#70 - "Tonight, Tonight" - The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness - #6/7 - The most unique song by the Pumpkins, "Tonight" uses classical instruments mixed with contemporary guitar and drums to create an interesting atmosphere that Corgan's strange lyrics blends with perfectly.
#69 - "Someone's In The Wolf" - Queens Of The Stone Age - Lullabies To Paralyze - #16/16 - It was never released as a single but the largely instrumental "Wolf" is my favorite Queens song because of it's swirling guitars and pulsing beat.
#68 - "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - The Beatles - The White Album - #21/22 - Eric Clapton guest-starred on this George Harrison-led classic which features many of my favorite Beatles lyrics and some of the best guitar work of the Beatles catalog.
#67 - "Piece Of My Heart" - Janis Joplin - Love, Janis - #3/3 - Very few vocals have every been as passionate as Janis' on this 60's classic which combined classic rock style with blues rock sentiment. The lyrics and performance are among the most intense ever recorded.
#66 - "The Times They Are A-Changin'" - Bob Dylan - The Times They Are A-Changin' - #13/15 - An iconic song of the 60's that can be looked back in retrospect as being an entirely accurate worldview that spoke not only to what had happened but also to what would happen down the line. Among the greatest protest songs ever written.
#65 - "Dream On" - Aerosmith - Aerosmith - #5/7 - Aerosmith's breakthrough song is a classic rock anthem highlighted by one of the greatest choruses of all-time. Not quite Aerosmith's best but it was definitely a sign of great things to come.
#64 - "Runnin' Down A Dream" - Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever - #15/17 - Some of Petty's best lyrics blends perfectly with the band's greatest guitar riff to create the ultimate top-down driving song of the classic rock era.
#63 - "Walk This Way" - Aerosmith - Toys In The Attic - #6/7 - One of the first rock songs to incorporate rap style verses along with the song's top-5 all-time guitar riffs to create one of the most creative songs of the 70's. The lyrics are pure smut, but that wasn't uncommon for the era.
#62 - "Us And Them" - Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon - #9/14 - Pink Floyd's war song is one of the most poignant and haunting war protest songs ever written. Like every other song on Dark Side, the music is sweeping and entrancing.
#61 - "Career Opportunities" - The Clash - Sandinista - #16/18 - Not one of the band's hits but one of the best punk songs anyway, "Career" is an intense rant about the miserable job market in England during the 70's. The song is, as always, dripping with sarcasm and sharp wit.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Top 1000 Bands #70-#61
70 - The Smiths - The band that influenced nearly every emo band around these days, The Smiths were led by the unique vocals of Morrissey and sarcastic but sometimes bleak lyrics.
69 - Weezer - They aren't half the band that they used to be, but among the major indie bands of the 90's and 21st century, Weezer was one of the most creative and the best crafter of hooks this side of Green Day.
68 - Eminem - The biggest name in rap during the last decade, Eminem mixed creative rhymes with his angry, bitter and sarcastic attack style to create a phenomenon without cheapening his act with novelty moves.
67 - And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - One of the most underappreciated indie rock bands of the 90's, Trail Of Dead isn't as goth as their name leads you to believe. Their music actually reminds me a lot of Sonic Youth but heavier.
66 - Frank Black - After the break-up of the Pixies, Frank Black released a series of albums on his own and as frontman for various bands. While his solo work never lived up to his work with the Pixies, he still remains a great songwriter who is remarkably skilled at crafting hooks.
65 - Modest Mouse - They've been around since the mid 90's, but Modest Mouse made their first real splash on the indie rock scene in the early 21st Century. There were a few lead-up hits but their big break came with "Float On", an indie rock song that actually hit #1 on the billboard Modern Rock charts. The band has been red hot ever since releasing another great album with several big hits on it.
64 - The Screaming Trees - The lost grunge band of the 90's, Mark Lanegan and the Screaming Trees crafted great hooks but their music was apparantly to complicated for the average rock fans to grab onto it.
63 - Buddy Holly - One of the first big stars of rock n roll, Buddy Holly crafted simple songs and unforgettable hooks.
62 - The Velvet Underground - The original "ahead of their time" indie rock band, The Velvet Underground crafted their dark songs about New York's underbelly at least a decade before their brand of music would be popular.
61 - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - The best band in modern shoegaze, BRMC has put together a string of fantastic indie rock albums and carved a niche for themselves as the current chamion of their genre.
69 - Weezer - They aren't half the band that they used to be, but among the major indie bands of the 90's and 21st century, Weezer was one of the most creative and the best crafter of hooks this side of Green Day.
68 - Eminem - The biggest name in rap during the last decade, Eminem mixed creative rhymes with his angry, bitter and sarcastic attack style to create a phenomenon without cheapening his act with novelty moves.
67 - And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - One of the most underappreciated indie rock bands of the 90's, Trail Of Dead isn't as goth as their name leads you to believe. Their music actually reminds me a lot of Sonic Youth but heavier.
66 - Frank Black - After the break-up of the Pixies, Frank Black released a series of albums on his own and as frontman for various bands. While his solo work never lived up to his work with the Pixies, he still remains a great songwriter who is remarkably skilled at crafting hooks.
65 - Modest Mouse - They've been around since the mid 90's, but Modest Mouse made their first real splash on the indie rock scene in the early 21st Century. There were a few lead-up hits but their big break came with "Float On", an indie rock song that actually hit #1 on the billboard Modern Rock charts. The band has been red hot ever since releasing another great album with several big hits on it.
64 - The Screaming Trees - The lost grunge band of the 90's, Mark Lanegan and the Screaming Trees crafted great hooks but their music was apparantly to complicated for the average rock fans to grab onto it.
63 - Buddy Holly - One of the first big stars of rock n roll, Buddy Holly crafted simple songs and unforgettable hooks.
62 - The Velvet Underground - The original "ahead of their time" indie rock band, The Velvet Underground crafted their dark songs about New York's underbelly at least a decade before their brand of music would be popular.
61 - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - The best band in modern shoegaze, BRMC has put together a string of fantastic indie rock albums and carved a niche for themselves as the current chamion of their genre.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Top 1000 Songs #80-#71
#80 - "I Will Follow" - U2 - Boy - #15/16 - The song that proved that U2 would one day change the world, "I Will Follow" is a punk / new wave hybrid with a great guitar riff and an excellent chorus.
#79 - "Cannonball" - The Breeders - Last Splash - #1/1 - The Breeders were a side project of Kim Deal of the Pixies, one of the most influential bands of the 80's. Strangely enough, "Cannonball" became a much bigger hit than any song the Pixies ever crafted and one of the most weirdly brilliant songs to ever become a pop hit.
#78 - "The Man Comes Around" - Johnny Cash - The American IV: The Man Comes Around - #6/6 - My favorite Johnny Cash song is also one of his last, a peppy yet drawling take on the apocalypse with a creepy scripture reading at the beginning of the song and a grizzled vocal performance from one of the true icons of rock n roll.
