Best Songs Guide

Some voices wear a crown without asking. LaVern Baker let rhythm sit tall while melody did the smiling. Her records...

Some guitarists chase speed. Eric Clapton turns time into feeling. A single bend carries a whole paragraph of memory. A...

Some singers glide. Gene Chandler floats and strides at the same time. The suit is sharp, the smile is welcoming,...

Some bands chase the spotlight. Bad Company sounded like they walked in with the lights already warm. Paul Rodgers sang...

Pop can be bubblegum and brass knuckles at the same time. Few artists have danced on that line with the...

Some singers visit a feeling. Patsy Cline built a house in it and left the porch light on. Her voice...

Some bands play at urgency. The Stranglers made urgency feel elegant. Jean Jacques Burnel’s bass growled like a motorbike at...

A voice can spark a dance craze. A dance can change who feels welcome on a floor. Chubby Checker did...

Some groups play songs. The Allman Brothers Band built landscapes. Two guitars weave like bright rivers. Organ chords lift the...

Some artists reinvent the haircut. David Bowie reinvented the room. He could turn a three minute single into a portal...