The Tunes of my Life:

My favorite rock/pop albums (one man’s opinion)

1.     Boston – Boston (1976) – From the iconic ‘More Than a Feeling’ to the legendary ‘Foreplay/Long Time’ to the criminally underrated ‘Something About You’, there is no single album I’ve listened to more often in the 44 years since its release.  Utterly flawless.

2.     AC/DC – Back in Black (1980) – Other than the Scorpions, Nazareth and perhaps Judas Priest, my taste in hard rock usually begins and ends with AC/DC, beginning with this all-time classic, which contains one rib-rattling jam after another with nary a clinker to be found (other than the title track, I’d have to rate ‘Have a Drink on Me’ as my personal favorite).   It’s one of those albums virtually everyone I know has owned at one time or another. 

3.     ELO – Time (1981) – Jeff Lynne’s genius has endured five decades-plus and picking a solitary album from this (often times) one-man band was not an easy task.  ‘Time’ was the band’s lone attempt at a ‘concept’ album and it works on every level (the theme of a man from the ‘80’s being trapped in a futuristic setting is one I can easily identify with), though is equally impressive when listened to as a random grouping of standalone singles (‘The Way Life’s Meant to Be’ and ‘21^st Century Man’ underappreciated masterpieces) from which only ‘Hold On Tight’ charted as a hit.

4.     Def Leppard – Pyromania (1983) – Similar to ‘Black in Black’, this was a keeper of an LP that even non-rockers were apt to add to their collections back in the day. In addition to mainstays ‘Foolin’, ‘Too Late for Love’ and ‘Rock! Rock! ‘til you drop!’, it includes one of my all-time favorite jams from this or any other artist, ‘Photograph’.

5.     Jim Croce – (Photographs & Memories) His Greatest Hits – (1974) – I was only ten years old when Croce passed in that tragic airplane crash and ‘Bad, Bad Leroy Brown’ was soaring up the charts.  This collection sums up his all-too-brief career and has made such tunes as ‘You Don’t Mess Around with Jim’ and ‘Time in a Bottle’ staples in American musical culture.  My personal favorites—they’re all keepers—include ‘I’ve Got a Name’ and ‘One Less Set of Footsteps’. 

6.    Survivor – When Seconds Count (1986)- This band’s ‘lost’ album, which I consider more than a match for the immensely more popular ‘Eye of The Tiger’ LP.   Jim Peterik’s songwriting is at top form here, whether penning rocking tunes like ‘Rebel Son’ and ‘Backstreet Love Affair’ or FM-ready ballads like ‘In Good Faith’ and ‘Man Against the World’. 

7.     Atlanta Rhythm Section – Quinella (1981) – A self-admitted southern rock junkie, ARS was always my personal favorite.  From great early tunes like ‘Georgia Rhythm’, ‘Do it or Die’ and ‘Imaginary Lover’, came what I consider their two best albums, 1980’s ‘The Boys from Doraville’ and this, their final LP for Columbia records and sadly, at a time when southern rock was fading as a popular genre.  Choice cuts: The title track, ‘Outlaw Music’, ‘Higher’, ‘Southern Exposure’ and the wall-rattling rocker, ‘Homesick’. 

8.    The Eagles – Hotel California (1977) – Their most consistent effort/Joe Walsh’s debut w/band.  The last to feature Randy Meisner on bass, his ‘Try and Love Again’ is its most underappreciated track with Walsh’s ‘Pretty Maids all in a Row’ a close second.  The title track is the definition of classic.

9.     Bob Seger – Like a Rock (1985) – Though less popular than ‘Stranger in Town’ or ‘Against the Wind’, this album struck me as Seger’s most consistent from top to bottom.  Other than the title track and hit single ‘American Storm’, other strong efforts include ‘Miami’, ‘It’s You’ and a rousing live remake of CCR’s ‘Fortunate Son’.

10.  Billy Joel – 52^nd Street (1978) – With such classic releases as ‘Piano Man’, ‘Streetlife Serenade’, ‘The Stranger’, ‘Songs in the Attic’ and ‘The Nylon Curtain’, the choice of best Billy Joel LP was the hardest on this list, bar none.  From top to bottom, from upbeat rockers ‘Big Shot’, ‘My Life’ and ‘Stiletto’ to the toe-tapping pop of ‘Zanzibar’ and ‘Half a Mile Away’ to the criminally underrated ballad ‘Until the Night’, it just doesn’t get any better. 

The Next Ten (not necessarily in order):

11.  The Doobie Brothers – Cycles (1989) – Amazing comeback album sans Michael McDonald

12.  Joe Walsh – You Bought it, You Name it (1983) – Includes ‘I Can Play that Rock ‘n Roll’, ‘Space-age Whiz Kids’ and the infamous ‘I.L.B.T’s’.  Saw Joe live in 2017 and yes, he can still play that rock ‘n roll with a vengeance 

13. Don Henley – I Can’t Stand Still (1982) – Henley’s 1^st solo effort was his best

14. Heart – Bad Animals (1986) – In the midst of a strong seven-year run of albums that included ‘Passionworks’ the self-titled ‘Heart’, ‘Brigade’ and ‘Desire Walks on’, I felt this the most consistent overall and not quite as commercial in scope.  Prime cuts: The hard-rocking title track, ‘Who will you Run to?’, ‘You Ain’t so Tough’ and ‘Strangers of the Heart’

15.  John (Cougar) Mellencamp – Scarecrow (1985) – Midwestern rocker at his creative peak, soon to shed the ‘Cougar’; ‘Small Town’, ‘Lonely ol’ Night’ and ‘R.O.C.K in the USA’ were huge hits; ‘Minutes to Memories’ should’ve been

