Greta Van Fleet is a Michigan-based Rock band made up of three brothers, Josh Kiszka – vocals, Jake Kiszka – guitar, Sam Kiszka – bass/keyboards, and a non-brother, Danny Wagner – drums.
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They’ve released two EPs and two full-length albums as of 2021 and show no signs of stopping. Their Blues, Hard-Rock, and Progressive influences meld together to create a sound that is at the same time retro and also modern sounding.
For a band that started in 2012 and only put out its first full-length album in 2018. So, it may be a little early for an article called “Best Greta Van Fleet Songs of All Time.” After all, this band might end up getting bigger and better, and new songs could bump all the old ones off the list. Well, let’s just wait and see what happens. In the meantime, let’s take a look at Greta Van Fleet’s best songs to date.
Top 54 Best Greta Van Fleet Songs of All Time
1 Highway Tune (2017)
I think it’s fair to start with the band’s very first single. As well as one of the most well-known Greta Van Fleet songs. I’m talking about “Highway Tune,” which was released as a single in 2017 and also on their debut EP Black Smoke Rising. This is also the first song the band wrote together. Furthermore, some of the music, including the main guitar riff, goes back years.
If you think the riff here sounds a lot like something Jimmy Page would play, and the vocal work by Josh Kiszka reminds you of Robert Plant, you’re not alone. Led Zeppelin is one of the band’s biggest influences. However, Greta Van Fleet’s sound is cleaner and more Pop-driven than Led Zep. Their songs are tighter and more normally structured.
This tune made a huge splash when it came out, pulling the band into the spotlight. It sailed to the top of the Billboard Mainstream Rock and Active Rock stations in 2017 as one of the fastest chart-topping songs ever.
2 Black Smoke Rising (2017)
This next song is a favorite of the band. “Black Smoke Rising” is the title track from the group’s first EP, and the lyrics of the song provide the title for their second EP, From the Fires.
This song was another reason why the band shot up in popularity in the late 2010s. It was even nominated for a 2019 Grammy for Best Rock Song, though it ended up losing out to “Masseduction” by veteran artists Annie Clark (St. Vincent) and Jack Antonoff. But they’ll probably have another shot at the title soon.
This song was inspired by smoky campfires and the part they have played in human history as centers for meeting and storytelling. The band is solid here. And the vocal work by Josh makes the song sound less like Led Zep and more like a strange combination of Rush and the Mars Volta.
3 Safari Song (2017)
Now here is a song that sounds an awful lot like a classic Led Zeppelin rocker. The drums are hard and heavy, and the bass plays between high and low registers, providing excellent texture.
In addition to bass…
Sam Kiszka also laid down some organ tracks for the recorded version. The guitar work is bluesy and twangy, played with a slide. And the vocals are powerful and a heck of a lot of fun to sing along to. Josh Kiszka floats between lower husky growls and a high wail, definitely in the style of Robert Plant in “Black Dog.”
This track also comes from the 2017 Black Smoke Rising EP. Altogether, you get a solid Blues-Rock sound with an anthemic sing-along chorus. Or at least, you want to sing along to the backing vocals, since the lead is higher than most can get up to.
Now, I don’t have any idea why this track is called “Safari Song.” Unless it’s a love song to a lion or something. But it’s definitely a love song, with lyrics like, “Do you remember what I said – When I got down on my knees – Gotta get your lovin’ baby – Lovin’s all I need.”
4 Edge of Darkness (2017)
“Edge of Darkness” also comes from the Black Smoke Rising EP that was released in 2017. While this song is often overlooked, it’s a solid track that shows off the band’s own sound. While it has some clear influences, this is what Greta Van Fleet actually sounds like. It’s also the beginning of the refined sound we’ll hear on the band’s second album.
The bass and drums lay down the background to let the heavy guitar riffs and vocals fly over the top. And Josh Kiszka’s vocal performance is incredible here. He wails hard, hitting the highest notes in his range.
Lyrically, this song is about positivity and hope in the face of negativity and crisis. It’s about the whole world, which is no small subject! The chorus simply rocks – “All my brothers we stand – For the peace of the land – Is there meaning? – I’ve got love in my heart – For an army apart – I am bleeding.” Without question, one of the best Greta Van Fleet songs of all time.
