Paul Elliott

Guns N' Roses changed the shape of rock'n'roll when they emerged in the mid-eighties. Here's a half-century of their very best, and the stories behind them.

The band's rise to fame wasn't without its downsides

When Motörhead recorded the definitive version of Motorhead, it was third time lucky: this version would change Lemmy's life

Glam metal, hair metal – call it what you want. These are five albums that soundtracked the 1980s

Grunge swept all aside as it barrelled in from Seattle, and some bands preferred to jump the bandwagon rather than stand in the way and get mown down

Southern Rock is inextricably tied to the land and character of the American South - and here are five albums that tell its tale

Inspired by old books and new technology, Tom Sawyer was the song that reinvented prog giants Rush – but it almost never made the album

The bands who defied the sophomore slump to deliver the greatest albums of their career

With Creedence Clearwater Revival he turned the Hippie generation on to classic roots and Americana... then John Fogerty went rockin’ all over the world

From troubled outsider to all-round metal visionary – these are the life and times of Celtic Frost/Triptykon leader Tom G Warrior

Celebrated as ‘the female Motörhead’, Girlschool became stars of the NWOBHM scene. But what were their best albums?

Blues giant Kenny Wayne Shepherd picks his records, artists and gigs of lasting significance, and recalls the life-changing show he went to as a three-year-old

Def Leppard are joined by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on new album Drastic Symphonies. We went to Abbey Road Studios to watch it come together

Robert Plant is of an age when most rock stars have run out of steam or are repeating themselves, but he's still moving forward - and these are his best albums since Led Zeppelin

Former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley picks his favourite songs, albums and musicians, and reveals his least favourite Kiss album

Queensrÿche were pioneers of progressive metal, leaving their mark with a trio of great albums before a bitter, messy split and a subsequent return to action

With Thin Lizzy, on solo albums and playing jazz rock, Gary Moore proved himself to be one of the greatest guitarists of his generation. These are his best albums

Since forming in 1971, Eagles have produced some of rock’s most timeless and enduring music... and some of its biggest-selling albums

The Manic Street Preachers’ debut came from nowhere in 1992, confirming the fiery Welsh quartet as the most exciting rock band in Britain

Joe Elliott on the Stadium Tour, Miley Cyrus, that Album Of The Year award and being loved by former haters

From Bring Me The Horizon’s Sempiternal to Ghost’s Infestissumam, happy birthday to these absolute montsers

One of the most successful solo female rock artists of the 80s, Pat Benatar became a superstar by doing things her way or no way

With a cracking new album and a new image, former Rainbow and Deep Purple singer Joe Lynn Turner is loving his fresh start

Survivor survived a change of singer to become a rare example of a band achieving mainstream success with two different frontmen – and these are their best albums