I have been pondering for the past ten years the best rock songs of all time and have spoken to fellow musicians, music lovers and peers about my list and compared it to their lists. Obviously I have taken more time to think about this particular list than most people I have talked to, but I take their opinions very seriously. So here is what I have come up with for the top ten greatest rock songs of all time.

Keep in mind, this is my opinion and has no factual evidence to support it. I am not going by record sales, band reputation or any sort of researchable data, just one musician, self proclaimed rock enthusiast and historian's perspective.

I wanted to inform my reading audience that my top ten songs have pretty much stayed consistent throughout the years yet I have swapped the ranking of them on numerous occasions and probably will change them again. I don't know what order I should put them so the list below is in random order.

• 1. The Who - Baba O'Riley - To me the Who is one of the top rock bands to ever live. Pete Townsend wasn't the flashiest of guitarists, he wasn't the best guitarist, yet he gave us emotion and substance to his riffs and solos. His music captured the essence of rock n roll and the songwriting of him, Roger Daltrey and Keith Moon was one of the best pairings of musicians to ever perform together in the history of music. The keyboard instrumental at the beginning of Baba O'Riley is intricate and original and compliments the guitars and drum when the song kicks in. The lyrics and chorus are very catchy and evokes such power in the listening audience it has to be considered one of the true great songs of rock. Me being a Who fan I had to weigh the strengths of this song compared to other masterpieces such as "My Generation", "Pinball Wizard", "Behind Blue Eyes" and "Won't Get Fooled Again". I am sure some of these songs would make my top 25 but that is a whole other ball of wax to delve into at a later time.
• 2. Ted Nuget - Stranglehold - I could listen to this song over and over and over again and never get tired of it. This is a true piece of art in the form of rock n roll. When I first heard this song it was like my my soul had entered euphoria. The solo which lasts more than five minutes provides a magical melody over an amazing bass line which makes the song so powerful. I could not image the solo being any shorter. If you were to tell me that a band from today has recorded a songs with a solo as long as that, I would think it would be overkill and not worth the time to even listen to it. I am not a huge Ted Nuget fan but this song absolutely belongs on the top ten list.
• 3. AC/DC - Back in Black - Back in Black has one of the most original and recognizable riffs in the history of Rock. This was a particularly hard choice for me because there are so many amazing AC/DC songs it was hard for me to choose which one was the best. I am still not sure I have picked the right one. When I hear Hells Bells or Highway to Hell, both songs kick me in the stomach and creates a feeling of pure unadulterated rock that blows me away twenty years later. I have always heard that your first instinct is usually the right one, so that is why I picked Back in Black. Also one thing that sticks out in my mind is when the song was first released when people were hesitant and holding judgment on what the new singer of AC/DC would sound like or if he would compare to Bon Scott, yet when the first verse was heard, all expectations were blown out of the water. When I am at a gig and we are doing a sound check, I always play the riff for Back in Black and every time I see people quickly snap their head towards me in a moment of gratitude for playing such an iconic lick.
• 4. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody - I think Queen created their signature song that could never be topped with anything they ever created from then on when they recorded Bohemian Rhapsody. The pure musicianship, vocal harmonies and mood changes in the song make this a classic. Queen has always been known to push the boundaries of rock and their own creative sound but Bohemian Rhapsody shattered the mold of the prototypical rock song. Freddie Mercury and Brian May are two of the greatest singer/guitarist duos of all time and with that they created some of the genre's most original and dynamic music. The great thing about this song is they take a ballad, throw in a theatrical operatic segment, switch back to the ballad, then end it on a high octane rock riff. If this song were a piece of painted art, it would be hanging at the Guggenheim for all to see and appreciate.
• 5. Aerosmith - Dream On -In the ten years I have been thinking about this list, I have always been conflicted on whether or not to include the infamous "Power Ballads". This is the top ten ROCK songs and do I constitute a ballad as a rock song just because it is by a rock band? After wrestling with this subject for just over a decade, I have decided that it should be considered a rock song and therefore I include it in my list. Dream On is the greatest song by Aerosmith and it is a staple of their catalog along with classic rock. The song is beautifully crafted with guitars, vocals and feeling. The melody is second to none and the guitar solo compliments the composition of the song beautifully. Whenever I hear the song on the radio, I am completely unable to turn the station and/or have a conversation with anyone else in the car. I must sing along and I must cast myself into the mind of Steven Tyler as he sings this unbelievable song.
