In case it isn’t obvious or if you’re a new reader, I listen to a lot of music.
The list below is based solely on what I’ve curated on one of the music streaming services I have access to. If it weren’t for that limitation, this list might never be completed. Guidelines are helpful, and for something like this having a limiting factor is almost a necessity.
Some letters are just super competitive, so limiting myself within one service made sense. Perhaps one day, I’ll do this again with my physical CDs or vinyl, which would no doubt have some overlap. But enough speculation, let’s talk about the bands that did make the cut.
Most of these bands will be discussed in terms of why they are here, or why they were a part of my digital library and playlists to begin with.
A – Aerosmith
One of the first bands I ever dove deep into, Aerosmith remains one of my favorites. While not all albums have been added to the playlist and library, there’s enough that you can call them a major influence.
B – Bob Dylan
Dylan’s on the list for two reasons. First, after I read Chronicles, I started listening to the lesser spoken of albums starting with Oh, Mercy because of that book. I also got heavy into my acoustic guitar, and learning Dylan’s rhythms is a challenge that has been fun to undertake.
C – Cinderella
I’m a child of 80’s music, and Cinderella is one of those bands that I enjoy alongside their brethren. Since I know that this band also overlaps with my physical music collection, I think I just like the idea that that gives them an edge here.
D – Dire Straits
How can you even have a musical collection of playlists without having some Dire Straits? They’ve got a song for every playlist. Money for Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, Walk of Life, Brothers in Arms, Sultans of Swing, Lady Writer – these songs and more are waiting to be added to the appropriate lists. Plus, I played Sultans of Swing live on bass in one of the many cover bands of my youth.
E – Eve 6
If there is a road trip playlist of any kind or a run/exercise playlist that I created, then Eve 6’s Open Road Song will be on it. I do have other songs on other things, but that’s the main reason they’re on this list.
F – Fozzy
I love Fozzy. And yes, of course, I was introduced to it by the lead singer himself, Chris Jericho, because that’s how you find out about these things, but he really can sing! And given how much my musical tastes overlap with his, it was inevitable. Also, for a while Zack Wylde was his guitarist, so it’s not like it’s just a promotional flash in the pan.
G – Guster
A band I have written about before that has been with me since college. I’ve never let them go because when you find a band that’s as versatile as Guster is, you make sure they’re on every platform and playlist you have access to.
H – Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
I have no idea when I was first introduced to Mr. Alpert and his Tijuana Brass, but it features more heavily in some playlists than others. I always try to include one, if possible, because in a world of pop and electronic music, more brass isn’t always the answer, but it’s never a bad thing.
I – Iron Maiden
While Run to the Hills was a mainstay on my run playlist for a while, as well as its inclusion on a bass play-along playlist, it is the live version of Fear of the Dark that cements Maiden’s inclusion on this list. If at all possible, I put that song everywhere!
J – Jimmy Barnes
It’s not often that you can pinpoint your introduction to an artist. With Jimmy Barnes, I can. It was while watching an AFL Grand Final (Aussie Rules Football Championship) that I had torrented decades ago. He played “No Second Prize” during the halftime show, and I just decided I wanted more of that. Since then I’ve enjoyed his entire catalog, but especially the album that “No Second Prize” is on, Barnestorming.
K – The Kinks
You don’t hear much talk about The Kinks these days, but they just kill everything! How can you not enjoy The Kinks! You Really Got Me, Sunny Afternoon, Lola! These must have a home in most playlists, so here they are.
L – Leroy
Leroy’s eponymous debut is one of my favorite albums. There are songs that belong to different playlists, but there are plenty of times when I just want to hear the album. If you haven’t heard it, go find it and press play!
M – Might Mighty Bosstones
This band is so much more than “The Impression That I Get.” In fact, also on that album “Let’s Face It” is Royal Oil, Another Drinkin’ Song, The Rascal King, Noise Brigade! Now, I know some people like to make ska the butt of the joke, but it’s more than a laughing matter. It’s just good music if done right, and The Bosstones do it right.
