The year began slowly for rock album releases. Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys had become the rage, and it took a bit of pruning if you wanted to pick out some decent face-melting guitar records.
But as the year moved on, rock fell back into line and some great records began popping up as summer started. The Red Hot Chili Peppers were back in action with fan-favorite guitarist John Frusciante. And Carlos Santana released a star-studded comeback album featuring Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews and Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty.
But where was the real heavy guitar? Where was the metal?
Interestingly enough, much of it came in the form of reformed Eighties metal acts such as Dokken, Ratt and Queensryche. Though it ought to be noted that one of the heaviest and most ambitious albums of 1999 came from none other than Jeff Beck. Appropriately titled Who Else!, Beck reemerged in '99, once again breaking boundaries and forging his own path. Who Else! was a guitar venture into electronica, a genre relatively untouched by guitarists. Beck, naturally, made the synthesis work to his advantage, and this was the first of three albums by the sonic master that redefined what the electric guitar can do within an electronic setting.
Those, however, are one man's thoughts. What are yours? Take our poll below and let us know which album you think deserves to be No. 1 in '99.
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