Greatest 200 Albums of All Time: Artists Beginning with B (part II)

This is the second of three posts with "B" artists.

Slippery When Wet: Bon Jovi (1986)


Slippery When Wet transformed Bon Jovi from just another pop hair band into international superstars. The record differentiated Bon Jovi from its contemporaries with its level of musicianship and crossover ability. It sold over 12 million copies and is an album that helps explain the mid-to-late 80s to listeners. It transitions from arena rock to pop metal and even foresees the unplugged phenomenon of the early 90s. As most of their contemporaries disappeared in the early 90s, Bon Jovi proved adaptable and has continued to score hit records nearly 25 years later.

Key Tracks:

You Give Love A Bad Name
Livin’ On A Prayer
Wanted Dead or Alive
Never Say Goodbye

Boston: Boston (1976)

Boston’s debut album sold 17 million copies. Only Guns n Roses sold more debut records. The band went from unknown to stars literally overnight. They became a curiosity for their meteoric rise and began opening for Black Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult. The album became a soundtrack for 1976 and various tracks still receive extensive radio play to this day. The record became one of several released during the period which convinced corporations to get involved in the music business. The end result being so-called “Corporate Rock.”

Key Tracks:

More Than A Feeling
Peace of Mind
Foreplay/Long Time

Space Oddity: David Bowie (1969)

Bowie mixes folk and prog rock together to create Space Oddity. More than one critic has commented that the album represents where Bowie had been and where he was going. The album was inspired in part by the burgeoning space program and 2001: A Space Odyssey. At the same time, the album incorporates Bob Dylan, the Beatles, and Eastern religions and philosophy. The album may confuse less sophisticated listeners, but is well worth a twirl.

Key Tracks:

Space Oddity
Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud
Cygnet Committee

Hunky Dory: David Bowie (1971)

Once again, Bowie mixes and combines musical styles to create a masterpiece. Bowie defines himself as well as the youth of his time and the music industry with “Changes.” In addition to this introspection, he borrows from Dylan, Nietzsche, and the Velvet Underground. Once again, he gives some insight into what would come with his future work.

Key Tracks:

Changes
Life on Mars?
Quicksand
Oh! You Pretty Things

Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars: David Bowie (1972)

David Bowie decided to create his own imaginary rock star. The character Ziggy Stardust is an alien that comes to Earth to present the planet with a message of peace and love. Ziggy falls to all the temptations including sex and drugs and is destroyed by rock excess. This album is the most creative and innovative of the period between the end of the sixties and the rise of disco.

Key Tracks:

Ziggy Stardust
Suffragette City
Starman
Rock n Roll Suicide

Heroes: David Bowie (1977)

The second, and best, of Bowie’s Berlin Trilogy (Low and Lodger) is the only one actually recorded there in its entirety. Bowie’s trilogy is influenced by Cold War Berlin and "Heroes" reflects the grit of the period. In fact, the studio sat 1500 feet from the Berlin Wall and Communist troops watched Bowie through binoculars. The album contains some dark and brooding pieces, but is downright cheerful compared to Low.

Key Tracks:

Heroes
Beauty and the Beast
Joe the Lion

Let’s Dance: David Bowie (1983)

David Bowie spent a decade as an artistic chameleon. By the early 80s, he decided to move into a pop direction and created an album to appeal to the masses. The end result was a monster album filled with catchy radio tunes. Let’s Dance also featured an up and coming guitar hero in Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Key Tracks:

Modern Love
China Girl
Let’s Dance
Cat People

Live at the Apollo: James Brown (1963)

James Brown recorded Live at the Apollo on October 24, 1962. Brown’s record label initially opposed releasing a live album. They felt an album lacking new material would not make money. However, Brown convinced them and the album was a smash. Stores could not keep the record on the shelves. The album represents a transition of old school R&B into soul.

Key Tracks:

I’ll Go Crazy
I Don’t Mind
Lost Someone

Buffalo Springfield Again: Buffalo Springfield (1967)

Personal problems surrounding Neil Young and Bruce Palmer created problems during the recording of Buffalo Springfield Again. However, those problems may have helped the songwriting along. As a result, the band’s sophomore effort surpasses its debut effort.

