We pull apart 2025’s top rock vinyl list, trace why greatest hits still rule turntables, and celebrate the albums that outlived their moment. Along the way, we honor Steve Cropper, clear up calypso vs mento, and revisit song reinventions from Simon & Garfunkel to Talking Heads and Oasis. • 2025 rock vinyl chart highlights and surprises • why greatest hits dominate modern vinyl buying • Fleetwood Mac Rumours as an enduring benchmark • personal vinyl memories and early listening habits • S...

We count down WPLJ’s Top 95 Albums of 1980 and trace how New York’s buying habits shaped a year when punk, new wave, and classic rock all shared the shelf. Along the way we share radio memories, personal stories, and the surprise winners that still spark debate. • method behind the WPLJ list based on 1980 retail sales • late 1979 albums fueling 1980 momentum • the specials, devo, and new wave’s local footprint • beatles rarities, mono vs stereo quirks, and Ringo vs no Ringo • acdc’s slower N...

The holidays don’t just look a certain way—they sound a certain way. We dive into how a fragile cartoon tree, a swingy piano motif, and a handful of offbeat movie moments grew into the soundtrack of December. From the first Peanuts special to stop‑motion Santa to a green recluse in Whoville, we trace the songs, voices, and production choices that turned seasonal TV and film into enduring ritual. • Charlie Brown Christmas as a symbol of hope and the choice to use children’s voices • Vince Gua...

We roll into our 80s hard rock showdown, where we put ACDC’s Back in Black, Van Halen’s 1984, and Guns N’ Roses’ Appetite for Destruction under the brightest light we know: track-by-track comparison. Jump meets It’s So Easy; Panama squares off with Nightrain; Hot for Teacher tangles with Paradise City. The fun isn’t just the score—it’s how those matchups rewire your nostalgia. From there, we zoom in on live recordings that changed how we hear legends: Elton John’s 1970 trio storm on 17-11-70...

A smiling John Lennon on Monday Night Football. A blunt 1970 interview that cut through the post‑Beatles haze. A late‑night Bermuda epiphany triggered by the B‑52s. We stitch together these scenes to tell a clear story of return, risk, and the ache of what never happened. We revisit Lennon’s sharp takes on early solo albums, then jump to Howard Cosell’s halftime chat where “It’s always in the wind” floated a reunion hope. From there we follow the thread to Double Fantasy: phone‑call songwrit...

Some years don’t just produce great records—they redraw the map of how we listen. We dive into 1970 as a living, breathing turning point, starting with the Velvet Underground’s Loaded to George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass, with detours into Derek and the Dominoes, CCR, and the Partridge Family. Stories of edits, covers, charts, lawsuits, and misheard lyrics tie together what makes songs endure. • Velvet Underground’s Loaded, Lou Reed's last album with the band • Who Loves the Sun, Sweet ...

A fast-moving tour through concerts, songs, and stories that still echo: REM’s 1995 blowout, U2’s 2005 highs, a supergroup surprise with Darius Rucker, Mike Mills, and Steve Gorman and how a ballad helped change maritime safety. We end with a spirited look at 80s alt gems and one notorious number-one. • deep dive into REM’s 1995 Omni shows and rare covers • U2’s 2005 setlist peaks, “Miss Sarajevo,” and a proposal during “One” • Howl Owl Howl live review with Darius Rucker, Mike Mills, Steve ...

What if a tribute didn’t wait for the final chapter? We sit down with artist-producer Anna Jensen and songwriter Kevn Kinney to unpack Let’s Go Dancing, a 100-song, multi-year celebration that reimagines Kevn’s catalog—solo and with Drivin N Cryin—while pairing each release with original artwork. Born from a lockdown birthday idea, the project became a living archive where legends, locals, and rising voices reinterpret songs and, in the process, open new doors for listeners to discover bands ...

The lights drop in Atlanta and Paul McCartney steps into a room full of memory—and invention. We unpack how an icon in his eighties still delivers a two-hour-forty marathon by leaning on tight harmonies, a punchy horn section, and the kind of live tech that lets Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite explode off a modern stage. The show’s emotional peak arrives when Paul sings I’ve Got a Feeling with John via Get Back footage, a moment that proves technology can connect past and present without ch...

A leather jacket, an iconic eagle logo, and a three-chord blur that changed everything—tour manager Monte A. Melnick joins us to reveal how the Ramones became an institution without ever chasing the charts. From booking chaos and van miles to Sire Records deals and night-after-night precision, Monty shares the systems and scrapes that kept the band loud, fast, and on time. We go inside the job nobody sees: shows and hotels, wrangling crews, negotiating with agents, and surviving mismatched a...

