Steve Wright
Recent articles by Steve Wright
Fear, control, violence: the darkness behind Phil Spector's legendary 'Wall of Sound'
His dazzling ‘Wall of Sound’ recording technique brought widescreen drama to pop music. But Phil Spector’s personal life was music’s darkest, most violent psychodrama
1978 was a new dawn in pop. And it gave us these 15 astonishing debut albums
Inventive, fearless, unforgettable: 1978’s greatest debut albums shattered conventions, from punk’s aftermath to post-punk innovation
These 11 bands were huge for a while. They're mostly forgotten now
Once chart-topping giants, now ghosted by history: 11 '70s and '80s bands who filled arenas, ruled radio... then quietly slipped from memory
Prog rock 1975: ranking the 17 greatest prog albums turning 50 this year
1975 was a landmark year for progressive rock, delivering groundbreaking albums that pushed musical boundaries and redefined the genre’s scope. Here are the 15 best
Chaos, death, black magic: 13 legendary rock addresses with dark pasts
From mansions with ghostly histories to studios steeped in sin, these are the haunted homes of rock ’n’ roll.
'Nebraska': how Springsteen forged beauty from America's dark underbelly
Quite unlike anything else from 1982, Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska is a stripped-back, confessional masterpiece capturing America’s forgotten lives with haunting, intimate storytelling and timeless, darkly compelling narratives
Ranked: the 21 greatest country rock albums of all time
When rock met country, magic happened — steel guitars, road songs, and restless hearts. These 21 albums defined that bittersweet crossroads
Scandal, fraud and worse: rock's 19 most infamous managers, ranked
From manipulation and financial shenanigans to scandal and ego, these infamous rock managers shaped music – and sometimes ruined lives
Sex, scandal, symphonies: the dark history of great composers and syphilis
Romantic composers were passionate, sensual and untrammelled in their desires. Sadly, this meant a surge in deaths from syphilis
The lost classic album that brought down a supergroup
The supergroup that burned bright, fell apart, and left one iconic album, leaving a legacy equal parts tension and brilliance
These 15 stone-cold classic albums were a nightmare to make
From Fleetwood Mac to Tears for Fears: 15 classic rock albums that cost blood, sweat and tears to put together
These 17 bands each left us just one unforgettable song
From jangling indie to late-’90s pop, these bands left their mark with a single unforgettable hit that defined then forever more
13 bands who went huge... and then it wasn't fun anymore
They conquered the world — then fell apart. Thirteen rock bands who found fame and fortune - but lost the simple love of playing together
Ranked: 15 astonishing record labels that changed the face of rock
From Sun to Sub Pop, these 15 labels redefined rock, shaping sounds, scenes, and cultural attitudes across decades of music
Robbed from the grave: the mysterious tales of composers’ missing body parts
Steve Wright peers into the coffin as he investigates the deceased composers whose bodies continued to go on their own adventures
Suicides, debt, paranoia: the tragic tale of rock's most doomed band
They had the talent and the tunes, but not the luck. Badfinger’s story is rock’s most poignant, heartbreaking tragedy
Goodbye, Summer of Love: 15 albums that slammed the door on the Sixties
When the ’60s dream soured, rock got darker, stranger, and more truthful. These 21 albums chart the moment idealism met reality
Genesis: all 15 albums ranked from worst to best (the top 5 were SO tough)
We rank every Genesis studio album, from their early prog masterpieces to the stadium filling pop-rock of the 1980s
Sophomore slumps: 15 second albums that squandered that debut magic
From rushed follow-ups to overblown experiments, these 15 'difficult second albums' prove that early success can be a tough act to follow
They said WHAT? 15 rock stars who crossed the line
From drunken rants to political scandals, here are fifteen moments when rock’s biggest icons took rebellion too far – and paid for it
Sex, darkness, death: The Doors albums, ranked
Dark, seductive, and dangerous — The Doors’ albums ranked, from shadowy psychedelia to seductive, poetic rock masterpieces
Nine iconic bands who tried for the big reunion... and missed
Not every reunion rocks. Eight legendary bands tried to recapture the magic – and proved some breakups should stay permanent.
1967 was rock's year of revolution. We've ranked its 21 greatest albums
1967 wasn’t just psychedelia — these 21 albums reveal brilliance across rock, soul, folk, and avant-garde, redefining music forever
These 11 bands faced tragedy... then came storming back
From devastating losses to triumphant comebacks – these bands turned tragedy into rebirth, proving that music’s spirit can survive anything