13 - Led Zeppelin

We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow

At number 13 is Led Zeppelin. So they've had way more influence than probably the next 12 bands combined (ehhhhhh), but on this list they are 13.

Wiki - Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in 1968 and consisting of Jimmy Page (guitar),[1] Robert Plant (vocals, harmonica), John Paul Jones (bass guitar, keyboards, mandolin), and John Bonham (drums). With their heavy, guitar-driven blues-rock sound, Led Zeppelin are regularly cited as one of the progenitors of heavy metal[2] and hard rock music.[3][4] However, the band's individualistic style drew from many sources and transcends any one genre.[5] Led Zeppelin did not release songs from their albums as singles in the UK, as they preferred to develop the concept of "album-oriented rock".[6]

Thirty years after disbanding following Bonham's death in 1980, the band continues to be held in high regard for their artistic achievements, commercial success, and broad influence. The band have sold over 200 million albums worldwide,[7][8] including 111.5 million certified units in the United States,[9] making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time. They have had all of their original studio albums reach the top 10 of the Billboard album chart in the US, with six reaching the number one spot.[10] Led Zeppelin are ranked #1 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock[11] and Classic Rock's 50 Best Live Acts of All Time.[12] Rolling Stone magazine has described Led Zeppelin as "the heaviest band of all time", "the biggest band of the '70s" and "unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history".[2][13] Similarly, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes the band being "as influential in that decade (70s) as the Beatles were in the prior one".[14]

In 2007, the surviving members of Led Zeppelin reunited (along with deceased drummer John Bonham's son, Jason) for the Ahmet Ertegün Tribute Concert at The O2 Arena in London. The band was honoured with the "Best Live Act" prize for their one-off reunion at MOJO Awards 2008,[15] where they were declared the "greatest rock n' roll band of all time".[16]

Discography -

Led Zeppelin (1969)*
Led Zeppelin II (1969)*
Led Zeppelin III (1970)
Led Zeppelin IV (1971)*
Houses of the Holy (1973)
Physical Graffiti (1975)
Presence (1976)
In Through the Out Door (1979)
Coda (1982)
*-best albums

Top 20 LedZep songs (do you think they don't deserve to have 20?)

20 Misty Mountain Hop
19 Trampled Under Foot
18 What Is and Should Never Be
17 Four Sticks
16 The Wanton Song
15 Rock and Roll
14 Houses of the Holy
13 The Ocean
12 Nobody's Fault But Mine
11 Going to California
10 Ten Years Gone
9 Stairway to Heaven
8 Whole Lotta Love
7 Over the Hills and Far Away
6 Dazed and Confused
5 The Lemon Song
4 How Many More Times
3 Black Dog
2 Heartbreaker/Livin' Lovin' Maid
1 Ramble On





next up: The group that had best concert I've ever been to

14 - nine inch nails

And all we ever were. Just zeros and ones.

At number 14 is nine inch nails. I have seen NIN 3 times, the first when they headlined Virgin Mobile Festival along with Kanye West in 2008 and the last time when they toured with Jane's Addiction.


This Wiki post is pretty much a crapjob, jsyk I didn't write it.
Wiki - Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction. NIN's music straddles a wide range of genres, while retaining a characteristic sound using electronic instruments and processing. After recording a new album, Reznor usually assembles a live band to perform with him. The touring band features a revolving lineup that often rearranges songs to fit a live setting. On stage, NIN often employs visual elements to accompany performances, which frequently include light shows.

Underground music audiences warmly received Nine Inch Nails in its early years. Reznor produced several highly influential records in the 1990s that achieved widespread popularity; many Nine Inch Nails songs became radio hits, two NIN recordings won Grammy Awards, and the band has sold over 20 million albums worldwide, with 10.5 million sales certified in the US alone. In 1997, Reznor appeared in Time magazine's list of the year's most influential people, and Spin magazine described him as "the most vital artist in music." In 2004, Rolling Stone placed Nine Inch Nails at 94 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time. Despite this acclaim, the band has had several feuds with the corporate side of the recording industry. In 2007, these corporate entanglements resulted in Reznor announcing that Nine Inch Nails would split from its label and release future material independently.

Since 1989, Nine Inch Nails has made eight major studio releases. The most recent releases, Ghosts I–IV and The Slip, both released in 2008, were released under Creative Commons licenses. Both were initially released digitally, with physical releases coming later. The digital release of The Slip was made available completely free of charge. NIN has been nominated for twelve Grammy Awards and won twice for the songs "Wish" and "Happiness in Slavery", in 1992 and 1995 respectively.


