The 10 Best Kid Rock Songs of All-Time

Better known to fans as Kid Rock, Robert James Ritchie is well known for his ability to transcend musical genres, moving fluidly between rap, rock, metal, country, and more. Despite his fame and wealth, Ritchie is a very down-to-earth person. The self-taught musician plays numerous instruments and oversees the production of most of his own albums. Though he grew up on a sprawling estate with horses and an orchard, Kid Rock chooses to live modestly in a doublewide mobile home and works hard to treat the people around him well. Here are the top ten best Kid Rock songs of all time

10. American Badass

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt84J7U75e0

 

American Badass is widely recognized because the wrestler known as The Undertaker used it as his opening theme for a while. Additionally, it was featured in promos for the movies Battleship and GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra. Ironically, the song was most popular in Canada, where it hit number six on the charts. Meanwhile, this outstanding metal-inspired tune only reached number thirty-three here in the US.

9. Let’s Ride

 

Let’s Ride was written for active-duty military members. Kid Rock wanted to acknowledge their efforts and give them something to listen to that would bolster their spirits without being too saccharine. According to Songfacts, he said, “We wanted to keep it very truthful, but heavy and hard, and hopefully It’s something that will help them get psyched up when they have to do their job.”

8. First Kiss

 

First Kiss is both an excellent song and the title of an excellent album by Kid Rock. Released in 2015, this was the only album he ever did with Warner Brothers. If your only introduction to Kid Rock was harder music, then First Kiss is a real eye-opener. This idyllic, nostalgic country song shows how fluid the musician’s style is and captures a bittersweet romantic side that some may find surprising.

7. So Hott

 

So Hott was the lead single from Kid Rock’s Rock And Roll Jesus album. There’s not much interpretation needed for this very blatant song about desire and sex and nothing else. The raw, carnal music was a massive hit with fans. Additionally, So Hott is one of the official theme songs of WrestleMania XXV. Kid Rock performed this song surrounded by the WWE Divas right before the Miss WrestleMania 25-Diva Battle Royal.

6. Only God Knows Why

 

Fame and all its trappings can be exciting and extremely rewarding. However, there’s a lot of pressure and problems that come with it as well. Only God Knows Why explores the way Kid Rock felt about success. While the song is undoubtedly enjoyable to listen to, a deeper inspection of the lyrics shows a sad picture of the artist struggling to keep up with what fame has brought to his life.

5. All Summer Long

 

All Summer Long is a skillfully executed window into the past. The song has broad appeal because the themes of youthful summertimes and young love are something most people can get into. Additionally, All Summer Long samples Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama.” Anyone who grew up in the seventies, eighties, or early nineties knows these tunes, and they remain popular today.

4. Lean On Me (With Sheryl Crow and Keith Urban)

 

Lean On Me is not an original Kid Rock song. We are giving it a place of honor on his top ten list because of what it stood for. This was part of the Hope For Haiti album that sold worldwide to help raise humanitarian aid. Moreover, it’s a superb rendition by the three artists with a depth of emotion that honors songwriter Bill Withers.

3. Bawitdaba

 

Bawitdaba, a song that has no seeming meaning, is from the album Devil Without a Cause. As much fun as the music is, it’s hard to find any more profound meaning at first. This is just a great party song that people like to listen to. It’s a fan favorite and a staple of any Kid Rock collection. However, if you look at the lyrics closer, the theme hidden under all that dance goodness hints at dystopian coups and the problems in our society.

2. Cowboy

 

Cowboy is a riotous good time of a tune. Moreover, it’s an homage to Smokey and the Bandit. This song tells the story of a man heading west with ideas about conquering Hollywood and living a glamorous life, such as kids imagine for cowboys. The story isn’t really about cowboys who work on ranches and do hard, dirty work all day. It’s more about becoming an ideal.

1. Picture (With Sheryl Crow)

 

Picture is a stunningly beautiful and heartfelt song about how hard it is to be on the road. The subject of cheater’s guilt is undoubtedly controversial, but its depiction as expressed by Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow is outstanding. The two-sided story shows both the male and female perspective on seeking physical comfort while you’re far from the one you love and then immediately feeling awful about it. It’s not the happiest of songs, but it’s easily one of the most well-known songs Kid Rock has ever done. Between the vocals and the performance, it’s hard to remain unmoved. Taste Of Country shared a story implying that the song may have been about the singers secretly dating, or at least having a fling. Both Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock, however, denied it.

Final Thoughts

It is easy to get caught up in first impressions, and people who have only heard a song or two from Kid Rock may assume that he only makes one type of music. That’s fair since most artists stick to their niche, but in this case, you’d be missing out on a lot of great music. After you’ve listened to these top ten best Kid Rock songs, you should have some idea of his versatility, but it’s worth checking out a lot more of his discography. There’s something for everyone there.