Poptopia! The 10 Greatest-Ever Power Pop Bands

Infectious melodies, airtight arrangements, soaring vocal harmonies and—perhaps most importantly—unforgettable guitar riffs: these are the essential ingredients of great power pop. Coined by Pete Townshend in a 1967 interview, the phrase captures perfectly a style of music that blends early Beatles-like fare with an amped-up, six-string wallop that smacks like a sonic boom. Power pop has had its ups and downs through the years, but invariably, whenever it hits a lull, a great band comes along to pick up the torch. Below are 10 of the genre’s greatest-ever practitioners.

10. The Sweet

Few bands navigated the line between Archies-style bubblegum pop and Who-like rock bluster as effectively as The Sweet. Grabbing a teen niche just this side of Queen, T.Rex and Slade, the band struck pay dirt with near-novelty tunes such as “Little Willy” and “Ballroom Blitz,” but beneath the surface lay a serious riff-rock foundation. Virtually every pop metal band of the ‘80s owes a stylistic debt to The Sweet.

9. Badfinger

If ever a band was destined to carry The Beatles’ torch, it was Badfinger. Signed to Apple Records in 1968, the group kickstarted their career with the Paul McCartney-penned hit, “Come and Get It,” and then set about crafting memorable riffs and sparkling melodies of their own. Using SG Standards, guitarists/vocalists Pete Ham and Tom Evans put six-string muscle into such radio-ready material as “No Matter What,” “Day After Day” and “Baby Blue.”

8. The Posies

By combining the enchanting vocal harmonies of The Hollies with the sophisticated pop style of Big Star, The Posies helped keep power pop alive in the ‘90s. Often sporting ES-335s, main Posies Jonathan Auer and Ken Stringfellow brought a grunge-y component to the genre, which earned them favor with the Nirvana/Pearl Jam crowd. Fittingly, beginning in 1993, the two pop maestros teamed occasionally with the late Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens in a re-tooled incarnation of Big Star.

7. Fountains of Wayne

Wry humor has been a mainstay of a certain segment of power pop, and no one incorporates that component better than Fountains of Wayne. On the classic “Stacy’s Mom,” the songwriting duo of Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger forged a style that brought to mind the smartly-rendered songs of The Cars and early 10cc. Collingwood favors an ES-335 to achieve a clarion pop radiance, while lead guitarist Jody Porter punctuates Fountain of Wayne's choruses with wall-of-sound chords played on a Les Paul Custom.

6. Slade

As evidenced on such classics as “Cum on Feel the Noize” and “Gudbuy T’ Jane,” Slade had few equals when it came to fusing glam rock and power pop. The band failed to gain a foothold in America, but their influence was immense. Kiss, Cheap Trick and Quiet Riot are among the many bands who’ve cited Slade’s impact. In his book, Kiss and Make-Up, Gene Simmons wrote: “We liked the way [Slade] connected with the crowd, and the way they wrote anthems. We wanted that same energy, that same irresistible simplicity, but we wanted it American-style."

5. The Raspberries

Sporting unfashionably short hair and matching suits, The Raspberries were dismissed by many as a teen-pop gimmick when they burst on the scene in 1972. Today, however, the Cleveland-based band is rightly regarded as one of power pop’s all-time great ensembles. Centered on the twin-guitar tangle of main songwriter Eric Carmen and lead guitarist Wally Bryson—who often played his hook-laden riffs on a Flying V or an SG Standard—Raspberries’ songs like “Go All the Way,” “Let’s Pretend” and “Overnight Sensation” are rightly regarded as classics.

4. Teenage Fanclub

Few bands have assimilated their influences as cleverly as Teenage Fanclub. Formed in 1989, the Scottish group released a masterpiece in 1991 with Bandwagonesque, an album that couched broken-glass lyrics in pristinely crafted songs that evoked the likes of Big Star and The Hollies. The group’s subsequent albums have been similarly dazzling.  Alternating between a Les Paul Custom and an Epiphone Casino, guitarist-singer Norman Blake often applies molten distortion to sunshine-y riffs, giving a sonic modernity to the band's throwback harmonies and hooks.

3. Big Star

No group had a bigger impact on the best of the ’80s post-punk bands than Big Star. Alternating between an ES-335 and a Les Paul Goldtop, main songwriters Alex Chilton and Chris Bell flavored British Invasion-style pop fare with wildly infectious guitar riffs that foreshadowed the likes of The Replacements and R.E.M. Big Star’s pristine arrangements—as showcased on songs like “September Gurls,” “In The Street” and “Back of a Car”—were out of step with the early ‘70s post-hippie times, but today, the group’s influence is legendary.

2. The Who

The Who didn’t just invent power pop; during the ‘60s, they were the genre’s greatest practitioners. With his ever-present SG slung low, Pete Townshend unleashed power chords the likes of which rock fans had never before seen. The band’s early singles—“My Generation,” “I Can’t Explain” and “Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere,” to name three—encased soaring melodies and an explosive surge in tidy three-minute packages. “I Can See for Miles,” from The Who Sell Out, may well be power pop’s greatest-ever anthem.

