More Than a Feeling: The 20 Greatest AOR Tracks of All Time!

[Eric]

Jesus Christ people. EVERYTHING cannot be Journey 24/7. You think they are God's gift to melodicrock. Listen to Reckless. Journey has never made a rock song as food as Run to You or Summer of 69. Journey has pop songs out the ass to be sure, but rock songs they are lacking. And seriously. "Missing You" by Jon Waite? You cannot be serious?

You're the only one who ever made Journey 24/7 that I know of..so what are you talking about......AND....look where the fuck you are - you're on a Journey board. Thats what people talk about on a Journey board....JOURNEY!

You can now resume jerking off to Springsteen.

[Ehwmatt]

I like most of your choices for the article, but where's Bad Company's "Wishing Well" or "Feel Like Makin' Love"? Or Free's "All Right Now"?
I give you a B just because Bryan is not on the list. Sue me.

Laura - yes, I thought about "Feels Like Makin' Love" but I guess in the end it's a straightforward example of Classic Rock. Not a huge difference between Classic Rock and AOR I'll admit - but all those Free and Bad Company records came before Boston's first album which at the time and still today sounds like a ground-breaking and genre-defining record.

Maybe it was the slickness Boston had which made them sound unlike anyone who came before but I think they were the band who set the AOR template - so I discounted any act that came before. Including Aerosmith and their "Dream On" track...which some people argue was the very first AOR song...

By the way...the writ is in the post. B? Unbelievable...

EXACTLY. Tom Scholz found a way to make a guitar sound like no one had ever heard before... I'd venture to say that's only been done a few times before or since... Hendrix's octave fuzz/wah+loud Marshall combo, EVH's brown sound, Yngwie's creamy overdrive and wide vibrato... I'm sure I'm leaving some revolutionary tones out, but there have only been a few to take guitar players/music listeners by storm and Tom's homegrown sound is one of those few... even his acoustic guitar sound set the bar for AOR/80s acoustic sound for years to come...

And we won't even touch on all the layers and nuances his production had...

[conversationpc]

EXACTLY. Tom Scholz found a way to make a guitar sound like no one had ever heard before... I'd venture to say that's only been done a few times before or since... Hendrix's octave fuzz/wah+loud Marshall combo, EVH's brown sound, Yngwie's creamy overdrive and wide vibrato... I'm sure I'm leaving some revolutionary tones out, but there have only been a few to take guitar players/music listeners by storm and Tom's homegrown sound is one of those few... even his acoustic guitar sound set the bar for AOR/80s acoustic sound for years to come...

Exactly.

[WykkedSensation]

Truly Great songs occupy that list.
Love DSB, its the best Journey song ever written, and i agree that Journey could occupy the bulk of that list, but i firmly believe that Boston's 'More than a feeling' is THE greatest song ever written and performed by ANY band. It has everything and then some.

Born to Run BLOWS More Than a Feeling away.

Look at staying power and relevance. BTR is still being played daily, both on radio and live. The other is a hit and miss.

'Born To Run'?? You are fuckin kiddin me.
Fuck knows what gets played in the States my friend, but that song aint NEVER played in the UK, whereas MTAF is played almost every day. In fact Springsteen in general aint played here too much, which suits me just fine.

Yeah you're correct asshole...That's why he just finished up a tour in your shithole continent playing to more folks than every other band combined. Brush your teeth, shower, and bathe for once, and oh yeah, Go fuck your yourself.

And you're a fucking liar if you say MTAF is played more than BTR. A complete balls faced liar.

Good to see you back on form.
Call me anything you fuckin like big man. I can take it, i'm a fuckin brit
Listen and listen carefully. MTAF is played regularly in the UK, Born to run aint..End of.
Now i am gonna go brush my teeth for once, have a shower for once, and bath for once, and then finally i am gonna go fuck my myself

I find it awfully hard to believe Springsteen is NOT the biggest artist in the UK. He just toured stadiums, packed to the rim, while Boston did what? Journey did what?

Bruce is the biggest star in the world, like it or not. The facts speak for themselves.

Dean, i find it awfully hard to believe that you actually believe that The Boss man is THE biggest artist in the UK.
Personally i aint got a clue as to who is probably the biggest artist in the UK is, but i assure you it aint your man. It was not about who was bigger, it was about which song is played more on radio, and MTAF is played loads more regularly than BTR on Mainstream radio.
When Bon Jovi, U2 etc tour here they can play to the same amount of audiences. I am not saying they are bigger (maybe U2 are), just saying that they can play to the same amount every time.
Regarding Journey, well Journey can play to a max of 3,500 people over here and are hardly EVER played on UK radio. Never been popular and never will be.
Ask the casual music fan about Journey and most of them will say they have never heard of them.