Discography -

Pretty Hate Machine (1989)
Broken (1992)
The Downward Spiral (1994)*
The Fragile (1999)
With Teeth (2005)
Year Zero (2007)
Ghosts I–IV (2008)
The Slip (2008)
*-best album


top 10 NIN songs

10 Into the Void
9 The Hand That Feeds
8 Terrible Lie
7 Closer
6 Wish
5 Right Where It Belongs
4 March of the Pigs
3 Down In It
2 The Perfect Drug
1 Hurt


"this world rejects me
this world threw me away
this world never gave me a chance
this world's gonna have to pay" - burn

"Bow down before the one you serve. You're going to get what you deserve." - Head Like a Hole

Trent Reznor is without a doubt one of the most creative people in music. The way that he can convey frustration, aggression, hate, passion, regret, concern, jealousy, and solitude into the words and music as well as he does is utterly incredible. He can write a beautiful song on a piano and a fast-paced song with thundering instruments, and it will be close as to which is more gut-wrenching with aggression. Nobody does passive aggressiveness like Trent.








If you don't think this is the most hauntingly beautiful song or at least top 3 there is something truly wrong with you.


I just watched like 13 of live videos on youtube from that concert and I thought how the hell do I only have these guys at 14? but then I looked at the list and, as usual, couldn't find a place to move them up.


next up: a band that was together for 12 years, until tragedy struck

15 - Muse

No one's gonna take me alive


At number 15 is Muse. I saw Muse during this past spring break. And it was epic.

Wiki - Muse are an English rock band from Teignmouth, Devon. Since their inception in 1994, the band has been composed of Matthew Bellamy (lead vocals, guitar, piano), Christopher Wolstenholme (bass guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), and Dominic Howard (drums, percussion, synthesisers). After the release of Black Holes and Revelations, Morgan Nicholls (Keyboards, Percussion, Bass guitar) has performed live full time with the band. Muse are known for their energetic and extravagant live performances and their fusion of many music genres, including progressive rock, classical music, heavy metal and electronica with recurring themes of revolution.

Muse have released five studio albums – Showbiz (1999); Origin of Symmetry (2001); Absolution (2003); Black Holes and Revelations (2006); and The Resistance (2009) – one live album, HAARP (2008), and a compilation of B-Sides, Hullabaloo Soundtrack (2002).


Discography -

Showbiz (1999)
Origin of Symmetry (2001)*
Absolution (2003)
Black Holes and Revelations (2006)
The Resistance (2009)
*-best album

Top 10 Muse songs -

10 Starlight
9 Exo-politics
8 Time is Running Out
7 Cave
6 Plug In Baby
5 Map of the Problematique
4 Citizen Erased
3 New Born
2 Butterflies & Hurricanes
1 Hysteria

Check out the first of 2 live vids for a search to find Romo (front right, close to the stage) as well as a hint to band #6.




next up: a band tied with 2 others for band that I have seen the most live

16 - Kings of Leon

In the black of the night, til the red morning light

At numero 16 is Kings of Leon. They are made of three brothers and a cousin from Tennessee. Nathan, the drummer, used to have one of the best beards in rock, but in 2007 he shaved it. Might have been #15 or 14 if he would have left it. Not really. But maybe.



Wiki - Kings of Leon is an American rock band that formed in Nashville, Tennessee, United States in 1999, consisting of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Ivan Nathan Followill (drums, percussion, backing vocals) and Michael Jared Followill (bass, backing vocals), with their cousin Cameron Matthew Followill (lead guitar, backing vocals). Each member of the family group is known by his middle name (second given name) as opposed to his first given name.

The band's early music was an upbeat blend of southern rock and blues influences but the band has gradually expanded their sound to include a variety of genres and a more alternative rock or arena rock sound. Kings of Leon achieved initial success in the United Kingdom with nine Top 40 singles, two BRIT Awards in 2008, and all three of the band's albums at the time peaking in the top five of the UK Albums Chart. Their third album Because of the Times also reached the #1 spot. After the release of Only by the Night in September 2008 they finally achieved chart success in their native United States. The singles "Sex on Fire", "Use Somebody" and "Notion" all peaked at #1 on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks. The album itself was their first ever platinum-selling album in the United States.


Discogrpahy -

Youth and Young Manhood (2003)
Aha Shake Heartbreak (2004)*
Because of the Times (2007)
Only by the Night (2008)*
TBD (expected fall/winter 2010)
*-best albums


Favorite KOL songs -

10 Holy Roller Novocaine
9 Revelry
8 Use Somebody
7 The Bucket
6 Fans
5 Four Kicks
4 Slow Night, So Long
3 Red Morning Light
2 Genius
1 Knocked Up


In an interview, Caleb admitted to "kidnapping" their cousin Matthew from his hometown in Mississippi in order for him to join the band. They told his mother that he was just staying for a week, but they consequently never allowed him to return home. Drummer Nathan added, "When we signed the deal with RCA, it was just me and Caleb. The label told us they were going to put a band together, but we said, 'We're going to buy our little brother a bass, he's a freshman in high school. Caleb will teach himself the guitar. Our cousin Matthew played guitar when he was 10 and I'll play drums.' The record label agreed,".







next up: continuing the theme of every other band being from Britain

17 - Coldplay

Confusion never stops
Closing walls, and ticking clocks

At number 17 is British alternative rock band, Coldplay. They are, despite a popular overused movie reference, not just for gays.

