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Last Active 08-18-15 3:29 am
Joined 08-08-09
Review Comments 10,693
| Top 10 Ballads
Well, a friend of mine died this week, so I'm feeling really emotional. I think rthis is a great opportunity to look at some great ballads. Unlike the Love rSongs list, these ballads can (obviously) be about any subject. | | 1 |  | Michael Jackson
Thriller
Someone in the Dark -- What a perfect song. The orchestration is phenomenal, the
atmosphere of the tune is wonderful, and Jackson's voice fits perfectly. The
trademark sweetness in his voice is in full force, and the theme of the piece (it's
part of the E.T. soundtrack) makes it even more emotional. Words can't describe
how perfect this song is... it has to be experienced. Experience the song whenever
you can... it may 5 of the most perfect minutes of music you've ever heard. | | 2 |  | Norah Jones
Come Away with Me
Seven Years -- More folk-oriented than the usual Jones fare, "Seven Years" is
insanely impressive because of how much it does in two-and-a-half minutes. It's a
humble ballad, but a beautiful one all the same. Norah Jones is accompanied by an
acoustic guitar and some piano work here and there, and the music these
instruments create is absolute magic. Highly recommended. | | 3 |  | The Tallest Man on Earth
The Wild Hunt
The Wild Hunt -- How couldn't I put this on the list? An amazing opener for my
favorite album of all time, this song completely sets the tone for the rest of the
album. One man and his guitar create a perfect folk song, and the joy I get from
each and every note is indescribable. If you enjoy folk music, you need to listen to
this song. | | 4 |  | Regina Spektor
Begin to Hope
Field Below -- Most of the song consists of only Regina Spektor's voice and piano,
and that's completely fine. The amount of emotion in this song is breathtaking, and
it's all about the little nuances that make up the song's atmosphere. Well, that and
the incredible chorus. The piano work is great, Spektor's voice is dynamic and has a
lot of range... the whole song is just wonderful. | | 5 |  | Brand New
The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
Sowing Season (Yeah) -- I think this could technically qualify as a power ballad,
and what a song it is. Similar to other songs on the album, "Sowing Season" has the
same alternating themes of hope, desperation, and grief; however, I always feel
something different with this particular song as well. The line "I'm not your friend!
I'm just a man who knows how to feel" always hits me as extremely tragic and yet
so powerful. Overall, this is an amazing song from an amazing album. | | 6 |  | Metallica
Ride the Lightning
Fade to Black -- Yup, considering how much I love Metallica, this one was probably
a given. This song is absolutely phenomenal from beginning to end, giving a
completely honest look at suicide and death as a whole. The opening guitar solo
remains my favorite solo of all time, giving off the bleak atmosphere perfectly. This
song always sends chills down my entire body whenever I listen to it, and I can't
recommend the tune (and the album for that matter) enough. | | 7 |  | Prince
Purple Rain
When Doves Cry -- One of the most bizarre ballads also happens to be a personal
favorite. The song has no bassline whatsoever; in fact, Prince's multitracked vocals
are what propel most of the song. This gives the song a very unique flavor and
Prince's vocal harmonies are absolutely gorgeous. As the song builds, more
synthesizers and other embellishments illustrate the song's atmosphere, further
adding to the intensity. Amazing stuff. | | 8 |  | Queen
Innuendo
Don't Try So Hard -- I'll always consider Innuendo the great underrated Queen
album, and this song is one of the prime examples of the album's quality for me. The
message throws away the concept of over-analyzing things and gives the listener a
sense of hope, no matter how bleak a situation may be. This is supported by one of
Freddie Mercury's best vocal performances (while he was deathly ill, no less!) and a
great sense of unity between the band members. | | 9 |  | Alice in Chains
Dirt
Down in a Hole -- The most downright depressing entry on this list (no surprise,
considering it's Alice in Chains), "Down in a Hole" is also one of the best songs
featured on the band's landmark release Dirt. You can hear the desperation and
sadness in Layne Staley's voice, and the guitar work sounds just as doomy. The
