Billy Squier

Long before Jay-Z threw it under “99 Problems,” the elemental drum break of “The Big Beat” was Billy Squier’s mission statement. The Boston-bred guitarist was an architect of early-'80s arena rock, building anthems on monstrous hooks and a signature locked-in groove refined from his earlier band, Piper. Working with Queen producer Mack, he dialed in the gloss and explosive dynamics on definitive LPs like 1981's Don't Say No, cementing his place as an AOR and MTV fixture. While the infamous “Rock Me Tonite” video notoriously derailed the whole operation, his work remains a masterclass in taut, muscular pop-rock with a rhythmic DNA that proved unexpectedly immortal.