Wiki - Coldplay are an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1997, the group comprises Chris Martin (lead vocals, keyboards, guitar), Jonny Buckland (lead guitar), Guy Berryman (bass guitar), and Will Champion (drums, backing vocals, other instruments).

Coldplay's early material was compared to acts such as Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, U2, and Travis. They achieved worldwide fame with the release of the single "Yellow", followed by their debut album, Parachutes (2000), which was nominated for the Mercury Prize. The band's second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002), won multiple awards, including NME's Album of the Year. Their next release, X&Y (2005), received a slightly less enthusiastic yet still generally positive reception. The band's fourth studio album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008), was produced by Brian Eno and released again to largely favourable reviews, earning several Grammy nominations and wins. Coldplay have sold over 50 million records worldwide.

Since the release of Parachutes, Coldplay have drawn influence from other sources, including Echo & the Bunnymen, Kate Bush, George Harrison and Muse on A Rush of Blood to the Head, Johnny Cash and Kraftwerk for X&Y and Blur, Arcade Fire and My Bloody Valentine on Viva la Vida. Coldplay have been an active supporter of various social and political causes, such as Oxfam's Make Trade Fair campaign and Amnesty International. The group have also performed at various charity projects such as Band Aid 20, Live 8, Sound Relief, Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief, and the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Discography -

Parachutes (2000)
A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002)*
X&Y (2005)
Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008)
*-best album


top 10 Coldplay songs:

10 Everything's Not Lost
9 The Scientist
8 Amsterdam
7 Talk
6 Strawberry Swing
5 In My Place
4 High Speed
3 Trouble
2 Don't Panic
1 Clocks





next up: a band that wants to have intercourse on a blaze

18 - Silversun Pickups

I'm waiting, fading, floating away

At number 18 are the Silversun Pickups. SP opened for Muse when I saw them on March 2, 2010.

Wiki - Silversun Pickups is an alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2002. The band comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Brian Aubert, vocalist and bassist Nikki Monninger, drummer Christopher Guanlao and keyboardist Joe Lester.

The band released their debut EP, Pikul, in July 2005, and their debut full-length album, Carnavas, on July 26, 2006. Their second full length album, Swoon, was released on April 14, 2009.

Discography -

Albums
2006: Carnavas (Dangerbird) #80 US [15]
2009: Swoon (Dangerbird) #7 US [15]

EPs
2005: Pikul (Dangerbird)
2007: Remixes (Dangerbird)
2007: Live Session (iTunes Exclusive)
2007: The Tripwire Session: Live in Chicago

Top 10 songs

10 Sci-Fi Lullaby
9 Kissing Families
8 Future Foe Scenarios
7 Three Seed
6 Well Thought Out Twinkles
5 Comeback Kid
4 Panic Switch
3 Catch & Release
2 The Royal We
1 Dream at Tempo 119

The band's sound, often encompassing multiple overdubs of distorted guitars, is frequently compared to that of The Smashing Pumpkins, while the band members have said they are heavily influenced by artists such as My Bloody Valentine, The Pixies, the Velvet Underground, Elliott Smith, Sonic Youth, Sweet, Modest Mouse, Sunny Day Real Estate, and Secret Machines as well as numerous other artists with lesser publicity.





next up: know how I this list is gay?

19 - Arctic Monkeys

The next time that I caught my own reflection
It was on it's way to meet you

At number 19 is Britain's, Arctic Monkeys. There are a lot of bands on this countdown that I know not everyone will like, but I really find it hard for someone to not like this band if they give them a chance.

Wiki - Arctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band. They come from High Green, a suburb of Sheffield. Formed in 2002, the band currently consists of Alex Turner (lead vocals, guitar), Jamie Cook (guitar), Nick O'Malley (bass guitar, backing vocals), Matt Helders (drums, backing vocals) and John Ashton as a touring member (keyboard, guitar, backing vocals). Former members include Andy Nicholson (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Glyn Jones (lead vocals, guitar).

Their debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, released in early 2006, became the fastest-selling debut album in British music history, surpassing Oasis's Definitely Maybe and remains the fastest-selling debut album for a band in the UK. Since then the band have released two more albums: Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007) and Humbug (2009). The band is currently in the studio, recording their fourth album, expected to be released in 2011.




