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I really have a love/hate relationship with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I love it because, as a rock & roll fan, the place is a beautiful enshrinement of all that makes music of the post-World War II era such a diverse and powerful entity. Yet, it’s constant neglect of all the deserving artists who are still awaiting their rightful induction into rock immortality is simply depressing to long-time lovers of all genres of this thing called rock & roll. The whole nomination/election for induction process needs to be overhauled, allowing more of the deserving artists that have been waiting seemingly forever for their enshrinement. Everything about the process just frosts my balls!

Let’s take this year’s list of nominees. Granted, not one name truly jumps off the list as a “can’t-miss” inductee. Yet, after reading the list, you are left scratching your head as to why none of these artists are in the Hall at this time. Take Foreigner, Ozzy Osbourne and Peter Frampton, for example. All three have dominated the charts during the Seventies and Eighties. Foreigner was synonymous with arena rock/classic rock, while Ozzy is the poster child for heavy metal. And Peter Frampton? Jeez, the man only changed the music industry by having the most successful live album, after which the world was hit with an over-abundance of in-concert albums. You would think these three would have been slam dunk inductees years and years ago.

Then, the list has Mariah Carey, one of the most successful artists ever; Cher, who has had a hit song in EVERY decade since the Sixties; Sinéad O’Connor, the bravest artist to ever hit the Studio 8H stage in Saturday Night Live history; and Kool & the Gang, the band that evolved from funkateer hitmakers to quiet storm R&B pillow talk chart toppers.  Then, there’s alt-rockers Jane’s Addiction, rap gods Eric B. & Rakim AND A Tribe Called Quest, fabled jam maestros Dave Matthews Band, R&B/hip hop diva Mary J. Blige, smooth soul jazz crooner Sade, Britpop gods Oasis and rock/soul love hippie Lenny Kravitz. It’s a nomination list in which all listed should be in the Hall of Fame, though my case for Lenny Kravitz might be the weakest of all nominees, except for the fact that my wife thinks he’s hot so she wants him there for the next time we visit the museum.

Physical attraction aside, there are really no set attributes of artists that qualify these rockers according the Hall’s criteria of qualifications. Record sales seem to play a part in the algorithm, as well as critical acclaim, tour grosses, longevity and influence on the future direction of musical trends all play a part. Most of the time, it appears to be something of cronyism that becomes the overriding factor in an act’s election. But then even that, seems to be weak since many of the so-called classic rock artists have been quoted as to only voting for other classic rock artists (so be it, Gene Simmons!), we still are getting well diversified induction classes, which only drives home the diversity of this thing called rock and roll.

Honestly, I believe the list of inductees is selected to draw big numbers on television, lately now on Disney+ with a truncated version of the induction ceremony being broadcast around New Year’s Day on ABC. I understand that need for a great show. However, simply trumpeting the cultural significance of every artist inducted would make for a great show, especially when you have artists of relatively “minor” genres performing next to the so-called legendary acts, both pushing each other to greater musical heights.

Right now, my solution is to start inducting ten acts from the list of nominees each year. In a decade, we could finally induct a good portion of the “snubbed” artists who are listed on Not In The Hall Of Fame’s website (Side note: this people do yeoman’s work by ranking nearly every eligible artist who deserve nomination. The people who vote on this website have nearly 500 artists ranked in order. Is it MY ranking? No, but it is an excellent place to start.). Also, the work of my friends at the website Future Rock Legends are also pushing informed knowledge behind all artists in the Hall as well as those deserving of induction. If you are interested in this topic, those are the first two sites to visit.

Let me begin this little series of bitching about the Rock Hall with a list of rock pioneers, musicians who were passed over during their original eligibility time, producers, engineers, business people, DJs/VJs, rock journalists and the like, who all should be inducted. If the Rock Hall were conducted like the sports halls, these people would all be given to a “veterans committee” to determine if and when they are inducted. The Hall currently uses awards entitled Musical Excellence and Contributor in order to justify their induction. My list is in NO way a complete list, but it is a pretty thorough list of names who need to be honored. I have listed them in alphabetical order with a parenthetical statement that describes their area of influence.

