In January 1970, a band from Winnipeg with a cryptic name released an album that, despite containing criticism of American policies, became a huge success in the U.S. and went to number 1 in Canada. It remains one of the greatest rock albums to ever come from the Great White North. Randy Renaud revisits the story behind the Guess Who's American Woman for its 55th anniversary, on the Chronicles of Rock. 

As the musical movement called New Wave swept across rock, bands that had ruled the 70's landscape of rock had to adapt or perish. And one band that did it better than most was Rush, who, in January 1980, released their answer to the new musical ethos: Permanent Waves; an album that confirmed that the Canadian trio would remain a force to be reckoned with in the 80's. Randy Renaud has the story behind it to mark its 45th anniversary, on the Chronicles of Rock.  

In 1984, Van Halen released an album named after that year. But unlike their previous 5 albums which had been recorded in mere weeks, sometimes just days, the band laboured for many months on this one. It paid off as the album ended up going all the way to number 2 on the Billboard charts, and stayed there for five weeks. But it also led to the break-up of the band. Randy Renaud has the story of the album 1984 on the Chronicles of Rock. 

In December 1969, the Rolling Stones released their first truly great album -- the first in a series of brilliant albums. And it managed to unseat the Beatles' Abbey Road from the top of the charts. It came at a time of great emotional turmoil and change, as the band's founder, Brian Jones, had died during the period of the album's recording. Undeterred, the Stones delivered one of their very best records, Let It Bleed. Randy Renaud has the story behind it for its 55th anniversary on this week's edition of the Chronicles of Rock.