Rage Against The Machine's Tom Morello and his son Roman Morello score a Billboard chart hit ... [+]
Tom Morello has been regarded as a rock god for decades. Since his time with Rage Against the Machine, he’s also worked with groups like Audioslave and Prophets of Rage, and he’s released music on his own as well. It seems he’s done it all in the rock world, and his love of music has clearly been passed down to his son.
The rock musician scores a new hit in America this week, and he’s not alone. “One Last Dance” credits not just the elder Morello, but also Roman, his teenage son. Fellow alternative artist Grandson is also named, as the tune is a highly collaborative affair.
“One Last Dance” narrowly reaches the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, seemingly becoming the younger Morello’s first hit on any Billboard ranking. The track launches at No. 39 on the 40-spot tally, which measures the songs that rack up the largest number of audience impressions across radio stations throughout the U.S. that play only “mainstream” rock, which tends to lean more into the heavier side of the genre.
The three artists created the tune for the new movie Venom: The Last Dance. The third installment in the notably dark superhero franchise was released in October, as was the song that accompanies it. The track has taken its time becoming a hit, and it’s just getting started on the tally.
Morello—the father—doubles his total number of wins on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart as “One Last Dance” debuts. The track marks his first placement as a lead act, even if he’s one of several.
A few years ago, in 2021, Morello joined hard rock outfit The Pretty Reckless on their single “And So It Went,” which turned out to be a certified smash. That tune spent 20 weeks on the Mainstream Rock Airplay ranking, eventually finding its way to No. 1.
“One Last Dance” is not Morello’s first hit of 2024 on the Billboard charts, though it does mark his return to the Mainstream Rock Airplay list. Alongside Def Leppard, he pushed “Just Like 73” to the top 10 of the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales ranking, and it nearly broke into the top 20 on the Hot Hard Rock Songs roster.
He was also credited as a member of the momentary supergroup Mark Knopfler's Guitar Heroes, led by Knopfler himself. That act produced the charity single “Going Home (Theme From Local Hero),” which debuted at No. 1 on the Rock Digital Song Sales tally in March, earning Morello his first win.
