KROQ's Top 500 songs

[LBHalos17]

I saw Sublime play at Goldenwest College back in the early-90s. The singer/guitarist was so wasted he could barely stand up or talk. Funny as hell.

Brad was drunk EVERY time we saw them play the Long Beach backyards...  The key to Sublime was that they attracted lots of chicks, which obviously enhanced your chances of getting laid in the 90's.

 

I bought their box set, and find that I watch the dvd more than listen to the cd's.  The live show was the thing with them.

 

I agree about how KROQ has fallen.  I rarely tune it in anymore, because it's mostly techno-emo-guys-wearing-lots-of-makeup-music now.  

 

I think I like the '84 list best; we grew-up in summertime learning about INXS, The Smiths, Simple Minds, Big Country, Berlin, Bob Marley, AC/DC, Violent Femmes, Billy Idol, Depeche Mode, XTC, New Order, the B52's, Oingo Boingo, Duran Duran, REM, Talking Heads, The Psych Furs, Wang Chung, Tears For Fears, and others.  Drama Rama's "Anything" still gets airtime to this day, because it's such a simple, hooky song.  One of my favorites from way back then was The Romantics... 

[Brandon]

I always found it odd when KROQ played the one off's. They never played reggae, but would play Bob Marley. They never played rap, but played Eminem...I guess because he was white that fit their program demographics.

[nate]

It is a radio station... they will play whatever appeals to the biggest audience.  They also played that white rapper from Seattle.

[Ray McKigney]

Brad was drunk EVERY time we saw them play the Long Beach backyards...  The key to Sublime was that they attracted lots of chicks, which obviously enhanced your chances of getting laid in the 90's.

 

I bought their box set, and find that I watch the dvd more than listen to the cd's.  The live show was the thing with them.

 

I agree about how KROQ has fallen.  I rarely tune it in anymore, because it's mostly techno-emo-guys-wearing-lots-of-makeup-music now.  

 

I think I like the '84 list best; we grew-up in summertime learning about INXS, The Smiths, Simple Minds, Big Country, Berlin, Bob Marley, AC/DC, Violent Femmes, Billy Idol, Depeche Mode, XTC, New Order, the B52's, Oingo Boingo, Duran Duran, REM, Talking Heads, The Psych Furs, Wang Chung, Tears For Fears, and others.  Drama Rama's "Anything" still gets airtime to this day, because it's such a simple, hooky song.  One of my favorites from way back then was The Romantics... 

 

I met the singer of Dramarama in downtown Huntington Beach on the 4th of July back in about '92 or '93. There were parties everywhere and people hanging out in the streets. Not surprisingly, he was surrounded by about 5 or 6 girls. I got to ask him a lot about their music and stuff like that. He was a really nice guy.

[Stradling]

It is a radio station... they will play whatever appeals to the biggest audience. They also played that white rapper from Seattle.

Macklemore?

[nate]

Yeah

[Stradling]

I don't hate him

[LBHalos17]

I met the singer of Dramarama in downtown Huntington Beach on the 4th of July back in about '92 or '93. There were parties everywhere and people hanging out in the streets. Not surprisingly, he was surrounded by about 5 or 6 girls. I got to ask him a lot about their music and stuff like that. He was a really nice guy.

The bands I played in were all HB-based, so we ran into him a few times as well.  They were always one of those good-time garage/backyard party bands that we were trying to be (I filled-in on occasion for Rule 62, who were some of us who made it pretty far).

 

I remember a lot of interesting times at our bands clubhouse in downtown HB...  We had just gotten back to the house one 4th of July, and a random bunch of thugs decided to make a hate-run through the house throwing drive-by punches!  It was very strange and only lasted a couple of minutes... until we carried one out and deposited him on the sidewalk for clean-up by his friends.

 

HB was a very entertaining place back then...

[nate]

I don't hate him

 

Me either.  He is kinda like a white Flo Rida

[Brandon]

It is a radio station... they will play whatever appeals to the biggest audience.  They also played that white rapper from Seattle.

 

[nate]

I am not the one that found it odd that they play the most popular music.

[Hollyw00d]

White people love macklemore

[Angel Dog and Beer]

He's one of us. From the burbs.

[halobob]

Sublime with Rome presented by KROQ tonight at Irvine Meadows.

Who's in?

