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My dad is right once again! Dammit, don’cha just hate that when you realize that your parent is correct about something. I remember when he turned 60, he said life was like a toilet paper roll. A new roll of toilet paper seems to unravel slowly. However, as you get closer to the cardboard tube in the middle, the toilet paper unravels faster and faster. That’s what he said about life. As you get closer to the end of your life, the years seem to go by so quickly. Well, I turned 60 this year, and this year flew by.

I have always said that my true musical wheelhouse took place between 1974 through 1984. That means 2024 represents the golden anniversary of the starting line to my musical baptism. 50 years! That’s crazy! You are telling me that KC & the Sunshine Band’s “Get Down Tonight” turns 50? Awwwwwww!!!

The question becomes how do I hold the music of 2023 in comparison to other years? Well, simply put, I’d say it was a relatively underwhelming year for music. The biggest story of 2023 remains Taylor Swift. Her tour made over a BILLION dollars! Over a BILLION dollars!?!? Of course, now, journalists and current rock critics are anointing her the GOAT, Greatest of All Time.

As one who grew up right after Elvis Presley and The Beatles peaked, I can attest to the fact that the tonnage of film available of both artists performing live during which you cannot hear them over the shrieks and cries of the crowds, particularly young girls. Then, I watched in amazement as Michael Jackson transformed from the frontperson of a teenybopper soul group, through some awkward teenage years during which he honed his entertainment craft only to burst through in 1983 as the biggest act in the world which lasted until his untimely death in 2009. Unfortunately, the number of influential voices in the music realm have no practical history with anything that occurred before blink-182 ran naked through their 1999 video “What’s My Age Again?” Yes, Taylor is HUGE right now, and rightfully so. But she has a couple of decades to go before she rises up the levels of Elvis/Beatles/Michael.

Besides Taylor Swift, 2023 gave us excellent albums by boygenius, Miley Cyrus, Paramore, Olivia Rodrigo and SZA. It was also the year in which Peter Gabriel made one of the quietest triumphant comebacks ever. It was pretty crazy as Dolly Parton released one of the most hyped albums since the heyday of Kanye West and his Yeezus album. And, with most of the band pushing age 80, The Rolling Stones released their first album of new material in 18 years when they released A Bigger Bang. Oh, and Taylor released TWO albums of re-recorded music in a brilliant effort to stop her old record company from getting big bucks from her catalog.

Basically, as far as I am concerned, 2023 was the year of the young lady. Actually, 38 of my 50 favorite albums had women involved as the artist. Plus, I haven’t mentioned that the biggest soundtrack of the year was Barbie The Album, the soundtrack to one of the year’s biggest films, Barbie, the most iconic doll.

With that introduction out of the way, here’s my Top 50 Albums of 2023.

50. U2 – Songs of Surrender

49. Metallica – 72 Seasons

48. Taylor Swift – Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)

47. Måneskin – Rush!

46. Bettye LaVette – LaVette!

45. Chris Stapleton – Higher

44. The Lemon Twigs – Everything Harmony

43. The Go! Team – Get Up Sequences, Pt. 2

42. Cindy Wilson – Realms

41. The Summertimes – The Summertimes

40. Depeche Mode – Memento Mori

39. The Particles – 1980’s Bubblegum

38. Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want to Turn into You

37. 100 gecs – 10,000 gecs

36. Blondshell – Blondshell

35. Anohni & the Johnsons – My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross

34. Jorja Smith – Falling or Flying

33. Zach Bryan – Zach Bryan

32. Everything but the Girl – Fuse

31. Kesha – Gag Order

30. Reneé Rapp – Snow Angel

29. Chappell Roan – The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess

28. Neil Young – Chrome Dreams

27. Mitski – The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We

26. Jesse Ware – That! Feels! Good!

25. Pretenders – Relentless. Chrissie Hynde brought her Pretenders band back after two solo albums, and they rediscovered their angry, punk roots.

24. Dolly Parton – Rockstar. Nice try Dolly! It seemed as though you were having the time of your life spinning Dolly all over these rock songs. But, it’s always been your true country self that’s the most rock & roll thing about you.

23. Lil Yachty – Let’s Start Here. Lil Yachty is typical of a 21st century rap star, busy trying to find a unique sound for his music. Thus, his infatuation with the Yacht Rock of my youth.

22. Paul Simon – Seven Psalms. Many are saying that this represents the last album that Simon plans to release. If the rumor is true, he never lost his muse. The world changed around him.

21. Lana Del Rey – Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. LDR has been on such a stunning artistic turn around since her turd of a performance on SNL back in 2012. Unfortunately, I think she peaked four years ago her Norman Fucking Rockwell masterpiece.

20. The Rolling Stones – Hackney Diamonds. Did we really need a new Stones album, especially when most of their studio concoctions have been crap since 1981? No, but it’s kinda fun to hear a rock master have their sound updated a bit. It’s NOT Sticky Fingers. Or even Emotional Rescue. Still, it’s not Bridges to Babylon either. This album is not bad for a bunch of geriatrics.

19. P¡nk – Trustfall. Is it just me or has P¡nk has quietly forged a superstar following? She just releases one solid album after another. I will never have a problem when she’s inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

18. Jenny Lewis – Joy’all. Jenny Lewis is something of a female Tom Petty. She has Tom’s storytelling ability in addition to his ability to find a melody that’s pure American rock and roll. Jenny Lewis is traveling down that same path, which is not a bad way to go. Thank God someone is trying to do that.

17. Jon Batiste – World Music Radio. As The Late Show with Stephen Colbert‘s band leader, Batiste showed the world how joy is the driving force behind his music. Then, the world changed for Batiste in 2021 as his big hit album We Are won the Grammy for Album of the Year. At the point, Batiste realized that his goal of world domination was within his reach so he reluctantly left his day job. And this wonderfully fun album was his first step toward his goal.

16. Duran Duran – Danse Macabre. They finally did it! Duran Duran went back to 1979/1980 and went the Goth route. Actually, this listener thinks it works. I like a darker Duran Duran as a changeup from the Day-Glo version from days gone by.

15. Taylor Swift – 1989 (Taylor’s Version). I get why Taylor is doing this, in addition to throwing a bone or two from the vaults. But 1989 was all ready a great album.

14. Durand Jones – Wait Til I Get Over. With the Indications, Jones has released some of the best neo-soul music of the past decade. On his first solo album, Durand takes a huge artistic jump. I am so happy that Leon Bridges has a foil to push each other to greater heights.

13. Tamar Berk – Tiny Injuries. Tamar Berk is an independent artist who sells her albums by herself. Tiny Injuries is her third album that shows the growth of a major talent just waiting to be signed. Berk makes some great indie pop/rock music.

12. Various Artists – Barbie The Album OST. At one point this year, I was considering naming this album the year’s best. The film laid claim to this being the creative year of the woman. Then, the musical people behind the film grabbed some of the biggest female names of the day to provide the songs. This film and soundtrack has Girl Power written all over it (Hey! Where’s the Spice Girls?!?!). Yet, the emotional high point of the album is a male-dominated tune called “I’m Just Ken.”

11. Janelle Monáe – The Age of Pleasure. In my mind, Janelle Monáe has been the Janet Jackson of the 2000s, with her brilliant acting turns and her fourth straight brilliant album. But Ms. Monáe had a direct line to Prince, whereas Ms. Jackson had a side line to descendants Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. She is a Renaissance woman.

10. Juliana Hatfield – Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO. Hatfield burst onto the alternative rock scene back in the early 90s with her work with The Lemonheads and her own Juliana Hatfield Trio. Now, she’s something of an elder statesmen of the alternative scene. This album is the third is a series of Hatfield Sings album. On the other two, she tackled Olivia Newton-John and The Police. Now, she takes on ELO, and not just the hits but some deep cuts as well. This is a very satisfying covers album.

9. Kylie Minogue – Tension. Back in 2020, Minogue released a fantastic of disco-tinged songs called Disco. This album saw Minogue’s music getting a new generation on the dancefloor. Striking while the iron was still hot, Minogue now is tackling some world dance music in new and unique ways. The world is always a little better when the people are dancing with Kylie.

8. Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit – Weathervanes. Former Drive-By Trucker Jason Isbell has become the leading voice of the Americana/alt.country scene since he left the band over a decade ago. He just might be the most consistent musical artist going today.

7. Foo Fighters – But We Are Here. Foo Fighters were riding high during the spring of 2022. Then the untimely death of much beloved and respected drummer Taylor Hawkins shook leader Dave Grohl and the rest of the rock solid band. Much like the ghosts Grohl faced nearly thirty years earlier with the loss of Kurt Cobain and the demise of Nirvana, Grohl and the surviving Foos first turned outwards as the rock world embraced them, then inwards as he and the band created a terrific epithet to Mr. Hawkins. No one rocker handles the bad and the good better than Dave Grohl and his Foos.

6. Peter Gabriel – i/o. Peter Gabriel had not released an album of new material since the first decade of the current century. For the whole year of 2023, Gabriel has been releasing a song per month with two different mixes, bright and dark. In the process he both reclaimed the darkness of his earlier albums (I, II, III, IV/Security) AND the brightness of his hit albums (So, Us, Up). Two mixes of the same 12 songs and two brilliant albums. I miss the daring behavior of the rockers of yore.

