The best musical acts from Southern California

Jane's has always (subtly) celebrated its Los Angeles roots — perhaps most notably via the Spanish introduction to 1990's smash album Ritual de lo Habitual. Frontman and co-founder Perry Ferrell embraced the Southern California culture, from surfing to the underground punk and hard scenes to the cultural eccentricities that don't always get mentioned. The band's alternative/avant-garde rock sound made it one of the most popular bands of the 1990s. A bit more obscure, raw, and experimental than its alternative rock contemporaries of the day. 

The guys that make up Rage Against the Machine came together in the early 1990s in Los Angeles. And like the many cultural happenings within the confines of L.A.'s unique and diverse neighborhoods, Rage created an innovative sound that blends metal, funk, rap, and alternative rock. Add in the band's socio-political lyrics and overall activism, and it's become a popular, and controversial, act that has delivered some of the great anthems of a hard-rock generation like "Freedom," "Know Your Enemy," "Bulls on Parade" and "Killing in the Name."

Formed in 1969 in Los Angeles by celebrated singer, songwriter, and guitarist Lowell George, who was a member of Frank Zappa's band, plus keyboardist Bill Payne, a lot was going on when it came to Little Feat's sound: rock, country, blues, and even elements of jazz. It's even been categorized as Southern rock. So, it's understandable that there would be confusion about the band's place of original. Arguably, Little Feat's most recognizable tune, 1973 jam favorite "Dixie Chicken" screams Southern California.

Three-man vocal attack of Danny Hutton, Cory Wells, and Chuck Negron gave us such classics as "Joy to the World," "Mama Told Me Not to Come," and "One." Initially known as Redwood, the three vocalists teamed up in 1967 while working with the Beach Boys. Unlike that legendary group, Three Dog Night relied on other songwriters, such as Randy Newman and Harry Nilsson, to pen some of their most well-known hits. Armed with infectious harmonies, Three Dog Night wasn't saddled with just one sound but ranged from pop to soul to even funk.

Toto notes its origin as the San Fernando Valley, but it also brought together some of the best songwriters/musicians/session players from throughout the Los Angeles area. Notably, prominent keyboardist/singer/songwriter David Paich, renowned drummer Jeff Porcaro, and former Boz Scaggs guitarist Steve Lukather all attended the Valley's Grant High School. Known for its smooth, pop rock, soft rock, yacht rock — whatever floats one's musical boat to call it — Toto produced such memorable 1980s hits like "Rosanna" and "Africa." The band won six Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame.

Hailing from Anaheim, no members of the successful No Doubt lineup from the 1990s/2000s — Gwen Stefani, Tom Dumont, Tony Kanal, and  Adrian Young — were part of nor prominent aspects of the band's early days. However, following the death of co-founder John Spence and Eric Stefani's departure, Gwen jumped into the role of lead vocalist. Stardom soon followed. Backed by Gwen's energetic and intoxicating stage presence, No Doubt's sound combination encompassing pop, alternative, new wave, and ska eventually earned mainstream success with its third album Tragic Kingdom (1995). The band remained popular during the early 2000s before Stefani struck it even bigger as a solo artist and entertainer. 

Haim burst onto the scene in 2013 with its stellar debut, Days Are Gone. However, music always filled the Haim household while growing up in the San Fernando Valley and playing in a family band with their parents. Sisters Este, Danielle, and Alana have continued to shine within the indie/pop rock scene as exceptional songwriters and musicians who have also successfully branched out into other mediums. In the process, the Grammy-nominated band continues to use its Southern California surroundings as inspiration and motivation.

L.A. to the core, Mötley Crüe represented the darker, seedier side of Hollywood and the Sunset Strip — at least in the early days of the band — through its look and edgy, raunchy lyrics. Though Mötley Crüe was consistently reinventing its look — leather-clad, New York Dolls wannabes (Too Fast for Love, 1981), Satan worshipers (Shout at the Devil, 1983), hair rockers (Theatre of Pain, 1985), and bikers (Girls, Girls, Girls, 1987) — it always stayed true to those Southern California rock and roll roots. All about conceptualism and stage presence, Crüe took it to the hilt while becoming one of the biggest bands in the world.

While thrash metal found and maintained a home in the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California, Slayer essentially held down the fort in Southern California. Formed in Huntington Park, in the southeastern portion of Los Angeles County, Slayer grew to become one of the true pioneers and giants of the thrash metal movement. The band's first five albums — Show No Mercy (1983), Hell Awaits (1985), Reign in Blood (1986), South of Heaven (1988), and Seasons in the Abyss (1990) — remain a blueprint and important study guide for how thrash metal should be played. While other bands of its ilk softened their sound to earn more mainstream recognition, Slayer pretty much stayed true as one of the most consistent thrash forces in the business.