song plays out like a funeral march, but that's what makes it so consistently
intense and intriguing. The way Staley's vocals are harmonized at the end of the
song is absolutely beautiful too. Definitely worth a listen. | | 10 |  | Katatonia
Dead End Kings
The Racing Heart -- Another one that can be considered a power ballad. This is the
other really depressing entry on the list, but I couldn't leave it out. I'd consider this
song the pinnacle of Katatonia's career, with Jonas Renkse's best vocal
performance and a fantastic gloomy atmosphere. The symphonic opening sets the
tone perfectly, while Renkse's crooning during the verse is extremely fitting for the
music the band's going for. The guitar work gives off a suitably dreary atmosphere,
and the drum work is nicely varied. All of this results in a fantastic ballad that had
to be included in this list. | |
Necrotica
03.21.13 | R.I.P. Ethan; stay true, bro | Samshine
03.21.13 | sorry to hear that buddy, and props for 3. Hope you're doing alright. | Necrotica
03.21.13 | Thanks for the comment. Yeah, I'm doing fine; one of my friends is throwing a bonfire/jam party to commemorate his life, so that'll be cool. | NightProwler
03.21.13 | Sorry about your friend. Great list, though | VheissuCrisis
03.21.13 | Sorry to hear that man. Good call on the Tallest Man. | Emyay
03.21.13 | 5,6,7,9,10 all rule. will check the rest. great list, for what i'm sure was a great friend. rip | Basman
03.21.13 | Scorpions - Still Loving You | Mookid
03.21.13 | Pearl Jam-Black
| gosk8n
03.21.13 | great list! | Emyay
03.21.13 | PT - Lazarus | BigHans
03.21.13 | sorry man. THe two best ballads of all time are AIC Nutshell and Pearl Jam Release IMO | Killerhit
03.21.13 | WE FACE THE PATH OF TIME
But ten is really really good, so is six | Emyay
03.21.13 | Release is a great time | Killerhit
03.21.13 | ON A ROCKIN HORSE OF PAIN
I SEE THE BIRDS IN THE RAIN | ReturnToRock
03.21.13 | 6 is 1 in my book. | Kimm
03.21.13 | I'm sorry man...death is an awful thing.
I lost someone recently as well and I've spent a lot of time jamming 'As Your Voice Fades' by Emery. Not exactly a ballad, though it appears to be at the beginning. Give it a listen! | kingsoby1
03.21.13 | frank sinatra | kingsoby1
03.21.13 | friend death sucks man. one of my best friends was murdered last july. horrible stuff to deal with | Necrotica
03.21.13 | Yeah, my friend committed suicide. He was a great drummer and an awesome friend from the band class I was in during highschool. Ironically, he helped me out of my depression and near-suicide in high school, and now he himself is dead. | Spec
03.21.13 | Timothy. | toxin.
03.21.13 | Sorry, man :(
I remember one of my cousins died two years ago. We weren't particularly close but Pearl Jam's Just
Breathe did make me tear up at the funeral reception. | Necrotica
03.21.13 | ^ Yeah... similarly, Fade to Black made me tear up in terms of my friend, especially since the song's such a dark and honest way of depicting suicide | HolidayKirk
03.21.13 | Needs more Cure yo. | ViperAces
03.21.13 | 5 6 and 9 rule | kingsoby1
03.21.13 | every time i go by a joint my friend and i used to kick it at, i almost feel like he's in the passenger seat. but it's a good memory. | renegadestrings
03.21.13 | THANKS YOU FOR THE RACING HEART. seriously, that song and its leading in to 'Buildings' is probably one of my absolute favorite moments in music. great list | dsroka005
03.21.13 | not bad but you forgot i'm blue by eiffel 65 | Necrotica
03.21.13 | @renegadestrings: Yeah, I absolutely needed to include that song... just a wonderful tune | MO
03.22.13 | rip layne | Necrotica
03.22.13 | I was just listening to Dirt again today, so damn good | Chrisjon89
03.22.13 | sorry to hear it man | Emyay
03.22.13 | damn this makes me want to jam dead end kings again | GnFnRs87
03.22.13 | Sorry to hear that man but every song on this list is amazing. 8 is definitely one of the most underrated Queen songs.
Pearl Jam- Immortality
Alter Bridge- Blackbird | renegadestrings
03.22.13 | and by the way, condolences. i've lost a good friend before too and i know its not easy. keep your head high brother | Necrotica
03.22.13 | Thanks for the kind words =) | Necrotica
03.03.14 | Forgot about this | Rowan5215
03.03.14 | Ah I didn't see this, very sad, RIP
My recommendation is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJPDJRLxHek |
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