1. Cheap Trick

It’s hardly surprising that the Japanese press often refers to Cheap Trick as the “American Beatles.” Centered on Rick Nielsen’s soaring riffs, the band’s best songs – “Surrender,” “Dream Police” and “I Want You to Want Me,” to name three – combine sharp melodies with a hard-edged sonic sound inspired by The Who, ’70s punk rock and even (occasionally) heavy metal. The Los Angeles Times rightly noted that Cheap Trick carved out their unique style “by twisting the Beatles-esque into something shinier, harder and more American.”

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Hired Guns: The 10 Greatest-Ever Session Guitarists

Session guitarists are often the music world’s equivalent of baseball’s utility infielder—unheralded players whose talents are cloaked in anonymity. Ironically, however, such guitarists also tend to be supremely accomplished, possessing, as they do, the versatility and improvisational skills necessary to accommodate a wide range of styles. Some go on to make a name for themselves beyond session work, while others are content to maintain their roles as indispensable studio mavens. Below are ten players who represent both sides of that spectrum.

James Burton

Few guitar players have had as varied and prolific a career as James Burton. Best known for his work with Elvis Presley and Ricky Nelson, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has also recorded with such notable figures as Emmylou Harris, Roy Orbison, John Denver and Elvis Costello. High points in his session work include the riff and solo he crafted and played on Dale Hawkins’ 1957 classic, “Susie Q.”

Hank Garland

Hank Garland’s professional career spanned just 15 years, but the work he packed into that period was extraordinary. In addition to being a fixture on Elvis Presley’s recordings from 1957 to 1961, the Nashville-based session great backed Patsy Cline, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich and countless other country stars. Garland was also a gifted jazz guitarist who recorded with such legends as George Shearing and Charlie Parker. A tragic car crash in 1961 robbed him of much of his six-string skills, but his impact on the ’60s “Nashville sound” was incalculable.

Steve Cropper

It’s a measure of Steve Cropper’s greatness that John Lennon and Paul McCartney seriously considered doing some Beatles recordings with the legendary guitarist-producer. As a member of Stax Records’ in-house band, Booker T & The MGs, Cropper played on (and guided the sound of) seminal recordings by Wilson Pickett, Sam and Dave and (especially) Otis Redding. Guitarists as varied as Jimi Hendrix and Syd Barrett cited Cropper’s influence. Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart and Neil Young are among those who’ve recorded with Cropper during his post-Stax years.

Tommy Tedesco

Dubbed “the most recorded guitarist in history” by Guitar Player, Tommy Tedesco played on thousands of ’60s and ’70s recordings, many of which became Top 20 hits. Based in Los Angeles, Tedesco lent his six-string skills to material by The Beach Boys, Cher and The Association, among many others. His film and TV soundtrack work was spectacular as well, including contributions to the themes for Bonanza and Green Acres, and to the soundtracks for Jaws and The French Connection, among others. Tedesco died in 1997 at the age of 67.

Jimmy Page

Known in the mid ’60s as “Little Jim,” Jimmy Page played on such pop classics as Petula Clark’s “Downtown,” Marianne Faithfull’s “As Tears Go By” and The Rolling Stones’ “Heart of Stone,” before going on to put together a little band known as Led Zeppelin. He also made significant contributions to The Kinks’ debut album, and played on The Who’s “I Can’t Explain.” Page once estimated that, during the early years of the British Invasion, he averaged three sessions a day, six days a week.

Larry Carlton

During the ’70s and early ’80s, Larry Carlton appeared on up to 500 recordings a year, his distinctive style gracing seminal albums by Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell and Michael Jackson, among others. His catalog of work also includes an array of film soundtracks and television themes, including the theme for Hill Street Blues, for which he received a GRAMMY award. Carlton’s ever-present ES-335 has earned him the nickname, “Mr. 335.”

Chet Atkins

No guitarist played a greater role in pushing country music onto the pop charts than Chet Atkins. During the ’50s and ’60s, Atkins (along with a handful of other titans, like Hank Garland) essentially created the “Nashville sound,” producing and/or playing on albums by Jerry Reed, Floyd Cramer, Don Gibson and countless others. Often called “Mr. Guitar,” Atkins was posthumously inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

Steve Lukather

As a member of Toto, Steve Lukather was the six-string force behind such classics as “Rosanna,” “Africa” and “I Won’t Hold You Back.” His session work has been just as impressive. As a guest player on more than 1,000 albums, Lukather has recorded with Paul McCartney, Elton John, Miles Davis and Michael Jackson, among many others. His crucial role in the making of Jackson’s Thriller album remains a high point.

Glen Campbell

Moving from Arkansas to Los Angeles in 1961 at age 24, Glen Campbell lent his formidable six-string skills to array of artists, including Frank Sinatra, Merle Haggard, Nat King Cole and, most notably, The Beach Boys. He and his fellow “Wrecking Crew” session players (which included Tommy Tedesco and Leon Russell, among others) also played on many of Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound” productions. In 1964 and 1965, prior to going solo, he was a touring member of The Beach Boys, and played on their legendary Pet Sounds album, as well.

Lee Ritenour

Lee Ritenour began his career as a session player at the ripe age of 16, when he appeared on an album by The Mamas and The Papas in the mid ’60s. Since then, the multi-GRAMMY-nominated guitarist has played on more than 3,000 sessions, often using either an ES-335 or an L-5 acoustic as his go-to instrument. Artists who’ve sought Ritenour’s services through the years include Pink Floyd (for The Wall sessions), Steely Dan (for Aja), Aretha Franklin and Carly Simon.

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