Showing posts with label metallica. Show all posts
Showing posts with label metallica. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

The Top 50 Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Acts

Heavy Metal/Hard Rock:

Top 50 Acts

This list was created by aggregating 25 lists focused on the best heavy metal and/or hard rock acts of all time.

See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre.


Metallica

1. Metallica
2. Iron Maiden
3. Black Sabbath
4. Judas Priest
5. Megadeth
6. Slayer
7. Pantera
8. Tool
9. Motörhead
10. Led Zeppelin

11. Mötley Crüe
12. Guns N’ Roses
13. Van Halen
14. AC/DC
15. Ozzy Osbourne
16. Anthrax
17. Aerosmith
18. Kiss
19. Korn
20. Slipknot

21. Deep Purple
22. System of a Down
23. Jimi Hendrix
24. Bon Jovi
25. Def Leppard
26. Alice Cooper
27. Ronnie James Dio
28. Scorpions
29. Avenged Sevenfold
30. Queensrÿche

31. Alice in Chains
32. Marilyn Manson
33. Deftones
34. Rammstein
35. Queen
36. Nirvana
37. Rush
38. Linkin Park
39. Rage Against the Machine
40. Faith No More

41. Whitesnake
42. Ratt
43. Foo Fighters
44. Disturbed
45. Evanescence
46. Rainbow
47. Thin Lizzy
48. Five Finger Death Punch
49. Cinderella
50. Twisted Sister

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First posted 7/1/2026.

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Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Metallica: Top 50 Songs

Metallica

Top 50 Songs

Heavy metal group formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. James Hetfield (vocals) and Lars Ulrich (drums) have been with the group since the beginning. Dave Mustaine was an early member (rhythm guitar: 1981-83) before forming Megadeth. He was replaced by Kirk Hammett (1983-present). Cliff Burton (1981-84), the original bassist, was killed in a bus crash on September 27, 1984. He was replaced by Jason Newsted (1986-2002) who was replaced by Robert Trujillo (2003-present).

For a complete list of this act’s DMDB honors, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry.

Click here to see other acts’ best-of lists.

Spotify Podcast:

Check out the Dave’s Music Database podcast The Best of Metallica, 1983-2023 based on this list. Debut: April 18, 2023, at 7pm CST. New episodes based on Dave’s Music Database lists are posted every Tuesday at 7pm CST.

Awards:

Top 50 Songs

Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists, appearances on compilations and live albums by the featured act, and songs’ chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. Songs which hit #1 on various charts are noted. (Click for codes to charts.)

DMDB Top 1%:

1. Enter Sandman (1991)
2. One (1988)

DMDB Top 2%:

3. Nothing Else Matters (1991)
4. Master of Puppets (1986)

DMDB Top 5%:

5. The Unforgiven (1991)

DMDB Top 10%:

6. Turn the Page (1998) #1 AR
7. Fade to Black (1984)
8. Until It Sleeps (1996) #1 AR

DMDB Top 20%:

9. For Whom the Bell Tolls (1984)
10. The Day That Never Comes (2008) #1 AR
11. Sad But True (1991)
12. The Unforgiven II (1997)
13. I Disappear (2000) #1 AR
14. No Leaf Clover (1999) #1 AR
15. Hero of the Day (1996) #1 AR
16. The Memory Remains (1997)

Beyond the DMDB Top 20%:

17. Cyanide (2008) #1 AR
18. Wherever I May Roam (1991)
19. Whiskey in the Jar (1998)
20. St. Anger (2003)

21. Battery (1986)
22. Fuel (1997)
23. My Apocalypse (2008)
24. Creeping Death (1984)
25. Hardwired (2016) #1 AR
26. Seek and Destroy (1983)
27. Frantic (2003)
28. King Nothing (1996)
29. The Unnamed Feeling (2003)
30. Lux Æterna (2022) #1 AR

31. Welcome Home (Sanitarium) (1986)
32. All Nightmare Long (2008)
33. Broken, Beat, & Scarred (2008)
34. Die, Die My Darling (1998)
35. Harvester of Sorrow (1988)
36. Bleeding Me (1996)
37. Mama Said (19960
38. Jump in the Fire (1983)
39. The Four Horsemen (1983)
40. Atlas, Rise! (2016) #1 AR

41. All Within My Hands (2020) #1 AR
42. Stone Cold Crazy (1990)
43. Better Than You (1997)
44. Moth into Flame (2016)
45. The Ecstasy of Gold (2007)
46. Fight Fire with Fire (1984)
47. Some Kind of Monster (2003)
48. Spit Out the Bone (2016)
49. Ain’t My Bitch (1996)
50. Now That We’re Dead (2016)

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First posted 4/14/2003; last updated 4/18/2023.

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Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Sports Anthems: Top 50 Songs

Sports Anthems:

Top 50 Songs

This list is the result of aggregating 27 lists of the most popular sports anthems. These may be songs that are designed to get the crowd riled up or singing along. They may be the introductory song as a team, or even a specific player, takes the field. In any case, these are the songs most likely to come blaring out of your favorite stadium’s speakers.

Click here to see other genre-specific song lists.

1. Queen “We Will Rock You” (1977)
2. The White Stripes “Seven Nation Army” (2003)
3. AC/DC “Thunderstruck” (1990)
4. Blur “Song 2” (1997)
5. Guns N’ Roses “Welcome to the Jungle” (1987)
6. House of Pain “Jump Around” (1992)
7. Eminem “Lose Yourself” (2002)
8. Metallica “Enter Sandman” (1991)
9. Ozzy Osbourne “Crazy Train” (1980)
10. Survivor “Eye of the Tiger” (1982)

11. Neil Diamond “Sweet Caroline” (1969)
12. Queen “We Are the Champions” (1977)
13. Gary Glitter “Rock and Roll Part 2” (1972)
14. Steam “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” (1969)
15. Tag Team “Whoomp! There It Is” (1993)
16. Europe “The Final Countdown” (1986)
17. Journey “Don’t Stop Believin’” (1981)
18. Darude “Sandstorm” (2000)
19. 2 Unlimited “Get Ready for This” (1991)
20. The Alan Parsons Project “Sirius” / “Eye in the Sky” (1982)