1. Afrika Bambaataa (rapper, hip hop artist and DJ)
2. Alan Hunter (one of the five original MTV VJs)
3. Amos Milburn (Blues singer and pianist)
4. Ben E. King (R&B singer)
5. Big Mama Thornton (R&B/Blues singer)
6. Bing Crosby (pop crooner)
7. Blind Lemon Jefferson (Blues/Gospel singer/songwriter and musician)
8. Buchanan & Goodman (pioneers of the “break-in” novelty record)
9. Cab Calloway (jazz singer and bandleader)
10. Cameron Crowe (rock journalist and author)
11. Casey Kasem (DJ, creator of American Top 40 radio program)
12. Celia Cruz (Cuban singer)
13. Charlie Parker (jazz saxophonist)
14. Chuck Willis (Blues/R&B/rock & roll singer)
15. Cliff Richard & the Shadows (biggest pre-Beatles UK rock & roll artist)
16. Count Basie (jazz pianist and organist)
17. Dave Marsh (rock critic and author)
18. Dick Dale (surf rock guitarist)
19. Dizzy Gillespie (jazz trumpeter and bandleader)
20. Django Reinhart (jazz guitarist and composer)
21. Duke Ellington (jazz trumpeter and bandleader)
22. Eddie Lang (“Father of Jazz Guitar”)
23. Ella Fitzgerald (jazz singer)
24. Emmylou Harris (country/Americana singer/songwriter)
25. Esther Phillips (R&B singer)
26. Fela Kuti (Nigerian musician who is the “Father of Afrobeat”)
27. Frank Sinatra (American singer)
28. George Jones (country artist)
29. Glen Campbell (country artist and guitarist in Wrecking Crew)
30. Glenn Miller Orchestra (American big band and jazz band)
31. Gram Parsons (singer/songwriter/guitar who was instrumental in the development of Americana music)
32. Greil Marcus (rock critic and author)
33. Herbie Hancock (jazz keyboardist)
34. Ivory Joe Hunter (R&B singer/songwriter/pianist)
35. Jaan Uhelszki (rock critic)
36. Jacques Brel (Belgian singer)
37. JJ Jackson (DJ and original MTV VJ)
38. John Cage (composer and musical theorist)
39. John Coltrane (jazz saxophonist)
40. Johnny Ace (R&B singer)
41. Karlheinz Stockhausen (German electronic composer)
42. Kris Kristofferson (country singer/songwriter)
43. Kurt Loder (rock critic and MTV News anchor)
44. Kurtis Blow (rap/hip hop pioneer)
45. Lester Bangs (rock critic and author)
46. Lightin’ Hopkins (country blues singer/songwriter/guitarist)
47. Lisa Robinson (rock critic and author)
48. Lonny Donegan (British singer/songwriter/musician known in UK as the “King of Skiffle”)
49. Loretta Lynn (country singer/songwriter)
50. Mark Goodman (DJ and original MTV VJ)
51. Martha Quinn (DJ and original MTV VJ)
52. Memphis Minnie (also known as Kansas Joe McCoy; Delta blues guitarist)
53. Merle Haggard (country singer/songwriter)
54. Mississippi John Hurt (country blues singer/songwriter/guitarist)
55. Nina Blackwood (original MTV VJ)
56. Odetta (folk singer/songwriter known as the “Voice of the Civil Rights Movement”)
57. Patsy Cline (country singer)
58. Ravi Shankar (Indian sitarist/composer)
59. Robert Christgau (rock critic)
60. Roy Acuff (country singer/fiddler)
61. Roy Brown (blues singer)
62. Sarah Vaughan (jazz singer/pianist)
63. Scott Joplin (jazz composer/pianist known as the “King of Ragtime”)
64. Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (blues/R&B singer/songwriter, often referred to as the originator of “shock rock”)
65. Serge Gainsbourg (French singer/songwriter)
66. Son House (Delta blue singer/guitarist)
67. Sonny Boy Williamson II (blues harmonica player/singer)
68. The Carter Family (family musical group who influenced bluegrass, country and folk musics)
69. The Clovers (R&B/doo wop vocal group)
70. The Crew Cuts (Canadian vocal/doo wop group)
71. The Dominos (R&B vocal quartet)
72. The Four Freshmen (vocal quartet)
73. The Funk Brothers (Motown’s session musicians)
74. The Immediate Family (LA session musicians in Seventies and Eighties)
75. The Kingston Trio (folk/pop group)
76. The Mills Brothers (vocal group who were first African American artists to have a national radio program)
77. The Ravens (R&B vocal group)
78. The Weavers (folk music quartet)
79. The Wrecking Crew (LA session musicians of Fifties and Sixties)
80. Thelonious Monk (jazz pianist)
81. Tom Lehrer (singer/songwriter/satirist/mathematician)
82. Townes Van Zandt (singer/songwriter)
83. W.C. Handy (composer/musician who combined aspects of the blues with ragtime jazz; self-proclaimed “Father of the Blues”)
84. Wanda Jackson (country/gospel/rock singer/songwriter/guitarist known as the “Queen of Rockabilly”)
85. Waylon Jennings (country singer/songwriter)
86. Wendy Carlos (electronic musician/composer)
87. Wynonie Harris (blues singer)

