Welp, let's start the countdown with...
#12
Surfing With The Alien by Joe Satriani
Kicking it off with an instrumental song! (There will be more on the list, don't worry). Joe Satriani is my favourite guitarist, hands down. He's one of the very few instrumental-only artists out there that I really love. It was between this and Satch Boogie that would make it to the list, but ultimately, SWTA won.
Check it out, his guitar skills are amazing. Dat opening, dat solo, dat chorus, dat everything. And this song is always a joy to play on Rock Band, ain't it. So if you're ever looking for a great guitarist that makes great music, look up Joe Satriani. But like I said, he only makes Instrumental music, so he might not be for everyone. But to me, he's awesome. And so is this song.
#11
Llama by Phish
Don't let the title turn you off, this fast-paced tune by Phish just grew on me. The first time I heard it (on Rock Band 3) got me hooked. I'm always a fan of fast-paced songs with awesome guitar solos and keyboard solos, too. The lyrics are odd (and even incomprehensible) but it somehow makes the song even better.
I actually might consider learning this beat on drums, it'll be a challenge, but I'm always up for challenges. And hey, if you like this song, check out more songs by Phish, they're pretty awesome.
#10
I'm The One by Van Halen
Oh yeah. We've all heard of Van Halen (at least I hope you all have), so let's talk about I'm The One. This song was on their very first album, and while all of their songs are awesome, I couldn't help but put this on here, my favourite Van Halen song.
Eddie's guitar solos, Alex's drumming, David's singing and Michael's bass playing work in terrific harmony in this short song. I seriously wish it were longer. But hey, sometimes shorter songs can pack a huge punch. That guitar solo seriously gets me every goddamn time I listen to this song. Then the instruments drop and the song transitions to a short ba-ba-da shoobedoowa and then BAM. Back into the song again. I love it.
#9
Alive by Pearl Jam
Ah Pearl Jam, why didn't I discover you sooner.
I seriously ask that question a lot. If it weren't for Guitar Hero or Rock Band, I probably wouldn't have discovered half these bands. I decided to start listening to Pearl Jam because I hear about them a lot. It started with Even Flow, Do The Evolution, Jeremy and finally, Alive.
It was hard to choose between these 4 awesome songs. But after going over it, I ended up choosing Alive. The opening guitar riff alone makes the song unique and loveable. But that chorus, that freakin' chorus, has to be one of the catchiest things ever. And I can't talk about this song without pointing out the solo at the end. I'm a sucker for guitar solos as you can tell.
I swear, every Pearl Jam song I listen to grows on me, I didn't think this song would, but oh, it did.
#8
Pendulous Threads by Incubus
What's that sound? Oh yeah, the opening, and it's ♥♥♥♥ awesome. I don't know why, but it is.
The opening of this is kinda like the instruments are preparing us for an awesome song. Will it pay off? Of course it will, this song is on the list. I don't know what it is with Incubus, I don't know why I like them so much. Maybe because their songs sound so different from each other, or maybe it's those slow songs and then blaring, fast-paced songs that appear on the same album.
This is no exception. I always love hearing the opening and then the chorus, then the solo. That guitar riff after "Or dance on fire and enjoy the ride?" is probably my favourite part of the song. Truly a great song.
And lemme suggest this band to you, too. Seriously, their songs sound so different, from "Drive" to "Light Grenades". Maybe you'll enjoy them.
#7
Seize The Day by Avenged Sevenfold
Y'know, I didn't really expect this song to make the list, but it did. There are a lot of awesome A7X songs that I love, Nightmare, The Beast and The Harlot, Critical Acclaim, Dear God, but this song has to be my favourite.
As far as A7X songs go, this one is slower, and calmer (seriously, listen to their other songs, you'll understand). And I actually like that, bands stepping out of their element for a song, whether it be a slower or faster song or an entirely different genre, is a big risk but it can pay off really well. That's why I love this song, it's different for this band but it still stays true to A7X with the awesome guitar solo at the end. All in all, this is my favourite A7X song. Hands down.
#6
Panic Attack by Dream Theater
OH SHI-
What can I say about Panic Attack? A lot of things. Like that bass riff at the beginning, Mike Portnoy's epic drumming skills, of that chorus or THAT FREAKIN' SOLO AGAIN WITH THE SOLOS BUT THEY ARE ♥♥♥♥ AWESOME WHEN DONE RIGHT. *ahem* It's a long song, too (don't worry, there are longer songs on here). But I love long songs, they pack a whole lot in about 7 or 8 minutes. And since this is Dream Theater (a band known for making long songs), the pay-off is awesome. I love a lot of their other songs like Pull Me Under, Metropolis, Forsaken, Octavarium, etc. But this takes the cake. So if you are craving for a long song with awesome solos and lyrics, take a listen to Panic Attack, or any other Dream Theater song.