21. The Rolling Stones “Start Me Up” (1981)
22. Ramones “Blitzkrieg Bop” (1976)
23. Zombie Nation “Kernkraft 400” (1999)
24. Jack Norworth and Albert von Tilzer (composers) “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” (1908)
25. DJ Khaled with T-Pain, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, & Rick Ross “All I Do Is Win” (2010)
26. Village People “Y.M.C.A.” (1978)
27. C + C Music Factory “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” (1990)
28. Smash Mouth “All Star” (1999)
29. Baha Men “Who Let the Dogs Out?” (2000)
30. Van Halen “Jump” (1983)

31. Black Eyed Peas “Let’s Get It Started” (2004)
32. Gerry & the Pacemakers “You’ll Never Walk Alone” (1963)
33. Bill Conti “Gonna Fly Now” (1976)
34. Chumbawamba “Tubthumping” (1997)
35. Fort Minor “Remember the Name” (2005)
36. Technotronic “Pump Up the Jam” (1989)
37. Fatboy Slim “Right Here Right Now” (1999)
38. DJ Snake with Lil Jon “Turn Down for What” (2013)
39. Beastie Boys “Sabotage” (1994)
40. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Ray Dalton “Can’t Hold Us” (2011)

41. Kanye West with Daft Punk “Stronger” (2007)
42. Queen “Another One Bites the Dust” (1980)
43. Frank Sinatra “Theme from New York, New York” (1980)
44. Phil Collins “In the Air Tonight” (1981)
45. Kendrick Lamar “Humble” (2017)
46. The Isley Brothers “Shout” (1959)
47. Todd Rundgren “Bang the Drum All Day” (1983)
48. Styx “Renegade” (1978)
49. Twisted Sister “We’re Not Gonna Take It” (1984)
50. Bon Jovi “Livin’ on a Prayer” (1986)

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First posted 3/14/2023.

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Thursday, January 19, 2023

Book: Songs That Made a Mark

Songs That Made a Mark:

100 of Mark Whitaker’s Favorites

For Christmas 2022, I told my brother I’d make a book – just for him – of 100 of his favorite songs. We worked together to come up with the list offered here. Songs are not ranked; they are listed alphabetically by the recording acts. While the book is not available for purchase, all the songs are listed here with links to dedicated Dave’s Music Database pages, each with information about the song’s chart, sales, and airplay statistics as well as links to awards won by the songs, videos, and lyrics.

Click here to see other lists from critics and individuals and here to see other lists from publications and/or organizations.

Spotify Playlist:

You can listen to all these songs via the Spotify playlist Songs That Made a Mark.

1. Ace “How Long” (1974)
2. Adele “Skyfall” (2012)
3. Aerosmith “Janie’s Got a Gun” (1989)
4. Alabama “Mountain Music” (1982)
5. Animal Logic “I’m Sorry Baby (I Want You in My Life)” (1989)
6. Asia “Heat of the Moment” (1982)
7. Asia “Only Time Will Tell” (1982)
8. Asia “Don’t Cry” (1983)
9. The Beatles “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” (1968)
10. Pat Benatar “Shadows of the Night” (1982)

11. Clint Black “Killin’ Time” (1989)
12. David Bowie “Changes” (1971)
13. Boyz II Men “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” (1991)
14. Garth Brooks “> Unanswered Prayers” (1990)
15. Kate Bush “This Woman’s Work” (1988)
16. Johnny Cash “Hurt” (2002)
17. Harry Chapin “Cat’s in the Cradle” (1974)
18. Chic “Le Freak” (1978)
19. Chicago “If You Leave Me Now” (1976)
20. Eric Clapton “Wonderful Tonight” (1977)

21. Eric Clapton “Tears in Heaven” (1992)
22. Phil Collins “In the Air Tonight” (1981)
23. Commodores “Three Times a Lady” (1978)
24. Robert Cray “Smoking Gun” (1986)
25. Bing Crosby with David Bowie “Peace on Earth/The Little Drummer Boy” (1977)
26. Crowded House “Don’t Dream It’s Over” (1986)
27. Crowded House “Better Be Home Soon” (1988)
28. Charlie Daniels Band “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” (1979)
29. Def Leppard “Photograph” (1983)
30. Depeche Mode “Somebody” (1984)

31. Dennis DeYoung “Desert Moon” (1984)
32. Eagles “Take It Easy” (1972)
33. Eagles “Desperado” (1973)
34. Foreigner “Waiting for a Girl Like You” (1981)
35. Peter Gabriel “Biko” (1980)
36. Genesis “Mama” (1983)
37. Hootie & the Blowfish “Only Wanna Be with You” (1995)
38. Billy Joel “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)” (1977)
39. Billy Joel “The Stranger” (1977)
40. Billy Joel with Ray Charles “Baby Grand” (1986)

41. Elton John “Candle in the Wind” (1973) / “Candle in the Wind 1997 (Goodbye England’s Rose)” (1997)
42. Journey “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” (1983)
43. Journey “Faithfully” (1983)
44. Journey “Ask the Lonely” (1983)
45. Kansas “Carry on Wayward Son” (1976)
46. Kansas “Dust in the Wind” (1977)
47. Jonny Lang “Lie to Me” (1997)
48. Led Zeppelin “The Battle of Evermore” (1971)
49. John Lennon “Imagine” (1971)
50. Huey Lewis & the News “Naturally” (1986)

51. Linkin Park “In the End” (2000)
52. Little River Band “Lonesome Loser” (1979)
53. Nick Lowe “Cruel to Be Kind” (1979)
54. Manfred Mann’s Earth Band “Blinded by the Light” (1976)
55. Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder “Ebony and Ivory” (1982)
56. John Cougar Mellencamp “Rain on the Scarecrow” (1985)
57. Metallica “One” (1989)
58. Metallica “Nothing Else Matters” (1992)
59. Mike + the Mechanics “Silent Running” (1985)
60. Mike + the Mechanics “The Living Years” (1988)