• 6. Black Sabbath - War Pigs - This was one of the easiest picks in my top ten for a number of reasons. First of all, the dynamics of this sound is outstanding going from vocals and a high hat to thunderous guitars. Secondly the verses are political, dark and mysterious leaving the listener to conger up images in their mind adding to the atmosphere of the song. Lastly the riffs and guitar solos are crafted in a melodic way that leads you along a journey of war, darkness and captivation. Toni Iommi has one of the greatest minds for creating heavy yet simple riffs and casts the perfect solos over those said riffs. With Ozzy Osbourne's obvious one-of-a-kind voices, the song is catapulted into the realm of classic rock n roll. I also must mention Geezer Butler has one of the greatest bass tones ever!
• 7. Led Zeppelin - Dazed and Confused - Here is a shocker! 99% of the world would have put Stairway to Heaven in this spot, well actually it is usually ranked number one on most people's list. I do love Stairway and completely agree that it is one of the greatest rock songs of all time, I believe Dazed and Confused is the superior song. Again I stress the importance of dynamics, take a listen to the songs and listen for the subtle changes in the bass, guitar and vocals. Robert Plant's voice on this particular song is one of his greatest performances. The bass line, yet slow and melodic, packs such power it could stand on its own, and does for major portions of the tune. The drums are perfectly inserted in the arrangement and the guitar powers through to the melody with ease. This is in my opinion the most underrated rock song not only by Led Zeppelin, but by any band to ever be considered rock.
• 8. Rush - Tom Sawyer -I want to express to my audience that I am far from a Rush fan. I can say I have listened to every Rush song released and I don't really "get" what the fuss is all about. I realize the superiority of Neil Pert's drumming, I understand the level of musicianship the entire band contains, but to me, most songs sound pretty similar. Obviously they are a great band and I would never take that away from them, but I think the only choice for Ruch is Tom Sawyer, which I believe belongs in the top ten. The keyboard is what makes this song go from a good song to a classic. Even though I am not a fan of the high voice of Geddy Lee, it suits this song perfectly. The arrangement of the songs is amazing and way each instrument is played inspires new and old fans of the genre. The song is tight and the feel of the songs is powerful. This is one of the songs that has been up and down on my list for years, always in the top ten, but has gone as high as number three in my rankings.
• 9. Blue Oyster Cult - Don't Fear (The Reaper) - Even though this song has gotten a younger audience from the Christopher Walken / Will Ferrell skit on SNL, it is truly a wonderfully created and recorded song. People now-a-days consider it more of a joke than a classic rock song due to the skit but this is one of my all-time-favorites for a number of reasons. The vocal harmonies are exquisite, the simplistic rhythm guitars are outstanding and the lead solo elevates the songs to greatness. During the solo when the rhythm guitar is playing the high octave riff and then the lead guitar shreds on top with the entire band powering through the background I feel as if a storm is crashed upon the world leaving a path of destruction before the sun arises and shines its light back on the world. This is another of the great underrated songs in the history of rock.
• 10. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird -Throughout my musical career and experiences of audiences chanting "Free Bird" at every concert I have performed at, it is easy to lose your admiration and love for this true classic song. Most bands get annoyed to the fact that there are people who jokingly request this song at every show they attend, but I take it with a grain of salt and soldier on with my set list, whatever it may be. However, if you are a musician and decided to actually play that song for the audience, I guarantee you will get an unbelievable response, most likely a long ovation of appreciation. As simple as the song is and even the solo work at the end, the feel of the song is unmistakable. The lyrics are touching and meaningful, the guitar solos in-between the verses are melodic and heartfelt and when the song builds to its climax it impresses everyone. If you have ever seen Lynyrd Skynyrd perform this live, you will get chills from the pure experience and heart of the song.

• 11. Rolling Stones - Paint it Black
• 12. Joe Walsh - Rocky Mountain Way
• 13. Pink Floyd - Hey You
• 14. Jimi Hendrix -Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
• 15. Beatles - Helter Skelter
• 16. Kansas - Carry on my Wayward Son
• 17. Eagles - Hotel California
• 18. AC/DC - Hells Bells
• 19. Van Halen - Runnin with the Devil
• 20. Heart - Barracuda
• 21. Guns N Roses - November Rain
• 22. Alice Cooper - Welcome to my Nightmare
• 23. The Doors - Riders on the Storm
• 24. The Who - Pinball Wizard
• 25. Cream - Sunshine of your Love

Here are my honorable mentions:

Kiss - Gold Gin, Led Zeppelin - Black Dog, Paul McCartney - Live & Let Die, Ted Nuget - Cat Scratch Fever, Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze & Guess Who - American Woman.