[Rockindeano]

Jesus Christ people. EVERYTHING cannot be Journey 24/7. You think they are God's gift to melodicrock. Listen to Reckless. Journey has never made a rock song as food as Run to You or Summer of 69. Journey has pop songs out the ass to be sure, but rock songs they are lacking. And seriously. "Missing You" by Jon Waite? You cannot be serious?

You're the only one who ever made Journey 24/7 that I know of..so what are you talking about......AND....look where the fuck you are - you're on a Journey board. Thats what people talk about on a Journey board....JOURNEY!

You can now resume jerking off to Springsteen.

Naw, I don't jerkoff to him, I just listen to better music now that when I used to listen to Journey.

You don't bother me Eric. You hate me because of political beliefs and Journey hating. I can live with that.

And Wyyked- Bruce just played Glastonbury and 135,000 people. I can't see Bon Jovi accomplishing that.

[Eric]

Jesus Christ people. EVERYTHING cannot be Journey 24/7. You think they are God's gift to melodicrock. Listen to Reckless. Journey has never made a rock song as food as Run to You or Summer of 69. Journey has pop songs out the ass to be sure, but rock songs they are lacking. And seriously. "Missing You" by Jon Waite? You cannot be serious?

You're the only one who ever made Journey 24/7 that I know of..so what are you talking about......AND....look where the fuck you are - you're on a Journey board. Thats what people talk about on a Journey board....JOURNEY!

You can now resume jerking off to Springsteen.

Naw, I don't jerkoff to him, I just listen to better music now that when I used to listen to Journey.

You don't bother me Eric. You hate me because of political beliefs and Journey hating. I can live with that.

I don't hate you....but I battle politics hard......and........your negativity about Journey and its fans needs a response. Enough is enough.

[Rockindeano]

Jesus Christ people. EVERYTHING cannot be Journey 24/7. You think they are God's gift to melodicrock. Listen to Reckless. Journey has never made a rock song as food as Run to You or Summer of 69. Journey has pop songs out the ass to be sure, but rock songs they are lacking. And seriously. "Missing You" by Jon Waite? You cannot be serious?

You're the only one who ever made Journey 24/7 that I know of..so what are you talking about......AND....look where the fuck you are - you're on a Journey board. Thats what people talk about on a Journey board....JOURNEY!

You can now resume jerking off to Springsteen.

Naw, I don't jerkoff to him, I just listen to better music now that when I used to listen to Journey.

You don't bother me Eric. You hate me because of political beliefs and Journey hating. I can live with that.

I don't hate you....but I battle politics hard......and........your negativity about Journey and its fans needs a response. Enough is enough.

You don't think Journey deserves any negativity?

[Eric]

You don't think Journey deserves any negativity?

Yes, after the JSS debacle they deserved an epic and excessive piling on. But they came out with new music, and they are playing some kick ass new versions of some hits...and they plan to go back in studio again this fall. Its not the time now.

And yeah..Bruce is bigger than Journey, but the working folk song thing is kinda stale for my taste, as its not genuine anyway. And Bryan Adams...nice, but no Journey..even without Perry.

[Matthew]

I like most of your choices for the article, but where's Bad Company's "Wishing Well" or "Feel Like Makin' Love"? Or Free's "All Right Now"?
I give you a B just because Bryan is not on the list. Sue me.

Laura - yes, I thought about "Feels Like Makin' Love" but I guess in the end it's a straightforward example of Classic Rock. Not a huge difference between Classic Rock and AOR I'll admit - but all those Free and Bad Company records came before Boston's first album which at the time and still today sounds like a ground-breaking and genre-defining record.

Maybe it was the slickness Boston had which made them sound unlike anyone who came before but I think they were the band who set the AOR template - so I discounted any act that came before. Including Aerosmith and their "Dream On" track...which some people argue was the very first AOR song...

By the way...the writ is in the post. B? Unbelievable...

