Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Dave’s Faves: My Top 100 Acts of All Time

Dave’s Faves:

Top 100 Acts

These are my personal favorites. To offer some context, I was in grade school in the ‘70s and middle school through college in the ‘80s. As is the case with most people, it is the music of my youth which most dictates my personal tastes. Under each bio is a link to the acts’ DMDB encyclopedia entry or profile page. Beside the act’s photo are ten songs I’ve picked to represent the act.

See other Acts/Music Makers by Genre lists.

The Beatles (#1)

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Bruce Springsteen (#2)

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Marillion (#3)

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Styx (#4)

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The Rolling Stones (#5)

profile page: 1962-1971
profile page: 1972-2002

David Bowie (#6)

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U2 (#7)

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John Mellencamp (#8)

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Kevin Gilbert (#9)

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Bob Dylan (#10)

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Sting (#11)

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  • If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (1985)
  • We’ll Be Together (1987)
  • They Dance Alone (1987)
  • Englishman in New York (1987)
  • All This Time (1991)
  • It’s Probably Me (with Eric Clapton, 1992)
  • Fields of Gold (1993)
  • Epilogue (Nothing ‘Bout Me) (1993)
  • Desert Rose (with Cheb Mani, 1999)
  • Stolen Car (Take Me Dancing) (2003)

Eric Clapton (#12)

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Prince (#13)

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Pink Floyd (#14)

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Alan Parsons Project (#15)

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The Police (#16)

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Led Zeppelin (#17)

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Billy Joel (#18)

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Pearl Jam (#19)

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Elton John (#20)

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Tears for Fears (#21)

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Squeeze (#22)

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  • Take Me I’m Yours (1978)
  • Cool for Cats (1979)
  • Up the Junction (1979)
  • Pulling Mussels from the Shell (1980)
  • Tempted (1981)
  • Black Coffee in Bed (1982)
  • Heartbreaking World (1985)
  • I Won’t Ever Go Drinking Again (?) (1985)
  • Hourglass (1987)
  • Slaughtered, Gutted, and Heartbroken (1989)

Journey (#23)

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Olivia Newton-John (#24)

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Eagles (#25)

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Pat Benatar (#26)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

The Who (#27)

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The Rainmakers (#28)

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  • Let My People Go Go (1984)
  • Big Fat Blonde (1984)
  • Nobody Knows (1984)
  • Downstream (1986)
  • Snake Dance (1987)
  • Small Circles (1987)
  • The Wages of Sin (1987)
  • Spend It on Love (1989)
  • Another Guitar (1994)
  • Like Dogs (2011)

Lyle Lovett (#29)

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  • An Acceptable Level of Ecstasy (1986)
  • L.A. County (1988)
  • Pontiac (1988)
  • She’s No Lady (1988)
  • Nobody Knows Me (1989)
  • Church (1992)
  • You’ve Got a Friend in Me (with Randy Newman, 1995)
  • Step Inside This House (1998)
  • Till It Shines (with Keb’ Mo’, 1999)
  • 12th of June (2022)

Queen (#30)

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R.E.M. (#31)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

Elvis Presley (#32)

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Fish (#33)

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  • Shortcut to Somewhere (with Tony Banks, 1986)
  • A Gentleman’s Excuse Me (1990)
  • Cliché (1990)
  • Vigil (1990)
  • Another Murder of a Day (with Tony Banks, 1991)
  • Just Good Friends (1991)
  • Solo (1993)
  • Fortunes of War (1994)
  • Garden of Remembrance (2020)
  • This Party’s Over (2020)

Crowded House (#34)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

Michael Jackson (#35)

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Sheryl Crow (#36)

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Tori Amos (#37)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

Indigo Girls (#38)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • Hey Jesus (1987)
  • Closer to Fine (1989)
  • Prince of Darkness (1989)
  • Hammer and a Nail (1990)
  • The Girl with the Weight of the World in Her Hands (1990)
  • Galileo (1992)
  • Leeds (1997)
  • Bitterroot (2002)
  • Tether (2004)
  • Dear Mr. President (with Pink, 2006)

Stevie Wonder (#39)

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Jimi Hendrix (#40)

