Greatest American Rock Bands

[TurtleDude]

I don't include acts like the Jimi Hendrix Experience (two thirds Brits) or Crosby Stills and Nash

So here is my list

1) Allman Brothers Band-great song writing, greatest white blues voice (Gregg Allman) and four hall of fame guitarists, Dickie, Derek , Duane and Warren

2) Jefferson Airplane. another all star act that in various forms lasted for years. Jorma Kaukonen is as good as it gets, Grace had a wonderful voice, Jack Cassady was a top flight bassist and Marty Balin was a brilliant singer

3) Grateful Dead-nothing really compares to these guys. Garcia/Hunter one of the greatest songwriting team ever, electric bluegrass at its best with their jams a thing of legend. Garcia could play just about anything.

4) R.E.M. 20+ years of brilliant songwriting, wonderful vocals

5) Talking Heads. Didn't have the longevity of some of the others but again, they were cutting edge musicians and David Byrne was a musical genius. Their remain in light was on the RS top 5 records for the 1980s

6) Metallica. years and years of good stuff. a band that changed key players and remained top flight. unlike some of the others like them, they can play soft and still sound good.

7) Grand Funk Railroad. for several years they pretty much set the standard for American arena rock and was one of the few acts that were selling out big venues as fast as the incomparable Led Zeppelin at LZ's peak.

8) The Cars. I don't recall them ever putting out a bad record. Sadly Ben Orr died much to early. he and Ric were a tremendous singing talent and the song writing was first rate.

9) The Go Gos. Highly influential band-the first "girl band" where they actually could play well and wrote their own stuff

10) the Ramones. Johnny could actually play well if he had to but their three chord attack and 2 minute songs inspired tons of other bands including the legendary clash. Their concerts were high energy events where you always got your money's worth

Honorable mention

Journey
Santana
ZZ Top
Patti Smith Group
and another act that will never be duplicated
The MC-5


My list also includes my two "most overrated" bands

1) the Doors

2) Nirvana

 

[Fisher]

Most of mine would be from the UK so......Guns N Roses maybe

 

[TurtleDude]

Most of mine would be from the UK so......Guns N Roses maybe

OH most of my favorites would be from the UK

Led Zep
The Who
Cream
SteeleyeSpan
Traffic
Fairport Convention

 

[Van Basten]

OH most of my favorites would be from the UK

Led Zep
The Who
Cream
SteeleyeSpan
Traffic
Fairport Convention

No Pink Floyd?

 

[ChuckBerry]

Holy crap turtledude you know they made music after 1990 don't you?

 

[TurtleDude]

No Pink Floyd?

The list was not inclusive

 

[Fisher]

No Pink Floyd?

You can always tell who the tokers are when Floyd comes on the radio. It is a special look that only the experienced recognize like a secret handshake

 

[TurtleDude]

Holy crap turtledude you know they made music after 1990 don't you?

yeah and most of its crap compared to the stuff the ABB or JA was doing in the seventies

no one has come close to LZ either

 

[clownboy]

It's a Beautiful Day
Frank Zappa
Buffalo Springfield
Spirit

 

[ChrisL]

In no particular order:

Lynyrd Skynyrd
Metallica
Nirvana
Sound Garden
Pearl Jam
The Eagles
Grand Funk Railroad

 

[ChuckBerry]

no one has come close to LZ

You are certainly free to have that opinion, Led Zeppelin is clearly an essential band in the development of hard rock/heavy metal.

However...

yeah and most of its crap compared to the stuff the ABB or JA was doing in the seventies

...demonstrates that you just aren't listening, or your listening tastes are ossified. Either way, that's a reflection on you, not the music made in the past couple decades.

Mind you, I don't personally care what you listen to, it's your business, but your opinion about current music is silly, and you're missing TONS of fantastic music. I just hope others don't pick up your attitude about music from this thread.

 

[Risky Thicket]

I don't include acts like the Jimi Hendrix Experience (two thirds Brits) or Crosby Stills and Nash

So here is my list

1) Allman Brothers Band-great song writing, greatest white blues voice (Gregg Allman) and four hall of fame guitarists, Dickie, Derek , Duane and Warren

2) Jefferson Airplane. another all star act that in various forms lasted for years. Jorma Kaukonen is as good as it gets, Grace had a wonderful voice, Jack Cassady was a top flight bassist and Marty Balin was a brilliant singer

3) Grateful Dead-nothing really compares to these guys. Garcia/Hunter one of the greatest songwriting team ever, electric bluegrass at its best with their jams a thing of legend. Garcia could play just about anything.

