Michael Jackson: Most people have the Beatles' "Abbey Road" or "The White Album" as their desert island album, but I would have "Thriller" as mine. These songs, thanks in part to great production by Quincy Jones, go beyond genre from the funky opening track "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" to the driving rock of "Beat It." "Billie Jean" and "Thriller" also advanced what the music video should be with great production values, and boy, did he ever know how to DANCE!
Best song to listen to: Beat It, Thriller
Best song to listen to: Beat It, Thriller
The Beatles: It's hard not to put them on the list, considering the albums I mentioned above. Many critics say the later albums are overrated, favoring early stuff like "Meet the Beatles." I say horse manure.
Best song to listen to: I've Got A Feeling, Let It Be
Best song to listen to: I've Got A Feeling, Let It Be
Disco: As far as I am concerned, Disco does NOT suck. Many of the songs by Donna Summer, KC and the Sunshine Band and other artists are catchy and make good use of horns. Be careful, though. There are a few duds like "Disco Duck" and "A Fifth of Beethoven."
Best song to listen to: "That's the Way (I Like It)," KC and the Sunshine Band
Best song to listen to: "That's the Way (I Like It)," KC and the Sunshine Band
Billy Joel: Many critics beat up on my man Billy, but the truth is he sings good catchy songs that are easy to sing along to, almost like you around a campfire.
Best song to listen to: This was a tough one. I will go with the Hard Driving "You May Be Right" off "Glass Houses."
Best song to listen to: This was a tough one. I will go with the Hard Driving "You May Be Right" off "Glass Houses."
Soul Music: This is a wide range of music from the Four Tops to Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles, who have the two best voices in the industry. Listen to "I Never Loved A Man the Way I Loved You" and "What'd I Say" If you don't believe me. And make sure you check out the story on how "What'd I Say" was written if you don't already know it.
Best song to listen to: "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)," Aretha Franklin
Best song to listen to: "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)," Aretha Franklin
Elton John: Another unbelievably talented piano player. When he plays "Bennie and The Jets," He bangs the keys like a drum! Also, as a proud Pennsylvanian, I would be remiss if i didn't mention "Philadelphia Freedom."
Best song to listen to: "Bennie and the Jets," "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
Best song to listen to: "Bennie and the Jets," "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
Chicago: I am talking about REAL Chicago before they were neutered in the 1980s.
Best song to listen to: Considering all the choices, this was a tough one. I am going with "25 or 6 to 4," a hard-driving rock number from Chicago off their second album. RIP lead guitarist Terry Kath, who accidentally killed himself while playing Russian Roulette while under the influence of several illegal substances.
Best song to listen to: Considering all the choices, this was a tough one. I am going with "25 or 6 to 4," a hard-driving rock number from Chicago off their second album. RIP lead guitarist Terry Kath, who accidentally killed himself while playing Russian Roulette while under the influence of several illegal substances.
Hard rock: The late '70s and early '80s also ushered in great groups like Van Halen, with outrageous antics by lead singer David Lee Roth, and guitar solos that could move mountains. I even have some respect for Van Hagar. "Right Now" is a great song! Then came Guns N' Roses, who had me hooked at the first song on their first album, "Paradise City" with Axl Rose's screaming vocals and a crazy guitar solo by Slash. Don't forget some great inside tracks like "Mr. Brownstone." Also, Def Leppard, a British group that sounds very American, put out some great hits like "Photograph."
Best song to listen to: "Photograph:" Def Leppard, Pyromania
Queen: The rest of the group is good, but I am going to single out the 4-octave vocal range and unabashed sexuality of Freddie Mercury. Hearing him sing pretty much anything relaxes me and gives me energy at the same time.
Best song to listen to: "Another One Bites the Dust," "The Game"
U2: I will give this one to my wife. I do think they are overrated, and The Edge is a rhythm guitarist and not a soloist, but Bono's passion when he sings, and their refusal to use the 4-chord progression like every pop group today impress me. The 2002 Super Bowl halftime show, which had me in tears, nailed it for me.
Best song to listen to: "Pride (In the Name of Love)", "Pride (In the Name of Love)."
