It’s been an interesting year for Active Rock radio, due in large part to the number of high-profile artists releasing singles in 2015. These artists dominated the Active Rock Top 50 Songs of 2015. When you factor in that nine artists account for nearly half of the Top 50, it’s easy to see why there are so few newer artists featured on this list. However, there were a handful that made their presence felt with singles that were just too good to be ignored. Of course, the opportunities were also lessened because Active Rock programmers continue to inexplicably waste spins on songs and artists that are not a fit for the format.
Using the actual spins that each song received while featured in the Top 50 of the Active Rock Mediabase Charts (compiled by AllAccess.com), HRD Radio Report ranks the Top 50 Active Rock Songs of 2015 (below). It should be noted that this recap is based solely on spin totals, not editorial opinion. To see editorial opinion, check out the Top 135 Hard Rock Songs of 2015. Active Rock fans should also check out the Top 30 Octane Big ‘Uns Countdown Songs of 2015.
NOTE: To read song reviews, click on the hyperlinked song titles, and to read album reviews, click on the hyperlinked artist names.
| RANK | ARTIST | SONG TITLE | TOTAL SPINS (TOP 50) |
| 1 | POP EVIL | “Footsteps” | 34,121 |
| 2 | BREAKING BENJAMIN | “Failure” | 32,007 |
| 3 | BREAKING BENJAMIN | “Angels Fall” | 31,226 |
| 4 | SHINEDOWN | “Cut The Cord” | 31,130 |
| 5 | PRETTY RECKLESS | “Follow Me Down” | 30,436 |
| 6 | THEORY OF A DEADMAN | “Angel” | 27,876 |
| 7 | ZAC BROWN BAND (f. Chris Cornell) | “Heavy Is The Head” | 26,504 |
| 8 | DISTURBED | “The Vengeful One” | 25,427 |
| 9 | RED SUN RISING | “The Otherside” | 25,141 |
| 10 | HIGHLY SUSPECT | “Lydia” | 25,072 |
| 11 | ROYAL BLOOD | “Little Monster” | 24,156 |
| 12 | BRING ME THE HORIZON | “Throne” | 23,872 |
| 13 | FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH | “Jekyll And Hyde” | 23,564 |
| 14 | FOO FIGHTERS | “Congregation” | 23,437 |
| 15 | HALESTORM | “Apocalyptic” | 23,042 |
| 16 | OFFSPRING | “Coming For You” | 22,672 |
| 17 | THREE DAYS GRACE | “I Am Machine” | 21,849 |
| 18 | PAPA ROACH | “Gravity” | 21,618 |
| 19 | SLASH | “Bent To Fly” | 21,125 |
| 20 | CHRIS CORNELL | “Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart” | 20,630 |
| 21 | NOTHING MORE | “Jenny” | 20,417 |
| 22 | THREE DAYS GRACE | “Human Race” | 19,396 |
| 23 | HALESTORM | “Amen” | 18,642 |
| 24 | PAPA ROACH | “Face Everything And Rise” | 18,378 |
| 25 | BRING ME THE HORIZON | “Drown” | 17,765 |
| 26 | DISTURBED | “The Light” | 17,461 |
| 27 | GHOST | “Cirice” | 16,999 |
| 28 | SAINT ASONIA | “Better Place” | 16,578 |
| 29 | FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH | “Wash It All Away” | 16,116 |
| 30 | SIXX A.M. | “Stars” | 15,767 |
| 31 | HALESTORM | “I Am The Fire” | 14,840 |
| 32 | SEETHER | “Nobody Praying For Me” | 14,267 |
| 33 | SEETHER | “Same Damn Life” | 14,237 |
| 34 | FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH | “Wrong Side Of Heaven” | 13,368 |
| 35 | SLIPKNOT | “Killpop” | 13,317 |
| 36 | MARILYN MANSON | “Deep Six” | 13,082 |
| 37 | FOO FIGHTERS | “Something From Nothing” | 12,556 |
| 38 | THREE DAYS GRACE | “Fallen Angel” | 12,537 |
| 39 | THE STRUTS | “Could Have Been Me” | 12,507 |
| 40 | AC/DC | “Rock Or Bust” | 12,469 |
| 41 | SEVENDUST | “Thank You” | 12,204 |
| 42 | HELLYEAH | “Hush” | 12,047 |
| 43 | FOO FIGHTERS | “Outside” | 11,736 |
| 44 | AWOLNATION | “Hollow Moon (Bad Wolf)” | 11,735 |
| 45 | TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT | “Take It Back” | 11,692 |
| 46 | ASKING ALEXANDRIA | “I Won’t Give In” | 11,139 |
| 47 | ALL THAT REMAINS | “This Probably Won’t End Well” | 11,051 |
| 48 | SEETHER | “Save Today” | 10,882 |
| 49 | STARSET | “Halo” | 10,791 |
| 50 | WE ARE HARLOT | “Dancing On Nails” | 10,621 |
[…] of the regular countdown as the year comes to a close. Hard Rock Daddy has also published the Top 50 Active Rock Radio songs of 2015 and the Top 135 Hard Rock Songs of 2015. […]