Tag: news

My Favorite Christmas Albums of All-Time

For some reason that I cannot really answer, I have a modest collection of Christmas music. I am not some of those people who scour thrift stores and record shops for off-the-wall holiday songs. But, I do look for rock and roll Christmas music. I remember back in the Eighties, when I was working as a clinical laboratory scientist in a hospital in Ohio, we were at a Christmas party when someone asked me if I knew of any rock artists who recorded Christmas music. I told him that I knew of some singles and had a list in my first edition of The Book of Rock Lists of some critics favorite Christmas albums. Much to the chagrin of our wives, we spent the next hour or so writing up a list of songs by contemporary artists. That was 1987 when the first A Very Special Christmas album was released.

Since that fateful night, I have kept an eye open for Christmas music that piques my interest. I tend to purchase compilation albums and CDs since I enjoy making mixtapes and now playlists of Christmas music. First, Napster was my best friend in the Aughts for finding obscure music. But now, my friend is streaming. Currently, I have only purchased one Christmas album for my collection, which was a somewhat difficult to find import compilation.

Christmas music releases can be hit and miss over the years. It seemed as though a whole couple of generations of artists were making Christmas albums throughout the 21st century, at least until the pandemic. Still, some more albums trickled out up until this year. I understand that several C-list artists released new Christmas music, but not like the previous two decades.

The first Christmas albums I ever received were recorded by The Ventures and some Snoopy-inspired Christmas compilation led by the great “Snoopy’s Christmas” by The Royal Guardians. Boy, did I ever play the hell out of those two albums. Even during the summer. For years! But, as my tastes changed, so did my Christmas music. By the mid- and late-Seventies, I was into songs by The Kinks (“Father Christmas”), Greg Lake (“I Believe in Father Christmas”), Bruce Springsteen (“Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”), Eagles (“Please Come Home for Christmas”) and Elton John (“Step Into Christmas”), not to forget Cheech & Chong’s brilliant comedy bit “Santa Claus and His Old Lady.”

When the Seventies were closing into the Eighties, it seemed as if everyone was releasing Christmas songs. Hell, even Paul McCartney gave us “Wonderful Christmastime” in 1979. And a what sounded like a pop song that has grown into a Christmas classic, Dan Fogelberg rode “Same Old Lange Syne” into the Top 10 in 1980. Finally, all of those here-and-gone rock popsters of the moment New Wave artists dropped Christmas kisses all over the scene.

Since the early-Eighties, the holiday music market has grown until Mariah Carey blew up the whole damn thing when she released her Christmas classic album Merry Christmas in 1994. Since then, she has made millions of dollars every year based solely on that album and her ubiquitous hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” After that, every artist went searching for a perennial Christmas classic. And that all often leads to some fantastic music and some real clunkers.

With that said, I am listing my 15 favorite Christmas albums by artists, in addition to my five favorite Christmas compilation albums. If you own these twenty, you can keep a Christmas party rockin’ all night long. I am listing these albums in alphabetical order by artist.

The Beach Boys – The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album (1964). One of the grandfathers of Christmas albums, people should NOT have been surprised by the sound of Pet Sounds after listening to this album.

James Brown – James Brown’s Funky Christmas (1995). Technically a compilation of James Brown’s funky take on Christmas standards and his own additions to the Christmas music book.

Mariah Carey – Merry Christmas (1994). This is the big one!

Carpenters – An Old-Fashioned Christmas (1974). Nothing beats Karen Carpenter voicing the dark side of the yuletide.

Cheap Trick – Christmas Christmas (2017). Just because the Rockford, Illinois, power poppers are one of my favorites.

Bob Dylan – Christmas at Heart (2009). You never know if Bob is serious or not, but he was really on a creative roll at the time he recorded this album. I believe that Bob was in the middle of his exploration of Frank Sinatra’s catalog when he decided that he needed to do some Christmas standards.

Vince Guaraldi Trio – A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965). A jazz soundtrack to a cartoon Christmas special that has Biblical scripture read? You bet! And, it was a perfect storm.

Daryl Hall & John Oates – Home for Christmas (2006). Take arguably the greatest white soul singer of the rock era and turn him loose on some R&B takes on some Christmas standards and you get pure gold.

Emmylou Harris – Light of the Stable (1979). Leave it alt-country pioneer Emmylou Harris, the ex-partner of the late Gram Parsons, to tell the story of Jesus’ birth in a beautifully written, played and sung setting. This album can truly make a believer out of you.

The Monkees – Christmas Party (2019). The Monkees were down to a trio by the time this album was being recorded, which coincided with their comeback album from the previous year. Around that time, we lost Peter Tork and Michael Nesmith after having lost Davy Jones long before. So, this album has added poignance. There are a couple of great yuletide originals by the likes of Rivers Cuomo of Weezer and Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie to help the 60s band stay current.

Kacey Musgrave – A Very Kacey Christmas (2016). Musgrave is arguably the best current artist in country music. And she was just reaching her songwriting peak when this terrific pop/country Christmas classic was released. The best song is a smoldering original called “Present Without a Bow” that Musgrave sang with the very underappreciated Leon Bridges. This is the sexiest holiday song released since the 60s soul heyday.

Willie Nelson – Pretty Paper (1979). 1979 was one helluva year for the country outlaw movement of which Willie was a leader. So, it made sense that Willie would record a bunch of classics in his characteristic manner and kill it. His version of Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Paper” just might be the definitive one.

Elvis Presley – Elvis’ Christmas Album (1957). The success of Elvis’ album of his rock take on Christmas standards started this whole thing.

Sufjan Stevens – Songs for Christmas (2006). This relatively unknown neo-folk artist created five years worth of Extended Plays (EPs) of Christmas music done in his unique manner. He eventually released these in a box set, and it is terrific. The originals are outstanding while Sufjan breathes new life into old holiday classics.

The Ventures – The Ventures’ Christmas Album (1965). This is the first rock and roll Christmas album I ever listened to, thanks to my babysitter in my preschool years during the Sixties. Eventually, my parents purchased my own copy so I’d quit driving the other kids up a wall at the sitter’s home. Instead, I blared that album year round off the front porch of our house up until I got an Alice Cooper album in 1973.

Various Artists – A Christmas Gift to You from Phil Spector (1963). This is not just the greatest Christmas album of all-time, but it is quite possibly one of the greatest pop/rock albums of all-time. Phil Spector was at the height of his producer’s powers when he produced this album of his artists (The Ronettes, The Crystals, Darlene Love, etc.). Unfortunately, the album was released on the day President Kennedy was assassinated, so initially the American public was reluctant to celebrate. Yet, this album has become a Christmas classic thanks to the timelessness of the songs, performances and production, all of which had a profound effect on Brian Wilson who would soon release his magnum opus Pet Sounds.

Various Artists – A Motown Christmas (1973). Throughout the Sixties, Motown was a hit-making machine including releasing several Christmas classics of their own. So, it made great sense to compile the best of the best and release this compilation of Christmas classics covered by their biggest stars like Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, The Temptations, The Four Tops and all the rest. What a fantastic album!

Various Artists – New Wave Xmas: Just Can’t Get Enough (1996). The late-Seventies and early-Eighties took the punk aesthetic combined it with Sixties kitsch, some Motown, synthesizers, glam rock, pop and disco to birth this thing called New Wave. During this era, these artists were not afraid to record Christmas songs, from The Waitresses now classic song “Christmas Wrapping” and The Pogues’ reality hard-hitter “Fairytale of New York” to lesser fun songs like They Might Be Giants with “Santa Beard” and “Christmas Day” by Squeeze, with all kinds of stuff in between. This compilation is part of Rhino’s Nineties-era 19-CD collection of New Wave songs entitled New Wave Hits of the Eighties: Just Can’t Get Enough.