Barry Manilow: Not my cup of tea, but he is very good at what he does. Listening to "I Can't Smile Without You," I counted FIVE key changes. Also, it's hard not to laugh at the lyrics to "Copacabana."
Best song to listen to: Copacabana (At the Copa), "I Can't Smile Without You"
Frank Sinatra: Every man wanted to be him, every woman wanted to... uh... be with him. He was pretty much an above-average crooner during his early career, then, with albums like "Songs for Swingin' Lovers," There were some deceptively difficult Nelson Riddle arrangements like "I've Got You Under My Skin," and "Luck Be a Lady," which were great. The Chairman of the Board also spawned some imitators ranging from the immensely gifted pianist Harry Connick Jr. to untalented Canadian douche Michael Buble.
Best song to listen to: "I've Got You Under My Skin," "Songs for Swingin' Lovers"
Jazz: People need to keep this alive by listening to great old stuff like Kenton and Buddy Rich. Newer acts, like the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and the Youngblood Brass Band incorporate hip-hop and jazz into their music, which will help keep the genre alive. On the subject of movies, if you haven't watched either of director Damien Chazelle's movies, "Whiplash" and "La La Land," I suggest you do so. Also when I say Jazz, I don't mean soft jazz like Kenny G.
Best song to listen to: Buddy Rich, "Beulah Witch." "Mercy, Mercy."
Prince: Unbelievably talented writer and guitarist. He and Michael Jackson led the way in getting black musicians on MTV, and also recruited and promoted quality talent like Sheila E and Morris Day. RIP.
Best song to listen to: "Let's Go Crazy," "Purple Rain."
RUN-DMC: Broke into the mainstream by blending hip hop with metal. Made history by pairing up with Aerosmith to record "Walk This Way," which even put Aerosmith back on the map.
Best song to listen to: "Walk This Way," "Raising Hell."
No Doubt: Brought ska-punk to the mainstream. Several years before "Tragic Kingdom," they rocked the house with horn and bass-driven albums like "No Doubt" and "The Beacon Street Collection." give these two a listen. They also paved the way for other good ska bands like Reel Big Fish
Best song to listen to: "Don't Speak," "Tragic Kingdom."
Hall and Oates: Their music has kind of an '80s sound to it, but that doesn't keep Daryl Hall from having a great voice. Also, these guys are from the Philly area, and John Oates is from my high school alma mater, North Penn.
Best song to listen to: "Private Eyes," "Private Eyes."
Steve Winwood: Unbelievably talented keyboardist and musician. No one can play the vintage Hammond B-3 like he can. He also plays mandolin, guitar and even drums.
Best Song to listen to: "Higher Love," "Back in the High Life."
Stevie Wonder: Another child prodigy and unbelievable talent. Although some of his songs are cheesy, almost all of them are great.
Best Song to listen to: "Superstition," "Talking Book."
INXS: This Australian group puts out a perfect blend of new wave punk and funk rock, and lead singer Michael Hutchence could belt it out like just about no one else. His untimely suicide was truly a tragedy.
Best Song to listen to: "Never Tear Us Apart," "Kick."
Huey Lewis and the News: This band has its share of critics, but when you hear them play, you can tell they have been together for a while and have a real tight sound. They can also sing a capella really well.
Best Song to listen to: "The Power of Love," "Back to the Future Soundtrack." Lewis jokingly commented that they would have not recorded that song if they knew they would have to play it every f---ing night.
Wham!/George Michael: From the catchy "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" to his later solo efforts, he was a great performer and writer. His untimely death last year was a tragedy and a shock.
Best song to listen to: "Faith," "Faith."
Motown: This label was responsible for so many great artists like The Temptations, Edwin Starr, Martha and the Vandellas, The Four Tops, The Supremes, and I can go on and on. What really brings these acts over the top is Motown's house band, The Funk Brothers. If you haven't watched the documentary "Standing in the Shadows of Motown," see it now.
Best song to listen to: So hard because there are so many good songs... I will go with the Temptations' "Ball of Confusion" since the song's message especially rings true in 2017.
So what don't I like? There really isn't that much but let me see...
Angry teenager music like Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Linkin Park, although my sympathy is with the band after the lead singer Chester Bennington's suicide.
Boy Bands: NKOTB, BSB, and stay out of it, Nick Lachey! However, Justin Timberlake has done some good solo stuff.