#77 - "For Whom The Bell Tolls" - Metallica - Ride The Lightning - #4/5 - The second-best Metallica album is a sweeping prog-metal nightmare about the horrors of war and the truth on the ground for it's soldiers. One of Metallica's slowest songs, but also one of their best.
#76 - "Black Hole Sun" - Soundgarden - Superunknkown - #11/11 - The song that made the band one of the biggest of the 90's, "Black Hole Sun" is notable not only for it's pulsing chorus, but also for outstanding guitar work and a trippy video that set the mood perfectly for the song.
#75 - "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones - We're Outta Here - #4/5 - The band's best 80's song, "Sedated" has a great hook and guitar work that drives the song from start to finish as well as one of punk's best choruses.
#74 - "Bitter Sweet Symphony" - The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony - #1/1 - Calling The Verve a one-hit wonder would be a disservice to the band, but this is definitely the song that they'll be remembered for. "Symphony" stands out as one of the great rock songs of the Brit-pop genre and one of the best of the 90's for that matter.
#73 - "Psycho Killer" - The Talking Heads - Talking Heads '77 - #10/10 - The darkest song of the punk era, "Psycho Killer" is a creepy new wave song that crawls into your brain and makes you look at the world through the eyes of a lunatic. Rock n roll at it's most creative and enthralling.
#72 - "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow - #3/3 - If the last song put you in the world of a serial killer, this one puts you in the mind of someone on an acid trip. Using references to Alice In Wonderland in their proper context, Grace Slick paints her band's two minute masterpiece with entrancing vocals and clever lyrical turns.
#71 - "Masters Of War" - Bob Dylan - The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan - #12/15 - Dylan's best protest song (and that's really saying something), "Masters Of War" is one of the most vicious protest songs against the men who start wars for their own benefit, saying that not even Jesus can forgive them for what they've done.
#79 - "Cannonball" - The Breeders - Last Splash - #1/1 - The Breeders were a side project of Kim Deal of the Pixies, one of the most influential bands of the 80's. Strangely enough, "Cannonball" became a much bigger hit than any song the Pixies ever crafted and one of the most weirdly brilliant songs to ever become a pop hit.
#78 - "The Man Comes Around" - Johnny Cash - The American IV: The Man Comes Around - #6/6 - My favorite Johnny Cash song is also one of his last, a peppy yet drawling take on the apocalypse with a creepy scripture reading at the beginning of the song and a grizzled vocal performance from one of the true icons of rock n roll.
#77 - "For Whom The Bell Tolls" - Metallica - Ride The Lightning - #4/5 - The second-best Metallica album is a sweeping prog-metal nightmare about the horrors of war and the truth on the ground for it's soldiers. One of Metallica's slowest songs, but also one of their best.
#76 - "Black Hole Sun" - Soundgarden - Superunknkown - #11/11 - The song that made the band one of the biggest of the 90's, "Black Hole Sun" is notable not only for it's pulsing chorus, but also for outstanding guitar work and a trippy video that set the mood perfectly for the song.
#75 - "I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones - We're Outta Here - #4/5 - The band's best 80's song, "Sedated" has a great hook and guitar work that drives the song from start to finish as well as one of punk's best choruses.
#74 - "Bitter Sweet Symphony" - The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony - #1/1 - Calling The Verve a one-hit wonder would be a disservice to the band, but this is definitely the song that they'll be remembered for. "Symphony" stands out as one of the great rock songs of the Brit-pop genre and one of the best of the 90's for that matter.
#73 - "Psycho Killer" - The Talking Heads - Talking Heads '77 - #10/10 - The darkest song of the punk era, "Psycho Killer" is a creepy new wave song that crawls into your brain and makes you look at the world through the eyes of a lunatic. Rock n roll at it's most creative and enthralling.
#72 - "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow - #3/3 - If the last song put you in the world of a serial killer, this one puts you in the mind of someone on an acid trip. Using references to Alice In Wonderland in their proper context, Grace Slick paints her band's two minute masterpiece with entrancing vocals and clever lyrical turns.
#71 - "Masters Of War" - Bob Dylan - The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan - #12/15 - Dylan's best protest song (and that's really saying something), "Masters Of War" is one of the most vicious protest songs against the men who start wars for their own benefit, saying that not even Jesus can forgive them for what they've done.
Top 1000 Bands #80-#71
80 - Muse - Among my favorite modern rock bands, Muse is a sweeping, over the top band that rocks stadiums in a way unseen since the death of Freddie Mercury.
79 - The Eagles - The Eagles were just about the biggest stars of the classic rock era. In fact, their Greatest Hits album is the best selling album in American history. The band reaches for a certain strain of country-rock Americana, but their music is often deceptively sarcastic as well.
78 - Ozzy Osbourne - The Prince Of Darkness is far and away the biggest metal star of the last 25 years, cranking out hit after hit with his shrieking wail and knack for employing the best guitarists in the world. The first minute of "Crazy Train" might just be the best minute in rock n roll.
77 - Rush - Possibly the best and most popular band in the world that's not in the Hall Of Fame, Rush were one of the biggest bands of the late 70's and 80's, cranking out great album after great album of their weird prog rock / metal hybrid.
76 - Billy Joel - The Piano Man is one of the most successful singers in pop history, but to me he'll always be a brilliant songwriter who crafted songs that were brilliant but also fun to listen to.
75 - The Jesus And Mary Chain - The creators and perfect example of the shoegaze genre, a sludgy and distortion-heavy form of alt rock, The Jesus And Mary Chain created a long legacy of slow-burn classics that made them one of the best bands of the 80's.
74 - Coldplay - They'll be going up when I revise this list, but for now this is where the U2 of the 21st Century lands before the Viva la Vida masterpiece. Coldplay will never get the respect that their genre mates like Radiohead get, but when it comes to artistry, they're among the best.
73 - Death Cab For Cutie - Emo doesn't get any better than Death Cab. The songwriting is second only to Bright Eyes among contemporary bands and the melodies gel perfectly to make music that is both thought-provoking and moving.
72 - The Shins - The band that changed Zach Braff's life in Garden State has quickly become one of the best alt-rock bands of the past decade with their sweeping melodies, quirky lyrics and unique vocials.
71 - Husker Du - One of the great alt rock bands of the 80's that inspired thousands of follow-up bands, Husker Du never appealed to the masses commercially, but the bands that they did appeal to are among the most popular at this time.
79 - The Eagles - The Eagles were just about the biggest stars of the classic rock era. In fact, their Greatest Hits album is the best selling album in American history. The band reaches for a certain strain of country-rock Americana, but their music is often deceptively sarcastic as well.