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Rush (#41)

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Tom Petty (#42)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • American Girl (1976)
  • Refugee (1979)
  • Don’t Do Me Like That (1979)
  • Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around (with Stevie Nicks, 1981)
  • You Got Lucky (1982)
  • I Won’t Back Down (1989)
  • Free Fallin’ (1989)
  • Alright for Now (1989)
  • Into the Great Wide Open (1991)
  • Mary Jane’s Last Dance (1993)

Paul McCartney (#43)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • Maybe I’m Amazed (1970)
  • My Love (with Wings, 1973)
  • Live and Let Die (with Wings, 1973)
  • Band on the Run (with Wings, 1973)
  • Silly Love Songs (with Wings, 1976)
  • With a Little Luck (with Wings, 1978)
  • Coming Up (live with Wings, 1980)
  • Ebony and Ivory (with Stevie Wonder, 1982)
  • Say, Say, Say (with Michael Jackson, 1983)
  • Pipes of Peace (1983)

Genesis (#44)

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  • Supper’s Ready (1972)
  • The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974)
  • Follow You, Follow Me (1978)
  • Turn It on Again (1980)
  • Misunderstanding (1980)
  • Man on the Corner (1981)
  • That’s All (1983)
  • Invisible Touch (1986)
  • Tonight, Tonight, Tonight (1986)
  • No Son of Mine (1991)

Yes (#45)

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  • I’ve Seen All Good People (1971)
  • Roundabout (1972)
  • Long Distance Runaround (1971)
  • Close to the Edge (1972)
  • Wonderous Stories (1977)
  • Owner of a Lonely Heart (1983)
  • Changes (1983)
  • Leave It (1983)
  • Shoot High Aim Low (1987)
  • Lift Me Up (1991)

Melissa Etheridge (#46)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • Bring Me Some Water (1988)
  • Occasionally (1988)
  • No Souvenirs (1989)
  • You Can Sleep While I Drive (1989)
  • I Will Never Be the Same (1990)
  • I’m the Only One (1993)
  • Come to My Window (1993)
  • Thunder Road (live with Bruce Springsteen, 1995)
  • Scarecrow (1999)
  • Tuesday Morning (2004)

Madonna (#47)

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Van Halen (#48)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

Fleetwood Mac (#49)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

Hooters (#50)

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  • All You Zombies (1983)
  • And We Danced (1985)
  • Day by Day (1985)
  • Where Do the Children Go (with Patty Smyth, 1985)
  • Johnny B (1987)
  • Satellite (1987)
  • 500 Miles (1989)
  • The Boys of Summer (2007)
  • Morning Buzz (2007)
  • White Jeans (2007)

Aerosmith (#51)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

Rod Stewart (#52)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

Peter Gabriel (#53)

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David Baerwald (#54)

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  • Welcome to the Boomtown (David + David, 1986)
  • Swallowed by the Cracks (David + David, 1986)
  • Ain’t So Easy (David + David, 1986)
  • Being Alone Together (David + David, 1986)
  • Walk Through Fire (1990)
  • Hello Mary (1990)
  • Secret Silken World (1992)
  • The Waiter (1992)
  • A Friend Like Our Dear Stranger (1999)
  • I Won’t Back Down (2006)

Del Amitri (#55)

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  • Kiss This Thing Goodbye (1989)
  • Move Away, Jimmy Blue (1989)
  • The Return of Maggie Brown (1989)
  • Always the Last to Know (1992)
  • Just Like a Man (1992)
  • Be My Downfall (1992)
  • Roll to Me (1995)
  • Driving with the Brakes On (1995)
  • Not Where It’s At (1997)
  • Jesus Saves (2002)

Neil Young (#56)

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Crosby, Stills & Nash (#57)

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  • Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (1969)
  • Teach Your Children (with Neil Young, 1970)
  • Our House (with Neil Young, 1970)
  • Woodstock (with Neil Young, 1970)
  • Helpless (with Neil Young, 1970)
  • Ohio (with Neil Young, 1970)
  • Just a Song Before I Go (1977)
  • Wasted on the Way (1982)
  • Southern Cross (1982)
  • American Dream (with Neil Young, 1988)

