My Favorite Songs from February 2026

Well, on the contrary to what I said in My Favorite Songs from January 2026 post, it was easy not to include mostly Def Leppard songs for February 2026. The reason being they’ve been playing the same boring setlist on their current 2026 Las Vegas residency, which angers and confuses me because the band promised they would change up the setlist every night and create a whole new experience for fans to enjoy. But, how can it be a whole new experience if six of the songs are from Hysteria (1987)? Sure, they included the title track from Slang (1996), but they’ve played that song a bunch of times, including on their previous Las Vegas residency in 2019, so nothing special. Luckily, the band brought back one banger for their mostly predictable setlist and I’ve included it in this post! Besides Def Leppard, we’ve got a lot of bands to cover, so let’s get on with the music!

10. “Peace Is Free” by Black Stone Cherry from Folklore and Superstition (2008)

I don’t like positive and uplifting songs because I find them forced and cheesy. The same can be said for “Peace Is Free,” but I love the dual simplicity and complexity in the song’s message. For some, it’s easy to be kind and spread joy to those around them, but for others, being nice comes as an afterthought. Due to situations beyond our control, it’s easy to focus on the negatives and disregard the positives. I see this all the time in Korean dramas and it sucks. That’s why I’ll give “Peace Is Free” the credit it deserves. The acoustic instrumentation is gorgeous, as well.

9. “Highway to Hell” by AC/DC from Highway to Hell (1979)

While researching all-female Swedish hard rock trio The Gems, I came across a recent cover of them doing AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell.” Though lead vocalist Guernica Mancini forgot the lyrics halfway through the song, she sounded amazing. I still remember the first time hearing “Highway to Hell” on Wild Hogs (2007) and thinking that the song was placed perfectly in the movie. I was probably too young to understand what was going on in the movie, but the music was great! After researching the band’s catalog in 2020, I grew to appreciate other AC/DC songs that are lyrically more complex than “Highway to Hell,” but the main guitar riff will forever be awesome!

8. “Darkness Always Wins” by Halestorm from Everest (2025)

Halestorm are one of those bands I really want to get into, but I’m not ready to give them a chance yet. Lzzy Hale is an outstanding vocalist and her showmanship is incredible. However, Halestorm experiment with different styles of rock music that are beyond my comfort zone like alternative metal and post-grunge, which will take time to get used to. Despite that, I checked out a couple of songs from their latest album, Everest (2025), and my favorite of the two is “Darkness Always Wins.” The piano melody is hauntingly beautiful, I love the chorus, Hale’s vocals are amazing, and it’s got an anthemic feel that resonates with people. While I’m not ready to buy any of Halestorm’s albums yet, I think “Darkness Always Wins” is an absolute winner for modern hard rock.

7. “It’s Like That” by The Black Crowes from A Pound of Feathers (2026)

I’m not happy about guitarist Rich Robinson doing all of the guitar parts on A Pound of Feathers and leaving guitarist Nico Bereciartua in the dust, but I’ll admit the guitar playing on “It’s Like That” is really good! The only positive to Rich doing all the guitar parts on a Black Crowes album is he gets an opportunity to challenge himself as a musician. I never really considered Rich a flashy guitar player, but he goes all out on “It’s Like That.” Even his slide guitar parts are perfect! Also, I love how rock ‘n’ roll the lyrics are; they describe Chris Robinson yearning for someone to take a chance on him after his girl abandons him. The chorus is simple, but it’s fun to sing along with!

6. “Ride the Lightning” by Metallica from Ride the Lightning (1984)

When I found out that Megadeth included a cover of Metallica’s “Ride the Lightning” on their 2026 self-titled album, I thought they were insane! Let’s be real, Dave Mustaine’s reputation isn’t something to be proud of. He’s probably more known for his rivalry with Metallica than his music with Megadeth, to be honest. That’s the problem with Megadeth’s cover of “Ride the Lightning;” it’s another jab at Metallica. I understand why Mustaine included the song on Megadeth’s 2026 self-titled album because he got his start in Metallica, but it can’t compare to Metallica’s rawer and more charismatic version on their 1984 album with the same name. It’s a good cover, but I prefer Metallica’s version more!

