Rock has various subcategories. I am throwing them altogether in one, because it is hard for me to classify certain groups. I would rather call them all rock and move on. Maybe I'll change my mind later. Below is a list of artists. Click to find out the 411 on them, according to me.

BON JOVI/JON BON JOVI

I have loved Bon Jovi since their first self-titled album. The first song I heard by them was "She Don't Know Me." That was my favorite song for years. It's still one of my favorites. The New Jersey tour was my first concert. Bon Jovi put on a great show.

BON JOVI

ALBUM: Bon Jovi FAVORITE TRACKS: Runaway, She Don't Know Me, Love Lies

ALBUM: 7800 Fahrenheit FAVORITE TRACKS: Only Lonely, Silent Night, Hardest Part Is The Night

ALBUM: Slippery When Wet FAVORITE TRACKS: You Give Love A Bad Name, Livin' On A Prayer, Without Love, Never Say Goodbye

ALBUM: New Jersey FAVORITE TRACKS: Lay Your Hands On Me, Bad Medicine, Born To Be My Baby, Living In Sin, Wild Is The Wind, I'll Be There For You

ALBUM: Keep The Faith FAVORITE TRACKS: In These Arms, Bed Of Roses, I Want You

ALBUM: Cross Road FAVORITE TRACKS (of those not previously released): Always

ALBUM: These Days FAVORITE TRACKS: Something For The Pain, This Ain't A Love Song, These Days, Lie To Me, My Guitar Lies Bleeding In My Arms, (It's Hard) Letting You Go, Hearts Breaking Even, If That's What It Takes, Diamond Ring

ALBUM: Crush FAVORITE TRACKS: Say It Isn't So, Thank You For Loving Me, Next 100 Years, Mystery Train, Save The World, She's A Mystery

JON BON JOVI

ALBUM: Blaze Of Glory FAVORITE TRACKS: Miracle, Blaze Of Glory

ALBUM: Destination Anywhere FAVORITE TRACKS: Janie, Don't Take Your Love To Town, Midnight In Chelsea, Staring At Your Window With A Suitcase In My Hand, It's Just Me

MOTLEY CRUE

Sadly, the Crue has lost their touch as of late. However, their music of the past is still worthy in today's world. Maybe they can get it together in the future.

ALBUM: Motley Crue (Too Fast For Love) FAVORITE TRACKS: Live Wire, Merry-Go-Round, On With The Show, Too Fast For Love

ALBUM: Shout At The Devil FAVORITE TRACKS: Looks That Kill, Too Young To Fall In Love

ALBUM: Theatre Of Pain FAVORITE TRACKS: Smokin' In The Boys Room, Home Sweet Home

ALBUM: Girls, Girls, Girls FAVORITE TRACKS: Wild Side, Girls, Girls, Girls, Nona, You're All I Need

ALBUM: Dr. Feelgood FAVORITE TRACKS: Dr. Feelgood, Kickstart My Heart, Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away, Without You, Time For Change

ALBUM: Decade of Decadence FAVORITE TRACKS (not previously released): Primal Scream, Anarchy In The U.K.

After that album, there's really not much worth mentioning. Vince Neil left and they replaced him with John Corabi. I can't recommend one song from that misguided attempt at life after Vince, titled Motley Crue. However, if you were one of the first buyers of that album, you could purchase a limited edition album called Quarternary. The concept was each band member contributed a song that was written and performed solely by them. Interesting, but not mindblowing by any means. To be completely honest, I have not listened to the album that reunited Neil with the Crue, titled Generation Swine. I was so disillusioned with the Crue by that point. Vince Neil's solo debut was admirable. I can recommend the songs "Forever" and "Can't Change Me." I picked up his second album and I love the song he wrote for his child, "Skylar's Song."

