10 of the best songs over 10 minutes long

Alex Lifeson of Rush
(Image credit: Mat Hayward/Getty Images)

Conventionally, we've been led to believe that the ideal song length if you're in the business of writing hits is between three and four minutes. However, in the world of rock, that isn't always the case.

From Guns N' Roses to Lynyrd Skynyrd, Pink Floyd to Tool, the heavyweights of guitar music have long defied this notion, captivating audiences throughout winding, solo-laden epics that clock in at well over 10 minutes (sometimes even 20...), shattering the idea that the process of writing hits is in any way formulaic.

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Josh Hart

Josh Hart is a former web producer and staff writer for Guitar World and Guitar Aficionado magazines (2010–2012). He has since pursued writing fiction under various pseudonyms while exploring the technical underpinnings of journalism, now serving as a senior software engineer for The Seattle Times.