As we look back over 2015, we find unlikely and welcome returns, fond farewells and at least one instance where being a super-fan completely paid off. Spotify’s Year in Music recaps the global music trends of 2015 and helps you discover your personal music listening habits. Rock had a big year on Spotify, earning a spot as the third most popular genre.

SpotifyRock3
loading...

Here's a look at what we deemed the top rock music moments of the year. Plus, you have a chance to win a fantastic prize pack, including a one-year premium subscription to Spotify, a set of Bose headphones and much more.

After a few years away, Van Halen had a huge 2015 both on the road and on Spotify, with nine million different listeners enjoying more than 490 years' worth of VH music on the popular streaming service. For the Grateful Dead (two million listeners who took in 620 years' worth of the Dead's music), it had been even longer, as the remaining core four members gathered for the first time in two decades for a string of final shows.

Rush (three million listeners, 370 years) went on what they said would be their last globe-trotting tour, and one of their most devoted followers hit an impressive run on one of television's best-known game shows, taking a piece of the band with her. AC/DC (11 million listeners, an absolutely staggering 1,200 years' worth of music – and remember, they joined in only late June!) shook off a difficult period to reassert their considerable legend; meanwhile, a book-signing event transformed into a reunion for the surviving members of the original Alice Cooper (four million listeners, 190 years) band.

Plus, Rainbow's Ritchie Blackmore (two million listeners, a number we expect to jump dramatically in 2016) decided he was ready to rock again; classic rock made big waves at big events like the Super Bowl and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; and members of Guns N' Roses (17 million listeners, 1,900 years of music) and Journey (15 million listeners, 780 years) rekindled friendships from their peak years.

These are just some of our favorite top rock moments of 2015. To review the year in rock music month by month, check out our 2015 recap below. To learn more about your own listening habits in 2015 check out your personal Year in Music on Spotify. Comment at the bottom of this story with your most played rock song for a chance to win the following prize:

  • One (1) year Premium subscription to Spotify
  • One (1) pair of Bose in-ear headphones
  • One (1) Soundwave Canvas
  • One (1) $50 TicketMaster gift card

To enter, you must be 18 years or older and live in the U.S.

This post was made possible through a partnership with Spotify. The prize was provided by Spotify, but Spotify and its agents and representatives are not a sponsor, administrator or involved in any other way with this giveaway. All opinions expressed in the post are Ultimate Classic Rock's and not those of Spotify or its agents and representatives. Be sure to check out Ultimate Classic Rock's official contest rules here.

  • JANUARY

    Classic Rock at the Super Bowl

    Fans had plenty to cheer about at this year's Super Bowl, no matter who won. Commercials featured songs from Ted Nugent (two million listeners), the Beatles (two million listeners) and Van Halen, among others. Paul McCartney (35 million listeners) and Steven Tyler (one million listeners) were on hand for the big game. Meanwhile, Motley Crue's (four million listeners) Nikki Sixx – a Seahawks fan – said he would perform naked if the Patriots won. (They did. We're still waiting to see if he follows through on that promise.)

    YouTube
    YouTube
    loading...
  • FEBRUARY

    Led Zeppelin Continue Reissues Series

    Led Zeppelin's (14 million listeners) celebrated deluxe-edition reissue series resumed in 2015 with the arrival of Physical Graffiti, almost 40 years to the day after the album was first released. Excited fans almost sent this sixth reissue to the top of the U.K. chart. Jimmy Page concluded the series with three more releases later in the summer.

    loading...
  • MARCH

    Van Halen Retake the Stage

  • APRIL

    AC/DC Carry On

    Shaking off five years away, a key retirement and a shocking arrest, AC/DC made a triumphant return to the stage at the Coachella Festival. Their 20-song set was the first-ever without co-founding guitarist Malcolm Young, who had been forced into retirement because of dementia. Young's nephew Stevie filled in, and drummer Phil Rudd pleaded guilty to threatening to kill and drug charges.

    Kevin Winter, Getty Images
    Kevin Winter, Getty Images
    loading...
  • MAY

    Rush Kick Off Their Last Major Tour

    Rush began the R40 Live tour, which they said will be their last full-scale trek. The opening date in Tulsa found the band performing a set that traveled in reverse chronological order, with a stage design that changed to correspond with each era. Later in 2015, Rush commemorated the tour with R40 Live, a CD/DVD compilation of the two shows performed at Toronto's Air Canada Centre.

    YouTube
    YouTube
    loading...
  • JUNE

    The Grateful Dead Hold Celebrated Reunion

  • JULY

    Rush Fan Wins ‘Jeopardy!’ Twice

    One of Rush's biggest fans was a contestant on Jeopardy!, and she wasn't afraid to show it. Jennifer Morrow brought a pair of Neil Peart’s drumsticks as a good-luck charm and even bet $2,112 – a reference to the band's classic 1976 album – when she hit the Daily Double. It seemed to pay off, too, as the New Yorker held court for two nights, earning a total of $37,000 in the process.

    YouTube
    YouTube
    loading...
  • AUGUST

    Slash and Axl Rose Call a Truce

    Slash (two million listeners) revealed that he and former Guns N' Roses bandmate Axl Rose had finally become friends again. The rumor mill concerning their first onstage reunion since 1993 began to immediately whir at top speed, helped along by the fact that both of Guns N' Roses' current guitarists had recently exited the band.

    Jesse Grant / Ethan Miller, Getty Images
    Jesse Grant / Ethan Miller, Getty Images
    loading...
  • SEPTEMBER

    Ritchie Blackmore Confirms Return to Rock

  • OCTOBER

    Book Brings Alice Cooper Band Back

    A Dallas booksigning for former Alice Cooper bassist Dennis Dunaway turned into a full-fledged reunion of the band's surviving members, complete with an eight-song set of classic songs. Cooper, Dunaway, Michael Bruce and Neal Smith hadn't played together since 2011. At the end of the year, Cooper was back on the road supporting Motley Crue on their final tour dates.

    Mark Bowman Images
    Mark Bowman Images
    loading...
  • NOVEMBER

    Journey Get Back Together With Old Friend(s)

    Journey announced a joint 2016 tour with the Doobie Brothers (five million listeners), with platinum-era drummer Steve Smith replacing Deen Castronovo, who ran into some legal trouble. Founding guitarist Neal Schon also hinted at another reunion: He and fellow Journey co-founder Gregg Rolie are both rejoining their previous band Santana (10 million listeners) next year, and a joint tour could lead to some old-school Journey collaborations onstage.

    Christian Petersen / Ethan Miller, Getty Images
    Christian Petersen / Ethan Miller, Getty Images
    loading...
  • DECEMBER

    Classic Rock Dominates Hall of Fame's New Class

    After a decades-long wait, Chicago (five million listeners), Deep Purple and Steve Miller (five million listeners) will be part of the next Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class with Cheap Trick (two million listeners). Chicago won the fan vote to advance, with Deep Purple and Steve Miller also a hit with fans. Rap group N.W.A rounded out the list of honorees at the 31st annual induction ceremony, which is set for April 8, 2016, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Also, the Beatles finally made their entire catalog available on Spotify. Up to that point, the group had been one of the few classic-rock bands whose music was not licensed to the service.

    Mike Coppola / Jeff Schear / Ethan Miller / Mike Coppola, Getty Images
    Mike Coppola / Jeff Schear / Ethan Miller / Mike Coppola, Getty Images
    loading...

More From 105.7 The Hawk