61. Mr. Mister “Broken Wings” (1985)
62. Night Ranger “Four in the Morning” (1985)
63. OutKast “Hey Ya!” (2003)
64. The Alan Parsons Project “Old and Wise” (1982)
65. The Alan Parsons Project “Let’s Talk About Me” (1985)
66. Dolly Parton “Jolene” (1973)
67. Pearl Jam “Jeremy” (1991)
68. Steve Perry “Oh Sherrie” (1984)
69. The Police “Roxanne” (1978)
70. The Police “Message in a Bottle” (1979)

71. Elvis Presley “Can’t Help Falling in Love” (1961)
72. Prince & the Revolution “Purple Rain” (1984)
73. Queen “We Will Rock You” / “We Are the Champions” (1977)
74. Queensrÿche “Empire” (1990)
75. Queensrÿche “Silent Lucidity” (1991)
76. The Rainmakers “Downstream” (1986)
77. Bonnie Raitt “Nick of Time” (1989)
78. R.E.M. “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” (1987)
79. REO Speedwagon “Can’t Fight This Feeling” (1984)
80. Lionel Richie “Hello” (1984)

81. Lionel Richie “Say You Say Me” (1985)
82. Kenny Rogers “Coward of the County” (1979)
83. Rush “Free Will” (1980)
84. Kenny Wayne Shepherd “Blue on Black” (1998)
85. Rick Springfield “Affair of the Heart” (1983)
86. Bruce Springsteen “Dancing in the Dark” (1984)
87. Squeeze “Tempted” (1981)
88. Styx “Come Sail Away” (1977)
89. Styx “Renegade” (1978)
90. Tears for Fears “Mad World” (1982) / Michael Andrews & Gary Jules “Mad World” (2002)

91. Toto “Africa” (1982)
92. Toto “Stranger in Town” (1984)
93. Tina Turner “We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)” (1985)
94. Bonnie Tyler “Total Eclipse of the Heart” (1983)
95. U2 “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (1983)
96. U2 “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” (1987)
97. Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble “The Sky Is Crying” (1985)
98. Madisen Ward & the Mama Bear “Silent Movies” (2015)
99. Stevie Wonder “Superstition” (1972)
100. Stevie Wonder “Isn’t She Lovely” (1977)

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First posted 12/26/2022; last updated 1/19/2023.

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Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Heavy Metal Albums – Top 50

Heavy Metal/Hard Rock:

The Top 100 Albums

Here are the best heavy metal/hard rock albums, according to Dave’s Music Database. 20 lists of “heavy metal” and/or “hard rock” albums were compiled to create the aggregate list below.

Check out other best-of-genre/category lists here.

1. Guns N’ Roses Appetite for Destruction (1987)
2. Iron Maiden The Number of the Beast (1982)
3. AC/DC Back in Black (1980)
4. Van Halen Van Halen (1978)
5. Black Sabbath Paranoid (1970)
6. Metallica Master of Puppets (1986)
7. Slayer Reign in Blood (1986)
8. Metallica Ride the Lightning (1984)
9. Metallica Metallica (aka “The Black Album”) (1991)
10. Def Leppard Pyromania (1983)

11. Def Leppard Hysteria (1987)
12. AC/DC Highway to Hell (1979)
13. Ozzy Osbourne Blizzard of Ozz (1980)
14. Kiss Destroyer (1976)
15. Judas Priest British Steel (1980)
16. Motörhead Ace of Spades (1980)
17. Metallica Kill ‘Em All (1983)
18. Black Sabbath Master of Reality (1971)
19. Megadeth Rust in Peace (1990)
20. Kiss Alive! (1975)

21. Black Sabbath Black Sabbath (1970)
22. Slayer Seasons in the Abyss (1990)
23. Judas Priest Screaming for Vengeance (1982)
24. Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet (1986)
25. Deep Purple Machine Head (1972)
26. Metallica …And Justice for All (1988)
27. Pantera Vulgar Display of Power (1992)
28. Iron Maiden Iron Maiden (1980)
29. Skid Row Skid Row (1989)
30. Alice in Chains Dirt (1992)

31. Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
32. Queensrÿche Operation Mindcrime (1988)
33. Dio Holy Diver (1983)
34. Iron Maiden Powerslave (1984)
35. Aerosmith Toys in the Attic (1975)
36. Anthrax Among the Living (1987)
37. Korn Korn (1994)
38. Mötley Crüe Dr. Feelgood (1989)
39. Megadeth Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying? (1986)
40. Megadeth Countdown to Extinction (1992)

41. Soundgarden Badmotorfinger (1991)
42. Van Halen 1984 (1984)
43. Iron Maiden Piece of Mind (1983)
44. Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II (1969)
45. Motörhead No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith (1981)
46. Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin I (1969)
47. Slayer South of Heaven (1988)
48. Judas Priest Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)
49. Aerosmith Rocks (1976)
50. Pantera Cowboys from Hell (1990)

Resources and Related Links:

First posted 7/1/2011; last updated 6/7/2022.

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Tuesday, May 11, 2021

The Top 50 Heavy Metal Songs

Heavy Metal:

Top 50 Songs

Heavy metal is rooted in the hard rock of the late ‘60s and ‘70s, most often attributed to Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin, who all got their start in England in 1968. Distortion, extended guitar solos, and overall loudness characterized the genre and the lyrics are often stereotyped as having Satanic themes.

However one defines the genre, here are the top 50 heavy metal songs as determined by aggregating 32 best-of lists. Those songs appearing on 7 or more lists were then re-ranked based on overall points in Dave’s Music Database.

Click here to see other genre-specific song lists.