78 - Ozzy Osbourne - The Prince Of Darkness is far and away the biggest metal star of the last 25 years, cranking out hit after hit with his shrieking wail and knack for employing the best guitarists in the world. The first minute of "Crazy Train" might just be the best minute in rock n roll.
77 - Rush - Possibly the best and most popular band in the world that's not in the Hall Of Fame, Rush were one of the biggest bands of the late 70's and 80's, cranking out great album after great album of their weird prog rock / metal hybrid.
76 - Billy Joel - The Piano Man is one of the most successful singers in pop history, but to me he'll always be a brilliant songwriter who crafted songs that were brilliant but also fun to listen to.
75 - The Jesus And Mary Chain - The creators and perfect example of the shoegaze genre, a sludgy and distortion-heavy form of alt rock, The Jesus And Mary Chain created a long legacy of slow-burn classics that made them one of the best bands of the 80's.
74 - Coldplay - They'll be going up when I revise this list, but for now this is where the U2 of the 21st Century lands before the Viva la Vida masterpiece. Coldplay will never get the respect that their genre mates like Radiohead get, but when it comes to artistry, they're among the best.
73 - Death Cab For Cutie - Emo doesn't get any better than Death Cab. The songwriting is second only to Bright Eyes among contemporary bands and the melodies gel perfectly to make music that is both thought-provoking and moving.
72 - The Shins - The band that changed Zach Braff's life in Garden State has quickly become one of the best alt-rock bands of the past decade with their sweeping melodies, quirky lyrics and unique vocials.
71 - Husker Du - One of the great alt rock bands of the 80's that inspired thousands of follow-up bands, Husker Du never appealed to the masses commercially, but the bands that they did appeal to are among the most popular at this time.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Top 1000 Songs #90-#81
#90 - "Loser" - Beck - Mellow Gold - #9/9 - The iconic slacker song of the 90's, "Loser" is a bizarre rap-folk hybrid that no one had ever heard before and no one has ever heard since. The lyrics almost seem free associated, but that's the charm of Beck.
#89 - "Revolution" - The Beatles - Past Masters - #20/22 - This is, of course, the rocked out version of the song rather than the version that appeared on the White Album. The song is insightful and exciting and showed that the Beatles could have lasted another decade if they weren't already falling apart.
#88 - "Janie Jones" - The Clash - The Clash - #15/18 - As debut songs go, "Janie Jones" was a knock-out punch of a hello, highlighted by lightning guitars and Joe Strummer's passionate singing, British punk was born with this strike from the blue.
#87 - "Monkey Wrench" - The Foo Fighters - The Colour And The Shape - #10/10 - What would be the band's best song became one of rock n roll's best songs with the insane shouting verse that Dave Grohl unleashes on the world, setting a bar so high that no karaoke performance will ever be able to do it justice. No artist has ever been a better at vocal-shredding than Grohl.
#86 - "Hurt" - Johnny Cash - The American IV: The Man Comes Around - #5/6 - There has never been a cover song as moving and significant as Johnny Cash's heart-rending cover of a decade-old Nine Inch Nails song. The song was the perfect cap to the career of one of rock's most important figures.
#85 - "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello - This Year's Model - #9/11 - Elvis never got more adrenaline-fueled than on this rapid-fire punk New Wave missile launched from his best album. The throbbing guitar riff that drives this song is easily the most exciting of his career.
#84 - "B.O.B." - Outkast - Stankonia - #3/3 - One of the greatest rap songs ever written, "B.O.B." uses rapid-fire verses to build to an intense chorus. One of the best of the genre from the best rap group of the 21st century.
#83 - "Fell In Love With A Girl" - The White Stripes - White Blood Cells - #10/10 - The song that made The White Stripes the superstars that they are today was this two-minute adrenaline shot that announced garage rock as the dominant form of quality indie rock to this day.
#82 - "Dissident" - Pearl Jam - Vs. - #23/25 - The face-melting guitar solo that opens this song merges perfectly with the punk attitude Eddie Vedder delivers in the lyrics to make one of Pearl Jam's best songs.
#81 - "Paradise City" - Guns N Roses - Appetite For Destruction - #7/8 - One of the last great songs of the classic rock era, "Paradise City" has a wicked groove and great lyrics as it progresses from style to style utilizing more different switch-ups than any great song other than "Paradise By A Dashboard Light". Highlights include another classic solo from Slash and Axl's insane vocals. Also, what rock star dance is more well-known than the twisting and swaying move Axl uses in the video for this song?
#89 - "Revolution" - The Beatles - Past Masters - #20/22 - This is, of course, the rocked out version of the song rather than the version that appeared on the White Album. The song is insightful and exciting and showed that the Beatles could have lasted another decade if they weren't already falling apart.
#88 - "Janie Jones" - The Clash - The Clash - #15/18 - As debut songs go, "Janie Jones" was a knock-out punch of a hello, highlighted by lightning guitars and Joe Strummer's passionate singing, British punk was born with this strike from the blue.
#87 - "Monkey Wrench" - The Foo Fighters - The Colour And The Shape - #10/10 - What would be the band's best song became one of rock n roll's best songs with the insane shouting verse that Dave Grohl unleashes on the world, setting a bar so high that no karaoke performance will ever be able to do it justice. No artist has ever been a better at vocal-shredding than Grohl.
#86 - "Hurt" - Johnny Cash - The American IV: The Man Comes Around - #5/6 - There has never been a cover song as moving and significant as Johnny Cash's heart-rending cover of a decade-old Nine Inch Nails song. The song was the perfect cap to the career of one of rock's most important figures.
#85 - "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello - This Year's Model - #9/11 - Elvis never got more adrenaline-fueled than on this rapid-fire punk New Wave missile launched from his best album. The throbbing guitar riff that drives this song is easily the most exciting of his career.
#84 - "B.O.B." - Outkast - Stankonia - #3/3 - One of the greatest rap songs ever written, "B.O.B." uses rapid-fire verses to build to an intense chorus. One of the best of the genre from the best rap group of the 21st century.
#83 - "Fell In Love With A Girl" - The White Stripes - White Blood Cells - #10/10 - The song that made The White Stripes the superstars that they are today was this two-minute adrenaline shot that announced garage rock as the dominant form of quality indie rock to this day.
#82 - "Dissident" - Pearl Jam - Vs. - #23/25 - The face-melting guitar solo that opens this song merges perfectly with the punk attitude Eddie Vedder delivers in the lyrics to make one of Pearl Jam's best songs.
#81 - "Paradise City" - Guns N Roses - Appetite For Destruction - #7/8 - One of the last great songs of the classic rock era, "Paradise City" has a wicked groove and great lyrics as it progresses from style to style utilizing more different switch-ups than any great song other than "Paradise By A Dashboard Light". Highlights include another classic solo from Slash and Axl's insane vocals. Also, what rock star dance is more well-known than the twisting and swaying move Axl uses in the video for this song?
