6 - Rage Against The Machine

We don't need the key, we'll break in.

At number 6 is Rage Against the Machine. I really found it weird when I had to pencil this band just out of the top 5, since I've always said that they were in my top 5, as recently as a year ago.

Wiki - Rage Against the Machine is an American Rap metal band, formed in 1991 in Los Angeles, California. The band's line-up comprises vocalist Zack de la Rocha, guitarist Tom Morello, bassist Tim Commerford and drummer Brad Wilk. Critics have noted Rage Against the Machine for its "fiercely polemical music, which brewed sloganeering leftist rants against corporate America, cultural imperialism, and government oppression into a Molotov cocktail of punk, hip-hop, and thrash." Rage Against the Machine drew inspiration from early heavy metal instrumentation, as well as rap acts such as Afrika Bambaataa, Public Enemy and Urban Dance Squad.

In 1992, the band released its self-titled debut album, which became a commercial success, leading to a slot in the 1993 Lollapalooza. The band did not release a follow-up record until 1996, with Evil Empire. The band's third album The Battle of Los Angeles was released in 1999. During their initial nine year run, they became one of the most popular and influential political bands in contemporary music.[3]

Shortly after breaking up in 2000, the band released the cover album Renegades. De la Rocha started a low-key solo career in One Day as a Lion; the rest of the band formed the rock supergroup Audioslave with Chris Cornell, then-former frontman of Soundgarden, which disbanded in 2007, and in April of that year, Rage Against the Machine performed together for the first time in seven years at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. The band has continued to perform at many live venues and festivals around the world since 2007 but have not recorded any new studio material, as of yet.


Discography -

Rage Against the Machine (1992)*
Evil Empire (1996)
The Battle of Los Angeles (1999)
Renegades (2000)
*-best album


Top 20 best Rage songs:

20 Down Rodeo
19 No Shelter
18 Kick Out the Jams (cover)
17 War Within a Breath
16 Pistol Grip Pump (cover)
15 Voice of the Voiceless
14 Vietnow
13 Sleep Now in the Fire
12 Mic Check
11 Bulls on Parade
10 Take the Power Back
9 Testify
8 I'm Housin' (cover)
7 Microphone Fiend (cover)
6 Killing in the Name
5 Renegades of Funk (cover)
4 People of the Sun
3 Guerilla Radio
2 Know Your Enemy
1 Bullet in the Head



Rage are the last band on this countdown that I haven't seen in concert.




"And now the greatest band in the f*cking universe!"



next up: 5 awesome bands! (hint to come)

7 - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Music, the Great Communicator

At number 7 is the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I made this list and saw that both them, and the next band, were not in my top 5 and I was confused. Because they are awesome.

Wiki - Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The band's current line-up is Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Michael "Flea" Balzary (bass), Chad Smith (drums) and Josh Klinghoffer (guitar). Their musical style has fused traditional funk with elements of other genres including hip hop, punk rock and psychedelic rock.

The group originally featured guitarist Hillel Slovak and drummer Jack Irons. Slovak, however, died of a heroin overdose in 1988, resulting in Irons' departure. Irons was replaced briefly by former Dead Kennedys drummer D.H. Peligro before the band found a permanent replacement in Smith, while Slovak was replaced by up-and-coming guitarist John Frusciante. This lineup recorded the band's fourth and fifth albums, Mother's Milk (1989) and Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991).

Blood Sugar Sex Magik was a significant record for the band; having sold over fifteen million copies, it provided the group's initial mainstream commercial success. Frusciante grew uncomfortable with this new found success and left abruptly in the middle of the tour for the album in 1992, descending into heroin addiction. After recruiting guitarist Arik Marshall to finish the tour, Kiedis, Flea, and Smith employed Dave Navarro of Jane's Addiction for their subsequent album, One Hot Minute (1995). Although successful, it did not match the critical acclaim of Blood Sugar Sex Magik and sold less than half the copies of its predecessor. Shortly afterwards, Navarro departed the band due to creative differences. Frusciante, fresh out of drug rehabilitation, rejoined the band in 1998, at Flea's request. The reunited quartet returned to the studio to record Californication (1999), which went on to sell fifteen million units worldwide, becoming their most commercially successful album to date. It was followed three years later with By the Way (2002), which continued their success. In 2006, the group released the double album Stadium Arcadium, giving them their first American number one album.