1. Black Sabbath “Paranoid” (1970)
2. AC/DC “Back in Black” (1980)
3. Guns N’ Roses “Welcome to the Jungle” (1987)
4. Metallica “Enter Sandman” (1991)
5. Deep Purple “Smoke on the Water” (1973)
6. Metallica “One” (1988)
7. AC/DC “Highway to Hell” (1979)
8. Kiss “Rock and Roll All Nite” (1975)
9. Ozzy Osbourne “Crazy Train” (1980)
10. Guns N’ Roses “Paradise City” (1987)

11. Black Sabbath “Iron Man” (1970)
12. Scorpions “Rock You Like a Hurricane” (1984)
13. Van Halen “Runnin’ with the Devil” (1978)
14. Motörhead “Ace of Spades” (1980)
15. Metallica “Master of Puppets” (1988)
16. Black Sabbath “War Pigs” (1970)
17. Judas Priest “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” (1982)
18. Judas Priest “Breaking the Law” (1980)
19. Iron Maiden “Run to the Hills” (1982)
20. Kiss “Detroit Rock City” (1976)

21. AC/DC “Hells Bells” (1980)
22. Iron Maiden “Hallowed Be Thy Name” (1982)
23. Quiet Riot “Bang Your Head (Metal Health)” (1983)
24. Whitesnake “Still of the Night” (1987)
25. Iron Maiden “The Number of the Beast” (1982)
26. Dio “Holy Diver” (1983)
27. Black Sabbath “Black Sabbath” (1970)
28. Iron Maiden “The Trooper” (1983)
29. Deep Purple “Highway Star” (1972)
30. Megadeth “Symphony of Destruction” (1992)

31. Dio “Rainbow in the Dark” (1983)
32. Ozzy Osbourne “Mr. Crowley” (1980)
33. Megadeth “Peace Sells” (1986)
34. Metallica “Fade to Black” (1984)
35. Judas Priest “Painkiller” (1990)
36. Pantera “Walk” (1992)
37. Megadeth “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due” (1990)
38. Slayer “Raining Blood” (1986)
39. Megadeth “Hangar 18” (1990)
40. Metallica “For Whom the Bell Tolls” (1984)

41. Pantera “Cowboys from Hell” (1990)
42. Judas Priest “The Hellion/Electric Eye” (1982)
43. Black Sabbath “Heaven and Hell” (1980)
44. Black Sabbath “Children of the Grave” (1971)
45. Rainbow “Stargazer” (1976)
46. Slayer “Angel of Death” (1986)
47. Accept “Balls to the Wall” (1983)
48. Iron Maiden “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” (1984)
49. Iron Maiden “Fear of the Dark” (1992)
50. Diamond Head “Am I Evil?” (1980)

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First posted 1/24/2018; last updated 5/11/2021.

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Saturday, February 22, 2020

Dave's Music Database Hall of Fame: Album Inductees (Feb. 2020)

Originally posted 2/22/2020.

January 22, 2019 marked the 10-year anniversary of the DMDB blog. To honor that, Dave’s Music Database announced its own Hall of Fame. This month marks the fifth batch of album inductees. As of August 4, 2020, there were only 56 albums to spend 250 or more weeks on the Billboard album chart (“The Longest-Charting Albums in U.S. Chart History”). Of those albums, only 19 spent four or more weeks at #1. Seven of those have already been inducted: Adele 21 (2011), Fleetwood Mac Rumours (1977), Michael Jackson Thriller (1982), Carole King Tapestry (1971) , and the South Pacific cast album (1949). That leaves 13 albums to be inducted this month.

See the full list of album inductees here.

The Beatles Abbey Road (1969)

Inducted February 2020 as “Album with 4+ weeks at #1 and 250+ chart weeks.”

While not their final release, this marked the last time the Fab Four worked together in the studio. The Beatles were “exhausted and angry with one another after the disastrous sessions for the aborted Get Back LP.” RS500 Even their producer, “the normallly unruffled” George Martin, said “I don’t want to be part of this anymore.” JI However, when Paul McCartney suggested they make a Beatles’ record “like we used to” JI “the group reconvened at EMI’s Abbey Road Studios” RS500 to create what would be their “most polished and crafted long player” TL and “the best sounding Beatles’ record.” JI Read more.

The Beatles 1 (compilation: 1962-70, released 2001)

Inducted February 2020 as “Album with 4+ weeks at #1 and 250+ chart weeks.”

When this single-disc collection emerged over 30 years after the band’s finale, it proved there was still a market for their songs as the collection spent eight weeks atop the Billboard charts and sold more than 30 million copies. The set gathered the 27 songs which peaked atop the U.K. and/or U.S. charts, meaning fans could get a one-sitting overview of the Beatles from their beginnings from early hits like “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “She Loves You” to mid-career hits like “Yesterday” and latter hits like “Hey Jude” and “Let It Be.” Read more.

Eagles Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 (compilation: 1971-75, released 1976)

Inducted February 2020 as “Album with 4+ weeks at #1 and 250+ chart weeks.”

This wasn’t just the “first album ever certified platinum;” WR1 but the best-selling album in the U.S. in the 20th century WK1 with sales now estimated over 40 million. This collection gathered nine singles and the album-cut “Desperado” from the band’s first four albums. By the time the band recorded their fifth album, they’d become more of a rock act, but this set showcases their more country-pop leanings like “Tequila Sunrise” and “Lyin’ Eyes” as well as #1 pop hits “Best of My Love” and “One of These Nights.” Band member Don Henley didn’t like the songs taken out of the context of their original albums, WK1 but this makes for “a collection consistent in mood and identity” WK that “works so much better than the band’s previous discs [that it] practically makes them redundant.” WR1 Read more.

Eminem The Eminem Show (2002)

Inducted February 2020 as “Album with 4+ weeks at #1 and 250+ chart weeks.”

After exploring the deliberately-shocking alter ego Slim Shady and delving more into his past as Marshall Mathers, Eminem put his public persona front and center on this collection. He “spends much of the album commenting on the media circus that dominated…his life” STE and familiar topics such as “his troubled childhood; his hatred of his parents; his turbulent relationship with his ex-wife, Kim…; his love of his daughter, Hailie; and, of course, all the controversy he generated, notably the furor over his alleged homophobia.” STE Eminem proves “to be one of the all-time classic MCs, surprising as much with his delivery as with what he says.” STE Read more.

