Jennifer Tyler
Triumph’s “Magic Power” is more than a classic-rock anthem—it is a celebration of the way music can lift us out of loneliness, frustration and everyday pressure. Released in 1981 on the Canadian trio’s breakthrough album Allied Forces, the song was largely inspired by guitarist and vocalist Rik Emmett’s childhood relationship with radio. Emmett has explained […]
When The Rolling Stones released “Paint It, Black” in 1966, they delivered one of the most striking and unconventional songs of their career. Dark, mysterious and driven by an instantly recognizable sitar melody, the song sounded unlike much of what was dominating rock radio at the time. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, “Paint […]
When Styx released “Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)” in 1977, the song became one of the standout tracks from The Grand Illusion, an album that helped transform the Chicago-based band into one of the biggest rock acts of the era. Written by guitarist and vocalist Tommy Shaw, the song was inspired by the frustrations, […]
When Metallica released “Wherever I May Roam” in 1991, the song became one of the defining tracks from the band’s blockbuster self-titled album, better known as The Black Album. While the record introduced Metallica to an enormous mainstream audience, “Wherever I May Roam” stayed true to the band’s heavier roots, combining a crushing guitar riff […]
Blondie’s “One Way or Another” is one of the most recognizable songs to emerge from the late-1970s New York punk and new wave scene. Released in 1978 on the band’s third studio album, Parallel Lines, the song combined a catchy guitar riff, Debbie Harry’s cool and confident vocals, and a slightly unsettling story about obsession. […]
When Black Sabbath released “Iron Man” in 1970, they created one of heavy metal’s most recognizable songs almost by accident. The track appeared on the band’s second album, Paranoid, which would become one of the most influential records in rock history. With its massive guitar riff, ominous atmosphere, and Ozzy Osbourne’s unmistakable vocals, “Iron Man” […]
When ZZ Top released “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide” in 1979, the Texas trio was already well on its way to becoming one of the biggest and most recognizable bands in rock. Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard had built their reputation on a unique combination of blues, boogie, hard rock and Texas swagger. The […]
With Robert Plant’s piercing battle cry, Jimmy Page’s relentless guitar riff and John Bonham’s thunderous drumming, “Immigrant Song” sounds like an army charging over the horizon. The inspiration for Led Zeppelin’s compact hard-rock classic came from the band’s real-life journey to the dramatic landscape of Iceland. Led Zeppelin traveled to Reykjavík in June 1970 to […]
“Man in the Box” was the song that introduced millions of listeners to Alice in Chains and helped establish the dark, heavy sound that would soon emerge from Seattle. Released on the band’s 1990 debut album, Facelift, the track blended heavy metal, grunge and haunting vocal harmonies into something unlike almost anything else receiving mainstream […]
“I Got the Six” may not have received the massive radio exposure of “Legs,” “Sharp Dressed Man” or “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” but the song remains one of the hardest-rocking cuts on ZZ Top’s blockbuster 1983 album, Eliminator. Fast, loud and filled with suggestive humor, it also gave bassist Dusty Hill a rare opportunity to […]
By 1988, Van Halen had successfully entered a new chapter. Sammy Hagar had replaced David Lee Roth as lead singer in 1985, and the band’s first album with Hagar, 5150, had gone to No. 1. For the follow-up, OU812, Van Halen continued mixing Eddie Van Halen’s explosive guitar playing with keyboards, big harmonies and a […]
Few songs in rock history have grown from a simple ballad into an epic quite like Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird.” Written by guitarist Allen Collins and singer Ronnie Van Zant, the song reportedly began when Collins brought the band a slow series of guitar chords. Van Zant initially felt the progression contained too many changes […]