Simon RushworthIt’s been another mightily satisfying year in the world of melodic rock and AOR with a mix of genre giants and bright new things jostling for position. Simon Rushworth rounds up the Best Melodic Rock Albums of 2024.
10. Night Laser — Call Me What You Want (SPV)
When Hamburg-based hair metal heroes Night Laser went all MTV Unplugged — replete with cello — on most recent single Travelers In Time, it sealed the deal.
We’d had an eye on the spandex-clad retro rockers for some time but the band’s commitment to crafting the perfect tear-jerking power ballad told us all we needed to know.
It prompted a hasty reappraisal of the riotous Call Me What You Want: a record that sounded like the bastard son of Skid Row and Love/Hate.
Way To The Thrill and Don’t Call Me A Hero delivered hummable hooks and killer choruses rooted in the late 80s and ripe for right now.
9. Mercury Riots — In Solstice (Self Released)
There was an element of The Who, a touch of AC/DC and the sound of the Sunset Strip’s sleazy underbelly at the heart of In Solstice’s bullish opener Make It.
And a brilliant record just got better from there as New Orleans native and captivating frontman Justin Walker fused soul and blues with raw rock and roll.
Mercury Riots craft genuine fist-pumpers for fun and In Solstice was bursting at the seams with arena-ready anthems.
LA Girls’ brooding bass line (thanks Fede Delfino) and the summery groove pacing Sweet Melody made for a truly special listening experience.
8. FM — Old Habits Die Hard (Frontiers)
When we caught Steve Overland and co. strutting their stuff in Gateshead earlier this year we declared ‘old habits die hard but FM rock harder’.
And this fabulous album summed up best of all an enduring talent for crafting pin sharp AOR.
Packed with masterful melodic rock that could bring a tear to a grown man’s eye, a defiant record never dipped.
The swampy, swooning Black Water was a brilliant example of FM taking risks and emerging triumphant while the upbeat California captured a sizzling Overland celebrating an Indian Summer in style.
7. Eclipse — Megalomanium II (Frontiers)
Apparently one Megalomanium just wasn’t enough and this joyous follow-up to last year’s original matched its predecessor in every respect.
As we proudly proclaimed in September’s Record Of The Week review, Eclipse have been part of the Rushonrock fabric since day one.
The band’s attention to melodic rock detail, ear for an absolute banger and brilliant realisation of AOR’s pomp-fuelled absurdity knows no bounds.
And tracks like Still My Hero, All I Want and Say Goodbye oozed class and serious conviction.
Then there was the Def Leppard-style Dive Into You — if you’re keen to explore Eclipse then this is your entry point.
Read the full review here
6. Issa — Another World (Frontiers)
Incredibly, it’s 13 years since we interviewed Issa — unlucky for us we’ve never been back in touch.
Because the supremely talented Norwegian has gone from strength to strength since she promised to reprise the polished rock made famous by her 80s idols.
Another World was on another level as Issa channelled Robin Beck, Pat Benatar and Lita Ford.
But with the Martin brothers helming a career high, Issa managed to stay just the right side of lame heritage worship.
Only In The Dark was an illuminating example of this album’s creative arc and Got A Hold On Me was pure pop rock.
Read the full review here
5. Kissin’ Dynamite — Back With A Bang (Napalm)
You don’t call your new album Back With A Bang only to fizzle out with a whimper.
And it was clear that those self-confident chaps at Kissin’ Dynamite knew they were on to a winner with this party starter of a record.
More Is More brought memories of peak Bon Jovi flooding back and the raucous Raise Your Glass sounded ready made for bierkellers across Bavaria.
We insisted Back With A Bang could give Nestor and Collateral a run for their money and including it here was a no brainer.
Kissin’ Dynamite haven’t always got it right. But this was absolute blast.
Read the full review here
4. Mr Big — Ten (Frontiers)
It was some summer for fans of melodic rock and vibrant veterans Mr Big ensured they were part of the conversation after this terrific set dropped in July.
Coinciding with The Big Finish tour, Eric Martin and co. conjured a body of work that stood toe to toe with the classic Lean Into It.
Part tribute to the late, great Pat Torpey and part full throttle final fling, Ten sought to set the seal on a storied melodic rock career.
It succeeded in spectacular style: from opener Good Luck Trying to ballads Who We Are and Sunday Morning Kinda Girl this was Mr Big, supersized.
Ten was 10 out of 10. Or maybe even better than that.
Read the full review here
3. Sam Millar — Virtual Summer (Earache)
Sam Millar made no secret of the fact that he’s in thrall to all things 80s and we loved him for it.
Van Halen, Starship, Richard Marx, INXS and more influenced the feelgood record of 2024 as Virtual Summerturned up the heat.
Pop, rock, glam and synthwave underpinned an album that put a smile on the faces of even the most cynical shoegazers.
And Virtual Summer’s relentless pursuit of happiness helped us to forget that a cruel world is going to shit.
Something I’ll Regret, Forget You and Meet Me Halfway had us hooked from the off. Sam was the man.
2. Collateral — Should’ve Known Better (Self Released)
The self-styled kings of the UK’s resurgent soft rock scene didn’t disappoint on the long-awaited follow-up to their self-titled debut.
Did we doubt Angelo Tristan and co. could replicate their stunning live show in the studio? Yes. We Should’ve Known Better.
Glass Sky roared into focus as a Red Hot Track Of The Week as far back as February and when we heard the rest of the album… fuck!
It’s comforting to know that Collateral continue to fly the flag for straight up hair metal almost 40 years since the genre hit its peak.
With the looks and the hooks, they remain next up as the next big thing.
1 Nestor — Teenage Rebel (Napalm)
Swedish sensations Nestor teased us with talk of a follow-up to 2021’s classy Kids In A Ghost Town for far too long.
But Teenage Rebel was well worth the wait.
There was even more Bon Jovi, more Journey, more Aerosmith and more Foreigner.
In fact, this was Nestor on steroids — the most muscular melodic rock we heard all year.
Ballads Last To Know, Daughter and The One That Got Away upped the ante and outshone the opposition.
And six stringer Jonny Wemmenstedt wowed with a series of fret-melting solos straight out of West Hollywood circa 1987.