N – Nine Inch Nails
NIN is one of those bands that I have on playlists which are more for background than just pure listening. With that being said, if I hear one of their songs, especially from Pretty Hate Machine or The Downward Spiral, I’m pretty much guaranteed to listen to one of those albums within 72 hours. I don’t know why this is, it just is.
O – Odds
While my inclusion of Odds on playlists tends to be from the more recent releases, which puts me at odds (pun intended) with Our Liner Notes host Chris Maier, it’s still a testament that he introduced them to me and I enjoyed them. I just enjoy some albums more than he does, and vice versa.
P – Polaris
Perhaps you are of an age to know Polaris as that band from “The Adventures of Pete & Pete,” or perhaps you’re not. But this is one of those bands that, if you enjoyed the show, you probably loved the music. And let’s be real, that band and that show fit together so well that it’s hard to separate them. Because I know them, they are part of my playlist and compilation making arsenal.
Q – Queen
Queen is one of those bands that never really seemed to want to do the same thing twice. This means that if you’re building a playlist, Queen can easily set up or bring home any theme you may want to build on.
R – Rolling Stones
Given the longevity of their career, and the many genres of music that has been produced by these old English lads, it’s easy to include hits and deep cuts evenly across playlist creation.
S – Spin Doctors
What time is it? If you know, you know, and if you don’t, the answer is 4:30. And if you knew that, then you probably know why Spin Doctors makes this list.
T – They Might Be Giants
This was almost Tom Petty, but while I do love and miss Tom, They Might Be Giants is something special. I was the generation that discovered them through a two-song crossover with Tiny Toons and their 1990 album Flood. Since that time, I’ve enjoyed their ever-growing catalog.
U – U2
Modern U2, Classic U2 – any U2 is good U2. I know, it’s easy to make a joke at their expense, especially with their skyrocketing ticket prices, and the “free” Songs of Innocence album from Apple Music, but even before the groundbreaking Joshua Tree album, U2 was a force to be reckoned with, and they still are.
V – Van Morrison
This could’ve easily been Van Halen, which you’ll also find in my library, but I wanted to make sure I covered some of the classic artists that are in the collection. I personally don’t like that “classic rock” hasn’t aged, it’s just been added to. So I have some older things in a classic list, and some newer songs that are still 20 years old in another list. But when “it’s a marvelous night for a moondance,” you don’t need it followed by pop-punk from the late 90’s.
W – Wallflowers
Look, I admit it. I’m a fan of Dylans. This list now has two Dylans on it: Bob, and his son Jakob. Aside from the familial connection, I found my fandom of The Wallflowers has grown with each album release since Bringing Down the Horse. I know that’s not something everyone can say.
X – XTC
So… When it comes to these A to Zed series, depending on what the parameters are, X is one of those troublesome letters, where you don’t have much selection. That is how XTC gets here. And my introduction to them is from a song from a band already on this list, They Might Be Giants. So if it weren’t for TMBG’s Factory Showroom album and the track XTC vs. Adam Ant, I wouldn’t have even had a band to put here.
Y – The Yardbirds
Similar to X, Y is often hard to fill in these series, but The Yardbirds were a formidable influence on early rock and I know how to find the influences of my influences. The Yardbirds are basically the easiest band for a six-degrees-of-separation music edition, and musically they’re just in another class.
Z – Frank Zappa
And finally, there’s Zappa. Whether he’s on his own or with the Mothers of Invention, I’ve come to appreciate Zappa in a way that I never fully understood until I listened to his whole discography recently. Since then, not many consecutive weeks go past without hearing a song on a playlist or my just putting on a whole album.
So there you have it. Looking through my digital streaming service playlists, these are just 26 of the many bands that make up my standard listening habits. Are there more? Absolutely, but this is one of those lists, that aside from X and Y, I could easily do this again and not have any overlap.
As exercises go, this was a pretty fun one that I would encourage you to do yourself.