5 Age of Man (2018)
“Age of Man” is an epic 6-minute track that kicks off the band’s 2018 debut album Anthem of the Peaceful Army. This track is a little Led Zep inspired (with a cheeky tip of the hat to that band in the lyrics), but with a more drawn out, woven style that’s much more Rush-like and Progressive than Hard Rock.
The song is slow and almost cinematic in quality…
It’s a Rock song, but with organ and backing vocals filling up the soundscape, it becomes huge and almost orchestral. The lyrics are all about the history and future of humanity. Lines like, “A beauty lives in every soul – The more you love, the more you know – They pass the torch, and it still burns – Once children then, it’s now our turn” ties the age of man together.
6 When the Curtain Falls (2018)
This track is another solid rocker that harks back to the band’s earlier style. It’s very Blues-Rock inspired and more than a little reminiscent of Led Zeppelin once again. But that doesn’t stop this from being a great Great Van Fleet song. The guitar riffs here are really what drives the song along. And, of course, Josh’s vocals, with his distinctive high-pitched metal-like (metallic?) wail.
This song is about fame and the struggles that go along with it. The lyrics tell a simple story about how movie stardom can be so fake and hollow. “Well, you’re so pretty and I love you so – You know I’m your biggest fan – I saw your picture and it’s the best – The finest in the land.”
7 Lover, Leaver (2018)
Another track from Greta Van Fleet’s debut album, “Lover, Leaver,” is an in-your-face Rock song. The drums are banging, and the bass holds it down once again. Jake Kiszka chugs along with heavy guitar riffs and then hits his solo in the middle of the song, flying off into the sky with screaming licks. And Josh once again hits hard with those vocals. What a range!
As you might have guessed from the title, this song is about a tortured love. Josh sings, “She sets my soul on fire – Flames of love and sweet perfume – She’s my heart’s desire – She’s an angel straight from hell,” and you get the idea. This is the thin line between happiness and ruin, and love and obsession. It’s also of the best heavy rock songs by Greta Van Fleet.
8 You’re the One (2018)
Our last song from the 2018 album Anthem of the Peaceful Army is “You’re the One.” In this song, we’re seeing another side of the band, one that’s softer, sweeter, and a bit more acoustic.
The guitar work here is on an acoustic guitar, and Sam Kiszka plays organ on this track. You get a laid-back sound, at least for a while. But, towards the end, Danny Wagner bashes out some powerful and exciting drum fills and keeps the energy of this song high.
It’s another love song, a little less tortured and a bit sadder this time. The chorus is definitely going to get you to sing along – “You’re the one I want – You’re the one I need – You’re the one I had – So come on back to me.” And that chorus alone is why this track ranks among the best Greta Van Fleet songs of all time.
9 Age of Machine (2021)
After a ton of anticipation, the band finally put out their second full-length album in 2021. This was The Battle at Garden’s Gate, and it represented a newer and more cinematic sound, plus a somewhat darker and deeper lyrical content.
“Age of Machine” is an answer to “Age of Man” on their last album. This track is slow and tenacious. It has a more convoluted structure with guitar fills and arpeggios that sets it apart from a standard Rock song and makes it more interesting.
The guitar hits some big, ambient, and detuned chords here, and that sets an ominous atmosphere that provides a perfect backdrop for the lyrics. And the chorus is huge and anthemic. With lyrics like, “Perfect child – Plugged in since the womb – Prophet of the dune – In this electric tomb,” it’s clear this is a song warning of the dangers of technology.
10 Trip the Light Fantastic (2021)
With a title that refers to dancing nimbly around, it’s no surprise that “Trip the Light Fantastic” is a much more positive and brighter song than many others on the same album. It reflects feelings of cosmic unity and spiritual awakening, with lyrics like, “You are the land – The sea and the sky, woah – The explanation why – We’re tied to all things as one.”
This is a mid-tempo, grooving Blues-Rock song that’s probably the only track on this album that reflects the band’s older sound. But it also has some other elements, like a huge vocal echo in the breakdown that builds more ambiance and sends you on a true sonic adventure. As a result, it is one of Greta Van Fleet’s happiest songs.
