Steve Wright
Recent articles by Steve Wright
Under the radar: 11 seminal rock albums that were ignored on release
Some of rock’s most revolutionary albums were ignored at release, only to reshape music decades later – proof that true influence often takes time to reveal itself
Classic 1970s albums: the greatest LP from each year of rock’s golden decade
From glam to punk, prog to soul, the 1970s defined the album era – here are the decade’s standout releases, year by year.
These 15 albums are the sound of great bands falling apart
Bands breaking apart, creativity under strain, brilliance and bitterness tangled together – 15 albums where you can hear the split happening.
Rock's 25 most legendary guitarists, ranked
From Hendrix’s feedback to Tom Verlaine’s angular lines, these 15 iconic guitarists crafted unique tones, phrasing, and textures
Australian rock: the 19 greatest acts from Down Under, ranked
From AC/DC to Kylie Minogue, these 19 iconic artists who defined Australian pop and rock, shaping both local and global music
This singer was as good as McCartney. Then he started drinking with Lennon
A golden voice, Beatles-blessed fame, wild excess, tragic decline: the brilliant, baffling rise and fall of Harry Nilsson
These 15 bands burned very bright... but all too briefly
These 15 bands burned bright and fast – short-lived but massively influential, shaping genres, inspiring musicians, and leaving enduring legacies in rock history
These 11 albums were goodbyes. They knew it ... but the world didn't
Eleven albums recorded with endings in mind – by death or breakup – where farewell, reflection, and urgency quietly shape every note
Ranked: the 21 greatest folk music albums of all time
From Bob Dylan to Bon Iver, here are the 15 greatest folk albums of all time, showcasing timeless storytelling, emotion, and musical mastery
1985 in pop and rock: the 23 greatest albums turning 40 this year
New wave and punk were retreating, but 1985 was no lull: it was a surge of ambition, and reinvention. Here are its 23 greatest albums
14 rock icons who went huge... THEN took their biggest risk
Fourteen bands who hit the heights – then swerved hard into danger, ambition, chaos, or genius. Success didn’t tame them. It provoked them.
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