Eminem Recovery (2010)

Inducted February 2020 as “Album with 4+ weeks at #1 and 250+ chart weeks.”

Critic Robert Christgau says this is Eminem at “his most confessional” WK although detractors argued “that being privy to the man’s therapy sessions just isn’t compelling anymore.” DJ Entertainment Weekly’s Simon Vozick-Levinson said, “Eminem’s lyrical craftsmanship is second to none…and there are flashes of new maturity.” WK This album made Eminem the first artist to have four albums debut atop the Billboard album chart with over 700,000 copies. “Not Afraid,” the album’s lead single, was only the second rap song to debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was followed to the pinnacle by “Love the Way You Lie,” a duet with Rihanna. Read more.

Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe (composers) My Fair Lady (cast, 1956)

Inducted February 2020 as “Album with 4+ weeks at #1 and 250+ chart weeks.”

My Fair Lady is “the crowning achievement” AZ for Lerner and Loewe. It has been called “the most perfect stage musical ever.” CL This was an adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, a story about “the mythic Greek figure who falls in love with his sculpture.” TM Rex Harrison is “effortlessly charming” ZS as Professor Henry Higgins and Julie Andrews was a “twenty-year-old revelation” ZS as “Eliza Doolittle, who aspires to a better accent and the social advantages that will come with it.” R-S Its Broadway run of 2717 performances from 1956 to 1962 was the longest run in history for a major musical at that time. W-M Read more.

Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe (composers) Camelot (cast album, 1960)

Inducted February 2020 as “Album with 4+ weeks at #1 and 250+ chart weeks.”

Lerner & Loewe turned to the legend of King Arthur, specifically T.H. White’s novel The Once and Future King, for this 1960 musical. The show “has it all – a beautiful English princess swept off her feet by a shy, but passionate bachelor king; an ardent French knight, torn between devotion to his liege and an uncontrollable hunger, reciprocated, to be sure, for the king’s tempestuous wife.” WK-C “The advance sale for the show was the largest in Broadway history.” WK-C It starred Richard Burton (Arthur) and Julie Andrews (Guinevere) and introduced Robert Goulet as Lancelot in his first Broadway role and won four Tony Awards. Read more.

Johnny Mathis Heavenly (1959)

Inducted February 2020 as “Album with 4+ weeks at #1 and 250+ chart weeks.”

This was the most successful studio album from Mathis, marking a return to ballads with orchestral accompaniment. All Music Guide’s William Ruhlmann called it “the epitome of Mathis’s approach to music.” WK The highlight of this collection of standards was “Misty,” a top ten R&B hit which was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Read more.

Metallica Metallica (aka ‘The Black Album’) (1991)

Inducted February 2020 as “Album with 4+ weeks at #1 and 250+ chart weeks.”

Prior to their eponymous 1991 release (nicknamed The Black Album for its monochromatic cover), Metallica “wrote scathing diatribes about such topics as our desensitized society and the horrors of drug addiction, signed with a major record label, and then watched millions of kids buy these spewings, all without the benefit of one hummable melody.” EW For this effort, the band tapped Bob Rock, who had produced Bon Jovi and Mötley Crüe, to give them “crisp, professional production” AMG and add “a previously nonexistent warmth and depth to their sound.” GW The group “slowed down the tempos, streamlined the arrangements” GW and the band plays actual hooks.” EW Read more.

Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II (composers) Oklahoma! (soundtrack, 1955)

Inducted February 2020 as “Album with 4+ weeks at #1 and 250+ chart weeks.”

Oklahoma! was the first collaboration between Rodgers and Hammerstein. They “turned out an exuberant, tuneful score in which all the songs grew out of the characters and the situations, an unusual approach in musical theater, where songs often had little relationship to the action.” RC The show’s five-year run made it the longest-running musical in Broadway history up to that time. More than a dozen years later, Rodgers & Hammerstein oversaw a film version, assuring “it would be more faithful than most Hollywood treatments.” RS Compared to the cast recording, the soundtrack has “a bigger, broader interpretation and has continued to sound impressive over the decades.” RS Read more.

Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II (composers) South Pacific (soundtrack, 1958)

Inducted February 2020 as “Album with 4+ weeks at #1 and 250+ chart weeks.”

The cast album for South Pacific was one of the first twelve DMDB Hall of Fame album inductees. It was the biggest album of the 1940s, spending 69 weeks at #1 and 400 weeks on the chart. That set the bar incredibly high for the soundtrack to the 1958 movie. However, it reached similar lofty status with 262 weeks on the chart, 31 at the pinnacle. The album is also the biggest #1 in the history of the UK charts with 115 weeks on top. Read more.

Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II (composers) The Sound of Music (cast album, 1959)

Inducted February 2020 as “Album with 4+ weeks at #1 and 250+ chart weeks.”

The Sound of Music was the final work for the famous musical theater team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. “The ‘based on a true story’ plot concerned an aspiring nun who becomes a governess in pre-World War II Austria” WR-C for “a wealthy naval captain with seven children,” WR-S “only to marry the children’s father and flee with the family from the Nazis.” WR-C The cast album spent an astonishing 70 weeks atop the UK charts and 16 in the U.S. Read more.

Taylor Swift 1989 (2014)

Inducted February 2020 as “Album with 4+ weeks at #1 and 250+ chart weeks.”

This was Taylor Swift’s second Grammy-winner for Album of the Year, after 2010’s Fearless. Inspired by the synthpop of the late ‘80s, this completed her transition from country music. It was her third album to sell over a million copies in its first week, making her the first artist to do so. WK The Guardian’s Alexis Petridis said the album is full of “undeniable melodies and huge, perfectly turned choruses and nagging hooks.” WK The public agreed, sending three songs to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (“Shake It Off,” “Blank Space,” and “Bad Blood”) and two more into the top ten (“Style,” “Wildest Dreams”). Read more.
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Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Kerrang! Top 100 Albums

First posted 2/19/2005; updated 8/5/2020.