Red Hot Chili Peppers have won seven Grammy Awards. The band has sold over 55 million albums worldwide, has had eight singles in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 (including three singles in the Top 10), five number one singles on the Mainstream Rock charts, and holds a record of eleven number one singles on the Modern Rock charts.

Band Members

Members:
Anthony Kiedis (1983–1986; 1986 onward)
Josh Klinghoffer (2010 onward)
Michael "Flea" Balzary (1983 onward)
Chad Smith (1988 onward)

Former members:
John Frusciante (1988–1992, 1998–2008)
Dave Navarro
Jesse Tobias
Arik Marshall
Zander Schloss
D.H. Peligro
DeWayne McKnight
Hillel Slovak
Jack Irons
Cliff Martinez
Jack Sherman

Discography

The Red Hot Chili Peppers (1984)
Freaky Styley (1985)
The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1987)
Mother's Milk (1989)
Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)*
One Hot Minute (1995)
Californication (1999)*
By the Way (2002)
Stadium Arcadium (2006)
*-best albums

Top 20 RHCP songs

20 Scar Tissue
19 The Zephyr Song
18 Wet Sand
17 Around the World
16 Fortune Faded
15 Give It Away
14 Get On Top
13 Parallel Universe
12 Aeroplane
11 Dani California
10 Johnny, Kick a Hole In The Sky
9 By The Way
8 The Power of Equality
7 Especially in Michigan
6 Californication
5 Higher Ground
4 Otherside
3 Fight Like a Brave
2 Can't Stop
1 Soul To Squeeze

It's easy to see how RHCP have matured and progressed throughout their 25+ year existence. As with a couple other bands (#3 and #5 specifically) in this top ten when this is the case, I appreciate all of their work. It's tough to pick if I like their older or newer stuff better, but I feel like BSSM and Californication are easily their best 2 albums, and they pretty much bookmark their two different styles of work (older and newer). Pick them up ASAP.

My favorite chili pepper has always been John Frusciante. There is no one who does backing vocals better than that man, and is also one of the most underrated guitarists in rock. He recently left the band to pursue more of his solo work (which, I ironically don't really like).



Hey, since I actually did this blog post after Klein did his on them, I'll return the favor of shoutout by letting you in on what he said about RHCP.

KLEIN: RHCP is yet again, a better band than how they rank on here. I only have their greatest hits CD and a couple other tracks as well. When Romo posts his on them, read his. It'll be much better than this.

It was only slightly better.





next up: a band that 3 out of 4 members of have already been on the countdown

8 - Queens of the Stone Age

We got some rules to follow. This and that. These and those. No one knows.

At number 8 is Queens of the Stone Age. QOTSA has gone through many lineup changes, but has always put out solid records of heavy alternative rock.

Wiki - Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997. Originally formed under the name Gamma Ray by guitarist Josh Homme, following the breakup of his previous band, Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age developed a style of riff-oriented, heavy music which has been described by Homme as "robot rock", saying that he "wanted to create a heavy sound based on a solid jam, and just pound it into your head". Their sound has since evolved to incorporate a variety of different styles and influences.

Discography -

Queens of the Stone Age (1998)
Rated R (2000)*
Songs for the Deaf (2002)
Lullabies to Paralyze (2005)
Era Vulgaris (2007)
TBA (2011)
*-best album

Top 10 QOTSA songs:

10 Regular John
9 3's and 7's
8 Someone's in the Wolf
7 In My Head
6 Go With the Flow
5 Mosquito Song (Hidden Track)
4 Better Living Through Chemistry
3 God Is In The Radio
2 In the Fade
1 No One Knows





Oh, and yeah, Dave Grohl played drums for them...


next up: the last remaining band on here that I have never seen at least most of their members live

9 - The Strokes

20 ways to see the world, and 20 ways to start a fight

We move on into single digits, and we get to the best band on this countdown from New York City, The Strokes. The Strokes have the album that NME magazine named album of the decade for 2000's (barely beating out two albums by #1, an album by #96, #54, #8, #87, and #19) and I almost have to agree.

