AC/DC guitarist Stevie Young, who replaced his uncle Malcolm Young in 2014 after the band cofounder was diagnosed with dementia, has been hospitalized following a recent concert in South America.

“Out of an abundance of caution, he was admitted to a local [Buenos Aires] hospital where he is undergoing a ​full battery of tests,” a spokesperson said, according to Reuters.

“Stevie is ​doing well and is in good spirits. He is looking forward to ⁠getting onstage on Monday.”

 

The Australian band recently performed in Santiago, Chile; they are scheduled to play three shows in Buenos Aires, Argentina, starting on March 23. They last played the city in 2009.

When Did Stevie Young Join AC/DC?

The 69-year-old Stevie Young joined AC/DC in 2014, after Malcolm Young was diagnosed with dementia. He had also played with the band, led by Malcolm and his brother Angus Young, in 1988 during a U.S. tour, subbing for Malcolm.

He played on the band’s 2014 album, Rock or Bust, but wasn’t named an official member of the longtime group until later in the year. (Malcolm Young died in 2017.)

AC/DC performs in Arlington, Texas, in April 2025 during a stop on the Power Up Tour (Bryan Rolli, UCR)

Young has played on AC/DC’s Rock or Bust World Tour in 2015-16 and the current Power Up Tour, which began in 2024 and continues through this year.

Where Is AC/DC Playing in 2026?

AC/DC will play several more South American dates this spring before heading to North America for a new leg of the Power Up Tour in July.

The first date takes place in Charlotte, North Carolina, on July 11 and plays dates in Denver, Vancouver, Houston and Toronto, before wrapping up on Sept. 29 with a date in Philadelphia.

You can see AC/DC’s 2026 tour schedule below.

AC/DC, Power Up Tour 2026

3/23 – Buenos Aires, AR @ Estadio River Plate
3/27 – Buenos Aires, AR @ Estadio River Plate
3/31 – Buenos Aires, AR @ Estadio River Plate
4/7 – Mexico City, MX @ Estadio GNP Seguros
4/11 – Mexico City, MX @ Estadio GNP Seguros
4/15 – Mexico City, MX @ Estadio GNP Seguros
7/11 – Charlotte, N.C. @ Bank of America Stadium
7/15 – Columbus, Ohio @ Ohio Stadium
7/19 – Madison, Wis. @ Camp Randall Stadium
7/24 – San Antonio, Texas @ Alamodome
7/28 – Denver, Colo. @ Empower Field at Mile High
8/1 – Las Vegas, Nev. @ Allegiant Stadium
8/5 – San Francisco, Calif. @ Levi’s Stadium
8/9 – Edmonton, Alberta @ Commonwealth Stadium
8/13 – Vancouver, British Columbia @ BC Place
8/27 – Atlanta, Ga. @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium
8/31 – Houston, Texas @ NRG Stadium
9/4 – South Bend, Ind. @ Notre Dame Stadium
9/8 – St. Louis, Mo. @ The Dome at America’s Center
9/12 – Montreal, Quebec @ Parc Jean-Drapeau
9/16 – Toronto, Ontario @ Rogers Stadium
9/25 – East Rutherford, N.J. @ MetLife Stadium
9/29 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ Lincoln Financial Field

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The ABCs of Rock – The Best Rock Band for Each Letter of the Alphabet

Do you know your ABCs of Rock? We hope so as there are well known rock bands for every single letter of the alphabet.

Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire

acdc with an a

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AC/DC

Simply put, AC/DC have one of the strongest resumes of any band in rock history. The band’s Back in Black album is one of the biggest selling albums of all-time, but there’s so much more to the group’s career.

The powerful vocals of Bon Scott, then Brian Johnson later, the showmanship of Angus Young, the underrated guitar work of Malcolm Young and a fierce rhythm section of Cliff Williams and Phil Rudd have carried them through the years.