5. “Enemy” by Thundermother from Road Fever (2015)

While initially going through Thundermother’s catalog, I thought their sophomore release, Road Fever, was a step down from their debut album, Rock ‘n’ Roll Disaster (2014), but actually, both albums are a lot of fun! Thundermother have had three different vocalists so far and they each represent a different era of the band. Previous vocalist Clare Cunningham had a free-spirited and raw energy about her that allowed the band to channel the Bon Scott era of AC/DC. I’ve heard Mancini, who was the singer that replaced Cunningham, perform “Enemy” with Thundermother, but it didn’t have the same power and ferociousness as Cunningham’s version. Overall, the song is a banger and the main riff sounds like something late rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young would’ve constructed for AC/DC.

4. “Pawn & Kings” by Alter Bridge from Pawn & Kings (2022)

Sometime during my Disney College Program in 2022, I bought Alter Bridge’s Pawn & Kings album because it was recommended by Sea of Tranquility. I listened to it once or twice and never bothered to pull it out again until the band released their follow-up release, the 2026 self-titled album. Out of all the tracks on Pawn & Kings, the song I remembered most was the title track because of the chorus. It’s a good, well-written chorus and the song’s instrumentation is outstanding. Like Halestorm, Alter Bridge have a modern edge, which keeps them from sounding dated. Also like Halestorm, they’re more than just a hard rock band as they combine different rock styles such as alternative metal, progressive metal, and post-grunge. 

3. “Gravity” by The Gems featuring Tommy Johansson from Year of the Snake (2026)

The Gems are, in a bizarre way, part of the Thundermother family because all three members were previously in Thundermother and that’s all I’m going to say about that! Mancini is an exceptional vocalist and because everything she sings turns to gold, that’s why I got into The Gems. Their second studio album, Year of the Snake (2026), will be released on March 13 and most of the singles they released so far took time to grow on me. The only exception being “Gravity” featuring Tommy Johansson, which I loved immediately. The guitar melodies are gorgeous, the chorus is insanely catchy, it’s an old-school melodic rock song that could’ve come out of the mid ‘80s, and Johansson has better hair than any hair metal band that ever existed! There’s a part in the chorus where Mancini sings, “nothing can make me come back down,” but instead of singing lower, she sings higher at the end, which is genius.

2. “On My Way” by Free from Highway (1970)

Though Paul Rodgers can certainly belt out powerful notes, I prefer when he sings without much effort in a more mellow manner. That’s when you can hear the true beauty in his voice. He shines in “On My Way” and late guitarist Paul Kossoff based the guitar melodies on Rodgers’ singing, which is why there’s a bluesiness to the song. Andy Fraser’s simple bass line complements Kossoff’s guitar melodies and further highlights how talented Free were as a band. Unfortunately, Highway marked the beginning of the end for them due to the record failing commercially. “On My Way” is one of the highlights of a very underrated album in Free’s catalog. 

1. “White Lightning” by Def Leppard from Adrenalize (1992)

Fans have been begging Def Leppard to bring back “White Lightning” for years and when they finally did on the opening night of their 2026 Las Vegas residency, it was a bittersweet moment. The setlist for opening night was underwhelming as only three “deep cuts” were played and two of them were covers, meaning “White Lightning” was the best song out of the entire setlist. Unfortunately, it’s also turning out to be the best song of the entire residency as the band didn’t change up the setlist on a nightly basis as promised. Opting instead to play that opening night setlist for all of the residency dates so far. Despite my frustration, I’d be an idiot not to give “White Lightning” the credit it deserves because it’s one of the best songs Def Leppard ever wrote. Though the lyrics are about late guitarist Steve Clark, the band cleverly constructed the lyrics so that they’re relatable to anyone struggling with an addiction.

There you have it, people! Those are my favorite songs from February 2026. Not much variety compared to January 2026, but it was still a good month for music. With both The Black Crowes and The Gems releasing new studio albums on March 13, we shall see what’s in store musically for March 2026! 

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Lana