Best Classic Rock Reunions of All Time

2025-02-05

Oasis

Over the years, rock fans have been treated to memorable classic rock reunions, and in honor of that legacy, Audio Ink Radio is highlighting a few. – Author: Anne Erickson, Photo via Simon Emmett

Seeing a favorite band get back together after years apart is always a great feeling. Over the years, plenty of classic rock bands have “retired” only to come back for one more show or tour. Actually, some bands who have come back from retirement have stuck around for much longer than just one more gig. We’re looking at you, Motley Crue. Over the years, rock fans have been treated to many memorable classic rock reunions, and in honor of that legacy, Audio Ink Radio is highlighting a few of the very best.

Classic Rock Reunions in Music History

Black Sabbath

It hasn’t happened as of this feature’s publication date, but the original Black Sabbath lineup and Ozzy Osbourne are set to reunite for their final show ever on July 5, 2025, at Villa Park in Black Sabbath’s hometown of Birmingham, England. Bringing together the band’s original lineup should be a legendary moment for the longstanding classic band.

Guns N’ Roses

One of the most epic and unexpected reunion tours of all time was Guns N’ Roses with their “Not in This Lifetime… Tour.” It really seemed like Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan would never get back together, but they did, and the result is one of the highest-grossing tours of all time. That trek marked the first time that Rose, Slash and McKagan performed together on stage since the group’s “Use Your Illusion Tour” in 1993. It’s made around $584.2 million, and music experts and analysts alike say it’s certainly one of the best classic rock reunions of all time.

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin enthusiasts are often hoping for a new reunion show or tour from the guys, but Robert Plant and company have shot that idea down so many times that they’ll likely have to settle for the legendary one-off performance at The O2 in London in 2007, the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert. The show brought together Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham, son of the late drummer John Bonham, for a special benefit show taking place to honor late music executive and Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. While it may never happen again, it remains one of the best classic rock reunions of all time.

Oasis

The reunion that seriously never seemed like it was going to happen actually happened and continues to happen. The Gallagher brothers are back together and set to hit the road on their official reunion tour this summer. They’re scheduled to play a bevy of shows both in the U.S. and across the world. Touring has done wonders for their streaming numbers, too, as the band’s streaming stats have gone up since the reunion talk, according to Billboard.

The Eagles

Here’s another reunion that many didn’t see coming. The Eagles were big in the ’70s but broke up in the ’80s, and it wasn’t pretty, as two of the band’s members even threatened physical violence on the stage. But, it’s a new era, and the band got back together in the 1990s for their “Hell Freezes Over Tour,” and they continue to tour today. Speaking about that onstage tiff, Frey said in an interview with the Independent, “We’re out there singing ‘Best of My Love,’ but inside both of us are thinking, ‘As soon as this is over, I’m gonna kill him.’ That was when I knew I had to get out.” It’s a good thing that didn’t happen.

The Police

Sting and the Police made big waves with their 2007 and 2008 Reunion Tour, which marked their first since splitting in 1986. The trek was the highest-grossing tour of 2007 and made $362m in total, according to Billboard‘s Boxscore.

Anne Erickson
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Posted by Anne Erickson | Features, Music, Rock