The group has sold over 200 million records worldwide, won a pair of Grammy Awards and they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.

Biggest Albums: Back in Black, Highway to Hell, The Razors Edge
Biggest Songs: “Highway to Hell,” “You Shook Me All Night Long,” “Back in Black,” “For Those About to Rock,” “Thunderstruck,” “T.N.T.”

the beatles with a b

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The Beatles

No band has ever had a run quite like The Beatles, who released 12 studio albums and racked up over 20 chart-topping singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. All in less than one decade’s time, too.

The foursome of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr were among the most influential acts in history. The group’s music started in their clean mop-top British Invasion era and gradually grew more experimental in nature over the course of their seven year career.

The accolades are impressive. They include 11 Grammy wins, 15 Ivor Novello wins, 17 NME Awards, an Academy Award for Original Song Score for Let It Be. They are the best-selling music act of all-time. And they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on their first year of eligibility in 1988.

Sorry other “B” bands, but there’s no touching The Beatles.

Biggest Albums: Sgt, Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band, The White Album, Abbey Road
Biggest Songs: “Twist and Shout,” “All You Need Is Love,” “Let It Be,” “Yesterday,” “Hey Jude”

creed with a letter c

Chuck Brueckmann

Creed

Their initial career was relatively short, but their impact and popularity is unquestioned. For “C,” we’re going with Creed.

The post-grunge outfit arrived in the latter portion of the ‘90s. They quickly found a home at rock radio with their “My Own Prison” title track and a debut record that kept churning out hits. By the time their sophomore set Human Clay arrived, the band was dominating the charts with “Higher” and “With Arms Wide Open.”

An oversaturation level saw people turn on the group, who split after their third album. But the fondness for the music and Creed’s dominance over a certain period in the late ‘90s and early 2000s led to a huge response as the band reunited in 2024. They are arguably bigger than ever in the 2020s.

Biggest Albums: Human Clay, My Own Prison, Weathered
Biggest Songs: “My Own Prison,” “What’s This Life For,” “Higher,” “With Arms Wide Open,” “My Sacrifice”

def leppard with a d

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Def Leppard

It took a while for Def Leppard to find their audience, but once they did they never looked back. Pyromania, the successor to the excellent High ‘n’ Dry was one of the biggest selling albums of 1983, putting the band on the map with standouts such as “Photograph” and “Rock of Ages.”

They would overcome tragedy as drummer Rick Allen lost his arm in an auto accident, but they forged on with the hugely successful follow-up Hysteria. And as the calendar flipped to the ‘90s, they served up one more smash with Adrenalize.

Def Leppard have sold over 100 million records worldwide, have two diamond-certified albums and they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.

Biggest Albums: Hysteria, Pyromania, High ‘N’ Dry
Biggest Songs: “Photograph,” “Rock of Ages,” “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” “Love Bites,” “Let’s Get Rocked”

eagles with an e

Rick Diamond, Getty Images

Eagles

The country-tinged rock band Eagles formed in 1971 when Glenn Frey and Don Henley decided to branch out from Linda Ronstadt’s backing band and start a new group on their own.

Initially with Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner, the four-piece initially found success on their self-titled and Desperado albums. Though Frey and Henley remained the constants, the band added such talent as Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmidt and Don Felder over the years.

The band’s first greatest hits collection that spanned 1971-1975 is one of the biggest selling albums in the history of music. Eagles have won six Grammy Awards, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and enjoyed one of the biggest reunion tours with their “Hell Freezes Over” run in 1994.

Biggest Albums: Hotel California, The Long Run, One of These Nights
Biggest Songs: “Take It Easy,” “Best of My Love,” “Hotel California,” “Heartache Tonight,” “I Can’t Tell You Why”

foo fighters with an f

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Foo Fighters

There is life after Nirvana and Dave Grohl found it! The former Nirvana drummer initially put together some demos of his own music after the band’s demise following Kurt Cobain’s death. He gave it the name Foo Fighters to keep from drawing attention to himself, but soon the music had labels calling.

Though the group started with Grohl, the expanded lineup has included bassist Nate Mendel, guitarists Chris Shifflett and Pat Smear, drummer Taylor Hawkins and keyboardist Rami Jaffee throughout their most successful years.

Foo Fighters evolved into one of the most in-demand live rock bands. They’ve won 15 Grammy Awards, received the Global Icon honor at the 2021 MTV VMAs and they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on their first year of eligibility in 2021.

Biggest Albums: The Colour and the Shape, There Is Nothing Left to Lose, Wasting Light
Biggest Songs: “Everlong,” “Learn to Fly,” “All My Life,” “Best of You,” “The Pretender”

guns n roses with a g

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Guns N’ Roses

Amidst the glut of glam metal bands emerging from the Sunset Strip in the ‘80s, Guns N’ Roses stood out for delivering a more raw brand of hard rock.

It took a moment for them to win over the tastemakers at MTV, but once they were given the shot they became one of the hottest bands going. “Welcome to the Jungle” was a video smash and “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and “Paradise City” kept them on top of the musical heap for the next year plus.

Not content to rest on their laurels, the band delivered the ambitious two volume album Use Your Illusion in 1991 and managed to do the thing that many of their ‘80s peers didn’t – survive the advent of grunge. In fact, songs from the two volume collection kept them relevant at rock radio deep into 1993.

While their career stalled after The Spaghetti Incident? covers album due to lineup changes and delays in the long-awaited The Chinese Democracy album, the enormity of their success between 1987 and 1993 is pretty much untouchable.

Biggest Albums:Appetite for Destruction, Use Your Illusion I & II, GN’R Lies
Biggest Songs: “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “Paradise City,” “Don’t Cry,” “November Rain”

heart with an h

Michael Putland, Getty Images

Heart

Heart’s Wilson sisters took the rock world by storm in the ‘70s, delivered one of the decade’s great comebacks in the ‘80s and continued to thrive commercially at radio well into the ‘90s.

Incorporating a blend of hard rock, metal and folk influences into their sound, the band delivered notable driving rock tunes as “Magic Man,” “Crazy on You” and “Barracuda” as well as killer power ballads such as “These Dreams” and “Alone.”

At a time when there seemed to be a glass ceiling in rock, Heart broke through and served as influences for a generation of female rockers. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.

Biggest Albums: Heart, Little Queen, Bad Animals
Biggest Songs: “Magic Man,” “Barracuda” “These Dreams,” “Alone,” “All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You”

incubus with an i

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Incubus

Incubus are one of the more modern entries in our ABCs of rock. The Calabasas crew formed in 1991 and emerged during the height of the nu-metal era with the Make Yourself album being their big breakthrough.

They become one of the bigger alternative bands of the 2000s, meshing elements of funk, metal and alt-rock that fused to create some of the decade’s biggest hits. Though the band has scaled back on their output over the past decade, they’ve still consistently hit the alternative rock charts.

They’ve produced three platinum albums, 14 Top 10 alternative rock singles and won the Billboard Music Awards Modern Rock Track of the Year for 2001 with “Drive.”

Biggest Albums: Morning View, Make Yourself, Light Grenades
Biggest Songs: “Pardon Me,” “Drive,” “Wish You Were Here,” “Megalomaniac,” “Love Hurts”

jimi hendrix experience with a j

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Jimi Hendrix Experience

Jimi Hendrix was one of the emerging guitar talents of the ‘60s, having toured with the Isley Brothers and Little Richard before branching out on his own. Struggling while playing the R&B circuit solo, he eventually signed a deal in which drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding flanked him, creating one of the fiercest rhythm sections going.

The group yielded three very successful studio albums while Hendrix’s guitar talent continued to draw much of the attention. Songs such as “Hey Joe,” “Purple Haze,” “Foxy Lady” and “Crosstown Traffic” became fan favorites, though his biggest commercial success on the charts came with a cover of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower.”

By 1969, things began to fracture and Hendrix moved on to record his next album with Band of Gypsys before his death in September 1970. But the trio’s three albums had already cemented their legacy. The Jimi Hendrix Experience influenced a generation of players and yielded an impressive catalog of music that fused together elements of rock, R&B, soul and funk.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

Biggest Albums: Are You Experienced?, Axis: Bold as Love, Electric Ladyland
Biggest Songs: “Purple Haze,” “Foxy Lady,” “All Along the Watchtower,” “Hey Joe,” “Little Wing”

kiss with a k

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KISS

Easily one of the most influential acts of the 1970s, KISS took the music world by storm with their catchy hard rocking songs and charismatic showmanship that included a mystique that came with their facial paint and stage clothing.

Thanks to the KISS Alive! album, the band earned a reputation as one of the top live acts of the day. They’ve sold over 100 million records worldwide and hold 14 platinum albums. Though the lineup changed multiple times after the exit of original members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons remained constants throughout their run.

The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.

Biggest Albums: Destroyer, Rock and Roll Over, Love Gun, Alive!
Biggest Songs: “Rock and Roll All Nite,” “Beth,” “I Was Made for Lovin’ You,” “Forever,” “Detroit Rock City”

led zeppelin with an l

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Led Zeppelin

Having made a name for himself in the Yardbirds, Jimmy Page formed what would arguably be the biggest rock band of the ’70s as his next band. We’re talking about Led Zeppelin, the four-piece that featured Page’s guitar prowess, Robert Plant’s soulful but powerful voice, the thunderous drumming of John Bonham and the underrated brilliance of John Paul Jones on bass.

The band hit the ground running and within their first two years they became the biggest band in rock, pushing the boundaries with a blend of heavy music, folk and soul. Their first three albums yielded such instant classics as “Good Times Bad Times,” “Whole Lotta Love” and “Immigrant Song” before their fourth studio album became their masterpiece. Led Zeppelin IV remains one of the biggest selling albums of all time.

The band has sold an estimated 200 to 300 million albums worldwide, had six straight chart-topping albums in the U.S. with five of those records reaching diamond certification (10 million copies sold).

Led Zeppelin were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.

Biggest Albums: Led Zeppelin IV, Led Zeppelin II, Houses of the Holy
Biggest Songs: “Whole Lotta Love,” “Stairway to Heaven,” “Immigrant Song,” “Black Dog,” “Kashmir”

motley crue with an m

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Motley Crue

Doesn’t it feel good to be the best “M” band? Motley Crue should know.

When Motley Crue first arrived in 1981, heavy bands drawing mainstream attention were a bit of an anomaly, but by the end of the decade they had become one of the most commercially successful hard rock bands going.

They inhabited the rock star persona with their hedonistic lifestyle, became MTV video stars and put on exceedingly elaborate live shows that eventually came to incorporate Tommy Lee’s drum rollercoaster.

Motley Crue have sold over 100 million albums worldwide, with nine of their albums reaching the Top 10 in the U.S. and seven of their records going platinum.

The band’s popularity dipped a bit in the ’90s with lineup changes and radio shifting away from the glam metal sound that dominated the late ’80s, but the group has seen a resurgence in the 21st century. From their high-profile 2000s reunion to post-farewell tour return as interest spiked with The Dirt biopic film and subsequent stadium tour.

Biggest Albums: Dr. Feelgood, Girls Girls Girls, Shout at the Devil
Biggest Songs: “Smokin’ in the Boys Room,” “Dr. Feelgood,” “Girls Girls Girls,” “Kickstart My Heart,” “Home Sweet Home,” “Shout at the Devil”

nirvana with an n

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Nirvana

Nirvana’s tenure was tragically brief, but their impact on music was legendary. After buzzy but modest returns for their debut album, Bleach, the band brought in new drummer Dave Grohl and crafted what would be the biggest game-changing album of the ’90s.

The Nevermind album shook up the music world, spurring a revolution that saw alternative and grunge music coming to the forefront at radio and influencing a generation of new bands. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” spurred plenty of momentum and the group went four singles deep before deciding to move on from their “no-skips” record.

Amidst massive success, Nirvana recorded their third album In Utero, a successful but somewhat underrated gem that sadly saw a curtailed promotional cycle after Cobain’s death in the spring of 1994. The group also saw success with the release of their MTV Unplugged in New York live album that was released posthumously.

In their prime, Nirvana won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Performance, won an American Music Award as Favorite Heavy Metal / Hard Rock Artist and won five MTV Video Music Awards. Nevermind was a Diamond selling album in the U.S. Meanwhile, In Utero is six times platinum and MTV Unplugged in New York is eight times platinum.

The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility in 2014.

Biggest Albums: Nevermind, In Utero, Bleach
Biggest Songs: “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Come As You Are,” “Heart-Shaped Box,” “All Apologies,” “You Know You’re Right” 

oasis with an o

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Oasis

Oasis’ ’90s emergence was the closest thing to Beatlemania since the “Fab 4” arrived in the ’60s. Their popularity in the U.K. was truly something to behold at the height of their fame. At one point, they scored 22 consecutive Top 10 singles in the U.K. And while they didn’t quite match those numbers in other parts of the world, the band has sold over 70 million albums globally.

The group had the fastest-selling debut album in British history with Definitely, Maybe and continued an impressive streak in the ’90s with (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? and Be Here Now. The group was named by Guinness World Records as the most successful act in the United Kingdom between the years 1995 and 2005.

But amidst the hits, often penned by guitarist Noel Gallagher and sung by his brother Noel, was the consistently combative nature between the sibling rockers. Eventually things reached a breaking point between the pair in 2009 when Noel decided to quit the band ahead of a festival performance in Paris.

The split led to the formation of Beady Eye (Oasis minus Noel) and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, with Liam Gallagher eventually starting his solo career.

In 2024 the brothers finally mended fences for a 2025 reunion tour.

Oasis have been nominated multiple times, but have yet to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Biggest Albums: (What’s the Story) Morning Glory, Definitely Maybe, Be Here Now
Biggest Songs: “Wonderwall,” “Live Forever,” “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” “Champagne Supernova,” “Supersonic”

pearl jam with a p

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Pearl Jam

Though Nirvana are often credited with the birth of the grunge era, fellow Pacific Northwest rockers Pearl Jam were pretty much lockstep in 1991 and 1992 leading the new grunge and alternative movement.

Unlike their peers in grunge’s “Big 4,” Pearl Ham had an uninterrupted legacy, remaining one of the most influential and successful rock bands of the last four decades. The group has evolved their sound and their songwriting while using their platform to address social issues and injustices.

Pearl Jam’s debut album Ten is a diamond certified record, while their follow-up Vs. set a record at the time for the most copies of an album sold in a single week. They’ve sold over 100 million albums worldwide, have two Grammy Awards, four MTV VMAs and five American Music Awards.

The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017, their first year of eligibility.

Biggest Albums: Ten, Vs., Vitalogy
Biggest Songs: “Even Flow,” “Jeremy,” “Daughter,” “GIven to Fly,” “The Fixer”

queen with a q

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Queen

If you want range, look no further than Queen. They’ve managed to meld elements of progressive rock, hard rock, metal, pop and arena rock into a consistently interesting and challenging music that made them one of the most beloved bands of the ’70s and ’80s.

The four-piece of Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon also won over fans with their stage performances and their 1985 appearance at Live Aid is considered one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music.

The band has sold an estimated 250 to 300 million albums worldwide. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003. They also received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.

There’s really no question about it. Queen are the ultimate “Q” band.

Biggest Albums: A Night at the Opera, News of the World, The Game
Biggest Songs: “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are the Champions,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “Another One Bites the Dust,” “Under Pressure” (with David Bowie)

the rolling stones with an r

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The Rolling Stones

There are a lot of great “R” bands, but most of them might never have had the chance to shine had The Rolling Stones not set the table for the future of hard rock to come in the 1960s.

Taking their queue from the great blues artists, The Rolling Stones delivered incredible guitar hooks and paired them with the swagger and charisma of frontman Mick Jagger.

Now in their seventh decade, The Rolling Stones have as impressive a resume as any act ever in music. Three times they’ve held the record for the highest grossing tour. They’ve sold over 250 million albums worldwide. They’ve won five Grammy Awards and been recognized with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. They’ve won three MTV Video Music Awards.

The Rolling Stones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.

Biggest Albums: Exile of Main St., Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Beggar’s Banquet
Biggest Songs: “Gimme Shelter,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” “Honky Tonk Woman,” “Brown Sugar, “Start Me Up,” “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” “Sympathy for the Devil,” “Paint it Black”

soundgarden with an s

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Soundgarden

It took some time, but pioneering grunge band Soundgarden finally got their due in the early ’90s once Nirvana and Pearl Jam knocked down the door. The group joined their Seattle cohorts in pushing their more metallic and sludgy sounds to the masses.

Soundgarden scored three hugely successful records in Badmotorfinger, Superunknown and Down on the Upside before inner tensions led to their 1997. But their impact and influence had been cemented at that point.

The group won a pair of Grammy Awards and one MTV VMA en route to selling over 30 million albums worldwide.

Singer Chris Cornell had a fairly successful solo career and struck gold a second time singing for the supergroup Audioslave before he reunited with his Soundgarden bandmates in 2010. Their 2012 album King Animal was a modest success, but Cornell’s untimely death in 2017 put an end to their second chapter.

Still, the legacy remains strong for Soundgarden, who have previously been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Biggest Albums: Superunknown, Badmotorfinger, Down on the Upside
Biggest Songs: “Black Hole Sun,” “Pretty Noose,” “Burden in My Hand,” “Spoonman,” “Outshined”

tool with a t

Tool Dissectional

Tool

We had to get this just perfect, so why not go with the band that strives for perfection. Our “T” pick goes with Tool. The meticulous outfit currently consisting of singer Maynard James Keenan, guitarist Adam Jones, bassist Justin Chancellor and drummer Danny Carey are known for their dedication to detail in melding elements of progessive metal, art rock and psychedlia into the mix while also putting a heavy concentration into the visual aspects of their music.

They’ve issued five studio albums total, first arriving with 1993’s Undertow, and notching platinum sales status for the first four. They’ve garnered critical acclaim, avid fandom and respect from the industry with four Grammy Award wins.

Biggest Albums: Aemima, Lateralus, Undertow
Biggest Songs: “Sober,” “Fear Inoculum,” “Schism,” “Forty Six & 2,” “The Pot”

u2 with a u

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U2

It’s hard to argue with U2 as the pick for the biggest of the “U” acts. The Irish four-piece of Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. emerged from early college rock radio in the early ‘80s to becoming the biggest band in the world by the time the decade concluded.

Writing songs that connected with the human experience and delivering them with Bono’s powerful vocals and The Edge’s delay effects-driven guitar style, the band saw a meteoric rise in popularity that carried them as one of the top recording acts going well into the 2000s. The band entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005 and they’ve amassed a whopping 22 Grammy wins over the years.

They also had the honor as the very first band to perform at the Sphere in Las Vegas.

Biggest Albums: The Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby, All That You Can’t Leave Behind
Biggest Songs: “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “With or Without You,” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” “One,” “Beautiful Day”

van halen with a v

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Van Halen

There’s really only one “V” band that we could legitimately choose here. It’s gotta be Van Halen.

The masterful guitar playing of Eddie Van Halen inspired a full generation of players. The charisma and bravado of David Lee Roth lit up concert stages and video screens. Meanwhile, you had one of the fiercest rhythm sections of the ‘70s and ‘80s in Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony.

The band’s Roth-era output was pure, raw, unadulterated fun. And as Van Halen progressed into the ‘80s the group incorporated more keys and synths to adapt with the times while honing their songwriting skills to keep them going strong through the Sammy Hagar era into the mid-’90s.

Van Halen have sold over 80 million albums worldwide, making them one of the all-time biggest selling rock bands. They’ve won Grammys, American Music Awards and MTV Video Music Awards. The group was inducted ito the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.

Biggest Albums: Van Halen, 1984, 5150
Biggest Songs: “Jump,” “Why Can’t This Be Love,” “Panama,” “Eruption,” “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love,” ‘Runnin’ With the Devil”

the who with a w

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The Who

Who could we possibly choose for the “W” in the ABCs of Rock? The Who, that’s who!

Of all the “W” rock bands, they’re the ones that are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The four-piece of Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle and Keith Moon started off very much in the British Invasion era style of music before becoming a more raw rock powerhouse who pushed the experimental boundaries as they entered the ‘70s.

They were also master storytellers within their music, creating the rock operas Tommy and Quadrophenia during their impressive career. The band was very much a live powerhouse, with many eyes focused on the windmill guitar antics of Townshend and the utter chaos behind the kit that was Keith Moon.

Biggest Albums: Who’s Next, Tommy, Who Are You, Quadrophenia
Biggest Songs: “My Generation,” “Baba O’Riley,” “Pinball Wizard,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” “Who Are You,” “Behind Blue Eyes”

x with an x

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X

Admittedly, there aren’t a lot of “X” bands, but the band simply known as X has amassed a pretty stellar career that stands tall right along with the other bands on this list.

The Los Angeles foursome kept punk going strong into the 1980s while eventually evolving to include more folk and Americana influences into their sound as well.

The creative force of former couple Exene Cervenka and John Doe, the utter cool of guitarist Billy Zoom and the killer beats of DJ Bonebrake stood out amongst the second wave of emerging punk acts. Two of their albums made Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time and they have remained an influential act throughout six decades as a band.

Biggest Albums: Los Angeles, Wild Gift, Ain’t Love Grand
Biggest Songs: “Los Angeles,” “Burning House of Love,” “Country at War” “Wild Thing,” “Poor Girl”

yes with a y

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Yes

Though the band has had a wide array of players throughout the years, Yes have consistently remained one of the most saluted progressive rock bands. The group’s career started with their self-titled 1969 debut album and they’ve surpassed the 20-album mark.

Yes were stars of album-oriented rock (AOR) in the ‘70s, but found a larger commercial appeal in the ‘80s thanks to songs such as “Owner of a Lonely Heart” and “Love Will Find A Way.” Their live show has often been celebrated as well with over 15 live albums including the platinum selling Yessongs.

Yes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.

Biggest Albums: Close to the Edge, Fragile, The Yes Album
Biggest Songs: “Roundabout,” “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” “Leave It,” “Love Will Find a Way,” “Lift Me Up,” “I’ve Seen All Good People”

zz top with a z

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ZZ Top

We’ve got to start at the “top” for the bottom of the alphabet. We’re talking about ZZ Top.

The iconic Texas trio have been cranking out albums since 1971 with a blend of blues and Southern rock sounds that have captured the imagination of listeners.

The band earned their reputation as one of the great live bands of the ‘70s, but their career kicked into overdrive when they became music video stars. Their ‘80s music video series featuring a mysterious car and a bunch of do-gooding beauties, set to danceable BPMs, helped catapult ZZ Top beyond the ’70s.

Their vast career was celebrated in 2004 with induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Now in their sixth decade, ZZ Top still rock Z’s better than any other Z act.