Various Artists – Soul Christmas (1968). Motown wasn’t the only label attempting to cash in on the Christmas market. In 1968, this mostly Stax artist compilation was released for the world to catch onto soul artists’ original Christmas music. You will find the original versions of “Backdoor Santa” by Clarence Carter, Joe Tex doing “I’ll Make Every Day Christmas,” “Gee Whiz, It’s Christmas” by Carla Thomas and Otis Redding’s moving take on “White Christmas.”

Various Artists – A Very Special Christmas (1987); A Very Special Christmas 2 (1992); A Very Special Christmas 3 (1997). The 1987 release heralded a return of the rock Christmas album after several silent years outside of a bunch of singles that barely received airplay during their time. The first album was loaded with stars of the day including Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, U2, Run-DMC, John Mellencamp and others. The second and third albums had a smattering of great new songs, especially Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ now-standard “Christmas All Over Again.” On the second and third volumes, you will find Christmas music by artists from Sinead O’Connor and Extreme to Smashing Pumpkins and No Doubt. These three are all now classic compilations whose original intention was to raise money for the Special Olympics.

There are hundreds of great Christmas albums out there, all you have to do is dig a little. There are albums by Andy Williams and Bing Crosby to Twisted Sister and Billy Idol, not to mention an Eighties rap Christmas compilation called Christmas Rapping and a Death Row compilation for the Nineties that is interesting to hear how the gangstas celebrated the yuletide. Merry Christmas Everybody!!!

 

My Predictions for the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominees List

I am finally going to make my prediction of the nominees for the upcoming Class of 2026 of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I keep making adjustments to my list, even right up to this point.

I have decided to go with 16 nominees, since until last year, when they only announced 14 artists, the Hall had made an effort to include 16 names during the 2020s. Plus, by doing this, I am giving myself a little leeway with my choices. I will list my nominees in alphabetical order, then I will choose the seven artists whom I would induct.

  1. Boston
  2. Mariah Carey
  3. Phil Collins
  4. Devo
  5. Billy Idol
  6. INXS
  7. Iron Maiden
  8. Joy Division/New Order
  9. Alicia Keys
  10. Alanis Morissette
  11. Motörhead
  12. Pixies
  13. Smashing Pumpkins
  14. The Smiths
  15. Styx
  16. Wu-Tang Clan

Others under consideration: The B-52’s, The Jam, Jethro Tull, Gloria Estefan, The Bangles, De La Soul, Three Dog Night, Snoop Dogg, Thin Lizzy and Little Feat.

Now, the difficult part for me. Narrowing down those 16 nominees to seven for enshrinement next year. So, here goes my first go-around with this prediction which I am pulling completely out of you know where.

  1. Mariah Carey
  2. Phil Collins
  3. Billy Idol
  4. Iron Maiden
  5. Alicia Keys
  6. Styx
  7. Wu-Tang Clan

Alicia Keys is my dark horse. Let’s face it, the New York City intelligensia love to praise their hometown. And since Alicia Keys is hugely popular, has successfully hosted the Grammys and has an excellent Broadway show running currently, I really see Alicia getting a first-ballot induction. My opinion is that she should be under consideration, she is not that important in the big picture of rock and roll history. But, that has never kept the Hall from such an induction.

Now, my reasoning for Keys’ induction is going to backfire as to why their has been a delay on NYC acts on my list such as Wu-Tang and Mariah. I can’t figure out what has taken so long for these two. Phil Collins has been treated horribly over the years and deserves this honor. Iron Maiden and Billy Idol are huge 80s acts that have been overlooked for far too long. Finally, there is Styx, who after the induction of Bad Company in 2025, moved them to the top of the classic rock list fulfilling my pre-punk era of favorites in the Hall by joining Queen, Cheap Trick, KISS, Journey, Rush and Alice Cooper.

I have no knowledge as to what will happen. I watch articles by some prominent Hall Watchers who tend to let their biases interfere with their choices. As much as I try, I removed my biases, otherwise Paul Weller’s WHOLE career would be inducted including his 80s band The Style Council, and attempt to make an educated guess based upon the number of times experts list an artist. As much as I try to make this process scientific, and it has worked in some years and been a disaster in others, I am basically just guessing.

Yet, for all of the frustrations, I come back to this topic every year. Is this a sign of insanity? I’m beginning to think so.

As of the of 2025, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Is Missing These Artists

Now that the Class of 2025 has been inducted, we can take a little break before the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announces the nominees for the Class of 2026. And everyone who knows an inkling about music probably can name one to five artists who have yet to be inducted.

Over the years, I have written until I finally threw up about how much the Hall missed out over the years in making it the all-inclusive institution that the music it celebrates truly is. I still believe the classes should be bigger. And those who get in should have at least 60% of the fan votes. But, again, I am a very small fish in a big ocean. In the big scheme of things, at least the current leaders of the Hall are recognizing the problems and are attempting to rectify them. Unfortunately, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will NEVER be as inclusive as, let’s say, Goldmine magazine’s imaginary Hall of Fame is. Their’s is based upon an artist having multiple Top 40 hits on Billboard‘s Hot 100 singles chart and Top 200 album chart.

Not to mention the daily argument that rock & roll fans have over the definition of rock & roll. Is it limited the artists played on classic rock and alternative rock radio stations, primarily the music of the Seventies, Eighties and Nineties? Or is the music more inclusive due to the multitude of mutations and influences of various narrow forms have on each other? Me? I think by now we all know that I am in the all inclusive camp. My personal collection is full of all kinds of music, though I will admit that I am lacking many records from the Fifties and Sixties. However, I DO own some jazz, country, hip hop, R&B, soul, punk, new wave, pop, etc., besides rock music. I can spot influences within music even though I have absolutely no clue as to how the artist can make his or her instrument make those sounds.

Since the induction, I have been researching many of my favorite Rock Hall websites that keep track of those artists still sitting outside looking in to the Hall. My two favorites are Future Legends of Rock and Not in the Hall of Fame/music. Those two are very thorough with their information and are much better than I am with keeping abreast of Hall news. Not in the Hall has a committee that ranks artists according to many different parameters to determine who deserves induction the most. Their rankings are pretty bang-on. On the other hand, Future Legends is stuffed full of information. They have a voting section for you to vote for your favorite artists for induction. Once you do, you can discover information about the artist along with the predicted percentage of their eventual induction. Additionally, the site has information concerning who is eligible for induction and other Hall news.

So, whenever I get the urge to venture back into this whole Hall of Fame subject, the first place I always go to are those two sites. They are the best.

I have spent the weekend compiling, editing and re-editing a list of 300 artists who all deserve induction into the Hall of Fame. As far as I am concerned, these are all artist who should be in the Hall as a performer, influence, contributor or for musical excellence. I had at one time 364 names, but I had to remove relatively obscure favorites like The Style Council or Dexys Midnight Runners or New Radicals. As much as I love these artists, I cannot in good faith put them ahead of more deserving artists. Still, they all have a home in MY Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

I have identified 300 artists who are all eligible for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2026. Eventually, I will narrow down this huge list of deserving artists down to who I believe are the 50 artists who are most important in the annals of rock & roll in a future blog, including the 15 whom I believe will be nominated and the seven I think will be inducted as performers. But that is in the near future.

Right now, let’s just consider the artists who should be considered for induction. I think you will find this initial list fairly comprehensive. One could make arguments for some of these artists not to be included, while some of you might identify artists who you feel justified in having on a list such as this. That’s what makes this musical art form so compelling to a large majority of three generations, Baby Boomers, Gen X and Millennials. I’m still not sure of rock’s importance in the lives of Gen Z. My list is in alphabetical order.

