Ozzy Will Play ‘Bits and Pieces’ With Black Sabbath at Final Show

Ozzy Osbourne Will Play ‘Bits and Pieces’ With Black Sabbath at Final Show
Kevork Djansezian, Getty Images

Ozzy Osbourne discussed the extent to which he will perform with Black Sabbath during their reunion at his final show in July.

“I’m not planning on doing a set with Black Sabbath, but I am doing little bits and pieces with them,” Osbourne said on a new episode of his SiriusXM show Ozzy Speaks (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “I am doing what I can, where I feel comfortable.”

The frontman’s final bow and band reunion will take place on July 5 at Villa Park in Black Sabbath’s hometown of Birmingham, England. The event, dubbed “Back to the Beginning,” will also feature MetallicaSlayerPantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, Anthrax and Mastodon, plus new additions Guns N’ Roses, Tool and Rival Sons, among others.

READ MORE: Revisiting Ozzy Osbourne’s Last Concert

Ozzy Osbourne Is ‘Trying to Get Back on My Feet’ Ahead of Final Show

Osbourne hasn’t played a proper show since 2018, and he has battled a number of health issues — including a 2020 Parkinson’s diagnosis — in the interim. “I am trying to get back on my feet,” Osbourne added on his show. “When you get up in the morning, you just jump out of bed. I have to balance myself, but I’m not dead. I’m still actively doing things.”

Earlier in the month, Osbourne reflected on his condition and expressed gratitude for how far he’s come. “I have made it to 2025. I can’t walk, but you know what I was thinking over the holidays? For all my complaining, I’m still alive,” he said. “I may be moaning that I can’t walk, but I look down the road and there’s people that didn’t do half as much as me and didn’t make it.”

Osbourne’s wife and manager Sharon also vouched for her husband earlier this month. “He’s very happy to be coming back and very emotional about this,” she told The Sun. “Parkinson’s is a progressive disease. It’s not something you can stabilize. It affects different parts of the body, and it’s affected his legs. But his voice is as good as it’s ever been.”

The Best Song From Every Ozzy Osbourne Album

A journey through Ozzy Osbourne’s solo output seems to mirror the Black Sabbath icon’s life and times.

Gallery Credit: Ultimate Classic Rock Staff

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“I feel like crying, that was beautiful.” Spiritbox’s Alexandra Palace show is the end of an era: where they go from rising stars to metal’s next big thing

You can trust Louder Our experienced team has worked for some of the biggest brands in music. From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews you can trust. Find out more about how we review.

“CUT DOWN THE ALTAR!” Spiritbox’s UK live debut at Download Festival in 2022 wasn’t just one of the best Download debuts since Trivium’s legendary pop-up in 2005, but also set a breakneck pace for their ascent. First, they first played to a packed tent, then the following night to 800 eager fans at London’s Islington Academy. Not even three years later, they’re headlining a sold-out arena show to 10,000 people at the Alexandra Palace. Talk about a meteoric rise.

Of course, the timing is a little odd. On March 7, the Canadian band’s much-anticipated second album Tsunami Sea will be released. Which begs the question: is tonight a celebration of what came before, or an introduction to what comes next?

First up though, is a pounding workout from Stray From The Path. There’s nothing especially flashy about their brand of metallic hardcore, but Stray sure know how to whip up a crowd. The howling refrains of “Are you in or in the way?” of opener Needful Things offer a handy reminder that while good, anthemic hardcore isn’t a rocket science, there’s an undeniable magic when a band strike the right chord.

“I know it’s not Friday, but give me some fucking Friday energy goddamnit,” Andrew Dijorio commands, before demanding 100 crowdsurfers fly over the barriers to latest single Kubrick Stare. While we’re not keeping count, the tide of bodies flying over the barriers to the song’s stomping beats certainly feels like mission accomplished.

Stray From the Path – Kubrick Stare (Live in London 13/02/2025) – YouTube Stray From the Path - Kubrick Stare (Live in London 13/02/2025) - YouTube

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After that, Periphery were always going to have an uphill battle. It’s not one they’re entirely unprepared for, however: howling to life with Wildfire, their ultra-technical, thumping brand of djent flavoured prog metal picks up the baton admirably. Ironically, it’s in the more esoteric flourishes that make Wildfire so brilliant where the band fall flat live, a backing tape of jazzy piano dragging momentum to a near stand-still as the band lurk looking a little lost amidst the massive surroundings.

There’s no denying the enormity of songs like Atropos or CHRVCH BVRNER. But with just a standard backdrop and flashing lights to back them up – something that was always going to feel incredibly static after Stray – it feels like they’re left grasping for something more that could really elevate their performance and make it feel suited to an arena-sized stage.

Spiritbox have no such issues. Starting out behind a massive curtain, the choice to open by debuting a brand new song – Fata Morgana – is brave, but also sets the tone for a very special night. Because make no mistake: Spiritbox’s Alexandra Palace headline show is the end of an era before Spiritbox officially became an arena band.

“I honestly didn’t think we’d sell this show out,” vocalist Courtney LaPlante admits with a wry chuckle.

For all her self-depreciative humour, Courtney feels like a metal icon in the making, strutting around the stage with a possessive presence that would draw attention even if she weren’t deploying vocals that swing between larynx-crushing howls and serene melodies.

The juddering riffs of Cellar Door and Jaded speak to the band’s shift towards more prog/djenty directions on The Fear Of Fear, while Perfect Soul – the first of the recent singles the band air tonight – utilises gorgeous melodies amidst grinding heft, while electronic interludes provide connective connective tissue between songs that keeps momentum constantly building.

The love for the band is strong tonight and – appropriately, given it is the eve before Valentine’s Day – Courtney even invites a couple of superfans onstage for a proposal (she says yes, thankfully!). It all adds to an air of magic that permeates the whole show, a night of new beginnings and celebrations that sees songs aired for the first time (Sew Me Up, No Loss, No Love) alongside fan-favourites. Circle With Me and Holy Roller still feel colossal – not hurt in the least by the addition of pyro – but Soft Spine looks like it could be en route to taking the crown as the new essential Spiritbox live banger.

Gearing up for a big finish on Constance, the band start out acoustic before lurching into the song’s majestic, crashing notes as a blizzard of confetti blasts out into the crowd. “I feel like crying right now, that was beautiful,” admits Courtney and as she shares one last heartfelt message of thanks for everyone that’s joined their journey so far, it feels like we’ve just witnessed another big moment in metal history and something truly magical. Tonight was the night Spiritbox officially stepped up as metal’s next big thing.

Tsunami Sea is out March 7 via Rise. Spiritbox play Download Festival in June and support Linkin Park at Wembley Stadium on June 28. To read more about Spiritbox, pick up the new issue of Metal Hamer, on-sale now.

Spiritbox – Fata Morgana | LIVE DEBUT | LONDON | 2025 – YouTube Spiritbox - Fata Morgana | LIVE DEBUT | LONDON | 2025 - YouTube

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Spiritbox setlist @ Alexandra Palace, London February 13 2025

  1. Fata Morgana
  2. Cellar Door
  3. Jaded
  4. Halcyon
  5. Perfect Soul
  6. The Void
  7. Eternal Blue
  8. Circle With Me
  9. Rotoscope
  10. Sew Me Up
  11. Hysteria
  12. Soft Spine
  13. The Mara Effect, Pt. 3
  14. No Loss, No Love
  15. Holy Roller
  16. Constance

Staff writer for Metal Hammer, Rich has never met a feature he didn’t fancy, which is just as well when it comes to covering everything rock, punk and metal for both print and online, be it legendary events like Rock In Rio or Clash Of The Titans or seeking out exciting new bands like Nine Treasures, Jinjer and Sleep Token. 

“A glossy heavy metal album that doesn’t quite have the songs to make it stand out from the crowd, despite the talent of the players”: John Sykes, Carmine Appice and Tony Franklin conjure up a cult favourite on debut Blue Murder album

You can trust Louder Our experienced team has worked for some of the biggest brands in music. From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews you can trust. Find out more about how we review.

Blue Murder – Blue Murder

Blue Murder - Blue Murder cover art

(Image credit: Geffen Records)

Riot
Sex Child
Valley Of The Kings
Jelly Roll
Blue Murder
Out Of Love
Billy
Ptolemy
Black-Hearted Woman

During the recording of Whitesnake‘s multi-million-selling album 1987, the relationship between former Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes – who’d joined the band in 1983 – and frontman David Coverdale began to deteriorate.

By the time the album was ready to go, the band had been fired and Sykes was looking for something new. Geffen Records’ A&R man John Kalodner encouraged him to form his own band, so he hooked up with bassist Tony Franklin and drummer Carmine Appice (a replacement for Cozy Powell) and released Blue Murder’s debut album in 1989.

With Sykes on lead vocals, the album was critically acclaimed but a commercial underachiever, failing to reach the Top 40 in the UK and just denting the Top 75 in the US. But it picked up a cult following over the years, with fellow guitarists keen to praise the brilliance of Sykes’ playing.

“These days there’s a whole Brotherhood Of Blue Murder out there – musicians and crew guys who love this band,” said Myles Kennedy in 2014. “You’d be surprised how many of us there are.”

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Other albums released in April 1989

  • Beneath the Remains – Sepultura
  • Sonic Temple – The Cult
  • Twice Shy – Great White
  • Doolittle – Pixies
  • Buzz Factory – Screaming Trees
  • Blue Blood – X Japan
  • Full Moon Fever – Tom Petty
  • Headless Cross – Black Sabbath
  • Sea Hags – Sea Hags
  • Best Wishes – Cro-Mags
  • Repeat Offender – Richard Marx
  • Mr. Music Head – Adrian Belew
  • 1,000 Hours – Green Day
  • The Black Swan – The Triffids
  • The Headless Children – W.A.S.P.
  • Slippery When Ill – The Vandals

What they said…

“The album has also become rather dated over the years, because of its frequent indulgence in the same sort of unchecked, peroxide-fueled “Bad Zeppelin-isms” that were then being shamelessly appropriated by bands like Kingdom Come and Sykes’ own former boss, David Coverdale, and the reborn Whitesnake.” (AllMusic)

“For whatever reason, this project was simply cursed, and it never got off the ground commercially. However, don’t let any of that muddled and unfortunate history fool you; this album is fantastic, and in my opinion, it is essential to any Hair and Glam Metal collection. Haven’t heard it? Do yourself a favour and change that.” (VWMusic)

“Blue Murder has much in common with the ’Snake. Sykes’ strong voice isn’t quite the equal of David Coverdale’s, but it’s certainly as good as many other hard rock screamers, while his guitar playing, in the technical style then in favour, is superb. They made an epic, glossy album, marginally heavier than Whitesnake but in the same vein, and with tunes as big as Sykes’ hair and a typically clean yet thunderous production job by Bob Rock.” (Record Collector)

What you said…

Mike Canoe: Boy, the lyrics to Sex Child haven’t aged well, have they?

That stumble aside, I like Blue Murder, the eponymous debut by Blue Murder. For good or bad, it’s the John Sykes show. He handled the majority of the songwriting, sang lead, and, of course, played plenty of flashy, slashy guitar. The inclusion of rock veterans Carmine Appice and Tony Franklin made the project a bit of a supergroup and they have the skills to help Sykes realize his vision.

