Hawkwind are the godfathers of space rock — the relentless, riff-driven cosmic collective who turned hard rock, sci-fi and pure improvised chaos into a genre of their own. Best known for the 1972 hit “Silver Machine,” they are far deeper than that one single suggests. Here is our fellow fan’s ranking of their finest songs.

The short version

If you only hear a few, make them “Master of the Universe”, “Assault & Battery”, “Spirit of the Age” and “Brainstorm” — the signature anthem, the epic opener, a dystopian masterpiece and ten minutes of pure cosmic propulsion. The full ranking is below.

Riding the silver machine

Formed in London in 1969, Hawkwind built their reputation not on hit singles but on overwhelming live ritual — long, hypnotic, riff-driven jams pushed into deep space by swirling synthesizers, saxophone, sci-fi poetry and the legendary Space Ritual stage show. They did score one unlikely smash: 1972’s “Silver Machine” reached number three in the UK and funded the album and tour that followed. A true revolving door, the band has featured dozens of musicians over five decades — among them Lemmy, years before he founded Motörhead; saxophonist Nik Turner; poet and vocalist Robert Calvert; and science-fiction author Michael Moorcock — with guitarist Dave Brock the one constant throughout. These fifteen songs are the best of their albums.

How we ranked them

This is one fan’s order, weighing riffs, atmosphere, ambition and lasting impact across their long and chaotic history. The facts are accurate; the order is a starting point for the debate.

The essential six

At the top sits “Master of the Universe” (1971), the towering, hypnotic anthem that remains their signature tune. With it: the album-opening “Assault & Battery” (1975), which segues into the majestic Golden Void on their finest record; “Spirit of the Age” (1977), Robert Calvert’s chilling, dystopian ode to space travel; “The Psychedelic Warlords (Disappear in Smoke)” (1974), one of the best songs in their catalogue; “Brainstorm” (1972), ten minutes of relentless cosmic propulsion; and “Lord of Light” (1972), driven by some of Lemmy’s most thunderous bass.

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Reliably great

The next tier is essential too. “You Shouldn’t Do That” (1971) is a fifteen-minute mantra that opens In Search of Space; “Magnu” (1975) rides a glorious riff into the cosmos; the rollicking title track “Quark, Strangeness and Charm” (1977) is their wittiest moment; “You’d Better Believe It” (1974) charges hard for seven minutes; and “Steppenwolf” (1976) is a brooding, underrated epic.

Deeper cuts

For the dedicated, these reward repeat listens. “Hurry on Sundown” (1970) is the folky, hopeful single that started it all; “D-Rider” (1974) is a dramatic Nik Turner showcase; “Levitation” (1980) opens a strong later album in style; and “Needle Gun” (1985) is a highlight of their Michael Moorcock-inspired concept record.

Every song at a glance

All fifteen songs, in chronological order — each linked to the album it comes from, so you can hear it in context.

Where to start

Begin with “Master of the Universe” and the album it comes from, In Search of Space, then the twin peaks of “Brainstorm” on Doremi Fasol Latido and the mighty Warrior on the Edge of Time. From there, Hall of the Mountain Grill and Quark, Strangeness and Charm are essential, while the later Levitation and The Chronicle of the Black Sword prove how much great music came after the classic years.

The players

Hawkwind have always been a revolving collective — by some counts more than fifty musicians have passed through — held together by guitarist, singer and songwriter Dave Brock, the band’s only constant since 1969. The classic line-ups featured saxophonist and flautist Nik Turner, bassist Lemmy (before Motörhead), poet and vocalist Robert Calvert, violinist and keyboardist Simon House, and the science-fiction writer Michael Moorcock, who supplied lyrics and concepts. Several former members have since died, among them Lemmy, Robert Calvert and Nik Turner. Through it all, Hawkwind have never stopped: Brock still leads the band on stage and in the studio more than fifty years on.

Why they still matter

Hawkwind invented an entire genre — the hypnotic, cosmic, riff-driven progressive space rock that countless bands have chased ever since. A bridge between the hippie underground and punk, they share kinship with the cosmic side of Pink Floyd, the psychedelic whimsy of Gong, the electronic vastness of Tangerine Dream and the hypnotic motorik of Can. Few bands have ever sounded so much like a journey into deep space.

Go deeper

Keep exploring: rank their records with our guide to the best Hawkwind albums, find an entry point with where to start with Hawkwind, or dig into the underrated Hawkwind albums. You can also place them in the bigger picture with the best progressive rock songs of all time.

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