Hardcore hip hop stuff: I feel horrible for the people who died at the Ariana Grande concert. However, some of their music is terrible. I think Selena Gomez actually sampled the bass line from the Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer" and sang her own song to it.
Country: I don't despise Country as much as people think. I can't deny the talents of one Dolly Parton, and some of the more mainstream acts like Garth Brooks and Blake Shelton are not bad. Keith Urban is palatable for me because he can shred on guitar. The rest can just go away as far as I am concerned. Rascal Flatts sounds overproduced, Jason Aldean has a weak voice, and T-Swizzle is a pop princess who sings about ex-boyfriends.
Maroon 5: Sorry, Jaci. These guys used to have a funky, unique sound on albums like "Songs About Jane" and "It Won't Be Soon Before Long." Their music then morphed into yawn-worthy mainstream pop and hip-hop. Adam still seems like a nice guy on "The Voice," though.
Foreigner: When I am listening to classic rock radio, nothing wants to make we want to change the channel quicker than these overrated hacks.
The Eagles: Although there is some genuine talent in this band, they still seem like an overrated baby boomer act.
Mumford & Sons: Two albums, and all their songs sound the same. Enough said. They released a third album without the banjo and it sucked.
Euro-Trash Dance Music: Anyone remember "Barbie Girl?" "Blue (Da-Ba-Dee)?" "What Does the Fox Say?" "Am I Wrong?" "Macarena?" or "Gangnam Style?" If the answer is yes, we remember them all sucking horribly.
Train: Untalented hacks. They write most of their own music, but it doesn't matter if it all sucks. If you listen to their latest single, "Play That Song," they can't even come up with their own melodies.
Best song to listen to: "Photograph:" Def Leppard, Pyromania
Queen: The rest of the group is good, but I am going to single out the 4-octave vocal range and unabashed sexuality of Freddie Mercury. Hearing him sing pretty much anything relaxes me and gives me energy at the same time.
Best song to listen to: "Another One Bites the Dust," "The Game"
U2: I will give this one to my wife. I do think they are overrated, and The Edge is a rhythm guitarist and not a soloist, but Bono's passion when he sings, and their refusal to use the 4-chord progression like every pop group today impress me. The 2002 Super Bowl halftime show, which had me in tears, nailed it for me.
Best song to listen to: "Pride (In the Name of Love)", "Pride (In the Name of Love)."
Barry Manilow: Not my cup of tea, but he is very good at what he does. Listening to "I Can't Smile Without You," I counted FIVE key changes. Also, it's hard not to laugh at the lyrics to "Copacabana."
Best song to listen to: Copacabana (At the Copa), "I Can't Smile Without You"
Frank Sinatra: Every man wanted to be him, every woman wanted to... uh... be with him. He was pretty much an above-average crooner during his early career, then, with albums like "Songs for Swingin' Lovers," There were some deceptively difficult Nelson Riddle arrangements like "I've Got You Under My Skin," and "Luck Be a Lady," which were great. The Chairman of the Board also spawned some imitators ranging from the immensely gifted pianist Harry Connick Jr. to untalented Canadian douche Michael Buble.
Best song to listen to: "I've Got You Under My Skin," "Songs for Swingin' Lovers"
Jazz: People need to keep this alive by listening to great old stuff like Kenton and Buddy Rich. Newer acts, like the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and the Youngblood Brass Band incorporate hip-hop and jazz into their music, which will help keep the genre alive. On the subject of movies, if you haven't watched either of director Damien Chazelle's movies, "Whiplash" and "La La Land," I suggest you do so. Also when I say Jazz, I don't mean soft jazz like Kenny G.
Best song to listen to: Buddy Rich, "Beulah Witch." "Mercy, Mercy."
Prince: Unbelievably talented writer and guitarist. He and Michael Jackson led the way in getting black musicians on MTV, and also recruited and promoted quality talent like Sheila E and Morris Day. RIP.
Best song to listen to: "Let's Go Crazy," "Purple Rain."
RUN-DMC: Broke into the mainstream by blending hip hop with metal. Made history by pairing up with Aerosmith to record "Walk This Way," which even put Aerosmith back on the map.