4) R.E.M. 20+ years of brilliant songwriting, wonderful vocals

5) Talking Heads. Didn't have the longevity of some of the others but again, they were cutting edge musicians and David Byrne was a musical genius. Their remain in light was on the RS top 5 records for the 1980s

6) Metallica. years and years of good stuff. a band that changed key players and remained top flight. unlike some of the others like them, they can play soft and still sound good.

7) Grand Funk Railroad. for several years they pretty much set the standard for American arena rock and was one of the few acts that were selling out big venues as fast as the incomparable Led Zeppelin at LZ's peak.

8) The Cars. I don't recall them ever putting out a bad record. Sadly Ben Orr died much to early. he and Ric were a tremendous singing talent and the song writing was first rate.

9) The Go Gos. Highly influential band-the first "girl band" where they actually could play well and wrote their own stuff

10) the Ramones. Johnny could actually play well if he had to but their three chord attack and 2 minute songs inspired tons of other bands including the legendary clash. Their concerts were high energy events where you always got your money's worth

Honorable mention

Journey
Santana
ZZ Top
Patti Smith Group
and another act that will never be duplicated
The MC-5


My list also includes my two "most overrated" bands

1) the Doors

2) Nirvana

Allman Brothers with Dickie Betts. Yes, sir. I'm sorry Dickie is no longer in the band.

 

[TurtleDude]

Allman Brothers with Dickie Betts. Yes, sir. I'm sorry Dickie is no longer in the band.

agreed, and what really proved to me (albeit I was about 13 at the time but a big fan already-my cousin has all their stuff including having seen them at the famous LUDLOW Garage near the U of Cincinnati) was that after Duane was killed by some idiot truck driver's screw up, Dickie mastered the slide for Melissa which I believe they played at Duane's funeral. too much booze to go with so much talent

 

[TurtleDude]

You are certainly free to have that opinion, Led Zeppelin is clearly an essential band in the development of hard rock/heavy metal.

However...



...demonstrates that you just aren't listening, or your listening tastes are ossified. Either way, that's a reflection on you, not the music made in the past couple decades.

Mind you, I don't personally care what you listen to, it's your business, but your opinion about current music is silly, and you're missing TONS of fantastic music. I just hope others don't pick up your attitude about music from this thread.

lighten up dude-one of my criteria was longevity or impact on people who came after them

and tell me forty years from now what current stuff is going to get the airplay that LZ gets now

 

[Dr. Chuckles]

My list also includes my two "most overrated" bands

1) the Doors

2) Nirvana

I'm not much of a nirvana fan, but their unplugged set was pretty amazing

 

[Dr. Chuckles]

lighten up dude-one of my criteria was longevity or impact on people who came after them

and tell me forty years from now what current stuff is going to get the airplay that LZ gets now

The New York dolls had a pretty big impact on rock music. Though I think they were more innovative than great

 

[Mycroft]

I don't include acts like the Jimi Hendrix Experience (two thirds Brits) or Crosby Stills and Nash

So here is my list

1) Allman Brothers Band-great song writing, greatest white blues voice (Gregg Allman) and four hall of fame guitarists, Dickie, Derek , Duane and Warren

2) Jefferson Airplane. another all star act that in various forms lasted for years. Jorma Kaukonen is as good as it gets, Grace had a wonderful voice, Jack Cassady was a top flight bassist and Marty Balin was a brilliant singer

3) Grateful Dead-nothing really compares to these guys. Garcia/Hunter one of the greatest songwriting team ever, electric bluegrass at its best with their jams a thing of legend. Garcia could play just about anything.

4) R.E.M. 20+ years of brilliant songwriting, wonderful vocals

5) Talking Heads. Didn't have the longevity of some of the others but again, they were cutting edge musicians and David Byrne was a musical genius. Their remain in light was on the RS top 5 records for the 1980s

6) Metallica. years and years of good stuff. a band that changed key players and remained top flight. unlike some of the others like them, they can play soft and still sound good.

