As with legal documents, any self-respecting discussion on the topic of "dad rock" should start by establishing definitions: what do we mean by the term?
Our 2025 dad-rock playlist for Father's Day is the second such exercise Regtransfers has undertaken. Last year's blog post on the subject claimed: "Basically, if you're old enough to have kids, the music of your teens is dad rock - especially if it features guitars." We still think that's a pretty good in-a-nutshell definition, but it does rather oversimplify things.
Origins
In a 2019 Esquire article, journalist Rob Mitchum confessed to being the guy who unleashed the term on the public consciousness. He didn't claim to have invented the phrase "dad-rock", just to have penned the review that popularised and spread it. According to Mitchum, he got the term from fellow journalist Chris Ott (both writers used it to describe the American band Wilco, much to the chagrin of that band's lead vocalist). Ott, in turn, first encountered it when "dad-rock" was used by the British music press of the 1990s to describe the derivative throwback sounds of bands such as Oasis, whose music would be readily accessible and acceptable to the parents of pop music fans.
As with anything to do with music, labels proliferate and then they get applied to things that the person who coined the definition certainly didn't have in mind at the time (Yes, we are looking at you, metal and dance music, with your countless, argument-instigating genres). The "Dad-rock" label is no exception and the generally accepted meaning of the term has drifted rather since its semi-pejorative use to describe Oasis and Wilco.
Dad-rock today
Where Dad-rock formerly implied that contemporary bands were releasing safe, bland, dated-sounding music, these days it seems to be used mostly in direct reference to older bands and songs. It means the music that dad-aged people would have listened to in their formative years - or even music that grandad-aged people would have listened to.
Your humble blogger is a member of the grandad-aged camp. Despite that, most of the music I listen to is current, from the last five years or so. Despite that preference for the new, after a few shandies at a wedding, or on those rare occasions when I might be coerced into tolerating karaoke, it's dad-rock all the way. "Dad-rock" is often synonymous with classic anthems that everyone knows and that everyone, when drunk enough, will join in and sing at the top of their tuneless voices.
Enjoy our playlist. Embrace the dad-rock: resistance is futile.
Beneath the playlist link we have added a little commentary on some of the songs we've chosen. Hopefully, this might get you all thinking about songs we should include in our next list. Why not drop us an email with your suggestions?
While you're here, why not check out some "Dad" number plate gifts for Father's Day?
Parental advisory content
Some of the songs on our list contain profane language and naughty words. Parents of younger children may prefer to check the list out before playing it in the presence of youngsters who are particularly good at learning new words...
Top 10 Dad Rock Tracks
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Superman - Goldfinger
If the opening chords of this ska-punk classic don’t catapult you straight back to the glory days of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, are you even a millennial dad? With its high energy and infectious chorus, Superman is the anthem of those who believe kickflips - and parenting - are all about timing, balance, and a little bit of chaos.
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How You Remind Me - Nickelback
Mock it all you want, but this gravel-throated power ballad defined a generation - and secretly, you still know every word. How You Remind Me is peak early-2000s angst, perfect for dads who wore wallet chains, drove a Vauxhall Corsa with subwoofers, and believed feelings should always be shouted through a car window in the rain.
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Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
A timeless, fuzzed-out and flannel-soaked explosion of teen angst that changed music forever. It’s grunge royalty, and in truth, the closest many dads ever got to rebellion was blasting this on a Walkman before double maths. These days, it’s the background music to school runs and Tesco trips, but it still hits like a punch in the face from 1991. Nirvana: for dads who once muttered “whatever” and meant it.
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Whiskey In The Jar - Metallica
A thunderous cover of an Irish folk classic, Metallica’s Whiskey in the Jar delivers crunching riffs, growling vocals, and just enough swagger to make you feel like an outlaw - at least until you pull into the Tesco car park. It’s the perfect track for dads who like their rock loud, their stories long, and their whiskey metaphorical (until bedtime, of course).
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Dani California - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Funk, grit, and a whole lot of west coast swagger, Dani California is that rare track that makes you feel cool and contemplative behind the wheel. With Flea’s basslines doing somersaults and Kiedis telling tales of love, loss and philosophies, it’s ideal Dad Rock for those who once wore oversized hoodies, tried (and failed) to learn slap bass, and still sing “rest in peace” whenever they hear the word “California”.
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Last Resort - Papa Roach
Angsty, aggressive and absolutely unforgettable. Last Resort was the primal scream of the early 2000s, the unofficial theme tune for millennial burnout, and likely still a go-to for venting suburban dad stress in traffic. Whether you’re stuck in a cul-de-sac or just trying to get the kids to please stop arguing, this nu-metal classic is a full-throttle reminder that once upon a time, your emotional range included more than just “fine” and “tired.”
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The Pretender - Foo Fighters
Explosive from the first snap of the snare drum, The Pretender doesn’t ask for attention - it demands it. It’s the anthem for every father who’s ever muttered through gritted teeth after stepping on Lego. Dave Grohl’s roar reminds us Dads there’s still fire in the tank - and at least one air-drum solo left in us before the school run ends.
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Killing in the Name - Rage Against the Machine
Another anthem of rebellion, nothing says “fatherhood” like blasting an anti-authority banger from your family SUV, right? Killing in the Name is pure, unfiltered rage - ideal for dads who used to protest everything and now just protest the rising price of petrol. It’s still as rebellious as ever, even if you’re yelling the lyrics while wearing Crocs and queuing for a drive-thru coffee.
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Tribute - Tenacious D
An epic tale of two dudes facing down a demon with nothing but a killer riff and some seriously theatrical vocals - Tribute is the ultimate Dad Rock bedtime story. Whether you’re re-enacting the demon showdown or delivering the iconic monologue in front of a confused toddler, this is peak Dad Rock theatre, and perfect for dads who don’t take themselves too seriously. Get ready to put on a silly voice to ask your kids to “play the best song in the world, or I’ll eat your souls”. Side note - this might give them nightmares.
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Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
A generational bonding exercise, a rite of passage and still the undefeated champion of Dad Rock driving playlists - because nothing says “family tradition” like a unanimous headbang at the traffic lights. Bohemian Rhapsody isn’t just a song - it’s a six-minute odyssey of drama, harmonies, and lyrical nonsense. It tops the list because no true Dad Rock playlist is complete without a full-family falsetto at a red light.