Top 1000 Bands #90-#81
90 - Warren Zevon - One of the most creative songwriters in all of rock history, Zevon was never a tremendous success but his music was among the most influential ever made.
89 - Bad Religion - The 90's had a lot of political punk bands and Bad Religion was one of the best. They never broke through to the mainstream but to this day they continue to be one of the most consistent bands in all of rock n roll.
88 - The Thermals - One of the newest bands on the list, The Thermals are unknown to 99% of music fans but in just a few albums they've established themselves as one of my favorite punk acts with their dark wit and rapid fire guitars.
87 - Fiona Apple - A dynamic singer-songwriter who started her career out with a controversial music video and then later proved that she had a lot more substance to her music than people were willing to give her credit for. She doesn't release albums very frequently, but when she does they're usually among the year's best.
86 - The Dead Kennedys - The best of the 80's punk scene, The Dead Kennedys made irritating, angry politically-charged punk that sent-up the Reagan era and stuck a middle finger in the face of the free market yuppies that dominated the era.
85 - Wolfmother - The classic case of the one-album wonder (they broke up recently), Wolfmother released one of the best debut albums of all-time, a radio-friendly metal throwback that was amongst the best of it's genre since the glory days of Zeppelin and Sabbath.
84 - Van Morrison - One of the biggest stars of the 60's, Van Morrison has continued to use his dynamic voice to craft brilliant genre-jumping albums over the past four decades.
83 - The Strokes - A fairly new band on the scene, The Strokes are second only to The White Stripes in the garage rock revival movement of the 21st Century. Their background story doesn't do them any favors, but their riffs and lyrics more than make up the difference.
82 - Black Sabbath - Second only to Led Zeppelin in the early days of heavy metal, Black Sabbath was light years ahead of their time with their gloomy, apocalyptic black metal. Led by frontman Ozzy Osbourne the band used dark lyrics and sludgy riffs to create an atmospheric sound that launched 1000 bands.
81 - Sparta - The punk aspects of At The Drive-In are clearly represented in this offshot band who have released a handful of brilliant albums to date. The band sings with more passion than I've ever heard before and has the licks and lyrics to match.
89 - Bad Religion - The 90's had a lot of political punk bands and Bad Religion was one of the best. They never broke through to the mainstream but to this day they continue to be one of the most consistent bands in all of rock n roll.
88 - The Thermals - One of the newest bands on the list, The Thermals are unknown to 99% of music fans but in just a few albums they've established themselves as one of my favorite punk acts with their dark wit and rapid fire guitars.
87 - Fiona Apple - A dynamic singer-songwriter who started her career out with a controversial music video and then later proved that she had a lot more substance to her music than people were willing to give her credit for. She doesn't release albums very frequently, but when she does they're usually among the year's best.
86 - The Dead Kennedys - The best of the 80's punk scene, The Dead Kennedys made irritating, angry politically-charged punk that sent-up the Reagan era and stuck a middle finger in the face of the free market yuppies that dominated the era.
85 - Wolfmother - The classic case of the one-album wonder (they broke up recently), Wolfmother released one of the best debut albums of all-time, a radio-friendly metal throwback that was amongst the best of it's genre since the glory days of Zeppelin and Sabbath.
84 - Van Morrison - One of the biggest stars of the 60's, Van Morrison has continued to use his dynamic voice to craft brilliant genre-jumping albums over the past four decades.
83 - The Strokes - A fairly new band on the scene, The Strokes are second only to The White Stripes in the garage rock revival movement of the 21st Century. Their background story doesn't do them any favors, but their riffs and lyrics more than make up the difference.
82 - Black Sabbath - Second only to Led Zeppelin in the early days of heavy metal, Black Sabbath was light years ahead of their time with their gloomy, apocalyptic black metal. Led by frontman Ozzy Osbourne the band used dark lyrics and sludgy riffs to create an atmospheric sound that launched 1000 bands.
81 - Sparta - The punk aspects of At The Drive-In are clearly represented in this offshot band who have released a handful of brilliant albums to date. The band sings with more passion than I've ever heard before and has the licks and lyrics to match.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame Induction - December 2008
The following artists were inducted into my Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame in December 2008:
The Cars
The B-52's
Tori Amos
Heart
George Harrison
The Cars
The B-52's
Tori Amos
Heart
George Harrison
Top 1000 Songs #100-#91
#100 - "Just Like Heaven" - The Cure - Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me - #6/6 - The Cure's all-time hit, "Just Like Heaven" is one of the best alt-rock songs of the 80's and further proof that the Cure were far from the gloom and doom rockers people who saw them on MTV think that they are. The song is one of the sweetest and most moving love songs ever made.
#99 - "What It's Like" - Everlast - Whitey Ford Sings The Blues - #1/1 - What started out as a novelty act (white rapper...) with House of Pain remarkably became one of the darkest most politically relevant songs of the 90's when lead singer Everlast went out on his own with this song that called out the glass house stone throwers on all their biggest and most obvious hypocracies.
#98 - "Life Wasted" - Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam - #22/25 - Pearl Jam disappeared from the modern rock spotlight for a few years as they explored different artistic avenues (while still creating great music) but came roaring back to the mainstream with "World Wide Suicide" and this song, which is even better. The song is highlighted by a monster guitar riff to open the song and a blistering vocal performance from frontman Eddie Vedder.
#97 - "Get Off Of My Cloud" - The Rolling Stones - December's Children (And Everybody's) - #15/20 - At the intersection of the blues and rock n roll stand the Rolling Stones. The attitude displayed in this song with it's shout-out chorus and layered structure was at least a decade before it's time.
#96 - "Man In The Box" - Alice In Chains - Facelift - #8/8 - Alice In Chains was never really a grunge band, but they were from Seattle and got lumped in with the Nirvana-Pearl Jam crowd. This song, their best, actually pre-dates "Smells Like Teen Spirit" though and proves that the band would have been huge even if they didn't get lumped into the best trend in the history of rock n roll.
#95 - "One" - U2 - Achtung Baby - #14/16 - U2's best song since The Joshua Tree is a sweeping rock ballad that served as the glue that held the band's second-best album together and announced the band's second decade at the top of the rock heap.
#94 - "Breed" - Nirvana - Nevermind - #14/15 - Nirvana's most straight-forward punk song features a raging guitar riff and a blistering solo, making it one of the most intense adrenaline songs of all-time. Cobain plays his usual lyrical tricks, mixing up what otherwise could have become something of a meathead anthem.
#93 - "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye - What's Going On - #2/2 - Motown's pop sound got a social conscience with this all-time classic from Marvin Gaye. The song served as an anthem for a generation during a time of turmoil and showed that Gaye's skills as a songwriter could be used to create political songs as well as pop songs.
#92 - "Jumpin' Jack Flash" - The Rolling Stones - Flashpoint - #16/20 - Another great guitar riff drives yet another all-time classic song from the Stones in the 60's. No band was better at blending the blues and R&B into an entirely new genre.