Discography -

Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006)*
Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007)
Humbug (2009)
*-best album


Top Arctic Monkeys songs

10 Mardy Bum
9 Fake Tales of San Francisco
8 Brianstorm
7 The View from the Afternoon
6 Crying Lightning
5 Cornerstone
4 Still Take You Home
3 I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor
2 Flourescent Adolescent
1 A Certain Romance

Arctic Monkeys are heralded as one of the first acts to come to the public attention via the Internet (fan-based sites rather than from the band), with commentators suggesting they represented the possibility of a change in the way in which new bands are promoted and marketed.


Quotes:

"It's ever so funny, I don't think you're special I don't think you're cool
You're just probably alrite, but under these lights you look beautiful" - Still Take You Home





next up: a band I saw (very briefly) this past spring break

20 - The Offspring

WE HAVE REACHED THE TOP 20! ISN'T THIS EXCITING!!??





Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, cinco, seis.


At number 20 is the Offspring. They are another band from California, strengthening the state's commanding lead of birthplaces of bands on this countdown.

Wiki - The Offspring are an American rock band formed in Huntington Beach, California in 1984. Since its formation, the band's line-up has included Dexter Holland (lead vocals, guitar), Noodles (lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals) and Greg K. (bass, backing vocals). In 1987, Ron Welty would replace James Lilja as the drummer for The Offspring, completing the band's most successful lineup that would last for 16 years. Their current drummer is Pete Parada, formerly of Face to Face, and Saves the Day, who has been with the band since 2007.

The Offspring has been credited, along with fellow California punk bands Green Day and Rancid, with reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the United States during the mid-1990s. To date, The Offspring has released eight studio albums, one compilation, four EPs and three DVDs. They have sold over 34 million albums worldwide[9], making them one of the best-selling punk rock acts of all time. Each album since the release of Smash (1994) has sold over a million units.

Since the release of Smash, which is generally cited as the best-selling independent label album of all time, The Offspring has achieved commercial success over five albums, with singles such as "Come Out and Play" and "Self Esteem". The band's next three albums, Ixnay on the Hombre, Americana and Conspiracy of One, were also successful, with Ixnay on the Hombre and Conspiracy of One reaching platinum certification, and Americana achieving multi-platinum status. Longtime drummer Ron Welty left The Offspring in early 2003, and was replaced by Atom Willard. Later that year, the band released their next album, Splinter, to moderate sales and fairly warm reviews. In 2005, The Offspring released a greatest hits album and toured in support of the compilation. Their most recent studio album, Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace, was released on June 17, 2008 and spawned the hit singles "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" and "Hammerhead." The Offspring is currently taking a break from recording their ninth studio album, which is due for release sometime in 2010.


Discography -

# The Offspring (1989)
# Ignition (1992)
# Smash (1994)*
# Ixnay on the Hombre (1997)
# Americana (1998)
# Conspiracy of One (2000)
# Splinter (2003)
# Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace (2008)
# TBA (2010)

*-best album

Top 10 Offspring songs:

10 Gotta Get Away
9 Worst Hangover Ever
8 Dirty Magic
7 One Fine Day
6 Spare Me the Details
5 Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)
4 Defy You
3 Hammerhead
2 Come Out And Play
1 She's Got Issues

Favorite Lyrics: (back for the top 20!!)

"It hurts so bad that I'm never gonna drink again
I'll probably never drink again
I may not ever drink again
At least not til next weekend" - Worst Hangover Ever

"They didn't have Ice Cube
So he bought Vanilla Ice" - Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)

"Life is like a riddle and I'm really stumped" - Gotta Get Away

"Ah, it's time to relax and you know what that means a glass of wine,
your favorite easy chair and of course this compact disc
playing on your home stereo. So go on indulge yourself, that's right,
kick off your shoes, put your feet up, lean back and and just enjoy
the melodies. After all, music soothes even the savage beast...." - Time to Relax

"If I had a perfect day,
I would have it start this way,
Open up the fridge and have a tall boy,
Yeah." - One Fine Day






next up: a band I've tried to see twice now, and I'm 0-2.

21 - Audioslave

I'll take it all, arrows or guns
Hundreds or more to save you from one

Just outside of the top 20 is Audioslave, the supergroup formed by the lead singer of Soundgarden (aka the band you just read about) and the rhythm section of Rage Against The Machine (whom you'll read about shortly).

Wiki - Audioslave was an American hard rock supergroup who formed in Los Angeles, California in 2001. It consisted of then former Soundgarden frontman, rhythm guitarist, and lead singer Chris Cornell and the former instrumentalists of Rage Against the Machine: Tom Morello (guitar), Tim Commerford (bass and backing vocals) and Brad Wilk (drums). Critics initially described Audioslave as an amalgamation of Rage Against the Machine and Soundgarden, but by the band's second album, Out of Exile, it was noted that they had established a separate identity.