Imagine my surprise then, when, while doing my weekly homework, I discovered this album was a commercial flop. It feels like I heard Jelly Roll on the radio all the time and, in 1989, this Zep-inspired hard rock was still very much the coin of the realm. Maybe with their poofy hair and pirate garb, they didn’t stand out enough from the glut of late-80s hair metal bands.

While the songs aren’t particularly original, they are played with passion and conviction. There’s hints of the aforementioned Zeppelin, UFO, latter-day Rainbow, and, of course, Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake. Listening to Black-Hearted Woman, I snickered because Sykes was mimicking Whitesnake. Then I realized he was, never mind what the music videos told you, mimicking himself in Whitesnake.

And there it is. Blue Murder gave Sykes his shot at glory instead of being treated like a disposable sideman. RIP.

Evan Sanders: I wanted to enjoy this album, both as a tribute to John Sykes, and to appreciate a supergroup with the great Carmine Appice drumming. But unlike the Asia supergroup debut we reviewed a little while ago, I think this was way less than the sum of its parts. Perhaps the problem is just bad luck, as it sounds like a variation of 80s hair metal, which was on the way out at the time. Things may have gone differently if they released the album in the mid-80s, before groups like Guns N’ Roses changed things, followed by grunge. A worthwhile effort, but at the wrong time. 5/10.

Chris Downie: While the late John Sykes’s place in history as an all-time great guitarist has long been assured, via his stellar work with Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy and the perennially underrated Tygers of Pan Tang, the Blue Murder project always had a hint of the ‘what might have been’ about it. A victim of the zeitgeist, it was somewhat overlooked by all but the already converted, in a post-Appetite For Destruction musical climate that favoured the edgy over the sophisticated.

Looking back at this album, there’s much to be admired about the musicianship all round; far from being another supergroup that fell just wide of the mark, each member is on-point and brings their ‘A’ game. It was simply the right album at the wrong time.

More pointedly still, it once again illustrates just what a waste of talent it was, having Sykes (never renowned for being prolific) on the sidelines for much of the last few decades of his life, with mooted projects such as a new solo album and a series of demos with Mike Portnoy that never saw the light of day. 8/10.

Gary Claydon: Decent enough but chock full of fairly generic 80s hard rock. Basically picks up from where Sykes’ Whitesnake stint left off. His guitar work elevates the whole affair somewhat and his vocals are fine but, overall, the material is pretty run-of-the-mill (including some ropey lyrics) and isn’t helped by Bob Rock’s heavy-handed production. Still, a solid 6/10.

Blue Murder – Valley Of The Kings – YouTube Blue Murder - Valley Of The Kings - YouTube

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Dean Doherty: My all-time fave debut. I know: Van Halen, Boston, GN’R etc are brilliant but this is my fave and in my top 10. Fantastic album. Amazingly under-appreciated. John Sykes R.I.P.

Andrew Bramah: Blue Murder were being lined up as the next big rock band.

The Bob Rock production said it all. On the whole the album has some really good tracks but it was missing two elements: A really strong vocalist who could take the songs to the next level and a couple of epic singles that would catch the audience’s attention.

I’ve seen John Sykes many times and he is a supreme guitar player on all the albums he played on. However, he was at his best with a brilliant singer.

Marike Elzinga: One of the best debut albums of all time. They should have become huge and it just kills me how much bad luck Sykes had with the projects he took on after Lizzy. With all his talent and skills he deserved so much more. I was just listening to the live version of Billy on Screaming Blue Murder this morning, it’s mindblowing!

Philip Qvist: Although John Sykes is a decent enough singer this album could have done with a first-class singer who would have taken the songs to greater heights. In fairness though, he was initially quite reluctant to take on the singing role – and it should not diminish his role as a great guitarist and songwriter.

It looks like poor marketing was the reason why this record bombed because the reviews of Blue Murder the album were mainly highly positive. It is definitely an album that deserved far more success than it achieved.

The rhythm section of Tony Franklin and Carmine Appice are on top form and it is an album that I rate highly. My favourite tracks were Blue Murder, Out Of Love and Ptolemy. Highly recommended – a high score from me this week despite the average vocals.

Graham Tarry: This was a breath of fresh air when it came out. In places, it reminds me of the legendary Hughes-Thrall album. Over-the-top production, with some tremendous moments, in particular the section in Billy when it goes into overdrive!

Tony Cruse: Great playing from Sykes. However, the songs are not epic and the fretless bass sound ruins it for me. Incidentally, the Badlands debut came out on the same day and is a far better release.

Mark Herrington: This reminded me more of Journey’s heavier offerings – Eclipse and Frontiers – and less so of Whitesnake. The sound is swirling power rock /metal orientated, with great guitar.

It sprints out of the blocks with the pounding Riot. The less said about the second track the better. Valley Of The Kings borrows thematically from Rainbows Stargazer, and even has the “whips and chains” and “flesh “ references -but what the hell, it carries it off well.

The album continues in this vein, with obligatory ballads etc. Black Hearted Woman finishes the album off with a track that could have been written for Dio.

Overall, a very enjoyable listen, reminiscent of bands I like – a pretty good score from me.

Pete Miles: I loved this album! Not nearly enough credit.

Steve Torrens: One good song, Valley Of The Kings. The rest is average to poor. The whole thing was an ego vehicle.

Blue Murder – Jelly Roll – YouTube Blue Murder - Jelly Roll - YouTube

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Greg Schwepe: Like Gary Moore a few reviews ago, it seems I had initially heard more about John Sykes in my guitar magazines long before I realized who he was and what he had played on. Found out he too had a tenure in the initial last chapter of Thin Lizzy, and was the guy who played on Whitesnake’s breakthrough album. “Oh, he played on the album, but wasn’t in the videos ’cause he got booted. Got it.” And usually listed in any Sykes article was his other project; Blue Murder. For those in the know, this was another late 80s rock/metal one to check out.

So, on paper you’ve got a power trio with a pretty good pedigree. Shreddy, squawky pinch-harmonic using a guitar player who was in Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake. Mustachioed drummer Carmine Appice who’s played with everybody. And spikey-haired fretless bassist Tony Franklin who played along guys named Page and Rodgers. Dang. Bit of a resume there.

But can these guys put something together on their own? The short answer: Yes. Standard 80s hard rock fare played by guys with chops! But we knew that going in. Melodic, rocking, and worthy of multiple listens. Sykes’s vocals are decent, with no extraneous shrieking.

Standout tracks are Valley Of The Kings, with its slightly atmospheric vibe, the bouncy, slightly acoustic-ish vibe of Jelly Roll, and the big crunchy riff of the title track, Blue Murder. I like Sykes’s guitar style and I like fretless bass… so I’m in on this one.

But, big thumbs down to the second track title, Sex Child. Really? I thought this was a Spinal Tap moment there. Nothing like putting a target on your back for the P.M.R.C. at that time with a title like that! I’m no prude, but… yuk!

Now, this is not the greatest thing to come out of the late 80s… but it’s enough to get me in the mood to play multiple times and find some other Sykes solo albums. But in a few days I will have moved on to something else that grabs me. 7 out of 10 on this one for me.

John Davidson: Sykes is a decent singer and an excellent guitarist, but the songs here never rise above the ordinary. Musically the album sounds, at times, like Tawny Kittaen-era Whitesnake and at others like post-Dio Rainbow.

The production too is very cluttered, typical of the bombastic late 80s style. I love a good rhythm section and both Appice and Franklin are accomplished musicians, but they don’t leave enough space for the guitar and vocals to breathe.

That said, I can’t blame Bob Rock entirely for this. His other 1989 album (The Cult’s Sonic Temple) features a cleaner, hard rock sound that elevated The Cult from stomping Gothic rock to stadium-friendly anthems.

Regardless, Blue Murder is an album caught in the amber of its time, a glossy heavy metal shred album that doesn’t quite have the songs to make it stand out from the crowd, despite the talent of the players.

Final score: 7.44 (47 votes cast, total score 350)

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Top 10 Ronnie James Dio Songs

Ronnie James Dio Songs

Photo: By .:-Badulake-:. [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Ronnie James Dio fronted several bands through the late 1950s into the early 1980s. The most notable of the bands were Elf and Rainbow. In 1979, Ronnie James Dio was asked to front Black Sabbath. Ronnie James Dio would face the difficult task of replacing the fired Ozzy Osbourne. It was there that Ronnie met drummer Vinny Appice. In 1982, Ronnie James Dio left the band Black Sabbath over creative differences. When departing Black Sabbath, Dio convinced  Vinny Appice to accompany him. The two would go on to form the band Dio. The band Dio would also feature Vivian Campbell on guitars and Jimmy Bain on bass and keyboards. Soon after, they added Claude Schnell to the keyboards. That was the initial lineup, but Dio frequently changed members as the years passed.

The themes of Dio-as-a-band almost universally portrayed magic, fantasy, medievalism, and the tension between light and dark, Heaven and Hell. Most of the music was written by Ronnie, with plenty of help from other band members. Dio was sucked into the mid-80s furor over “Satanic” bands due to their admittedly dark and religious imagery. Some bands merited that label; some didn’t. However, since Ronnie’s motifs are shown in so much of his music, his beliefs are worth a brief look at. Several interviews throughout his career revealed that, while he wasn’t a Christian, he was no baby-sacrificing Satanist either. He was raised Catholic, but that environment struck him as frightening and judgment-based, so he turned from it to a perspective of relativist humanism. He saw good and evil as emanating from the same source, mirroring pre-Christian paganism, which was ultimately the human soul.

Furthermore, Ronnie was fascinated with magic and myth from a young age. As he formed Dio, there was a concurrent rise in sword-and-sorcery interest, exemplified by works like J.R.R. Tolkien or role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. Ronnie made use of those elements. He once said, “When I became a songwriter, I thought what better thing to do than what no one else is doing… to tell fantasy tales. Smartest thing I ever did.” So, in the ’80s if you were a fantasy nerd and a metalhead, you got a two-for-one punch with Dio.

Top 10 Ronnie James Dio Songs

# 10 – The Last in Line –  The Last in Line 

The Last in Line

was Dio’s single best-selling album, coming only a year after Holy Diver, which slung them to instant recognition. It fetched #24 in the U.S., going platinum, and a respectable #4 in the U.K. Later in Dio’s career, as an interviewer was asking Ronnie about his philosophy, Ronnie explained that, in his view, humanity was indeed “the last in line.” He meant that we create our heaven or hell with our choices, implying there is no higher arbiter. This first pick on our list describes a quest for self-discovery.

The song starts with a bard-like acoustic trill and then morphs into an indomitable metal parade. Campbell mixes rapid fretwork with lingering whang bars to an artful effect. Appice throws in a cowbell during the bridge and chorus. Somehow, despite the album’s success, “The Last in Line” did not chart at all. Go figure. Two other singles did, though. One of them, “Mystery,” reached #20 in the U.S. and #34 in the U.K.

# 9 – Between Two Hearts –  Lock Up the Wolves

By 1990, Dio had undergone a complete lineup change from their previous album, retaining only Ronnie himself. It featured Rowan Robertson on rhythm, lead, and acoustic guitar, Jens Johansson on keyboards, Teddy Cook on bass, and Simon Wright on drums. Whether because of that change or despite it, Lock Up the Wolves

boasted some of Dio’s best music.