5. boygenius – the record. boygenius is the American indie supergroup consisting of singer/songwriters Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. What began as a coterie of mutual respect has become a group of friends creating terrific indie folk/pop/rock. Bridgers might be the most recognized of the trio after the breakthrough of her previous album Destroyer, but the other two young ladies are no slouches either. If you saw the band perform on SNL earlier this season, then you got a taste of how good this album truly is.

4. Paramore – This Is Why. Many millennials and Gen Z-ers may have had Paramore as one of their favorite pop punk bands of the early part of this century. On their latest album, the trio remembered to emphasize their punk roots while maintaining the songs’ great melodies. This may be the adult sound of the pop punk genre finally growing up.

3. Olivia Rodrigo – GUTS. In 2021, I named Olivia Rodrigo’s debut, SOUR, album of the year. Fortunately, Rodrigo has avoided the sophomore slump as she writes another mature set of breakup songs. Rodrigo has picked up the angry scorned woman mantle last held by Alanis Morissette and run with it. Guys, don’t treat women bad when you break up with them since you might end up an antagonist in a hit song. Didn’t guys learn anything from the careers of Morissette and Taylor Swift?

2. Miley Cyrus – Endless Summer Vacation. Once Miley jettisoned the Disney-themed songs of her Hannah Montana days on Bangerz a decade ago, we have witnessed her talent and audaciousness grow in the time from “Wrecking Ball
 to her last LP Plastic Hearts. She has covered the psych-pop sound of Flaming Lips, the 70s country rock Laurel Canyon sound and 80s dance/rock new wave of Plastic Hearts. So, no artist deserved to revel in her successful ventures than Miley. If Endless Summer Vacation sounds like a mature victory lap by a cutting edge female artist, well, you are not too far off. Though, if the truth be told, I prefer her as a Bowie-esque “WTF” 80s icon. well….um…I am 60.

1. SZA – S.O.S. Technically, SZA DID release this album last December, but that was not enough time for me to fully digest the work. Although I gave a passing mention in last year’s countdown, I decided to follow Rolling Stone‘s decision to include S.O.S. in 2023. And I am glad that I did. This album is a flat-out classic. I love her gritty mix of soul, hip hop and pop into something akin to Aretha Franklin’s 60s classics.

Raise a glass to 2023! We will see how these rankings hold up over time. Cheers! Now, let’s see what 2024 has in store for us in the music world.

I love the streaming age if only for the access to so many more great cuts for holiday mixtapes. To me, that’s the beauty of streaming. Sure, the sound is compressed beyond belief unless you decide to pay for Tidal. But, I really do not stream my music through my stereo, so I will stick with my Amazon Music service.

Though streaming, I have discovered so many terrific gems to add to a holiday playlist each year that I can give a rest to some of my annual warhorses. That keeps the songs fresh for my tastes. Now, I don’t have to include Sabbath, Alice or Ozzy songs to my playlist year in and year out. Finally, our trick or treaters can have a reprieve from the yearly blast of “Highway to Hell” when stopping by the Keller homestead for some treats.

Since I personally have a difficulty narrowing my playlists to a more reasonable number of tunes, Streamin’ Scott will always give you a list of 50 songs that are on this year’s playlist. The cool thing about playlists, and their direct ancestor called the Mixtape, is that these things become akin to a musical diary. Many of these songs will have new memories intertwined with the song.

This year? We had our Halloween party for the grandkids this past weekend. Since it gets dark around 7:30 pm here in Indiana, we turned off the lights in the house, gave the fearsome foursome a bunch of glowsticks and turned the family room into a preschool rave. Who knew that Kidz Bop had a version of “Thriller”? However, I bet those people will NEVER come the Alan Parsons Project’s versions of Edgar Allan Poe’s music.

I hope you all have a Happy Halloween tomorrow! Here’s what we will be listening to tomorrow. The list is alphabetical by artist not a ranking.

1. AFI – “Halloween”
2. All-Time Low ft. Demi Lovato & blackbear – “Monsters”
3. Beyoncé – “Haunted”
4. Billie Eilish – “bury a friend”
5. Bow Wow Wow – “I Want Candy”
6. Britney Spears – “Toxic”
7. Bruce Springsteen – “A Night with the Jersey Devil”
8. Camila Cabello ft. Willow – “psychofreak”
9. Childish Gambino – “Zombies”
10. DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince – “A Nightmare on My Street”
11. Doja Cat – “Demons”
12. Dusty Springfield – “Spooky”
13. Echo & the Bunnymen – “The Killing Moon”
14. Fleetwood Mac – “Rhiannon”
15. Fred Schneider & the Shake Society – “Monster”
16. Halsey – “Nightmare”
17. Iggy Azalea ft. Rita Ora – “Black Widow”
18. Kate Pierson – “Every Day Is Halloween”
19. Kim Petras ft. Elvira, Mistress of the Dark – “Turn Off the Light”
20. King Harvest – “Dancing in the Moonlight”
21. Lady Gaga – “Bloody Mary”
22. Lana Del Rey – “The Season of the Witch”
23. Lil Peep – “Halloween”
24. Megan Thee Stallion – “Scary”
25. Michael Jackson – “Thriller”
26. Ministry – “Everyday Is Halloween”
27. No Doubt – “Spiderwebs”
28. Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire”
29. Richard O’Brien (The Rocky Horror Picture Show) – “Time Warp”
30. Rick James – “Super Freak”
31. Rihanna – “Disturbia”
32. Rockwell – “Somebody’s Watching Me”
33. Sam Smith ft. Kim Petras – “Unholy”
34. Shakira – “She Wolf”
35. Siouxsie & the Banshees – “Peek-a-Boo”
36. Steve Miller Band – “Abracadabra”
37. Stevie Wonder – “Superstition”
38. Talking Heads – “Psycho Killer”
39. Taylor Swift – “Haunted”
40. The B-52’s – “Devil in My Car”
41. The Cramps – “Goo Goo Muck”
42. The Guess Who – “Clap for the Wolfman”
43. The Psychedelic Furs – “The Ghost in You”
44. Van Halen – “Running with the Devil”
45. Van Morrison – “Moondance”
46. Warren Zevon – “Werewolves of London”
47. Weezer – “Paranoid”
48. White Zombie – “I’m Your Boogie Man”
49. Whodini – “The Freaks Come Out at Night”
50. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “Heads Will Roll”

Historically speaking, until the past 20 to 30 years, few self-contained female-dominated artists have conquered the charts. During the Fifties, Wanda Jackson was marketed as a female-Elvis Presley. Since they both dabbled in rockabilly early on in their careers, the similarities ended right there. Unlike “The King,” Ms. Jackson wrote her own music, yet, for some reason, she never became the big star many thought she would eventually become. Her career seemed to be thwarted by sexist views that women just couldn’t rock.

If you look back over the history of rock & roll, you will see the career corpses scattered throughout of female artist who wanted to follow their muse into the male-dominated realm of rock music. Occasionally, one might break through, like Grace Slick (singer), Janis Joplin (singer) or Moe Tucker (drummer), but they were all integrated within bands (Jefferson Airplane, Big Brother & the Holding Company and The Velvet Underground, respectively). However, self-contained bands (meaning they wrote AND played everything) such as The Shaggs, Fanny, The Runaways and Vixen would get very little love during their time period but would go on to become a huge influences in their own rights.

By the time the Nineties rolled around, barriers were beginning to break after the successes of The Go-Go’s, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cramps (with GUITARIST Poison Ivy) and The Bangles. Sure, we still had Svengali-led female vocalists popping up like as Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, but “girl” bands are popping up everywhere. Salt-n-Pepa, TLC, Lauryn Hill and Lil’ Kim all popped up from the R&B/Hip Hop community. Grunge and alternative rock had Hole, L7, Veruca Salt and Bratmobile, while Britpop had Elastica. Women were being to become commercial forces in music.

However, when the new millennium rolled in, so did the idea of strong creative women dominating popular music. Immediately 90s acts like rapper/producer Missy Elliott, former teen stars Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera and one-time ska goddess Gwen Stefani all blossomed in the early-Aughts. Now, as the idea that women can rock/rap/write music that is equal to or even better than their current male counterparts is here to stay. Women are the present and future of rock music, in every form of its mutations.

Let’s take a look at my 20 favorites.

20. Ariana Grande (thank u, next, 2019; “Into You,” 2016) Pop, Rock. It never ceases to amaze me when a tiny mite like Grande as a large as hers (much like Pat Benatar and Christina Aguilera before her).

19. P!nk (I’m Not Dead, 2006; “Raise Your Glass,” 2010) Pop, Rock, Pop Punk. I have consistently underestimated P!nk’s greatness as an artist and a vocalist since she began her career as a teen idol. P!nk’s voice is as big as anyone else’s, and her artistic vision is well-grounded in the Nineties grunge sound of 4 Non Blondes.

18. Hayley Williams (Paramore) (After the Laughter, 2017; “Thick Skull,” 2023) Indie Rock, Pop Punk. Yet, another large voice packaged in a tiny body, Ms. Williams makes the music of Paramore jump out from the competition.

17. Billie Eilish (When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, 2019; “Bury a Friend,” 2019) Indie Rock, Indie Pop. Eilish burst on the scene with her Grammy-winning album When We All Fall Asleep as a fully-developed artist who is flawlessly amalgamating various genres into her very own sound. Indie Rock, Indie Pop.

16. Lizzo (Cuz I Luv You, 2019; “Truth Hurts,” 2017) R&B, Pop, Rock, Hip Hop. The first time I heard Lizzo, without knowing anything about her, she was singing “Juice” on the Tonight Show. I knew immediately that she was from Minneapolis because her sound owed much to Prince. Then, I had that information confirmed. Couple her voice with her musical vision and you have a big star in the making.