The band's trademark sound was created by blending 1970s hard rock with 1990s alternative rock. Moreover, Morello incorporated his well-known, unconventional guitar solos into this mix. As with Rage Against the Machine, the band prided themselves on the fact that all sounds on their albums were produced using only guitar, bass, drums and vocals.

After Audioslave released three successful albums, received three Grammy nominations, and became the first American rock band to perform an open-air concert in Cuba, Cornell issued a statement in February 2007 announcing that he was permanently leaving the band "due to irresolvable personality conflicts as well as musical differences". As the other three members were busy with the Rage Against the Machine reunion, and Morello and Cornell had each released solo albums in 2007, Audioslave was officially disbanded.

Discography -

Audioslave (2002)
Out of Exile (2005)*
Revelations (2006)
*=best album

Best 10 Audioslave songs:

10 Somedays
9 Moth
8 Be Yourself
7 Set it Off
6 Cochise
5 Show Me How to Live
4 Like a Stone
3 Dandelion
2 Heaven's Dead
1 Doesn't Remind Me

Audioslave was one of the top 5 concerts I've been to when I saw them in November 2005. Me and my friend Erica we're literally 3 rows away from Tom Morello and she claims that he smiled right at her. It was totally at me.



next up: THE TOP 20!!

22 - Soundgarden

Words you say never seem to live up to the ones inside your head


At number 22 is Seattle's Soundgarden. Soundgarden are another grunge band on the countdown. Not as mainstream as Pearl Jam was, not as gloomy as Alice in Chains. Juuust right.

Wiki - Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by lead singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Matt Cameron became the band's permanent drummer in 1986 while bassist Ben Shepherd became a permanent replacement for Yamamoto in 1990.

Soundgarden was one of the seminal bands in the creation of grunge, a style of alternative rock that developed in Seattle, and was one of a number of grunge bands signed to the record label Sub Pop. Soundgarden was the first grunge band to sign to a major label (A&M Records, in 1988), though the band did not achieve commercial success until they popularized "grunge" in the early 1990s with Seattle contemporaries Nirvana, Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam.

Soundgarden achieved its biggest success with the 1994 album Superunknown, which debuted at number one on the Billboard charts and yielded the Grammy Award-winning singles "Black Hole Sun" and "Spoonman." In 1997, the band broke up due to internal strife over its creative direction. On January 1, 2010, Cornell alluded to a Soundgarden reunion. On April 5, 2010, it was announced that Soundgarden would play Lollapalooza in Chicago on August 6-8, 2010. A secret reunion concert under the name "Nudedragons" was held at the Showbox at the Market in Seattle on April 16, 2010. It was Soundgarden's first show since 1997.

As of 2008, Soundgarden had sold over eight million records in the United States, and an estimated twenty million worldwide.


Discography -

Ultramega OK (1988)
Louder Than Love (1989)
Badmotorfinger (1991)
Superunknown (1994)*
Down on the Upside (1996)
*=best album

Top 10 Soundgarden Songs -

10 - Outshined
9 - Rusty Cage
8 - Burden in My Hand
7 - Black Hole Sun
6 - Fell On Black Days
5 - Pretty Noose
4 - Superunknown
3 - My Wave
2 - The Day I Tried to Live
1 - Spoonman



next up: a band led by Chris Cornell. no, I'm not retarded. I realize that Soundgarden was led by Cornell.

23 - Metallica

Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel
Was just a freight train comin' your way

At number 23 are the kings of metal, Metallica. Yes, again, probably way more talented than people yet to come, but it's my list, ok. Then again, I would go apesh*t if someone got me Metallica tickets.

Wiki - Metallica (pronounced /mɛˈtælɨkə/) is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1981. Founded when drummer Lars Ulrich posted an advertisement in a local newspaper, Metallica's line-up has primarily consisted of Ulrich, rhythm guitarist and vocalist James Hetfield and lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, while going through a number of bassists. Currently, the spot is held by Robert Trujillo.

Metallica's early releases included fast tempos, instrumentals, and aggressive musicianship that placed them as one of the "big four" of the thrash metal subgenre alongside Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax during the genre's development into a popular style. The band earned a growing fan base in the underground music community and critical acclaim, with the 1986 release Master of Puppets described as one of the most influential and "heavy" thrash metal albums. The band achieved substantial commercial success with their self-titled fifth album (also known as The Black Album), which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. With this release the band expanded its musical direction resulting in an album that appealed to a more mainstream audience.

In 2000, Metallica was among several artists who filed a lawsuit against Napster for sharing the band's copyright-protected material for free without the band members' consent. A settlement was reached, and Napster became a pay-to-use service. Despite reaching number one on the Billboard 200, the release of St. Anger alienated many fans with the exclusion of guitar solos and the "steel-sounding" snare drum. A film titled Some Kind of Monster documented the recording process of St. Anger.