Richard and Karen Carpenter were born in Connecticut and spent a good chunk of their childhoods there. However, the family moved to the Los Angeles suburb of Downey in the early 1960s, mostly to benefit Richard's budding musical talent. Karen proved to be a pretty impressive musician, notably as a drummer. Put together, this legendary brother-sister duo graced fans with superb musicianship and lyrical brilliance on classics like "Superstar," "We've Only Just Begun," and "(They Long to Be) Close to You." The Carpenters were staples of adult contemporary radio for three decades, starting during the late 1960s, and often appeared on television specials. The pair sold over 90 million records and maintains a legacy still celebrated today. 

Hailing from Los Angeles and brought together by self-absorbed producer Kim Fowley, The Runaways were the starting point for rock legends Joan Jett and Lita Ford. Even with the success of tunes like "Cherry Bomb," these pioneers, who opened the door for females to rock, were more popular in Japan than in their native L.A. and the United States, for that matter. The Runaways released four studio albums in two years before burnout and a disdain for management ended the run. Though the group has been rightfully praised in the years that have followed (as attested by the popular 2010 film The Runaways), it truly deserved to be taken more seriously in real time.

Yes, Neil Young, Bruce Palmer, and Dewey Martin hailed from Canada, but they formed Buffalo Springfield with Americans Stephen Stills and Richie Furay amid entertaining circumstances in Los Angeles in 1966. Though the band released just three studio albums and featured various lineup changes, including a time with Jim Messina in the mix, it was renowned for its psychedelic rock sound, which was also folksy. It's probably best known for the anti-war/protest hit "For What It's Worth." The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.

L.A.'s Fairfax High School was the birthplace of the Chili Peppers. Anthony Kiedis, Hillel Slovak, Flea, and Jack Irons attended the school and made up the original lineup. Though the band members, notably guitarists, have come and gone over the years, aside from Kiedis and Flea, RHCP has never veered from its love and admiration for Los Angeles and the state of California. For better or worse, both remain an inspiration for the group's creatively innovative style. Songs like "Under the Bridge," "Californication," and "Dani California" are a few examples of it all.

From Hermosa Beach in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County, Black Flag, formed in the late 1970s, is often credited with putting West Coast/hardcore/surf punk on the map. Even before Henry Rollins switched coasts from Washington, D.C., to join the group, Black Flag was started by guitarist/songwriter Greg Ginn and singer Keith Morris and drew crowds primarily locally within the outskirts of L.A.'s small punk scene. Eventually, the band was a hit throughout the overall Los Angeles punk community and praised for its tireless work ethic, which inspired and influenced other like-minded punks that followed.

Los Angeles' budding yet rather underground punk scene brought guitarist Jane Wiedlin and singer Belinda Carlisle together during the late 1970s. Fellow guitarist Charlotte Caffey also immersed herself in that culture, and eventually, the Go-Go's were born. Of course, the band shed its punk roots for more pop-tinged numbers ("We Got the Beat," "Our Lips Are Sealed") that made the music world take notice well beyond Los Angeles. Rightfully and recently inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Go-Go's proved to be mainstream trendsetters for female rockers who wrote their own songs and did it well.

Once the dust settled and at least some of the drama subsided, The Mamas & the Papas were complete when the dynamic Cass Elliot was finally welcomed by leader John Phillips. Formed in Los Angeles, the four-piece, which also featured Phillips' wife, Michelle, and Canadian Denny Doherty, spent time in the Virgin Islands and New York but was always "California Dreamin'." Though the Hall of Famers were around from just 1965-68, the group had six top-10 hits and sold nearly 40 million albums while serving as a musical bridge for folk acts to become more pop-oriented.

One of the folk-rock movement pioneers, the Byrds featured the legendary Roger McGuinn (then going by Jim) and David Crosby. Formed in Los Angeles in 1964, the Byrds offered a peaceful, rather loving aura to its music, which grew more pop-sounding as the years progressed. The band made Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" a hit and also enjoyed success with tracks like "Turn, Turn, Turn" and  "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better." Remarkably, the Byrds, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, put out 12 studio albums from 1965-73. 