15. Dua Lipa (Future Nostalgia, 2020; “Cold Heart” – and Elton John, 2021) Dance, Pop, Rock. This young lady is blessed with model-like looks and a great and unique voice that is as versatile as her artistic vision. While her first two albums are both terrific, I cannot wait to hear #3 since she is reportedly working with pop/rock songwriter/producer/Tame Impala guru Kevin Parker. Sounds like her muse is taking into indie rock territory.

14. HAIM (Este, Danielle & Alana Haim) (Women in Music Pt. III, 2020; “Little of Your Love,” 2017) Pop, Rock. These girls are well-versed in the Classic Rock of the Seventies, especially in Fleetwood Mac. They are one of the few artists today that I get excited to hear new music.

13. Olivia Rodrigo (SOUR, 2021; “Vampire,” 2023) Pop-Punk, Rock, Pop. Ms. Rodrigo’s career has been set up so that she could become the next Taylor Swift in universal popularity. Her songs are tight, and her lyrics have a basic appeal to the angst of teen life which accounts for her initial appeal. The key will be for her music and lyrics to mature along with her age without alienating her fans. Right now, it appears she could travel the Swift/Michael Jackson/Beatles trajectory of maturing artistically with her audience or go down the Prince path of growth over commercial success. I will find her intriguing for that very reason.

12. Brittany Howard (Alabama Shakes, solo) (Boys & Girls – Alabama Shakes, 2012; “What Now” – Brittany Howard, 2023) Rock, Indie Rock. When Ms. Howard and her band Alabama Shakes burst onto the scene, I thought that they were mixing Muscle Shoals/STAX-influenced soul with all of the rock recorded in the famous Muscle Shoals studio (Seger, Skynyrd, Drive-By Truckers). Ms. Howard possesses a voice that sounds influenced by pain and experiences well-beyond her age. Not only is she a great vocalist, she is one of the best guitarists of her and any generation.

11. Charly Bliss (Eva Hendricks) (Young Enough, 2019; “You Don’t Even Know Me Anymore,” 2023) Power Pop, Rock, Indie Rock. Forget what I have said about Weezer being the next Cheap Trick. That mantle belongs to Charly Bliss, newcomers to the field. Eva Hendricks possesses a voice that is very unique making the band sound unique. This band has so much potential to be great.

10. Lana Del Rey (Norman Fucking Rockwell, 2019; “Video Games,” 2011) Indie Rock, Indie Pop, Noir-type Pop. This is not an equality, but to explain Lana Del Rey’s music is to compare it to Chris Isaak or k.d. lang’s Ingenue album, kind of like a noir film set to some mellow yet dark music. This woman’s vocals are strong and unique, able to pull everything together. Back in 2012, I thought she blew her moment with one of the worst SNL performances ever by honing her craft with ever-improving songwriting and emotive singing.

9. Janelle Monáe (The ArchAndroid, 2010; “Dance Apocalyptic,” 2013) R&B, Rock, Pop. This Renaissance woman seems that she could be a big Grammy winner or an Oscar winner if she focused on one branch of entertainment. Thank goodness she does both. Ms. Monáe has a powerful and versatile voice to go along with her Prince-inspired musical talent. Whenever she performs on TV,  Monáe absolutely kills it. If you want to see her at her best, go to YouTube and watch her performance of “Dance Apocalyptic” on David Letterman’s Late Show.

8. Halsey (If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, 2021; “I am not a woman, I am a god,” 2021) Alternative Rock, Indie Rock, Indie Pop, Dance. Halsey has progressed nicely as an artist. At the start of her career, she was a teenager who possessed a huge voice. But as she grew up, she has accumulated and amalgamated influences into a thrilling career.

7. Taylor Swift (1989, 2014; “Exile” – with Bon Iver, 2020) Country, Pop, Rock, Dance. Okay Swifties! I can take it! Why isn’t Taylor #1 on my list? I’ll admit that she is the best songwriter of her generation and is one helluva live performer. And as good as the Midnights album is, she is still a little juvenile in her lyrics, and that’s why she has dropped in my ranking.

6. Miley Cyrus (Plastic Hearts, 2020; “Edge of Midnight (Midnight Sky Remix) ” – ft. Stevie Nicks, 2020) Pop, Rock, Dance, Country, Indie Pop, Indie Rock. Miley is no longer Hannah Montana, and thank God! Once again, this young woman has the balls to try all kinds of different musical hats. But, I personally believe her wheelhouse to be in the areas of her past two albums: Plastic Hearts and Endless Summer Vacation. I personally love that one-off album she recorded with Flaming Lips called Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz. Any artist willing to try that psychedelic indie pop/rock.

5. Brandi Carlile (In These Silent Days, 2021; “Right on Time,” 2021) Indie Folk, Country, Indie Rock. Ms. Carlile is arguably the oldest soul in my Top 50 and that shows in her writing and singing. She is kind of a throwback to the artists from the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties. Her solo work is impeccable, as is her work with The Highwomen. Anyone want to start a new Fleetwood Mac? I have a Stevie Nicks for you.

4. Adele (21, 2011; “Rolling in the Deep,” 2011) R&B, Pop. While Taylor Swift may be the songwriting voice of a generation, Adele is hands down the vocalist of that same generation. She may be the newest Barbra Streisand, without the acting chops. Who knows? She may have the acting bug as well?

3. Beyoncé (Beyoncé, 2013; “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” 2008) R&B, Pop. Queen Bey has the throne right now, and I’m not here to cast doubt on that. The woman has proven her worth throughout her solo career in music, video, acting, etc. I love her music, but she’s not my go-to listen.

2. Lady Gaga (Born This Way, 2011; “The Edge of Glory,” 2011) Dance, R&B, Pop, Rock. As far as I’m concerned, Gaga is great! She just might have the greatest voice of this century so far. She can do it all! All you need to see in order to absorb her greatness is to watch her Super Bowl performance.

1. Amy Winehouse (Back to Black, 2006; “Valerie” – Mark Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse, 2007) R&B, Pop, Jazz. Maybe I have been romanticizing her impact lately, but nothing compares to Winehouse’s ability to intertwine old R&B and Jazz with Hip Hop and current Independent Music. I especially loved the way she was updating the old Motown sound into something completely new. I just wish she had lived so I could have had a larger sample size in order to properly anoint her as the best of this century.

Yes, this is a diverse list. I simply think all forms of music are valid expressions of rock & roll. Rock is not just played by white guys at earsplitting volumes. That is just a small sample of everything available. It would be like eating steak and potatoes for every meal when you could have anything off the menu. Sometimes I want more than pizza or a cheeseburger. There are just days when salmon will only hit the spot.

Being an old geezer, you know someone who was born in the early-Sixties (too young for the Boomers yet too old for Gen X), I often hear my friends say that rock & roll is dead. And, I think that’s bull! Rock & roll is NOT dead. It’s just evolving. Let’s face it, I am NOT the person today that I was 40 years ago, so why shouldn’t the music that popular today sound like it did in that same time period. Absolutely, artists will pick up their sounds from the previous generation which had done the same. This should not be a surprise since “our” music of the Seventies and Eighties had little to do with the sound of the original artists of the beginning of this thing called rock music back in the Fifties.

What is an unsurprising change in music, which has been long overdue, is that women are arguably the dominating creative voice in music today. Finally, the lessons taught by the female pioneers in rock music have been learned and built upon to create what we are listening to today. From blues guitarist Sister Rosetta Tharpe and rockabilly pioneer Wanda Jackson through the Sixties with Aretha Franklin, The Shangri-La’s, The Supremes, Janis Joplin and the garage rock of The Shags and into the Seventies with icons such as Carly Simon, Dolly Parton, Patti Smith, The Runaways, pioneering rock group Fanny, Suzi Quatro, Pat Benatar, Chaka Khan, Tina Turner, Stevie Nicks and the like. When the Eighties rolled in, women like Pat Benatar, The Go-Go’s, Madonna, Joan Jett, The Bangles, Kate Bush, Sinead O’Connor, Whitney Houston and others dominated, followed by the women of the Nineties including Salt-n-Pepa, TLC, Lil’ Kim, Britney Spears, Alanis Morissette, Sleater-Kinney, Hole, Mariah Carey and the rest. All of the aforementioned, and so many others, laid the groundwork for the gold medal work being done today in the 21st century.

I have identified 50 women artists, bands or bands led by women who are creating some of the finest music right now. But, I did not want to limit this list to only those women rockers. Therefore, I will list those who made my Honor Mention List. They are not listed in any particular order, yet they are all worth checking out.

Honorable Mention: SOBS (Celine Autumn), Kesha, TUnE-YArDs (Merrill Garbus), Tegan and Sara, Solange, Karen O. (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), Regina Spektor, Demi Lovato, Mitski (Mitski Miyawaki), Soccer Mommy (Sophia Regina Allison), Japanese Breakfast (Michelle Zauner), Joanna Newsom, Grimes (Claire Elise Boucher), boygenius (Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker & Lucy Dacus), Frankie Cosmos (Greta Kline), Jennifer Hudson, Lea Michele, FKA Twigs (Tahliah Debrett Barnett), First Aid Kit (Johanna & Klara Söderberg), Esperanza Spaulding, Courtney Barnett, Babymetal (Suzuka “Sumetal” Nakamoto & Moa “Moametal” Kikuchi), Avril Lavigne, Angel Olsen, Alvvays (Molly Rankin & Kerri MacLellan), She & Him (Zooey Deschanel), Warpaint (Emily Kokal, Theresa Wayman, Jenny Lee Lindberg & Stella Mozgowa), Beach Bunny (Lili Trifilio), Amanda Shires, The Highwomen (Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris & Amanda Shires) and Tamar Berk.