Metallica has released nine studio albums, two live albums, two EPs, twenty-four music videos, and forty-five singles. The band has won nine Grammy Awards, and has had five consecutive albums debut at number one on the Billboard 200 , making Metallica the first band to do so, this record was later matched by the Dave Matthews Band. The band's 1991 album, Metallica, has sold over 15 million copies in the United States, and 22 million copies worldwide, which makes it the 25th-highest-selling album in the country. In December 2009, it became the highest-selling album of the SoundScan era, surpassing 1997's Come on Over by country artist Shania Twain. The band has sold an estimated 100 million records worldwide as of the release of their latest album, Death Magnetic. As of December 2009, Metallica is the fourth highest-selling music artist since the SoundScan era began tracking sales on May 25, 1991, selling a total of 52,271,000 albums in the United States alone.

Discography -

Kill 'Em All (1983)
Ride the Lightning (1984)*
Master of Puppets (1986)**
...And Justice for All (1988)
Metallica (1991)*
Load (1996)
ReLoad (1997)
St. Anger (2003)
Death Magnetic (2008)
*= best albums
*= top 10 album


Top 10 Songs

10 Master of Puppets
9 Nothing Else Matters
8 Enter Sandman
7 Stone Cold Crazy
6 Fuel
5 Seek and Destroy
4 Whiskey in the Jar
3 Fade to Black
2 One
1 Battery



next up: a band making a 13 year reunion this year at Lollapalooza

24 - Jimi Hendrix/The Jimi Hendrix Experience

You make love, you break love
It's all the same

At number 24 is another legend. This time, it is the best guitarist of all time, Jimi Hendrix. The fact that people even debate about this is blasphemous. Hendrix is clearly more talented than many people higher than him on this list, but my Hendrix catalogue accumulates a weak 20 songs, so it'd be hard to put him any higher on this list.

Wiki - (there's way too many source breaks, i'm not even taking them out this time)

James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is often considered to be the greatest electric guitarist in the history of rock music by other musicians and commentators in the industry,[2][3][4] and one of the most important and influential musicians of his era across a range of genres.[5][6][7] After initial success in Europe, he achieved fame in the United States following his 1967 performance at the Monterey Pop Festival. Later, Hendrix headlined the iconic 1969 Woodstock Festival and the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival. Hendrix often favored raw overdriven amplifiers with high gain and treble and helped develop the previously undesirable technique of guitar amplifier feedback.[8] Hendrix was one of the musicians who popularized the wah-wah pedal in mainstream rock which he often used to deliver an exaggerated pitch in his solos, particularly with high bends and use of legato. He was influenced by blues artists such as B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Albert King, and Elmore James,[9][10][11][12] rhythm and blues and soul guitarists Curtis Mayfield, Steve Cropper, as well as by funk and some modern jazz.[13] In 1966, Hendrix, who played and recorded with Little Richard's band from 1964 to 1965, said, "I want to do with my guitar what Little Richard does with his voice."[14]

As a record producer, Hendrix also broke new ground in using the recording studio as an extension of his musical ideas. He was one of the first to experiment with stereophonic and phasing effects for rock recording.

Hendrix won many of the most prestigious rock music awards in his lifetime, and has been posthumously awarded many more, including being inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. An English Heritage blue plaque was erected in his name on his former residence at Brook Street, London, in September 1997. A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (at 6627 Hollywood Blvd.) was dedicated in 1994. In 2006, his debut US album, Are You Experienced, was inducted into the United States National Recording Registry, and Rolling Stone named Hendrix the top guitarist on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all-time in 2003.[15] He was also the first person inducted into the Native American Music Hall of Fame.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Are You Experienced (1967)*
Axis: Bold as Love (1967)
Electric Ladyland (1968)

Jimi Hendrix/Band of Gypsys
Band of Gypsys (1970) (live)

Posthumous studio albums
The Cry of Love (1971)
Rainbow Bridge (1971)
War Heroes (1972)
Loose Ends (1974)
Crash Landing (1975)
Midnight Lightning (1975)
Nine to the Universe (1980)
Radio One (1988)
First Rays of the New Rising Sun (1997)
South Saturn Delta (1997)
Valleys of Neptune (2010)
*=best album

Top 10 songs:

10 - Stone Free
9 - Crosstown Traffic
8 - Hey Joe
7 - Freedom
6 - The Wind Cries Mary
5 - Castles Made of Sand
4 - Purple Haze
3 - Red House
2 - All Along the Watchtower
1 - Voodoo Child (Slight Return)



next up: Master! Master!

25 - Green Day

Everybody loves a joke, but no one likes a fool

At number 25 is veteran pop punk band, Green Day. Green Day have been dissed from the hardcore punk fans as sell outs, but one listen to Dookie, and it's easy to see that Green Day are one of the best punk revivalists of this era.