Our next pick is “Between Two Hearts.” In a departure from the usual subject material, this slow piece decries the plight of a female character in love with a man who treats her shabbily. We’ve all been through that at least once, regardless of the jerk’s gender. The song has an interesting structure in that the guitars play a sort of staccato arpeggio in the chorus while lapsing into long, mournful notes in the verses. Picture a sad, lonely violin with the ‘woe is me’ card, then set it to heavy distortion. Somehow, it works, and the listener gets weepy and ticked off immediately.

# 8 – Night People –  Dream Evil

Dream Evil featured Craig Goldy on guitars, replacing Vivian Campbell, who eventually ended up with Def Leppard. Other than that, the group members stayed the same, and on this album, they churned out some excellent creations. One of Dio’s better techniques was using enough keyboards to provide a wonderful counterpoint to the hard axe work. Like a steak so gravy-laden you can’t taste the cow, many 80s bands poured excessive synthesizers all over their tracks. But Dio never went glam, didn’t even experiment. Their guitars were some of the heaviest for their day, in line with Motley Crue’s Shout at the Devil.”

“Night People” opens with a keyboard teaser before Goldy’s guitar slashes in at triple time. It’s a tribute to the night owls, the movers, and the shakers in the moonlight. If you “come alive when neon kills the sun,” this round’s for you.

# 7 – Holy Diver –  Holy Diver

For those bands that make it big, some start out in obscurity and then gradually win the limelight. Others explode right out the gate. Dio was one of the latter, and Holy Diver was their first breakaway sprint. It charted at number fifty six in the U.S. and managed #13 in the U.K., achieving platinum and silver statuses respectively. With this release, Dio established itself as an entity that could fine-weave adamantine riffs with gorgeous melodies.

The title track attained number forty in the U.S. and number seventy two in the U.K. Appice showed off his skills nicely with machine-gun fills. As for Ronnie, this would be one of the first introductions to his voice. Never having taken voice lessons, there was a definite gravelly timber there, but early listeners were impressed by his sheer decibel level. The voice led Rainbow/Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore to describe shivers down his spine when he heard it. In this song, Ronnie managed an impressive howl in the bridge: “There’s a truth that’s hard as steel… like some never-ending wheel.”

# 6 – All the Fools Sailed Away –  Dream Evil 

Speaking of exploding out the gate, if we were to continue the race track analogy, Dio would be that horse that attained a healthy lead at the beginning but faded well back toward the end. Dream Evil was the first album not to do metal, selling only 52,000 copies. And despite releasing records well into the 2000s, Dio would never medal again. In a way, this is unfortunate because, in some reviewers’ opinions, Dio’s very best songwriting was displayed on Dream Evil and the next album, Lock Up the Wolves. But then, we don’t rely on popular opinion to tell us where to go for our music.

With “All the Fools Sailed Away,” we embark on another journey for identity and self-discovery. This track begins with a lovely trickle of acoustic guitar as Ronnie chants, “And as we drift along, I never fail to be astounded by the things we’ll do for promises and a song.” The verses kick into a lock-step 8-count progression as the keyboards call out in two tones, like a foghorn’s warning. How do they know to place those just so? The chorus manages an introspective and fanciful air, which is impressive given that it’s hard to achieve those moods in metal. Guitarist Goldy joined Ronnie in writing this piece, which is the longest one on the record, and we applaud the finished product.

# 5 – Egypt (The Chains Are On) – The Last in Line

Since the original movie Stargate, themes of aliens meddling in ancient human affairs have become trendy in American sci-fi culture. But before those notions hit the mainstream, Dio released “Egypt (The Chains Are On).” A saga is spun of a people living in a land of milk and honey until the arrival of the “strange ones” with rainbows in their eyes. Extra-terrestrials? Ancient gods? You pick. But they are not friendly, and the people are enslaved. The stanzas lift a haunting wail as the people look to the blowing desert sands which know the liberty they cannot have. And yet, there is a small kernel of hope disguised almost beyond recognition. “Maybe one day you’ll be just like me, and that’s free.” The lyrics are multi-hued and powerful, Dio’s storytelling at its best.

For those interested, the 2000 tribute album Holy Dio offers a cover to this song performed by female metal legend Doro Pesch and a healthy array of other Dio cover tunes.

# 4 – Lock Up the Wolves – Lock Up the Wolves 

As with Dream Evil

, Lock Up the Wolves features keen songwriting. Dio has always excelled at those pieces that combine very slow tempos with massive dynamism, like battalions of clone soldiers passing in review. This song is one of those. Cook’s bass and Wright’s drums start us down a foreboding trail. A gorgeously-timed synthesizer lilt picks up as Ronnie takes us to another time “at the cradle of the world.” This is an unmistakable warning to be on guard against evil. The mood is tense and otherworldly, and we are reminded that darkness can take many forms. Don’t give an inch!

# 3 – Sacred Heart –  Sacred Heart

Sacred Heart was well-received, reaching number four in the U.K. number twentynine and in the U.S. It was the last album to feature Campbell, and Campbell wasn’t included in most of the songwriting. Still, the band had buffed their sound to a high shine, and this album presented some fine songs.

“Sacred Heart” is one of them. It’s just a treat for the ears, the aural equivalent of a king’s coronation. The high quest theme radiates by melody and lyrics as hard guitars chime together with pipe-organ keyboards. It’s an unabashed beacon for those who still resonate with the archetype of noble deeds. After you hear it, don’t be surprised at the urge to put a saucepan on your head, a fire poker in your fist, and search for dragons to slay… or at least a lizard or two.

# 2 – Rock’n’roll Children – Sacred Heart

“Rock’n’roll Children” relates to a story of a boy and a girl who initially do not like each other but are fated to be together like Romeo and Juliet. They are cast into a world that does not treat them kindly, and they must trust each other to survive. The corresponding video fleshes out this theme. We watch as the boy and girl, both counter-culture rockers, are lured into Ronnie’s curio shop, with Ronnie playing the part of a wizard. The wizard casts them into a magic maze, and around every corner are scenes from the real world in which ridicule and shame prevail: failure in gym class, bombed tests, parents’ lectures, snide older siblings, etc. It’s like the heavy metal version of the movie “Pump up the Volume,” and it parallels the message of Rush‘ “Subdivisions”: “In the high school halls, in the shopping malls, conform or be cast out.”

The song builds majestically with keyboard and drums, then unleashes screaming guitars as Ronnie growls, “Just like somebody slammed the door, bang, yeah!” The result is a metal inferno, searingly beautiful, flinging melodrama in all corners.

# 1 – Rainbow in the Dark – Holy Diver

“Rainbow in the Dark” is our choice for the number one spot on our Top Ten Dio Songs list. It offers no build-up or gentle introduction. It simply shatters the walls of mundanity and unfurls like a flower of chromatic sheen and diamond-edged petals. It boasts a standard keynote riff, but to this day still remains one of the best and strongest songs to do so. Campbell’s guitar groans in the voice of thunder while synthesizer notes dance like ball lightning, coaxed by Ronnie himself on keyboards. Though gloom and threat try to destroy the rainbow, in the end, the rainbow is still there, defiant and vindicated.

Ronnie’s career with his various bands spanned almost 50 years. One of his albums in 2002 was entitled Killing the Dragon

, but in 2009, Ronnie came under assault from his own personal dragon, stomach cancer. After the diagnosis, his wife, Wendy Dio, claimed that Ronnie would kill

this

dragon and get back onstage. Alas, the dragon was stronger, and Ronnie died in 2010 at 67. But if the dragon is death itself, that dragon always claims us in the end. Perhaps the real victory is not eluding its clutches for as long as possible but in reaching past it to the height of what lies beyond. Certainly, that’s what Ronnie would have hoped for.

Less than a month before his death, Ronnie accepted the Revolver Golden Gods awards for “Best Heavy Metal Singer.” He was the oldest artist ever to do so. Ronnie exemplified the best of heavy metal for his day, with the weight and brilliance of gold.

Read More: Top 10 Ronnie James Dio Albums

Top 10 Ronnie James Dio Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2025

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“She grew up in Russia and bootlegged banned Deep Purple and Scorpions albums. It’s one of the reason I married her”: Kansas’ Joe Deninzon left the USSR and built a musical world out of a surprising coincidence

When Joe Deninzon moved from the former Soviet Union to the US and discovered MTV, he couldn’t have dreamed he’d wind up as a member of Kansas, one of the bands who immediately influenced him. With a new album from his own group, Stratospheerius, out now, the violinist, guitarist and vocalist offered Prog a glimps into his musical world.


Where’s home?

Old Tappan in New Jersey, which is about 45 minutes away from midtown Manhattan.

What’s your earliest memory of prog?

Watching MTV in the early 80s and seeing a video of Kansas’ Dust In The Wind and YesOwner Of A Lonely Heart. MTV played some good music back in those days! We had just emigrated from the Soviet Union and I’m the son of a classical musician – MTV was a culture shock, and my gateway to the ‘dark side.’

What was your first prog album?

One of the first prog bands I got deeply into was Rush. I bought Presto when I was 14 – I dug it and I quickly bought their entire back catalogue, then started going to their shows regularly.

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And the latest?

Jon Anderson & The Band GeeksTrue. It’s a masterpiece! The writing, the production, the musicianship; and Jon can still sing as well as he did 50 years ago. One of my favourite albums of 2024.

YES – Owner of a Lonely Heart (Official Music Video) – YouTube YES - Owner of a Lonely Heart (Official Music Video) - YouTube

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What was your first prog gig?

The Rush Presto tour at the old Richfield Coliseum near Cleveland, Ohio in June of 1990, with Mr Big opening. Growing up in Cleveland, The Coliseum was like a second home for me.

And the most recent?

Beat at the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank, NJ, last October. The early 80s was my favourite era of King Crimson and it was great to see that music performed live by musicians at the top of their game. Just a mind- blowing concert! Stratospheerius cover Frame By Frame on our new album, Impostor!, which is out now on 7D, Trey Gunn’s label.

What’s your guilty musical pleasure?

I’m a lifelong Bruce Springsteen fan, and I had the privilege of playing some shows with him in a backup string section. Check out Jungleland – an epic 10-minute track, probably my favourite of his. I’m also a fan of some pop music – Pink and Bruno Mars, and my daughter recently got me into Sabrina Carpenter.

Outside of music, what else are you into?

I love to run. I ran the New York Marathon in 2016 and have run many 5ks, 10ks and half marathons. It’s something I do to clear my head. I run in silence and get into a meditative state.I come up with a lot of musical ideas when I get in the groove.

What are you reading?

I recently read Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act and can’t recommend it enough. Really great advice for artists, especially if you’re experiencing writer’s block. He has always fascinated me with his approach to creativity, and how he manages to coax the best performance out of artists. Definitely a producer I would love to work with.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – Jungleland (Live in New York City) – YouTube Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - Jungleland (Live in New York City) - YouTube

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Ever had a prog-related date?

Many, with my wife Yulia, who’s a violinist with the New York Philharmonic. She grew up in Russia and was bootlegging Deep Purple and Scorpions albums, which were banned there at that time. One of the reasons I fell in love with her is because she loves hard rock and prog in addition to classical music.

Your prog hero?

Frank Zappa – he broke all the rules and created a cottage industry for his music. His body of work is so eclectic and he introduced the world to a long list of groundbreaking musicians who got their start playing in his band.