Best song to listen to: "Walk This Way," "Raising Hell."
No Doubt: Brought ska-punk to the mainstream. Several years before "Tragic Kingdom," they rocked the house with horn and bass-driven albums like "No Doubt" and "The Beacon Street Collection." give these two a listen. They also paved the way for other good ska bands like Reel Big Fish
Best song to listen to: "Don't Speak," "Tragic Kingdom."
Hall and Oates: Their music has kind of an '80s sound to it, but that doesn't keep Daryl Hall from having a great voice. Also, these guys are from the Philly area, and John Oates is from my high school alma mater, North Penn.
Best song to listen to: "Private Eyes," "Private Eyes."
Steve Winwood: Unbelievably talented keyboardist and musician. No one can play the vintage Hammond B-3 like he can. He also plays mandolin, guitar and even drums.
Best Song to listen to: "Higher Love," "Back in the High Life."
Stevie Wonder: Another child prodigy and unbelievable talent. Although some of his songs are cheesy, almost all of them are great.
Best Song to listen to: "Superstition," "Talking Book."
INXS: This Australian group puts out a perfect blend of new wave punk and funk rock, and lead singer Michael Hutchence could belt it out like just about no one else. His untimely suicide was truly a tragedy.
Best Song to listen to: "Never Tear Us Apart," "Kick."
Huey Lewis and the News: This band has its share of critics, but when you hear them play, you can tell they have been together for a while and have a real tight sound. They can also sing a capella really well.
Best Song to listen to: "The Power of Love," "Back to the Future Soundtrack." Lewis jokingly commented that they would have not recorded that song if they knew they would have to play it every f---ing night.
Wham!/George Michael: From the catchy "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" to his later solo efforts, he was a great performer and writer. His untimely death last year was a tragedy and a shock.
Best song to listen to: "Faith," "Faith."
Motown: This label was responsible for so many great artists like The Temptations, Edwin Starr, Martha and the Vandellas, The Four Tops, The Supremes, and I can go on and on. What really brings these acts over the top is Motown's house band, The Funk Brothers. If you haven't watched the documentary "Standing in the Shadows of Motown," see it now.
Best song to listen to: So hard because there are so many good songs... I will go with the Temptations' "Ball of Confusion" since the song's message especially rings true in 2017.
So what don't I like? There really isn't that much but let me see...
Angry teenager music like Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Linkin Park, although my sympathy is with the band after the lead singer Chester Bennington's suicide.
Boy Bands: NKOTB, BSB, and stay out of it, Nick Lachey! However, Justin Timberlake has done some good solo stuff.
Hardcore hip hop stuff: I feel horrible for the people who died at the Ariana Grande concert. However, some of their music is terrible. I think Selena Gomez actually sampled the bass line from the Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer" and sang her own song to it.
Country: I don't despise Country as much as people think. I can't deny the talents of one Dolly Parton, and some of the more mainstream acts like Garth Brooks and Blake Shelton are not bad. Keith Urban is palatable for me because he can shred on guitar. The rest can just go away as far as I am concerned. Rascal Flatts sounds overproduced, Jason Aldean has a weak voice, and T-Swizzle is a pop princess who sings about ex-boyfriends.
Maroon 5: Sorry, Jaci. These guys used to have a funky, unique sound on albums like "Songs About Jane" and "It Won't Be Soon Before Long." Their music then morphed into yawn-worthy mainstream pop and hip-hop. Adam still seems like a nice guy on "The Voice," though.
Foreigner: When I am listening to classic rock radio, nothing wants to make we want to change the channel quicker than these overrated hacks.
The Eagles: Although there is some genuine talent in this band, they still seem like an overrated baby boomer act.
Mumford & Sons: Two albums, and all their songs sound the same. Enough said. They released a third album without the banjo and it sucked.
Euro-Trash Dance Music: Anyone remember "Barbie Girl?" "Blue (Da-Ba-Dee)?" "What Does the Fox Say?" "Am I Wrong?" "Macarena?" or "Gangnam Style?" If the answer is yes, we remember them all sucking horribly.
Train: Untalented hacks. They write most of their own music, but it doesn't matter if it all sucks. If you listen to their latest single, "Play That Song," they can't even come up with their own melodies.
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