The difference, by ear
Both are regional rock genres built on twin lead guitars and local musical tradition, at opposite ends of the Atlantic.
Both are sung cleanly and move at much the same pace, around 90 to 140 bpm. Songs run longer in Southern rock: usually 4 to 12 minutes, against 3 to 6 minutes in Celtic rock. To hear the difference, play Horslips next to Lynyrd Skynyrd. They share a root in rock, and Southern rock came first, by a year.
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 →Southern rock
Where it sits
Rock › Blues rock › Southern rock
In short
Blues rock with a Southern accent: two or three lead guitars, slide playing and songs as long as a Georgia highway.
How it sounds
- Two or three lead guitars playing harmony at once - the Allman Brothers signature.
- Slide guitar in open tuning with a Hammond organ underneath everything.
- Long songs that end in a jam, and lyrics about specific Southern places.
Key acts
- Lynyrd Skynyrd
- The Allman Brothers Band
- ZZ Top
Start here
The pickThe Allman Brothers Band - At Fillmore East. The best live rock album there is.
Full page →