30 Best Songs About Thunder and Lightning

Thunder and lightning are some of the most exciting types of weather. These mysterious forces are often a source of inspiration for musicians and songwriters.

This list shows you the best songs about thunder and lightning ever written. If you’re in the mood for some electrifying songs then you’ve come to the right place.

1. Thunderstruck – AC/DC

Thunderstruck is an iconic heavy metal song released in 1990 by the Australian band AC/DC. The intro to this song about thunder and lightning is one of the most recognizable riffs of all time. It was released as the first song on the album, also called ‘Thunderstruck’. The song was written by core AC/DC members Malcolm Young, Brian Johnson, and guitarist Angus Young.

The song tells the story of two lovers hiding from a thunderous storm. At the start, the male character gives his girlfriend a book (Love at First Sight: A Study of Courtship in Ancient Greece). After she reads the book she suggests they take a trip to the bowling alley, however, he wants to stay at home and watch TV instead. She hides beneath the bed sheets as an intense storm passes by. This song is truly a classic, and matches the energy of a thunderstorm!

2. Thunder Road – Bruce Springsteen

Legendary American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen wrote this song for his first album in 1975 (Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J). Although it was eventually released on his third album ‘Born to Run’. The lyrics are about a charming couple who fantasize about leaving their quiet rural life for a new start in the city. Following their story from the countryside to a metropolis, Thunder Road is the exciting journey they take to a new place.

3. God of Thunder – Kiss

Hair-rockers Kiss also released a song about thunder, in this case, the God of Thunder. While it is one of their lesser-known tracks, it’s still a banger and captures the clap and rumble of thunder.

The tune has a loud, catchy chorus, so you can understand why it’s a hidden fan favorite. With a fast tempo and heavy guitar tones, this gets your heart racing to the beat.

4. Lightning Bolt – Jake Bugg

This 2012 blues rock song rapidly propelled Bugg to the top of the charts. The song uses being struck by lightning as a metaphor for finding inspiration in dull times. He sings about how he had to find the motivation to change his life to something more exciting.

It also touches on the feeling of love at first sight. Uses the lightning bolt as a metaphor for being shocked by love.

5. Thunder – Imagine Dragons

Imagine Dragons are a pop-rock band that has shot to fame over the last decade. They are especially well known for their songs ‘Radioactive’ and ‘Believer’.

This song ‘Thunder’ is another popular hit and ended up reaching #1 on the US Pop song charts.

With a catchy chorus of “Thunder, feel the thunder. Lightning and thunder”. This song is about channeling your energy to overcome hurdles and barriers in your life. If you are ever feeling down, use the motivation of this song. Turn your thunderous anger into power and fight back.

6. Thunder Rolls – Garth Brooks

This ’90s country song about thunder is another energizing song to get you through hard times. Lyrics such as “I watch her come and go / A little more bling each day” lend credence to the idea that this song is about how it feels when your lover begins seeing someone else.

Don’t let the cheesy music video put you off the vibe of this song. While country music isn’t for everyone this is a great track to inspire you through stormy days and a rainy downpour.

7. Lightning Bolt – Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam might not be the most obvious band when you’re searching for infectious rock anthems. Although their song “Lightning Bolt” gets you hooked into the groove with the opening guitar riff.

The first line sums up the song’s message “She comes on like a stone, But you don’t know where from she was thrown”.

It’s about that lightning bolt moment of love at first sight. The soulful lyrics sung by Eddie Vedder are about a woman who catches a person off guard. Like a bolt of lightning out of the blue. The song depicts stormy seas and thundering skies which are emphasized by the euphoric instrumental.

It’s a great rock track that makes you appreciate finding love. “You’ve got to know you’ll never let her go. She is a lightning bolt!”. This epic arrangement is full of catchy guitar riffs and hits like lightning! As the band says, it’s one of those songs you’ve gotta catch in a live performance.

8. Thunder Underground – Ozzy Ozborne

The first heavy metal guitar riff of this song zaps your attention. Frying your ears like a deadly bolt of electricity. This epic Ozzy Osbourne song uses electrifying imagery to spread critical lyrics. It reminds us that no matter how powerful people feel, everybody is mortal. “You won’t think, you’re so clever / When you hear thunder underground”

Let the lyrics of this track ground you from delusions and “bullshit culture” as Ozzy puts it. Many music critics and fans agree that Ozzy Osbourne’s rendition of this song has some of the singer’s finest vocal work. On the album No More Tears, this song reached number 9 in the UK charts.

The hard rock song has forceful guitar riffs and drumming, which complement Ozzy Osbourne’s commanding vocal performance. Reviews have said that the song is a perfect illustration of Osbourne at his finest, with catchy choruses and an addictive tempo.

9. Smokestack Lightnin’ – Howlin’ Wolf

This old-school delta blues song recorded in 1956 is a classic chilled groove. Listening to it, you can feel the breeze rushing through your hair as a storm brews in the distance.

“Smokestack Lightning” captures everything that made Howlin’ Wolf such a wonderfully distinctive musician.

