Contemporary Rock Artists You Need To Hear

They formed in the mid-1990s thanks to a mutual infatuation with AC/DC and named themselves after a transvestite, who had named herself after Chuck Berry, the father of rock guitar. Hard hitting and sleazy, you can't get better rock songs than their debut single, "Lit Up" or 2006's "Next 2 You."

At the center of this classic heavy metal band is Zakk Wylde, one-time guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and one of the most original vocalists, guitarists and songwriters in rock today. Listen to tracks "Forever Down" and "House of Doom" to experience them at their heaviest and melodic best.

This progressive rock band has been going for strong for 20 years, were nominated for a GRAMMY in 2003 and won Album of the Year at the Classic Rock Awards in 2007. The album Fear of a Blank Planet featured Rush's Alex Lifeson and King Crimson's Robert Fripp. Their track "The Sound of Musak" explains it all.

A Southern Rock / Blues band, more famous for relentless touring than studio recording, they have collaborated with legends like Jack Bruce (Cream), John Entwistle (The Who) and Chris Squire (Yes). Two members were once a part of a re-formed Allman Brothers in the late 1980s. If you could only hear one of their songs it would have to be "Endless Parade" from their 2006 album High and Mighty.

You have to be a pretty incredible guitarist to be chosen to tour with Eric Clapton, and to be selected as one of Rolling Stone’s Top 100 Guitarists of All Time. Derek Trucks is versatile, bridging Blues, Jazz Fusion, Funk and Southern Rock. Check out "Pleasant Gardens" from the 2002 album Joyful Noise.

An all female rock band, all called Donna, successfully pick up the mantle of Joan Jett, and then some. Think Grrl Power and KISS, AC/DC do indie, or Ramones. The Donnas have seven albums to their name, including the appropriately named American Teenage Rock 'n' Roll Machine. Hear them turn the tables of rock misogyny with "40 Boys in 40 Nights."

Proof that there's more to Sweden than ABBA and Death Metal, T.S.O.O.L provide an eclectic mix of forty years of rock, with Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones and The Beatles all exerting their influence. Their 2001 album Behind The Music is a masterpiece and an essential addition to any thinking person’s classic rock collection.

This band is far better than its name, taken from an episode of Star Trek in which Spock meets his doppelganger from a parallel universe. They offer a harmonic alternative to progressive metal, following the lead of Genesis or Marillion with a more melodic and popular style of Prog Rock. "Waste Away," from the 1996 album Beware of Darkness is one of the best rock songs of the 90s.

This blues-rock band were recently hailed by Melody Maker as The Most Rock 'n' Roll Rock 'n' Roll Band in the World. They have released seven albums in the past twenty years but like Gov't Mule are part of the jam band movement, relying heavily on touring for their popularity. Check out "Hard to Handle," "Soul Singing" and "Remedy."

Velvet Revolver are a supergroup consisting of members of Guns 'n' Roses, Stone Temple Pilots and Wasted Youth. While their material can be inconsistent, they are a critical band in contemporary classic rock, because of their heritage and because they are one of the few bands in this list to gain significant media exposure. "Fall to Pieces" is a brilliant introduction to the band, reaching #1 on the US rock charts in 2004.