Steve Wright
Recent articles by Steve Wright
BBC Music Magazine Awards 2026 – Voting Terms and Conditions
These 15 legendary rock bands were misunderstood for decades
From ignored rejects to cultural icons, these are the artists who failed in their own time... only to emerge into the light years later
1991 was rock's post-80s new dawn. We rank its 17 greatest albums
The best albums of 1991 – the year grunge, hip-hop, electronic, and alternative crashed in, forever altering rock's landscape
These 15 bands honestly sounded like nothing else on the planet
From Captain Beefheart’s surreal blues to Can’s hypnotic krautrock, these 15 bands revelled in a soundworld like no other on Earth
These 15 music icons left us far too young
From Robert Johnson to Nick Drake: 15 brilliant musicians gone too soon – tragic losses that left us wondering what could have been
These 12 1970s rock gods reinvented themselves for the 1980s
Some 1970s rock giants lost their way in the '80s—while others reinvented themselves and thrived in bold new directions.
Canadian rock: the Great White North's 21 all-time greats, ranked
From folk legends to pop icons, Canada has produced extraordinary talent. Here’s our ranking of the 15 greatest Canadian musicians, celebrating innovation, influence, and timeless artistry.
Fluke or Genius? Rock's 15 most improbable success stories – ranked
Some bands shouldn’t have existed: chaotic line-ups, clueless musicians, or impossible personalities. Yet these 15 acts defied the odds – and changed music forever
Jimi Hendrix went on tour with The Monkees. It was short – and disastrous
When Hendrix met Monkeemania, the result was a surreal, strangely touching culture clash – and the essence of 1967's adventurous spirit
These 21 dark, strange albums closed the door on the 1960s
21 shadowy, unsettling albums that signalled the ’60s dream was dying – and something stranger and darker was coming
GRRRR!!! Rock's 29 angriest songs – ranked
From the visceral growl of the 1960s to the industrial rage of the 90s, explore the songs that turned pure fury into rock’s most explosive anthems
The worst albums from rock's 19 greatest bands
Even rock legends have off days. These are the infamous albums where iconic artists lost the plot – and proved that greatness isn't always guaranteed
Rock movies: the 11 greatest music films of all time – ranked
Rock and cinema collided in unforgettable ways. From Beatlemania to Pink Floyd in Pompeii, these 11 films defined how rock looks and feels
These 13 bands were hyped as the Next Big Thing. They really weren't
From 'New Beatles' to manufactured superstars, these 13 bands were handed the keys to rock’s kingdom... but failed to deliver
Sex, drugs, and the occult: rock’s 15 most notorious bands
A wild tour through rock’s most infamous acts, from the Chili Peppers’ frat-boy antics to the darker rumours that clung to some of the Seventies’ biggest bands
Ranked: the 25 greatest albums of 1970, the Sixties' hard, bluesy hangover
From heavy metal’s birth to the Beatles’ final bow, discover 21 essential albums that defined rock’s gritty, hungover transition into 1970
Meet the dangerous musical sound known as the 'devil in music'
For centuries, the tritone - a musical interval spanning three whole tones - has added tension, drama and mystery to music by everyone from Bach to Bernstein
Fired! Rock's 15 most infamous dismissals
The axe falls: 15 notorious stories of bands easing out an unwanted member
These 17 classic rock anthems are not quite what they seem
Uncover the hidden truths behind 17 iconic tracks where infectious melodies cleverly mask dark themes and unsettling obsessions
11 Seventies rock icons – and their most criminally underrated albums
14 misunderstood rock albums – from Joni Mitchell to Queen – reborn for modern ears, revealing brilliance once dismissed or overlooked
Misfire! 15 bands who tried something different – and went badly wrong
A look at 15 times the world’s biggest bands stepped out of their lane and crashed into the stylistic guardrails
Letdowns: 15 disappointing follow-ups to great albums
From creative overreach to studio meltdowns, 15 follow-up albums that buckled under the crushing weight of their predecessor’s legacy
These 15 bands should have been huge. They just landed in the wrong era
Out of sync and out of time: 15 brilliant acts who missed their window of immortality by a matter of months or years
Bowie! His 29 greatest songs, ranked
From Ziggy Stardust’s cosmic arrival to the haunting swan song of Blackstar, we rank 29 masterpieces from rock's greatest chameleon