Pioneers in American new wave and punk rock in the mid-to-late 70s, Blondie was started by Debbie Harry and Chris Stein. Underground until ‘Parallel Lines’ in 1978, over the next three years, they would achieve a number of hit singles.
The Band has been on the road for decades and joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, having sold over forty million records worldwide. They’re even still active; their eleventh studio album, ‘Pollinator,’ came out May 5th, 2017.
Recommended Listening: ‘Parallel Lines’ was the breakout album for Blondie and spawned the hit single “Heart of Glass.” Also, listen to their second number-one UK single, “Maria,” in 1999.
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses combined numerous rock genres to create a unique, chugging, driving sound known worldwide. Their first album, Appetite for Destruction, reached number one on the Billboard 200 and still is the best-selling debut album ever.
The band is also famous for its antics. Singer Axl Rose has assaulted people, people have died at concerts, and addiction ran rampant during the eighties, earning the band the moniker “the most dangerous band in the world.” Recommended Listening: There's no going wrong with their debut album. Make sure to hear the songs “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Sweet Child of Mine,” and “Paradise City."
Styx
Formed in 1972, Styx melds hard rock, acoustic guitar, synthesizers, and acoustic piano. They are best described as progressive rock with pop and soft rock.
The band has found themselves, in a variety of different lineups, on the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 a number of times, and have had four consecutive albums certified multi-platinum: 'The Grand Illusion,' 'Pieces of Eight,' 'Cornerstone,' and 'Paradise Theatre.'
Recommended Listening: If you haven't already heard “Come Sail Away,” you need to fix that right now. They also have plenty of other songs that have reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Tool
Nothing transcends musical styles like Tool. Formed in 1990, the band has produced only six albums despite being active since its formation. However, the group has won four Grammy Awards for their efforts.
Combining progressive rock and psychedelic rock, Tool is an intensely private band and didn't even allow online streaming until 2019. They released their sixth album 'Fear Inoculum' in August of 2019, thirteen years after 2006's '10,000 Days'.
Recommended Listening: Focus on 2001's 'Lateralus,' what most fans consider the top selection, and '10,000 days'. Listen to the albums in one sitting, in a quiet room with good headphones. You'll thank us.
Blue Öyster Cult
Abbreviated as BOC, Blue Öyster Cult started in 1967 in New York and has sold more than twenty-four million records worldwide. Known mostly as a hard rock band, they've also dipped into psychedelic rock, acid rock, progressive rock, and more.
BOC is known as “thinking man's metal.” They've influenced dozens of bands, including plenty on this list, and they even inspired a famous Saturday Night Live skit.
Recommended Listening: Make sure you hear “(Don't Fear) The Reaper.” It remains one of the most famous classic rock and metal songs ever. Also, check out “Burnin' for You,” “Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll,” and “Godzilla.”