From the partial ashes of the aforementioned Buffalo Springfield and the Byrds grew the even more celebrated Crosby, Stills & Nash. As legend has it, the trio came together to jam at a house in Los Angeles' Laurel Canyon. The rest is classic rock history. Compared to Stephen Stills' Buffalo Springfield or David Crosby's contributions to the Byrds, and certainly Graham Nash's work with the Hollies, CSN, and even when Neil Young joined up to make the "Y," there was a more SoCal vibe. Strong songwriting, laid-back lyrics, and undeniably classic rock. "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes," "Southern Cross." Enough said.

Yes, Metallica has spent the vast majority of its existence in Northern California, beginning with the recruitment of late bassist Cliff Burton in early 1983. However, co-founders Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield lived in Southern California when a want ad brought the two together. Along with future Megadeth founder Dave Mustaine and bassist Ron McGovney, Metallica played its first show in Anaheim in early 1982. However, Ulrich and Hetfield have long spoke of how L.A. was not truly receptive to thrash metal in the early 1980s. Moving to the Bay Area, where thrash was becoming a budding haven, made sense. 

The rest, obviously, is history. Metallica has sold more than 125 million records worldwide. There aren’t many better opening three records to a career than Kill ‘Em All (1983), Ride the Lightning (1984), and Master of Puppets (1986). Then, there's its self-titled effort from 1991, aka The Black Album, which went 16-times platinum.

Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin were transplants from Indiana, but G N' R was undeniably L.A. We're talking about the seedy, somewhat run-down Sunset Strip area of Hollywood. The parts that aren't considered tourist attractions. The dysfunction and debauchery from the early days of the band made for some of the rawest and most emotional hard-rock material ("Welcome to the Jungle," "Rocket Queen," "Mr. Brownstone") to grace the 1980s. The band's smash debut, Appetite for Destruction, essentially warned the heavy metal genre that its days were numbers. 

When it comes to raw, hardcore, brutally honest rap with no apologies, N.W.A. was the trendsetter. It pioneered the gangsta rap genre and put the rough and ruthless street life of Compton ("Straight Outta Compton," "Gangsta, Gangsta"), located in southern Los Angeles County, on the map. The band, which featured rap legends Eazy-E, Ice Cube, and Dr. Dre, also ignited the West Coast rap movement despite putting out only two studio albums and one EP. However, the group's greatest hits package from 1996 is a must-own for any rap fan.

Brothers Alex and Eddie Van Halen were born in Amsterdam within a musical family. The boys set out to make music their profession when the family moved to Pasadena in the early 1960s. They eventually hooked up with blue-collar bassist Michael Anthony and charismatic frontman David Lee Roth, and Van Halen was born. The rest, as they say, was rock and roll history, which included Sammy Hagar's successful run as the band's lead singer. Even in the wake of Eddie's death in 2020, Van Halen's legacy remains widely celebrated as one of the biggest bands in the world during the 1980s and into the early 1990s.  

Legendary Doors frontman Jim Morrison came together with underrated keyboardist Ray Manzarek in Venice Beach in 1965. Both attended UCLA, and Morrison found a potential musical soulmate in Manzarek. Guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore joined up later, and the Doors became one of the most popular bands in the world. Morrison's hallucinogenic drug-induced spirituality, fancy of the desert, and primitive lifestyle often inspired his complex lyrics. The band released six studio albums, the last of which was 1971's L.A. Woman, dropping three months before Morrison's death.

While legend has the Eagles' creation officially coming in 1971, Don Henley and Glenn Frey met at The Troubadour in Los Angeles in 1970. The Eagles spanned everything from pure rock and roll to soft rock and had plenty of country music fans in tow. The band sold more than 200 million albums, thanks to classics like "Take It Easy," "Witchy Woman," "Hotel California,"  and "Desperado." Then again, when there’s a collection of legendary musicians brought together, including Don Felder, Joe Walsh, Randy Meisner, Bernie Leadon, and Timothy B. Schmit, greatness is inevitable.

Pushed by their rather overbearing father, Murry, Wilson brothers Carl, Brian, and Dennis, who hailed from Hawthorne in southwestern L.A. County, were groomed for musical stardom. Add in cousin Mike Love and his versatile vocal stylings, and The Beach Boys were kings of the surf rock scene with tunes like "Surfin' U.S.A." and "Surfin' Safari" during the 1960s. 

They took on a more progressive and experimental sound with the 1966 classic Pet Sounds, considered one of the greatest albums ever. Brian was the band's undisputed leader, for better or worse, and turned The Beach Boys from good-time Southern California pop stars into one of the most innovative, creative, and even complex musical acts ever. The band has had over 30 songs crack the Top 40 and totaled four No. 1 records on Billboard's Hot 100.