What’s the quintessential prog rock piece?

Close To The Edge. Everything about it is just perfect – the groove, the harmonies, Chris Squire’s melodic bass groove in verse two. I can go on and on. A true masterpiece.

Which prog muso would you most like to work with?

Zappa. Some of my favourite rock violin solos – by Jean-Luc Ponty, Sugarcane Harris, Eddie Jobson – are on his albums. Also Neal Morse: Spock’s Beard are one of the most underrated bands of all time, and I love his writing both with them and solo.

Which prog album gets you in a happy mood?

McStine & Minnemann’s II; Zappa’s Roxy & Elsewhere or anything from that era.

What’s your favourite prog album cover?

Anything by Roger Dean, but I also like clever covers that are a play on words – like Rush’s Moving Pictures or Zappa’s Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch.

What are you up to at the moment?

Stratospheerius’s new album, Impostor!, was six years in the making. We’re planning some shows soon, and there will be more Kansas dates too. Also, 10 years ago I wrote a 30-minute electric violin concerto for full orchestra and I’m finally getting around to recording that. The conductor who premiered it described it as “Philip Glass meets Rush meets Led Zeppelin.”

‘Sly Lives!’ Producer Joseph Patel Discusses New Documentary

To be a musical genius is also to be, in many ways, a captive of your own talent. There is much to be celebrated, and much to be cautious of, particularly if you come from a marginalized background.

This is more or less the message of Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius), a new film about Sly Stone directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, available on Hulu. It covers Stone’s ascent to stardom and undeniable achievement in the world of popular music, but more importantly, the ways in which his very existence as leader of a mixed race, mixed gender band made him a target for hypocritical journalists and industry executives. Sly Lives! follows Stone as drug addiction overtakes his life, career and family, the unfortunate result of constant pressure to fit a narrative he was never going to adhere to, plus the usual tribulations of enormous fame.

As Vernon Reid of Living Colour, one of the film’s many talking heads points out, it could be boiled down to a question Black artists have been faced with in the music industry for decades: who do you think you are? Questlove himself, who also directed 2021’s critically acclaimed Summer of Soul and won an Oscar for it, wrestled with this idea in relation to his own career. 

UCR recently spoke with producer Joseph Patel, who also worked with Questlove on Summer of Soul, about Sly Lives! and why Stone’s story matters.  

At the beginning of the film, Questlove mentions this theory he has that success for many Black artists can be as intimidating, if not more so, than failure, and that Sly was one of the first Black artists to really publicly go through that. Can you elaborate on that and also: do you think it’s gotten easier or harder for Black artists in those circumstances?
It’s not really my question to answer. I mean, this is more Ahmir’s question, but just from my observation, I think he was seeing…he was going through it as well. I think he had enormous feelings of guilt after winning the Oscar for Summer of Soul. You know, would his bandmates treat him the same? … I think this has been on his mind for a while. I think he was still going through it. And my proximity to Questlove, both as his friend and collaborator, is understanding that idea and then how do we bring this to life as a part of Sly Stone’s story? And it was like — the theory is that Questlove sort of traced it back. The theory is that Sly is the first artist in the post Civil Rights Era who’s serving Black audiences and white audiences in equal measure, and what that must have been like. I mean, imagine being 26 years old, you’re a Black artist running this genre-mixing rock band, you’ve just headlined Woodstock, you’re on the cover of Rolling Stone, and you’re serving Black and white audiences, who all think that you’ve solved race relations through your music. And what pressure that must have been like for him, knowing that he had no template to follow. … It’s like, this is a movie about Sly Stone, but it’s also about the burden that comes with success for Black artists in America.

Yeah, I can definitely see that. It’s about the intersectionality of race and gender in the arts, it’s about how drug addiction is treated in the music industry, it’s about all these other broader conversations. 
Yeah, I mean, there’s this great thing that happens towards the end of the movie where Sly Stone is talking about being in rehab. He’s talking about trauma and understanding generational trauma that’s sort of buried deep, but he doesn’t have the language for it. We didn’t have the language for it back then. He doesn’t ever use the word trauma, and the way he describes it, he’s like “Some things that might have happened to you that you don’t remember.” It was shocking to me when we saw that clip. It was just like, there was no language for what he was experiencing. Rehab had a stigma, therapy had a stigma. And that wasn’t that long ago, that was in the ’80s.

Exactly. I noticed also that the film highlights this idea that drug addiction was often treated as something that the user themselves was responsible for, instead of something that was happening to them as a result of external forces. Sly was never really asked during those years: what is happening to you that is causing this? Instead it was: why are you doing this?
Yeah, and, you know, it’s a fine line, too, because we wanted to show Sly’s story and tell his story with empathy, that these pressures and anxieties might have caused him to sort of hide behind — like Chaka [Kahn] says it, right? It’s like, cocaine gives you this sort of feeling that everything’s okay when it’s not. But we also wanted to give him agency, right? Like, we didn’t want to let him off the hook.

I know you’ve spoken recently about why Sly himself was not involved in the making of this film. He got sober a few years back around the time of Summer of Soul, and I’ll quote you directly here: “He can’t speak in full sentences. His eyes reveal a precociousness and a lucidity that’s there, but his motor function doesn’t exist.” This is something I’ve really been thinking about a lot over the past year or so — I actually run a podcast about Joni Mitchell, and she’s another person who, you know, has that lucidity, has all the elements of her true personality, but she’s not able to physically express herself in a way that I guess people would refer to as “normal.” I’m just curious your thoughts on that — what’s it like to make a film about somebody who’s very much still with us and also not? I would imagine there’s some challenges to that.
It presents a challenge. It was really a choice, right? Like, we could have forced the issue, and I think it would have been antithetical to the empathy we wanted to show in his story. But at the same time, you know, Sly is someone who became successful and came to our attention at a time when media was exploding, so we knew there were plenty of archival interviews that we could tap into where you would hear his voice.

But it also gave us a creative opportunity. Like in a perfect world, even if we got Sly on camera, could we get him to be reflective about these key moments in his career or these key struggles that he went through? Probably not. Most artists aren’t revealing in that way. But we could talk to [R&B singer] D’Angelo, who went through something similar. We could talk to Chaka Kahn who went through something similar. … I think that gave us this creative opportunity to add a layer to the storytelling where these artists serve as proxies for Sly. So when we brought them in to talk about Sly, they’re talking about Sly, but they’re also talking about themselves, and that was a kind of cool little layer to the story that makes this far from traditional music documentaries. … We didn’t want to talk to people who didn’t have skin in the game.

Watch the Trailer for ‘Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)’

There’s another section where the film is focusing on how Sly’s career and his musical output changed as the ’60s gave way to the ’70s, specifically around the “There’s a Riot Going On” era, and I believe it’s Q Tip in the film that talks about this idea of someone like David Bowie, a white man — progressive and innovative as he was, still a white man — going through career iterations and shifts in style and being, for the most part, praised for it. And Sly wasn’t afforded the same praise. He was met with a wall that essentially said: you can only be this one thing.
Yeah, and as soon as he sort of leaned the other way, you see language that those rock critics write about him — “pimp’s wisdom,” “gangster looks,” “house n-word of the Woodstock generation” — like the audacity to describe him that way. And it’s interesting you mention this because this is a specific story about a Black artist, and this idea of Black genius and the burden of Black genius, but if you look at the key art, the word Black is crossed out. And the idea behind that is — we didn’t want to put it in the film, and we didn’t want to beat people over the head with it — but the idea is, this is specific to Ahmir’s perspective, so he talks about Black genius, but really, you can extrapolate that to talk about the burden of success, the burden of genius in general. One of Ahmir’s close friends is Fiona Apple. She’s an artist that’s gone through something very similar, where she found success early in her career, but because she’s a woman, she got treated horribly for it. And, you know, it was just like, chewed up and spit out by the industry. So the idea really is, again, this is Ahmir’s story to tell, but we wanted people to understand that you could really extrapolate this to all levels of success in all facets of creativity.

What’s the most surprising or interesting thing you learned about Sly while making this film?
Specifically I had no idea that he produced the Great Society’s “Somebody to Love,” which becomes Jefferson Airplane‘s “Somebody to Love.” And it’s such a hippie anthem, psychedelic era anthem, and I didn’t know that Sly produced that. You know, we show it on screen for just a second, but in his studio session sheets, there’s a session he produces with the Warlocks who become the Grateful Dead. … But just his ability to produce, you know, white rock bands and R&B, I didn’t really have a handle on it until I saw and heard the music that he was producing. That was something I learned about him that I just was, you know, really floored by from a just music nerd level.

Listen to the Great Society’s ‘Somebody to Love’

What do you hope people will take away from watching this film?
I think we want the audience to leave the film with a sense of responsibility to the artists that give us so much, to give them empathy and grace and allow them to be human. I think that is something that Ahmir and I talked about in our first meeting as sort of where we wanted to land the plane. And that means, you know, not imposing our expectations on these artists if they don’t have it in them, and giving them grace to try new things and not have it be jokes or a mandate of some kind. I think that’s what we really want people to feel, is just the sense of empathy and allowing grace to these artists that give us so much, you know, and understanding that creativity is not a commodity like that. It’s human expression and and we should allow these artists to be human.

Sly and the Family Stone Albums Ranked

They leveraged radio-friendly, era-equipped soul-pop music at the turn of the ’70s to become one of the most influential groups from the period.

Gallery Credit: Michael Gallucci

Ranking Every Eric Clapton Live Album

Ranking Every Eric Clapton Live Album

Eric Clapton has been comparatively prolific in the 21st Century, releasing a handful of concert recordings beginning with 2002’s One More Car, One More Rider. He returned to his favorite venue for 2015’s Slowhand at 70: Live at the Royal Albert Hall and busied himself during the pandemic with 2021’s The Lady in the Balcony: Lockdown Sessions.

So it might surprise some fans to know how infrequent these releases used to be. Clapton initially issued three live albums in seven years, beginning with 1973’s Eric Clapton’s Rainbow Concert – but then went silent for more than a decade after 1980’s Just One Night. He only issued two concert recordings in the ’90s, 24 Nights and Unplugged. (2022’s Nothing But the Blues was also recorded during this period.)

Still, these albums offer key glimpses into every era of his solo career – from his struggles with addiction early on, through successes and challenges in the ’70s and ’80s, and into an exciting comeback that he sustained until retiring from world tours at age 70.

READ MORE: Top 10 Eric Clapton Guitar Solos

Five Clapton live albums reached the Top 20, highlighted by the Top 5 smashes Just One Night and Unplugged. These concert recordings even provided a few hit singles with 1980’s “Tulsa Time/Cocaine,” 1991’s “Wonderful Tonight” (in the U.K.) and 1992’s “Layla.”

Along the way, Clapton was also part of several collaborative live recordings, including 1964’s Five Live Yardbirds and 1966’s Sonny Boy Williamson and the Yardbirds, several Cream concert recordings including 1970’s Live Cream and and Royal Albert Hall London May 2-3-5-6, 2005, 1973’s In Concert with Derek and the Dominos and 2009’s Live From Madison Square Garden with Steve Winwood, among others. But the focus for this ranked list was on solo live albums.