#91 - "Another Brick In The Wall" - Pink Floyd - The Wall - #8/14 - I'm doing a bit of radio re-editing on this track as I'm counting all three "Brick"'s as one epic song with all the small pieces in between as well. The songs belong together even if they didn't appear that way on the album. The songs tell a story about alienation, the ways we seperate ourselves from others and what conditions are necessary to make us so fucked up in the first place.
#99 - "What It's Like" - Everlast - Whitey Ford Sings The Blues - #1/1 - What started out as a novelty act (white rapper...) with House of Pain remarkably became one of the darkest most politically relevant songs of the 90's when lead singer Everlast went out on his own with this song that called out the glass house stone throwers on all their biggest and most obvious hypocracies.
#98 - "Life Wasted" - Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam - #22/25 - Pearl Jam disappeared from the modern rock spotlight for a few years as they explored different artistic avenues (while still creating great music) but came roaring back to the mainstream with "World Wide Suicide" and this song, which is even better. The song is highlighted by a monster guitar riff to open the song and a blistering vocal performance from frontman Eddie Vedder.
#97 - "Get Off Of My Cloud" - The Rolling Stones - December's Children (And Everybody's) - #15/20 - At the intersection of the blues and rock n roll stand the Rolling Stones. The attitude displayed in this song with it's shout-out chorus and layered structure was at least a decade before it's time.
#96 - "Man In The Box" - Alice In Chains - Facelift - #8/8 - Alice In Chains was never really a grunge band, but they were from Seattle and got lumped in with the Nirvana-Pearl Jam crowd. This song, their best, actually pre-dates "Smells Like Teen Spirit" though and proves that the band would have been huge even if they didn't get lumped into the best trend in the history of rock n roll.
#95 - "One" - U2 - Achtung Baby - #14/16 - U2's best song since The Joshua Tree is a sweeping rock ballad that served as the glue that held the band's second-best album together and announced the band's second decade at the top of the rock heap.
#94 - "Breed" - Nirvana - Nevermind - #14/15 - Nirvana's most straight-forward punk song features a raging guitar riff and a blistering solo, making it one of the most intense adrenaline songs of all-time. Cobain plays his usual lyrical tricks, mixing up what otherwise could have become something of a meathead anthem.
#93 - "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye - What's Going On - #2/2 - Motown's pop sound got a social conscience with this all-time classic from Marvin Gaye. The song served as an anthem for a generation during a time of turmoil and showed that Gaye's skills as a songwriter could be used to create political songs as well as pop songs.
#92 - "Jumpin' Jack Flash" - The Rolling Stones - Flashpoint - #16/20 - Another great guitar riff drives yet another all-time classic song from the Stones in the 60's. No band was better at blending the blues and R&B into an entirely new genre.
#91 - "Another Brick In The Wall" - Pink Floyd - The Wall - #8/14 - I'm doing a bit of radio re-editing on this track as I'm counting all three "Brick"'s as one epic song with all the small pieces in between as well. The songs belong together even if they didn't appear that way on the album. The songs tell a story about alienation, the ways we seperate ourselves from others and what conditions are necessary to make us so fucked up in the first place.
Top 1000 #100-#91
100 - The Jam - A key band from the late 70's that made the transition from one of the best punk bands to one of the best New Wave bands. They didn't have the crossover appeal of The Clash, but they cranked out a lot of great songs and influenced a lot of artists.
99 - The Cars - They usually get lumped in with the other AOR bands of the 70's, but the truth of the matter was that the Cars were one of the first great New Wave artists to cross over to mainstream success. The band enjoyed a long string of hit singles before selling their soul to a devil named Mutt Lange.
98 - Hole - The band will always be associated with the death of Kurt Cobain, but independent of that situation, Hole was one of the best grunge/punk bands of the 90's. The band was driven primarily by the manic vocals of Courtney Love, one of rock's greatest insane frontmen, and the lyrics were co-written by 90's legends Kurt Cobain and Billy Corgan.
97 - Van Halen - One of the biggest rock bands of all-time, Van Halen has survived for three decades on the strength of the game-changing guitar virtuosity of founding member Eddie Van Halen. The band was aided in the 70's by the wildman antics of lead singer David Lee Roth and then later on by the radio-friendly Sammy Hagar. They were not helped in the least by 90's lead singer Gary Cherone, as no one has ever been helped by Gary Cherone. Seriously, when the band was inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame, the inducted line-up included both Roth and Hagar as well as all other members of the band and 19 of their roadies. Cherone was not invited as the phrase "Gary Cherone" is actually the exact opposite of the phrase "Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame".
96 - Stevie Ray Vaughan - The guitar virtuoso who brought the blues back to rock n roll in the 1980's was shockingly snubbed for the Hall of Fame the first year he was eligible. The shock of the matter is that SRV is one of the most important and dynamic artists of the 80's and really, there weren't a whole lot of them.
95 - At The Drive-In - Yet another underappreciated alt-rock / punk bands of the late 90's, ATDI were set to become the heirs apparent to Rage Against The Machine as their artistic and commercial breakout came just as Rage was calling it quits. Unfortunately, Relationship Of Command was also the band's last album as their swirling emotionally-charged agit-punk eventually broke down into it's parts, forming new megabands The Mars Volta and Sparta.
94 - Bob Marley - When you think of reggae, you think of Bob Marley. No single artist more entirely encompasses his genre of music than Bob did, bringing his homeland's music to the world and changing the face of rock n roll forever.
93 - Chuck Berry - Elvis Presley always gets credited with being the "king of rock n roll", but without Chuck Berry, Elvis would be another country singer pretending he was Johnny Cash. Berry was one of the biggest stars in rock n roll in the late 50's and early 60's and created several of the most important songs of all time including "Johnny B. Goode" and "Rock N Roll Music".
92 - Cream - After the Yardbirds, Eric Clapton joined this supergroup, which was among the biggest bands of the 60's and one of the most important rock bands of all-time. The songs speak for themselves. Where would rock n roll be without "White Room" or "Crossroads" or "Sunshine Of Your Love"?
91 - Prince - One of the biggest pop stars of all-time, Prince cranked out hit after hit after hit after hit during the 80's and 90's before essentially disappearing off the face of the earth in the late 90's. Prince mixed filthy lyrics with pop beats from the 80's and a whole lot of funk on loan from James Brown himself to create a string of hits that sounds as fresh today as it did when it was made, unlike fellow 80's artists, most of whose music hasn't aged well in the least.
99 - The Cars - They usually get lumped in with the other AOR bands of the 70's, but the truth of the matter was that the Cars were one of the first great New Wave artists to cross over to mainstream success. The band enjoyed a long string of hit singles before selling their soul to a devil named Mutt Lange.
