As I wrote for my essential metal albums list I believe great music is meant to be shared over and over and over again. So, one of the great joys in my life is to share the music I love with the people I love. Friends, family, fellow music lovers, the wife. Whomever loves music, whomever may learn to love metal and hard rock, whomever appreciates true talent, hard work , grit and those who’ve paid their dues in order to become successful. I believe heavy metal and hard rock music is rooted in that ethic.

One of the first ways great new music and artists were shared with me other than the once great WCMF-FM in Rochester, NY was and still is best of lists. As a decades long metal fan I’ve always loved best of lists of metal and hard rock artists. Whether it was Guitarist of the…