Here’s a look back:

Ranking Every Eric Clapton Live Album

Gallery Credit: Nick DeRiso

See Eric Clapton’s Guitar Hero Yearbook Picture

More From Ultimate Classic Rock

Duran Duran’s John Taylor Believes Music Groups Are Going Extinct

Duran Duran’s John Taylor Believes Music Groups Are Going Extinct
Jeff Spicer, Getty Images

Duran Duran bassist John Taylor thinks music groups are a dying breed.

“[The] day of the group is almost gone,” the rocker declared during a panel at the Sanremo Music Festival in Italy. “Were there any groups at the Grammys this year?”

A glance at this year’s Grammy nominees certainly backs up Taylor’s observation. Though the rock categories still featured plenty of groups – such as Metallica, the Rolling Stones, Green Day and Pearl Jam – the major categories were dominated by solo artists like Chappell Roan, Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar and Billie Eilish. As Taylor noted, the shift from groups to solo acts stands in stark contrast to the musical landscape when Duran Duran started.

READ MORE: 30 Greatest ’80s Music Videos

“We grew up in the Sixties and Seventies and we saw that dynamic play out onstage and on record, where you have equal partners bringing something special to everything that they do, and we haven’t found a way of improving on that,” he explained. “There’s something very special about our chemistry with each other.”

How Duran Duran Have Stayed Together So Long

Echoing his bandmates’ views, frontman Simon Le Bon shared what has kept Duran Duran together for over 40 years.

“First of all, we love the music we make together – nobody else makes music like we do,” he noted. “We’ve tried doing things on our own, and it just doesn’t seem to be as exciting as when the four of us get together and work.”

READ MORE: Revisiting Duran Duran’s Masterful ‘Rio’ 

“We make each other laugh,” the singer continued. “I think that’s really important in a long relationship. When we’re under stress, we laugh our way through it and it keeps everything light and fun. And the other thing is, we split all the proceeds equally… we all share equally in the finances.”

Top 20 New Wave Bands

As a musical movement, new wave is hard to pin down.

Gallery Credit: Corey Irwin

More From Ultimate Classic Rock

25 Legendary Rock Bands NOT In The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

25 Legendary Rock Bands NOT In The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

Feature Photo: Girish Menon / Shutterstock.com

If you grew up in the 1970s listening to rock and roll music. We warn you to maybe take a seat before you read this list of bands that have not been honored with a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was painful to write this because I grew up listening to all these bands. These bands are rock gods to me, my friends, and pretty much anybody else that went to school in the 1970s or knows anything about classic rock.

Their music has continued inspiring millions of rock and roll musicians, songwriters, and anyone who understands even the slightest bit of rock and roll history. These were massively successful rock bands that delivered phenomenal albums time and time again. Many of them had huge hit singles, while some just received tremendous airplay on FM radio. You could find almost every one of these bands’ albums in every rock and roll fan’s record collection.

I am not going to get into the argument of “If so-and-so is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, how is Jethro Tull not there?” I’m not here to put down those who have been nominated or inducted. This article is not about the ones who are in—it’s about the ones who are not. You could argue that certain acts have been inducted when many rock fans believe they shouldn’t be. But, as I said, that’s not what this article is about. This is about the bands that should already be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame—today, right now, actually years ago. The fact that it’s 2025 and most of these bands have yet to be honored is a travesty. I don’t know what that says about our culture, but there’s something wrong here, really really wrong.

The following list is in random order. You really can’t put these groups against each other for any sort of reason. So, please, before you start writing me and saying how could so and so be at number 23 and so and so be at number 10? It’s random order.

Additionally, this is not a complete list—it’s just 25 bands that came to mind. There are many more that deserve to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. If there’s a group you think should be included and we didn’t mention them, leave it in the comments. We’ll highlight it, celebrate it, congratulate you, shake your hand, and maybe even give you a big kiss on the forehead. We’re just a rock and roll family here, baby. We’re a family.

One more thing, this list just presents bands. We are going to do a separate one for individual artists like Sammy Hagar, Robert Plant etc……

I’m a pretty positive guy, and I try to have a good outlook on life, so I don’t like writing articles that carry a negative tone. Yet, the absence of these bands in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame makes me really upset, and I know so many of you out there feel the same way. The real point of writing this is to raise awareness in the hope that someone with the power to help these bands get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame might take action. That is the sole purpose of this article.

I hope that showcasing these bands and everything they have accomplished helps in some way, whether by introducing them to people who may not be familiar with their impact or by reaching those who have the power to vote them in. I only listed 25 because it takes a long time to put together articles like this, and I have to move on to other projects. So please help us out—help these bands out—and support the ones that didn’t make this list by letting us know which other artists you believe deserve a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

# 25 – Blue Oyster Cult

Blue Öyster Cult emerged in the late 1960s, forging a unique blend of hard rock, proto-metal, and psychedelia that set them apart from their peers. The band officially formed in 1967 in Long Island, New York, originally known as Soft White Underbelly. The classic lineup solidified in the early 1970s with Eric Bloom (vocals, guitar), Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser (lead guitar, vocals), Allen Lanier (keyboards, rhythm guitar), Joe Bouchard (bass), and Albert Bouchard (drums). Their self-titled debut album arrived in 1972, establishing their reputation for darkly poetic lyrics, cryptic symbolism, and a sound that fused heavy riffs with an almost mystical aesthetic.

The band reached mainstream success with a string of albums throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, most notably Agents of Fortune (1976), which featured their biggest hit, “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper.” The song became a staple of classic rock radio and remains one of the most enduring tracks of its era. Other notable hits include “Burnin’ for You,” “Godzilla,” and “Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll.” Over the decades, Blue Öyster Cult released over a dozen studio albums, earning critical acclaim for their musicianship and innovative fusion of heavy rock with science fiction, fantasy, and horror-inspired themes.

Despite their influence on hard rock and heavy metal, Blue Öyster Cult has been inexplicably overlooked by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Their impact on later metal and progressive rock acts is undeniable, and their ability to balance commercial success with artistic integrity further solidifies their case for induction.

Read More: Eric Bloom of Blue Öyster Cult: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview

# 24 –  J. Geils Band

The J. Geils Band built their reputation as one of rock’s most electrifying live acts, fusing blues, rock, and R&B with high-energy performances that kept audiences on their feet. Formed in 1967 in Worcester, Massachusetts, the band’s original lineup consisted of John “J.” Geils (guitar), Peter Wolf (vocals), Seth Justman (keyboards), Danny Klein (bass), Stephen Jo Bladd (drums), and Magic Dick (harmonica). Their early albums leaned heavily on blues and soul influences, with tracks like “Looking for a Love” and “Give It to Me” showcasing their ability to blend raw musicianship with an infectious groove.

By the late 1970s and early 1980s, the band had refined their sound, incorporating more pop and new wave elements while maintaining their signature energy. This shift led to their biggest commercial successes, particularly with Love Stinks (1980) and Freeze-Frame (1981). The latter album produced their most iconic song, “Centerfold,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks in 1982. Other hits like “Freeze-Frame” and “Love Stinks” solidified their place in rock history. Throughout their career, the J. Geils Band released 11 studio albums and several acclaimed live records, including Live: Blow Your Face Out (1976), which captured the unrelenting energy of their performances.

Despite their widespread popularity and undeniable influence, the J. Geils Band remains absent from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Their ability to bridge blues-based rock with radio-friendly anthems while maintaining credibility as a live powerhouse makes them one of the most deserving acts yet to be inducted. They were more than just hitmakers—they were a band that delivered an unmatched live experience and a catalog of songs that have stood the test of time. Their exclusion from the Hall is a significant oversight that should be corrected.

Read More: 10 Most Rocking J. Geils Band Songs

# 23 – Boston

Boston burst onto the rock scene in the mid-1970s with a level of precision and polish rarely seen in debut albums. Formed in 1975 by guitarist, songwriter, and producer Tom Scholz, the band also included Brad Delp (vocals), Barry Goudreau (guitar), Fran Sheehan (bass), and Sib Hashian (drums). Scholz, a perfectionist and studio wizard, meticulously crafted their self-titled debut album Boston (1976) in his basement studio, creating a signature sound defined by soaring harmonies, layered guitars, and anthemic choruses. The album became a massive success, selling over 17 million copies in the U.S. alone and producing classic rock staples like “More Than a Feeling,” “Peace of Mind,” and “Foreplay/Long Time.”

Following the debut’s unprecedented success, Don’t Look Back (1978) continued the band’s winning streak, with the title track becoming another major hit. However, Scholz’s meticulous recording process led to an extended gap before their third album, Third Stage (1986), which featured the power ballad “Amanda,” a song that topped the Billboard Hot 100. Boston remained a major touring act despite internal conflicts and lineup changes, with Scholz keeping the band’s sound consistent over the decades. Their catalog may be small—only six studio albums—but their impact on rock radio, guitar-driven production, and arena rock anthems is immeasurable.

Boston’s absence from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is perplexing given their massive influence on the sound of classic rock and their record-breaking debut album. Their combination of technical mastery, radio dominance, and enduring popularity makes them one of the most deserving bands yet to be inducted.

Read More: Complete List Of Boston Songs From A to Z

# 22 –  The Guess Who

The Guess Who carved out their place in rock history as one of Canada’s most successful and influential bands, blending hard rock, psychedelic elements, and pop sensibilities into a string of unforgettable hits. Formed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in the early 1960s, the band’s classic lineup solidified in the late 1960s with Burton Cummings (vocals, keyboards), Randy Bachman (guitar), Jim Kale (bass), and Garry Peterson (drums). Their breakthrough came with Wheatfield Soul (1969), which featured the hit “These Eyes,” a song that marked their transition from a garage-rock outfit to polished hitmakers.

Throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, The Guess Who dominated rock radio with a series of chart-topping singles, including “American Woman,” which became the first song by a Canadian band to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other major hits included “No Time,” “Share the Land,” “Undun,” and “Hand Me Down World,” showcasing their ability to craft both anthemic rockers and intricate, jazz-infused compositions. The band’s commercial peak came with American Woman (1970), but internal tensions led to Bachman’s departure that same year. Despite lineup changes, The Guess Who continued releasing albums and touring extensively, with Cummings steering the band through the mid-1970s before launching a successful solo career.

The Guess Who’s omission from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame remains one of its most glaring snubs. Their influence on both Canadian and American rock is undeniable, and their run of hits in the late ’60s and early ’70s helped shape the sound of classic rock radio. Their ability to seamlessly transition between blues, rock, and jazz-infused pop made them a dynamic force in rock music.

Read More: Top 10 Songs Of The Guess Who

# 21 –  Hawkwind

Hawkwind emerged as pioneers of space rock in the late 1960s, blending heavy psychedelic sounds, science fiction themes, and a relentless, hypnotic energy that set them apart from their contemporaries. Formed in 1969 in London, the band’s original lineup included Dave Brock (guitar, vocals), Nik Turner (saxophone, flute, vocals), Huw Lloyd-Langton (guitar), John Harrison (bass), Terry Ollis (drums), and Dik Mik (electronics). Their self-titled debut album Hawkwind (1970) introduced their signature sound—trippy, experimental, and fueled by extended, spacey jams. However, it was their 1971 album In Search of Space that began to solidify their cult following, setting the stage for their most iconic work.

