"Non-Rock" artists doing Rock songs

Is it just me or do you ever find yourself gravitating to just the rock songs from pop or otherwise "non-rock" bands/artists such as Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, and others? Of course, my favorite Michael W. Smith record is definitely Big Picture because Dann Huff tears it up on some of those songs, as well as a few songs off every record beyond that until he petered out around Live the Life. After that, I only like a handful of his songs and his stuff today just makes me sad how much it sounds like basic CCM/radio music. 

Steven Curtis Chapman actually rocked harder in the late 1990s/early 2000s (I LOVE Live out Loud!) but I definitely appreciated his older rock stuff too. I love Casting Crowns, even though they would loosely be considered a rock band, they are more pop-rock. A lot of these newer bands appear to be too afraid of using distorted guitars with some crunch to them, instead opting for the more overdrive "clean" sounds that you heard Petra getting into on God Fixation. 

Another band I wish rocked more is Second Chapter of Acts. Some of their stuff even sounds borderline hard rock at times, and even a couple of their songs remind me of Abba or Queen, but it seems the majority of their music is soft-rock/CCM with mostly keyboards and piano. Allies could have been better except half their songs were ballads/soft rock. I guess for me to consider a record a "rock record", at LEAST 75% of the songs should rock. 50% of less leaves me feeling there is something to be desired. Maybe I am biased but I love that crunchy guitar sound! Does anyone else have any other examples of bands they wished rocked more?

White Heart are like that for me. They have some excellent songs, but a good chunk of their stuff, even on their "heavier" albums, are mostly soft rock or at best, pop rock (ie, most of Dont Wait For the Movie). I dont mind the poppier songs (I love stuff like He's Returning and Hosanna), but then I hear songs like Hotline or Bye Bye Babylon and it shows what they could be doing. Because of this, buying their stuff isnt really a priority of mine, I just wait until I see them in thrift stores or used bins.

From Freedom on id say Whiteheart was more rocky though in an AOR style.

I’d say most of WhiteHeart classifies as rock, either AOR or other forms.

On the thread topic, Russ Taff had a few cool rock tunes back in the 80s. After The Way Home he went in a direction I don’t care for as much. With his pipes he really could’ve rocked hard. But Walls of Glass, Medals, s/t, and The Way Home have some rocking moments.

Yeah, "Secret Ambition" by MWS is a good rocker.  It's not rock, but I think "Scandalon" by Michael Card could be covered in a classic rock style.

Speaking of SCC, one of his most rocking albums was actually his second: Real Life Coversations. I’d check it out.

For me, I care more about whether the song is good rather than whether or not they use distorted guitars.  
Distorted guitars I can get anywhere; great songs, not so much.

Some of the bands / artists mentioned have some masterful songs even if they are more soft/pop in nature.  Such as:

2nd Chapter Of Acts - Mansion Builder, Easter Song
Whiteheart - Desert Rose
Steven Curtis Chapman - I Will Be Here
Michael W. Smith - Agnus Dei, Above All
Casting Crowns - Thrive

And most of those artists have some good rockier songs too.  
But to me the song-writing is paramount.

My favorite MWS worship tune is probably The Throne from I 2 (Eye).

I loved DC Talk's "Walls". I didn't realize it at my young age, but I was listening to distortion guitars and a bit heavier music!