Wiki - The Strokes are an American rock band formed in 1998 in New York City. They rose to fame in the early 2000s as leaders in the garage rock revival. The band's members are Julian Casablancas (lead vocals), Nick Valensi (guitar), Albert Hammond, Jr. (guitar), Nikolai Fraiture (bass guitar) and Fabrizio Moretti (drums and percussion).

Upon the release of their debut album Is This It in 2001, the group was met with much critical acclaim NME made Is This It their Album of the Decade. Since then, the band has maintained a large fan base, mostly in the UK, US, Canada and Australia. They have been on an unofficial hiatus since First Impressions of Earth in 2006. A number of members have embarked on a variety of side projects, although a fourth album is in preparation for release in early 2011.


Discogrpahy -

Is This It (2001)*^
Room on Fire (2003)*
First Impressions of Earth (2006)
*-best albums
^-top 10 favorite albums

Top 10 Strokes songs

10 Juicebox
9 Is This It?
8 Take It Or Leave It
7 Barely Legal
6 You Only Live Once
5 Last Night
4 The End Has No End
3 Someday
2 12:51
1 Hard to Explain



I like the Strokes for one main reason: they are catchy. Their songs are simple, but they get stuck in your head. They are also really repetitive, but almost always in a good way. The way their first album was crafted will probably never be topped
by them or any similar garage-rock band. It was simply bliss in its catchiest form.





next up: Dave Grohl has been on so many bands on this countdown, but he actually is technically on one more

10 - Foo Fighters

And I wonder if everything could ever feel this real forever

At long last, the top 10 is finally here. And what better way to kick it off than with the Foo Fighters? The Foo's formed after Nirvana came to an end in 1994. This, of course, means that they come from Seattle, making the city the highest on the countdown if you don't group every southern Cal band into L.A.

Wiki - Foo Fighters is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1995. Drummer Dave Grohl formed the group as a one-man project after the dissolution of his previous band, Nirvana, in 1994. Prior to the release of the band's eponymous debut album in 1995, Grohl drafted Nate Mendel as bassist, William Goldsmith as drummer, and Pat Smear as guitarist to complete the group. The band was small, young, and began with performances in Portland, Oregon before gaining popularity. Goldsmith left during the recording of the group's second album, The Colour and the Shape (1997), and Smear's departure followed soon afterward. They were replaced by Taylor Hawkins and Franz Stahl, respectively, although Stahl left prior to the recording of the group's third album, There Is Nothing Left to Lose (1999).

Chris Shiflett joined as the band's second guitarist after the completion of There Is Nothing Left to Lose. The band released its fourth album, One by One, in 2002. The group followed that release with the two-disc In Your Honor (2005), which was split between acoustic songs and harder-rocking material. Foo Fighters released its sixth album, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, in 2007. Over the course of the band's existence, three of its albums have won Grammy Awards for Best Rock Album, and all six have been nominated for Grammys.

Discography -

Foo Fighters (1995)
The Colour and the Shape (1997)*
There Is Nothing Left to Lose (1999)
One by One (2002)
In Your Honor (2005)
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (2007)
*-best album

Top 20 Foo Songs

20 Hey, Johnny Park!
19 Cold Day in the Sun
18 Long Road to Ruin
17 Miracle
16 Up in Arms
15 Best of You
14 The Pretender
13 Stacked Actors
12 I'll Stick Around
11 Learn to Fly
10 Monkey Wrench
9 All My Life
8 Times Like These
7 Big Me
6 Breakout
5 Generator
4 DOA
3 Everlong
2 Let It Die
1 This Is A Call






next up: a band that's reuniting in less than a month after a 5 year break

My All-Star Teams

Taking a quick break from the countdown before we get into the Top 10, I'd like to share my thoughts on the 2010 MLB All-Star Teams.


