Rock and Ruin: The Downfall of Courtney Love’s ‘America’s Sweetheart’
Concocted in a three-year maelstrom of excess, the highly anticipated solo LP America’s Sweetheart was overshadowed by Courtney Love’s erratic behavior.
Pop Past
Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are A-Changin’ at 60
Bob Dylan’s third album The Times They Are A-Changin’ was his darkest and most political, a modern folk landmark that remains a template for socially conscious music.
Jimmy Eat World’s Emo Classic ‘Clarity’ at 25
Jimmy Eat World’s career has looked increasingly like that of bands they admire. They keep a devoted fan base happy with incendiary, hit-packed live sets.
TV on the Radio’s ‘Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes’ at 20
Blending doo-wop, hip-hop, and soul into post-punk, TV on the Radio’s discography is unlike anything released this century. Their music still sounds singular.
Cake’s Motorcade of Generosity Previewed the Mid-’90s Alt-Rock Explosion
Cake were perfectly positioned for mid-’90s success. Artists willing to experiment and incorporate different genres were about to ascend briefly in popular music.
Five of 1999’s Best Guitar Rock Albums
In a rare confluence of creativity, five exceptional records helped shape 1999 and yielded some of the most enduring guitar rock of the past 25 years.
I Get So Mean Around This Scene: Joe Jackson’s ‘Look Sharp!’ at 45
With his 1979 debut album Look Sharp!, Joe Jackson joined the league of UK artists who fused sophisticated pop songwriting with a punk snarl.
Van Halen’s ‘1984’ Represents the Past, Present, and Future
The era of hard rock and metal Van Halen ushered peaked and fell when the 1980s ended, but comes back again as classic rock for today’s 13-year-olds.
Public Image Ltd’s Debut Album Put the “Post” in Post-Punk
The Sex Pistols blew away the old rock of the ’50s and ’60s, but then John Lydon formed Public Image Ltd and created new musical possibilities with post-punk.
Blink-182’s ‘Untitled’ Showed Foresight We Could Only See in Hindsight
It’s easy to see how untitled‘s themes acted as a harbinger of the years to come for Blink-182. There’s longing and yearning; a distance that can’t be crossed.
Mariah Carey Declared Herself Queen of Christmas with One Song
Through one hit single, Mariah Carey declared herself the Queen of Christmas, and judging from its perennial success, it looks as if her reign isn’t over anytime soon.
The Who’s ‘Quadrophenia’ Shines Brightly on Its Golden Anniversary
A tale of UK Mod culture and failed dreams, Quadrophenia is easily the Who’s best album, and perhaps, it’s the best rock opera ever.