  1. Bryan Adams
  2. Ryan Adams
  3. Christina Aguilera
  4. Alice in Chains
  5. Alicia Keys
  6. America
  7. Tori Amos
  8. Anthrax
  9. Fiona Apple
  10. Arrested Development
  11. Ashford & Simpson
  12. The B-52’s
  13. Bachman-Turner Overdrive
  14. Backstreet Boys
  15. Bad Brains
  16. Bad Religion
  17. Badfinger
  18. Erykah Badu
  19. Anita Baker
  20. Afrika Bambaataa
  21. The Bangles
  22. Bauhaus
  23. Beck
  24. Big Star
  25. Björk
  26. The Black Crowes
  27. Black Flag
  28. Blink-182
  29. Blood, Sweat & Tears
  30. Kurtis Blow
  31. Blue Cheer
  32. Blue Öyster Cult
  33. Blur
  34. Bone Thugz-N-Harmony
  35. Boogie Down Productions
  36. Boston
  37. Boyz II Men
  38. The Breeders
  39. Garth Brooks
  40. Jeff Buckley
  41. Tim Buckley
  42. Johnny Burnette & the Rock N Roll Trio
  43. Buzzcocks
  44. Glen Campbell
  45. Can
  46. Captain Beefheart
  47. Mariah Carey
  48. The Carpenters
  49. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
  50. Tracy Chapman
  51. The Chemical Brothers
  52. Chic
  53. The Chicks
  54. Patsy Cline
  55. Cocteau Twins
  56. Coldplay
  57. Ornette Coleman
  58. Phil Collins
  59. John Coltrane
  60. The Commodores
  61. The Cranberries
  62. Jim Croce
  63. The Crystals
  64. The Cult
  65. Culture Club
  66. Cypress Hill
  67. D’Angelo
  68. Daft Punk
  69. Dick Dale
  70. The Damned
  71. De La Soul
  72. Dead Kennedys
  73. Derek & the Dominos
  74. Rick Derringer
  75. Destiny’s Child
  76. Devo
  77. Dinosaur Jr.
  78. Dio
  79. DMX
  80. Dr. Dre
  81. Drive-By Truckers
  82. Echo & the Bunnymen
  83. Emerson, Lake & Palmer
  84. En Vogue
  85. Brian Eno
  86. Eric B. & Rakim
  87. Gloria Estefan
  88. Faith No More
  89. Marianne Faithfull
  90. The Fall
  91. Fanny
  92. The Fifth Dimension
  93. Ella Fitzgerald
  94. Roberta Flack
  95. The Flaming Lips
  96. The Flying Burrito Brothers
  97. Fugazi
  98. Fugees
  99. The Funk Brothers
  100. Rory Gallagher
  101. Gang of Four
  102. Garbage
  103. Gloria Gaynor
  104. Gorillaz
  105. Grand Funk Railroad
  106. The Grass Roots
  107. The Guess Who
  108. Merle Haggard
  109. Herbie Hancock
  110. Emmylou Harris
  111. PJ Harvey
  112. Donny Hathaway
  113. Lauryn Hill
  114. Hole
  115. The Human League
  116. Humble Pie
  117. Hüsker Dü
  118. Ice Cube
  119. Billy Idol
  120. INXS
  121. Iron Butterfly
  122. Iron Maiden
  123. The J. Geils Band
  124. Joe Jackson
  125. The Jam
  126. Rick James
  127. Tommy James & the Shondells
  128. Jan & Dean
  129. Jane’s Addiction
  130. Jellyfish
  131. Waylon Jennings
  132. The Jesus and Mary Chain
  133. Jethro Tull
  134. Jewel
  135. George Jones
  136. Grace Jones
  137. Norah Jones
  138. Rickie Lee Jones
  139. Joy Division/New Order
  140. KC & the Sunshine Band
  141. Ben E. King
  142. King Crimson
  143. Korn
  144. Lenny Kravitz
  145. Kris Kristofferson
  146. Fela Kuti
  147. LaBelle
  148. Huey Lewis & the News
  149. Lil Wayne
  150. Limp Bizkit
  151. Linkin Park
  152. Little Feat
  153. Living Colour
  154. Los Lobos
  155. Love
  156. Loretta Lynne
  157. Marilyn Manson
  158. The Marvelettes
  159. John Mayer
  160. MC Hammer
  161. Meat Loaf
  162. Megadeth
  163. Natalie Merchant
  164. The Meters
  165. Midnight Oil
  166. Ministry
  167. Kylie Minogue
  168. Minutemen
  169. The Misfits
  170. Moby
  171. The Modern Lovers
  172. Modest Mouse
  173. The Monkees
  174. Alanis Morissette
  175. Giorgio Moroder
  176. Mötley Crüe
  177. Mötorhead
  178. Mott the Hoople
  179. Muse
  180. My Bloody Valentine
  181. My Morning Jacket
  182. Nas
  183. Neu!
  184. The Neville Brothers
  185. New Edition
  186. New York Dolls
  187. Olivia Newton-John
  188. Harry Nilsson
  189. No Doubt
  190. *NSYNC
  191. Ted Nugent
  192. Gary Numan
  193. Oasis
  194. Sinead O’Connor
  195. Odetta
  196. The Offspring
  197. P!nk
  198. Pantera
  199. Gram Parsons
  200. Pavement
  201. Pet Shop Boys
  202. Peter, Paul & Mary
  203. Liz Phair
  204. Phish
  205. Pixies
  206. The Pogues
  207. The Pointer Sisters
  208. Poison
  209. Iggy Pop
  210. John Prine
  211. Procol Harum
  212. The Prodigy
  213. The Psychedelic Furs
  214. Public Image Ltd.
  215. Suzi Quatro
  216. Queen Latifah
  217. Queens of the Stone Age
  218. Rancid
  219. The Raspberries
  220. REO Speedwagon
  221. The Replacements
  222. Paul Revere & the Raiders
  223. Cliff Richard & the Shadows
  224. Robyn
  225. The Roots
  226. Diana Ross
  227. Rufus
  228. The Runaways
  229. Ry Cooder
  230. Sade
  231. Joe Satriani
  232. Boz Scaggs
  233. Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
  234. Neil Sedaka
  235. Selena
  236. Shakira
  237. The Shangri-La’s
  238. Simple Minds
  239. Siouxsie & the Banshees
  240. Slade
  241. Slayer
  242. Sleater-Kinney
  243. Slipknot
  244. The Smashing Pumpkins
  245. Elliott Smith
  246. The Smiths
  247. Snoop Dogg
  248. Sonic Youth
  249. The Sonics
  250. Sparks
  251. Britney Spears
  252. The Specials
  253. Spice Girls
  254. Squeeze
  255. Billy Squier
  256. Steppenwold
  257. Sufjan Stevens
  258. Sting
  259. Stone Roses
  260. Stone Temple Pilots
  261. Stray Cats
  262. The Strokes
  263. Styx
  264. Sublime
  265. Suede
  266. Sugarcubes
  267. Suicide
  268. Sun Ra
  269. Supertramp
  270. The Sweet
  271. System of a Down
  272. Talk Talk
  273. Tangerine Dream
  274. Tears for Fears
  275. Television
  276. Thin Lizzy
  277. Three Dog Night
  278. TLC
  279. Tool
  280. Peter Tosh
  281. Toots & the Maytals
  282. The Turtles
  283. Shania Twain
  284. Luther Vandross
  285. Suzanne Vega
  286. Violent Femmes
  287. Joe Walsh
  288. War
  289. Weezer
  290. Paul Weller
  291. Mary Wells
  292. Barry White
  293. Wilco
  294. Lucinda Williams
  295. Steve Winwood
  296. Wu-Tang Clan
  297. X
  298. XTC
  299. “Weird Al” Yankovic
  300. Yeah Yeah Yeahs

My rankings and predictions are coming soon.

Just Who Do You Think Are Getting into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2025

Since I am no longer teaching or coaching these days, I am reduced to a dream of getting to vote for artists for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Since I have been labelled as retired/disable/unable to work by the state of Indiana and the federal governments, my dreams have become less grand with each passing year. When I was coaching, I dreamed of county, conference, sectional, regional and state championships. Unfortunately, those dreams were taken away from me, I have adjusted the dream down to this blog becoming popular enough to get an annual ballot for inductees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Yet, that remains a pipe dream, which is totally fine.