EXACTLY. Tom Scholz found a way to make a guitar sound like no one had ever heard before... I'd venture to say that's only been done a few times before or since... Hendrix's octave fuzz/wah+loud Marshall combo, EVH's brown sound, Yngwie's creamy overdrive and wide vibrato... I'm sure I'm leaving some revolutionary tones out, but there have only been a few to take guitar players/music listeners by storm and Tom's homegrown sound is one of those few... even his acoustic guitar sound set the bar for AOR/80s acoustic sound for years to come...

And we won't even touch on all the layers and nuances his production had...

Or his abilities as a songwriter. Scholz really was one of the great innovators of the 1970s on so many fronts, wasn't he?

Amazing though that he was so unwilling or unable to continue that pioneering work after the release of the first album. Over the next two decades he fussed over exactly the same formula with diminishing results and in the case of Third Stage in particular the Boston sound which had seemed so jaw-dropping in the mid-70s had developed a very lightweight feel. Or that's how I hear it...

Still - most true geniuses only have a short period where their talent expresses itself at the highest level. (Perry was the same and was actually prolific compared to Scholz). So it's probably a mistake to expect much more from artists like Scholz who have already made such an extraordinary impact.

[Ehwmatt]

I like most of your choices for the article, but where's Bad Company's "Wishing Well" or "Feel Like Makin' Love"? Or Free's "All Right Now"?
I give you a B just because Bryan is not on the list. Sue me.

Laura - yes, I thought about "Feels Like Makin' Love" but I guess in the end it's a straightforward example of Classic Rock. Not a huge difference between Classic Rock and AOR I'll admit - but all those Free and Bad Company records came before Boston's first album which at the time and still today sounds like a ground-breaking and genre-defining record.

Maybe it was the slickness Boston had which made them sound unlike anyone who came before but I think they were the band who set the AOR template - so I discounted any act that came before. Including Aerosmith and their "Dream On" track...which some people argue was the very first AOR song...

By the way...the writ is in the post. B? Unbelievable...

EXACTLY. Tom Scholz found a way to make a guitar sound like no one had ever heard before... I'd venture to say that's only been done a few times before or since... Hendrix's octave fuzz/wah+loud Marshall combo, EVH's brown sound, Yngwie's creamy overdrive and wide vibrato... I'm sure I'm leaving some revolutionary tones out, but there have only been a few to take guitar players/music listeners by storm and Tom's homegrown sound is one of those few... even his acoustic guitar sound set the bar for AOR/80s acoustic sound for years to come...

And we won't even touch on all the layers and nuances his production had...

Or his abilities as a songwriter. Scholz really was one of the great innovators of the 1970s on so many fronts, wasn't he?

Amazing though that he was so unwilling or unable to continue that pioneering work after the release of the first album. Over the next two decades he fussed over exactly the same formula with diminishing results and in the case of Third Stage in particular the Boston sound which had seemed so jaw-dropping in the mid-70s had developed a very lightweight feel. Or that's how I hear it...

Still - most true geniuses only have a short period where their talent expresses itself at the highest level. (Perry was the same and was actually prolific compared to Scholz). So it's probably a mistake to expect much more from artists like Scholz who have already made such an extraordinary impact.

Right, definitely his abilities as a songwriter too... otherwise all the other innovations are for naught... cause no one would have bothered to hear them!

I like all of the Boston output, but the sound definitely changed over the years. I still think Walk On is criminally underrated even though Fran Cosmo does the lion's share of vocal work on there... songs like "Surrender To Me," "Walk On," "I Need Your Love," "Magdalene," and "We Can Make It" are great songs.

[Gordon from Edinburgh]

Jesus Christ people. EVERYTHING cannot be Journey 24/7. You think they are God's gift to melodicrock. Listen to Reckless. Journey has never made a rock song as food as Run to You or Summer of 69. Journey has pop songs out the ass to be sure, but rock songs they are lacking. And seriously. "Missing You" by Jon Waite? You cannot be serious?

The best song on Reckless has to be one night love affiar - which would deserve to be top 5 in that stupid list. Easily. Altho i agree with DSB.

[Matthew]

Jesus Christ people. EVERYTHING cannot be Journey 24/7. You think they are God's gift to melodicrock. Listen to Reckless. Journey has never made a rock song as food as Run to You or Summer of 69. Journey has pop songs out the ass to be sure, but rock songs they are lacking. And seriously. "Missing You" by Jon Waite? You cannot be serious?

The best song on Reckless has to be one night love affiar - which would deserve to be top 5 in that stupid list. Easily. Altho i agree with DSB.

I'd never even heard of this song until Deano brought it up yesterday...

