Europe　

Originally a progressive rock group, Europe didn’t achieve success until they reworked their sound into bombastic yet melodic pop-metal. In their first incarnation, the Swedish band was called Forc ..more

Aztec Camera　

Aztec Camera was the brainchild of Roddy Frame, a Scottish songwriter and vocalist whose precocious talent -- he was still in his teens when the band cut their acclaimed debut album, {^High Land ..more

Gracious　

Gracious began as a schoolboy lark in 1964, when guitarist Alan Cowderoy and vocalist/drummer Paul Davis banded together to cover pop songs at school concerts. To arouse maximum ire at their ..more

a-ha　

The Hellacopters　

What the MC5 and Stooges were to the ’60s, what Sonic’s Rendezvous Band and Radio Birdman were to the ’70s, and what the Celibate Rifles were to the ’80s -- that’s what Sweden’s Hella ..more

Jake E Lee　

He may have appeared on only a pair of albums with Ozzy Osbourne, but guitarist Jake E. Lee helped Osbourne score two of the most commercially successful releases of his long and illustrious ..more

The Flaming Lips　

Even within the eclectic world of alternative rock, few bands were so brave, so frequently brilliant, and so deliciously weird as the Flaming Lips. From their beginnings as Oklahoma weirdos to thei ..more

Richard Marx　

Before he became a pop/rock heavyweight during the late ’80s (and an adult contemporary balladeer throughout the following two decades), Richard Marx sang on commercials and performed as a backing ..more

Turnstile　

Robert Palmer　

The career of blue-eyed soul singer Robert Palmer was a study in style versus substance. While the performer’s earliest work won praise for its skillful assimilation of rock, R＆B, and {\re ..more

Yellowcard　

The punk-inspired quintet Yellowcard formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1997 but didn’t solidify their lineup until a move to Southern California in early 2000. Comprised of vocalist/guitarist Ry ..more

Autumn's Child　

Muddy Waters　

Muddy Waters was the single most important artist to emerge in post-war American blues. A peerless singer, a gifted songwriter, an able guitarist, and leader of one of the strongest bands in the ge ..more

Durutti Column　

The Durutti Column was primarily the vehicle of Vini Reilly, a guitarist born in Manchester, England, in 1953. As a child, Reilly first took up the piano, drawing inspiration from greats like ..more

Asia　

When they appeared in the early ’80s, Asia seemed to be a holdover from the ’70s, when supergroups and self-important progressive rockers reigned supreme. Featuring members of such seminal art rock ..more

The Wedding Present　

Emerging in the wake of the Smiths’ demise as the U.K.’s most successful indie pop band during the late ’80s, the Wedding Present were founded in Leeds, England, in 1985. Formed from the ashes o ..more

Weezer　

As one of the most popular groups to emerge in the post-grunge alternative rock aftermath, Weezer received equal amounts of criticism and praise for their hook-heavy guitar pop. Drawing from the he ..more

Stiff Little Fingers　

A taut, explosive Belfast-based punk band, Stiff Little Fingers (named after a Vibrators song) had the dubious distinction of being referred to as The Irish Clash. What must have seemed ..more

Emmylou Harris　

Though other performers sold more records and earned greater fame, few had as profound an impact on contemporary music as Emmylou Harris. Blessed with a crystalline voice, a remarkable gift for phr ..more

Squeeze　

As one of the most traditional pop bands of the new wave, Squeeze provided one of the links between classic British guitar pop and post-punk. Inspired heavily by the Beatles and the Kinks, ..more