Kerrang:

The Top Albums

This is an exclusive DMDB list which consolidates eight lists from the British music magazine Kerrang!, which focuses on heavy metal and punk (links to individual lists at bottom of page).

Also, check out annual picks for album of the year.

1. Sex Pistols Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (1977)
2. Metallica Master of Puppets (1986)
3. Slayer Reign in Blood (1986)
4. Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti (1975)
5. Black Sabbath Black Sabbath (1970)
6. Iron Maiden The Number of the Beast (1982)
7. Nirvana Nevermind (1991)
8. Guns N’ Roses Appetite for Destruction (1987)
9. AC/DC Back in Black (1980)
10. Green Day Dookie (1994)

11. Black Sabbath Vol. 4 (1972)
12. The Stooges Raw Power (1973)
13. Metallica Kill ‘Em All (1983)
14. Bad Brains Rock for Light (1982)
15. Discharge Hear Nothing, Say Nothing, See Nothing (1982)
16. Napalm Death Scum (1987)
17. Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
18. Def Leppard Hysteria (1987)
19. The Clash London Calling (1979)
20. Def Leppard Pyromania (1983)

21. Motörhead Ace of Spades (1980)
22. Metallica Ride the Lightning (1984)
23. The Clash The Clash (1977)
24. Korn Korn (1994)
25. Pearl Jam Ten (1991)
26. Black Flag Damaged (1981)
27. Sepultura Roots (1996)
28. Rage Against the Machine Rage Against the Machine (1992)
29. Ramones Ramones (1976)
30. Alice in Chains Dirt (1992)

31. Rancid And Out Come the Wolves (1995)
32. Hole Live Through This (1994)
33. Sublime Sublime (1996)
34. The Offspring Smash (1994)
35. Nine Inch Nails The Downward Spiral (1994)
36. The Prodigy Fat of the Land (1997)
37. The Wildhearts Earth Vs. the Wildhearts (1993)
38. Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet (1986)
39. The Stooges Fun House (1970)
40. Deep Purple In Rock (1970)

41. Manic Street Preachers The Holy Bible (1994)
42. Pantera Vulgar Display of Power (1992)
43. Reef Glow (1997)
44. Ash 1977 (1996)
45. Van Halen Van Halen I (1978)
46. Smashing Pumpkins Siamese Dream (1993)
47. Aerosmith Toys in the Attic (1975)
48. Terrorvision How to Make Friends and Influence People (1994)
49. Dead Kennedys Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (1980)
50. Thin Lizzy Live and Dangerous (1977)

51. Iron Maiden Iron Maiden (1980)
52. Rocket from the Crypt Scream, Dracula, Scream! (1995)
53. Boston Boston (1976)
54. Motörhead No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith (1981)
55. Queensryche Operation: Mindcrime (1988)
56. Bush Sixteen Stone (1994)
57. Motörhead Overkill (1979)
58. Queen A Night at the Opera (1975)
59. Killing Joke Killing Joke (1980)
60. Venom Black Metal (1982)

61. Skunk Anansie Paranoid & Sunburnt (1995)
62. Sisters of Mercy Floodland (1987)
63. Saxon Wheels of Steel (1980)
64. Fugazi Repeater (1990)
65. Journey Escape (1981)
66. Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II (1969)
67. Refused The Shape of Punk to Come: A Chimerical Bombation in 12 Bursts (1998)
68. Operation Ivy Energy (1989)
69. Black Sabbath Paranoid (1970)
70. The Damned Machine Gun Etiquette (1979)

71. Manic Street Preachers Everything Must Go (1996)
72. Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin I (1969)
73. Therapy? Trouble Gum (1991)
74. Kyuss Welcome to Sky Valley (1994)
75. The Descendents Milo Goes to College (1982)
76. Bryan Adams Reckless (1984)
77. Aerosmith Rocks (1976)
78. Deep Purple Machine Head (1972)
79. Red Hot Chili Peppers Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)
80. Kiss Alive! (1975)

81. Bon Jovi Bon Jovi (1984)
82. Michael Bolton Everybody’s Crazy (1985)
83. Quicksand Manic Compression (1995)
84. Rainbow Rising (1976)
85. Judas Priest Screaming for Vengeance (1982)
86. The MC5 Kick Out the Jams (1968)
87. Helmet Meantime (1992)
88. Magnum On a Storyteller’s Night (1985)
89. The Ruts The Crack (1979)
90. Foo Fighters The Colour and the Shape (1997)

91. Stiff Little Fingers Inflammable Material (1979)
92. Judas Priest Stained Class (1978)
93. Iron Maiden Killers (1981)
94. Nirvana In Utero (1993)
95. Exodus Bonded by Blood (1985)
96. Tool Ænima (1996)
97. Anthrax Among the Living (1987)
98. Kreator Pleasure to Kill (1986)
99. Megadeth Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying? (1986)
100. NOFX Punk in Drublic (1994)

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Sunday, February 3, 2013

Who Should Play the Super Bowl Halftime Show?

image from horsuprocks.blogspot.com

Beyonce is set to perform the halftime show at the Super Bowl today. Who, however, should perform next year? As with all DMDB lists, I started out compiling best-of lists on who should do a halftime show. I decided I’d still present the top 20 (see bottom of page), but thought it would be more interesting to break down the list into several categories so as to talk about more possibilities. In each category, I also list the DMDB pick. This is not necessarily my favorite in the category, but the one which I believe would have the widest appeal. So here we go.