Howlin’ Wolf performs an intense field holler voice, intermingled with falsetto screams, over a pounding, mesmerizing one-chord vamp that picks up speed like a steam train. The title of the song is about a train thundering down the tracks.

It also has some signature bursts of raw country blues harmonica. The lyrics are a mash-up of classic blues phrases and a gloomy and mysterious atmosphere. Portraying the emotional stress he was experiencing at the time.

10. Thunder and Lightning – Chi Coltrane

Passionate, sleek, and funky, this 1972 pop song written by Chi Coltrane has cryptic lyrics. It seems to be about a relationship, where the narrator is under the control of their lover. It touches on Stockholm syndrome, as he makes her feel complete, but she’s also repelled.

“I don’t think I can stand it /Thunder and Lightning / I tell you it’s frightening.” She describes a passionate love that she was unable to escape, and she describes how it felt like she was being struck by lightning and thunder.

Chi Coltrane is a musician and pianist that hails from the state of Wisconsin. When she released her first album under her name, this was the first song that played. She pours every ounce of herself into each song. She was performing with her full heart and adding a gospel tint.

11. Thunder – Jessie J

Jessie J collaborated with several other famous musicians to create this song, released on the ‘Alive’ album. The intro has a retro vibe, reminding me of 80’s artists like Kate Bush. It starts tenderly, with a building rush of euphoria that claps like thunder into a catchy pop chorus.

The song is about her relationship with God and faith. It was her religious experiences that inspired the video. Dancing in the desert during a flash of lightning in this song. “You make my earthquake – You feel like thunder in the sky” showing the effect that finding God had in her life.

According to her, the song is a prayer to God, and she was pleased to share it with her followers. Jessie J shares an underlying message that you should use your life to spread your ideas and positive energy.

12. Summer and Lightning – ELO

A four-part symphonic rock work, the song was released in 1977 on the Out Of The Blue album. It has mixed emotions, a tint of melancholy but an overwhelming feeling of euphoria.

The release contained some of ELO’s biggest hits. Most of the tracks on the album cover experiencing unrequited love. The famous ‘Mr. Blue Sky,’ follows the darker song with more upbeat energy. “Summer and Lightning” is a favorite among ELO fans since it showcases a wide range of musical styles and influences in a short piece.

After a sudden surge of creativity, while hiding away in his rented chalet in the Swiss Alps, Jeff Lynne composed the whole album in three and a half weeks. It took another two months to complete the recording in Munich.

13. The Shock of The Lightning – Oasis

Dig out Your Soul is the legendary British rock band’s fourth studio album. Oasis is one of those bands whose songs have found their way into worldwide popular culture. The Shock of the Lightning was one of their timeless melodies that became part of great British rock music. “I feel love in the shock of the lightning”.

It’s an addictive track, and the lyrics cover the electrifying emotion of love. The Gallaghers sing about how love can scramble your brain but still make you feel amazing. “I got my feet on the street but I can’t stop flying”.

This track flies by with all of the group’s usual bombast and vigor. If you haven’t heard it already, I can assure you that you will fall in love with it.

14. Thunderstruck – Owl City

For their 2015 album, the Owl City band collaborated with Sarah Russell, a well-known singer and electronic dance music composer. Sarah’s sensuous voice is sure to leave you ‘thunderstruck,’ as the saying goes.

This pop song is about that thunderstruck feeling of being in love. “I love how you take my breath away

I’m thunderstruck”. It’s a sweet tune, although it does touch on the darkness and fears that love can create.

When you’re in love for the first time, everything just seems perfect. Owl City chose to depict it in a modern electro style. The instrumental incorporates elements of electronic music, classical, pop, and even hints of dubstep.

15. Thunder Peel – Beck

Beck’s Thunder Peel is a standout track from his album Stereopathetic Soulmanure. It’s one of my favorite songs on the album because of its exciting plot and well-written lyrics. In classic Beck style, it blends elements of country music with more modern styles like rock and hip hop.

Inspiring the song was Beck’s personal experience, which makes it more meaningful to the listener. It’s about blowing off steam and letting loose. Or in Beck’s words “On the wonder wheel I let my thunder peel”. Everybody has inner thunder that they need to express at times.

Check out ‘Saw Lightning’ for another Beck tune, this time about lightning rather than thunder. This song is a wonderful example of how he combines folk and rock to create a distinct soundtrack.

16. Thundersteel – Riot

Since its release in 1988, this up-tempo metal shred song has been a Riot fan favorite.

This epic song is about a hero’s struggle to protect the people he cares about. “Thundersteel” is the hero’s sword, as he takes on evil. The distinct lyrics and strong melodies will stick with you long after you’ve heard the song’s lyrics.

17. Silver Thunderbird – Marc Cohn

It’s one of Cohn’s best-known and most-loved songs because of the beautiful and fascinating lyrics.

Even though it’s not a conventional country ballad, the haunting and dreamy tone of the song enthralls listeners. A silver thunderbird is a kind of car, and Cohn says this is the type of car that God would drive.

Several musicians, including Trisha Yearwood and Wynonna Judd, have covered “Silver Thunderbird” throughout the years. This song is a must-hear whether you’re a fan of Marc Cohn or just a lover of fantastic ballads in general.