16.  ZZ Top – Eliminator (1983) – That little ol’ band from Texas rocked the charts (and MTV) with ‘Gimmie all your Lovin’, ‘Sharp-dressed Man’ and ‘Legs’.  ‘TV Dinners’ won my personal award for best video with ‘Got me Under Pressure’ a close second

17. Survivor – Eye of The Tiger (1982) - Offers not only the iconic title track, but rockers like ‘Silver Girl’ and ‘Hesitation Dance’, plus the woefully underplayed ballad, ‘Ever Since the World Began’

18. Thirty-Eight Special – Tour De Force (1983) – Another hard choice among so many quality LPs

19.  Molly Hatchet – No Guts, No Glory (1983) – Danny Joe Brown in top form/a triple guitar attack of fine dixie jams

20. Meatloaf – Bat Out of Hell (1977) – One word: Iconic

‘Very’ Honorable Mentions:

Genesis – Genesis (1983) – From ‘That’s All’, ‘Mama’ to ‘Home by the Sea’ and ‘Just a job to do’, this was the Collins-led Genesis’ finest hour 

Steely Dan – Aja – (1977) – ‘Josie’, ‘Peg’ and of course the classic ‘Deacon Blues’

Bryan Adams – Into the Fire (1987) – A disappointment in sales at the height of Adams’ popularity, I always considered this his best effort. Includes ‘Heat of the Night’, ‘Hearts on Fire’ and ‘Victim of Love’.

Alan Parsons Project – Vulture Culture (1985) – Retro rock at its finest

Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chronicle, Vol’s I and II – I can listen to them for days on end

Thirty-Eight Special – Special Forces (1982) Barnes, Van Zant and Carlisi at top form. ‘Chain Lightning’ is a wall-rattling rocker that should rate anyone’s ‘best of’ list of southern rock.

Led Zeppelin – In Through the Out Door (1979) Zep’s last and to me, their best

Bob Seger – Against the Wind (1980) The title track is an all-timer; the rest prime Seger

Atlanta Rhythm Section – The Boys from Doraville (1979) – Southern rock’s most underrated talent

Foreigner – Head Games (1979) – Tough, tough choice among an impressive early canon

Journey – Infinity (1979) – ‘The Voice’ in his prime

Chicago 17 – (1984) – The end of the Peter Cetera era

Boston – Don’t Look Back (1978) – For such a hard act to follow, they did not disappoint  

Boston – Third Stage (1986) – Eight years in the making, worth the wait

Heavy Metal (soundtrack) – (1981) – Don Felder, Sammy Hagar and Cheap Trick’s tunes stand out

The Grass Roots – 16 Greatest Hits (1971) – One of the best of their era

Scorpions – Love at First Sting (1984)  - Saw ‘em live in 2008; fantastic show

Judas Priest – Screaming for Vengeance (1982) – Halford could belt ‘em out with fury

Nazareth – Hair of the Dog (1975) – The title track alone worth the price of admission/solid album

Wings – Greatest Hits (1978) – Includes my favorite McCartney post-Beatles tune ‘Band on the Run’

Cheap Trick – Dream Police (1979) – Quality jam after jam

REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity (1980) – So many hits; a best-seller after toiling for years in obscurity

The Rolling Stones- Emotional Rescue (1980) – Another touch choice from so many quality releases

The Beatles – The Number 1’s (1983) – Too many quality albums to choose only one

Kansas – Leftoverture (1976) – From progressive to classic rock to classic pop, they could do it all

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Southern Accents (1985) - Underrated concept album

Billy Joel – The Stranger (1977) – Nearly cracked my top ten but nipped at the wire by 52^nd Street

Poco – Legacy (1989) – One of the best comeback albums in country rock

Fleetwood Mac – Rumours (1977) – Arguably their best

Pink Floyd – The Wall (1979) – Who didn’t own this?

The Police – Synchronicity (1983) – The beginning of the end for the band

The Tubes – The Completion Backward Principle (1981) – So many great tracks

The Doobie Brothers – Brotherhood (1991) – Solid follow-up to ‘89’s ‘Cycles’

Glenn Frey – The Allnighter (1984) – RIP the original Eagle 

George Thorogood & the Destroyers – Maverick (1985) – One bourbon, one shot, one beer…

Ozzy Osborne – Diary of a Madman (1981) – My first real ‘Rock’ concert, winter of ’82, Birmingham, AL

The Sweet – Desolation Boulevard (1974) – ‘Fox on the Run’ and so much more 

John Hiatt – Walk on (1995) – From ‘Cry Love’ to ‘You Must Go’ to ‘Dust Down a Country Road’; some of his best work

Elton John – Caribou (1974) – From such an immense catalog, this was no easy choice

Queen – The Game (1980) – C’mon now, who didn’t own this back in the day?

Three Dog Night – Joy to the World: Their Greatest Hits (1974) – Much Like Jim Croce, one of my first ‘favorite’ artists 

Robert Plant – Fate of Nations (1993) – Best of his solo albums; no small feat

Kiss – Destroyer (1976) – From ‘Detroit Rock City’ to ‘Beth’ to ‘God of Thunder’.  Epic.

Billy Joel – Glass Houses (1980) – Sure it has all those great hits, but ‘All for Leyna’ is the true keeper

The Eagles – Desperado (1974) – Western concept album was exceptional from top to bottom

J. Geils Band – Freeze-Frame (1981) – The party band finally hit it big. RIP John Geils

Final note: I’ve been a rock ‘n roll fan since the early ‘70’s (also to include some country and, heaven help me, some of the disco tunes I despised back in the day sound pretty darn good forty years later) so I’m sure there are hundreds more I’ve forgotten that belong here. 

ROCK ON!!