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Turn Up the Radio – Autograph
For much of the the 1970s, Los Angeles was known for softer pop-country-folk-rock hybrids such as the Eagles, The Carpenters, Bread, Rumours-era Fleetwood Mac and others. But in 1978, a new heavy metal band from nearby Pasadena fired the first warning shot across the bow of LA-area mellow rock; Van Halen’s debut album, featuring Eddie Van Halen’s fiery guitar licks and David Lee Roth’s howls punctuated by a blistering mix by Ted Templeman, quickly turned … Read entire article »
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VH1′s 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 1980s
I’m a child of the 1980s. I went to high school in the 1980s. I discovered new … Read more »
VH1′s 40 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the ’90s
Vh1 has created a cottage industry around lists. Everything from the “100 Most Shocking Music Moments” to … Read more »
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Call to Your Heart – Giuffria
Before there was Giuffria and their one hit, “Call to Your Heart,” there was Angel–anybody remember those guys? Signed to Casablanca Records, Angel’s early albums sounded like a cross between Deep Purple and Yes, but when those more progressive albums didn’t sell, by 1977, they changed their sound to a poppy, “lite metal” vibe that was about ten years ahead of … Read entire article »
United State of Pop 2011 (World Go Boom) – DJ Earworm
DJ Earworm continues to impress with his amazing mash-ups of popular songs into seamless pop songs. His United State of Pop 2011 (Blame it on the Pop) was a shockingly good song on its own. This year’s entry, “World Go Boom” is equally impressive. Once again he has taken Billboard Magazine’s top 25 songs of 2011 and squished them into another … Read entire article »
We’re Not Gonna Take It – Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister had slogged the clubs in and around New York City for years in the 1970s, but it wasn’t until they shifted operations across the Atlantic that they secured a record deal. Their debut LP Under the Blade was initally released only in Europe (a remixed version showed up in this country after Stay Hungry became a big seller). Looking … Read entire article »
Burning Heart – Vandenberg
When Deep Purple fell apart in 1976, singer David Coverdale re-emerged a few years later with the first incarnation of Whitesnake, which featured two of his ex-bandmates in drummer Ian Paice and keyboardist Jon Lord. Like Rainbow, Whitesnake inherited the instability gene from its Deep Purple parent and through the years, a veritable Who’s Who of hard rock and heavy metal … Read entire article »
Sirius XM 80s on 8 Top 40 Turkeys of the 1980s
Now for a list of 80s songs that are simultaneously awful and awesome and include a plethora of one-hit wonders (Bob and Doug McKenzie, Bertie Higgins, Taco) along with a gaggle of hits by artists who loaded the Billboard Top 40 with songwriting fodder for years (Paul McCartney, Starship, Olivia Newton John). During the Thanksgiving weekend of 2011, SiriusXM’s 80s on … Read entire article »
New World Man by Rush
Editors note: Here is Jim Barton’s take on “New World Man” by Rush. You can also read Michael Waterman’s thoughts on the one song that made Rush a one-hit wonder. Featuring three of the most amazing musicians ever to walk the planet, Rush have been a fixture on the album chart and concert stage for more than 35 years, selling … Read entire article »
Fantasy – Aldo Nova
A quick joke for you… Q: There were 10 copycats sitting on a fence, and one jumped off. How many were left? A: None. They were all copycats. That basic joke leads us to this very marginal entry in our look at heavy metal one-hit wonders, but “Fantasy” by Aldo Nova deserves a quick mention because the first time I heard it in … Read entire article »