The band’s breakthrough came with Doremi Fasol Latido (1972) and Space Ritual (1973), a legendary live album that captured the full force of their sonic and visual spectacle. The single “Silver Machine,” featuring Lemmy Kilmister on vocals, became their biggest hit, reaching No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart and exposing a wider audience to their cosmic soundscapes. Hawkwind’s music combined hard rock elements with swirling synthesizers and atmospheric textures, making them one of the most innovative bands of their time. Throughout the decades, the band underwent countless lineup changes—most notably when Lemmy left to form Motörhead in 1975—but Brock remained the driving force behind their continued evolution.

Despite their massive influence on genres ranging from progressive rock to punk and heavy metal, Hawkwind has yet to be recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Their fearless experimentation and pioneering of space rock paved the way for countless bands, from Pink Floyd’s more exploratory works to metal and electronic hybrids in later decades. Their impact can be heard in artists as diverse as Motörhead, Monster Magnet, and The Flaming Lips. With over 30 studio albums and an enduring legacy that continues to inspire, Hawkwind’s absence from the Hall is an injustice that needs to be corrected.

Read More: Top 10 Hawkwind Songs

# 20 – Steppenwolf

Steppenwolf roared onto the late 1960s rock scene with a hard-hitting, blues-infused sound that would come to define the rebellious spirit of the era. Formed in 1967 in Los Angeles, the band originated from a Canadian group called The Sparrows, led by German-born vocalist John Kay. The classic lineup featured Kay (vocals, guitar), Michael Monarch (lead guitar), Goldy McJohn (keyboards), Rushton Moreve (bass), and Jerry Edmonton (drums). Their self-titled debut album, Steppenwolf (1968), delivered anthems that captured the counterculture movement’s energy, most notably the immortal “Born to Be Wild,” which introduced the phrase “heavy metal thunder” into rock’s lexicon.

Following their explosive debut, Steppenwolf continued their success with The Second (1968) and At Your Birthday Party (1969), producing hits like “Magic Carpet Ride” and “Rock Me.” Their music blended gritty blues-rock with psychedelic flourishes, often carrying a social or political message. As the 1970s progressed, the band saw multiple lineup changes, though they remained a touring force. By the mid-1970s, Kay temporarily dissolved Steppenwolf, but he later revived the band for various iterations, ensuring their music lived on well beyond their chart-topping years.

Steppenwolf’s omission from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is particularly baffling given their profound impact on rock music. “Born to Be Wild” became a defining anthem of biker culture, forever linked to the 1969 film Easy Rider, and their sound influenced countless hard rock and metal bands that followed. Their ability to balance raw, blues-driven power with countercultural lyrical themes made them one of the most essential acts of their era. With millions of records sold, enduring hits, and a lasting influence on the evolution of hard rock, Steppenwolf’s place in the Hall of Fame should have been secured long ago.

Read More: Top 10 Steppenwolf Songs

# 19 – Nazareth

Nazareth emerged from Scotland in the late 1960s, forging a powerful blend of hard rock and blues that would influence generations of rock and metal bands. Formed in 1968 in Dunfermline, Scotland, the classic lineup featured Dan McCafferty (vocals), Manny Charlton (guitar), Pete Agnew (bass), and Darrell Sweet (drums). They released their self-titled debut album in 1971, but it was their third album, Razamanaz (1973), produced by Deep Purple’s Roger Glover, that propelled them to international success with tracks like “Broken Down Angel” and “Bad Bad Boy.”

The band’s most iconic moment came with Hair of the Dog (1975), a hard-hitting album that showcased their signature gritty sound. The title track, often mistaken for being called “Now You’re Messing with a Son of a Bitch,” became a rock staple, while their emotive cover of “Love Hurts” turned into an unexpected global hit, reaching No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping charts in multiple countries. Nazareth continued to release albums and tour extensively throughout the late ’70s and early ’80s, with notable records such as Close Enough for Rock ‘n’ Roll (1976) and Expect No Mercy (1977), further solidifying their reputation as a relentless rock band.

Despite their long career, massive influence, and undeniable impact on hard rock and heavy metal, Nazareth has yet to receive recognition from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Their blend of raw, blues-based rock and anthemic songwriting paved the way for later acts like Guns N’ Roses, with Axl Rose himself citing Dan McCafferty as a major influence. Their catalog is filled with enduring rock anthems, and their legacy remains strong through generations of fans. With a sound that helped define the hard rock genre, Nazareth’s absence from the Hall of Fame is yet another glaring oversight.

Read More: Top 10 Nazareth Songs

# 18 – Kansas

Kansas didn’t just emerge from the heartland—they redefined what American progressive rock could be. While their British counterparts in the genre leaned on classical influences and esoteric themes, Kansas fused high-level musicianship with a rugged, blue-collar spirit that connected with mainstream rock audiences. Formed in 1973 in Topeka, Kansas, the band’s classic lineup featured Steve Walsh (vocals, keyboards), Kerry Livgren (guitar, keyboards), Robby Steinhardt (violin, vocals), Rich Williams (guitar), Dave Hope (bass), and Phil Ehart (drums). Their early albums showcased their ambitious songwriting, but it was Leftoverture (1976) that sent them into rock superstardom, largely due to the success of “Carry On Wayward Son,” a song that blended intricate arrangements with a powerful, singalong chorus.

Following up with Point of Know Return (1977), Kansas delivered another signature hit, “Dust in the Wind,” a song that contrasted their grand, symphonic approach with a stark acoustic ballad that became one of the most enduring rock songs of the era. Their blend of progressive structures, hard-rock energy, and deeply introspective lyrics made them one of the most distinctive American bands of the 1970s. Throughout the next decade, albums like Monolith (1979) and Audio-Visions (1980) continued their run, though lineup changes—including the departure of Walsh in 1981—led to shifts in their sound. Still, Kansas proved to be resilient, maintaining a dedicated fan base and continuing to tour and record with various incarnations over the decades.

Kansas’s absence from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame isn’t just an oversight—it’s a failure to acknowledge a band that married technical brilliance with mainstream accessibility like few others. Their ability to craft sprawling, ambitious compositions that still resonated with everyday rock fans set them apart from their prog-rock peers. With a catalog that remains a staple of rock radio and a legacy that influenced generations of musicians, Kansas is long overdue for the recognition they deserve.

Read More: Rich Williams of Kansas: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview

# 17 – Iron Maiden

Read More: Top 10 Iron Maiden Songs

# 16 – Humble Pie

When Humble Pie emerged in the late 1960s, they embodied the gritty, no-frills sound of blues-driven hard rock that would define the next decade. Founded in 1969 by former Small Faces frontman Steve Marriott alongside Peter Frampton, Greg Ridley, and Jerry Shirley, the band quickly distinguished itself with a mix of raw power and soulful finesse. Their early albums, As Safe as Yesterday Is (1969) and Town and Country (1969), revealed a unique balance of acoustic balladry and electric swagger, but it was their transition into a heavier, hard-hitting sound that truly set them apart.

By the early 1970s, Humble Pie had become a force on the live circuit, as showcased on Performance Rockin’ the Fillmore (1971), one of rock’s most electrifying live albums. Songs like “I Don’t Need No Doctor” and “Stone Cold Fever” cemented their reputation as a powerhouse, while Smokin’ (1972) delivered the hit “30 Days in the Hole.” Despite Peter Frampton’s departure in 1971, the band soldiered on, with Marriott leading them through a series of successful albums. Their fusion of blues, soul, and hard rock laid the foundation for bands like Aerosmith and AC/DC, proving that their impact extended far beyond their own era.

For a band that helped define the sound and attitude of 1970s rock, Humble Pie’s absence from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is difficult to justify. Steve Marriott’s searing vocals and the band’s blistering live performances set a standard that countless rock acts would follow. Their influence is undeniable, their legacy enduring, and their long-overdue recognition is something the Hall should have addressed years ago.

Read More: David ‘Clem’ Clempson of Humble Pie & Colosseum Interview

# 15 – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young were more than just a band—they were a convergence of rock’s most distinct voices, each bringing their own legacy and songwriting brilliance into a group that defined an era. Formed in 1969 as a supergroup featuring David Crosby (The Byrds), Stephen Stills (Buffalo Springfield), and Graham Nash (The Hollies), they quickly gained a reputation for intricate harmonies, politically charged lyrics, and a seamless blend of folk and rock. Their self-titled debut album, Crosby, Stills & Nash (1969), produced classics like “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” and “Marrakesh Express,” setting the stage for their meteoric rise.

Neil Young joined later that year, adding a sharper, more electric edge to their sound. With Young in the fold, they released Déjà Vu (1970), an album that became one of the defining records of the Woodstock generation. Songs like “Teach Your Children,” “Woodstock,” and “Our House” captured the hope, turbulence, and intimacy of the era, while “Ohio,” released as a standalone single, was one of rock’s most urgent protest songs. Despite their success, the band’s internal tensions led to frequent breakups and reunions, though they continued to tour and record sporadically over the decades, producing albums such as CSN (1977) and American Dream (1988).

While Crosby, Stills & Nash were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, the Hall has yet to recognize the impact of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young as a unit. Their influence on folk-rock, political songwriting, and vocal harmony in rock music is immeasurable, shaping artists from Fleetwood Mac to Wilco. With each member already acknowledged individually or in previous bands, the absence of CSNY as a collective feels like an incomplete recognition of their immense cultural and musical impact. Given their role in defining both the sound and spirit of a generation, their full induction is long overdue.

Read More: 10 Most Rocking Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Songs

# 14 – Blood, Sweat & Tears

Blood, Sweat & Tears arrived at the height of the late 1960s music revolution with a sound that challenged the conventions of rock by integrating elements of jazz, blues, and soul. Formed in 1967, the band’s original lineup featured Al Kooper, Jim Fielder, Fred Lipsius, Randy Brecker, and Bobby Colomby, with their debut album, Child Is Father to the Man (1968), establishing their jazz-rock fusion style. However, the departure of Kooper and the addition of powerhouse vocalist David Clayton-Thomas led to a reinvention that catapulted them to mainstream success. Their second album, Blood, Sweat & Tears (1968), became a commercial and critical triumph, featuring hits like “Spinning Wheel,” “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy,” and “And When I Die.”

Their ability to blend brass-heavy arrangements with rock rhythms set them apart from their peers, earning them the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1970, beating out Abbey Road by The Beatles. Albums like Blood, Sweat & Tears 3 (1970) and Blood, Sweat & Tears 4 (1971) continued their success, though the band’s frequent lineup changes and shifting musical trends eventually led to a decline in mainstream popularity. Despite this, Clayton-Thomas remained the band’s defining voice through multiple reunions, and Blood, Sweat & Tears continued touring for decades, influencing countless musicians along the way.

With their groundbreaking fusion of rock and jazz, the band reshaped the possibilities of what rock music could be, paving the way for acts like Chicago and Steely Dan. Their impact on both popular and progressive music remains undeniable, making their exclusion from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame all the more baffling. A band that redefined the sonic boundaries of rock and dominated the charts deserves far better than being left out of the institution meant to honor innovation and influence.

Read More: Top 10 Blood, Sweat & Tears Songs

# 13 – Thin Lizzy

Thin Lizzy stood apart in rock history by blending hard-edged guitar riffs, poetic storytelling, and Celtic influences into a sound that was both raw and melodic. Formed in Dublin, Ireland, in 1969, the band was led by bassist, vocalist, and primary songwriter Phil Lynott, alongside drummer Brian Downey and guitarist Eric Bell. Their early records leaned into blues and folk elements, but their signature twin-guitar sound emerged after Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson joined the lineup. The turning point came with Jailbreak (1976), featuring the enduring anthem “The Boys Are Back in Town,” a song that cemented their place in rock’s upper echelon.

