The song is an aggressive hard rock number notable for a galloping guitar riff and its use of natural harmonics.
Upon its release "Barracuda" became Heart's second top-20 hit in the U.S., peaking at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 The song has become the band's signature song and is a staple on American classic rock radio playlists.
In 2009, it was named the 34th best hard rock song of all time by VH1