The difference, by ear
Thin Lizzy sit on the line, and the twin-guitar harmony everyone credits to hard rock came partly from two fiddles playing a reel.
Both are sung cleanly and move at much the same pace, around 100 to 140 bpm. To hear the difference, play Horslips next to Led Zeppelin. They share a root in rock, and hard rock came first, by two years.
In figures
Celtic rock
Where it sits
Rock › Folk rock › Celtic rock
In short
Traditional Irish and Scottish tunes set on drums and electric guitar. The direct ancestor of folk metal.
How it sounds
- Fiddle, tin whistle, uilleann pipes and mandolin alongside electric guitar.
- Jig and reel rhythms adapted to a rock drum kit.
- Traditional melodies used as the main riff rather than as decoration.
Key acts
- Horslips
- Thin Lizzy
- The Pogues
Start here
The pickThin Lizzy - Whiskey in the Jar. A centuries-old ballad played on twin guitars.
Full page →Hard rock
Where it sits
Rock › Blues rock › Hard rock
In short
Louder volume, thicker riffs, vocals pushed to the edge. Heavy metal splits off from it, but hard rock stays closer to the blues and to the chorus.
How it sounds
- Riffs built on power chords, with palm muting and constant distortion.
- Vocals pushed into the high register, often right at the edge of a rasp.
- A heavy rhythm section that still grooves - the bass stays melodic rather than doubling the guitar.
Key acts
- Led Zeppelin
- Deep Purple
- AC/DC
- Guns N' Roses
Start here
The pickDeep Purple - Machine Head. Six songs, all essential.
Full page →