Bob Ritchie, a born son of that state up north, may be better known as Kid Rock to his legions of fans. His superstar status of today is a far cry from where the struggling rapper from Detroit was during the early nineties. The Run DMC meets Beastie Boys meets Insane Clown Posse sound of his early music never really caught on commercially. With 1998's Devil Without A Cause album, he successfully incoporated a more balanced blend of rock and metal to coincide with the hip hop influence.
Devil had a slew of hits, but it really blew up when the southern rock ballad "Only God Knows Why" was released as a single. This formula of blending elements of southern rock and country music has led to the bulk of his many hit songs since then. His Detroit background can still be felt and heard throughout much of the album work, but as he has matured as a song writer, Kid Rock has released several consecutive albums that show a steady progression of maturity and compassion. As a fan of heavy rock, there are early songs of his that are great to crank the radio to, but the growth he has made as a songwriter during the past ten years has transitioned him from rockstar to rock icon. Even his later albums delve into topics like his affinity for women, drink, and drugs it's the other tracks that highlight an awareness towards social and political issues that are shaping todays society. He still relates to his urban roots, while also crossing over into elements of his country background as well, creating a large fan base that can relate to his music for different reasons.
Kid Rock is currently out on their Rebel Soul tour in support of their most recent album of the same name. Having only seen him once live, at the 2008 Rock on the Range festival as the headliner, and his performance was by far one of the better headlining acts that the festival has had. The man can flat out put on a show. He engages the crowd and puts on a display of musicianship that non-fans might not realize he possesses. He can play every instrument on the stage and can still bring it on the turntable for those that still dig the hip hop influence from earlier in his career. He also brought out special guests Peter Wolf of the J. Geils Band to perform their hit "Centerfold" and even Sheryl Crow for "Picture". The Rebel Soul tour is slated to hit Columbus on Saturday at Nationwide Arena with special guests Buckcherry and Hellbound Glory as supporting acts. Tickets are on sale and can be purchased from Ticketmaster outlets and the box office.
The following are my 25 Most Essential Kid Rock songs. Love my list? Hate it? Sound off below and as always, if you aren't subscribed, please do so for free by clicking the "Subscribe" link at the top of the page.
Kid Rock Top 25
2. Lonely Road of Faith (2001)
5. Picture (featuring Sheryl Crow) (2001)
7. You Never Met A M*********** Quite Like Me (2001)
11. Jackson, Mississippi (2003)
12. Amen (2007)
13. When U Love Someone (2007)
14. Born Free (2010)
15. Roll On (2007)
16. Cowboy (1998)
18. Abortion (2000)
21. Feel Like Makin' Love (2003) ***Bad Company cover
22. Devil Without A Cause (1998)
23. I Am (2003)
24. Care (2010)
25. Warrior (2008)
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