98 - Hole - The band will always be associated with the death of Kurt Cobain, but independent of that situation, Hole was one of the best grunge/punk bands of the 90's. The band was driven primarily by the manic vocals of Courtney Love, one of rock's greatest insane frontmen, and the lyrics were co-written by 90's legends Kurt Cobain and Billy Corgan.
97 - Van Halen - One of the biggest rock bands of all-time, Van Halen has survived for three decades on the strength of the game-changing guitar virtuosity of founding member Eddie Van Halen. The band was aided in the 70's by the wildman antics of lead singer David Lee Roth and then later on by the radio-friendly Sammy Hagar. They were not helped in the least by 90's lead singer Gary Cherone, as no one has ever been helped by Gary Cherone. Seriously, when the band was inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame, the inducted line-up included both Roth and Hagar as well as all other members of the band and 19 of their roadies. Cherone was not invited as the phrase "Gary Cherone" is actually the exact opposite of the phrase "Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame".
96 - Stevie Ray Vaughan - The guitar virtuoso who brought the blues back to rock n roll in the 1980's was shockingly snubbed for the Hall of Fame the first year he was eligible. The shock of the matter is that SRV is one of the most important and dynamic artists of the 80's and really, there weren't a whole lot of them.
95 - At The Drive-In - Yet another underappreciated alt-rock / punk bands of the late 90's, ATDI were set to become the heirs apparent to Rage Against The Machine as their artistic and commercial breakout came just as Rage was calling it quits. Unfortunately, Relationship Of Command was also the band's last album as their swirling emotionally-charged agit-punk eventually broke down into it's parts, forming new megabands The Mars Volta and Sparta.
94 - Bob Marley - When you think of reggae, you think of Bob Marley. No single artist more entirely encompasses his genre of music than Bob did, bringing his homeland's music to the world and changing the face of rock n roll forever.
93 - Chuck Berry - Elvis Presley always gets credited with being the "king of rock n roll", but without Chuck Berry, Elvis would be another country singer pretending he was Johnny Cash. Berry was one of the biggest stars in rock n roll in the late 50's and early 60's and created several of the most important songs of all time including "Johnny B. Goode" and "Rock N Roll Music".
92 - Cream - After the Yardbirds, Eric Clapton joined this supergroup, which was among the biggest bands of the 60's and one of the most important rock bands of all-time. The songs speak for themselves. Where would rock n roll be without "White Room" or "Crossroads" or "Sunshine Of Your Love"?
91 - Prince - One of the biggest pop stars of all-time, Prince cranked out hit after hit after hit after hit during the 80's and 90's before essentially disappearing off the face of the earth in the late 90's. Prince mixed filthy lyrics with pop beats from the 80's and a whole lot of funk on loan from James Brown himself to create a string of hits that sounds as fresh today as it did when it was made, unlike fellow 80's artists, most of whose music hasn't aged well in the least.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Top 1000 Songs #110-#101
#110 - "Hallelujah" - Jeff Buckley - Grace - #1/1 - Leonard Cohen's classic is one of the most frequently covered songs in all of rock history, but it was Buckley's haunting version that became the most notable and most important, especially with it's added potency following Buckley's death.
#109 - "Karma Police" - Radiohead - OK Computer - #7/8 - One of Radiohead's biggest hits off of one of the greatest albums ever made, "Karma Police" proved to the world that Radiohead was more than just "Creep" and established them as the force in indie rock that they've remained to this day.
#108 - "Today" - The Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream - #5/7 - The first great song from The Smashing Pumpkins, "Today" is one of the band's most up-tempo song, though it's reportedly written about a character referring to "today" as "the greatest day" because it's the day he's decided to commit suicide.
#107 - "Ohio" - Crosby, Stills, Nash And Young - Crosby, Stills, And Nash - #3/3 - Among the greatest protest songs ever written, "Ohio" is also notable as one of the last Vietnam-era protest songs. The lyrics are short and simple and make their point perfectly, telling the story of the Kent St. Massacre and what it meant.
#106 - "Everything In It's Right Place" - Radiohead - Kid A - #8/8 - Radiohead reinvented themselves yet again with Kid A and this, the album's most important song, a dreamy journey into electronic music from indie rock's most reliable stars.
#105 - "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" - U2 - The Unforgettable Fire - #13/16 - This song, a tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., was a signal of things to come from the band as they transitioned from a New Wave band with punk leanings to the biggest fucking band in the universe. The signs were all there, the bombast, the sweeping choruses, the bombastic guitar solos and the high-minded lyrics. Two years later? The Joshua Tree.
#104 - "Free Bird" - Lynyrd Skynyrd - Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd - #4/4 - One of classic rock's most famous songs, "Free Bird" has sweeping lyrics and the greatest instrumental section of any rock song ever. It's also one of the longest and most difficult, which is why every musician wants you to burst into flames when you request that they play it at their concert.
#103 - "Street Fighting Man" - The Rolling Stones - Beggar's Banquet - #14/20 - Classic rock meets proto-punk in this slice of English attitude from the Dark Side Beatles. Nothing says anarchy quite like starting a riot just because you're board.
#102 - "Have A Cigar" - Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here - #7/14 - The best industry-themed song, Pink Floyd's cynical take on the music industry tells the story of the band's first meeting with their record label, who actually asked the band which one of them was "Pink".
#101 - "When I Come Around" - Green Day - Dookie - #9/9 - Green Day's best song featured their best pre-Idiot lyrics, a great hook and what has to be easily their best guitar solo, a riff reminiscient of the best the Pixies had to offer.
#109 - "Karma Police" - Radiohead - OK Computer - #7/8 - One of Radiohead's biggest hits off of one of the greatest albums ever made, "Karma Police" proved to the world that Radiohead was more than just "Creep" and established them as the force in indie rock that they've remained to this day.
#108 - "Today" - The Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream - #5/7 - The first great song from The Smashing Pumpkins, "Today" is one of the band's most up-tempo song, though it's reportedly written about a character referring to "today" as "the greatest day" because it's the day he's decided to commit suicide.
#107 - "Ohio" - Crosby, Stills, Nash And Young - Crosby, Stills, And Nash - #3/3 - Among the greatest protest songs ever written, "Ohio" is also notable as one of the last Vietnam-era protest songs. The lyrics are short and simple and make their point perfectly, telling the story of the Kent St. Massacre and what it meant.
#106 - "Everything In It's Right Place" - Radiohead - Kid A - #8/8 - Radiohead reinvented themselves yet again with Kid A and this, the album's most important song, a dreamy journey into electronic music from indie rock's most reliable stars.
#105 - "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" - U2 - The Unforgettable Fire - #13/16 - This song, a tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., was a signal of things to come from the band as they transitioned from a New Wave band with punk leanings to the biggest fucking band in the universe. The signs were all there, the bombast, the sweeping choruses, the bombastic guitar solos and the high-minded lyrics. Two years later? The Joshua Tree.