First off, I like that the players, coaches, and fans all get some say as to who makes the team. However, I think that there really is no need for there to be an all-star from every team, when there are more deserving players from teams that don't get to go. Like, what incentive does Ty Wigginton have to give 100% in the All-Star game? So that the Sawks or Yanks can get one more home game in the WS?

But anyway, for the most part I don't have too much gripe about the people picked for the midsummer classic, but nevertheless, there are some head-scratchers.

Let's look at the teams as of right now:

American League
Starters
Pos Player

C Joe Mauer, MIN

1B Justin Morneau, MIN

2B Robinson Cano, NYY

SS Derek Jeter, NYY

3B Evan Longoria, TB

OF Josh Hamilton, TEX

OF Ichiro Suzuki, SEA

OF Carl Crawford, TB

DH Vladimir Guerrero, TEX
Pitchers
Pos Player

P Clay Buchholz, BOS

P Trevor Cahill, OAK

P Fausto Carmona, CLE

P Neftali Feliz, TEX

P Phil Hughes, NYY

P Cliff Lee, SEA

P Jon Lester, BOS

P David Price, TB

P Mariano Rivera, NYY

P CC Sabathia, NYY

P Joakim Soria, KC

P Matt Thornton, CWS

P Jose Valverde, DET
Reserves
Pos Player

C John Buck, TOR**

C Victor Martinez, BOS*

1B Miguel Cabrera, DET

2B Dustin Pedroia, BOS*

2B Ian Kinsler, TEX***

2B Ty Wigginton, BAL

SS Elvis Andrus, TEX

3B Adrian Beltre, BOS

3B Alex Rodriguez, NYY

OF Jose Bautista, TOR

OF Torii Hunter, LAA

OF Vernon Wells, TOR

DH David Ortiz, BOS


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

National League
Starters
Pos Player

C Yadier Molina, STL

1B Albert Pujols, STL

2B Chase Utley, PHI+

SS Hanley Ramirez, FLA

3B David Wright, NYM

OF Ryan Braun, MIL

OF Andre Ethier, LAD

OF Jason Heyward, ATL
Pitchers
Pos Player

P Jonathan Broxton, LAD

P Matt Capps, WAS

P Chris Carpenter, STL

P Yovani Gallardo, MIL

P Roy Halladay, PHI

P Tim Hudson, ATL

P Ubaldo Jimenez, COL

P Josh Johnson, FLA

P Tim Lincecum, SF

P Evan Meek, PIT

P Arthur Rhodes, CIN

P Adam Wainwright, STL

P Brian Wilson, SF
Reserves
Pos Player

C Brian McCann, ATL

1B Adrian Gonzalez, SD

1B Ryan Howard, PHI

2B Brandon Phillips, CIN

2B Martin Prado, ATL++

SS Jose Reyes, NYM+++

SS Troy Tulowitzki, COL*

3B Omar Infante, ATL

3B Scott Rolen, CIN

OF Michael Bourn, HOU

OF Marlon Byrd, CHC

OF Corey Hart, MIL

OF Matt Holliday, STL

OF Chris Young, ARI

Notes:
* Chosen on Player Ballot, on the DL
** Replaces Victor Martinez
*** Replaces Dustin Pedroia

+ Chosen by fans, on the DL
++ Replaces Chase Utley in starting lineup
+++ Replaces Troy Tulowitzki


Not too bad, but could be a lot better.
My two biggest snubs on both sides are Joey Votto (.318 avg, 1.017 OPS, 21 HR) of the Reds and Jered Weaver (8-3, 2.82 ERA, 124 SO, 1.058 WHIP) of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of California of the United States of America on planet Earth.

