Considering its proximity to the entertainment industry, it’s not surprising the impact Los Angeles has on television, film, and, of course, music.

L.A. has helped inspire countless songs, but for the sake of our list, we’re just focusing on rock songs. After much research, debate, and pairing down so this list wouldn’t be too obscenely long, here is our ranking of the 15 best rock songs about Los Angeles.

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• 15. Weezer - “Beverly Hills”

  Okay, I know what some of you are thinking: “But Beverly Hills is a suburb of Los Angeles!” Sure, you’re correct, but it’s not a far stretch to include LA’s suburbs on this list, particularly one as iconic as Beverly Hills since it’s still tied into the whole LA/Southern California lifestyle. Weezer’s “Beverly Hills,” much like the city itself, is all about aspiration. Even if you’re a “no-class beat-down fool,” this song is still a lot of fun.

• 14. Jan and Dean - “The Little Old Lady from Pasadena”

  Speaking of aspiration, does anyone else want to grow up to be just like “The Little Old Lady from Pasadena”? This woman just floors it and doesn’t seem to give a damn. Obviously, we hope her reckless driving doesn’t hurt anyone, but this granny is a total badass!

• 13. The Distillers - “City of Angels”

  Sure, the sun is always shining in Los Angeles, but the city is still incredibly gritty, and it’s captured perfectly by the LA-based punk band The Distillers in this song. Bleakness has rarely sounded so catchy and cool thanks in part to Brody Dalle’s growling vocals and lyrics. (“So here we are, Los Angeles/No angels singing in your valley of unease/I watch the sun roll down the pacific/Over hookered sunset strip.”)

• 12. Frank and Moon Zappa - “Valley Girl”

  Frank Zappa meant for “Valley Girl” to make fun of valley girls, but the song ended up introducing “Valspeak” to the masses instead.  (Barf me out, right?) The song ended up becoming a significant hit for the father and daughter and peaked at No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100. So bitchin’!

• 11. Patti Smith - “Redondo Beach”

  The affluent Redondo Beach in Greater Los Angeles is certainly an interesting location for such a dark tune. The song is about a girl who died by suicide via drowning after getting into a fight with her friend, or maybe her lover as some tend to believe. Perhaps picking such a beautiful coastal area for such a terrible tragedy was purposeful on Smith’s part. After all, beautiful things and places can still be grim. 

• 10. Tom Petty - “Free Fallin’”

  Another song about the San Fernando Valley! Tom Petty literally wrote the song about things he saw while driving on Ventura Boulevard. Featured on Petty’s classic album Full Moon Fever, “Free Fallin'” is his biggest hit peaking at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

• 9. Hole - “Malibu”

  Reportedly about a stay Kurt Cobain had at a Malibu rehab facility, “Malibu” perfectly captures the glam and gloomy side of this iconic LA suburb. Also, Hole’s Celebrity Skin really holds up, and we don’t talk about that enough.

• 8. Motley Crue - “Girls, Girls, Girls”

  It’s a song that pays tribute to major strip clubs on the Sunset Strip and filmed at The Seventh Veil, which is still in business today. Don’t think we really need to explain while this sleazy gem was included.

• 7. Sheryl Crow - “All I Wanna Do”

  “This ain’t no disco/It ain’t no country club either/This is LA.” And with those spoken-word lyrics, a hit song about day drinking and talking about having a good time was born! “All I Wanna Do” also birthed Sheryl Crow’s mainstream breakthrough and two Grammy Awards in 1995 for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

• 6. Red Hot Chili Peppers - “Californication”

  Few bands are as synonymous with LA and Southern California as the Red Hot Chili Peppers. (They’re so tied to the area that they performed at the 2024 Olympic closing ceremony representing Los Angeles, which is hosting the 2028 summer games!) Many songs from the Chili Peppers could’ve been included on the list or could’ve been its own list, but we went with “Californication” for its many metaphors about the area.

• 5. The Mamas & the Papas - “California Dreamin’”

  The longing of “California Dreamin'” is as strong as it was when this classic tune was first released in 1965. Anyone who’s dealt with a harsh winter can relate to just wanting to escape to somewhere “safe and warm.” Few escapes are as grand as those taken to Los Angeles.

• 4. The Doors - “L.A. Woman”

  The Doors is another band synonymous with Los Angeles. The title track from the band’s sixth studio album, it was never officially released as a single, but that didn’t stop it from becoming a classic rock standard. About three months after its release, Jim Morrison died at age 27. It’s almost as if he meant the song as a final goodbye gift to the city that helped catapult him to stardom.

• 3. Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band - “Hollywood Nights”

  It’s been often said that L.A. isn’t usually a place where people are born; it’s a place where people end up. Many people move to Los Angeles to chase a dream, so it makes sense that a song like “Hollywood Nights” ranks so high on this list. Written by a Midwestern boy about a Midwestern boy, Bob Seger paints a picture of a wild love affair that seemingly ends as soon as it began, but then a new love affair begins between that Midwestern boy and the city of angels.

• 2. The Beach Boys - “California Girls”

  The Beach Boys could have also produced its own list of Los Angeles songs, but for the sake of our list, we opted to include “California Girls.” As soon as the song starts, you can practically feel sunshine and smell the ocean, which is basically L.A. 101. They literally spell it out in the lyrics, too! (“The West Coast has the sunshine/And the girls all get so tanned.”)

• 1. Randy Newman - “I Love L.A.”

  Sure, Randy Newman’s trademark sarcasm is ample in “I Love L.A.,” but his one-liners are perfectly acceptable, especially since Newman was born and raised in Los Angeles. (Yes, we know we made that remark about how people aren’t born in L.A. and that they just end up there, but what a wonderful exception to be made!) Sarcasm aside, “I Love L.A.” and its carefree whimsy is the perfect vibe to top this list. Fun fact: Among the people screaming “We love it!” during the song are Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham.

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