Let’s Get the Band Back Together. This could also be called the “wishful thinking” category. These are bands no longer working (or at least not in the capacity in which we knew them best), but we’d like to think would step up to the plate for another go. Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Guns N’ Roses would be the biggest candidates here. DMDB Pick: Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin, image from spin.com

Long in the Tooth, But Still Rockin’, Part 1: The Bands. These are classic rock bands which are still working, be it touring, releasing music or both. Most of the halftime faves fall here. AC/DC, Van Halen, Rush, the Eagles, Journey, Fleetwood Mac, and Kiss all made the list. DMDB Pick: Eagles

Eagles, image from glennfreyonline.com

Long in the Tooth, But Still Rockin’, Part 2: The Solo Artists. Because classic rockers dominate the picks so much, I broke it into two categories. David Bowie, Billy Joel, John Mellencamp, Eric Clapton, Bob Seger, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, and Elton John all made the cut. DMDB Pick: Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton, image from skyarts.sky.com

Are They Considered Classic Rock? These are the groups which have been around 20 years or more, but we sometimes can’t bring ourselves to call them “classic rock.” As such, they might have a bit more relevancy. Metallica, Pearl Jam, and Bon Jovi all made the cut. DMDB Pick: Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi, image from fanpop.com

Why Not a Rapper? Rap stars have made guest appearances in past Super Bowls, but none have ever been given the stage to themselves. Jay-Z, Eminem, Kanye West, and Lil Wayne rated highest. DMDB Pick: Eminem

Eminem, image from vibe.com

Keep Up the Pop Stuff Fans of pop divas have been in heaven the last couple years with Madonna and Beyoncé, but there are still others out there who could command a worldwide audience. Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Adele, Katy Perry, Britney Spears, and Ke$ha are the biggest names. DMDB Pick: Rihanna

Rihanna, image from hiphopwired.com

Go Alternative Once you’ve reached the point that you are even mentioned as a possibility for the Super Bowl, I’m not sure if the alternative tag even sticks, but these are acts who have launched huge careers with a large debt to alternative fans. Green Day, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Black Keys, and the Dave Matthews Band most fit the bill here. DMDB Pick: Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters, image from outofordershow.com

Kickin’ It Country Style Like rap, country music gets a little more specialized but there are still some country artists who’ve gained huge audiences. Taylor Swift, Willie Nelson, Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, and Tim McGraw all made the cut. DMDB Pick: Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift, image from inquisitor.com

And Don’t Forget… There were other genres, like R&B and adult contemporary, which didn’t muster enough acts to justify a category, but there were still individual names worthy of mention. Aretha Franklin, Neil Diamond, and Weird Al Yankovic (?!) all made the list. DMDB Pick: Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin, image from wmur.com

Here were the results after aggretating 18 best-of lists:

1. AC/DC
2. Van Halen
3. Green Day
4. Metallica
5. Rush
6. Pearl Jam
7. Jay-Z
8. Lady Gaga
9. Coldplay
10. Foo Fighters

AC/DC, image from last.fm

11. Taylor Swift
12. Journey
13. Eagles
14. Eminem
15. Bon Jovi
16. Kanye West
17. David Bowie
18. Rihanna
19. Kenny Chesney
20. Lil Wayne
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Thursday, June 21, 2012

Cock Roaches and Keith Richards: Some Bands Seem to Last Forever

Originally published in my "Aural Fixation" column on PopMatters.com on June 21, 2012. See original post here.

Rolling Stones publicity photo, image from popmatters.com

The Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys, Metallica and other rock groups have been around for decades. What are the keys to their longevity?
In 1986, the Beach Boys had a sturdy discography built on surf-pop gems like “Good Vibrations,” “California Dreamin’,” and “Surfin’ U.S.A.” They were closing in on their 25th anniversary, but with their last top ten hit a decade behind them, they were in danger of becoming an embarrassing nostalgia act. Their last couple singles hadn’t even cracked the top 40. Obviously their days were numbered.

That same year, the Rolling Stones’ Dirty Work album was the most panned of their career. Guitarist Keith Richards was feuding with singer Mick Jagger, who wouldn’t tour to support the new album because he was off doing a solo thing. The band was rumored to be on the verge of breaking up.

Meanwhile, a group named Metallica released their third album, Master of Puppets. It was hailed as a classic of the heavy metal genre, seemingly positioning the band for even bigger and better things. Then a bus crash killed bassist Cliff Burton.

Metallica, the Cliff Burton years; image from loudwire.com

A funny thing happened over the next few years, though. These groups wouldn’t go away. The Beach Boys landed their first #1 song on the Billboard charts in 22 years with 1988’s “Kokomo.” The Rolling Stones patched up their differences and stormed back into the limelight in 1989 with a massive tour in support of the return-to-form album, Steel Wheels. Metallica enlisted a new bassist and landed their first top-ten album with 1988’s …And Justice for All.

Fast forward to 2012 and these bands are still around. To celebrate their golden anniversary, the Beach Boys have launched a major tour, and gifted the world with their first studio album, That’s Why God Made the Radio, in 16 years.

Technically it shouldn’t be called an anniversary since the current lineup of Brian Wilson, Mike Love, David Marks, Al Jardine, and Bruce Johnston never performed together on a public stage prior to the 2012 Grammys. That is nit-picky, though, since all five “boys” have rich histories with the band. Wilson formed the band in 1961 with his brothers Dennis and Carl (who died in 1983 and 1998 respectively) as well as cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine. Brian did his last full tour with the band in 1965 at which point Johnston came on board. Marks was an early member who left in 1963 but returned in 1997. Jardine returns to the fold after a 14-year absence.

You have to offer kudos to a band who’s ridden the waves for so many years. Theirs is a remarkably rare feat. Today’s kiddos – and I’m talking about of-the-moment boy bands like One Direction and The Wanted – can learn a few lessons from the old foagies like the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Metallica and others if they want to still be kicking in 2062. For the record, I don’t expect either of those groups to last ten years, much less fifty, but if they follow these tips they might just surprise me.

Maintain a core.

Like the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones have endured roster changes over the years, but maintained a basic core for five decades. The audience of less than a hundred on that first historic night witnessed the seemingly indestructible Keith Richards riff on his guitar while Mick Jagger waggled those famous lips. By January 1963, drummer Charlie Watts joined and the trio have anchored the group ever since. The newbie of the group, guitarist Ronnie Wood, signed on in 1975.

