Arena (Anthem) Rock

If you are looking to rock out (and if you are not, I simply do not wish to know you, sir or perhaps lady), but are not sure how best to proceed, you should familiarize yourself with the following awesome entry. Maybe you have an upcoming road trip? barbecue? funeral you'd like to liven up? In any case, your answer is the most awesome genre of music ever conceived: Arena rock, also known as anthem rock. It's characterized by its "big" sound (achieved by layering vocals, layering guitar tracks or having two or more guitars, as well as cowbell, keyboards, and sundry other instruments) and its majorly awesome singability. It's generally upbeat. Frequently it's self-conscious, referencing rocking within the actual song (for example, Ted Nugent's "Free-For-All" or Twisted Sister's "I Wanna Rock"). Often it has helpful suggestions for how best to rock (for example, Metal Health's "Bang Your Head," almost a how-to for the rocker initiate). The one thing it always is, though, is Awesome.
Here's a sample playlist.
1. Roll with the Changes (REO Speedwagon)
2. Hold the Line (Toto)
3. I Want You to Want Me (Cheap Trick) You have to get the live version, so you can say the line with him at the beginning- he doesn't sing it, he just says it in this I'm-trying-to-be-reasonable-with-you tone: "I want YOU, to want ME." Then the drums start.
4. Peace of Mind (Boston) This may be the pinnacle of the genre.
5. Sweet Child O' Mine (Guns & Roses) Never has such a sad subject been shredded to SO HARD. Singing along is a must, so make ready the throat lozenges. And remember, the part where he goes "NOW-NOW-NOW-NOW-NOW-NOW NOOW" starts at five minutes twenty-nine seconds in.
6. Carry on Wayward Son (Kansas)
7. Don't Bring Me Down (Electric Light Orchestra) Don't bring me dooooooown/ rooosh? It's not important what that means. What matters is it's fun to say.
8. Any Way You Want It (Journey) Man, this song is great. While we're on the subject of Journey, as long as you don't take yourself too seriously, you could replace this entry with "Don't Stop Believin'" and rock just as hard if not harder. I cannot recommend for this playlist, however, the song "Faithfully," no matter how fun you find it to sing "I get the joy of redisCOVERing you!!" It would only bring us down (see #7).
9. Barracuda (Heart) You can fudge most of the lines if you get the tune right, but make sure your timing's accurate for the "ooooh....Barracu-da!" part.
10. Mr. Roboto (Styx) The words are easy to memorize and sing along to, but that's not the best part: this is possibly the most physically involving song on the list. You got your air drums, your air keyboard, AND your requisite robot dance at the beginning where the synthesized voice is going "Domo arrigoto, Mr. Roboto, domo."

Well, there you have it: you're well on your way to rocking to the most awesome genre of music ever conceived. But rock safely.
for more info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arena_rock