MY 2010 ALLSTARS

C - MIGUEL OLIVO, Rockies (backups: Brian McCann, Braves; Geovanny Soto, Cubs)

1B - ALBERT PUJOLS, Cards (backups: Joey Votto, Reds; Adrian Gonzalez, Padres)

2B - CHASE UTLEY, Phillies replaced by Martin Prado, Braves (backups: Kelly Johnson, D-Backs; Brandon Phillips, Reds)

3B - DAVID WRIGHT, Mets (backups: Ryan Zimmerman, Nats; Scott Rolen, Reds)

SS - TROY TULOWITZKI, Rockies replaced by Hanley Ramirez, Marlins (backups: Rafael Furcal, Dodgers; Jose Reyes, Mets)

OF - MATT HOLLIDAY, Cards

MARLON BYRD, Cubs

ANDREW MCCUTCHEN, Pirates

(backups: Colby Rasmus, Cards; Ryan Braun, Brewers; Jayson Werth, Phils)

SP - UBALDO JIMENEZ, Rockies (also: Roy Halladay, Phils; Josh Johnson, Marlins; Adam Wainwright, Cardinals; Jaime Garcia, Cards; Matt Cain, Giants; Tim Lincecum, Giants

RP - JONATHAN BROXTON, Dodgers (also: Billy Wagner, Braves; Arthur Rhodes, Reds; Carlos Marmol, Cubs; Luke Gregerson, Padres; Heath Bell, Padres)


AL

C - JOE MAUER, Twins (backups: Jorge Posada, Yankees; Victor Martinez, Red Sox)

1B - JUSTIN MORNEAU, Twins (backups: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers; Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox; Paul Konerko, White Sox)

2B - ROBINSON CANO, Yanks (backups: Orlando Hudson, Twins)

3B - EVAN LONGORIA, Rays (backups: Adrian Beltre, Red Sox; Michael Young, Rangers)

SS - DEREK JETER, Yanks (backups: Alex Gonzalez, Blue Jays; Elvis Andrus, Rangers)

OF - JOSH HAMILTON, Rangers

ICHIRO, Mariners

CARL CRAWFORD, Rays

(backups: Alex Rios, White Sox; Vernon Wells, Blue Jays; Torii Hunter, Angels)

DH - VLADIMIR GUERRERO, Rangers

SP - CLIFF LEE, Mariners (also: Felix Hernandez, Mariners; Jered Weaver, Angels; Francisco Liriano, TWINS; CC Sabathia, Yanks; Andy Pettite, Yanks; David Price, Rays)

RP - MARIANO RIVERA, Yanks (also: Jose Valverde, Tigers; Andrew Bailey, Athletics; Neftali Perez, Rangers; Rafael Soriano, Rays)


All-Star game prediction: NL is winning this year. Book it. 6-4.

11 - The Roots

I shall proceed and continue to rock the mic

At number 11 is the Roots. The Roots are from Philadelphia and are now the house band for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

Wiki - The Roots is an American hip hop band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals. Malik B., Leonard "Hub" Hubbard, and Josh Abrams were added to the band, originally called The Square Roots.

The Roots released an independently produced debut album, Organix, in 1993. In 1995, with the label DGC Records, the band released Do You Want More?!!!??!. Two guest performers on Do You Want More?!!!??!, Rahzel and Scott Storch joined the group. Soon after, however, Storch left the band and was replaced by Kamal Gray. Their next album,Illadelph Halflife, was released in 1996. With Illadelph Halflife the band again gained members in Scratch and Dice Raw. The band's next album, Things Fall Apart, was a breakthrough album in that it was their first album to break the top 10 of the Billboard 200 (peaking at 4). Also in 1999, the band released an EP, The Legendary, and a live album titled The Roots Come Alive. Rahzell, Dice Raw, and Malik B. all parted from the band for differing reasons. In 2000, guitarist Ben Kenney joined The Roots and would stay with the band through their next album, Phrenology, before leaving to join rock band Incubus. After Phrenonlogy, guest performer F. Knuckles became a permanent member and Captain Kirk Douglas replaced Kenney, while Scratch also decided to leave the group. The next album was 2004's The Tipping Point followed by Game Theory in 2006. During 2007, longtime member Leonard Hubbard decided to retire. He was replaced by Owen Biddle. Rising Down, the eighth studio album from The Roots, was released in 2008. Their next album, How I Got Over, was released on June 21, 2010.