So, instead, I choose to use this little platform of mine to do a little shouting into the abyss. As you know by now, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame released a list of 14 acts that have been selected by the Hall’s Nomination Committee to be selected into the Hall’s Class of 2025, either as a Performer, or either for Musical Excellence, Musical Influence or as a recipient of the Ahmet Ertegun Award for Contributions to the World of Popular Music (or some other title?). Following the trend of the past few years, we will probably have seven or eight of the nominated acts inducted this year as performers, along with the possibility of any or all of the leftover acts getting inducted through either the Excellence or Influence designation.

As a refresher, here are the Nominees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 up for induction as performers: Bad Company, Billy Idol, Chubby Checker, Cyndi Lauper, Joe Cocker, Joy Division/New Order, Maná, Mariah Carey, Oasis, OutKast, Phish, Soundgarden, The Black Crowes and The White Stripes. Currently, we are probably nearing two weeks since these acts were announced, and I have all ready bitched a little about who was left off the ballot (Iron Maiden, The Smiths, Sinead O’Connor, Motörhead, Thin Lizzy, et. al.).

Those of you who have read this blog for a while know that I have participate in some online discussions about problems with the RRHoF and their nomination/induction processes. The loosely connected group of renegades, radicals, rock journalists and a few self-acknowledged rock experts like me. I’m just an old guy who read too many issues of Creem, Billboard, NME and Billboard during my brain’s developmental years between 1975 and 1995. Now, I have a cornucopia of seemingly useless information that I occasionally spew out on this blog.

Let’s begin with those seven artists who I am currently voting for on the RRHoF’s fan voting page of their website. You can vote once each day until mid-April 2025. Currently, Phish Heads are out in force on this voting site as Phish is in the number one position. Billy Idol is in second place, with Soundgarden, Bad Company, Cyndi Lauper, Joe Cocker and Chubby Checker rounding out the top 7 in the fans’ voting process. Remember, the winner of the fans’ voting tally will receive ONE VOTE in the actual voting process, as opposed to the act receiving the actual number of votes that they got from the fans.

I predict, when the voting settles down and the votes have been counted and verified by Trump’s election committee, that these acts will actually be inducted. I believe there are five Shoo-Ins in this list of Nominees: Bad Company, Cyndi Lauper, Mariah Carey, Oasis and OutKast. Although I am NOT a huge fan of them, Bad Company will be the latest Seventies classic rock band to get the nod to join the other rock immortals in the Hall. The next two are arguably are two of the most influential female singers left to be inducted into the Hall – Cyndi Lauper and “The Queen of Christmas” herself Mariah Carey. Oasis was the biggest band during England’s rock renaissance known as Britpop; plus, the band is reuniting for a well-timed tour that has gotten young Gen X-ers and Millennials going crazy buying up tickets. And finally, there is hip hop’s arguably most innovative duo OutKast. Nearly a decade and a half after Run-DMC and Beastie Boys made their commercial states with the success of their mid-Eighties music, OutKast became the first rap group to win the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2004.

Right behind those acts, I designated three acts as being “On the Borderline.” All that means is I think that two of these three will be the last two getting inducted in 2025. Those artists are Joy Division/New Order, Soundgarden and The White Stripes. Most likely, two out of three of these groups will be inducted. Finally, I think there are yet three more artists who were nominated that I categorize as “Wildcards,” since I would NOT be surprised if they get inducted in one shape or manner. My Wildcards include Billy Idol, Phish and The Black Crowes.

Obviously, I do not think that “The Twist” singer Chubby Checker, English blues and rock singer Joe Cocker nor the “Mexican Bon Jovi” Maná will be inducted as Performers. I feel that all three will get their induction though one of those special categories, Musical Excellence or Musical Influence. And if not in 2025, all three will eventually be inducted in this manner. I firmly believe that all 14 of the nominees deserve to be inducted for their contributions to rock & roll.

Personally, my ballot is as follows:

1. Billy Idol

2. Cyndi Lauper

3. Joy Division/New Order

4. Mariah Carey

5. OutKast

6. Phish

7. The Black Crowes

You really cannot go wrong with your ballot this year, but since Paul Weller nor either of his two bands, The Jam and The Style Council, were not nominated again this year (along with power pop gods Big Star and Raspberries), I have to go from the names those on the official list.

Now, where’s my beer?

My 125 Favorite Rock & Roll Artists, Day 6: The Top 10!

If any of you have me for any extended period of time or have read this blog several times, none of the following artists should be too much of a surprise that they are in the Top 10. If I have to be honest, the Top 8 are pretty much set in stone with only their order slightly adjusted depending on my mood. Numbers 9 and 10 usually change on a monthly basis and change spots with any other artist in my Top 30. However, I would say that a good 90% of my life on Earth has these artists in my Top 10.

So, in the immortal words of the prophet Casey Kasem, “On with the countdown!”

10. U2* – Best Albums: Achtung Baby (1991), The Joshua Tree (1987), War (1982), How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004), The Unforgettable Fire (1984)

     Album Gem: Zooropa (1993)

     Best Songs: “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” (1987), “Beautiful Day” (2000), “Desire” (1988), “One” (1991), “Where the Streets Have No Name” (1987)

     Deep Cut: “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight” (2009)

9. The Cure* – Best Albums: Disintegration (1989); Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987); Three Imaginary Boys (1979); Pornography (1982); The Head on the Door (1985)

     Album Gem: Seventeen Seconds (1980)

     Best Songs: “In Between Days” (1985), “Boys Don’t Cry” (1979), “A Forest” (1980), “Just Like Heaven” (1987), “Lovesong” (1989)

     Deep Cut: “How Beautiful You Are” (1987)

8. Queen* – Best Albums: A Night at the Opera (1975), A Day at the Races (1976), The Game (1980), Jazz (1978), The Works (1984)

     Album Gem: Hot Space! (1982)

     Best Songs: “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1975), “Don’t Stop Me Now” (1978), “Another One Bites the Dust” (1980), “Fat Bottom Girls” (1978), “Under Pressure” – David Bowie & Queen (1981)

     Deep Cut: “Body Language” (1982)

7. Daryl Hall & John Oates* – Best Albums: Abandoned Luncheonette (1973), H2O (1982), Private Eyes (1981), Voices (1980), Daryl Hall & John Oates (aka The Silver Album) (1975)

     Album Gem: X-Static (1979)

     Best Songs: “She’s Gone” (1976), “Sara Smile” (1975), “Kiss on My List” (1980), “Maneater” (1982), “Everytime You Go Away” (1980)

     Deep Cut: “It’s a Laugh” (1978)

6. Cheap Trick* – Best Albums: Cheap Trick (1977), In Color (1977), Heaven Tonight (1978), At Budokan (1979), Dream Police (1979)

     Album Gem: Cheap Trick (1997)

     Best Songs: “I Want You to Want Me (live)” (1979), “Surrender” (1978), “Dream Police” (1979), “I Can’t Take It” (1983), “Say Goodbye” (1997)

     Deep Cut: “Oh Candy” (1977)

5. Paul Weller/The Jam/The Style Council – Best Albums: My Ever Changing Moods – The Style Council (1984); Sound Affects – The Jam (1980); Heavy Soul – Paul Weller (1997); Wake Up the Nation – Paul Weller (2010); Stanley Road – Paul Weller (1995)

     Album Gem: Fat Pop (Volume 1) – Paul Weller (2021)

     Best Songs: “You’re the Best Thing” – The Style Council (1984); “Going Underground” – The Jam (1980); “Peacock Suit” – Paul Weller (1997); “Sweet Pea” (2000); “Wake Up the Nation” – Paul Weller (2010)

     Deep Cuts: “Man in the Corner Shop” – The Jam (1980); “How She Threw It All Away” – The Style Council (1988); “All I Wanna Do (Is Be with You)” – Paul Weller (2008)

4. R.E.M.* – Best Albums: Life Rich Pageant (1986), Murmur (1983), Automatic for the People (1992), Reckoning (1984), Document (1987)

