10 essential

Y’know, it’s called the music business for a reason: Whether or not they’ll readily admit it, bands, record labels, managers and everyone else are in it at least partially for the money. That’s not to say art isn’t important, but at the end of the day, it’s tough to justify the amount of time spent […]

Throughout the past calendar year, we’ve reviewed close to 500 albums between our print and web arms. Needless to say, that’s a lot of rock. Our editorial team listens to music like it’s our job, primarily because it is–which is why we feel confident that the following 10 albums are the best music 2013 had […]

Although these bands have come to the end of their respective roads, still, we can’t let go. That’s why we’re dedicating a few more inches of column space to send off some of our favorite outfits who didn’t make it through the calendar year. Bright side: Expect reunion shows from at least six of these […]

The power ballad rose to prominence in the ’80s, when band after band of hair-metal jokers realized they needed something more emotionally resonant to connect with their female fans (and their genitals). While the initial motivation may have been a bit disingenuous, the style has remained ingrained in many types of music, even (some might […]