain sections lasting around 25 minutes while others extended beyond seven hours.
Progressive rock is recognized for its quite lengthy tracks. Nonetheless, the often overlooked group Emerson, Lake & Palmer embraced the stereotype and produced a track that definitely deserved to be almost 30 minutes long. “Karn Evil 9” is an ambitious track that succeeds, featuring relentless guitar riffs and even organ solos.
This iconic Kraftwerk track was captured in 1974, lasting approximately 22 minutes and 46 seconds, although variations may differ slightly. A fantastic instance of mid-1970s prog-rock, “Autobahn” is an impressive examination of soundscapes created almost solely with synthesizers and automobile noises. The entire song also occupies the first side of the record.
Post-rock still merits recognition on our compilation of rock tracks exceeding 20 minutes. “Tempest” by Godspeed You! Black Emperor serves as an excellent illustration of the post-rock ideas that bands explored during the 1990s.
“Storm” is essentially a complete song that lasts for more than 22 minutes. However, it is also divided into four separate movements that could function independently.
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