Whichever side of the rock divide you fall on—if you favor Motörhead or Radiöhead—Thompson's highly-opinionated yet tongue-firmly-in-cheek manifesto is an essential read that will have you questioning why Thin Lizzy, Steve Miller, and Iron Maiden's Eddie have been grossly ignored by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame election board while R.E.M. gets a free pass. [that's easy: it's because Yawn is a Weiner]

After authoring over 100 books on music, film and pop culture as well as countless articles critiquing bands both old and new, author Dave Thompson finally takes the gloves off and speaks out against the evils of post-70s rock. Over the course of 250 pages Thompson rails against the very forces that are killing rock'n'roll from the inside out—from the Mars Volta's pseudo-prog excess to Kelly Clarkson's shrill wail—and neither underground cult heroes nor top-tier sacred cows are spared.

Among other highlights Thompson makes a strong case for the ultimate audio format the 8-Track tape; patiently explains why Nirvana owe their entire career to Boston's "More Than a Feeling"; and proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Queen is the best band ever.