[*Laura]

I'd never even heard of this song...

Matthew! You cannot be serious.

Please do yourself a favor, since you are an AOR connoisseur, and buy Reckless for you collection.

[WykkedSensation]

Jesus Christ people. EVERYTHING cannot be Journey 24/7. You think they are God's gift to melodicrock. Listen to Reckless. Journey has never made a rock song as food as Run to You or Summer of 69. Journey has pop songs out the ass to be sure, but rock songs they are lacking. And seriously. "Missing You" by Jon Waite? You cannot be serious?

You're the only one who ever made Journey 24/7 that I know of..so what are you talking about......AND....look where the fuck you are - you're on a Journey board. Thats what people talk about on a Journey board....JOURNEY!

You can now resume jerking off to Springsteen.

Naw, I don't jerkoff to him, I just listen to better music now that when I used to listen to Journey.

You don't bother me Eric. You hate me because of political beliefs and Journey hating. I can live with that.

And Wyyked- Bruce just played Glastonbury and 135,000 people. I can't see Bon Jovi accomplishing that.

Dean, sure he played Glastonbury, but he were'nt the only one there ya know. It's a festival.
Oh and guess what? I was there and i have NEVER seen so many people walking off in boredom during his set, which was full of new stuff. NO ONE wanted to hear it, i shit you not.
There are 135,000 every year at that festival so it dont matter who plays there, (Bon Jovi included) the same amount of fans will always attend.

[Gordon from Edinburgh]

Truly Great
'Born To Run'?? You are fuckin kiddin me.
Fuck knows what gets played in the States my friend, but that song aint NEVER played in the UK, whereas MTAF is played almost every day. In fact Springsteen in general aint played here too much, which suits me just fine.

Er, totally untrue - Planet Rock and other rock stations and also non rock stations feature him strongly - BTR and Born In The USA have been on a lot lately as has Hungry Heart, The River and Rosalita....so i'm honestly not sure where you get that - could be lisnin to totally different stations of course.
British radio in general is shit but planet rock is excellent.

[Rockindeano]

Dean, sure he played Glastonbury, but he were'nt the only one there ya know. It's a festival.
Oh and guess what? I was there and i have NEVER seen so many people walking off in boredom during his set, which was full of new stuff. NO ONE wanted to hear it, i shit you not.
There are 135,000 every year at that festival so it dont matter who plays there, (Bon Jovi included) the same amount of fans will always attend.

Liar. He owned that fucking festival. I have the DVD. It was incredible.

[WykkedSensation]

Dean, sure he played Glastonbury, but he were'nt the only one there ya know. It's a festival.
Oh and guess what? I was there and i have NEVER seen so many people walking off in boredom during his set, which was full of new stuff. NO ONE wanted to hear it, i shit you not.
There are 135,000 every year at that festival so it dont matter who plays there, (Bon Jovi included) the same amount of fans will always attend.

Liar. He owned that fucking festival. I have the DVD. It was incredible.

Fuck the dvd. I WAS THERE, and seen it with my OWN EYES. Carry on Thinking what you like.

[Rockindeano]

Dean, sure he played Glastonbury, but he were'nt the only one there ya know. It's a festival.
Oh and guess what? I was there and i have NEVER seen so many people walking off in boredom during his set, which was full of new stuff. NO ONE wanted to hear it, i shit you not.
There are 135,000 every year at that festival so it dont matter who plays there, (Bon Jovi included) the same amount of fans will always attend.

Liar. He owned that fucking festival. I have the DVD. It was incredible.

Fuck the dvd. I WAS THERE, and seen it with my OWN EYES. Carry on Thinking what you like.

Ok, so the BBC was also full of shit when they said he put on perhaps the best concert to ever been played on that fucking stage. And this set list is pretty solid:

June 27, 2009
Glastonbury, England
Glastonbury Festival

Coma Girl (by Joe Strummer)
Badlands
Prove It All Night
My Lucky Day
Outlaw Pete
Out In The Street
Working On A Dream
Seeds
Johnny 99
The Ghost Of Tom Joad
Raise Your Hand
Because The Night
No Surrender (with The Gaslight Anthem)
Waitin' On A Sunny Day
The Promised Land
The River
Radio Nowhere
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Born To Run

Hard Times
Thunder Road
Land Of Hope And Dreams
American Land
Glory Days
Dancing In The Dark

I do apologize for calling you a liar however. That was uncool on my part.

