This is the fourth and final Hall & Oates entry in this countdown, joining I Can’t Go For That (No. 100), You Make My Dreams Come True (69) and Maneater (46). So what earns the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame duo the distinction of joining Madonna as the only four-timers (to this point) on the … Read More
Many think the J. Geils Band suddenly erupted on the scene in 1981 with their smash hit Centerfold, but for more than 10 years prior the band toured the country sans the benefit of a single top 10 hit. That changed, seemingly in the blink of an eye as the MTV era rolled in. Centerfold was one of … Read More
I can’t lie to ya’ll—there’s few songs from this decade, or any other that pump me up harder than this Sir Kenny Loggins jam. It’s literally on my CD of car jams blasted at peak volume with the windows rolled down. By the way— did I just write “Sir” Kenny Loggins? Yes, I most certainly … Read More
I’d be a liar if I tried passing myself off as a rabid Van Halen fan from day one. With the exception of Running With The Devil (a great song) off their self-titled debut album in 1978, I’m not sure I heard of any song off their first four LPs, and if I did I … Read More
When looking back at my musical youth in the 1980s, few if any moments rival the spring of 1985 when We Are The World by USA For Africa was released. I’ll never forget the first handful of times I heard the song and saw the accompanying video, and how utterly awestruck I was by the … Read More
Some of the finest songs and biggest hits you hear happen almost by accident. Such as the case with Pat Benatar’s Love is a Battlefield. The song, co-written by Mike Chapman and Holly Knight was penned for Benatar. However, the intention of its premise compared to how you’d ultimately hear it on the radio is … Read More
Fortunately for lovers of the classic gospel-style power ballad, Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones was a big-time insomniac and lead signer Lou Gramm didn’t prevail in every band argument. As the story goes, following the release of their huge hit album “4” in 1981, the band found themselves with a lot of time to write. Generally … Read More
We’re getting into the deep water portion of this countdown, and seeing there’s but a (mini-spoiler alert) tiny handful of “sad” songs ranked ahead of “Make It Real” by the Jets show how much I loved this sappy tune. Throughout this little expedition I’ve reminded readers a few times this is a countdown of my … Read More
When music fans think of history-making acts, few jump in to mention the Go-Go’s. That’s a shame. Here’s a quick trivia question. How many all-female acts had an album soar to the top of the Billboard charts in which said group sang, played and wrote all of their own material aside from The Go-Go’s? The answer … Read More
Yacht Rock, baby! I’m well aware that soft rock doesn’t carry a lot of weight among hardened mainstream music lovers, but the charm and craftsmanship Christopher Cross brought to this record is undeniable. Laugh all you want but Cross was the Led Zepplin of soft rock and in turn, Sailing was his Stairway to Heaven. … Read More
