>49) Toad the Wet Sprocket.
>    Yeah, they were derivative. But the songs are pretty good, especially
>    on the 3rd and subsequent albums. 

REM was/is so dearly revered by critics that any band that sounded close to
them got branded "REM clone".  Did For Squirrels make the list? They were the
most blantant REM clone band I ever heard, they deserved to make that list
instead of Toad.

>21) The Alan Parsons Project
>    Critics hate them because of the basic bloodless progressive nerdiness.
But at times
>    it was pretty inspired bloodless progressive nerdiness. Tales of Mystery
and Imagination
>    (especially) and I Robot were pretty good progressive pop albums, and the
next 3-4 albums
>    also had their moments.

Most of the singles hold up better than the albums. "Don't Answer Me" was a
good one. Also Parson's/Eric Woolfson's choice of vocalists was outstanding.
(Colin Blumstone, Allan Clarke, Chris Rainbow, John Miles). I still remember
going into a audio store in the late 70's in Tulsa and hearing "I Robot"
played
on a monsterous stereo system for the first time. 

>6) Kansas
>   Another one critics love to hate. But they were pretty good through Point
of Know Return
>   (their fourth album), and they showed a lot more humanity and attention to
songcraft
>   than other progressive groups that deservedly gave the genre a bad name.

To me they were the only American "progressive" group to almost equal the
quality and musicanship of the Yes/Genesis/ELP juggernaut.

7) Asia 
Corporate Sellouts, but those killer hooks got to me back then  - I still love
"Dont Cry", great song.

Album Rock Billy




Billy G. Spradlin
http://listen.to/jangleradio