Eurythmics (#58)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • Love Is a Stranger (1982)
  • Sweet Dreams Are Made of This (1983)
  • Here Comes the Rain Again (1983)
  • Who’s That Girl? (1983)
  • Would I Lie to You? (1985)
  • Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves (with Aretha Franklin, 1985)
  • There Must Be an Angel Playing with My Heart (with Stevie Wonder, 1985)
  • Missionary Man (1986)
  • Beethoven (I Love to Listen To) (1987)
  • Brand New Day (1987)
  • I Need You (1987)

Lou Reed (#59)

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  • I Can’t Stand It (1972)
  • Walk on the Wild Side (1972)
  • Satellite of Love (1972)
  • Perfect Day (1972)
  • Caroline Says I (1973)
  • Sally Can’t Dance (1974)
  • Coney Island Baby (1975)
  • Street Hassle (1978)
  • Dirty Blvd. (1989)
  • What’s Good (1992)

Don Henley (#60)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • Leather and Lace (with Stevie Nicks, 1981)
  • Dirty Laundry (1982)
  • I Can’t Stand Still (1982)
  • The Boys of Summer (1984)
  • All She Wants to Do Is Dance (1984)
  • Sunset Grill (1984)
  • The End of the Innocence (1989)
  • The Heart of the Matter (1989)
  • New York Minute (1989)
  • Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough (with Patty Smyth, 1992)

Foreigner (#61)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

Alabama (#62)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • My Home’s in Alabama (1980)
  • Love in the First Degree (1981)
  • Mountain Music (1982)
  • Take Me Down (1982)
  • Dixieland Delight (1983)
  • The Closer You Get (1983)
  • Roll on Eighteen Wheeler (1984)
  • Forty Hour Week for a Livin’ (1985)
  • I’m in a Hurry and Don’t Know Why (1992)

Velvet Underground (#63)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • I’m Waiting for the Man (with Nico, 1967)
  • Heroin (with Nico, 1967)
  • Venus in Furs (with Nico, 1967)
  • All Tomorrow’s Parties (with Nico, 1967)
  • Femme Fatale (with Nico, 1967)
  • White Light/White Heat (1968)
  • Pale Blue Eyes (1969)
  • Lisa Says (1969)
  • Rock and Roll (1970)
  • Sweet Jane (1970)

Bob Seger (#64)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • Beautiful Loser (1975)
  • Turn the Page (live, 1976)
  • Night Moves (1976)
  • Old Time Rock and Roll (1978)
  • Still the Same (1978)
  • Against the Wind (1980)
  • Fire Lake (1980)
  • Shame on the Moon (1982)
  • Like a Rock (1986)
  • Shakedown (1987)

Frank Sinatra (#65)

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The Doors (#66)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • Break on Through (1967)
  • Light My Fire (1967)
  • The End (1967)
  • People Are Strange (1967)
  • Hello I Love You (1968)
  • Touch Me (1968)
  • Roadhouse Blues (1970)
  • Riders on the Storm (1971)
  • L.A. Woman (1971)
  • Love Her Madley (1971)

Aretha Franklin (#67)

profile page

The Beach Boys (#68)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

Elvis Costello (#69)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

Tracy Chapman (#70)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • Fast Car (1988)
  • Talkin’ ‘Bout a Revolution (1988)
  • Behind the Wall (1988)
  • Across the Lines (1988)
  • Freedom now (1988)
  • Crossroads (1989)
  • All That You Have Is Your Soul (1989)
  • Give Me One Reason (1995)
  • Telling Stories (There Is Friction in the Space Between) (2000)
  • I Did It All (2008)

Sinéad O’Connor (#71)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • Mandinka (1987)
  • I Want Your Hands on Me (1987)
  • Jump in the River (1988)
  • Nothing Compares 2 U (1990)
  • The Emperor’s New Clothes (1990)
  • Black Boys on Mopeds (1990)
  • Mother (live with Roger Waters & the Band, 1990)
  • You Made Me the Thief of Your Heart (1994)
  • Fire on Babylon (1994)
  • No Man’s Woman (2000)