#104 - "Free Bird" - Lynyrd Skynyrd - Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd - #4/4 - One of classic rock's most famous songs, "Free Bird" has sweeping lyrics and the greatest instrumental section of any rock song ever. It's also one of the longest and most difficult, which is why every musician wants you to burst into flames when you request that they play it at their concert.
#103 - "Street Fighting Man" - The Rolling Stones - Beggar's Banquet - #14/20 - Classic rock meets proto-punk in this slice of English attitude from the Dark Side Beatles. Nothing says anarchy quite like starting a riot just because you're board.
#102 - "Have A Cigar" - Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here - #7/14 - The best industry-themed song, Pink Floyd's cynical take on the music industry tells the story of the band's first meeting with their record label, who actually asked the band which one of them was "Pink".
#101 - "When I Come Around" - Green Day - Dookie - #9/9 - Green Day's best song featured their best pre-Idiot lyrics, a great hook and what has to be easily their best guitar solo, a riff reminiscient of the best the Pixies had to offer.
Top 1000 Bands #110-#101
110 - The Ben Folds Five - One of the quirkiest songwriters of the 90's, Ben Folds created some of the best and most sarcastic singer-songwriter music ever made.
109 - Eric Clapton - Clapton has enjoyed a legendary career that few artists can match, but his solo work is his weakest in my opinion. That being said, it's still phenomenal and some of the best blues to come out of rock n roll in the last 30 years.
108 - Lynyrd Skynyrd - Southern rock doesn't get much better than Lynyrd Skynyrd. Aside from the long string of great songs, the band would be legendary if only from their two iconic songs: "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird".
107 - Simon And Garfunkel - Aside from Bob Dylan, there were no better examples of the folk genre than Simon And Garfunkel, a pair of the most brilliant songwriters of their generation who created songs that crossed over to the mainstream in ways the likes of Joan Baez never could.
106 - P.J. Harvey - One of the most dynamic singers of the 90's, P.J. Harvey's raw vocals and intense lyrics quickly established her as one of the greatest performers in all of alternative rock.
105 - Dinosaur Jr. - One of the best alternative rock bands of the 80's, Dinosaur Jr. was led by their legendary guitarist J. Mascis as they created some of the best guitar-driven alt-rock this side of Sonic Youth.
104 - The Allman Brothers - The finest band in all of Southern Rock, The Allman Brothers took blues rock and added their own style and accent to it, creating their own brand of the blues, highlighted by the all-time classic "Whippin' Post".
103 - Steely Dan - One of the biggest and best bands of the classic rock era, Steely Dan combined rock and soul styles to churn out a massive string of hits during the 70's.
102 - Fleetwood Mac - Rock's biggest dysfunctional family, Fleetwood Mac created one of the best albums of the classic rock era with Rumours. They never quite reached that high again in their career, but they still became one of the biggest bands of all-time.
101 - The Police - The most successful New Wave band of the 70's and 80's, The Police only had a few albums to their name, but they still managed to become one of the biggest bands of their generation with their reggae and punk inflected classic rock.
109 - Eric Clapton - Clapton has enjoyed a legendary career that few artists can match, but his solo work is his weakest in my opinion. That being said, it's still phenomenal and some of the best blues to come out of rock n roll in the last 30 years.
108 - Lynyrd Skynyrd - Southern rock doesn't get much better than Lynyrd Skynyrd. Aside from the long string of great songs, the band would be legendary if only from their two iconic songs: "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird".
107 - Simon And Garfunkel - Aside from Bob Dylan, there were no better examples of the folk genre than Simon And Garfunkel, a pair of the most brilliant songwriters of their generation who created songs that crossed over to the mainstream in ways the likes of Joan Baez never could.
106 - P.J. Harvey - One of the most dynamic singers of the 90's, P.J. Harvey's raw vocals and intense lyrics quickly established her as one of the greatest performers in all of alternative rock.
105 - Dinosaur Jr. - One of the best alternative rock bands of the 80's, Dinosaur Jr. was led by their legendary guitarist J. Mascis as they created some of the best guitar-driven alt-rock this side of Sonic Youth.
104 - The Allman Brothers - The finest band in all of Southern Rock, The Allman Brothers took blues rock and added their own style and accent to it, creating their own brand of the blues, highlighted by the all-time classic "Whippin' Post".
103 - Steely Dan - One of the biggest and best bands of the classic rock era, Steely Dan combined rock and soul styles to churn out a massive string of hits during the 70's.
102 - Fleetwood Mac - Rock's biggest dysfunctional family, Fleetwood Mac created one of the best albums of the classic rock era with Rumours. They never quite reached that high again in their career, but they still became one of the biggest bands of all-time.
101 - The Police - The most successful New Wave band of the 70's and 80's, The Police only had a few albums to their name, but they still managed to become one of the biggest bands of their generation with their reggae and punk inflected classic rock.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Top 1000 Songs #120-#111
#120 - "20th Century Boy" - T. Rex - Greatest Hits - #2/2 - One of glam rock's finest moments, "20th" is a fun song with a chorus so catchy that it's been featured in advertisements, even though it was never a hit in the United States.
#119 - "Blow Up The Outside World" - Soundgarden - Down On The Upside - #10/11 - The best Soundgarden song that didn't become a hit, "Blow Up" was a style and career culmination that combined elements of some of the band's best songs to create one of their career pinnacles.
#118 - "Would" - Alice In Chains - Dirt - #7/8 - One of the key songs on Alice's best album, "Would" builds slowly to a ballistic chorus and an incredibly intense ending.
#117 - "Come Together" - The Beatles - Abbey Road - #19/22 - The Beatles didn't last very much longer after this song came out, but it was one of their best with great verses and an excellent chorus, even if the band ignored the message of said chorus.
#116 - "Gimme Shelter" - The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed - #13/20 - If you're wondering, I believe this song is featured in 75% of Martin Scorcese's movies and if not, it should be going forward. The Stones will forever be in the Beatles' shadow, but songs like this one indicate that the band was at least the Fab Four's equals and in some ways their superior as they were willing to go down the darker paths that the Beatles veered away from most of the time.
#115 - "Whippin' Post" - The Allman Brothers Band - Beginnings - #4/4 - A highlight of blues rock as a genre, "Whippin'" is a blistering "she done me wrong" story with great guitar licks and an intense chorus.
#114 - "Take Me Out" - Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand - #6/6 - The indie dance rock movement officially went mainstream with the success of this breakthrough hit from Franz Ferdinand. The peppy beat that drives the song through it's many verses is a highlight of the song that made Franz one of the biggest bands in indie rock to this day.
#113 - "Kashmir" - Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti - #21/24 - Zeppelin went prog with this all-time classic from Physical Graffiti. The riff is legendary, the crunchy sound is unstoppable and the crescendoes are a high point in the career of a band filled with such points.