18. Johnny Thunder – The Kinks

There’s always one individual in every community that no one wants to cross paths with. Johnny Thunder, the fictional character from the song of the same name, is just such a person. He “lives on water / Feeds on lightning”

Even though no one in the town can approach Thunder, he’s regarded as a rebellious biker by the lovely character Helena, who praises him. Pete Townshend of The Who chose to use the song title as his stage name due to his resonance with the character.

19. Thunder – Lana Del Rey

This recent release from Lana Del Rey is an emotional and empowering song. It’s about conflicted feelings of love. “You roll like thunder when you come crashing in”.

When you’re with the one you love, you get a surge of energy and vitality. Throughout this song, Lana Del Rey likens her boyfriend’s might to the force of lightning and thunder. While he lifts the party, he also has a darker side. “You act like fucking Mr. Brightside when you’re with all your friends But I know what you’re like when the party ends”

It’s interesting to hear the singer’s varying depictions of her partner’s enthusiasm and personality throughout the song. She makes all sorts of compelling comparisons to him, yet she still focuses on his warning signs.

20. Thunder – Gabry Ponte

This upbeat trance/dance song is perfect for shocking you into the groove. It’s a party song about burning down the house and getting into the hall of fame.

21. Thunder – Solence

A new release in 2021, this upbeat electro-punk song is about feeling thunder pumping through your veins. The song makes you feel powerful and is about finding your inner energy. Embrace your inner thunder and lightning and make a move.

22. Thunder Kiss 65’ – White Zombie

This metal tune has psychedelic lyrics that capture the wild lifestyle of White Zombie. It’s also about a couple making love after a concert and getting shocked by lightning and thunder.

23. Thunder Fire You – Ric Hassani

This modern pop ballad is about appreciating yourself after a breakup. The narrator has been betrayed by his lover and is regaining his confidence whilst admonishing his ex.

“Thunder fire you

For all the lies you told me

Thunder fire you

For when you cheated on me”

It has a soulful groove and is inspired by African-style singing.

24. Lightning – The Wanted

International sensations ‘The Wanted’ released this emotional banger in 2012. It’s a classic 5-piece boy band song underpinned by electronic club pop beats.

“I know that it’s a little bit frightening / We might as well be playing with lightning”. The lyrical content covers the fear you experience embracing a new romance. It’s all about that electrifying rush of a first kiss.

25. Lightning – Henry Gallagher

This is an original song written and performed by 12-year-old X-factor contestant Henry Gallagher. (At Least he was 12 at the time, in 2015 when he entered the show.) It’s another song about the lightning strike of falling in love.

26. Heat Lightning – Mitski

Mitski likens the enigmatic nature of Heat Lightning to her sleeplessness in this contemplative song. Heat lightning is a mysterious phenomenon of lightning that is silent, and has no accompanying thunder. The song has a dreamy feel to it because of the mellow melody, innovative lyrics, and Mitski’s beautiful vocals.

“The sleeping eyelid of the sky” is metaphorically compared to the flashing lightning in this song. “A dream flutters away.” Her simile is spot-on if you’ve ever seen a bolt of hot lightning sweep silently across the sky. The mood of the song captures this bewildering experience and the majesty of the natural world.

27. The Lightning – Arcade Fire

This is one of the latest releases by international legends Arcade Fire. it reaches the peak epic sound of Arcade Fire after a slow build-up. It represents a slight change of direction from the band, but still retains core elements of their sound. It’s about waiting for the lightning. Which might be a metaphor for experiencing the mysteries of the universe.

28. Struck by Lightning – The Chats

This demonstrates modern punk music at its finest. This is a new release in 2022 that blends elements of old-school punk rock with math rock. It uses being struck by lightning as a metaphor for having high energy levels and self-destruction. It also touches on the singer’s nihilistic tendencies. “Thunderbolts run through the sky / Struck by lightning / Doesn’t matter if I die“

29. Ride the Lightning – Warren Zelders

This modern country song from 2021 is all about thunder and lightning. It uses lightning as a metaphor for the risky and outlandish life lived by the singer. “One foot in the flames and the other attempting to walk the line.”

It’s an epic but restrained track, built around swinging acoustic guitar and Warren’s gravely baritone voice. The lyrics of this song are full of lightning and thunderous imagery.

30. Lightning Crashes – Live

“Lightning Crashes” is an alternative rock track released by the band ‘Live’ in 1995.  Life, according to Kowalczyk, is “fragile and it may be gone in a second.” This song serves as an example of how personal loss can be used as inspiration and help you to get more out of life.

It’s written about the loss of his younger sibling, Ed Kowalczyk (the band’s main vocalist and lyricist). “Lightning crashes / A new mother cries”

Don’t Get Hit by Lightning!

You now have my list for the best songs about thunder and lightning. Thanks for reading this and check out more of our song lineups! All of these tracks are the perfect soundtrack for a storm. They will imbue you with the power of lightning to get your work done or inspire you!

Also, feel free to leave a comment below if you want to chip in!