Wiki - Green Day is an American punk rock trio formed in 1987. The band has consisted of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tré Cool for the majority of its existence. The band is credited as one of the three main bands, along with The Offspring and Rancid, who put the punk revival into process.

Green Day was originally part of the punk scene at 924 Gilman Street in Berkeley, California. The band's early releases for independent record label Lookout! Records earned it a grassroots fanbase. Nevertheless, its major label debut Dookie (1994) became a breakout success and eventually sold over 10 million copies in the U.S. and 15 million worldwide. As a result, Green Day was widely credited, alongside fellow California punk bands The Offspring and Rancid, with reviving mainstream interest in and popularizing punk rock in the United States. Green Day's three follow-up albums, Insomniac, Nimrod and Warning did not achieve the massive success of Dookie, but they were still successful, reaching double platinum, double platinum, and gold status respectively. Green Day's 2004 rock opera American Idiot reignited the band's popularity with a younger generation, selling five million copies in the U.S. The band's eighth studio album, 21st Century Breakdown, was released on May 15, 2009.

Green Day has sold over 65 million records worldwide. They have won four Grammy Awards; Best Alternative Album for Dookie, Best Rock Album for American Idiot, Record of the Year for "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", and Best Rock Album for the second time for 21st Century Breakdown.


Discography -

1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours(1990)
Kerplunk (1992)
Dookie (1994)*
Insomniac (1995)
Nimrod (1997)
Warning (2000)*
American Idiot (2004)*
21st Century Breakdown (2009)
*=best albums

Best Songs -

10 Brainstew/Jaded
9 Nice Guys Finish Last
8 Letterbomb
7 Burnout
6 J.A.R.
5 Walking Contradiction
4 When I Come Around
3 Minority
2 Blood Sex and Booze
1 Welcome to Paradise



next up: a man who could chop down a mountain with his hand

26 - Weezer

If you can't get enough of these dragged out one-a-dayish music countdowns (and they are really fun to make btw) but you'd rather see more bands you've never heard of, then I highly recommend perusing the blog of Brian Klein. And btw the Transplants were one of the bands that narrowly missed my countdown (for more of them, click here.)



Fresh out of batteries, but still makin' noise

At number 26 is everyone's favorite geek-rock band, Weezer. I saw =W= at the Borgata in Atlantic City, which is a great place to see bands because you are always close, however you usually pay an arm and a leg.

Wiki - Weezer is an American alternative rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1992. The band now consists of Rivers Cuomo (lead vocals, guitar), Patrick Wilson (drums, guitar, backing vocals), Brian Bell (guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), and Scott Shriner (bass, backing vocals, keyboards). The band has changed lineups several times since its formation in 1992.[8]They have released seven full-length albums, five EPs, and a DVD. Weezer has sold more than eight million records in the US to date.[9]

The band is best known for their successful singles "Buddy Holly", "Undone - The Sweater Song", "Beverly Hills", "Pork and Beans" and "Island in the Sun".


Discography -

Weezer (1994)*^
Pinkerton (1996)*
Weezer (2001)
Maladroit (2002)
Make Believe (2005)
Weezer (2008)
Raditude (2009)
*=best albums
^=top 10 favorite album

Top 10 Weezer songs

10 Tired of Sex
9 My Name is Jonas
8 Pork and Beans
7 The Good Life
6 Dope Nose
5 Only in Dreams
4 Holiday
3 Buddy Holly
2 El Scorcho
1 Say it Ain't So

Weezer is totally power pop done right, particularly their first 4 (their first 2 being the best) albums. They are at their best when they embrace their geekiness and write geeky songs, rather than pretending they are cool. The last 3 albums are nothing worthwhile, minus a few good tracks like Pork and Beans and I Want You To.




next up: a band that's referenced in the first video

27 - Stone Temple Pilots

Conversations kill

At number 27 is STP. I like abbreviating bands names whenever socially acceptable. It makes me feel cool.

Wiki - Stone Temple Pilots, often abbreviated to STP, is an American rock band that consists of Scott Weiland (lead vocals), brothers Robert DeLeo (bass guitar, vocals) and Dean DeLeo (guitar), and Eric Kretz (drums, percussion).

The band found immediate success with the release of their debut album Core in 1992, which is certified 8× platinum by the RIAA. STP went on to become one of the most commercially successful rock bands of the 1990s, selling nearly 40 million records worldwide, including 17.5 million units in the United States. The band has had 16 top ten singles on the Billboard rock charts, seven of which peaked at #1, and one #1 album for Purple in 1994. That same year, the band won a Grammy for "Best Hard Rock Performance" for the song "Plush" from the album Core. Stone Temple Pilots were also ranked #40 on VH1's The 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.