[WykkedSensation]

Truly Great
'Born To Run'?? You are fuckin kiddin me.
Fuck knows what gets played in the States my friend, but that song aint NEVER played in the UK, whereas MTAF is played almost every day. In fact Springsteen in general aint played here too much, which suits me just fine.

Er, totally untrue - Planet Rock and other rock stations and also non rock stations feature him strongly - BTR and Born In The USA have been on a lot lately as has Hungry Heart, The River and Rosalita....so i'm honestly not sure where you get that - could be lisnin to totally different stations of course.
British radio in general is shit but planet rock is excellent.

No its not.
Planet rock is a DAB station, and not accessible to most people. Other rock stations? What other rock stations? DAB ones no doubt, as i am pretty damned sure the likes of Kerrap don't play it.
The reasons he may have been on lately is because he has just played Glastonbury, and toured, errm don't ya think. Most stations DO NOT play his music very often.

[Ehwmatt]

Dean, sure he played Glastonbury, but he were'nt the only one there ya know. It's a festival.
Oh and guess what? I was there and i have NEVER seen so many people walking off in boredom during his set, which was full of new stuff. NO ONE wanted to hear it, i shit you not.
There are 135,000 every year at that festival so it dont matter who plays there, (Bon Jovi included) the same amount of fans will always attend.

Liar. He owned that fucking festival. I have the DVD. It was incredible.

Fuck the dvd. I WAS THERE, and seen it with my OWN EYES. Carry on Thinking what you like.

Ok, so the BBC was also full of shit when they said he put on perhaps the best concert to ever been played on that fucking stage. And this set list is pretty solid:

June 27, 2009
Glastonbury, England
Glastonbury Festival

Coma Girl (by Joe Strummer)
Badlands
Prove It All Night
My Lucky Day
Outlaw Pete
Out In The Street
Working On A Dream
Seeds
Johnny 99
The Ghost Of Tom Joad
Raise Your Hand
Because The Night
No Surrender (with The Gaslight Anthem)
Waitin' On A Sunny Day
The Promised Land
The River
Radio Nowhere
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Born To Run

Hard Times
Thunder Road
Land Of Hope And Dreams
American Land
Glory Days
Dancing In The Dark

I do apologize for calling you a liar however. That was uncool on my part.

That is a pretty damn good Bruce setlist I must say.

[WykkedSensation]

Dean, sure he played Glastonbury, but he were'nt the only one there ya know. It's a festival.
Oh and guess what? I was there and i have NEVER seen so many people walking off in boredom during his set, which was full of new stuff. NO ONE wanted to hear it, i shit you not.
There are 135,000 every year at that festival so it dont matter who plays there, (Bon Jovi included) the same amount of fans will always attend.

Liar. He owned that fucking festival. I have the DVD. It was incredible.

Fuck the dvd. I WAS THERE, and seen it with my OWN EYES. Carry on Thinking what you like.

Ok, so the BBC was also full of shit when they said he put on perhaps the best concert to ever been played on that fucking stage. And this set list is pretty solid:

June 27, 2009
Glastonbury, England
Glastonbury Festival

Coma Girl (by Joe Strummer)
Badlands
Prove It All Night
My Lucky Day
Outlaw Pete
Out In The Street
Working On A Dream
Seeds
Johnny 99
The Ghost Of Tom Joad
Raise Your Hand
Because The Night
No Surrender (with The Gaslight Anthem)
Waitin' On A Sunny Day
The Promised Land
The River
Radio Nowhere
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Born To Run

Hard Times
Thunder Road
Land Of Hope And Dreams
American Land
Glory Days
Dancing In The Dark

I do apologize for calling you a liar however. That was uncool on my part.

Dean, listen up mate, i really think you are a cool guy, always have. You have always brought a smile to my face every time you post on here, and no i aint no freakin ass kisser either.
We all have differing opinions and thats a good thing.
Someone calling me a liar is something i have heard many times, but i just take it on the chin mate. I am no liar, i just say what i see/hear, However, thanks for the apology.
Finally bringing this all to an end (cause its all gone a bit freakin crazy), yeah the BBC are complete assholes and the biggest bullshitters in broadcasting history, and it would come as no suprise whatsoever to hear those bloodsucking fuckin leeches at the BBC say something that was completely untrue and complete shit. All this really doesn't matter though.
Enjoy your DVD, heck even i can appreciate the Boss man, and what he has acheived believe it or not.
Have a good one fella.