     Album Gem: Up (1998)

     Best Songs: “It’s the End of the World (And I Feel Fine)” (1987), “Losing My Religion” (1991), “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite” (1992), “Radio Free Europe” (1983), “Everybody Hurts” (1992)

      Deep Cut: “Nightswimming” (1992)

3. Bruce Springsteen* – Best Albums: Born to Run (1975), Born in the U.S.A. (1984), Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978), The Rising (2002), Nebraska (1982)

     Album Gem: Wrecking Ball (2012)

     Best Songs: “Born to Run” (1975), “Dancing in the Dark” (1984), “Badlands” (1978), “Thunder Road” (1975), “Rosalita” (1973)

     Deep Cut: “One Step Up, Two Steps Back” (1987)

2. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers* – Best Albums: Damn the Torpedoes (1979), Hard Promises (1981), Full Moon Fever (1989), Wild Flower (1994), Highway Companion (2006)

     Album Gem: Echo (1999)

     Best Songs: “The Waiting” (1981), “You Don’t Know How It Feels” (1994), “Don’t Come Around Here No More” (1985), “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” (1993), “Free Falling” (1989)

     Deep Cut: “Honey Bee” (1994)

1. Prince* – Best Albums: Dirty Mind (1980), 1999 (1982), Purple Rain (1984), Sign ‘o’ the Times (1987), Diamonds & Pearls (1991)

     Album Gem: The Gold Experience (1995)

     Best Songs: “When Doves Cry” (1984), “Kiss” (1986), “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World” (1995), “Cream” (1991), “7” (1992)

     Deep Cut: “Endorphinmachine” (1995)

And that’s a wrap! Next week, hopefully, I will something more substantial.

The RRHoF Announced Their Nominee List for the Class of 2025

(c) WKYC and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

 

By now, I should know that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame would announce their nominees at a moment when I least expect it.  Naturally, today was a perfect moment for this announcement as its been a ten days since the Grammys and a few days after the Super Bowl and the perplexing arguments happening after Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance (Why must white people have to complain all the time about a black person expressing their lives through their perspectives that may contradict a white person’s? Hell, their collective history in this country generally began with their ancestors being forced to come here, as opposed to my ancestors wanting to come to America to hopefully begin a better life for them and their progeny.). Is it so difficult to understand? To me, humans are human. Our appearances are part of our genetic gifts. And we cannot control the gene pool from which we came.

By now, many of you have heard the list of nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025. For those who are still uninformed, here is the list: classic rock supergroup Bad Company, southern boogie band The Black Crowes,  pop chanteuse and Queen of Christmas Mariah Carey, early-Sixties pop singer Chubby Checker, Woodstock blues sensation Joe Cocker, punk-turned-new wave dance-metal icon Billy Idol, Gothic progenitors-cum-synth dance sensations Joy Division/New Order, Eighties MTV pop girl power pioneer Cyndi Lauper, Mexican pop gods Maná, Britpop gods Oasis, hip hop innovators OutKast, Nineties jamband originators Phish, the third of Grunge’s Big Four Soundgarden, and early-21st century garage band with a minimalist blues sound The White Stripes. Out of the fourteen artists nominated for the Hall, I had earlier picked five of these artists in MY sixteen nominees for the Class of 2025. I had picked Mariah, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, OutKast and Soundgarden.

Let me just state that I would have NEVER had bet on Chubby Checker or Maná to be on the list of nominees. I felt that Checker would be inducted through Musical Influence or Excellence, not specifically as a performer. I simply felt that his peers had been inducted and the Nomination Committee had moved on. On the other hand, I know absolutely nothing about Maná. I just read a little bit about them and discovered that they are held in very high esteem in their native Mexico following 40+ years of commercial success. I understand the Hall’s desire to recognized artists throughout the world (Hence, the recent nominations of Nigerian funkateer Fela Kuti.). Yet, I think the Hispanics here in the U.S. might have been happier with either funk band War, Eighties pop sensation Gloria Estefan, my personal favorites Los Lobos or Tex-Mex hitmaker Selena on the list; however, I am a white man, so what do I know what my Hispanic friends want. Once again, I feel like this band may be destined for Musical Influence or Excellence as well.

What I do NOT understand is the lack of metal and punk artists on the list. Just from those two genres, I can name several artists who need to be inducted. Artists like Iron Maiden, Motörhead, The Jam, The Damned, Dead Boys, Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, Bad Brains, New York Dolls, Mötley Crüe, Suicide and Thin Lizzy all should have minimally multiple nominations by now. Then again, you can simply read my previous post on this topic for all of those deserving artists.

The other dozen artists are all listed in my countdown. This is a list of the nominees’ ranking on my list of importance: OutKast (2), Mariah Carey (3), Joy Division/New Order (4), Oasis (11), Cyndi Lauper (15), Soundgarden (16), Phish (50), Bad Company (62), The White Stripes (70), Joe Cocker (85), Billy Idol (115) and The Black Crowes (124). While I do believe this is basically a good list of nominees and that all deserve eventual induction one way or another. But, I remain adamant that we have several other artists we should be inducted before some of these artists.

On a personal note, I am so glad that the Black Crowes, Billy Idol and Phish had been forgotten by those on the Nominating Committee. Hopefully, we will actually have OutKast, Lauper, Carey, Joy Division/New Order and Soundgarden will all get an inductee trophy. Additionally, watch for Phish to win the voter’s count. The band’s fans will be out in force, much like the Dave Matthews Band’s fans had done during their two nominations.

As my older son has always said, “Only time will tell.” (I will blog about my inductees later

My 125 Favorite Rock & Roll Artists, Day 4

It’s basketball season, the time of the year that I used to love, with the college seasons for both men and women are heating up for conference championships and tournament seedings. In Indiana, high school for girls began their tournament to determine the four classes’ champions (I honestly am conflicted by class basketball even though that argument has been long settled of the decades. And the boys are gearing up for their own tournament for State Champions in the four classes. It’s usually an exciting time, but since I have been removed from the excitement, I no longer harbor my intensity for the game. Unfortunately, I may have lost my life or death competitive nature in the intervening years of disability due to my back issues.

This is a double-edged sword. I am kind of relieved by this lack of competitive drive while kind of depressed due to my missing the sport. No pressure, no fight back, no care. That’s why I trying to get back in the habit of writing so I can help myself.

With the “woe-is-me” garbage out of the way, here is the next 25 (!) artists in my countdown. Peace!

50. Aerosmith* – Best Album: Toys in the Attic (1975)

        Album Gem: Pump (1989)

        Best Song: “Walk This Way” (1975)

        Deep Cut: “Seasons of Wither” (1974)

49. Parliament*/Funkadelic*/Bootsy’s Rubber Band/George Clinton’s empire

        Best Album: Mothership Connection – Parliament (1975)

        Album Gem: Maggot Brain – Funkadelic (1971)

        Best Song: “Flashlight” (1977)

        Deep Cut: “Mommy, What’s a Funkadelic?” – Funkadelic (1970)

48. Rush * – Best Album: Moving Pictures (1981)

        Album Gem: Snakes & Arrows (2007)

        Best Song: “The Spirit of Radio” (1980)

        Deep Cut: “La Villa Strangiato” (1978)

47. Chic – Best Album: Risqué (1979)

        Album Gem: It’s About Time (2018)

        Best Song: “Le Freak” (1979)

        Deep Cut: “My Feet Keep Dancing” (1979)

46. Neil Young* – Best Album: Rust Never Sleeps (1979)

        Album Gem: Homegrown (2020)

       Best Song: “Harvest Moon” (1992)

       Deep Cut: “This Old Guitar” (2005)

45. Tina Turner* – Best Album: Private Dancer (1984)

       Album Gem: Foreign Affair (1989)

       Best Song: “Let’s Stay Together” (1983)

       Deep Cut: “Steamy Windows” (1989)

