My All Time Top Ten Bands: Musicians and Artists Who Shaped My Music World

Music plays a very important part of my way of life. For me, it emboldens my physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic, and spiritual being.  It is even therapeutic for it kills boredom and even quenches an aching heart.  The influence of music in me sums up the fact that it plays a major role in my growth and social life.

I still remember having attended concerts at the now archaic Bernabe Coliseum, J. Catolico Avenue, General Santos City as young as five years old.  My influences range from folk, jazz, country, pop, rhythm and blues, hard rock, and heavy metal. 

I came up with this list just because I want to celebrate my love for music and the artists and musicians who brought up this inspiration in my life.  Here are my all time greats.

1.       U2

An Irish rock band formed in Dublin in 1976. I grew up with the expressive vocal prowess of Paul Hewson (Bono) and the distinctive textural guitar playing of David Evans (The Edge), not to be left out also are the presence of Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr., which complete the highly decorated “Best Band in the World” in 1990s.  Their lyrics mostly centered on spiritual imagery, personal themes and socio-political concerns.  Throughout their career, as a band and as individuals, they have campaigned for human rights and philanthropic causes, including Amnesty International, the ONE/DATA campaigns, Product Red, and The Edge's Music Rising.  My five personal song picks are Pride (In the Name of Love), Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year’s Day, With or Without You, and Beautiful Day.

2.       Led Zeppelin

This English rock band was formed in London during my birth year in 1968.  The group consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, drummer John Bonham and bassist John Paul Jones. With their heavy, guitar-driven blues-rock sound, Led Zeppelin are regularly cited as one of the progenitors of heavy metal and hard rock, even though the band's individualistic style drew from many sources and transcends any one music genre.  I was in my elementary years when I heard of the songs Stairway to Heaven, Black Dog, Immigrant Song, Rock and Roll, and Whole Lotta Love.  Now that I am already 42, Led Zep songs still remain the same that I admire.

3.       Scorpions

Christened in 1965 but formally rose to fame in 1974, Scorpions are a rock group that came from the ashes of Germany’s hard rock scene.  These “Ambassadors of Rock” are known for their 1980s rock anthem Rock You Like a Hurricane, No One Like You, Bad Boys Running Wild, Still Loving You, and Big City Nights. On January 24, 2010, after 45 years of performing, the band announced that they will be retiring after touring in support of their new album Sting in the Tail.  Spanning almost half a century of making music and touring the world is a no joke in the music world.  I do play in my acoustic guitar some of their songs, like Always Somewhere, Holiday and In Trance.

4.       Deep Purple

Considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, Deep Purple was once listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as "the loudest pop group."  The band was formed in England in 1968.  Their biggest album Machine Head in 1972 went double platinum in the US.  They were credited for the monster songs Highway Star, Smoke on the Water, Burn, Space Truckin’ and Black Night.  Child in Time is a favorite song in my guitar repertoire.

5.       Nirvana

Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987. Nirvana went through a succession of drummers, the longest-lasting being Dave Grohl, who joined the band in 1990.  Being famous for their alternative rock subgenre called grunge, the group released Smells Like Teen Spirit from the album Nevermind in 1991. Nirvana's frontman, Kurt Cobain found himself referred to in the media as the "spokesman of a generation," with Nirvana being considered the "flagship band" of Generation X.  The early demise of Cobain due to suicide in 1994 left the rock world in shock.  Nirvana’s drummer Dave Grohl went on to form the famous alternative rock group the Foo Fighters.  I like head banging on their songs Lithium, Come as You Are, and Rape Me.      

6.       The Carpenters

Who would not fall in love with the sweet voice of Karen and the superb music of Richard?  The Carpenters were the #1 selling American music act of the 1970s.  Hits like Top of the World, Only Yesterday, Close to You, For All We Know, Superstar, and We’ve Only Just Begun, which was written by Paul Williams and Richard Nichols, were classic and had imbedded in the consciousness of music enthusiasts who grew up with the duo’s songs.  I remember my brothers used to playing their album in our stereo every morning when I was still 7 years old.  Until now, my wife and I are still in love with their love songs.  The Carpenters are indeed a classic.

7.       The Beatles

I like most of the songs of John Lennon+, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison+.  A recipient of the British music invasion of America, the Fab Four transformed the music scene into the “Beatlemania” fad in the 1970s.  Rooted in 1950s rock and roll, the group later worked in many genres ranging from folk rock to psychedelic rock, often incorporating classical and other elements in innovative ways.  Famous bands later had confessed making the Beatles as their main music influence. Choice hits are Hey Jude, Let it Be, Oh! Darling, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Michelle, and Yesterday.  What I didn’t like with this band was the arrogance of some of its members, most specifically John Lennon, who was so blatant in downgrading Jesus Christ as inferior in prominence compared to the utter distinction of their heydays.

8.       Queen

Gaining prominent success with the release of the albums, Sheer Heart Attack (1974) and A Night at the Opera (1975), England’s rock quartet consisting of Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals), John Deacon (bass guitar), and Roger Taylor (drums, vocals) had released a total of 18 number one albums, 18 number one singles and 10 number one DVDs, and have sold over 300 million albums worldwide, making them one of the world's best-selling music artists.  They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.  My favorite hits include Bohemian Rhapsody, We are the Champions, I Want to Break Free, Another One Bites the Dust, and Love of My life.

9.       Cold Play

Fronted by Chris Martin, this English alternative rock band was formed in 1996. They achieved worldwide fame with the release of the single Yellow in 2000, followed by their debut album released in the same year, Parachutes. Coldplay have been an active supporter of various social and political causes, such as Oxfam's Make Trade Fair campaign and Amnesty International. The group have also performed at various charity projects such as Band Aid 20, Live 8, Sound Relief, Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief, and the Teenage Cancer Trust. My favorite songs from this band are In My Place, The Scientist, Viva La Vida, Speed of Sound, and Yellow.  

10.   Black Eyed Peas

The Black Eyed Peas are an American hip hop group that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1995. The group is composed of rapper and multi-instrumentalist William Adams (will.i.am), and singer-rappers Allan Pineda (apl.de.ap), Jaime Gomez (Taboo), and Stacy Ferguson (Fergie). The group scored their first worldwide hit with "Where Is the Love?" in 2003, which topped over ten charts worldwide.  I like this group because one of their rapper-singers is a Filipino-American, apl.de.ap, who grew up here in the Philippines.  I like the songs Shut Up, Don’t Phunk with my Heart, My Humps, I Gotta Feelin’, and Let’s Get Started, which would not leave dance fanatics unmoved on the dance floor.