The story of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s most famous guitar is almost as legendary as the man himself. His primary instrument—affectionately known as “Number One”—became inseparable from his identity and sound. “Number One” was a 1963 Fender Stratocaster that Vaughan purchased in 1973 from a music store in Austin, Texas. The guitar itself was unique: it […]
Released in 1977, ‘Come Sail Away’ became one of Styx’s most enduring and recognizable hits, cementing their place in the arena rock landscape. The song appeared on their eighth studio album, The Grand Illusion, a record that explored themes of ambition, illusion, and the pursuit of dreams. It remains a quintessential example of Styx’s ability […]
Released in 1980, ‘Everybody Wants Some!!’ became one of the standout tracks from Van Halen’s third studio album, Women and Children First. While the band had already scored a radio-friendly hit with ‘Dance the Night Away,’ this song reaffirmed their raw, hard-edged identity and showcased the group’s chemistry at full throttle. The track evolved out […]
Released in 1981, ‘Too Much Time on My Hands’ became one of the signature songs of Styx and a defining moment for guitarist and vocalist Tommy Shaw. The track appeared on the band’s tenth studio album, Paradise Theatre, a concept record inspired by Chicago’s historic Paradise Theatre and intended as a broader commentary on the […]
Queen’s ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ is one of the band’s most playful and unexpected hits, showcasing their remarkable ability to explore diverse musical styles. Written by Freddie Mercury in 1979, the song pays homage to 1950s rock ‘n’ roll, particularly the sound of Elvis Presley, with its rockabilly rhythm and retro flair. Mercury reportedly […]
Nirvana’s ‘Come As You Are’ stands as one of the defining songs of the early 1990s grunge movement, emblematic of the band’s raw energy and Kurt Cobain’s enigmatic songwriting. Released in 1991 as the second single from their groundbreaking album Nevermind, the song helped cement Nirvana’s place in rock history and contributed to the seismic […]
Released in 1979, ‘Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy’ became one of Bad Company’s most recognizable anthems and marked a major moment late in the band’s classic 1970s run. Written by singer Paul Rodgers and featured on the album Desolation Angels, the song captured the emotional highs and lows of life inside the rock-and-roll machine — a […]
‘Heaven’s on Fire’ marked an important moment in KISS history, arriving during one of the band’s biggest reinventions in the 1980s. Released in 1984 as the lead single from the Animalize album, the song captured KISS transitioning from their theatrical ‘70s image into a harder-edged, glam-metal–influenced sound that helped them stay relevant in a changing […]
There are rock songs… and then there are songs that define an era — and for AC/DC, ‘Highway to Hell’ is exactly that kind of anthem. When the band released it in the summer of 1979, they weren’t thinking about creating one of the most recognizable guitar intros in history. They were just trying to […]
‘Wheel in the Sky’ marked a major breakthrough for Journey, helping transform the band from a jazz-fusion-leaning project into one of the defining arena-rock acts of the late 1970s. Released in 1978 as a single from their album Infinity, the song introduced audiences to new lead singer Steve Perry and signaled a fresh musical direction […]
‘If Anyone Falls’ is one of Stevie Nicks’ most underrated yet fascinating songs, born during a creative and emotional turning point in her solo career. Released in September 1983 as the second single from her album The Wild Heart, the track showcased Nicks blending dreamy rock with the synthesizer-driven sound that defined much of the […]
‘Blaze of Glory’ marked a major turning point in Jon Bon Jovi’s career, becoming his first and most successful solo hit while also tying his music to Hollywood storytelling. Released in 1990 as the lead single from his debut solo album of the same name, the song was written specifically for the Western film Young […]