Lately, I have been asked who would be in my Top 10 Bands that I have seen live. And that got me to thinking about what 10 bands or artists that I have heard would be in my Top 10 of all time. Because there are a couple of acts that I can no longer see. And they would be in my Top 10 artists that I would see.
And if you think of the major bands and artists of today, there are a few on here, but most are not. No one that has made their debut as a headline act over the past 5 years is on the list. And a couple aren’t major acts here in the United States. I know that if I did a Top 20, you would have the acts Ghost, Taylor Swift, The Statler Brothers, Motley Crue, Aretha Franklin, and Black Veil Brides on it. So without any further ado, let’s get to the list.
10b) Winger – I couldn’t decide which on to leave out, Winger or Reba, so they are 10a and 10b. Winger was the opening act for what I term the first real concert I saw. I don’t include all the musical acts I saw and heard at the South Dakota State Fair. But that concert in Rapid City, Winger blew the Bulletboys out of the water and in my eyes out performed the headlining act, Cinderella. My wife and son hate “Miles Away” and “Down Incognito” not because they are bad songs, but I try to sing when those two songs come on. Dogs run away when they hear me singing, so any song that I sing to become ones that my family dislike.
10a)Reba McEntire – My first real time trying to listen to country music and keep up with the genre was because of her. I heard Fancy in 1990 and I wanted to hear more of Reba. Ever since then, I have kept up with her career and I still think that the TV show was a mistake, but that doesn’t factor in here. Haven’t seen her in concert, but she is having one in March 2020 about 150 miles away. I anticipate making it to that one.
9) The Quireboys – This group is wonderful. I believe that they have released 11 or 12 albums. Formally known as The London Quireboys, their Album “A Bit Of What You Fancy” would be in my Top 10 albums of all time. The way I found out about this band is while traveling through Montana, I stopped at a record store and their album was playing over the speakers. A half an hour later I departed the store with their CD and have been listening to it for the past couple of decades.
8) Eminem – Who doesn’t know Eminem? You either love him or hate him. For myself, I am on the love side. Yes, some of the things that he does and say crosses a line, but I really like his songs. The attitude got my attention but it was the lyrics that made me a fan. And I will always buy any new album that he releases.
7) Tupac – Oh my. What can I say about this artist. Rap didn’t bother me, but I really wasn’t into it until I heard him. Listening to him showed me a lifestyle that I had no knowledge of and I wouldn’t have known about it living in South Dakota. He was taken way too soon and it just boggles my mind thinking about what he could have done if his life didn’t catch up to him.
6) Garth Brooks – The man is amazing in person. His concerts just continuously roll out hit after hit and he connects with the audience. The man has been Country Music Entertainer of the Year for so many years. The music is simple, but the execution is almost perfect. I know that I have all of his albums and there are times where I have an 8 hour jam session just of Garth.
5) Culture Club – One of my first CDs that I owned was “Colour By Numbers”. (The other one was Quiet Riot “Bang Your Head”) Anyways, the thing that first captured my attention was the antics of Boy George. That got me in the door, the thing that kept me is the music. Some of the compositions that emerged from this group are magical. I wish that there wasn’t such bad blood between the members and that they could reunite for a new album, but I think that is just wishful thinking. My favorite song from them is “Church of the Poison Mind”.
4) Johnny Cash – This legend grew on me. I heard Johnny early in my childhood and didn’t care for what I heard. Country music wasn’t what I wanted to hear. Over the past 20 years though, I have become a major fan. Johnny Cash was as big of an Icon as there has been in music and it is a deserved honor. I just wish that I would have recognized his greatness the first time I was exposed to his music.
3) Kansas – The last American act on my list to be revealed. I could listen to them all day every day. And not only their hits, but I think it is the songs that never get released as singles that make this band as good as they are. I will always contend that their album “Power” is their best. Taking in the View and Tomb 19 are what I believe are their best songs off that album. But nothing will ever eclipse their song “Rainmaker”. That song is so strong. The storytelling is so vivid to me. And they are still touring. Amazing.
2) Nightwish – It was a coin toss between #1 and #2 on this list, but Nightwish just fell short. Please tell me how a band formed in 1996 is a hot band on youtube that people are now discovering. I heard this band one night on youtube just seeing if there were bands out there that I hadn’t heard of before and might like. This was back in 2005. I thought when they fired their first singer, that they might fall off. I was wrong when I heard “Dark Passion Play”. Then when they fired their second singer during a U.S. tour, I feared that might be the end. Oh was I wrong. The third singer, Floor Jansen, brought this band a sound that has not been duplicated yet. The masters of Symphonic Metal, they are huge in the entire world besides the U.S. and they are growing their fanbase here everyday. Their fans are rabid but usually nice and will tell you the facts about the band and steer you into what they believe will enhance your experience. For people that have seen them in concert, they say that they sound better live over their albums. That is very rare. This is my favorite current band.
1) Queen – Everybody knows this band. They are one of the giants of Rock and Roll. I think it’s a shame that not everybody knows their story. It isn’t just about Freddie Mercury, but about all of their stories. This band had me the first time when I heard Sheer Heart Attack and continued on until the end of Freddie Mercury’s life. During that 8-9 year period, anything that Queen did was gold in my eyes. And the music has withstood the test of time. For me, this band has been closer to perfection than any other that I have heard. And don’t get me wrong, Queen touring with Adam Lambert is real good, but it doesn’t reach the level of having Freddie Mercury being the frontman. The current Queen lineup would probably still be in my Top 10 just because the songs are so good. But put on a Queen album and just let it play. You will hear excellence. Doesn’t matter what album you listen to. I didn’t get a chance to see the Freddie Mercury fronted band and that will always bother me, but I did get to see them on live TV. And I still get to watch their videos or recorded concerts anytime I want. And that is a lot.
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