Yet another area of rock and roll that has been neglected over the years by the Hall has been backing groups of artists who have inducted. Back in 2012, the Hall started to correct this oversight by inducting the following backup bands: The Blue Caps (Gene Vincent), The Comets (Bill Haley), The Crickets (Buddy Holly), The Famous Flames (James Brown), The Midnighters (Hank Ballard) and The Miracles (Smokey Robinson). Then, in 2014, one of the most famous backing bands of all-time, Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band were finally inducted. The problem is that the Hall has forgotten once again to take care of this neglect in recent years. Once again, I have come to the rescue with a list of backup bands were deserve recognition sooner more than later.

1. Big Brother and the Holding Company (Janis Joplin)
2. Crazy Horse (Neil Young)
3. Patti Smith Group (Patti Smith)
4. The Attractions (Elvis Costello)
5. The Belmonts (Dion)
6. The Imposters (Elvis Costello)
7. The JB’s (James Brown)
8. The Mothers of Invention (Frank Zappa)
9. The New Power Generation (Prince)
10. The Revolution (Prince)
11. The Silver Bullet Band (Bob Seger)
12. The Spiders from Mars (David Bowie)
13. The Tennessee Three (Johnny Cash)
14. The Wailers (Bob Marley)
15. Wings (Paul McCartney)

And a case could be made from John Mellencamp’s backing band members from throughout his career, even though they never really had an official name. And while I’m at this, Mellencamp’s backing band is not the only group of musicians who backed up various artists, such as The Immediate Family (also known as The Section when they backed up James Taylor’s Seventies tours) who backed up everyone from Jackson Browne and Carole King to Stevie Nicks and Warren Zevon, among many others. In those cases, which includes The Funk Brothers from Motown and The Wrecking Crew (who played with The Monkees, Frank Sinatra, The Grass Roots, The Beach Boys, The Association, in addition to tens of other famous artists), I included them on the previous list for Musical Excellence and Contributors.

Later, I plan to rank 100 artists according to their sales, influence, critical praise and their effect on me. That list might trigger many of you, so make sure you add your voice to this topic. If the groundswell is large enough, maybe we can pressure the Hall to get off their collective pompous ass to move to complete the story of rock and roll’s history and timeline.

A couple of Saturdays ago, I was shocked to learn that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced their Nominees for the Class of 2024 Induction Ceremony. As I looked over the list, my first thought was there were many first-time nominees as well as a few nominees who had not been nominated in years, which was kind of cool. BUT, outside of solo Ozzy Osbourne, Foreigner, Cher, Peter Frampton and Mariah Carey, I found the list lacking a few HUGE names from previous years.

First, when are the voters going to wake up to the fact that Iron Maiden, Motörhead, MC5, New York Dolls, The Jam, The Time, Cyndi Lauper, Joy Division/New Order, Big Star and The Monkees all need to be inducted BEFORE anyone on this list except for the three aforementioned artists. I truly find the Nomination Committee’s process lacking when it comes to artists overlooked in the recent past. It’s no wonder Eddie Trunk and his followers believe the Hall is a joke. There seems to be a lack of historical significance being shown in the nominee lists. Ask yourself a question: As worthy of an inductee as Sheryl Crow is, what was the hurry to induct her over any of my snubbed artists? That’s what makes the Hall so frustrating.

