My favorite band of all time and in my opinion unmatched in song writing ability and all around musicianship. Lead by one of the most gifted songwriters / singers of all time, Eddie Vedder, Pearl Jam are undoutably rock music in it's purest form. And helping the cause along is probably one of the truly great guitar players of all time, in Mike Mcready, who's riffings and solos are inspiring. Whether you personally preferred the loud and grand sounds of the debut album Ten, or are more of a fan of the stripped concept of Vitalogy the band never falters. While some releases are most definitely better then others the band has yet to put out a disappointing album in my opinion. Their greatness as musicians won't allow it. The quintessential band of the 90s and the greatest rock band of our time is Pearl Jam.

Forget Kurt Cobain, the true tortured artist of the 90s grunge era was Layne Staley. With a deeply melodic delivery that could just as quickly transform into a gutteral howl, Layne Staley no doubt had the heaviest voice of all Seattle Bands. And Alice In Chains was definitely the heaviest band of the genre. Combining elements of metal and straight up rock and roll, the band had a sound that influenced a host of followers including Godsmack. Backing up Staley's amazing vocals was songwriting genius and guitar wizard Jerry Cantrell who pinned many of the bands hits along with Staley. However if there was ever a band heading towards self destruction it was Alice In Chains. Evident in their lyrics where Staley very openly talks about his addiction to heroin which eventually proved to be the downfall of the bands short career, with Staley descending deeper and deeper into addiction until he finally lost his battle with the needle in 2002. It's a bittersweet experience to listen to this truly great band, to know this career could've carried on rather then died out at the peak of their greatness.

Taking a turn for the strange on my list is Slipknot. Or should I say numbers 0-8 the twisted members of Iowa's heaviest band. Of the genre, being metal and nu metal, no one does it better then Slipknot, they combine all the elements of great metal bands taking from death metal, rap metal, and everything in between. They've consistently shown they can play some of the more brutal music on the planet, and aren't afraid to branch out into melody, something most metal acts are afraid to touch. Fronted by the ear shattering screams of surprisingly charismatic frontman, Corey Taylor, who has one of the best metal voices and strangely enough can also sing as well. With nine members including three drummers (some of the best drumming ever), two guitarists, a dj, a sampler, a bass player, and of course Corey, Slipknot is a large family. This is the band that made me look into metal and remains to be my favorite of the genre with consistently great releases.

Perhaps no band has influenced the current state of metal as much as Pantera did when they blasted onto the scene in the early 90s. Of course Metallica is still referred to as the most influential metal band, but you'll always find Pantera in a close second. Their influence was a tad different, Pantera reinvented the metal genre and they did it by putting out the heaviest music this side of black metal in Europe. Phil Anselmo quickly became the voice of the new, improved, heavier metal scene. With a menacing delivery and even more menacing prescence in person. Of course it doesn't hurt when you have one of the great metal guitarists by your side in the form of Dimebag Darrell. The band consistently remained the heaviest band of the 90s and could've made even more of a mainstream success but they kept with their intregity and instead kept going heavier and heavier. The self titled "Reinventers of the Steel" certainly influenced metal music, and even though they've since parted ways, their music is still as powerful as ever.

My experienes with this band have been brief but they made enough of an impression on me in that span. Possibly the most alternative of the bands that I listen to, Modest Mouse has a sound thats fresh and different from anything out there. Vocalist Issac Brock has a split personality as a singer, delivering soothing melodies before switching to a truly sporadic delivery that suggests Brock is a little insane. The music itself is a stripped down type of rock with quiet subdued melodies that keep the bands sound varied and enjoyable. One of the better alternative bands that are around today in a suffering music industry, Modest Mouse, is a band that truly engages the listener.

One of three bands on my list with only one album to their name. American Head Charge to me is the most exciting metal band to come out in the past few years. Combining elements or electronica, thrash metal, and some incorporations of melody the band has an interesting sound that sets them apart from the usually generic genre that exists today. Vocalist Mark Cock has the most amazing scream of any current metal vocalist and his melodies liken him to a more talented Marilyn Manson. Another large band not unlike Slipknot, and like Slipknot none of their members are unessecary, or there as a gimmick. If the band looks eccentric it's because they are, whether it's firing off shotguns at live shows or commanding the crowd to kill each other. However don't mistake this for a cover for their lack of musicianship for this band writes amazing metal songs, and their album War Of Art is one of the greatest metal records of the past 4 years.

Originality and talent do not know the limits of musical genres. There is no better example of this then the one and only rapper on my list, Eminem. Possibly the most powerful person in music at the moment this white rapper has catapulted himself to the top of the hip hop genre. Generally rap music is not something I tend to enjoy. However with Eminem you are witnessing the best there is and you can't help but be drawn in. Whether he's incorporating rock music in his music or telling an entire story over the course of a twenty song album. His rhyming schemes are mindblowing and I read the booklet at times to marvel at just how extensive the lyrics he's written are. Criticized by many not only for being a white rapper but for also exhibitng unusually high amounts of violence and profanity in music he has always been controversial. No greater is the debate over content within music evident as it is with Eminem. However you must respect what he's been able to do in a genre that is predominately african american. Even the stingiest of music society recognized his talent when they awarded him a grammy for Marshall Mathers LP. Simply put he is one of the most impassioned performers in music.

The second of three bands that only have one album. Jet hails from Austrailia and while most bands are playing pop punk and various other degenerative forms of rock and roll, Jet has stuck to the classic formula, playing music reminscent of the Rolling Stones, and such. Sometimes they are classified as rip offs or just another garage band like The Hives, or The Strokes, but this is an unfair assessment. It's not that they steal the sound of older bands as much as they expand on it and pay homage to it. With their most rocking tracks showcasing a knack for catchy hooks and their ballads recalling the better works of the Beatles. Jet is one of the better new bands out there today, and wonderfully recall the classic stylings of rock that young music fans are missing out on today.

Finally, rounding out the top ten is the brand new band from Scotland, Franz Ferdinand, the third and final band with only one album to their credit. While they are still just emerging rest assured that this is the future of mainstream rock music. Franz plays free spirited Rock and Roll with post punk influences, grooving dance beats, and a little flair for the industrial genre. Songs like "Take Me Out" are amazing rock tracks that showcase the bands ability to write extremely catchy songs that are sure to keep you in motion. With an interesting vocalist and excellent catchy guitar licks this band will stick in your mind.