Steve Wright
Since 1997, Steve has written about music, theatre, and visual art for a range of magazines and newspapers including BBC Music Magazine, Venue Magazine and The Guardian. His musical passions include prog rock, krautrock, postpunk... basically anything composed between 1966 and 1985 that had a bit of an edge to it.
Recent articles by Steve Wright
These 12 bands found massive fame – but lost what made them special
From psychedelic pioneers to stadium giants, these artists turned their backs on the sound that made them famous – with wildly mixed results
They made classic albums. But they often couldn't stand each other. Rock's 11 most volatile bands
A look inside the bands who made era‑defining albums while barely speaking, constantly fighting, and somehow holding it together long enough to create magic
The Doors albums, ranked - the debut is astonishing, but it's not their best
Dark, seductive, and dangerous — The Doors’ albums ranked, from shadowy psychedelia to seductive, poetic rock masterpieces
10 forgotten rock genres you just don't hear about anymore
Rock evolves relentlessly, leaving behind once-vital sounds. Here are 10 forgotten rock genres that shaped music history... but have quietly vanished from today’s airwaves
Yunchan Lim: the superstar pianist who, at just 18, reduced a famous conductor to tears
'What were we thinking?': 25 rock legends – and the tracks they'd rather forget
Even rock's legends can't do it every time. From Led Zep to The Byrds, these 25 rock icons all have tracks they’d rather erase from the back catalogue
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 classic albums were made at shocking speed – and it shows
Most great albums take months. These timeless classics were made in days - sometimes even hours - and are arguably better because of it
13 bands everyone copied... but no one remembers
Forgotten names, unforgettable influence: the cult bands whose riffs, ideas and attitude shaped entire scenes while fame quietly passed them by
They’re some of rock’s most legendary albums. And they sound like nothing else out there
Timeless artefacts and sonic anomalies: 15 singular albums that abandoned the cultural conveyor belt to exist in their own dimensions
'Pathetic': the song that made John Lennon fall out of love with Bob Dylan
A friendship built on mutual awe, creative sparks and sharp reversals — Lennon and Dylan’s brief, brilliant bond that flared, fractured and faded
The 11 albums that broke rock's greatest winning streaks (plus 6 we're still arguing about)
When genius finally runs dry: 11 records that ended the most astonishing hot streaks in rock history
Into Middle-earth: rock's 17 greatest Tolkien-inspired songs
From pastoral folk to thunderous metal, explore 17 legendary tracks that successfully translated J.R.R. Tolkien’s high-fantasy mythology into rock history
1967: the 21 greatest albums from the year rock changed forever
1967 wasn’t just psychedelia. These 21 albums reveal brilliance across rock, soul, folk, and avant-garde, redefining music forever
Led Zeppelin: their 27 greatest songs, ranked (did we get No. 1 right?)
The heavy-blues architects who conquered the world through sprawling album epics, defining the very essence of hard rock's golden era
Game-changers: 13 rock stars who turned good bands… into GREAT bands
The sonic alchemists and magnetic icons who transformed sturdy musical lineups into legendary, world-conquering forces through sheer, undeniable star power
Dictators: 15 frontmen who ruled their bands with an iron fist
From uncompromising studio enforcers to ego-driven visionaries, these 15 leaders proved that rock and roll is rarely a true democracy
13 songs that invented entire rock genres
From proto-punk to grunge via prog and disco, these 14 groundbreaking tracks lit the fuse on whole new genres, shaping music for generations
These 7 iconic bands lost a key member - and never recovered
When a band loses its irreplaceable member, the music never sounds the same. These 7 great groups tried to carry on – but never truly recovered
1968: the 21 greatest albums from the year the psychedelic dream turned dark
From psychedelic dreams to gritty roots-rock, 1968 was the year the counterculture exploded into its most diverse and daring masterpieces
We ranked Queen’s 25 greatest songs – prepare to disagree
From operatic epics to hard rock anthems, we rank Queen’s 25 greatest songs – celebrating their theatrical flair and timeless musical brilliance
1971: rock's greatest year? These 23 albums make the case
1971 may be rock’s greatest year: a seismic explosion of innovation, protest, and timeless artistry, yielding 15 landmark albums that still shape music half a century later
Cult bands: 15 groups you should know if you really know music
From The Melvins to Slint, discover the unsung architects of rock whose records sold poorly but started a revolution
Sorry, but these 9 bands are just not as great as everyone says they are
Your favorite band is probably overrated. From bloated stadium fillers to pretentious poets, we name the icons who stayed too long