With albums like Johnny the Fox (1976), Bad Reputation (1977), and Black Rose: A Rock Legend (1979), Thin Lizzy showcased a unique ability to merge high-energy rock with evocative lyrics that painted vivid portraits of rebellion, heartbreak, and perseverance. Their live performances were equally electrifying, as captured in Live and Dangerous (1978), widely regarded as one of the greatest live albums of all time. Despite frequent lineup shifts, Lynott remained the band’s driving force until their dissolution in 1983. His untimely passing in 1986 solidified his legacy as one of rock’s most charismatic frontmen, leaving behind a catalog of music that continues to inspire.

Thin Lizzy’s influence on rock and heavy metal is undeniable, with bands like Metallica and Guns N’ Roses citing them as a major inspiration. Their twin-guitar harmonies and storytelling approach set a template for generations of musicians, yet they remain absent from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. With a sound that was both powerful and deeply personal, their omission from the Hall is a glaring failure to acknowledge one of rock’s most innovative and enduring bands.

Read More: Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview

# 12 – Foghat

Foghat took blues rock and supercharged it, injecting high-energy boogie rhythms and hard rock intensity into a sound built for stadiums and open highways. Formed in 1971 in London, the band was founded by ex-Savoy Brown members “Lonesome” Dave Peverett (vocals, guitar), Tony Stevens (bass), and Roger Earl (drums), along with guitarist Rod Price. Their self-titled debut album arrived in 1972, but it was their relentless touring and relentless commitment to riff-driven, groove-heavy rock that made them a staple of the 1970s. By the mid-decade, Foghat had become one of the most successful touring acts in America, thanks in large part to Fool for the City (1975), which featured their signature song, “Slow Ride.”

Their commercial peak continued with Night Shift (1976) and Foghat Live (1977), the latter capturing the raw, infectious energy that had made them a concert powerhouse. Songs like “Drivin’ Wheel,” “Stone Blue,” and “I Just Want to Make Love to You” became anthems of the era, blending bluesy swagger with arena-sized hooks. While the late 1970s saw a decline in their chart success, the band remained a formidable presence on the road, maintaining a dedicated fan base well into the 1980s and beyond. Despite lineup changes and the passing of key members like Peverett and Price, Foghat’s music never faded from rock radio, continuing to resonate with classic rock audiences.

Given their massive influence on boogie rock and their lasting presence in rock culture, Foghat’s absence from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is difficult to comprehend. They crafted some of the most enduring rock anthems of the 1970s and set a standard for high-energy live performances that countless bands followed. With a legacy built on relentless touring and a sound that remains instantly recognizable, Foghat more than deserves a place among rock’s elite.

Read More: Roger Earl of Foghat: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview

# 11 – Toto

Toto built their reputation on musicianship that blended precision with soul, crafting some of the most polished and enduring rock songs of the late 1970s and 1980s. Formed in 1977 by a group of seasoned session musicians, the band’s original lineup included David Paich (keyboards, vocals), Steve Lukather (guitar, vocals), Bobby Kimball (lead vocals), Jeff Porcaro (drums), David Hungate (bass), and Steve Porcaro (keyboards). Their self-titled debut album, Toto (1978), introduced their signature mix of rock, pop, and jazz-inflected arrangements, yielding hits like “Hold the Line” and setting the stage for a career defined by technical excellence and genre-spanning versatility.

While their early albums were well-received, it was Toto IV (1982) that propelled them to superstardom. Featuring the chart-topping “Africa” and the soaring ballad “Rosanna,” the album won six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, and remains a benchmark in studio production. Toto continued to evolve throughout the 1980s and 1990s, delivering hits like “I Won’t Hold You Back” and “I’ll Be Over You” while maintaining a presence both as a band and as individual session musicians who contributed to countless classic recordings. Even after lineup changes and the tragic losses of Jeff and Mike Porcaro, the band carried on, proving their longevity with successful tours and new music well into the 21st century.

Despite their undeniable success, musical contributions, and lasting influence, Toto has yet to be recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. As session musicians, they shaped the sound of rock and pop through their work with artists like Michael Jackson, Steely Dan, and Boz Scaggs. As a band, they crafted some of the most sophisticated and beloved songs of their era. With an impact that reaches far beyond their own discography, Toto’s omission from the Hall is a glaring oversight that continues to puzzle fans and industry professionals alike.

Read More: Steve Lukather: 10 Albums That Changed My Life

# 10 – America

America mastered the art of blending folk-inspired melodies with rock sensibilities, crafting a warm, laid-back sound that resonated deeply with audiences in the 1970s. Formed in London in 1970 by Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley, and Dan Peek—three American expatriates whose fathers were stationed at a U.S. Air Force base—the band quickly gained attention for their intricate vocal harmonies and evocative songwriting. Their self-titled debut album, America (1971), became a commercial breakthrough, fueled by the massive success of “A Horse with No Name,” a song that became synonymous with the folk-rock movement of the era.

The band’s ability to craft atmospheric, melodic songs continued with a string of successful albums throughout the decade. Hits like “Ventura Highway,” “Tin Man,” and “Sister Golden Hair” demonstrated their knack for combining vivid storytelling with rich instrumentation, often incorporating elements of soft rock and progressive folk. Working with legendary producer George Martin on Holiday (1974) and Hearts (1975) elevated their arrangements and helped shape their signature sound. Though Dan Peek left the band in 1977, Bunnell and Beckley carried on, continuing to release music and tour for decades while maintaining a devoted following.

America’s enduring influence on folk rock and soft rock is undeniable, yet they remain absent from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Their seamless harmonies and introspective lyrics defined a generation, influencing artists across multiple genres. With a catalog of timeless songs that remain staples of classic rock radio and a career spanning over 50 years, their omission from the Hall is hard to justify. A band that helped shape the landscape of 1970s rock deserves recognition for the lasting impact of their music.

Read More: Top 10 America Songs

# 9 – Bad Company

Bad Company exploded onto the rock scene in 1973, bringing together a powerhouse lineup that blended blues, hard rock, and arena-ready anthems. Formed by former Free vocalist Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke, alongside guitarist Mick Ralphs (ex-Mott the Hoople) and bassist Boz Burrell (ex-King Crimson), the band wasted no time in making their mark. Their self-titled debut album, Bad Company (1974), was a massive success, featuring hard-hitting classics like “Can’t Get Enough,” “Bad Company,” and “Ready for Love.” Released on Led Zeppelin’s Swan Song label, the album became a staple of 1970s rock, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and establishing them as one of the decade’s most formidable acts.

The band continued their dominance with albums like Straight Shooter (1975) and Run with the Pack (1976), delivering more hits, including “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” “Shooting Star,” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy.” Rodgers’ commanding vocals, Ralphs’ sharp guitar work, and the band’s no-frills approach to rock and roll made them a force on the airwaves and a major draw on the touring circuit. Even as the late 1970s and early 1980s brought shifting musical trends, Bad Company remained a staple of rock radio. Rodgers departed in 1982, and while the band continued with various vocalists, their peak era remains one of the most celebrated in classic rock history.

Bad Company’s absence from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is baffling considering their massive influence on blues-based hard rock. Their ability to craft both soulful ballads and high-energy rockers set a template that countless bands followed. With a legacy built on powerhouse songwriting, unforgettable riffs, and one of rock’s greatest vocalists in Paul Rodgers, Bad Company more than deserves recognition for their role in shaping classic rock.

Read More: Bad Company’s Best Song On Each Of Their Studio Albums

# 8 – Bachman-Turner Overdrive

Bachman-Turner Overdrive took no-nonsense, blue-collar rock to the top of the charts with their hard-hitting riffs and relentless energy. Formed in Winnipeg, Canada, in 1973 by former Guess Who guitarist Randy Bachman, the band also featured his brothers Robbie and Tim Bachman, along with bassist/vocalist Fred Turner. Their self-titled debut album introduced their blend of driving guitar work and anthemic choruses, but it was Bachman-Turner Overdrive II (1973) that launched them into the mainstream with the hits “Let It Ride” and “Takin’ Care of Business,” a song that became a permanent fixture in rock radio and popular culture.

Their momentum continued with Not Fragile (1974), which featured “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet,” a chart-topping single that remains one of the defining rock songs of the decade. The album itself hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200, solidifying BTO as one of the biggest rock acts of the mid-1970s. Over the next few years, they released a steady stream of albums, including Four Wheel Drive (1975) and Head On (1975), maintaining a reputation for no-frills, high-energy rock built for massive audiences. Despite lineup changes and a decline in commercial success by the late 1970s, their legacy as one of Canada’s greatest rock bands was already cemented.

Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s omission from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a glaring oversight, given their impact on both mainstream rock and working-class anthems. Their songs continue to be staples of classic rock playlists, and their influence can be heard in countless hard rock and arena rock bands that followed. Few bands embodied the spirit of straightforward, feel-good rock and roll as effectively as BTO, and their place among rock’s elite should have been secured long ago.

Read More: Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s Best Song On Each Of Their Albums

# 7 – REO Speedwagon

REO Speedwagon built their legacy on soaring melodies, anthemic choruses, and a tireless work ethic that turned them into one of the most successful rock bands of the late 1970s and 1980s. Formed in 1967 in Champaign, Illinois, by Neal Doughty (keyboards) and Alan Gratzer (drums), the band endured numerous lineup changes before finding their classic sound with the addition of Kevin Cronin (vocals, guitar) and Gary Richrath (lead guitar). Their early albums, including R.E.O. Speedwagon (1971) and Ridin’ the Storm Out (1973), leaned into hard rock and progressive elements, but it wasn’t until the late 1970s that the band’s signature blend of rock and balladry fully took shape.

The turning point came with You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can’t Tuna Fish (1978), which produced hits like “Roll with the Changes” and “Time for Me to Fly.” However, it was Hi Infidelity (1980) that propelled REO Speedwagon to superstardom, selling over ten million copies and delivering massive hits such as “Keep On Loving You” and “Take It On the Run.” The band continued their success through the 1980s with Good Trouble (1982) and Wheels Are Turnin’ (1984), which featured another chart-topping ballad, “Can’t Fight This Feeling.” As the musical landscape shifted in the 1990s, REO Speedwagon transitioned into a legacy act, continuing to tour extensively and maintaining a devoted fan base.

Despite their multi-platinum albums, string of hit singles, and decades of influence, REO Speedwagon has yet to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Their ability to balance arena rock bombast with emotionally charged ballads helped shape the sound of 1980s rock, influencing countless bands that followed. With a career spanning over five decades and an undeniable impact on rock radio, their absence from the Hall is difficult to justify.

Read More: Top 10 REO Speedwagon Songs

# 6 – Three Dog Night

Three Dog Night dominated the charts in the late 1960s and 1970s with a string of hit singles that showcased their signature three-part harmonies and an ability to turn well-chosen songs into mainstream rock staples. Formed in 1967 by vocalists Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron, and Cory Wells, the band quickly set itself apart by featuring three lead singers, allowing them to cover a wide stylistic range. Backed by a talented group of musicians, including Jimmy Greenspoon (keyboards), Joe Schermie (bass), Michael Allsup (guitar), and Floyd Sneed (drums), Three Dog Night found instant success with their self-titled debut album in 1968, which featured the hit “One,” written by Harry Nilsson.