50. Shakira (Laundry Service, 2001; “Whenever, Wherever,” 2001) – Latin, pop

49. Amy Lee (Evanescence) (Fallen, 2003; “Bring Me to Life,” 2003) – Metal, Hard rock

48. Rachael Price (Lake Street Dive) (Obviously, 2021; “Hypotheticals,” 2021) – Pop, R&B

47. Doja Cat (Hot Pink, 2019; “Kiss Me More” – ft. SZA, 2021) – Pop, Hip Hop, World music

46. Carrie Underwood (Blown Away, 2012; “Something in the Water,” 2014) – Country, Pop

45. Phoebe Bridgers (Punisher, 2020; “Kyoto,” 2020) – Indie Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Folk

44. Kelly Clarkson (All I Ever Wanted, 2009; “Since U Been Gone,” 2004) – Pop

43. Carly Rae Jepsen (Emotion, 2015; “Call Me Maybe,” 2012) – Pop

42. Camila Cabello (Camila, 2018; “Never Be the Same,” 2017) – Latin, Pop

41. Florence Welch (Florence + The Machine) (Lungs, 2009; “The Dog Days Are Over,” 2009) – Alternative rock

40. Megan Thee Stallion (Good News, 2020; “Savage” – ft. Beyoncé, 2020) – Hip Hop, Pop

39. M.I.A. (Kala, 2007; “Paper Planes,” 2007) – Hip Hop, Alternative Rock, Indie Pop, Electronic

38. Maggie Rogers (Heard It in a Past Life, 2019; “Alaska,” 2019) – Rock, Pop

37. Sia (1000 Forms of Fear, 2014; “Chandelier,” 2014) – Indie Pop, Indie Rock

36. Alicia Keys (The Diary of Alicia Keys, 2003; “A Beautiful Noise” – Brandi Carlile, Alicia Keys, 2020) – R&B, Pop

35. Katy Perry (Teenage Dream, 2010; “Last Friday Night (TGIF),” 2010) – Pop

34. Miranda Lambert (Platinum, 2014; “The House That Built Me,” 2009) – Country

33. Maren Morris (Hero, 2016; “The Middle” – Zedd, Maren Morris, Grey, 2018) – Country, Pop

32. Kacey Musgraves (Golden Hour, 2018; “The Slow Burn,” 2018) – Country, Pop

31. Charli XCX (Pop 2, 2017; “Girls Night Out,” 2018) – Pop, Indie Rock

30. Cardi B. (Privacy of Invasion, 2018; “WAP,” – ft. Megan Thee Stallion, 2020) – Hip Hop, Pop

29. Lorde (Pure Heroine, 2013; “Royals,” 2013) – Indie Rock, Indie Pop

28. Nicki Minaj (Pink Friday, 2010; “Super Bass,” 2011) – Hip Hop, R&B, Pop

27. Norah Jones (…Little Broken Hearts, 2012; “Don’t Know Why,” 2002) – Jazz, Indie Pop, Indie Rock

26. Muna [Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin & Naomi McPherson] (Muna, 2022; “Silk Chiffon” – ft. Phoebe Bridgers, 2022) – Indie Pop, Indie Rock

25. The Regrettes [Lydia Night, Genessa Gariano, Brooke Dickson & Drew Thomsen] (Further Joy, 2022; “I Dare You,” 2019) Pop Punk, Indie Pop, Indie Rock

24. Wet Leg [Rhian Teasdale & Hester Chambers] (Wet Leg, 2022; “Chaise Lounge,” 2022) – Indie Pop, Indie Rock

23. Annie Clarke [St. Vincent] ( Vincent, 2014; “New York,” 2017) – Indie Pop, Indie Rock

22. SZA (SOS, 2022; “Kill Bill,” 2022) – R&B, Pop

21. Rihanna (ANTI, 2016; “We Found Love” – ft. Calvin Harris, 2010) – R&B, Pop

See you all later for Part 2: The Top 20. Peace & Love.

I gotta tell you! It has been a very long time since I have written an entry. I guess after doing this for a few year finally burnt me out. Today, I am writing this in order to take a baby step toward a full-time comeback. When I quit, it was like a leaky faucet, in that my writing began to slow to a trickle until I finally just stopped. Honestly, I really thought that would have ended people’s visit to this sight with my little writing experiment complete.

However, when 2023 rolled around on the calendar, I began to get comments, like and follows over the month on past entries that encouraged me. Finally, I began a half-hearted effort to begin some new writing, but my perfectionist side would get mad with how I introduced a piece. Instead of attempting to salvage the blog, I’d just delete the whole thing! Not only had the blog petered out but so did my effort to write a book. I was in a funk.

The next thing that got me going was a former athlete whom I coached kept texting me about various rock topics. This young man, Curt Martin, was my first All-State athlete that I ever coached. I remember the day of his performance at the State meet in Indianapolis so vividly. He started the meet by clearing the opening height of 6’4″ on his first attempt. Then, we waited around for the next hour as athletes cleared, passed or missed on their attempts. During that time, he and I would just talk about rock music, and I teased him about wearing his “lucky” necklace. You see, although Curt is a young Gen X-er, his favorite band in the world is Aerosmith, and he would wear an Aerosmith necklace as his good luck piece to every meet.

Well, long story short, Curt became one of nine boys to clear the next height, which was 6-foot, 6-inches. Immediately, we knew that he had earned an All-State designation thus becoming Alexandria Monroe’s first modern era All-State athlete in track and field. He missed all three attempts at 6’8″, but since he had fewer misses than his competitors with whom he was tied, Curt finished sixth in the state.

We had traveled to Indianapolis just to get some state meet experience, and we walked away with an All-State designation. The best part of the medal ceremony was that Curt asked if he could keep is Aerosmith necklace on as he got his medal. Since I am not an athlete’s parent, I did not care, I only wanted to make sure he would not cuss, flip off anyone or take off his clothes while on the podium. A silly good-luck necklace? Who cares? Let the kids express themselves. The great thing was to watch him on the big screen monitor at track with that damn Aerosmith medallion hanging around his neck as he bent his 6’4″ farm down from the sixth place step to receive his All-State medal. That moment was one of my proudest moments as a coach.

Now, Curt is a grown man with a family. But he drags his long-suffering wife Sarah to see Aerosmith multiple times on various tours. Actually, Curt should have grown up in the same time frame as his parents and me since our music is his music.

A month or so ago, I asked Curt to give me a list of his Top 20 Aerosmith songs. I knew this assignment would drive him crazy, but I would get something back fairly quickly. Within a couple of hours, Curt text me to say that he was down to 40 songs but weeding out 20 was hard. I just laughed to myself. But, within a day or so, Curt sent me his list.

Now, why did I ask him to do this? One, he makes fun of my lists, either by telling me the artist isn’t rock & roll (that’s my favorite argument with him) or asking when I was going to cover Aerosmith. I don’t know the answer to that last question since Aerosmith was one of my first favorite bands in middle school.

Now, Aerosmith is allegedly doing their farewell tour in honor of their fiftieth anniversary as a band. Of course, Curt is going. He asked me if I got my tickets. No, I didn’t. Right now, I am burned out from going to concerts. I actually sold my Peter Gabriel tickets, and I LOVE Peter Gabriel. I am tired of traveling all over to see a concert. And Aerosmith is coming to Indianapolis, but I am still not interested. I’ve been so disappointed lately watching some of my favorite artists being wheeled out to attempt to relive their glory days. Plus, I saw Aerosmith in like 2003 or 2004. I’d rather remember them that way.

Aerosmith is a great band with a fantastic catalog of music and one helluva story. They have risen like a phoenix so many times in the past that it leads one to believe they will pull off this farewell tour. I have always loved the way they integrated American hard rock with American funk beats. Why do you think rappers like their music? It’s because Aerosmith has a funky side. Unfortunately, there will be another Aerosmith in history. And that’s okay. I just got their career retrospective box set to pass down my family line so they will keep the flame alive.

Let’s begin with Curt’s Top 20 Aerosmith Songs. He did NOT include cover songs.

20. “Let the Music Do the Talking” (Done with Mirrors, 1985)

19. “Janie’s Got a Gun” (Pump, 1989)

18. “Mama Kin” (Aerosmith, 1973)

17. “Uncle Salty” (Toys in the Attic, 1975)

16. “Deuces Are Wild” (Big Ones, 1994)

15. “Magic Touch” (Permanent Vacation, 1986)

14. “Each the Rich” (Get a Grip, 1993)

13. “Simoriah” (Permanent Vacation, 1986)

12. “Livin’ on the Edge” (Get a Grip, 1993)

11. “Draw the Line” (Draw the Line, 1977)

10. “No More No More” (Toys in the Attic, 1975)

9. “Love in an Elevator” (Pump, 1989)

8. “Toys in the Attic” (Toys in the Attic, 1975)

7. “Hangman Jury” (Permanent Vacation, 1987)

6. “You See Me Crying” (Toys in the Attic, 1975)

5. “Think About It” (Night in the Ruts, 1980)

4. “Seasons of Wither” (Get Your Wings, 1974)

3. “Kings and Queens” (Draw the Line, 1977)

2. “Lick and a Promise” (Rocks, 1976)

1. “Sweet Emotion” (Toys in the Attic, 1975)

As you can see, Curt is a hardcore Aerosmith fan, as his list is stuffed full of rockers, eschewing big hits like “Dream On” and “Walk This Way.” The man is a rocker through and through – no pop crap or ballads! HAHA!