44. The Who* – Best Album: Who’s Next (1971)

       Album Gem: Quadrophenia (1973)

       Best Song: “Won’t Get Fooled Again” (1971)

       Deep Cut: “Sister Disco” (1978)

43. The Beach Boys* – Best Album: Pet Sounds (1966)

       Album Gem: The SMiLE Sessions (2011)

       Best Song: “Good Vibrations” (1967)

       Deep Cut: “Surf’s Up” (1971)

42. Stevie Wonder* – Best Album: Songs in the Key of Life (1976)

       Album Gem: Hotter Than July (1980)

       Best Song: “Sir Duke” (1976)

       Deep Cut: “I Ain’t Gonna Stand for It” (1980)

41. Duran Duran*/The Power Station/Arcadia/Andy Taylor – 

       Best Album: Rio (1982)

       Album Gem: Danse Macabre (2023)

       Best Song: “The Reflex (The Nile Rodgers Remix)” (1984)

       Deep Cut: “The Chauffer” (1982)

40. Kiss* – Best Album: Destroyer (1976)

       Album Gem: Creatures of the Night (1982)

       Best Song: “Rock & Roll All Nite (live)” (1975)

       Deep Cut: “Rocket Ride” (1977)

39. Heart* – Best Album: Dreamboat Annie (1975)

       Album Gem: Fanatic (2012)

       Best Song: “Crazy on You” (1975)

       Deep Cut: “How Can I Refuse” (1983)

38. Styx* – Best Album: The Grand Illusion (1977)

       Album Gem: Crystal Ball (1976)

       Best Song: “Renegade” (1978)

       Deep Cut: “Mademoiselle” (1976)

37. Pink Floyd – Best Album: The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)

       Album Gem: Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967)

       Best Song: “Wish You Were Here” (1975)

       Deep Cut: “When the Tigers Broke Free” (1982)

36. Donna Summer* – Best Album: Bad Girls (1979)

       Album Gem: The Wanderer (1980)

       Best Song: “I Feel Love” (1977)

       Deep Cut: “Love Is in Control (Finger on the Trigger)” (1982)

35. Madonna* – Best Album: Like a Prayer (1989)

       Album Gem: Ray of Light (1998)

       Best Song: “Borderline” (1983)

       Deep Cut: “Justify My Love” (1990)

34. John (Cougar) Mellencamp* – Best Album: The Lonesome Jubilee (1987)

       Album Gem: No Better Than This (2010)

       Best Song: “Cherry Bomb” (1987)

       Deep Cut: “Play Guitar” (1983)

33. George Michael*/Wham! – Best Album: Faith (1987)

       Album Gem: Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1 (1990)

      Best Song: “Father Figure” (1987)

       Deep Cut: “Fastlove” (1996)

32. Chicago* – Best Album: Chicago II (1970)

       Album Gem: Chicago 17 (1984)

       Best Song: “Saturday in the Park” (1972)

       Deep Cut: “Dialogue Parts 1 & 2” (1972)

31. Guns N’ Roses* – Best Album: Appetite for Destruction (1987)

       Album Gem: Chinese Democracy (2008)

       Best Song: “Sweet Child o’ Mine” (1987)

       Deep Cut: “Catcher in the Rye” (2008)

30. Paul Simon*/Simon & Garfunkel* – Best Album: Graceland (1986)

       Album Gem: So Beautiful or So What (2011)

      Best Song: “Bridge Over Troubled Water” – Simon & Garfunkel (1970)

      Deep Cut: “Late in the Evening” (1980)

29. The Band* – Best Album: The Band (1969)

       Album Gem: Before the Flood – The Band with Bob Dylan (1974)

       Best Song: “The Weight” (1968)

       Deep Cut: “Stage Fright” (1970)

28. The Clash*/Big Audio Dynamite/B.A.D. II – Best Album: London Calling (1979)

       Album Gem: Sandinista! (1980)

       Best Song: “Train in Vain (Stand by Me)” (1979)

      Deep Cut: “Straight to Hell” (1982)

27. Bee Gees*/Andy Gibb – Best Album: Main Course (1975)

       Album Gem: Odessa (1969)

       Best Song: “Run to Me” (1972)

       Deep Cut: “One” (1989)

26. Billy Joel* – Best Album: The Stranger (1977)

       Album Gem: Songs in the Attic (1981)

       Best Song: “Sometimes a Fantasy” (1980)

       Deep Cut: “Captain Jack” (1973)

We are getting closer to the end! Only two more entries for this topic.

My 125 Favorite Rock & Roll Artists, Day 3

I am back today for Day 3 of this narcissistic countdown. While I acknowledge how lame this series ultimately is, I needed it to rediscover my writing muse. Slowly, it is coming back to me as I have found new ideas to explore including my wanting to do an interview of an artist. The only thing keeping me from the interview right now is that I am still trying to attempt to write the kind of questions I would love to read artists reply to. I have a fear of failure that keeps me from doing things unless I am prepared to do them. For example, I was ready to coach from high school onward intellectually, but I needed to mature into being a leader.

Right now, I could conduct a high school journalism level of an interview, but I would love to be better than that, as to both introduce an artist to you my readers that conveys both their artistic vision and the obstacles in their way, all the while paying homage to my rock journalistic heroes.

Additionally, I would love to write a book. I have an idea that seems pretty good to those in my inner circle. The adage one usually hears is to write about which you know. So, it will probably involve track, music, education, coaching and science , not necessarily in that order.

Back in reality, I have a blog entry to write, so on with the show!

75. The Replacements – Best Album: Pleased to Meet Me (1986)

          Album Gem: Hootenanny (1983)

          Best Song: “Alex Chilton” (1986)

          Deep Cut: “I Will Dare” (1984)

74. Tears for Fears – Best Album: Songs from the Big Chair (1985)

          Album Gem: The Hurting (1983)

          Best Song: “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” (1985)

          Deep Cut: “Advice for the Young at Heart” (1989)

73. Steely Dan* – Best Album: Aja (1977)

          Album Gem: Countdown to Ecstasy (1972)

          Best Song: “Deacon Blues” (1977)

          Deep Cut: “Dirty Work” (1972)

72. Pearl Jam* – Best Album: Ten (1991)

          Album Gem: Backspacer (2009)

          Best Song: “Black” (1991)

         Deep Cut: “Yellow Ledbetter” (1991)

71. Van Halen* – Best Album: Van Halen (1978)

          Album Gem: OU812 (1988)

          Best Song: “Dreams” (1986)

          Deep Cut: “Atomic Punk” (1978)

70. The Doors* – Best Album: The Doors (1967)

          Album Gem: L.A. Woman (1971)

          Best Song: “People Are Strange” (1967)

          Deep Cut: “Unknown Soldier” (1968)

69. Nirvana* – Best Album: Nevermind (1991)

          Album Gem: Bleach (1989)

          Best Song: “Smells like Teen Spirit” (1991)

          Deep Cut: “School” (1989)

68. Foo Fighters* – Best Album: There Is Nothing Else to Lose (1999)

          Album Gem: But Here We Are (2023)

          Best Song: “Time like These” (2002)

          Deep Cut: “Making a Fire” (2021)

67. Carpenters – Best Album: Close to You (1970)

           Album Gem: A Song for You (1971)

           Best Song: “Superstar” (1971)

           Deep Cut: “This Masquerade” (1973)

66. The Monkees – Best Album: More of The Monkees (1967)

          Album Gem: Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. (1967)

          Best Song: “Pleasant Valley Sunday” (1967)

          Deep Cut: “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone” (1966)

65. Eagles* – Best Album: Hotel California (1976)

          Album Gem: One of These Nights (1975)

          Best Song: “One of These Nights” (1975)

          Deep Cut: “In the City” (1979)

64. The J. Geils Band – Best Album: Freeze-Frame (1981)

          Album Gem: Nightmares…And Other Tales from the Vinyl Jungle (1974)

