What makes What If by Tommy Shaw notable?

What If received positive reviews and helped establish Shaw's solo career, reaching number 45 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album is noted for its exploration of personal themes, setting a foundation for future artists within the hard rock genre to explore more vulnerable songwriting. Released in 1986, What If was Tommy Shaw's first solo album after his tenure with Styx. At this point in his career, Shaw was transitioning from the band's mainstream success to carving out his own identity as a solo artist, following the band's 1983 album Kilroy Was Here.

How many songs are on What If?

What If has 10 tracks, running approximately 42 minutes.

Released 40 years ago

What If

Tommy Shaw · 1986

42 min · 10 tracks · hard rock

A melodic hard rock journey layered with introspective lyrics and Shaw's signature guitar work, delivering anthemic hooks and emotional depth.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Jealousy — Opening with a driving rhythm, this track showcases Shaw's powerful vocals and highlights themes of longing and regret that resonate throughout the album.
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Reach for the Bottle — This song combines catchy melodies with darker undertones about addiction, reflecting Shaw's ability to blend upbeat soundscapes with serious lyrical content.
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Count on You — A heartfelt ballad demonstrating Shaw's softer side, this track stands out for its emotional vulnerability and strong melodic structure.
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Nature of the Beast — The title track encapsulates the album's exploration of human flaws and complexities through compelling musicality and thoughtful lyrics.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

46 /100

Foothills

Higher than 10% of albums we've rated

The album showcases solid songwriting and guitar work but lacks a strong cohesive narrative across its runtime.

What we noticed

The first half of the album features upbeat tracks with driving guitar riffs, while the second half shifts to more introspective themes and slower tempos.
Shaw's guitar work is prominent throughout, often featuring layered solos that complement the melodic hooks in each song.
Several tracks incorporate a call-and-response vocal style, enhancing the anthemic quality of the choruses.

Composition 25% of the score: 6/10
Craft 20% of the score: 7/10
Durability 25% of the score: 5/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 5/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 6/10

Influence 4/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

1 Jealousy 4:47
2 Remo's Theme (What If) 4:23
3 Reach for the Bottle 5:45
4 Friendly Advice 3:27
5 This Is Not a Test 3:34
6 See Me Now 3:45
7 True Confessions 3:29
8 Count on You 6:12
9 Nature of the Beast 4:08
10 Bad Times 2:46

What to play next

Listen next

Ambition

1987

Go back to

Girls with Guns

1984

Full Tommy Shaw discography Artists like Tommy Shaw

hard rock

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata