Revisiting America's Hard 100 (100-76)
One year ago we asked you, the fans, to help us decide the 100 greatest hard rock and heavy metal songs of all time. We compiled our list of classic rock and metal jams and asked people to vote on their favorites to help us determine where they landed on our countdown list which was then broadcast as America’s Hard 100. Well you know, it turns out, you guys were wrong.
Well, no not exactly wrong, we were wrong, look, it’s doesn’t matter who was wrong but what we hadn’t counted on was that some bands, whose appeal is bigger than just those of us who are hard rock and heavy metal maniacs, would garner more votes than some of the biggest, most importance bands in rock history and when those aforementioned heavy metal maniacs saw the final ranking, man, were they pissed! Not that those bands are bad but you know, as we say here in New York City, what’s right is right.
So in honor of this year’s National Metal Day we’ve re-calculated votes, taken user comments from online and Facebook into account, and re-ranked America’s Hard 100. We’ll be rolling out 25 songs at a time all weekend leading up to National Metal Day this Monday November 11th and we’ll also be posting an important announcement about everyone’s favorite cable TV show about all things hard rock and heavy metal. We can’t say what the new is just yet nor can we say the show’s name but it rhymes with Fat Kettle Crow so see if you can figure it out and now please enjoy America’s Hard 100 Revisited (100 through 76).
[Photo Credit: Getty Images]
100. Ratt “Lay It Down”
L.A. glam pioneers show why they were an influence on Metallica and Motley Crue among others.
99. Anthrax featuring Public Enemy “Bring The Noise”
Metal meets rap on this cataclysimic cover years before the term "mash up" was a buzzword.
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98. Alice Cooper “Poison”
The shock rock Godfather showed he still had a few tricks up his sleeve with this stripper pole favorite.
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97. Poison “Nothin’ But A Good Time”
So pretty they could pass for chicks but the rock went deeper than critics realized.
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96. Foo Fighters “My Hero”
Alt rock second act for the former Nirvana drummer and one of rock's biggest bands to this day.
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95. Queensryche “Silent Lucidity”
Prog metal seldom makes the charts but it did on this song by the long-running band.
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94. Guns N’ Roses “November Rain”
Only GNR would try to revitalize the power ballad and make it more than fluff.
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93. Rollins Band “Liar”
The former Black Flag singer broke into the mainstream with this wild post-hardcore romp.
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92. Judas Priest “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’”
Metal legends set the stage for their '80s triumphs on this chugging anthem.
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91. Alice In Chains “Rooster”
Seminal Seattle rockers showed that grunge was part metal and part punk on this creepy number.
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90. Scorpions “No One Like You”
Germany's reigning metal kings have a long history of metal hits such as this early '80s classic.
89. Van Halen “Jump”
Best use of synthesizer in a party rock anthem.
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88. Dio “Holy Diver”
One of metal's great voices defined his solo career on this classic cut off his first album.
87. Slayer “Seasons In The Abyss”
Thrash metal vets slow down and show they can do more than straight speed and not lose any power.
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86. Pantera “Cemetary Gates”
The closest thing to a post-thrash power ballad and the song that put these legends on the map.
85. Motley Crue “Girls, Girls, Girls”
The Kings of Sleaze sobered up for this song but still had dirty thoughts on their mind.
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84. Rush “Tom Sawyer”
One of the signature songs of this revered band who upped hard rock musicianship levels.
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83. Twisted Sister “We’re Not Gonna Take It”
NYC hard rockers deliver an almost punk rock anti-authoritarian anthem for the ages.
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82. AC/DC “You Shook Me All Night Long”
Australia's greatest export had a worldwide hit with this homage to "American thighs."
81. Heaven and Hell “Shadow of the Wind”
Despite the name change, the Dio-led Black Sabbath showed they still retained all their power on this cut.
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80. Kiss “Shout It Out Loud”
One of hard rock's most influential acts put another phrase in the heavy metal lexicon with this song.
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79. Aerosmith “Love In An Elevator”
The new sober 'Smith showed they still knew a thing or two about rockin' and rollin' on this '80s video hit.
78. Def Leppard “Photograph”
In many ways the band's breakthrough hit and an MTV mainstay when it came out.
77. Heart “Magic Man”
Hard rock's most famous sister act have a treasure trove of riffs throughout their discography including this early classic.
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76. Bon Jovi “You Give Love A Bad Name”
Glam metal wasn't just a West Coast phenomenon as these New Jersey rockers showed the world on their first major hit.