Phil Collins (#72)

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REO Speedwagon (#73)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

Asia (#74)

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Simple Minds (#75)

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  • Life in a Day (1979)
  • Promised You a Miracle (1982)
  • Waterfront (1983)
  • Don't You Forget about Me (1985)
  • Alive and Kicking (1985)
  • Sanctify Yourself (1985)
  • This Is Your Land (with Lou Reed, 1989)
  • Mandela Day (1989)
  • See the Lights (1991)
  • She’s a River (1995)

Mike + the Mechanics (#76)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • Silent Running (1985)
  • All I Need Is a Miracle (1985)
  • Taken In (1985)
  • Nobody’s Perfect (1988)
  • The Living Years (1988)
  • Word of Mouth (1991)
  • Everybody Gets a Second Chance (1991)
  • Over My Shoulder (1995)
  • Someone Always Hates Someone (1995)
  • Now That You’re Gone (1999)

Robert Plant (#77)

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  • In the Mood (1983)
  • Big Log (1983)
  • Sea of Love (The Honeydrippers, 1984)
  • Little by Little (1985)
  • Heaven Knows (1988)
  • Ship of Fools (1988)
  • Hurting Kind (I’ve Got My Eyes on You) (1990)
  • 29 Palms (1993)
  • If I Were a Carpenter (1993)
  • Please Read the Letter (with Alison Krauss, 2007)

Guns N’ Roses (#78)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

Dennis DeYoung (#79)

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  • Desert Moon (1984)
  • Don’t Wait for Heroes (1984)
  • Call Me (1986)
  • This Is the Time (1986)
  • Black Wall (1986)
  • Harry’s Hands (1989)
  • Someone to Watch Over Me (1994)
  • One Hundred Years from Now (2007)
  • To the Good Old Days (with Julian Lennon, 2020)
  • Isle of Misanthrope (2021)

Split Enz (#80)

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  • Late Last Night (1976)
  • I See Red (1978)
  • I Got You (1980)
  • One Step Ahead (1980)
  • What’s the Matter with You? (1980)
  • I Hope I Never (1980)
  • History Never Repeats (1981)
  • Hard Act to Follow (1981)
  • Six Months in a Leaky Boat (1982)
  • Message to My Girl (1983)

Aha (#81)

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  • Take on Me (1984)
  • The Sun Always Shines on TV (1985)
  • Hunting High and Low (1985)
  • I’ve Been Losing You (1986)
  • Cry Wolf (1986)
  • Maybe Maybe (1986)
  • The Living Daylights (1987)
  • Stay on These Roads (1988)
  • Crying in the Rain (1990)
  • Dark Is the Night for All (1993)

Roger Waters (#82)

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  • The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking (1984)
  • Folded Flags (1986)
  • Radio Waves (1987)
  • Sunset Strip (1987)
  • Who Needs Information? (1987)
  • The Tide Is Turning (1987)
  • What God Wants (1992)
  • Each Small Candle (2000)
  • Smell the Roses (2017)
  • Déjà Vu (If I Had Been God) (2017)

Little River Band (#83)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • It’s a Long Way There (1975)
  • Happy Anniversary (1977)
  • Help Is on Its Way (1977)
  • Reminiscing (1978)
  • Lady (1978)
  • Lonesome Loser (1979)
  • Cool Change (1979)
  • The Night Owls (1981)
  • We Two (1983)
  • Soul Searching (1988)

John Lennon (#84)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • Give Peace a Chance (1969)
  • Instant Karma (We All Shine On) (1970)
  • Imagine (1971)
  • Jealous Guy (1971)
  • Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (with Yoko Ono, 1971)
  • Mind Games (1973)
  • Whatever Gets You Through the Night (1974)
  • Just Like Starting Over (1980)
  • Woman (1980)
  • Nobody Told Me (1984)

Marvin Gaye (#85)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

ZZ Top (#86)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • La Grange (1973)
  • Tush (1975)
  • I Thank You (1979)
  • Cheap Sunglasses (1979)
  • Pearl Necklace (1981)
  • Gimme All Your Lovin’ (1983)
  • Sharp Dressed Man (1983)
  • Legs (1983)
  • Sleeping Bag (1985)
  • My Head’s in Mississippi (1990)

