Articles by: Fred Phillips

Alestorm, Ratt, Zeal & Ardor + Others: Fred Phillips' Best of 2024 Metal and Hard Rock Songs

Alestorm, Ratt, Zeal & Ardor + Others: Fred Phillips’ Best of 2024 Metal and Hard Rock Songs

Fred Phillips’ Best of 2024 list of metal and hard rock songs includes Alestorm, Ratt, Armored Saint, Zeal & Ardor and others.

Cody Jinks, Blackberry Smoke + Others: Fred Phillips' Best of 2024 Country and Southern Rock

Cody Jinks, Blackberry Smoke + Others: Fred Phillips’ Best of 2024 Country and Southern Rock

Cody Jinks, Blackberry Smoke and Jamey Johnson headline Fred Phillips’ Best of 2024 country and southern rock releases.

Judas Priest, Bruce Dickinson, Sebastian Bach + Others: Fred Phillips' Best of 2024 Metal and Hard Rock LPs

Judas Priest, Bruce Dickinson, Sebastian Bach + Others: Fred Phillips’ Best of 2024 Metal and Hard Rock LPs

Fred Phillips’ look back at the Best of 2024 in metal and hard rock includes albums from Judas Priest, Bruce Dickinson, Kittie, Sebastian Bach and others.

The 'Sheer Heart Attack' Song That Confirmed Queen's Metallic Genius

The ‘Sheer Heart Attack’ Song That Confirmed Queen’s Metallic Genius

Released 50 years ago today, Queen’s ‘Sheer Heart Attack’ featured a track that was nearly a decade before its time.

Blackberry Smoke – 'Be Right Here' (2024)

Blackberry Smoke – ‘Be Right Here’ (2024)

After a few albums that felt too polished, Blackberry Smoke’s more organic ‘Be Right Here’ arrives as a companion to their masterpiece ‘The Whippoorwill.’

Why That Self-Titled 1994 Album Is the Best Motley Crue You Never Heard

Why That Self-Titled 1994 Album Is the Best Motley Crue You Never Heard

Released 30 years ago, ‘Motley Crue’ is actually their heaviest and most mature record – mature, of course, being a relative term.

Best of 2023

Alice Cooper, Ward Davis, Steel Panther + Others: Fred Phillips’ Best 2023 Songs

Bobaflex, Sophie Lloyd, Steel Woods, Doro and Rob Halford also find a home on Fred Phillips’ list of best 2023 songs.

Best of 2023

In Flames, Metallica, Avatar + Others: Fred Phillips’ Best of 2023 Hard Rock and Metal

Nita Strauss, Extreme, Overkill, Winger and Ad Infinitum are among the others who appear on Fred Phillips’ Best of 2023 hard rock and metal albums list.

Why You Should Count 'No Rest for the Wicked' Among Ozzy Osbourne's Best

Why You Should Count ‘No Rest for the Wicked’ Among Ozzy Osbourne’s Best

Issued 35 years ago today, ‘No Rest for the Wicked’ ranks with ‘Blizzard of Ozz’ and ‘Diary of a Madman’ when discussing Ozzy Osbourne’s top solo records.

Metallica, Avatar, Delain, Winger, Nita Strauss + Others: Best of 2023 Metal Albums (So Far)

Metallica, Avatar, Delain, Winger, Nita Strauss + Others: Best of 2023 Metal Albums (So Far)

I wanted to offer up some quick thoughts on my favorite records of the first half of 2023 because it has been a strong year.