#5
Jehovah's Yahveh by Demetori
Kinda strange for this song to be one of my favourites. Demetori isn't very well known, unless you like Touhou, you probably haven't heard of 'em. And hey, I'm not a Touhou fan, but I ♥♥♥♥ love their arrangements of various Touhou songs. Heavy metal man, gotta love it.
Now, for a song to really grab my attention, it has to have a calm opening that bursts into something fast and heavy, I can't ignore songs that do that. This is no exception, you get a calm intro to the song for about 30 seconds and then BOOM. Pay-off, yes.
Another thing I can't ignore is that ♥♥♥♥ drumming. I want to see myself in a couple years playing this song on drums, but I'll need a ♥♥♥♥ of practice and stamina, too. It takes time, but I'm dedicated. And yeah, this song is awesome.
#4
Roundabout by Yes
Yes, Yes is the name of the band. Yes? Yes.
This is another example of a calm intro which bursts into something unforgettable and amazing. Plus, this song is over 8 minutes long, I like long songs, get used to it.
I sometimes compare this song to Panic Attack, because of their length, and the solos, the awesome lyrics and awesome endings, too. Keyboard solos are rare but Yes does them perfectly. Honestly, any instrument can have a solo, but if done right, it can sound phenomenal. Unfortunately, keyboard solos don't exist anymore in today's age of music (as far as I'm aware) but it's always good to look back on the epic age of Prog rock. And this song is a prime example of how awesome Prog rock is.
Speaking of Prog rock...
#3
YYZ by Rush
Oh hell yes, I can't talk about Prog rock without bringing up one of the greatest Prog rock bands out there, Rush. Rush is one of my absolute favourite bands. And with the music they make, it's rare to see an Instrumental song, but I love instrumentals, and this is my favourite one out there.
Whenever I think of YYZ, I always think of the short but sweet solos between the guitar playing. Quick bass solo, quick drum solo, quick bass solo, quick drum solo, quick bass solo, quick drum solo and then an awesome guitar solo by Alex Lifeson.
To me, if a song lacks lyrics, it makes up for it by the instruments, that why I love these types of songs. I don't need to sing along, I can tap to the beat of the instruments as they work in harmony to create a fantastic song. Gotta love Rush, eh?
#2
Seasick by Silversun Pickups
What? You seriously thought I was gonna go through a whole Top 12 music list without even MENTIONING Silversun Pickups? You're dead wrong, sonny.
I understand that Silversun Pickups isn't for everyone. But I never expected to like them this much. I have every song by them and can tell which one is playing in the first 5 seconds. They are my absolute favourite band of all time. And Seasick, holy ♥♥♥♥, is like a ♥♥♥♥ masterpiece.
It's a mix of calming and heavy. Mostly calming. Brian's unique voice makes the song so much better. This song gives you the feeling of being surrounded by water on a ship on a foggy night. Which is VERY fitting. It was between this and The Royal We for taking the #2 spot. It was a really hard decision (believe me, REALLY hard) but I ended up going with Seasick. This just puts me in a relaxing mood every time I listen to it. Silversun Pickups can't be beat in my book.
But, if a song by my favourite band didn't take the number one spot, then what did...?
#1!
The Island by Pendulum
Here it is, my number one favourite song of all time.
Now, granted, it is TECHNICALLY one song split into two parts but it sounds a whole lot better listening to them in one mix. Plus they sound similar for the most part so why not.
Pendulum is a drum 'n' bass band that was introduced to me by Panik! (thanks bro, seriously) I have every one of their albums and love every song by them. Which is weird, why would I like a band like this when I am generally into older songs and genres? Like rock and metal? Who knows really. But this song is something else.
The first part, Dawn, is relaxing and has a beat I cannot get out of my head. The lyrics are awesome, the beat is awesome (I know I say awesome a lot but it's fitting) and it's all around awesome. But then, there is the second part.
The second part, Dusk, starts off similarly to Dawn, but then breaks down to an unexpected DnB beat. This is the true Pendulum right here. They have become distant from their DnB roots but this part cannot be ignored. The vocals are gone and now it's just a phenomenal beat.
Then it ends and it is oh-so satisfying. I love this song, it never gets old. God bless Pendulum. I wish they never went on hiatus but what they left behind is unforgettable.
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Well there ya go, there is the top 12. I hope you enjoyed it, it was a bit rushed but I had fun making it. Thanks for reading.