NIGHT RANGER

I truly love Night Ranger passionately. It was a shame they could not hold their audience and ended up breaking up. I personally think the quality of their music never deteriorated. They are still hot in Japan. However, we did get a new band, Damn Yankees, that, for me, recaptured the kind of magic Night Ranger had. I recommend both the Damn Yankees albums if only for the songs "High Enough" and "Where You Goin' Now." After that, Jack Blades got together with Tommy Shaw for a Shaw/Blades album called Hallucination. I've been meaning to pick that one up and give it a listen, but there is so much music and so little time. This year, Night Ranger reunited. You can check my favorite tracks on that album, titled Neverland, below. This is yet another band that I wish I could have seen live.

ALBUM: Dawn Patrol FAVORITE TRACKS: Don't Tell Me You Love Me, Sing Me Away

ALBUM: Midnight Madness FAVORITE TRACKS: Sister Christian, When You Close Your Eyes

ALBUM: 7 Wishes FAVORITE TRACKS: Four In The Morning, Sentimental Street, Goodbye

ALBUM: Big Life FAVORITE TRACKS: Color Of Your Smile, Rain Comes Crashing Down, Hearts Away

ALBUM: Man In Motion FAVORITE TRACKS: I Did It For Love

ALBUM: Neverland FAVORITE TRACKS: Forever All Over Again, As Always I Remain

RATT

For me, Ratt was improving with each record. Alas, they broke up. Steven Pearcy went on to form a new band, Arcade, but I am not familiar with any of their music. It seems to almost always be a bad sign when bands release a greatest hits album. The only exception I can think of is Bon Jovi. Anyway, my favorite tracks are listed below. When Reach For The Sky came out, I adopted the quote in the credits as my motto: "Don't let your dreams be clouded, aim your sights high, search your true feelings and reach for the sky." According to a January story on MTV.com, Ratt has reunited, minus two original members. Bassist Juan Croucier owns and operates a studio and would rather concentrate on his business and guitarist Robbin Crosby is facing health complications (?) that are keeping him from joining the reunion. The story states that Ratt has been signed by John Kalodner of Sony Music and that the band is shooting for a summer release. If I hear anything further, I'll post the info. If someone out there knows something, please let me know by email.

ALBUM: Out Of The Cellar FAVORITE TRACKS: Round And Round, Back For More

ALBUM: Invasion Of Your Privacy FAVORITE TRACKS: Lay It Down, You're In Love, Lack Of Communication

ALBUM: Dancing Undercover FAVORITE TRACKS: Dance, Body Talk, Seventh Avenue

ALBUM: Reach For The Sky FAVORITE TRACKS: Way Cool, Jr., I Want A Woman

ALBUM: Detonator FAVORITE TRACKS: Givin' Yourself Away, One Step Away

STYX

I was pretty young when Styx was first popular, but I discovered them through my older brother and sister. They reunited last year and went on tour with Pat Benatar, so I was able to see them in concert. My older brother and sister were fortunate enough to catch them on the Kilroy Was Here tour. That is something I would have loved to have seen. Given that I was so young, I am more familiar with their more recent albums. Not to say their first releases were not good, I just have not had the opportunity to give them a listen, but I am working on it.

ALBUM: Styx II FAVORITE TRACKS: Lady

ALBUM: Equinox FAVORITE TRACKS: Light Up, Suite Madame Blue

ALBUM: The Grand Illusion FAVORITE TRACKS: The Grand Illusion, Come Sail Away, Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man),

ALBUM: Pieces Of Eight FAVORITE TRACKS: Blue Collar Man (Long Nights), Renegade

ALBUM: Cornerstone FAVORITE TRACKS: Babe

ALBUM: Paradise Theater FAVORITE TRACKS: The Best Of Times, Too Much Time On My Hands, Snowblind

ALBUM: Kilroy Was Here FAVORITE TRACKS: Mr. Roboto, Don't Let It End, Heavy Metal Poisoning, Just Get Through This Night, Haven't We Been Here Before

ALBUM: Edge Of The Century FAVORITE TRACKS: Show Me The Way