          Best Song: “Love Stinks” (1980)

          Deep Cut: “Flamethrower” (1981)

63. Eurythmics* – Best Album: Touch (1983)

          Album Gem: Revenge (1986)

          Best Song: “Love Is a Stranger” (1982)

          Deep Cut: “Missionary Man” (1986)

62. Supertramp – Best Album: Breakfast in America (1979)

          Album Gem: Crime of the Century (1974)

          Best Song: “Take the Long Way Home” (1979)

          Deep Cut: “My Kind of Lady” (1982)

61. Depeche Mode* – Best Album: Violator (1990)

          Album Gem: Songs of Faith and Devotion (1993)

          Best Song: “Personal Jesus” (1990)

          Deep Cut: “Behind the Wheel” (1987)

60. Bob Marley & the Wailers* – Best Album: Exodus (1977)

          Album Gem: Uprising (1980)

          Best Song: “Stir It Up” (1978)

          Deep Cut: “War” (1976) 

59. Peter Gabriel* – Best Album: Peter Gabriel (aka III or Melting) (1980)

          Album Gem: Peter Gabriel (aka IV or Security) (1982)

          Best Song: “Sledgehammer” (1986)

          Deep Cut: “And Through the Wire” (1980)

58. Squeeze – Best Album: East Side Story (1981)  

          Album Gem: Cradle to the Grave (2015)

          Best Song: “Tempted” (1981)

          Deep Cut: “She Doesn’t Have to Shave” (1989)

57. Johnny Cash* – Best Album: At Folsom Prison (1968)

          Album Gem: American II: Unchained (1996)

         Best Song: “Sunday Morning Coming Down” (1972)

          Deep Cut: “The Wanderer” – U2 feat. Johnny Cash (1993)

56. Earth, Wind & Fire* – Best Album: That’s the Way of the World (1975)

          Album Gem: I Am! (1979)

          Best Song: “September” (1978)

          Deep Cut: “Reasons” (1975)

55. The Smiths – Best Album: The Queen Is Dead (1986)

          Album Gem: Hatful of Hollow (1984)

          Best Song: “Girlfriend in a Coma” (1987)

          Deep Cut: “Nowhere Fast” (1985)

54. My Morning Jacket – Best Album: Z (2005)

          Album Gem: Evil Urges (2008)

          Best Song: “One Big Holiday” (2002)

          Deep Cut: “Librarian” (2008)

53. Black Sabbath* (Ozzy Osbourne*) – Best Album: Paranoid (1970)

          Album Gem: Heaven or Hell (1980)

          Best Song: “Crazy Train” – Ozzy Osbourne (1980)

          Deep Cut: “Changes” (1974)

52. Led Zeppelin* – Best Album: IV (1971)

          Album Gem: In Through the Out Door (1979)

          Best Song: “Stairway to Heaven” (1971)  

          Deep Cut: “Achille’s Last Stand” (1976)

51. Joy Division/New Order – Best Album: Unknown Pleasures – Joy Division (1979)

          Album Gem: Technique – New Order (1989)

          Best Song: “Love Will Tear Us Apart” – Joy Division (1980)

          Deep Cut: “Bizarre Love Triangle” – New Order (1986)

And 50 more to go!

My 125 Favorite Rock & Roll Artists, Day 2

Boy! Last week was a disaster! From the clown show of an inauguration to my being over-medicated for my dental procedure to the new found pain in my jaw from said procedure, the next-to-last week of January 2025 became my Lost Week. Oh how I wish I had a better reason for a Lost Week. Nope! It was just the perils of growing old.

By the way, I did get to see a concert show that was described as being a Yacht Rock show. You know Yacht Rock. It was the stuff that our moms listened to whenever they got control of the car or kitchen radio. We called it Soft Rock back in the day.  At the time, I tolerated most of it because that’s all we had on AM and FM stations back then in the late-Seventies and early-Eighties here in central Indiana. While I was listening to everything from AC/DC to ZZ Top, with frequent stops in disco, punk, new wave, funk and this new thing called rap to go with my heaping load of classic rock, on my stereo, I had to tolerate Soft Rock when listening to the radio. Some of that stuff was great background music for our bogus teenage make-out sessions at our girlfriend’s house. Those of us who were obsessed with music referred to Yacht or Soft Rock by another name: Panty-Dropping Music. Not that any young women dropped their panties around me in high school, there were enough stories that floated around the locker rooms of sports teams to give rise to the notion that maybe it was the music putting the girls in the mood for a visit to the heavy petting zoo. In retrospect, it wasn’t the music. It may have helped a little for mood setting. No, it was all just plain old hormones. Those same pesky chemicals that are wasted on youth and taken from the older and more experienced. Bottom line, I got to see two-fifths of the band Ambrosia, who also played the roll of the backup band from one-half of England Dan & John Ford Coley in the form of JFC, and the lead singer of the actually two-hit wonder Player who is known as Peter Beckett (he actually spent nearly a decade touring with the Little River Band, so he’s made something of a name in the Yacht Rock world). Not a bad recovery at the end of the week.

So, now, I am ready to resume my countdown of my 125 Favorite Rock & Roll Artists of all time. Let’s cover another group of 25 as we move down the list from position 100.

100. Marshall Crenshaw – Best Album: Marshall Crenshaw (1982)

          Album Gem: Field Day (1983)

          Best Song: “Cynical Girl” (1982)

          Deep Cut: “You’re My Favorite Waste of Time” (1982)

99. ABBA* – Best Album: Arrival (1976)

           Album Gem: The Album (1977)

           Best Song: “Waterloo” (1974)

           Deep Cut: “Does Your Mother Know” (1979)

98. Stone Temple Pilots – Best Album: Purple (1994)

            Album Gem: Tiny Music…Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop (1996)

            Best Song: “Interstate Love Song” (1994)

            Deep Cut: “Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart”  (1996)

97. Green Day* – Best Album: American Idiot (2004)

             Album Gem: 21st Century Breakdown (2009)

             Best Song: “Minority” (2000)

             Deep Cut: “21 Guns” (2009)

96. X – Best Album: Under the Big Black Sun (1982)

              Album Gem: Alphabetland (2020)

              Best Song: “The Hungry Wolf” (1982)

             Deep Cut: “Poor Girl” (1983)

95. The Go-Go’s* – Best Album: Beauty and the Beat (1981)

              Album Gem: Talk Show (1984)

              Best Song: “Our Lips Are Sealed” (1981)

              Deep Cut: “Turn to You” (1984)

94. Metallica* – Best Album: Ride the Lightning (1984)

             Album Gem: Death Magnetic (2008)

             Best Song: “One” (1988)

             Deep Cut: “Turn to You” (1984)

93. Crosby, Stills, Nash & (sometimes) Young* – Best Album: Déjá Vu – CSNY (1970)

             Album Gem: CSN – CSN (1977)

             Best Song: “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” – CSN (1969)

             Deep Cut: “I Almost Cut My Hair” – CSNY (1970)

92. Red Hot Chili Peppers* – Best Album: By the Way (2002)

             Album Gem: Freaky Styley (1985)

            Best Song: “The Zephyr Song” (2002)

            Deep Cut: “Love Rollercoaster” (1996)

91. Jellyfish – Best Album: Spilt Milk (1993)

            Album Gem: Live at Bogart’s (2012)

            Best Song: “Joining Fan Club” (1993)

            Deep Cut: “I Wanna Stay Home” (1990)

90. Pretenders* – Best Album: Pretenders (1980)

            Album Gem: Get Close (1986)

            Best Song: “My City Is Gone” (1982)

            Deep Cut: “Thin Line Between Love and Hate” (1984)

89. Pat Benatar* – Best Album: Crimes of Passion (1980)

            Album Gem: Get Nervous (1982)

            Best Song: “Promises in the Dark” (1981)

            Deep Cut: “Little Too Late” (1982)

88. The Killers – Best Album: Hot Fuss (2004)

            Album Gem: Imploding the Mirage (2020)