A year after Wood joined the Biggest Band in the World, a quartet of Irish lads formed the band which would eventually wrestle that title away from the Stones. Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. formed U2 and have stayed together ever since. Think of it this way – it has become a rarity for anyone to retire from a job after 36 years of service. Imagine if four guys at the same company collected their gold watches at once.

U2, image from brainz.org

Take vacations, but let fans know you’re coming back.

Even millionaire musicians are entitled to occasional breaks. There’s no way the Beach Boys or the Stones could keep up the grueling pace of touring and releasing a couple albums a year like they did at the onset. As the decades roll on, the gaps between projects grow wider. The Stones graced us with their last studio effort, A Bigger Bang, in 2005 and the subsequent tour wrapped two years later.

The difference in a long layoff being labeled as a “break” or a “break up” comes down to public perception – and how much dirty laundry the band members air. When the Eagles went on hiatus in 1980, Don Henley famously stated the band would get back together again when Hell froze over. People definitely considered the band kaput, a point which Glenn Frey jokingly referenced on the band’s live 1994 album with the tongue-in-cheek title Hell Freezes Over: “For the record, we never broke up. We just took a fourteen-year vacation.”

the Eagles on the Hell Freezes Over tour, image from glennfreyonline.com

Stay together for the kids.

The relationships amongst band members can resemble the for-better-or-worse nature of a romantic couple. Sturdier bands withstand the rocky times, knowing the kids (or the fans) depend on them. The Stones’ near break-up of ’86 was one of many Jagger and Richards squabbles. They most recently tangled over the latter’s 2010 no-holds-barred autobiography, Life, but never to the point that fans thought it was over. There’s still serious talk of a tour and maybe even an album next year.

Metallica has now thrilled the world for 30+ years by unleashing aggression through thrashing guitars and ear-crunching vocals. However, in 2004 they took the very un-heavy-metal move of releasing a documentary, Some Kind of Monster, which keyed in on their group therapy. Even the toughest of rockers have to talk out their feelings to keep the relationship going.

What else are you gonna do?

Bono stated in a Daily Mail article (“‘Til death do them part: Bono believes unshakable U2 will stay together until they die”, 9 September 2011) that he believed the members were so defined by their band roles that they are otherwise “unemployable.” He continued, saying, “There’s only one way out, in a coffin.”

The dedication to music at all costs has never been captured better than in the 2008 documentary Anvil! The Story of Anvil. The titular Canadian heavy metal band formed in 1978 and seemed on the brink of success in 1984. The movie shows them enduring the humilities of paltry audiences, sleeping in train stations, and scuffling with bar owners who won’t pay them. Their big dream hasn’t happened, but they refuse to quit. Singer Steve “Lips” Kudlow said, “I started out with Rob when I was 14 years old and we said we’re gonna do it ‘til we’re old men. We really meant that.”

Richards says in Life, “There’s something beautifully friendly and elevating about a bunch of guys playing music together…It’s really teamwork, one guy supporting the others, and it’s all for one purpose.”

The Four Tops, image from thefourtopsoriginal.com

The Four Tops made some of the biggest hits during Motown’s 1960s heyday with gems like “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” and “I Can’t Help Myself”. Until the passing of member Lawrence Payton in 1997, they’d kept the same lineup for 44 years. Years ago, a Eugene Register-Guard article (“The Four Tops come spinning to town”, 2 December 1988) discussed their endurance, citing their bio which read, “They were never greedy, never riddled by egotism or impatience, and never lost sight of what they wanted to do most: sing!”

Share the same sense of ethics and mission.

Since 1974, Rush (who just released Clockwork Angels) have maintained the same lineup of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neal Peart. Their Wikipedia page credits the rock trio’s strong work ethic and commitments to philanthropic causes.

An article at amanet.org article (“Great Teams: The Extraordinary Unity of U2”, 20 August 2008) asserts that keys to U2’s longevity include their similar values, shared mission, and consensus-oriented decision-making style. The Daily Mail article quoted Bono saying U2 had “a kind of belligerent respect” for each other.

Let tragedy unite you.

The amanet.org article also acknowledges the role tragedy can have in bringing a group closer together. Bono’s mother died when he was 14; Mullen lost his mom when he was 16. Through their grief, the two became very supportive friends. Later, the band rallied around Clayton to support his battle against drug and alcohol addiction.

image from guardian.co.uk

Like Metallica, other bands have rallied back from the death of a member. AC/DC may have the most phenomenal story. Brothers Angus and Malcolm Young formed the hard-rock outfit in 1973. Acute alcohol poisoning took the life of lead singer, Bon Scott, in February 1980 and seemingly sank the group’s ship just sailing into international waters. A mere six months later Back in Black, featuring new frontman Brian Johnson, made it clear the group was still afloat. 32 years later, the band is still electrifying audiences the world over and Back has put them firmly in the black: the album’s 49 million in worldwide sales is second all-time only to Michael Jackson’s Thriller (“The World’s Top 100 All-Time Best-Selling Albums”, 20 February 2012).

Hey, you’ve got a legacy to uphold – and bucks to be made.

With the exception of Anvil, the bands spotlighted here haven’t just stuck around for decades, but been hugely successful. It’s hard to keep playing if no one comes to see you. At ajc.com, Melissa Ruggieri (“The Beach Boys display fine-tuned nostalgia on anniversary tour”, 29 April 2012) sums up the Beach Boys concert trek: “There is one point to a 50th anniversary tour: nostalgia.”

The Rolling Stones, U2, Metallica, Rush, AC/DC, and other bands with thirty or more candles on their birthday cakes, aren’t new to the party. Their days of being hailed as “the next big thing” are long gone. However, these bands have entered another phase of their musical lives: fans want to see these rock and roll legends before they’re gone.

Surely it is more likely that in another quarter century, The Wanted or One Direction will still be around while the Rolling Stones’ rocking years and the Beach Boys days of harmonizing will be long behind them. Then again, there’s a long-standing joke that when the world ends the only thing left will be cock roaches and Keith Richards. Here’s hoping cock roaches know how to appreciate a good guitar solo.

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