Now me, on the other hand, I’m a pop rocker. And I won’t leave the cover songs. Oh, and I have a Top 30 list, since it’s MY blog!

30. “Kings and Queens” (Draw the Line, 1977)

29. “Let the Music Do the Talking” (Done with Mirrors, 1985)

28. “No Surprize” (Night in the Ruts, 1980)

27. “Uncle Salty” (Toys in the Attic, 1975)

26. “Eat the Rich” (Get a Grip, 1993)

25. “Chip Away the Stone” (Gems, 1988)

24. “Remember Walking in the Sand” (Night in the Ruts, 1980)

23. “Rats in the Cellar” (Rocks, 1976)

22. “Draw the Line” (Draw the Line, 1977)

21. “The Other Side” (Pump, 1989)

20. “Pink” (Nine Lives, 1997)

19. “Love in an Elevator” (Pump, 1989)

18. “Same Old Song and Dance” (Get Your Wings, 1974)

17. “Girls of Summer” (Oh Yeah! The Ultimate Aerosmith Hits, 2002)

16. “Last Child” (Rocks, 1976)

15. “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” (Armageddon: The Album, 1998)

14. “Jaded” (Just Push Play, 2001)

13. “Seasons of Wither” (Get Your Wings, 1974)

12. “Just Push Play” (Just Push Play, 2001)

11. “Back in the Saddle” (Rocks, 1976)

10. “Big Ten Inch Record” (Toys in the Attic, 1975)

9. “Mama Kin” (Aerosmith, 1973)

8. “Train Kept A-Rollin'” (Get Your Wings, 1974)

7. “Come Together” (Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band OST, 1978)

6. “Dream On” (Aerosmith, 1973)

5. “What It Takes” (Pump, 1989)

4. “Janie’s Got a Gun” (Pump, 1989)

3. “Livin’ on the Edge” (Get a Grip, 1993)

2. “Sweet Emotion” (Toys in the Attic, 1975)

1. “Walk This Way” (Toys in the Attic, 1975) *Special mention goes to Run-DMC’s version for reviving the band’s long-stagnant career.

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I started to write this blog entry yesterday, but the initial writing was nothing but a jumbled mess with a total disregard for organization. In other words, it was a visual and literary example of my ADHD that travels in my head when I just give up control of it and let my brain perform a thought form of diarrhea to occur. It was messy, stinky and just plain went everywhere. Plus, it was crap, plain crap!

So, I got pissed and just deleted the whole mess. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could do that to some babies’ dirty diapers? Believe me, my kids and grandkids can all lay claim to clearing a room with one of their pieces of art.

I think you get the mental picture. I did a little self-editing at the last minute and called it a day. Now, I am here once again trying to tame my over-zealous neurons from going faster than my cortex can organize them. All I can say is to brace yourself as I dive into the big news in the Rock World – the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s announcement of the nominees for induction as the Class of 2023.

Initially, I noticed that only 14 acts were nominated this year, as opposed to the 16 artists nominated the past few years. The second thing I noticed is that several previously nominated artists were not on the list this year. Those missing this year were DEVO, Dionne Warwick, New York Dolls, MC5 and Fela Kuti. Maybe we will see a couple of them inducted this year for Musical Excellence or whatever title the Hall is using this year. That basically means we got some fresh names on this year’s list.

The 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominee list is as following: Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Cyndi Lauper, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine, Soundgarden, The Spinners, A Tribe Called Quest, The White Stripes and Warren Zevon. At first glance, I see two huge Eighties MTV artists (Michael and Lauper), arguably metal’s biggest band (Maiden), two rap artists (Elliott and ATCQ), two big Eighties college rock stars (Joy Division/New Order and Bush), three huge acts from the Nineties (Crow, Rage and Soundgarden), a recent rock band (White Stripes), a sweet Seventies soul group (Spinners) and an acerbic singer-songwriter (Zevon). That’s not too bad.

Diversity is always an issue, especially since we started diving into artists from the Seventies and Eighties. However, this year, we have six women nominated, with White Stripes drummer Megan White and New Order keyboardist Gillian Gilbert added to Bush, Crow, Elliott and Lauper. Not too shabby. Unfortunately, we are essentially black or white when it comes to race, once again leaving the Latinx world ignored, especially when Los Lobos and War are available from a very short list from the top of my head. The rock purists are all upset that only Maiden, Rage, Soundgarden and maybe The White Stripes are on the list (One friend doesn’t even count the last three. He’s classic rock all the way!). But, if you are like me and a fan of a wide variety of music and see how it all blends into the inclusive thing called “rock and roll,” then you are pretty pleased with the nominees.

My complaints are that arguably the most important hip hop band of the Nineties and into the new Millennium, OutKast, once again were inexplicably left off this list. I guess ?uestlove is simply attempting to get some chronological order going with hip hop artists, so that’s why he’s still pushing behind the very deserving A Tribe Called Quest. On a personal note, I am sick and tired of the Hall ignoring The Jam. They were HUGE in the UK in the early 80s. They HAVE got to be inducted not only because they are the third of the Big Three of London punk (the Pistols and The Clash are the other two), but they are the bridge that connects The Kinks to the whole Britpop explosion of the Nineties. No Jam, Oasis might have sounded much different.

Blah, blah, blah! Okay, Keller, right now, let’s hear you are going to vote for in the fan voting process? Honestly, I may spend a couple of votes simply spreading the wealth around (you can vote at http://www.vote.rockhall.com, but only for five artists). Still, I do have my favorites, and they are Kate Bush, Warren Zevon, Joy Division/New Order, George Michael and Iron Maiden. Surprisingly, I believe at first glance that these five along with Willie Nelson and The White Stripes will be inducted. Of course, I would love to see Cyndi Lauper inducted as well (Believe it or not, she is currently leading the fan vote, followed by George Michael, Willie Nelson, Soundgarden and Iron Maiden rounding out the Top 5.). The crime is that millions of votes will only count collectively as one whole vote for the top vote-getter. That means that the millions of fans around the world are only equal to the same number of votes as Gene Simmons or the more recent inductee Dolly Parton or former Rolling Stone editor Anthony DeCurtis. To me, it doesn’t seem fair. The Hall should have a weighted number of votes for each artist in the Top 5, or something like that. But what do I know?

So, why were these artists nominated in 2023. Allow me to explain a little about each nominee to put their accomplishments in perspective. I know my former athlete and the biggest Aerosmith fan I personally know Curt Martin will disagree with all of this analysis, but that’s exactly why I love this stuff. Mainly, because he and many others are so passionate about there music. Still, he’s probably yelling something about another snub for Ozzy Osbourne right now.

Let’s finish the long-winded post with a little paragraph as to why each of these artists deserve induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Kate Bush – Ms. Bush popped into the consciousness of the UK and its Commonwealth back in the late-Seventies with her dramatic take of art rock filtered through a DYI sensibility. The artists with whom I can best compare her are both solo- and Peter Gabriel-led Genesis, maybe a little Pink Floyd (maybe because of David Gilmour’s influence on her career) or even a little Stevie Nicks in her lyrics. Bush had a huge year in 2022 as her 1985 left field hit “Running Up That Hill” resonated with Gen Y as it was used to perfect effect in the hit Netflix series Stranger Things. The song peaked this year at number 3 on the charts, surpassing the solid number 35 back when I was only married for a couple of months. Bush has been gaining cred with the current batch of solo artists who are gaining a foothold on the current charts, so do not be surprised to see her inducted this year. Best Song: “Running Up That Hill”

Sheryl Crow – Everyone’s favorite elementary teacher-turned-Michael Jackson background singer-turned-solo artist-turned-Nineties sex symbol-turned-musical icon and survivor, Ms. Crow has survived breast cancer and a few soured relationships along the way. Yet, she persevered and thrived through all of it. Now, she is held up with all the other female rock icons in history. Although I do not have her on my list to be inducted this year, she may just be this year’s Foo Fighters or Lionel Richie as an act so beloved that they find their ways into being inducted. If she gets in, it might be at Bush’s or Cyndi Lauper’s expense. Best Song: “If It Makes You Happy”

Missy Elliott – Many of you that are my age may be asking yourself who Ms. Elliott is. My older son, who as a Millennial has that generation’s pulse, believes she is the best act to represent his generation. And, there for a decade that ran from the mid-Nineties to the mid-Aughts, Elliott’s presence on the charts made her seem like a Hall shoo-in. The young lady wrote, produced and performed on her solo albums, while also doing some outside production work. She had the sound of that era. Best Song: “Get Ur Freak On”

Iron Maiden – By the late-Seventies, punk was all the rage in the UK, followed quickly in rapid succession by the similar post-punk and new wave sounds. Although Van Halen saved heavy metal from an early demise, it was Iron Maiden who save British-made metal that took Black Sabbath, added a pinch of punk here and a dollop of Van Halen there, shook it up, plugged in, turned things up past 11, created their mascot Eddie and the rest was history. Along with a solo Ozzy Osbourne, Iron Maiden is THE most important metal act not in the Hall. Enough is enough! These guys are warriors, survivors AND innovators all rolled into one helluva band, regardless of their genre. Best Song: “Fear of the Dark”

