The greatest American rock bands of all time

[DaveBrown74]

How would you rank the greatest American rock bands of all time? I appreciate this is highly subjective, but please base your answer not just on your own taste in music but also on how prolific and influential the bands were.

Also, please list only full-fledged bands. Not solo artists.

[LennG]

 'Rock' music for me was never a huge favorite. Do you consider, say, the Beatles, Eagles, ABBA, rock bands?

If so, then they are my list but, as said, I was never into 'hard rock' so that's about as best as I can do.

[DaveBrown74]

Ric

 'Rock' music for me was never a huge favorite. Do you consider, say, the Beatles, Eagles, ABBA, rock bands?

If so, then they are my list but, as said, I was never into 'hard rock' so that's about as best as I can do.

Absolutely I do. Forget the word "rock" then. Just American bands. I was not trying to isolate a particular type of rock.

Of course, the question was around American bands specifically. So bands like the Beatles and Abba are out.

I think it's an interesting question since so many of the great bands of the past 60 years or so are not American.

[LennG]

OK since you clarified this

#1 Eagles
#2--Creedence Clearwater Revival
#3-The Traveling Wilburys
#4-Beach Boys
#5--=Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
#6- Alabama

[DaveBrown74]

Nice list.

I don't think I could do a top five in this category that didn't include the Doors.

I have been listening to the Beach Boys recently, and that's actually the reason I came up with this thread. I think they were fantastic. Musically speaking I think they were possibly even a little bit underrated. The songs are beautifully constructed, and the use of backup vocals almost like another instrument is pretty amazing. I also think one thing that separates great music from good music is music that isn't just beautiful or powerful, but is also capable of taking you to a place, if that makes sense. Music that can bring you back to a different time in your life or make you think about a historical era that you did not live in. Or a song that reminds you of a very specific event that happened. For me at least, the Beach Boys music is like that, even though when they initially came out in the 60s I was not around yet. The Doors are the same, even though that is totally different music.

[Bill Brown]

I'll just say the two concerts that are my 2 favorites are Dire Straits and Lightnin Hopkins.

Bill

[Sem]

#3-The Traveling Wilburys

Nice list but George Harrison and Jeff Lynne are British.

[DaveBrown74]

Dire Straits are British too.


The fact that people keep mentioning British bands despite being asked to name only American ones kind of demonstrates the whole point of this thread. Even though we're five times as big a country as the UK, their place in the history of popular music, especially among the very best bands, is very prominent.

[Sem]

In no order.....
Eagles
CCR
Pearl Jam
Beach Boys
Ramones
Steely Dan
Doors
Nirvana
Simon and Garfunkel

[DaveBrown74]

In no order.....
Eagles
CCR
Pearl Jam
Beach Boys
Ramones
Steely Dan
Doors
Nirvana
Simon and Garfunkel

Nice list. No Lynrd Skynrd though?


Here is mine:

1. Doors
2. Beach Boys
3. Skynyrd
4. Pearl Jam
5. CCR

Hon mention: Guns n Roses, Aerosmith, Ramones, Nirvana

[Sem]

Thought of adding Skynrd or Allman Bros. I should have added at least one of them. IMO Allmans were slightly more influential even though I prefer Skynrd.

[DaveBrown74]

Thought of adding Skynrd or Allman Bros. I should have added at least one of them. IMO Allmans were slightly more influential even though I prefer Skynrd.

Whoops. Completely forgot about the Allman Bros. I agree they were more influential than Skynyrd. They belong in my top five.

[y_so_blu]

Gotta go with Aerosmith, man. I don't love them, I don't hate them, but if I had to pick one band to represent America through music? They're the one I would choose.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

This is an impossible question to answer because of the evolution of rock over a half century, not to mention "types of rock"

Types:

Rockabilly (Elvis, Tom Jones, etc.)
50's Dance Rock (Chubby Checkers, etc.)
California Rock (ie, rocksurfing&hotrodding (Beach Boys, Dion, Jan and Dean, Safaris, etc.)
British Invasion Rock (Beatles, Who, Rolling Stones, Herman's Hermits, etc.)
Motown Rock (Supremes, Temptations, Four Tops, etc.
Bubblegum Rock (1910 Fruitgum Company, Archies, Monkees)
Acid Rock (late Beatles, Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Janice Joplin, Moody Blues, )
Hard Rock (Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, AC/DC, Van Halen, Guns and Roses, etc.)
Heavy Metal Rock (Metallica, Pantera, etc.)
Grunge Rock (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden, etc.)
Death Rock (I've heard it, I hate it, I don't know any bands that I can even list for you)
Southern Rock (Lynyrd Skynyrd, Alman Brothers Band, Black Oak Arkansas, ZZ Top, etc.)
Country Rock (Kid Rock, Alabama, Credence Clearwater, The Outlaws, etc.)
Christian Rock (Skillet, Thousand Foot Crutch, Switchfoot, etc.)

there are probably more sub-genres of rock like "soft rock"  , but you get the point

Now by decade, I would say the following bands were the most instrumental of the rock and roll world influencing all other bands to come. If they are in bold, that is MY CHOICE for greatest rock band of that era

50's

Without a doubt, Elvis Pressley really turned rock into it's own genre and probably the most influential artist of the decade. Tom Jones (Elvis wannabee according to my father...LOL), Chuck Berry, Chubby Checkers, Little Richie, etc., all took turns in the limelight, but no single rocker had more followers and more hits and more influence than Elvis

60's

The Beach Boys started a new style of rock and was loved country wide, but they were displaced by the most influential band of the 60's, the Beatles! The Beatles hands down turned the USA upside down and fans were delirious over them. Their songs went to number one seemingly every month and they were prolific song writers releasing new music every couple months. In one case, their song "Strawberry Fields Forever" went no. 1 on the day it was released and the flip side of the 45 was "I Am the Walrus", which came in no. 2 on the Rolling Stones top songs list the same time. Speaking of The Rolling Stones, they too were a powerful 60's band, as was the Who, but no one outdid the Beatles...not even the Who, whom I loved at the time

70's

Keep in mind I am very biased and this is not an exact science, but I put Led Zeppelin as the greatest band of the 70's. There were many great ones during the 70's and I'd get carpal tunnel from typing them all out...so I won't

80's

Again, keep in mind I'm biased, but I think Guns and Roses took over the rock world and for good reason, they were just plain that good. Too bad Axl couldn't get his act together and keep the band going 

90's

This is where it gets blurry to me because I had a wife and 4 small children and was working 50 hours a week while trying to build a house and go to college part time. I had literally no time for music or anything that entertained me. For me - when I think of the 90's - I think the continuation of G&R, the reemergence of Aerosmith and Van Halen. I would say my favorite at that time was Aerosmith

2000 and beyond...I haven't a clue

Of all those, as for me, I make it a tie between the Beatles and Led Zeppelin and judging by what I listen to now, I'd have to say the Beatles for me as it's been more than 50 years since they quit making music and if one of their songs are on the radio in the car, I turn it up. Speaking of which, if you haven't seen the movie, "Yesterday", watch it...especially if you like the Beatles. It's about a guy who was an average singer / guitar player who wakes up from a coma and can sing every Beatles' song becoming a world sensation, but no one in the world ever heard of the Beatles. It's a very good movie!

[Jolly Blue Giant]

A little country rock for you guys...LOL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glb2U6y-GdU

And of course everyone knows this song, using a little theft from Warren Zevon "Werewolves in London" with a few rifts from Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSkFygPCTwE