Today we begin counting down Classic Rock’s choice of the 100 best individual rock tracks of the decade. Come inside to check out numbers 100 to 91…

100. Harry Patch (In Memory Of) – Radiohead
From 2009. A download-only single, as the last survivor of the First World War is celebrated in one of the most intense and passionate anti-war songs of recent years. It’s progressive and haunting in equal measure. Henry John ‘Harry’ Patch: 17 June, 1898 – 25 July, 2009. Rest in peace. Listen to the song here.

99. The Heaven’s Cry Out (For The Devil’s Blood) – The Devil’s Blood
From the Dutch band’s 2008 EP Come Reap. This harks back to the early 1970s, mixing occult visions with psychedelic inspirations. But it doesn’t sound at all retro, appealing to extreme metal fans as much as old school aficionados. Listen to the song here.

98. Hate Worldwide – Slayer
From the 2009 album World Painted Blood. Slayer never let you down, but even if their standards are always high, they can still occasionally surprise. This has power and dynamic as well as the intensity that exemplifies Slayer’s trademark approach. Listen to the song here.

97. Last Look At Eden – Europe
From the 2009 album Last Look At Eden. If Europe had their heyday in the 1980s, then they are still a force on the melodic rock scene. Here’s a slowly built, stripped-down anthem. Watch the video here.

96. Wither – Dream Theater
From the 2009 album Black Clouds & Silver Linings. Regarded as the pioneers of contemporary prog, Dream Theater combine illustrious musicianship with a catchy chorus. Masterful. Listen to the song here.

95. Community Property – Steel Panther
From the 2009 album Feel The Steel. Some have accused this of merely being a lewd’n’crude reworking Extreme’s More Than Words. But we don’t care, we just love the lyrics: ‘My heart belongs to you-oo-ooh… but my cock is community property.’ Naughty but nice. Watch the (explicit) video here.

94. Best Years – Whitesnake
From the 2008 album Good To Be Bad. A slam-bang stormer of a song that successfully combines the bluesy appeal of early ’Snake with the histrionics of the modern day band (with tinges of the broodiness of Coverdale-Page into the bargain). You can’t beat it when ol’ DC howls: ‘Caught in a crossfire of heartache and pain!’ Listen to the song here.

93. Saints Of Los Angeles – Mötley Crüe
From the 2008 album Saints Of Los Angeles. For some reason we at Classic Rock gave the SATM album a bit of a drubbing when it first came out. Now that we’ve had the ear-wax blockage removed we can confirm that this, the title track, sees the Crüe shrugging off their darker side and returning to their time-honoured party-metal style. In order! Watch the video here.

92. More Than Meets The Eye – Testament
From the 2008 album The Formation Of Damnation. A tremendous old-school neck-vertebrae-snapper – every bit as good (in fact, it’s probably better) as anything on Metallica’s Death Magnetic. Hey… how about a Big Five Of Thrash tour? Watch the video here.

91. Runnin’ Wild – Airbourne
From the 2007 album Runnin’ Wild. A full-on phlegm-in-your-face larrikin anthem; the kind of sock-it-to-your-jaw rabble-rouser that Australian bands really excel at. Plus we love the video of them playing in the back of the truck, with Lemmy in the driver’s seat. Watch the video here.

* Coming tomorrow on www.classicrockmagazine.com – numbers 90 through to 81.