Key Tracks:

Mr. Soul
Broken Arrow
Expecting to Fly
Rock n Roll Woman

Mr. Tambourine Man: The Byrds (1965)

The album Mr. Tambourine Man, along with the title track, provided an American alternative to the British Invasion. The Byrds combined the Beatles sound with American folk to create a new genre. The album contained both originals and reworked folk songs. Hence, the band helped pioneer the folk rock genre. The Byrd’s influence is heard in Simon and Garfunkel, The Mamas and the Papas, Jefferson Airplane, Tom Petty, Big Star, R.E.M., The Gin Blossoms, The Smiths, and many other artists.

Key Tracks:

Mr. Tambourine Man
All I Really Want To Do
The Bells of St. Rhymney

Rock Countdown: Complete List

1. The Beatles
2. Elvis Presley
3. Bob Dylan
4. The Rolling Stones
5. The Who
6. Led Zeppelin
7. Pink Floyd
8. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
9. Chuck Berry
10. Buddy Holly

11. Jimy Hendrix
12. The Clash
13. U2
14. Little Richard
15. Jerry Lee Lewis
16. James Brown
17 The Beach Boys
18. Stevie Wonder
19. Diana Ross and The Supremes
20. The Eagles

21. John Lennon
22. Eric Clapton
23. David Bowie
24. Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
25. Johnny Cash
26. The Police
27. Queen
28. Tina Turner
29. The Doors
30. AC/DC

31. Bo Diddley
32. B.B. King
33. Ray Charles
34. Roy Orbison
35. Neil Young
36. Cream
37. Simon and Garfunkel
38. Velvet Underground
39. Aretha Franklin
40. Elton John

41. Black Sabbath
42. Nirvana
43. Metallica
44. Fleetwood Mac
45. The Talking Heads
46. Janis Joplin
47. The Ramones
48. The Kinks
49. The Byrds
50. Elvis Costello

51. The Yardbirds
52. George Harrison
53. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
54. Billy Joel
55. Paul McCartney
56. Paul Simon
57. CSNY
58. REM
59. Radiohead
60. Prince

61. The Sex Pistols
62. Aerosmith
63. Pearl Jam
64. Guns n Roses
65. Sly and the Family Stone
66. Bob Marley
67. Sam Cooke
68. The Grateful Dead
69. Wilson Pickett
70. Jeff Beck

71. Steely Dan
72. CCR
73. Blondie
74. Ozzy Osbourne
75. Rush
76. Bill Haley and The Comets
77. The Animals
78. Fats Domino
79. Dion
80. Genesis

81. Bon Jovi
82. Carlos Santana
83. ZZ Top
84. The Mamas and the Papas
85. Lynyrd Skynrd
86. Allman Brothers Band
87. Dire Straits
88. Judas Priest
89. Coldplay
90. Green Day

91. KISS
92. Smashing Pumpkins
93. Rage Against The Machine
94. Soundgarden
95. Motley Crue
96. Def Leppard
97. Weezer
98. Tool
99. Foo Fighters
100. Ringo

#30 AC/DC

You have to love AC/DC. They do rock one way--loud. They are probably the only long lived band not to have a ballad of some sort. AC/DC music is straight forward, loud, and full of piss and vinegar. What’s even more amazing is the band survived the death of their front man and grew even more popular with his replacement.

AC/DC are from Australia. The brothers Young (Angus and Malcolm) formed the band in 1973. The band’s first lead singer, Bon Scott, was a rock and roll hellion. He drank himself to death after the band’s most successful album, Highway to Hell. Scott's death nearly broke the group.

Instead of disbanding, AC/DC recruited Brian Johnson for lead vocals. Johnson’s vocals are the most unique in rock and Johnson’s AC/DC debut, Black in Black, is one of the greatest albums ever recorded. AC/DC became superstars and remain so to this day. Although considered Heavy Metal pioneers, they consider themselves a regular rock band. AC/DC are Rock n Roll Hall of Famers and recently teamed with Walmart to release the multi-platinum album, Black Ice.

Rock n Roll Moment: As a youth, Bon Scott spent 9 months in juvenile detention for “giving a false name to police, having escaped legal custody, having unlawful carnal knowledge, and the theft of 12 gallons of petrol.” As an adult, Scott drank himself to death. The coroner declared it “death by misadventure.”

Essential AC/DC:

High Voltage (1976)
Highway to Hell (1979)
Back in Black (1980)

AC/DC’s Top 10:

Dirty Deeds
Back in Black
You Shook Me All Night Long
Highway to Hell
Girls Got Rhythm
Shoot to Thrill
Hells Bells
It’s A Long Way to the Top if You Wanna Rock n Roll
Thunderstruck
For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)