I went to the show, mainly went to see Pepper and Rebelution though.  The hot chicks were definitely there for those 2 bands as a lot left when Rebelution's set ended. I stayed for a few songs of the Sublime set, saw what I wanted to see, and bounced early to beat traffic.  The pit went from super chill and relaxed during Rebelution to a big douchey circle pit once Sublime started.  IMO Rebelution killed it and Pepper was hilarious as always.  Also Rome is fat as ****, looked much worse than last time I saw him.  

[Mark68]

I guess I don't have a problem with any of the list.

 

In my high school & early adulthood days, KROQ was a station that I didn't listen to because I generally didn't listen to Depeche Mode, the Cure, or most of the other bands that KROQ played at the time (although I have grown fond of many of them in my later years). I used to listen to KMET until they became defunct, then KLOS, then KNAC.

 

I think it's funny that KROQ has Metallica on this list. I would never have thought that Metallica would ever have airplay on KROQ.

 

It's also funny that right now, I am listening to the Pixies on my Pandora. Apparently, KROQ and I have both come full circle.

Edited July 20, 2015 by Mark68

[nate]

They played The Unforgiven a ton on KROQ.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

I was one of the few in the mid-to late 80s that liked KNAC and KROQ music. Not many of us that liked Depeche Mode and Slayer or went to Monsters of Rock and Acoustic Xmas.

Mark68 great post.

KROQ playing Metallica always has sickened me. But then I also became pretty disgusted with Metalloca and the commercialism of the Black album.

That documentary really made James look like a pussy, and I'm not saying that because he quit drinking. I quit drinking a couple of years ago, and I didn't become a basket case like he did.

I covered a weenie roast when Mettalica was the headline. I interviewed Jason Newstead after Lars turned me down (like an asshole.). He tried to save face in the interview. I asked him if they were going to play the hard stuff, and he paused and he said "it's all hard" but even he broke into laughter. Short time later he was gone, and he claimed he and the band were headed in different musical directions.

On the Lars note, as soon as Mark McGrath and Kid Rock talked to me on camera, Lars came back around and put his arm around me, trying to show he was a nice guy. But still stunk of douchebagism.

Lars was a tennis playing rich teen from Newport but tries to play off the story that he was a hard rocking youth from SF.

I still have the raw tape of those interviews. It sucked to have been an old school Metallica fan, see them commercialize somewhat, and then hear them on KROQ.

But I'm also one of those guys who hates the way they play seek and destroy and implore the crowd to sing it 200 times during the concert.

The Big 4 show in Indio was F'in epic though.

[nate]

Lars is a douchebag.  I was a huge Metallica fan until the black album and later the whole Napster thing.

 

Sad because Kill Em All, RTL, Puppets and Justice were great.  RTL and Puppets are probably in my top 20.

[Hollyw00d]

I went to the show, mainly went to see Pepper and Rebelution though. The hot chicks were definitely there for those 2 bands as a lot left when Rebelution's set ended. I stayed for a few songs of the Sublime set, saw what I wanted to see, and bounced early to beat traffic. The pit went from super chill and relaxed during Rebelution to a big douchey circle pit once Sublime started. IMO Rebelution killed it and Pepper was hilarious as always. Also Rome is fat as ****, looked much worse than last time I saw him.

Yeah I figured rebelution was the big draw

I like them

[Hollyw00d]

Rome is lame

[Chris]

80's does seem under represented on that list.

[Jobu]

Great moments in cinematic history: Lars Ulrich's dad telling Metallica to "delete that".

[Jobu]

Also, lots of bands sell out. Almost all of them get accused of selling out. Very very few get the results Metallica did. Obviously everything before '90 is worlds better, but I can't blame them for cashing in a winning lotto ticket and ruling hard rock for several years, and becoming obscenely rich in the process.

[Brandon]

Yeah, the whole sell out thing is for hipsters and 15 year olds. It's a business and profession like any other. And one that its very hard to make it in. Make as much as you can and try to stay sane in the process.

Street cred and being cool doesn't pay the bills.

[Glen]

Also, lots of bands sell out. Almost all of them get accused of selling out. Very very few get the results Metallica did. Obviously everything before '90 is worlds better, but I can't blame them for cashing in a winning lotto ticket and ruling hard rock for several years, and becoming obscenely rich in the process.

I'm about the only person I know who likes Death Magnetic. Yeah, Metallica sold out (and I agree with Brandon about selling out) a while ago but DM was as good as you could hope for.