They have collaborated with a wide range of artists from different genres, including Roy Ayers and Cody Chesnutt. The Roots have generated a great deal of critical acclaim and influenced numerous rap and R&B acts. On March 2, 2009, The Roots became the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.


Discography -

1993: Organix
1995: Do You Want More?!!!??!
1996: Illadelph Halflife
1999: Things Fall Apart*
2002: Phrenology
2004: The Tipping Point
2006: Game Theory*
2008: Rising Down
2010: How I Got Over
*-best albums

Top 10 Roots songs

10 Get Busy
9 Web
8 Don't Say Nuthin'
7 Break You Off
6 100% Dundee
5 Don't See Us
4 Game Theory
3 Here I Come
2 The Seed 2.0
1 Long Time



Oh and if you don't know if the Roots are amazing live or not... well this should clear that up..

Video | The Roots - How I Got Over [Live on Jimmy Fallon]
- Watch more Music Videos at Vodpod.

next up: THE TOP 10! feels like it's took everlong...

12 - Beastie Boys

Beat-sie boys know how to let the beat......

At number 12 is the Beastie Boys. I saw them in the summer of 2007 in Philadelphia, PA with 3 of my best bros, and it was the best concert I've ever experienced, just edging out the second to last show at the Spectrum (Pearl Jam).


Wiki - Beastie Boys are an American hip-hop group from Brooklyn, New York. The group comprises Michael "Mike D" Diamond, Adam "MCA" Yauch, and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz and John Jacobs who left the band shortly after their big break to join the Navy. Since around the time of the Hello Nasty album, the DJ for the group has been Michael "Mix Master Mike" Schwartz, who was first featured in the song "Three MCs and One DJ".

Beastie Boys began as a hardcore punk group in 1979, appeared on the compilation cassette New York Thrash with Riot Fight and Beastie, and released their debut EP in 1982. After achieving moderate local success with the 1983 release of experimental hip-hop 12" Cooky Puss, they switched to hip-hop in 1984 and a string of successful 12" singles followed culminating with their debut album Licensed to Ill (1986) which received international critical acclaim and commercial success.

They are one of the longest lived hip-hop acts worldwide and continue to enjoy commercial and critical success in 2009, more than 25 years after the release of their debut album. On September 27, 2007, they were nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2009, the group released digitally remastered deluxe editions of their albums Paul's Boutique, Check Your Head', Ill Communication and Hello Nasty.


Discography -

Licensed to Ill (1986)
Paul's Boutique (1989)*
Check Your Head (1992)
Ill Communication (1994)
Hello Nasty (1998)
To the 5 Boroughs (2004)
The Mix-Up (2007)
Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 1 (Expected release 2010)
Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 2 (TBA)
*-best album

Top 20 Beatsie Boys songs

20 Jimmy James
19 She's Crafty
18 Shadrach
17 Three MC's and One DJ
16 Super Disco Breakin'
15 So What'cha Want
14 Shake Your Rump
13 Ch-Check It Out
12 Intergalactic
11 No Sleep Til Brooklyn
10 Fight For Your Right (To Party)
9 Body Movin'
8 Hey Ladies
7 Sure Shot
6 Sabotage
5 Skills to Pay the Bills
4 Girls
3 Paul Revere
2 Triple Trouble
1 Brass Monkey

On July 20, 2009, Yauch announced that he is being treated for a cancerous parotid gland and a lymph node and was planning to undergo surgery and radiation therapy. He said that the cancer was treatable and was not expected to affect his voice, although the group's upcoming album release and tour would be delayed. Yauch sent a message to fans on August 5, 2009, his 45th birthday, updating fans following the surgery. Yauch has since become a vegan under his doctor's recommendation.






hmmmmmmmm..... DROP?

next up: The only group on this countdown from Philadelphia, PA