Joy Division/New Order – Many of you may be asking why these two bands are being nominated together? Joy Division was a fantastically dark band that arose from Manchester, England, to jumpstart a couple of genres known as post-punk and Gothic rock. Unfortunately, after two landmark albums that have only grown in stature over the decades and a couple of singles, Joy Division’s lead singer, Ian Curtis, committed suicide on the eve of the band leaving for their debut American tour. But, the story did not end their. From the ashes of that band arose New Order, which initially combined the darkness of Joy Division and filtered it all through synthesizers slowly morphing into a dark-yet-danceable Kraftwerk. Three-quarters of both bands are essentially the same; therefore, we should not induct one without the other, much like Parliament and Funkadelic or The Small Faces and The Faces, essentially two bands from the same DNA. Joy Division’s Best Song: “Love Will Tear Us Apart”; New Order’s Best Song: “Bizarre Love Triangle”

Cyndi Lauper – It might be easy for those of us who came of age with MTV acting as our national radio station to blow off Ms. Lauper as a cartoon character. But, there was a deeper message being conveyed by her that was made palatable by her cartoonish antics. First off, Cyndi gave us the first Eighties’ female empowerment song with “Girls Just Wanna Have Some Fun,” rock’s first obvious female masturbation song in “She Bop,” broke the briefly great band The Hooters AND made professional wrestling must-see TV for the youth of America. And, that was just her first album! Now, she’s throwing her celebrity around to further LGBTQ+ rights, as well as be a public voice against plaque psoriasis. Not a bad resume. Best Song: “Time After Time”

George Michael – By 1987, Prince and Springsteen were both backing away from the stratosphere of superstardom, Madonna was just ascending and Michael Jackson was proving once again to be the self-proclaimed King of Pop. Yet, also that year, the former creative mind behind the success of new wave pop group Wham!, George Michael unleashed his first solo album. That album was Thriller-esque in its immediate impact. Within the blink of an eye, George Michael was vying with Jackson for the title of the King of Pop, a crown that Mr. Michael would quickly back away from. With Faith, George Michael became a musical icon and sex symbol. Then, he spent the rest of his career and life working to gain respect as songwriter who should be mentioned along with Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson as one of the all-time greats. I just knew that when the late-Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins mentioned Mr. Michaels’ name as someone who needed to be inducted, that the late-Michaels would show up on a nominee list. He is just too big not to get in this year. Best Song: “Father Figure”

Willie Nelson – Willie belongs right with Dolly Parton as one of music’s most beloved artists, who also transcends their art. Mr. Nelson has been one of the most consistent country songwriters throughout his career, and his influence extends well beyond the country radio to which he has been long tied. You can scan the names of all the artists who claim Willie as an influence as it runs from Waylon Jennings to Kid Rock and all places in between. Plus, no one’s career has been more stereotypical rock and roll than Willie Nelson, from his stripped down, back-to-the-basics sound of his Outlaw Country genre he unwittingly founded to his blatant pro-recreational marijuana stance. Nelson is a huge towering figure to all things music and rock and roll. He has been overlooked for far too long. Willie Nelson is a lock this year. Best Song: “Whiskey River”

Rage Against the Machine – When you think of powerful artists with equally powerful lyrics and music, the shortlist includes Bob Dylan, MC5, Dead Kennedys, N.W.A, Sex Pistols, The Clash and Public Enemy, most of which are in the Hall (except, criminally, MC5 and Dead Kennedys). The next name on the list would be Rage Against the Machine, who artfully and soulfully combined angry political lyrics with a metal and hip hop soundscape that only enhanced the urgency of their statement. They were the truthful voice of the Nineties, and their music and message continues to resonate. We need more earnest artists like RATM today. Best Song: “Killing in the Name”

Soundgarden – Back during the pre-grunge era of the late-Eighties, a few Seattle bands were beginning to make some headway on college rock radio. I distinctly remember hearing Mudhoney, Mother Love Bone, Screaming Trees, Nirvana and Soundgarden being played. And at the time, Soundgarden had the most developed sound of a talented punk band who combined the dark heaviness of Sabbath with the aural dexterity of Zeppelin. Subsequently, Soundgarden joined Nirvana, Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam to form the Big Four of Grunge, spreading the Seattle sound throughout the world. Best Song: “Black Hole Sun”

The Spinners – The Spinners were one of Philadelphia’s and soul’s sweetest sounding vocal groups whose power peaked in the Seventies. Initially, the group was part of the vaunted Motown family. But, much like Gladys Knight and the Pips, once they left the Detroit label, The Spinners flourished back in their natural environment of their hometown. The band had the flashiest moves this side of the Temptations and Four Tops. But, for me, their finest moments may have been their series of duets with Dionne Warwick. The Spinners are LONG overdue for a Hall induction. Best Songs: “Rubberband Man”

A Tribe Called Quest – Prior to the arrival of ATCQ, rap was still dominated by the pop rap sounds of Tone Lōc, Young MC, Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer. The underground voices of gangsta rap of Public Enemy and N.W.A were gaining sales. In that environment strolls two rap groups, A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. Both crews eschewed the bombast for a more laidback sound. While DLS mined yacht rock for the def jams, A Tribe strolled into the jazz library. The rap/jazz fusion was a natural yet untouched goldmine for stretching the aural vocabulary of hip hop. ATCQ became one of the most beloved rap group, so much so that when the remnants of the band reunited after the death of original member Phife Dawg they were invited to perform on SNL when Dave Chapelle hosted right after the 2016 election. Their performance of their first new material in nearly 30 years was transcendent and solidified their credentials for Hall honor. Best Song: “Check the Rhime”

The White Stripes – The minimalist Detroit garage band duo of guitarist/singer/resident genius Jack White and drummer/former wife-turned-sister (?) Meg White created a blues-based punky garage band sound that paid homage to their D-Town punk elders (The Stooges, MC5) yet pushing the sound further. Once the power duo decided to split as a musical force after splitting as a couple, Jack White went on to become the savior of vinyl albums and expand upon the sound of The Stripes. Unfortunately, Meg allegedly had a sextape released. Regardless, I wish Meg would pick up the drumsticks again and start a new band. Best Song: “Seven Nation Army”

Warren Zevon – Twenty years, when Warren Zevon announced on Letterman that he was dying from mesothelioma. Instead of sitting and awaiting the arrival of the Grim Reaper, Zevon instead gathered many of his industry friends like Bruce Springsteen and Jackson Browne to create one last album that was entitled The Wind. And with that brilliant LP with obvious ruminations on death and other dark topics (What?!?! Zevon produced ANOTHER dark album covering death and the like?), Zevon was finally getting some due. Yet, surprisingly, he was NOT nominated for the Hall until this week. Most everyone knows Warren’s one Top 40 hit “Werewolves of London.” But, Zevon was a songwriter’s songwriter. Most significantly, he was the songwriter behind several of Linda Ronstadt’s hits. To me, we need acerbic, off-beat rockers like Zevon or Randy Newman. This year might be Zevon’s best year for induction, as reportedly Billy Joel is throwing around his influence behind Zevon. Best Song: “Keep Me in Your Heart”

It will be interesting to see how many artists from this list are actually inducted, and exactly who those artists are. My older son and I are kicking around the idea of getting tickets for this coming Induction Ceremony since no matter how the vote goes, the Class of 2023 will be pretty strong.

Here we are, still standing during the last week of 2022, with a new year staring us down. Who knows what 2023 has in store for each of us as an individual and collectively as a society, but it will probably be a rollercoaster ride as nearly every year since I graduated from college in 1985 has been. All I can say is to buckle up as, outside of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominations, I have no clear predictions for the upcoming new year.

Now, looking back upon the 2020s thus far, musically speaking, this decade has gotten off to a strange beginning. Those artists who had stockpiled recordings before the pandemic released some very compelling music reflecting the relative ease of life before COVID-19. Then, COVID-19 ran rampant throughout the world, even taking some large rock figures (to me, none bigger than the terrific pop-smith Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne and The Wonders fame).

Of course, in 2021, the music released all reflected a collective introspection being made by musical artists of all genres. Over the past two years, we have been blessed by some pretty big musical statements made by Taylor Swift (Four albums, two new acoustic-based albums and two re-recordings of her classic back catalog Fearless and Red.), Halsey (Her treatise on impending motherhood was stellar and her finest piece of work.), HAIM, Paul Weller (Has released at least one album each year thus far at a level as high as his days with The Jam), Fiona Apple, X, Brandi Carlile and Olivia Rodrigo (The best woman-scorned album since the mid-90s heyday of Alanis Morissette.). Much of the work of the 2020s has been both compelling and important. Unfortunately, 2022 did not live up to the high standards of the previous two years.

Now, many may wonder why the creative push of the pandemic years did not carry over into 2022. Personally, I believe it was a simple matter of timing. As the intensity of the pandemic waned as expected with the coming of the vaccines, artists were itching to get out on the road where they can make a huge chunk of their income not just from ticket sales but from merchandising, a cut from concessions and the subsequent bumps in streaming and sales royalties they each will experience in the days leading up to and after their concert in a particular city. Many of these same artists had been scheduled to tour during 2020, but the pandemic pushed those plans back at least a year. And while many artists did successfully hit the road in 2021, the public was truly itching for live music in 2022. Therefore, the creative juices needed for the creation of new material were put on hold while the artists went on tour to rake in some much needed cash in order to get back on the hamster wheel of their careers of creating music, releasing albums and touring, then repeating the process.

