This week, we’re dialing up the only proven cure for that lingering rock ’n’ roll fever — more cowbell. Joining me as guest curator is Jon Loree, drummer for Tantric and Smile Empty Soul, as we assemble a playlist packed with 20 of the ultimate cowbell anthems in rock music history.

From classic rock staples that helped define the sound of arena-sized anthems to heavier modern tracks where the cowbell still hits with surgical precision, this playlist celebrates one of rock’s most unmistakable — and oddly essential — percussion elements. Love it or laugh at it, there’s no denying the cowbell’s role in shaping some of ...