Their winning formula of strong vocal arrangements and impeccable song selection led to an astonishing run of success throughout the early 1970s. The band scored an incredible 21 consecutive Top 40 hits, including “Joy to the World,” “Mama Told Me (Not to Come),” “Black and White,” “Shambala,” and “An Old Fashioned Love Song.” Their ability to take songs from a diverse range of songwriters—such as Randy Newman, Hoyt Axton, and Paul Williams—and turn them into massive hits made them one of the defining acts of their era. By the mid-1970s, the band’s chart dominance began to wane, but their music remained a staple of rock radio, and their influence on vocal-driven rock acts endured long after their commercial peak.

With a catalog packed with enduring classics and a legacy that shaped the sound of 1970s rock, Three Dog Night’s exclusion from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is hard to justify. Their run of success, marked by consistent hit-making and widespread appeal, helped define an era, yet they remain overlooked despite their undeniable impact. Few bands have matched their ability to blend rock, pop, and soul into such a winning combination, making their absence from the Hall a baffling omission.

Read More: Top 10 Three Dog Night Love Songs

# 5 – King Crimson

King Crimson shattered the boundaries of rock, redefining what the genre could be through complex compositions, unorthodox structures, and an ever-evolving lineup of world-class musicians. Formed in 1968 by guitarist Robert Fripp and drummer Michael Giles, alongside Greg Lake (bass, vocals), Ian McDonald (woodwinds, keyboards), and lyricist Peter Sinfield, the band made an immediate impact with their groundbreaking debut, In the Court of the Crimson King (1969). Blending jazz, classical, and avant-garde elements with rock, the album set the template for progressive rock, influencing countless bands while tracks like “21st Century Schizoid Man” and “Epitaph” became defining pieces of the era.

Rather than settling into a formula, King Crimson constantly evolved, with Fripp remaining the band’s only consistent member as they moved through various incarnations. The early 1970s saw them embrace improvisational and jazz-inspired structures on albums like Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (1973) and Red (1974), featuring legendary musicians such as Bill Bruford, John Wetton, and David Cross. The band took a hiatus in the late ’70s but returned in the 1980s with Discipline (1981), incorporating new wave and electronic influences, thanks to the addition of guitarist Adrian Belew and bassist Tony Levin. Their willingness to reinvent themselves continued into the 1990s and 2000s, further solidifying their status as one of the most fearless and innovative bands in rock history.

Despite their influence on progressive rock, metal, and experimental music, King Crimson remains absent from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Their impact is immeasurable, having shaped artists as diverse as Tool, Radiohead, and Dream Theater. While many of their peers have been recognized, King Crimson’s continued exclusion feels like a failure to acknowledge one of rock’s most forward-thinking and musically adventurous bands.

Read More: 10 King Crimson Songs Loved By Fans

# 4 – Styx

Styx crafted a sound that bridged the gap between progressive rock, arena anthems, and radio-friendly ballads, making them one of the defining rock bands of the 1970s and 1980s. Formed in Chicago in 1972, the band’s classic lineup featured Dennis DeYoung (vocals, keyboards), Tommy Shaw (guitar, vocals), James “JY” Young (guitar, vocals), Chuck Panozzo (bass), and John Panozzo (drums). Early albums like Styx II (1973) introduced their ambitious approach, but it was The Grand Illusion (1977) that turned them into a household name, producing the massive hit “Come Sail Away” and setting the stage for a decade of commercial dominance.

Through albums like Pieces of Eight (1978) and Cornerstone (1979), Styx perfected their mix of soaring melodies and theatrical rock, delivering hits such as “Renegade,” “Blue Collar Man,” and “Babe.” Paradise Theatre (1981) marked their first No. 1 album, while Kilroy Was Here (1983) introduced the synth-driven “Mr. Roboto,” a polarizing track that signaled internal tensions. Despite lineup changes and shifting musical trends, the band continued to tour and record, with Shaw and Young leading later incarnations of the group after DeYoung’s departure. Their catalog remains a staple of classic rock radio, and their ability to blend hard rock with intricate, conceptual storytelling continues to resonate with fans.

Despite their multi-platinum success and enduring influence, Styx has been repeatedly overlooked by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Their theatrical stage shows, progressive elements, and mainstream appeal helped define an era, influencing later acts in both rock and metal.

Read More: 10 Most Rocking Styx Songs

# 3 – Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Emerson, Lake & Palmer took rock music into uncharted territory, merging classical influences with cutting-edge technology and theatrical bombast. Formed in 1970, the band brought together three virtuoso musicians: keyboardist Keith Emerson (formerly of The Nice), bassist/vocalist Greg Lake (ex-King Crimson), and drummer Carl Palmer (from Atomic Rooster). Their self-titled debut album, Emerson, Lake & Palmer (1970), introduced their fusion of symphonic grandeur and rock power, featuring the haunting ballad “Lucky Man,” which showcased Emerson’s groundbreaking use of the Moog synthesizer.

As the 1970s progressed, ELP became synonymous with progressive rock excess, delivering sprawling compositions, dazzling instrumental passages, and grandiose live performances. Albums like Tarkus (1971), Trilogy (1972), and Brain Salad Surgery (1973) solidified their status as pioneers of the genre, with tracks like “Karn Evil 9” and “From the Beginning” becoming classics. Their live shows, featuring massive stage setups and Emerson’s dramatic keyboard theatrics—including stabbing his Hammond organ with knives—set new standards for rock spectacle. By the mid-1970s, ELP was selling out arenas and stadiums worldwide, but internal tensions and shifting musical trends led to their initial breakup in 1979.

Despite their groundbreaking contributions, Emerson, Lake & Palmer remain absent from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, an omission that feels increasingly indefensible given their influence on progressive rock, synthesizer-driven music, and live performance theatrics. Their technical mastery and fearless experimentation paved the way for countless bands, from Rush to Dream Theater, yet they remain on the outside looking in.

Read More: Carl Palmer Of ELP & Asia: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview

# 2 – Grand Funk Railroad

Grand Funk Railroad built their reputation on raw energy, relentless touring, and a sound that blended hard rock, blues, and soul with blue-collar grit. Formed in 1969 in Flint, Michigan, the band’s classic lineup featured Mark Farner (vocals, guitar), Mel Schacher (bass), and Don Brewer (drums, vocals). Discovered by manager/producer Terry Knight, they quickly gained traction with their self-titled debut album Grand Funk (1969) and its follow-up Closer to Home (1970), which featured the anthemic “I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home).” Fueled by relentless touring, the band became one of the biggest live acts of the early 1970s, famously selling out Shea Stadium in 1971 faster than The Beatles had.

Despite being panned by critics, Grand Funk Railroad continued to dominate commercially, with albums like E Pluribus Funk (1971) and Phoenix (1972) solidifying their status as arena rock pioneers. The addition of keyboardist Craig Frost in 1972 helped refine their sound, leading to their biggest hits, including “We’re an American Band” (1973), produced by Todd Rundgren, and a soulful cover of “The Loco-Motion” (1974), both of which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. As musical trends shifted, internal conflicts led to the band’s breakup in 1976, though they reunited multiple times in the decades that followed, with their music remaining a staple of classic rock radio.

Despite their massive commercial success and status as one of the first true arena rock bands, Grand Funk Railroad remains absent from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Their ability to connect with audiences through no-frills, high-energy rock paved the way for countless bands that followed. With millions of records sold, legendary live performances, and a sound that continues to influence generations of rock musicians, their exclusion from the Hall is impossible to justify.

Read More: An Interview With Don Brewer Of Grand Funk Railroad

# 1 – Jethro Tull

Jethro Tull carved out a singular place in rock history by blending progressive rock with folk, blues, and even classical influences, all while being led by the unmistakable presence of Ian Anderson and his signature flute. Formed in 1967 in Blackpool, England, the band’s original lineup featured Anderson (vocals, flute, acoustic guitar), Mick Abrahams (guitar), Glenn Cornick (bass), and Clive Bunker (drums). Their debut album, This Was (1968), leaned heavily into blues rock, but Abrahams’ departure led to a shift in sound as Martin Barre took over on guitar, cementing the band’s classic style. Their breakthrough came with Stand Up (1969), which topped the UK charts, signaling their transition into more progressive and folk-inspired territory.

By the early 1970s, Jethro Tull had fully embraced their progressive rock identity with Aqualung (1971), an album that remains one of the genre’s defining works. Featuring iconic tracks like “Aqualung” and “Locomotive Breath,” the album combined hard rock power with intricate acoustic passages and philosophical lyrics. They followed it with Thick as a Brick (1972), a single-track concept album that satirized progressive rock excess while simultaneously perfecting it. Throughout the decade, albums like Songs from the Wood (1977) and Heavy Horses (1978) showcased Anderson’s growing interest in folk music, while Crest of a Knave (1987) surprisingly won the first-ever Grammy for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance, controversially beating Metallica.

Jethro Tull’s continued exclusion from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is one of the most baffling omissions in its history. Their influence on progressive rock is undeniable, with their fusion of classical instrumentation, poetic lyricism, and unconventional song structures paving the way for countless artists. With over 60 million albums sold and a catalog filled with both classic hits and ambitious conceptual works, their absence from the Hall raises serious questions like……WTF?

Read More: Top 10 Jethro Tull Songs

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25 Legendary Rock Bands NOT In The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2025

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“Roses are pink, violets are blue, I love Whitesnake and these are for you!” David Coverdale would like to wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day

Whitesnake legend David Coverdale has issued a Valentine’s Day message to the world.

Speaking to lovers across the globe, the former Deep Purple man – author of songs like Love Ain’t No Stranger, Hungry For Love, Love Hunter, Guilty Of Love, The Time Is Right for Love, Fool For Your Loving and possibly dozens more – was filmed holding a bunch of roses, a pair a Valentine’s Day balloons hovering nearby.

“Darlings ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, brothers and sisters of the snake,” intones the melodic rock lover-in-chief, his Patrick-Stewart-meets-Austin-Powers voice rich with romantic intent. “Roses are pink, violets are blue, I love Whitesnake and these are for you!

“Happy Valentine’s Day, my loves, wherever you are in this amazing world we share. Stay safe and well and know you are truly loved beyond measure. Happy V Day, baby!”

Whitesnake’s Is This Love then plays over the message, “Happy Valentine’s from Whitesnake & the Hook City Hooligans.”

Last October Coverdale released Whitesnake Into The Light: The Solo Albums, a six-CD set containing remixed and expanded versions of his solo albums White Snake (1977), Northwinds (1978) and Into the Light (2000).

While the albums were originally released under his own name, Coverdale now considers them Whitesnake albums.

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“As I’m recognized as ‘Mr. Whitesnake,’ I thought, why not?” he says. “They’re all Whitesnake albums to me. We’ve remixed them to stand proudly alongside any Whitesnake album.”

Whitesnake haven’t played live since calling an early halt to their Farewell Tour after a set at France’s Hellfest in 2022.

Happy Valentine’s Day From David Coverdale – Whitesnake – YouTube Happy Valentine's Day From David Coverdale - Whitesnake - YouTube

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