So, basically speaking, 2022 was not a stellar year for new music. In fact, in retrospect, the year may never been evaluated as a strong year. Like every other year, there were some great albums released, but it seems to me that this was a much better year for the release of anniversary editions of classic albums, such as John Mellencamp revisiting his 1985 masterpiece Scarecrow by including a remastered album along with discs holding unreleased material and a live concert from the era, or the release of live recordings that have sat on the shelves of the artists like the estates of Prince and Tom Petty both releasing fantastic highlights of past concerts. For me, I count the latter as new material, while the former is just another version of a favorite album that I need in my collection, thus proving that I am something of a completist. Or, my a compulsive-obsessive. Either way, I have a problem.

In sports terms, 2022 was a solid year for the average album. No true time-defying classics were released, but some nice average albums that could stick around for a few years were given to the public. 2022 was the year in which the transcendent sports talent was not drafted, but several long-term role players were taken throughout the draft. That’s how I would describe the popular music of 2022. Nothing really struck me as spectacular, but several albums were pleasant enough that they will stick around in my collection and continue to be played in the upcoming years of what is left of my life.

Now, let’s take a look at my 50 favorite albums. Thank goodness for streaming these days. Then again, streaming has made me a lazy music listener. Let’s start the countdown.

50. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Return of the Dream Canteen. The Chili Peppers are back with their best guitarist John Frusciante back in the fold. So, the guys recorded TWO albums worth of music, so they released TWO LPs this year. They really should have whittled these albums into one strong musical statement.

49. Arcade Fire – WE. When Arcade Fire burst onto the indie rock scene nearly 20 years ago, I had big hopes that they would be taking over for U2 with the big anthemic stadium rockers. At least this album didn’t disappoint me as much as the last one did. But, they may never reach the pinnacle of U2.

48. Todd Rundgren – Space Force. Rundgren remains one of my favorite artists ever, but even greats like the Stones have seemed tired on their most recent releases. Rundgren’s cranky uncle schtick is still there, but it sounds just a little more like Clint Eastwood talking to an empty chair than the brilliant parodist Rundgren can be. Still, I do love that he’s doing some creative collaborations with Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo and the guys from Sparks.

47. Beach House – Once Twice Melody. Beach House is one of my current hopes for modern music, as the band seems to be edging more closely to power pop and pure pop as they release material.

46. Lake Street Dive – Fun Machine: The Sequel. LSD is a great band who flirt with becoming a blue-eyed soul band. This EP of covers creeping closer to that classic sound along the lines of Hall & Oates.

45. The Regrettes – Further Joy. My buddy Mark Kline turned me onto this female-led pop punk band, while their version of “A Marshmallow World” has quickly become the definitive version of the song to my ears. This band picks up where The Go-Go’s and The Bangles each left off, threw in some Cheap Trick and cranked up their Marshall amps to 11 without ever losing the pop melody. The Regrettes and Charly Bliss are currently battling it out to become my favorite power pop band of the 2020s.

44. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Unlimited Love. Here’s the first album released from the RHCP studio reunion of their most successful lineup. This album is a little bit better than the other but not by that much.

43. Soccer Mommy – Sometimes, Forever. Soccer Mommy has forged a nice little path along the indie rock scene, the one traveled by Courtney Barnett and Phoebe Bridgers without stepping on the other’s more famous toes. I think Soccer Mommy is on the verge of overtaking these others.

42. Angel Olsen – Big Time. Angel Olsen has been doing her folkish, country-tinged classic rock thing for nearly 20 years without the big financial payoff. She’s at the same stage in her career as Brandi Carlile was just a year or so ago. Olsen just needs an SNL-like push that Carlile got for her to blast off. She’s that good.

41. The Black Keys – Dropout Boogie. My older son used to call The Black Keys the Lite Beer version of The White Stripes, as both bands hailed from Rust Belt towns, consisted of a guitar hero with a drummer and played blues-based garage punk rock. Yet, The Keys have continued to release consistent rock-based boogie that can melt faces. They are no longer anyone’s Lite Beer version. They are the keepers of the rock flame.

40. Soul Glo – Diaspora Problems. Hardcore is alive and well thanks to Soul Glo. If you have a hankering for the hard punk sound of the 80s, ala Hüsker Dü, Dead Kennedys or Germs, Soul Glo is your band. I had some flashbacks induced by this album.

39. Turnstile – Glow On. Is Turnstile hardcore or metal? Actually, they are a combo of the two, with a little Rage Against the Machine thrown in for good measure. What Turnstile is NOT is a band pandering for pop success. They are outcasts in the truest sense of the word as they carry the torch of Metallica from their underground days more that Black Album-era Metallica. In other words, Turnstile is a breath of fresh air in this day of 20 writers and 5 producers working on a track.

38. Arctic Monkeys – The Car. Everybody’s favorite British indie band from the Aughts is back with another blast of indie rock like only the Brits can do. This is just a solid Arctic Monkeys LP showing what the Monkeys do best, rock.

37. Miranda Lambert – Palomino. My family had the chance to go to a recording of the Aughts music competition show called Nashville Star. One of our friends’ daughter’s roommate, Amy Chappell, was a contestant on the show so that’s how we scored tickets. Anyway, there was a young lady around the same age of our older son who was also a contestant. My older son, the music genius he is (he truly has a keen ear for talent), pointed out that only one of the contestants would become a star, but she wouldn’t win the show. That young lady was Miranda Lambert. And, my son was correct (He said she had great songwriting skills, the voice and the looks to become a star.). Oh, and Miranda has released yet another strong album, making her THE country star of the past couple of decades.

36. Noah Cyrus – The Hardest Part. It’s got to suck being the younger sibling trying to break into an industry in which your older sibling has become an icon. But, Noah is not following Miley through the whole pop/rock jungle. Instead, she’s traveling down the singer/songwriter path that weaves through folk, country and rock. And, she’s making a name for herself. And more albums like this one, Noah will no longer be referred to as Miley’s sister. The young lady has some chops.

35. Wilco – Cruel Country. Back in the 90s, Wilco leader Jeff Tweedy was in a seminal country-ish punk band called Uncle Tupelo. The trio released a classic record then broke up. Tweedy went on to form his own band called Wilco, who have traveled from their Americana beginnings into a sound similar in its experimental sound to Radiohead without ever leaving their country roots. This year, Tweedy traveled full circle back to the band’s country sound without ever loosing sight of his avant garde vision for his music. Now, the twang is back in Wilco’s sound completing Tweedy’s 25-year journey. It will be interesting to hear how Wilco develops over the next 25 years.

34. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down. Twenty years ago, there was something of a new wave revival happening with the arrival of bands like The Strokes, The Killers, The Hives, Franz Ferdinand and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Then, as quickly as the sound was beginning to reignite, the whole thing was over, leaving me to pick up the pieces of my favorite era of music, 80s new wave. So, I continued to listen to the 80s stylings of these band even as they were leaving that all behind. Then, nearly 20 years after their debut, back from the dead arises New York’s Yeah Yeah Yeahs with their classic sound intact, giving me reason to hope that maybe music scenes will begin to pop up again in the clubs of the major cities. At least this album whets my appetite for the days of my youth as I knock on the door of my 60s.

33. Pusha T – It’s Almost Day. Many critics are saying this album could be in the running for album of the year. While I have enjoyed the album, I don’t find Pusha’s rhymes as compelling as Kendrick Lamar’s. Still, the beats on this album are second-to-none. Overall, this is a really good album.

32. Muna – Muna. Much like The Regrettes Muna is a female-dominated pop/rock band with much the same influences and sound. Only difference is that Muna has some hooks that become earworms, in a good way. I can’t wait to hear how they develop their sound in the future.

31. Bad Bunny – Un Verano Sin Ti. Ladies and gentlemen, the times, they are a-changing. And, it’s a good thing! This album was one of the biggest selling albums of the year, and it’s a totally non-English album. 20 years, a hip hop album won the Grammy for Album of the Year (OutKast). Could we be witnessing history with this excellent album? It’s a great time to be alive in the USA.

30. Rosalía – Motomami. Bad Bunny may be the biggest seller of 2022, but Rosalía is a pretty close second. She had one of the best SNL performances last season, as well as the best Latin album of 2022. This young lady is a force to be reckoned with in the future.

29. Jack White – Entering Heaven Alive. Jack White had a big year in 2022. Was it as big as his gravy train years back in the Aughts? Not really, but it was noteworthy from an artistic point of view. First, he released two great albums. Entering Heaven Alive is the second album of the year and is more acoustic and introspective of the two. Next, White set the country ablaze with his tour of smaller venues. Finally, Jack proposed to his long-time girlfriend and backup singer onstage. Not a bad year.

28. Steve Lacy – Gemini Rights. My younger son may be right when he said that Steve Lacy might be the Stevie Wonder of this generation. Those are some huge shoes to fill, but doggone it, he may be right. No one else has made such great soul/pop hits sound so easy since I was a kid in the 70s listening to Songs in the Key of Life.

27. The Smile – A Light for Attracting Attention. What happens when Radiohead’s lead singer and guitar strike out on together. Much like Arcadia sounds very similar to Duran Duran, so does The Smile take obvious sounds from Radiohead. Sure, The Smile has a different rhythm section from the mothership, but the sound is very much classic Radiohead. So, it’s not a big experiment, but The Smile does allow Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood to be a little looser in the studio.