Hell, I could make a list a mile long of artists deserving of induction BEFORE most artists who were nominated. I mean, look at this list of artists still on the outside of the Hall: Boston, Styx, Jethro Tull, Slayer, Kurtis Blow, The Damned, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Hüsker Dü, Pixies, Loverboy, The Marvelettes, Mary Wells, Procol Harum, Huey Lewis & the News, Warren Zevon, Los Lobos, War, Weezer, Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, OutKast, Queensrÿche, The Bangles, Supertramp and Waylon Jennings, off the top of my head. Some of those artists I have named have NEVER been nominated!

I will never understand why I care so much. Except, maybe, just maybe, I want history to be written correctly, not to be the lasting opinion of the former chairperson of the Hall, and founder of Rolling Stone magazine, Jann Wenner. Since his unceremonial ousting from the Hall, the Hall needs to air out his critical dislike of so many artists important to the story of rock & roll music.

By the way, I only got three artists correct on my official prediction list back several weeks ago. Actually, I did better on my wish list as I got four artists correct on that one. Maybe, in the future, I should keep plugging for artists I think deserve induction ASAP as opposed to trying to read the tea leaves, so to speak.

With all of that said, allow me to introduce the 2024 Nominees for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in order of what I believe are their chances for induction this year. Now don’t get me wrong. I truly believe that every one of these artists SHOULD be inducted eventually. I simply feel others should get precedent over most of these. One other thing, so far in the 2020s, each class has had seven inductees. That means my top seven would constitute the Class of 2024 for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

1. Cher. This lady has a huge amount of backing from critics and Hall watchers, plus the industry no longer views Cher as a joke. Her ability to genre jump from a 70s singer/songwriter vibe with her early 70s hits (“Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves”) to her disco days (“Take Me Home”) to her hair metal pop (“If I Could Turn Back Time”) to her international dance hit (“Believe”), Cher has proven her ability to adapt to the times. Plus, she has had hit songs in SEVEN decades! SEVEN!

2. Ozzy Osbourne. So, the man was a mess by the end of the 70s when Black Sabbath kicked him out. Then Sharon came into his life and got him refocused as a solo artist. Ozzy discovered Randy Rhoades and started to collaborate with him. And the rest, as they say, is history.

3. Mariah Carey. Mariah OWNS the month of December if only with one song that’s now 30 years old. But, throw in all the number one hits she has that run the gamut from big power ballads through dance/rap collaborations, Mariah proves she can do it all (And, I didn’t mention the rumored alternative rock album she created and shelved back in the Nineties.). There isn’t a style the woman cannot conquer with her otherworldly voice. She is definitely the next diva in line for induction after Aretha, Chaka, Donna Summer, Pat Benatar and Whitney. All we are missing is Ms. Cyndi Lauper to be fully up-to-date.

4. Sinéad O’Connor. The outspoken singer from Ireland is long overdue for this moment. She was rock & roll through and through right down to her soul. Her vocals were always amazing as she always knew how to cut down to the emotional core of a song. Her views on life were a good thirty years ahead of her time, not to mention her killer music. Why does it take the death of an artist to fully appreciate he or she?

5. Peter Frampton. If you are around my age (61), you know just how ubiquitous Frampton Comes Alive was. I’m not sure why his management marketed him as a teen idol after the success of that album because it killed his career as a serious musician and songwriter. I’m in You was a very good album as were his pre-live album LPs. Even David Bowie tried to revive Frampton’s career by making Peter his featured guitarist on tour in 1987. This man should NOT be forgotten to time!

6. Foreigner. Right there with Journey, as far as hits were concerned, Foreigner was one of the pillars of Album Oriented Radio. Believe it or not, but Rolling Stone named “Urgent” the song of the year in 1981. And the band’s main songwriters singer Lou Gramm and guitarist/band leader Mick Jones were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame a while back, so Foreigner has major critical backing. Their induction would be a major middle finger to Jann Wenner who allegedly blackballed the band from the Hall. See? Someone was trying to rewrite rock & roll history!?!?

7.Kool & the Gang. Did anyone out there know who the only American band to be part of the Band Aid record “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” in 1984? That’s right! Kool & the Gang. That’s how hot this band was in the early 80s. In the 70s, Kool & the Gang was one of the premiere funk bands, right up there with Parliament/Funkadelic; Earth, Wind & Fire; War and the Commodores. Then, they had some disco hits in the late 70s, followed by the mainstream dance/pop hits in the early 80s. By the time the mid-80s rolled in, Kool & the Gang evolved into a powerful soul ballad band. These guys were so talented that they were able to adapt to the times and remained just as successful and influential as before.

