11. Band: Aldo Nova
      Song: "Fantasy"
      Album: "Aldo Nova" (1981)

      Aldo Nova is considered by many to be the first Glam Metal artist. Now, other bands, such as Hanoi Rocks and the glam rock bands of the 70's were indeed an inspiration to the movement, Aldo Nova was one of the first to take all these separate influences and create a new style of metal. Granted, this song and Aldo Nova in particular is more on the pop side of music than later Glam Metal artists such as Ratt or Quiet Riot, but can still easily tell it's the prototype for many bands to come. As for the song itself, "Fantasy" has what sounds like a helicopter blade swooping in for its intro, courtesy of the synth that is prevalent in the track. After that, the simple yet effective guitar riff comes in and Aldo Nova starts singing. The lyrics are more intellectual than many other Glam Metal songs, with these dealing with what the life of a rock star (a fantasy for many) is actually like, with Nova repeating several times "Can you live this fantasy life?".  Just something to think about. Oh, and the solo is real slick and sounds like two separate guitars, though it's just Nova utilizing left and right technologies. Enjoy! \m/

10. Band: Alcatrazz
      Song: "Island In The Sun"
      Album: No Parole from Rock 'n Roll (1983)

      Alcatrazz has quite a bit of history and had such amazing talent in the band that it should've made it much bigger than it did (this is a phrase you'll see frequently on this blog). This is their debut album and from this track you'll gather they're more of a hard rock outfit, and although the video is cheesy (this is the 80s!) the song showcases the talents of the band: Yngwie Malmsteen on guitar and Graham Bonnet's amazing vocals. Bonnet is an amazing singer whose resumé is quite impressive and here his pipes are in prime shape. And then over on the six string is Yngwie, one of the most famous metal guitarists ever; he's on this list several times due to his prestige and skill and believe it or not, this is his most laid back solo on this list (he did kind of popularize shredding after all). And even considering that, the solo still seems a little out of place, as if the song needs to be faster or heavier (humorous in a sense, no?). Nevertheless, it still rocks and is a sizzling track. Enjoy! \m/

9. Band: Al Di Meola
    Song: "Race With Devil On Spanish Highway"
    Album: Elegant Gypsy (1977)

    Al Di Meola is a jazz guitarist whose technical skills and influence garnered my attention not too long ago. He is considered one of the first guitar shredders, having been doing his best work in the mid to late 70's, and influenced such greats as Yngwie Malmsteen and John Petrucci. Now, you might be wondering, "Isn't this a hard rock/metal list?" And you'd be correct, however, this list also represents spectacular guitar work, and in all honesty, metal and rock have roots in jazz, so it certainly does belong here on this list. As for the song itself, it's the first of many instrumentals which will appear here (lots of skilled guitarists make their way here instrumentally), and it's pretty hot. His technique doesn't sound like 80's shred, but it's just as fast. It's got a nice jazzy beat which is somewhat infectious, and the solo itself is a finger-snapper-  it's complex, technically advanced, and best of all, sounds good and fits with the song. Enjoy! \m/

8. Band: Airbourne

    Song: Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast

    Album: Runnin' Wild (2007)

    This band is essentially AC/DC, in a very good way. They hail from Australia, they both play similar hard rock songs (especially the minimalist guitar riffs), and their subject matters are nearly the same. Now, being like AC/DC is hard to do, but these guys pull it off well, and this song of theirs is probably the best testament to that: It features a Angus Young-esque riff, and the singer is reminiscent of both Bon Scott and Brian Johnson, and has a great set of gravely pipes. The song itself is rockin', and has a rhythm that is easy to find yourself headbanging to. The chorus is kinda catchy too, but not so much as to be cheesy; and the guitar solo is good as well. It's by no means a shred solo, but much more blues based, and quite tasty as a matter of fact. Enjoy! \m/

7. Band: Air Supply
    Song: Making Love Out Of Nothing At All
    Album: Greatest Hits (1983)

    Again, a band that is as heavy as aluminum foil, but nevertheless one of my favorite soft rock bands ever. Their lyrics may have been slightly cheesy, but at least they were able to make the actual music sound quite superb. This song is especially noteworthy, with its lyrics about how much the singer loves this woman being actually pretty original (though the reference to football after the solo is kinda humorous) and meaningful. The  band itself is at its prime here, with Russell's (their singer) voice and the beautiful piano melody combining as the centerpiece, complemented by a short but invigorating guitar solo at the break, which is all the more refreshing seeing as how solos such as this are pretty uncommon in this genre of music. Enjoy! \m/

6. Band: Aerosmith
    Song: Eat The Rich
    Album: Get A Grip (1993)

    Aerosmith is one of the greatest hard rock bands of all time. Not only did they rule the '70s with hits like "Walk This Way" and "Back On The Saddle", but also in the late '80s and early '90s with their albums "Permanent Vacation", "Pump", and "Get A Grip", which spawned some of their best work, including "Love In An Elevator", "Dude (Looks Like A Lady)", and this song. Now, this band, due to its grandiose song collection, gave me a hard time in choosing a song for this list. I've gone through three songs of theirs but now, with this one, I finally feel like I've got it. This song is one this list because not only does it feature one of, if not the, best funky Joe Perry solo I'm aware of, but also the riff during the chorus is better than some of the guitar solos I've heard over the years. Plus, Steven Tyler's voice is pretty prime here, and the rest of the band provides a solid rhythm and the intro's jungle drums are fantastic. Also, the lyrics here are just plain awesome. Enjoy! \m/

5. Band: Ace Frehley
    Song: Into The Night
    Album: Frehley's Comet (1987)

    Ace Frehley is one of the most influential guitarists of all time. He was in Kiss during their heyday in the late 1970's, during which he gained a considerable following due to his guitar prowess. Then, in 1982, under circumstances still very much debated, Ace separated from Kiss to pursue other musical opportunities, and 5 years later, put out this very solid album. Overall, you can tell this album was about the guitars, from top to bottom, but then again, that's certainly nothing to complain about, especially when all the guitar work is done by one of hard rock's most accomplished guitarists. This song in particular has some fiery guitar work, with the solo being quite noteworthy, and it all around is just a good hard rock song. Plus, the lyrics are more substantial than most other songs; in this case, they're about the impoverished and their struggles from day to day. And yet, even with these slightly somber lyrics, the song still rocks! Enjoy! \m/