#112 - "You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC - Back In Black - #8/9 - AC/DC's signature song, though not their best, "You Shook" is one of classic rock's best and most important songs, bringing blues rock into a new era where it melded with metal and punk to create one of rock's most easily recognized songs.
#111 - "Sweet Home Alabama" - Lynyrd Skynyrd - What's Your Name - #3/4 - Speaking of easily recognized, "Sweet Home" is one of the most famous and beloved songs of the classic rock era, even if it's politics don't usually line up with the people who enjoy it. The opening is perhaps the most famous guitar riff in all of Southern Rock.
#119 - "Blow Up The Outside World" - Soundgarden - Down On The Upside - #10/11 - The best Soundgarden song that didn't become a hit, "Blow Up" was a style and career culmination that combined elements of some of the band's best songs to create one of their career pinnacles.
#118 - "Would" - Alice In Chains - Dirt - #7/8 - One of the key songs on Alice's best album, "Would" builds slowly to a ballistic chorus and an incredibly intense ending.
#117 - "Come Together" - The Beatles - Abbey Road - #19/22 - The Beatles didn't last very much longer after this song came out, but it was one of their best with great verses and an excellent chorus, even if the band ignored the message of said chorus.
#116 - "Gimme Shelter" - The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed - #13/20 - If you're wondering, I believe this song is featured in 75% of Martin Scorcese's movies and if not, it should be going forward. The Stones will forever be in the Beatles' shadow, but songs like this one indicate that the band was at least the Fab Four's equals and in some ways their superior as they were willing to go down the darker paths that the Beatles veered away from most of the time.
#115 - "Whippin' Post" - The Allman Brothers Band - Beginnings - #4/4 - A highlight of blues rock as a genre, "Whippin'" is a blistering "she done me wrong" story with great guitar licks and an intense chorus.
#114 - "Take Me Out" - Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand - #6/6 - The indie dance rock movement officially went mainstream with the success of this breakthrough hit from Franz Ferdinand. The peppy beat that drives the song through it's many verses is a highlight of the song that made Franz one of the biggest bands in indie rock to this day.
#113 - "Kashmir" - Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti - #21/24 - Zeppelin went prog with this all-time classic from Physical Graffiti. The riff is legendary, the crunchy sound is unstoppable and the crescendoes are a high point in the career of a band filled with such points.
#112 - "You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC - Back In Black - #8/9 - AC/DC's signature song, though not their best, "You Shook" is one of classic rock's best and most important songs, bringing blues rock into a new era where it melded with metal and punk to create one of rock's most easily recognized songs.
#111 - "Sweet Home Alabama" - Lynyrd Skynyrd - What's Your Name - #3/4 - Speaking of easily recognized, "Sweet Home" is one of the most famous and beloved songs of the classic rock era, even if it's politics don't usually line up with the people who enjoy it. The opening is perhaps the most famous guitar riff in all of Southern Rock.
Top 1000 Bands #120-#111
120 - Kanye West - One of the most promising artists in rap and R&B, Kanye West has released great albums one after another for the last five years, racking up an impressive set of awards and classic songs along the way.
119 - Belle And Sebastian - Although they're still somewhat obscure, B&S is one of the best indie rock bands of the 90's and were one of the most important influences on the emo music that heavily dominates indie rock today.
118 - Audioslave - They broke up after three albums, but they were easily the best of the supergroups to emerge in the early 21st century. With the lead singer of Soundgarden and the other members of Rage Against The Machine comprising an unbelievable line-up, Audioslave wasn't quite as great as they should have been, but with a string of top-shelf hits, they certainly weren't Asia either.
117 - Snow Patrol - The best band in Coldplay's genre that isn't Coldplay themselves, Snow Patrol will never get the credit they deserve, but they're among the modern era's best artists at combining brilliant lyrics with sweeping music.
116 - The Arctic Monkeys - A fun pop band that combines elements of Brit-pop with early punk and 21st century indie dance rock. They are one of the few British buzz-bands that lived up to the hype and didn't fizzle immediately in the spotlight.
115 - Patti Smith - One of the most important singers of the 1970's, Patti Smith combined the passion of Janis Joplin with the attitude and style of Joe Strummer to create an intense punk sound that always sounded right on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
114 - Incubus - Modern rock artists don't get much bigger these days than Incubus, who have released album after album of top-shelf mainstream rock with great guitar work.
113 - John Mellencamp - Mellencamp was essentially the rural answer to the more urban Bruce Springsteen. Unfortunately, his music was always stuck in Bruce's shadow and at no point did he ever equal or eclipse him. Nonetheless he's enjoyed a long career crafting solid albums from start to finish.
112 - The B-52s - The "other" Athens, GA band from the 80's, The B-52s are a weird combination of New Wave, disco and dance music that created some of the most distinct and unusual songs of the decade.
111 - Big Timber - The best band I've seen perform in Pierre, Big Timber has a classic rock sound that mixes elements of that genre with modern rock to create a sound that surprisingly hasn't caught on outside of the underground circuit.
119 - Belle And Sebastian - Although they're still somewhat obscure, B&S is one of the best indie rock bands of the 90's and were one of the most important influences on the emo music that heavily dominates indie rock today.
118 - Audioslave - They broke up after three albums, but they were easily the best of the supergroups to emerge in the early 21st century. With the lead singer of Soundgarden and the other members of Rage Against The Machine comprising an unbelievable line-up, Audioslave wasn't quite as great as they should have been, but with a string of top-shelf hits, they certainly weren't Asia either.
117 - Snow Patrol - The best band in Coldplay's genre that isn't Coldplay themselves, Snow Patrol will never get the credit they deserve, but they're among the modern era's best artists at combining brilliant lyrics with sweeping music.
116 - The Arctic Monkeys - A fun pop band that combines elements of Brit-pop with early punk and 21st century indie dance rock. They are one of the few British buzz-bands that lived up to the hype and didn't fizzle immediately in the spotlight.
115 - Patti Smith - One of the most important singers of the 1970's, Patti Smith combined the passion of Janis Joplin with the attitude and style of Joe Strummer to create an intense punk sound that always sounded right on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
114 - Incubus - Modern rock artists don't get much bigger these days than Incubus, who have released album after album of top-shelf mainstream rock with great guitar work.
113 - John Mellencamp - Mellencamp was essentially the rural answer to the more urban Bruce Springsteen. Unfortunately, his music was always stuck in Bruce's shadow and at no point did he ever equal or eclipse him. Nonetheless he's enjoyed a long career crafting solid albums from start to finish.
112 - The B-52s - The "other" Athens, GA band from the 80's, The B-52s are a weird combination of New Wave, disco and dance music that created some of the most distinct and unusual songs of the decade.
111 - Big Timber - The best band I've seen perform in Pierre, Big Timber has a classic rock sound that mixes elements of that genre with modern rock to create a sound that surprisingly hasn't caught on outside of the underground circuit.
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