From the point, these artists would not make the Hall. That does not mean that I do not find them worthy. Not at all! As a matter of fact, all of this year’s nominees, much like the past couple of lists, deserve induction. I think it would be cool if the Hall would just induct all nominees over the next few years to alleviate the logjam of deserving artists in the coming years. But, there’s nothing logical about this Hall of Fame.

8. Jane’s Addiction. I LOVE Jane’s Addiction! I have ever since I heard “Jane Says” and “Mountain Song” on WOXY-FM 97-X in Oxford, Ohio, back in 1987. These guys are one of the all-time greats who, with the Pixies and Mudhoney, played something akin to an alternative music John the Baptist to the upcoming Grunge era in the early 90s. Then there’s lead singer Perry Farrell who invented the whole influential Lollapalooza Tour that took all forms of alternative music to the masses during those heady days of the Nineties. These guys justly deserve the call of induction.

9. Sade. Oh my goodness! This band’s brand of jazz-tinged soul is just so flawlessly romantic, it becomes perfect for comedy moments in TV shows. Perhaps the greatest thing about Sade the singer is that she has remained successful without ever changing the formula. Maybe that’s due to the fact that she only releases an album or two per decade since her initial three albums in the 80s. I truly cannot wait for the next Sade album!

10. Eric B. & Rakim. I know that hip hop is a controversial issue when it comes to the Hall. But, the whole pop/R&B/funk/soul/hip hop/rap wing represents the “roll” in rock & roll. Plus, much of today’s music would not exist without the contributions of the roll in rock music. To me, it’s pretty bigoted to disregard the music of the black community with respect to the Hall. Anyway, Rakim is still considered by many experts and artists as the best MC ever. And Eric B. is held in high esteem for his production work and his innovative use of jazz samples in the duo’s music. They should have been inducted long ago.

11. A Tribe Called Quest. This group of rap futurists actually added a touch of surrealism into their jazz-based music. The gang’s muse was so strong that they were able to make a comeback in 2017 with one of the year’s best albums period. ATCQ should have been inducted years ago. But, like Eric B. & Rakim, ATCQ lacks notoriety in the mainstream world. Still, that should NOT matter!

12. Oasis. I get that they were the biggest band in the UK in the mid-90s. But, when their spiritual forefathers The Jam, or even a solo Paul Weller, sit on the outside of the Hall, how can I justify Oasis being inducted? Don’t get me wrong, I love this band, and they deserve the honor. But, not before The Jam AND solo Paul Weller. It just ain’t right!

13. Mary J. Blige. In the lineage of divas, Mary J. is chronologically right after Mariah. So, I’d have no problem with Ms. Blige bringing her hip hop-tinged R&B music to the Hall so long as Mariah is inducted with her. Once again, it’s all about history.

14. Lenny Kravitz. I absolutely LOVE Lenny Kravitz and his music. He is much like a poor man’s Prince, able to synthesize everything sound around him into his own sound. And I also think Lenny deserves more love now than he used to get back in his day. His music has always been timeless and straight from the man’s soul. Much like my opinion of Sheryl Crow, he deserves to be inducted, but what’s the hurry when there are so many others who have been waiting forever to get in.

15. Dave Matthews Band. I think I have made it clear that I am not a fan of Dave Matthews Band. Personally, I think Phish is the more dynamic jam band of that era and deserves induction way more than DMB. But, I also recognize that DMB must be doing something right to account for their successful tours and albums over the years. If nothing else, that popularity speaks volumes. Plus, it’s their second time to be nominated. I won’t bitch too much if they are inducted, although there just might be 100 artists that should get the honor before them. Sorry Dave fans! That’s just my opinion.

Well, folks, there’s my predictions, for what its worth. Please keep in mind that nothing will surprise me concerning who actually becomes part of the Class of 2024. Shoot, O’Connor and Carey could be replaced by a hip hop artist and DMB for all I know. Remember, the Hall wants to have an exciting Induction Ceremony with great performers so they get good TV ratings when Disney+ and ABC broadcast it. What can I say? Ratings really do drive this thing.

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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