11 Heat Above (2021)
This track opens the band’s newest album, beginning with a beautiful organ solo that swells and builds. The drums come pounding in and let you know this is a Rock song. Things then alternate between quieter acoustic guitar-led verses and a fuller, bigger sound in the chorus with fat organ chords and Josh’s voice hitting solid and beautiful high notes.
Something in this song reminds me of a mix of Rush and MGMT, but there’s definitely no Led Zep here. I think the band chose this track to highlight the evolution of their sound, and it really does this well. And I love the chorus – “Can you feel my love? – Rising with the heat above – Life’s the story of – Ascending to the stars as one.” What a beautiful image!
12 Stardust Chords (2021)
This track shows off the band’s refined new sound well. “Stardust Chords” starts with a cinematic, emotional intro with Josh wailing over the top of Sam’s organ. When the drums and guitar come in, the song seems like it might turn into a pretty standard Slow Rock song, but Greta Van Fleet gives you something more than that.
The song ranges between different parts…
All of these are tied together by Josh’s powerful vocals, which are some of his best. Jake Kiszka plays one of his biggest, strongest solos in this track, and the backing vocals in the chorus add a huge wall of sound.
Lyrically, there’s a very hard-to-miss Biblical influence here. Lines like, “It has been said – By the likes of the living and the dead – Make your bed – Even sinners go to drink the wine, break the bread” really hit that home.
But there’s less of a preaching message here and more of a series of images created by the song’s poetry. This song is strong, interesting, and, best of all, it is a signature Greta Van Fleet song.
13Flower Power (2021) by Greta Van Fleet
14The Cold Wind (2021) by Greta Van Fleet
15My Way, Soon (2020) by Greta Van Fleet
16Built by Nations (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
17Always There (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
18Brave New World (2018) by Greta Van Fleet
19Black Flag Exposition (2017) by Greta Van Fleet
20Watching Over (2017) by Greta Van Fleet
21The Music is You (2017) by Greta Van Fleet
22Cloud Train (2017) by Greta Van Fleet
23Thunderstomp (2017) by Greta Van Fleet
24Rollin’ On (2017) by Greta Van Fleet
25Down to the River (2017) by Greta Van Fleet
26By the Fireside (2017) by Greta Van Fleet
27Mountain of the Sun (2017) by Greta Van Fleet
28Talk on the Street (2017) by Greta Van Fleet
29Barcelona (2017) by Greta Van Fleet
30One Night Only (2017) by Greta Van Fleet
31The New Day (2017) by Greta Van Fleet
32A Change is Gonna Come (2017) by Greta Van Fleet
33A Cloud Overhead (2017) by Greta Van Fleet
34When the Curtain Falls (Acoustic) (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
35The Music is You (Acoustic) (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
36Mountain of the Sun (Acoustic) (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
37Flower Power (Acoustic) (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
38Broken Bells (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
39Heartbreaker (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
40Hard Workin’ Woman (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
41Sweet Kerosene (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
42Shot Down South (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
43Can’t Quit You (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
44I’ve Been Travelin’ (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
45Same Old Loving (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
46Baddest Blues (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
47Change is Gonna Come (Acoustic) (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
48The Music is You (Acoustic Version) (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
49Thunderstomp (Acoustic) (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
50Lover, Leaver (Taker, Believer) (Acoustic) (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
51Highway Tune (Acoustic) (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
52When the Curtain Falls (Acoustic Version) (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
53Black Smoke Rising (Acoustic) (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
54Edge of Darkness (Acoustic) (2019) by Greta Van Fleet
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The Best Greta Van Fleet Songs of All Time – Final Thoughts
Great Van Fleet may be an up-and-coming band, but there’s no doubt that they’ve come very far already. From their earlier sound, which received a whole lot of comparisons to Led Zeppelin, the band has evolved, grown up, and found their own feet. With their sound now progressing and their skills tighter than ever, I’m excited to hear what this band will produce in the future.
For now, we have some excellent songs to listen to. With two EPs and two full albums of work released so far, this band has done a lot. They’ve won a Grammy for their EP From the Fires, played live on SNL, and hit the top of the rock charts. In short, Greta Van Fleet is going places. The question is, will you soar along with them?
Until next time, happy listening.
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