Help! Need well known hard rock tunes with keyboard parts

Van Halen: Jump, I'll Wait, 1984
Autograph: Turn Up the Radio
Europe: The Final Countdown
Judas Priest: Turbo Lover
Iron Maiden: Caught Somewhere in Time
Kiss: Crazy Nights
Billy Cobham: Red Baron
Weather Report (take your pick with this band, leading you to the path of the 1970s and on, in the realm of fusion music)

And, what about music in general from Pink Floyd, Yes, ELO, Devo, Depeche Mode, Genesis, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Flock of Seagulls, Jeff Beck, The Who, Rush, Boston, Doors, Beatles, Blondie, Cold Play?

It's a vast world for keyboard music in rock. Maybe it's even easier to name the bands with no keys. .

 

Bon Jovi
Whitesnake
Several Led Zep songs feature John Paul Jones on keys.
Boston and Styx (if you guys have the vocal chops)
Skynard had a great piano player.


Your list seems more "classic rock" than "hard rock". But that's my being picky.

Either way, seems like a fun project.

 

Ronnie James Dio - rainbow in the Dark
Europe
Euriah Heap
Rainbow
Deep Purple

 

I was gonna say that list is more "pop rock" or "soft rock" at best! Hard rock and keyboards for me starts and ends with Deep Purple!

But if OP actually means pop or soft rock, there's a ton of options, a few of which have been named.

 

Kansas - Wayward Son

 

Having one guitar actually lends well to a keyboard playing the rhythm guitar parts if there are any. Helps to keep "non-keyboard" songs on the list.

 

+1 for Deep Purple.

Doors
Bob Seger

 

Plenty of Deep Purple options, like Hush or My Woman from Tokyo.
Also Boston has plenty of keys
Some might not consider Hey Bulldog by the Beatles as being hard rock, but it is and it has an awesome piano part.

 

"Don't Tell Me You Love Me" - Night Ranger
"Epic" - Faith No More

 

Your KB player doesn't have such a list? I would think if anyone knows these go-tos, it would be that person.

My current band plays "Highway Star" (Deep Purple - tough form to get down, but a fun bass romp as well!) and "Won't Get Fooled Again" (The Who) which both feature KBs. "Rocky Mountain Way" (Walsh) features both piano and synth.

There was a lot of Hammond organ work in the early 70s - probably a good place to start if your KB has the ability to produce that sound.
Late 70s brought in the heavy use of synth patterns, although I don't tend to think of that stuff as "heavy"

+1 for Kansas, Journey
Boston
Elton John
Billy Joel
Steely Dan
Santana

 

Some great choices so far. I will had these for now.

Uriah Heep - Stealin'



Grand Funk Railroad - Foot Stompin' Music

 

Almost anything from the 80s, definitely get some Deep Purple in there.

 

Any Steppenwolf tune -- Born to be Wild etc.

 

Tom Petty’s Damn the Torpedoes album.

Most of The Doors.

Much of Boston.

Steppenwolf - Magic Carpet Ride

 

Grand Funk