Nick DeRiso

My latest deep dive into Neal Schon's plans for Journey Beyond:

As the Eagles announce an expanded 50th anniversary reissue of 'One of These Nights,' let's reexamine this crossroads moment. Here's my ranked song-by-song look back:
ultimateclassicrock.com/eagles-one-o...

Some are bad poetry, while others spark head-scratching confusion. Still others are just plain wrong: ultimateclassicrock.com/worst-rock-l...

As Journey begins their Final Frontier Tour, I dove into soon-departing Jonathan Cain's rich discography – and not just with Journey. He's been part of three big-selling bands, and in their own ways, these eras overlap. Here's my ranked look back: ultimateclassicrock.com/jonathan-cai...

Released 45 years ago today, the Who's last Top 20 song arrived at a time of difficult transition. Much had changed, not least of which was the shocking death of drummer Keith Moon:
ultimateclassicrock.com/the-who-you-...

Hear me out: ultimateclassicrock.com/joy-division...

Who is most overdue for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction? They overcame crushing tragedy. They were foundational in post-punk and then new wave. And they ultimately succeeded with a groundbreaking secret weapon in Gillian Gilbert. They are Joy Division/New Order.

That said, Phish's absence was a bigger surprise. Any act with that level of fan-vote support has certainly earned a spot on another ballot.

Most surprising exclusion from this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees? After a flurry of nominations and inductees, both the prog and country genres seem to have wandered back into the Rock Hall wilderness. It's a shame.

Neither groundbreaking nor influential. Even bubble-gummy New Edition matured into something far more interesting after Johnny Gill joined.

This year's most surprising Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominee? I tend to give the hall of fame a wide berth – especially when they're simply announcing nominees. After all, the induction classes have moved far afield of guitar-led rock from the very beginning. But ... Pink?

George Harrison started the '70s with the towering No. 1 single "My Sweet Lord," but the era yielded plenty of underrated later gems. As we celebrate what would have been his 83rd birthday, let's put this incredible first solo decade in perspective: ultimateclassicrock.com/george-harri...

The Big 4 of New Orleans Rock echo its famous gumbo-pot diversity. There's a sardonic storyteller, a metal pioneer, a swamp-rock legend and an often-overlooked musical architect. Along with jazz and R&B, the city also helped define what rock could be:
ultimateclassicrock.com/new-orleans-...

March 2026 will bring new releases from Rush, the Black Crowes, Van Halen and Foreigner's Lou Gramm, among others. Here's my preview of the month's upcoming rock-related albums:
ultimateclassicrock.com/march-2026-n...

Only two members of the Eagles had enjoyed longer tenures in the band when Don Felder was fired 25 years ago today. They were the only two who mattered.

Here's my deep dive into a very ugly split: ultimateclassicrock.com/the-eagles-f...

Here's a breakout list of newly announced rock-related releases set to arrive on 2026's Record Store Day, including exclusives from Robert Plant, Neil Young, John Lennon, Black Sabbath, Bruce Springsteen, Alice Cooper and Pink Floyd, among others:

ultimateclassicrock.com/record-store...

The Beatles' penchant for rock is baked right into their winkingly rhythmic name. Still, they were already unplugging for rootsy acoustic songs while Beatlemania was still raging in 1964. Check out my new list of top 20 acoustic Beatles songs:
ultimateclassicrock.com/beatles-acou...

It was cold and clear 40 years ago today at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., as the space shuttle Challenger prepared for its 10th launch. Then disaster struck:
ultimateclassicrock.com/challenger-s...

It really isn't. @grateful-dead.bsky.social

February 2026's list of new music releases is dominated by loving looks back, including expanded box sets, new compilations, live albums and vinyl reissues. Here's my look ahead to next month:
ultimateclassicrock.com/february-202...

Glenn Frey died 10 years ago this week. He wasn't the most prolific lead singer, so exploring all of his Eagles songs wasn't a herculean task. The difficulty with ranking them really relates to Frey's remarkable consistency. Here's a look back:
ultimateclassicrock.com/top-glenn-fr...

A prog band turned pop colossus led to a record-breaking year as Pollstar estimated total revenue from the 40 leading tours to be $438 million. Still, 1986 wasn't all wine and roses. Here's my new look back at the year's most memorable rock tours:
ultimateclassicrock.com/1986-biggest...

Fleetwood Mac's biggest successes were always linked to Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks. The same can't always be said of the group's solo discography. Here's a look at the best (and worst) Fleetwood Mac solo albums:
ultimateclassicrock.com/fleetwood-ma...

Ram on!

David Bowie released a clue-filled final album then succumbed 10 years ago today, following a secret bout with liver cancer. As always, he'd orchestrated everything with a sense of mystery and panache: ultimateclassicrock.com/david-bowie-...

The 1976 touring schedule was highlighted by some important firsts and some very memorable endings. Check out my new look back at 1976's 20 Biggest Rock Tours: ultimateclassicrock.com/1976-top-roc...

50 years ago, Journey's live shows were drawing plenty of crowds around the Bay Area concert circuit. Still, the group was at a crossroads after just one jammy studio project. Check out my deep dive into a critical moment in Journey's history: ultimateclassicrock.com/journey-look...

It’s true.

#crosbystillsnashandme

Always proud of my work on this one.