A band doesn’t thrive for thirty plus years by accident. Guitarist/Singer and cofounder Johnny Hickman opens up about the simple pact that kept Cracker alive—stay the course, skip the drama, and serve the song. We dig into how he and David Lowery decide who sings what, which ideas belong to Cracker versus solo projects, and how rotating players and richer arrangements kept the sound evolving without losing its soul. Johnny shares the heart of their identity as a conversation between his sign...

A rush of tour news collides with ticket chaos, memories from Nassau in ’82, and why certain songs outlast the charts. We dig into supergroups, The Jam’s perfect demo, UK vs US tastes, and the small human moments that keep music personal. • Rush 2026 reunion dates and presale chaos • First Rush show memories at Nassau Coliseum • The Jam’s Sound Affects and demo vs studio • UK vs US charts and what sticks • Motorhead, Simple Minds, Arcadia highlights • Thunderstruck’s long fuse and video came...

A listener’s mailbag turns into a rapid-fire set of rock face-offs as we celebrate 100 episodes, relive moments from the show, and crack up at studio bloopers. We end with gratitude, a look at global listeners, and a simple truth: the music keeps us here. • Stones over the Who for longevity and range • Led Zeppelin’s blues power vs Aerosmith’s early punch • Pink Floyd’s concept mastery vs Queen’s showmanship • Eagles’ guitar craft vs Fleetwood Mac’s radio gold • ACDC’s consistency vs Van Hal...

We trace a loud, joyful route from under a bridge in Brooklyn to an Atlanta club, catching legends who still hit hard and a tight-knit indie circle that turns baseball into song. Small moments—an unexpected wave, a signed drumhead, a kind word—become the glue of a scene that endures. • CBGB Festival under the K Bridge with Melvins, Lunachicks, Johnny Marr, The Damned, Jack White, and Iggy Pop • the Damned’s stamina and goth-tinged White Rabbit standout • Johnny Marr leading Smiths and Electr...

Janis Joplin's untimely death on October 4, 1970, marked a profound loss for rock music just sixteen days after Jimi Hendrix's passing. We explore her remarkable legacy, breakthrough at the Monterey Pop Festival, and participation in the legendary Festival Express train tour across Canada. • Janis Joplin died at age 27 with only four albums released, yet her impact remains enormous • "Mercedes-Benz" was the last song Joplin recorded before her death • The Festival Express train tour featured ...

Music shapes our memories and creates connections across generations, from legendary drummers who defined rock to the venues that launched careers and the songs that withstand time. • John Bonham of Led Zeppelin died September 25, 1980, at age 32 • Exploration of the greatest drummers of all time across various lists • Hal Blaine, session drummer extraordinaire, played on over 35,000 songs including hits by The Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, and Frank Sinatra • Cameron Crowe's "Almost Fa...

We remember Jimi Hendrix's final performances and lasting legacy as arguably the greatest guitarist of all time. From his final show in Germany where fans booed him for weather delays to his breakthrough at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, we trace the trajectory of this revolutionary musician. • Examining Hendrix's final days, including his last performance at the Love and Peace Festival in Germany on September 6, 1970 • Breaking down Hendrix's iconic Monterey Pop Festival performance where ...

We dive into a musical time capsule exploring the Billboard Modern Rock tracks from September 16th, 1995, highlighting the songs that defined a generation and soundtracked a wedding day. • Matthew Sweet's "Sick of Myself" featuring Television's Richard Lloyd on lead guitar • Hole's "Softer, Softest" with Kurt Cobain on backing vocals, recorded in Marietta, Georgia • Toadies' "Possum Kingdom" with its distinctive guitar opening and haunting lyrics • Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know" featu...

The Rolling Stones' "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out" changed rock history as the ultimate live album experience, capturing the raw energy of their November 1969 performances with new guitarist Mick Taylor delivering an unforgettable sound. • Released September 4, 1970, it features definitive versions of classics like "Jumpin' Jack Flash," "Midnight Rambler," and "Sympathy for the Devil" • Side one includes Chuck Berry's "Carol," while side two features "Little Queenie" • 40th anniversary edition includ...

Journey back to the summer of 1970 as we explore the legendary Isle of Wight Festival, where music lovers converged on a small island off England's southern coast for five days of extraordinary performances. What makes this festival particularly special is how well it was documented – allowing us to experience these historic performances through recordings and film footage decades later. From Chicago's early hits to The Who's powerful performance of "Tommy," the festival showcased artists at...