            Best Song: “Mr. Brightside” (2004)

            Deep Cut: “Caution” (2020)

87. Amy Winehouse – Best Album: Back to Black (2006)

            Album Gem: Frank (2003)

            Best Song: “Valerie” – Mark Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse (2006)

            Deep Cut: “Love Is a Losing Game” (2006)

86. XTC – Best Album: Skylarking (1987)

            Album Gem: Nonsuch (1992)

            Best Song: “Senses Working Overtime” (1982)

           Deep Cut: “Peter Pumpkinhead” (1992)

85. The Bangles – Best Album: Different Light (1986)

            Album Gem: Doll Revolution (2003)

            Best Song: “Eternal Flame” (1988)

            Deep Cut: “September Gurls” (1986)

84. Thin Lizzy – Best Album: Jailbreak (1976)

            Album Gem: Bad Reputation (1977)

            Best Song: “The Boys Are Back in Town” (1976)

            Deep Cut: “Whiskey in the Jar” (1972)

83. Lynyrd Skynyrd* – Best Album: Second Helping (1974)

            Album Gem: Street Survivors (1977)

            Best Song: “Gimme Three Steps (live)” (1976)

            Deep Cut: “The Ballad of Curtis Loew” (1974)

82. Weezer – Best Album: Pinkerton (1996)

            Album Gem: Van Weezer (2021)

            Best Song: “Buddy Holly” (1994)

            Deep Cut: “Thank God for Girls” (2016)

81. The Jimi Hendrix Experience* – Best Album: Are You Experienced? (1967)

            Album Gem: Electric Ladyland (1968)

            Best Song: “Little Wing” (1967)

            Deep Cut: “Rainy Day, Dream Away” (1968)

80. Linda Ronstadt* – Best Album: Simple Dreams (1977)

            Album Gem: Mad Love (1980)

            Best Song: “Different Drum” – The Stone Poneys (1967)

            Deep Cut: “Hurts So Bad” (1980)

79. Devo – Best Album: Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo (1978)

            Album Gem: Something for Everyone (2010)

            Best Song: “Uncontrollable Urge” (1978)

            Deep Cut: “Gates of Steel” (1980)

78. The Smashing Pumpkins – Best Album: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995)

              Album Gem: Gish (1991)

              Best Song: “1979” (1995)

             Deep Cut: “Landslide” (1994)

77. Sheryl Crow* – Best Album: Sheryl Crow (1996)

            Album Gem: Evolution (2024)

            Best Song: “Soak Up the Sun” (2002)

            Deep Cut: “Can’t Cry Anymore” (1993)

76. Joe Jackson – Best Album: Look Sharp! (1979)

            Album Gem: Body and Soul (1984)

           Best Song: “Steppin’ Out” (1982)

           Deep Cut: “It’s Different for the Girls” (1979)

See you all next time!

My 125 Favorite Rock & Roll Artists, Day 1

Every few years, I like to rank my favorite artists just to see how my tastes are slowly shifting over the years. Although I am probably a CBGB punk at heart, even though I came of age during the 1975 through 1985 years, I find my favorite artists pretty much all can play six degrees of CBGB and pass that test with flying colors. As far the newer artists, they can’t pass the test, though their sounds are rooted in the 80s somewhere along the lines. Let’s face it, but would Lady Gaga, The Killers and My Morning Jacket around without the influence of my decade of music?

Obviously, I love the album format and the whole statement the art form can make in a single release. From the artwork on the sleeve to the artwork on the inner sleeve to the record itself, which today can be released in a wide array of colors and styles, the artist can use the whole packaging of an album to make a huge statement of artistic vision leaving the listener no doubt about your point. For my money, the vinyl album, 12-inches in diameter, can blow away a listener before he or she ever puts the need into the groove of the record. Therein lies its beauty, all because the artist has put care into the artwork, liner notes, vinyl style and whatever catches the fancy of said artist in order to capture as many of the potential listener’s senses. Over the years, artists have not only been appealing to the audio, optic and touch sensations of the listener, but there are times when your olfactory senses become stimulated through a strategically placed scented sticker on the cover or, if you have purchased a used album, the aroma of cannabis wafting into the air from your recently purchased used LP that had not be opened since the previous owner used it for rolling his or her joints. But for the most part, the artist seeks to stimulate three out of the five senses of the listener, and that’s where you find the excitement.

However, what makes an artist become special to you. For me, its the music. If the musics changes my attitude about something, then it tends to become special to me. But true artistic greatness must be proven time and time again over the course of the artist’s career. Then, if he/she/them can make a convincing performance of their music live in concert, that only helps their case in the heart of a listener.

My previous attempt to do this very thing was several years ago, and it lacked some actually creative input about their musical catalog. That’s why I am going down this road again, only with more details for you, the reader. An asterisk (*) after the artist’s name denotes they are a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Also, the closer we get to number, the more information I will write about the artists.

125. Kate Bush* – Best Album: Hounds of Love (1985)

                                      Best Song: “Running Up That Hill” (1985)

124. Nine Inch Nails* – Best Album: The Downward Spiral (1994)

                                       Best Song: “Head like a Hole” (1989)

123. Echo & the Bunnymen – Best Album: Ocean Rain (1984)

Best Song: “The Killing Moon” (1984)

122. Adele – Best Album: 21 (2011)

Best Song: “Rolling in the Deep” (2011)

121. Bon Jovi* – Best Album: Slippery When Wet (1986)

Best Song: “Wanted Dead or Alive” (1986)

120. Frank Zappa* – Best Album: Sheik Yerbouti (1979)

Best Song: “Bobby Brown” (1979)

119. Foreigner* – Best Album: 4 (1981)

Best Song: “Urgent” (1981)

118. Billy Idol – Best Album: Rebel Yell (1983)

Best Song: “Dancing with Myself” (1981)

117. Steve Miller Band* – Best Album: Fly like an Eagle (1976)

Best Song: “Rock’n Me” (1976)

116. Ramones* – Best Album: Road to Ruin (1978)

Best Song: “Do You Remember Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio?” (1980)

115. Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band* – Best Album: Stranger in Town (1978)

Best Song: “Feels like a Number” (1978)

114. Alanis Morissette – Best Album: Jagged Little Pill (1995)

Best Song: “You Oughta Know” (1995)

113. Huey Lewis & the News – Best Album: Sports (1983)

Best Song: “Do You Believe in Love” (1982)

112. Alice in Chains – Best Album: Dirt (1992)

Best Song: “Would” (1992)

111. The Stooges*/Iggy & the Stooges/Iggy Pop – Best Album: Raw Power – Iggy & the Stooges (1973)

Best Song: “Search & Destroy” – Iggy & the Stooges (1973)

110. Bryan Adams – Best Album: Reckless (1984)

Best Song: “It’s Only Love” – Bryan Adams & Tina Turner (1984)

109. Warren Zevon – Best Album: Excitable Boy (1978)

Best Song: “Keep Me in Your Heart” (2003)

108. Beastie Boys* – Best Album: Licensed to Ill (1986)

Best Song: “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party)” (1986)

107. KC & the Sunshine Band – Best Album: Part Three (1976)

Best Song: “Get Down Tonight” (1974)

106. Whitney Houston* – Best Album: Whitney Houston (1985)

Best Song: “So Emotional” (1986)

105. Soundgarden – Best Album: Superunknown (1994)

Best Song: “Black Hole Sun” (1994)

104. The B-52’s – Best Album: The B-52’s (1979)

Best Song: “Love Shack” (1989)

103. Dire Straits* – Best Album: Making Movies (1980)

Best Song: “Industrial Disease” (1982)

102. Sex Pistols* – Best Album: Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (1977)

Best Song: “Anarchy in the U.K.” (1976)

101. Lionel Richie*/Commodores – Best Album: Can’t Slow Down (1983)

Best Song: “Easy” – Commodores (1977)

Stay tuned for the Top 100 coming soon to a blog in your town.