Weiland's continual drug offenses caused multiple concert cancellations and band separations. These setbacks resulted in the creation of various alternate bands by each of the band members (see The Magnificent Bastards, Talk Show, Army of Anyone, Velvet Revolver) and two solo albums by Weiland. Kretz would go on to launch Bomb Shelter Studios in Los Angeles. The band's separation in 2003 lasted five years. Stone Temple Pilots reunited in April 2008 with a successful 71-date tour and the band's eponymous sixth studio album was released on May 25, 2010.

Discography -

Core (1992)
Purple (1994)*
Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop (1996)
No. 4 (1999)
Shangri-La Dee Da (2001)
Stone Temple Pilots (2010)
*=best album

Top 10 songs

10 Creep
9 Unglued
8 Big Bang Baby
7 Pretty Penny
6 Vasoline
5 Lady Picture Show
4 Trippin' On A Hole In A Paper Heart
3 Big Empty
2 Plush
1 Interstate Love Song

Here, maybe once again you can spot me in a video... I don't think they pan too long to the left of the stage (right if ur facing from on it), but maybe you have better eyes than me. Once again, a little to the right of the Lil Wayne-looking security guy.


next up: =w=

28 - Gorillaz

I'm happy. I'm feeling glad.

At number 28 is the Gorillaz. They are the first and only animated band to appear on the countdown, sorry Dethklok fans...

Wiki - Gorillaz is a musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn of Britpop band Blur and British cartoonist Jamie Hewlett, co-creator of the comic book Tank Girl. In the mainstream and commercial outlets it is known as a "virtual band" because for their image and promotion, instead of displaying the musicians of the band, it has used a group of comic book characters. The "virtual band" is composed of four animated members: 2D (lead vocalist, keyboard), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar), Noodle (guitar and occasional vocals) and Russel Hobbs (drums and percussion). The music is a collaboration between various musicians, Albarn being the only permanent musical contributor. Their style is a composition of multiple musical genres, with a large number of their influences including: dub, hip hop, alternative rock, electronic and pop music.

The band's 2001 debut album Gorillaz sold over seven million copies and earned them an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records as the Most Successful Virtual Band. It was nominated for the Mercury Prize 2001, but the nomination was later withdrawn at the band's request. Their second studio album, Demon Days, was released in 2005 and included the singles "Feel Good Inc.", "Dare", "Dirty Harry" and "Kids with Guns"/"El Mañana". Demon Days went five times platinum in the UK, double platinum in the United States and earned five Grammy Award nominations for 2006 and won one of them in the Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals category. Gorillaz have also released two B-sides compilations and a remix album. The combined sales of Gorillaz and Demon Days had, by 2010, exceeded 20 million albums. The band's third studio album, titled Plastic Beach, was released in 2010. On 26 May 2010, it was announced that the band would replace U2 as Glastonbury Festival headliners.

Discography -

Gorillaz (2001)
Demon Days (2005)*
Plastic Beach (2010)
*=best album

top 10 songs:

10 Plastic Beach
9 M1-A1 (THE best driving fast song of all time)
8 19-2000 (remix)
7 Dirty Harry
6 Rhinestone Eyes
5 On Melancholy Hill
4 Clint Eastwood
3 Slow Country
2 November Has Come
1 Feel Good Inc.




next up: the bastard child of Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam

29 - Alice in Chains

You'd be well advised not to plan my funeral before the body dies, yeah

Into the 20's we go, and the first band is Alice in Chains. They are part of the Seattle grunge scene, along with Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden.

Wiki - Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist Jerry Cantrell and vocalist Layne Staley. Although widely associated with grunge music, the band's sound incorporates heavy metal and acoustic elements. Since its formation, Alice in Chains has released four studio albums, three EPs, two live albums, four compilations, and two DVDs. The band is known for its distinct vocal style which often included the harmonized vocals of Staley and Cantrell.

Alice in Chains rose to international fame as part of the grunge movement of the early 1990s, along with other Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. The band was one of the most successful music acts of the 1990s, selling over 17 million albums worldwide.[1] The band achieved two number-one Billboard 200 albums (Jar of Flies and Alice in Chains), 14 top ten songs on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and seven Grammy Award nominations.

Although never officially disbanding, Alice in Chains was plagued by extended inactivity due to substance abuse, culminating in the death of Layne Staley in 2002. Alice in Chains reunited in 2005 with new lead vocalist William DuVall and released Black Gives Way to Blue, their first studio album in 14 years, on September 29, 2009.

Discography -

Facelift (1990)
Dirt (1992)
Alice in Chains (1995)
Black Gives Way to Blue (2009)

Favorite 10 Songs -

10 - Down in a Hole
9 - Check My Brain
8 - I Stay Away
7 - Rooster
6 - Grind
5 - Them Bones
4 - Heaven Beside You
3 - Got Me Wrong
2 - Would?
1 - No Excuses

Jerry and Layne's voices harmonated like none other. It was, and still is, a beautiful thing.



next up: a "band" with the best driving-fast song of all time