50 Best Rock Songs About Determination and Not Giving Up
Best Rock Tracks for Staying Determined
There’s a certain grit that shows up when the walls feel too high and the odds stack heavy. It’s not clean or motivational poster material. It’s messy, sweaty, sometimes angry, and sometimes cracked at the edges. Rock songs that hit this space don’t polish up the feeling into something inspirational, they lean into the grind and the push that keeps someone moving forward when stopping sounds easier. A few of these tracks might not even be literally tied to determination, but the pulse they carry still fits the fight.
Think late nights staring at a half-finished paper, or dragging yourself out of bed after another shift, and the right riff lands. The guitar kicks like a second wind, the drums pound steady enough to fake momentum, and suddenly quitting slips out of the picture. The words don’t need to spell out perseverance for it to land that way. Plenty of pop, rock, country, and R&B songs thread into this mix too, but the rock edge hits harder when you’re running on fumes. The energy makes the stubbornness sound louder than the doubt.
Not every anthem here is neat or pretty. Some sound more like a brawl than a pep talk, others stumble through jagged verses before finding that kick in the chorus. That’s the point. Determination doesn’t always look clean, and these songs know how to carry that rawness. Here are the best rock songs for determination and not giving up.
Top 10 Determination Rock Songs
1. 'Eye of the Tiger' by Survivor
2. 'I Won't Back Down' by Tom Petty
3. 'Don't Stop Believin'' by Journey
4. 'It's My Life' by Bon Jovi
5. 'The Show Must Go On' by Queen
6. 'I'm Still Standing' by Elton John
7. 'Carry On Wayward Son' by Kansas
8. 'Hold On' by Wilson Phillips
9. 'We Will Rock You' by Queen
10. 'The Rising' by Bruce Springsteen
Finding Strength in Rock Music #11 to 20
11. 'Dream On' by Aerosmith
12. 'Hold Your Head Up' by Argent
13. 'Don't Stop' by Fleetwood Mac
14. 'Hold On' by Triumph
15. 'Keep on Pushing' by The Impressions
16. 'The Promised Land' by Bruce Springsteen
17. 'Never Surrender' by Corey Hart
18. 'I'll Stand by You' by The Pretenders
19. 'Runnin' Down a Dream' by Tom Petty
20. 'Breakaway' by Kelly Clarkson
Resilience and Rock Songs #21 to 30
21. 'You Get What You Give' by New Radicals
22. 'Here Comes the Sun' by The Beatles
23. 'I Can See Clearly Now' by Johnny Nash
24. 'Alive' by Pearl Jam
25. 'Fight Song' by Rachel Platten
26. 'Whatever It Takes' by Imagine Dragons
27. 'Beautiful Day' by U2
28. 'Get Up' by Van Halen
29. 'Stand' by R.E.M.
30. 'The Fighter' by The Script
Motivational Rock Music for Perseverance #31 to 40
31. 'Unstoppable' by Sia
32. 'Keep on Truckin'' by Eddie Kendricks
33. 'Keep Your Head Up' by Andy Grammer
34. 'Rise Up' by Andra Day
35. 'The Times They Are a-Changin'' by Bob Dylan
36. 'Against the Wind' by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
37. 'Can't Hold Us' by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
38. 'The Climb' by Miley Cyrus
39. 'Brave' by Sara Bareilles
40. 'Let It Be' by The Beatles
Overcoming Adversity Rock Songs #41 to 50
41. 'Livin' on a Prayer' by Bon Jovi
42. 'The World I Know' by Collective Soul
43. 'My Way' by Frank Sinatra
44. 'Don't Give Up' by Peter Gabriel
45. 'Keep on Loving You' by REO Speedwagon
46. 'Against All Odds' by Phil Collins
47. 'Fight the Good Fight' by Triumph
48. 'We're Not Gonna Take It' by Twisted Sister
49. 'Get Up, Stand Up' by The Wailers
50. 'Go the Distance' by Michael Bolton
© 2025 Carson McQueen