26. Jack White – Fear of the Dawn. On the first of two Jack White albums released in 2022, White unleashes his inner Zeppelin concocting this brilliant blues-based punk rock album. This is an album worthy of a 21st century guitar hero.

25. Empath – Visitor. Anyone else miss the punk-based free-form jazz of Minutemen? Now, 40 years later, in walks Empath to fill the void. This music is equally as challenging as it is enjoyable, much like Minutemen on their classic Double Nickels on the Dime. Does Empath have an album like that in their future? Time will tell.

24. FKA Twigs – Caprisongs. FKA Twigs is a one-woman indie dance floor wrecking crew. She takes Lady Gaga’s dance/pop and turns it on its head. This is how the club SHOULD sound.

23. Alvvays – Blue Rev. Indie pop is in good hands when Alvvays is providing it to us. The band is now hitting its stride and is flexing its Teenage Fanclub-influenced muscles as the third generation Big Star they have become. This is how pop/rock is SUPPOSED to sound.

22. The 1975 – Being Funny in a Foreign Language. The 1975 is a pop/rock band that will give you early-80s MTV video flashbacks. And I mean that in the very best sense. Since Franz Ferdinand abdicated the Duran Duran throne, The 1975 has risen to the point where they are ready to ascend to the spot. This is dance pop/rock at its finest.

21. Jockstrap – I Love You Jennifer B. Once again, we have yet another new wave revivalist on the countdown. What can I say? These bands are not stuck in the 80s, they are expanding upon them. And, no one did it as well as Jockstrap, a man/woman London duo, who takes a little post-punk jaggedness and integrates pop/rock into the mix to create a compelling sound that makes me reminisce while pushing me into the 2020s.

20. King Princess – Hold on Baby. Hold on Baby is a great sophomore album. King Princess is one of the great alternative dance/pop/rock queens that are creatively dominating music these days. She is held in the same high regard as Billie Eilish, Halsey, Charli XCX and Dua Lipa, though KP is more rock than the other four ladies.

19. Willow – Coping Mechanism. Will and Jada Pinkett Smith’s daughter is slowly moving toward a Goth dance mix, not unlike Halsey’s sound on her most recent album. It’s not a bad move for Willow as she seems better suited for a Paramore-styled niche of the dance/pop/rock arena.

18. Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. While this is a very high quality album, it is a slight letdown for Mr. Lamar whose last three albums were three for the ages. This is still a great album, with Lamar’s innovative rhymes and pacing continuing to amaze listeners. Unfortunately, there will be no Pulitzers and Peabodies, still this album will be blasted from speakers all over America.

17. Elvis Costello & the Attractions – The Boy Named If. Elvis has been on a little creative roll the past decade or so, at least ever since he teamed up with The Roots a while back. Now, he is tackling a rock opera of sorts on this outing, which seems to suit him well.

16. Panic! At the Disco – Viva Las Vengeance. I thought Panic! was great when they released “I Write Sins Not Tragedies.” I thought that maybe they’d develop into something of a new Queen or, at the very least, MIKA. Then, they went totally pop. So, I gave up on them. But, finally, they got their mojo back and started writing campy pop/rock songs again. This album is easily the band’s best since their debut 17 years ago.

15. Maggie Rogers – Surrender. Maggie Rogers has seemed destined for stardom since she was discovered in one of ?uestlove’s college classes. Her debut was awesome, and Surrender is a great step forward in her development as an artist. If she hasn’t her stride as an artist, I certainly can’t wait until she does.

14. John Mellencamp – Strictly a One-Eyed Jack. Mellencamp has been moving toward a Hoosier version of Bob Dylan, and now the transformation is complete. Mellencamp has become a country bluesman and spends his creative time contemplating his mortality. Mellencamp has become a great voice in the rock realm.

13. Spoon – Lucifer on the Sofa. Spoon has been around for about 30 years. In the meantime, they’ve created a classic (Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga) and several great albums along the way. Then, people kind of forgot about them. Fast forward to 2022 and this terrific alternative rock album called Lucifer on the Sofa. And, once again, we have rock music alive and well in the 2020s.

12. The Weeknd – Dawn FM. I have never given The Weeknd his due. This man has single-handedly reinvented R&B into some robotic, new wave influenced 80s affected soul music. And, this just happens to be the man’s best studio album to date. I am late to the bandwagon, but I am here.

11. Charli XCX – Crash. I bought this album when we were in San Diego in the spring. Charli XCX seems to be eternally on the verge of a big break out. And, honestly, I don’t understand why she is not on the same level as Dua Lipa and Halsey. She really is that good. Charli XCX is master of the dance floor, the rock club AND pop radio. That’s why she is one brilliant song away from total world domination.

10. Lizzo – Special. Lizzo has changed the landscape of popular music based on her sheer talent and her larger-than-life personality. How else does a large woman who is a classically-trained flutist becomes a dance floor sex symbol? Lizzo is a force of nature who has more talent in her pinkie than most of this era’s pixie-sized divas.

9. Amy Winehouse – Live at Glastonbury 2007. Back in 2007, Winehouse had just released her seminal Back in Black album. Then she arrived at Glastonbury as a fresh-faced soul revivalist diva, hell-bent on changing history. Amy took the stage and changed the history of modern music with this set while being backed by Sharon Jones’ terrific Dap-Kings. This is the document of that remarkable set that truly lives up to the hype.

8. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers – Live at the Fillmore 1997. In early 1997, Tom and his Heartbreakers played 20 consecutive shows at San Francisco’s Fillmore. Personally, being the completist that I am, I prefer the big six-album vinyl box set for the whole Petty experience of covers and originals. This is one of America’s all-time greatest bands showing the whole range of their prowess as a band while acknowledging their influences. This is more than the flexing of their collective muscles as musicians, it is a tribute the music that influenced them. This document shows the power of rock and roll to save six guys like it did these guys.

7. Prince & the Revolution – Prince & the Revolution: Live. In 1985, Prince & the Revolution were riding high behind their career-making Purple Rain album and tour, when the tour stopped in Syracuse, New York, for a show on the University of Syracuse’s Carrier Dome that was recorded for a special on MTV and subsequent release on VHS (remember those?). Now, after nearly 40 years of the audio tapes just languishing in fabled Vault, the show gets the box set remaster treatment and release on vinyl AND Blu ray making this set a must-have document of this fantastic band at the peak of its power.

6. Tears for Fears – The Tipping Point. Did anyone expect this band to ever reunite, let alone create a great album that only proves their greatness as a band. All of the hallmarks of their greatness remain, while not falling into their slick 80s production values. This album is definitely one of Tears for Fears’ finest. This is the comeback of the year.

5. Bruce Springsteen – Only the Strong Survive. I don’t care what the yunguns say about this album, it was necessary AND needed. You see, music has evolved so far away from its roots that this is a refreshing reminder of the greatness of some artist’s heroes. When Springsteen revives some of the great gospel-influenced soul songs of the 60s, 70s and 80s in his patented heartland rock setting, you hear exactly where Springsteen standards from “Thunder Road” to “Hungry Heart” through “Bobby Jean” and “One Step Up, Two Steps Back” all the way up to “The Girls of Summer” and “Queen of the Supermarket” are all based. The greats all are able to accomplish this.

4. Wet Leg – Wet Leg. Ever since I was a kid, I have been attracted to music that is pop/rock-based with a heavy dose of camp, like Queen or Sparks. So, when someone recommended Wet Leg’s debut album, I was excited but tempered by previous bad experiences of artists described in the same manner, like Måneskin a year ago or MIKA’s second album a decade ago. Honestly, Wet Leg has given me hope that my type of music is NOT a relic from the past but a vibrant vein to pursue. I cannot wait to hear the development of this exciting band.

3. Beyoncé – Renaissance. Beyoncé has been on a creative roll ever since Jay-Z strayed from their marriage vows. First, she quietly dropped a self-titled masterpiece describing her betrayal, followed a couple of years later by the redemption of the couple’s marriage on Lemonade. With Renaissance, Beyoncé is back to her fearless diva self creating great R&B/dance/pop music with confidence.

2. Taylor Swift – Midnights.  What can I possibly say about the maturation of Ms. Swift’s songwriting that hasn’t been said before? Honestly, nothing. Sure, she does rely on a few chord progressions a little too much, but that is minor to me because she is no Nickelback or Dave Matthews Band. Where those two have whole catalogs of songs that sound exactly the same with only the lyrics being different, Taylor’s music gives nods to her musical heroes and her own musical past while forging a whole new sound. Her music and lyrics continues to mature as she grows. Taylor never rests on her laurels while continuing to grow as an artist. And, Midnights documents another step in her making pop music that reflects her age. This is music for wine drinking, not Red Bull mixers.

1. Harry Styles – Harry’s House. It’s not that I want to hate Harry’s music, like I really kinda do Justin Bieber’s. Rather, I believe that I am too mature to appreciate his music. Then, he releases another new album in which he shows more growth in his songwriting while incorporating the sounds of MY youth in his sound. He is a talented artist who is only beginning to tap the rich vein of pop/rock influences of the 70s and 80s. Harry Styles is really going to be a Hall of Famer one day if he continues his winning streak he began on his previous album. Harry’s House is easily the best album of 2022 in my book.

And, that my friends, is the way I see the albums of 2022.