Ray Charles (#87)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

Bing Crosby (#88)

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Shawn Colvin (#89)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • Steady On (1989)
  • Shotgun Down the Avalanche (1989)
  • Diamond in the Rough (1989)
  • You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go (1991)
  • I Don’t Know Why (1992)
  • Round of Blues (1992)
  • Polaroids (1992)
  • Every Little Thing He Does Is Magic (1994)
  • Get Out of This House (1996)
  • Sunny Came Home (1996)
  • Nothin’ on Me (1996)

Johnny Cash (#90)

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  • Folsom Prison Blues (1955; live: 1968)
  • I Walk the Line (1956)
  • The Ballad of a Teenage Queen (1957)
  • Don’t Take Your Guns to Town (1958)
  • I Got Stripes (1959)
  • Ring of Fire (1963)
  • Jackson (with June Carter Cash, 1967)
  • A Boy Named Sue (live, 1969)
  • The Man in Black (1971)
  • Hurt (2002)

Berlin (#91)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

Alanis Morissette (#92)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • You Oughta Know (1995)
  • Hand in My Pocket (1995)
  • Ironic (1995)
  • You Learn (1995)
  • Uninvited (1998)
  • Thank U (1998)
  • Unsent (1998)
  • Hands Clean (2002)
  • Everything (2004)
  • Reasons I Drink (2019)

Nirvana (#93)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

Violent Femmes (#94)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • Blister in the Sun (1983)
  • Add It Up (1983)
  • Kiss Off (1983)
  • Country Death Song (1984)
  • Faith (1986)
  • No Killing (1986)
  • Nightmares (1989)
  • Fat (1989)
  • Nothing Worth Living For (1989)
  • American Music (1991)

Boston (#95)

profile page

  • More Than a Feeling (1976)
  • Foreplay/Longtime (1976)
  • Rock and Roll Band (1976)
  • Don’t Look Back (1978)
  • Amanda (1986)
  • We’re Ready (1986)
  • Can’tcha Say/Still in Love (1986)
  • I Need Your Love (1994)
  • Higher Power (1997)
  • I Had a Good Time (2002)

Dire Straits (#96)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • Sultans of Swing (1978)
  • Skateaway (1980)
  • Romeo and Juliet (1980)
  • Industrial Disease (1982)
  • Money for Nothing (1985)
  • Walk of Life (1985)
  • So Far Away (1985)
  • Brothers in Arms (1985)
  • Calling Elvis (1991)
  • Heavy Fuel (1991)

Terence Trent D’Arby (#97)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • If You Let Me Stay (1987)
  • Wishing Well (1987)
  • Sign Your Name (1987)
  • As Yet Untitled (1987)
  • Wonderful World (live, 1987)
  • This Side of Love (1989)
  • She Kissed Me (1993)
  • Undeniably (1995)
  • Tension Inside the Sweetness/Frankie and Johnny (T.I.T.S./F&J) (1993)
  • O Divina (2001)

Def Leppard (#98)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • Bringin’ on the Heartbreak (1981)
  • Photograph (1983)
  • Rock of Ages (1983)
  • Animal (1987)
  • Hysteria (1987)
  • Pour Some Sugar on Me (1987)
  • Love Bites (1987)
  • Armageddon It (1987)
  • Let’s Get Rocked (1992)
  • Work It Out (1996)

Willie Nelson (#99)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

Lynyrd Skynyrd (#100)

DMDB encyclopedia entry

  • Free Bird (1973)
  • Gimme Three Steps (1973)
  • Simple Man (1973)
  • Sweet Home Alabama (1974)
  • Don’t Ask Me No Questions (1974)
  • Call Me the Breeze (1974)
  • Saturday Night Special (1975)
  • Gimme Back My Bullets (1976)
  • What’s Your Name (1977)
  • You Got That Right (1977)

Resources/Related Links

First posted 1/15/2013; last updated 2/13/2024.

2 comments:

  1. Nice Job.. No Kinks?! probably an oversight....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like the Kinks. They just don't make my top 100.

      Delete