89   "I Love Rock N Roll"
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (1981)

With the first primal power chord, Jett obliterated her image as a teenage girl-group novelty in the Runaways. The squealing riffs matched her new leather-clad tough-girl image and made her case as one of the fiercest female guitarists of all time.


"I Love Rock N Roll" from I Love Rock N Roll (Blackheart)


Joan Jett performing "I Love Rock N Roll" live

90   "How Soon Is Now?"
The Smiths (1985)

Trading guitarist Johnny Marr's spidery technique for a sobbing oscillation on a few extended chords and a tone-bending wail that sounds like the world racing by, this song became a club standard, opening the passageways between underground rock and dance music.


"How Soon Is Now?" from Meat is Murder (Sire)


The Smiths performing "How Soon Is Now?" live

91   "Drunkship of Lanterns"
The Mars Volta (2003)

The Mars Volta brought prog rock into the 21st century with this thrilling blast, and Omar Rodriguez Lopez announced himself as one of this decade's great young axmen, mixing Gang of Four riffs with Hendrix virtuosity, Latin rhythms and gallons of reverb.


"Drunkship of Lanterns" from De-Loused in the Comatorium (GSL/Universal)


The Mars Volta performing "Drunkship of Lanterns" live

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