7) Grand Funk Railroad. for several years they pretty much set the standard for American arena rock and was one of the few acts that were selling out big venues as fast as the incomparable Led Zeppelin at LZ's peak.

8) The Cars. I don't recall them ever putting out a bad record. Sadly Ben Orr died much to early. he and Ric were a tremendous singing talent and the song writing was first rate.

9) The Go Gos. Highly influential band-the first "girl band" where they actually could play well and wrote their own stuff

10) the Ramones. Johnny could actually play well if he had to but their three chord attack and 2 minute songs inspired tons of other bands including the legendary clash. Their concerts were high energy events where you always got your money's worth

Honorable mention

Journey
Santana
ZZ Top
Patti Smith Group
and another act that will never be duplicated
The MC-5


My list also includes my two "most overrated" bands

1) the Doors

2) Nirvana

Well...I would move Grand Funk way up the list...put Santana into the top ten...get Stevie Ray Vaughan into the top ten...oh, and put Big Brother and the Holding Company in the top ten because of Janice. That means three of your top ten would have to go. I choose The Go Go's, R.E.M., and...you can take your pick of Talking Heads or The Ramones.

 

[TurtleDude]

The New York dolls had a pretty big impact on rock music. Though I think they were more innovative than great

yeah exactly. I saw the Ramones live. that was almost as good as a LZ show I saw in terms of entertainment.

 

[TurtleDude]

Well...I would move Grand Funk way up the list...put Santana into the top ten...get Stevie Ray Vaughan into the top ten...oh, and put Big Brother and the Holding Company in the top ten because of Janice. That means three of your top ten would have to go. I choose The Go Go's, R.E.M., and...you can take your pick of Talking Heads or The Ramones.

I was going for bands rather than solo efforts. So I didn't really think of SRV. I don't rate BB&THC all that high. REM has probably been the top act in America that came out of the early 80s. I still think in terms of talent, quality of writing and longevity the ABB is the greatest band in American history and I note I like the Grateful Dead better.

 

[Uzidoesit]

Van Morrison
Byrds
Doors
Airplane
Yes
Black Sabbath
Who
Cream
Jimi Hendrix Experience
Creedence Clearwater Revival
The Dead
Pink Floyd

(just a smattering of the top)

 

[Μολὼν λαβέ]

My favorite rock is from southern rock bands including The Marshall Tucker Band (This ole Cowboy), Atlanta Rythm Section (Doraville), and Lynyrd Skynyrd (Gimme Three Steps).

 

[Your Star]

Evanescence- Female led rock was dead until Fallen came out, every since then there has been a resurgence of great female rock leads. Off the chart vocals, amazing lyrics, and wonderful music. My favorite band easily.

Halestorm- Just awesome no holds bar classic rock, great vocals, and the music is just sexy.

Yes I know these two bands are "new" but don't hate :lol:

Nirvana- Gotta love them, just too sad that Kurt died way too young.

REM- Gotta love the guys from Athens, don't listen to them that often, but always a pleasure when I do.

 

[TurtleDude]

In no particular order:

Lynyrd Skynyrd
Metallica
Nirvana
Sound Garden
Pearl Jam
The Eagles
Grand Funk Railroad

the eagles met my criteria, I just never liked much of their stuff

PJ didn't have enough years or works

LS I always thought was second fiddle to the ABB

CCR was another I might have put on the list though-swamp rock!!

 

[TurtleDude]

My favorite rock is from southern rock bands including The Marshall Tucker Band (This ole Cowboy), Atlanta Rythm Section (Doraville), and Lynyrd Skynyrd (Gimme Three Steps).

favorite ABB songs

Dreams-Derek and Duane's slide-doesn't matter
Melissa
Revival
Blue Sky (Maybe Dickie's Best)
Midnight Rider (Both Gregg's semi solo version and the full band)

guy next room from me in college was from the Georgia/Alabama border area. loved LS. they crashed my freshman year in college. I heard free bird like 5 times over coming from his room. I went in there and said Sam WTF is up. skynard crashed man was all he could say, over and over

 

[Paschendale]

Evanescence- Female led rock was dead until Fallen came out, every since then there has been a resurgence of great female rock leads. Off the chart vocals, amazing lyrics, and wonderful music. My favorite band easily.

I would attribute that trend much more to Nightwish and possibly Lacuna Coil. Nightwish especially was firmly entrenched was Evanescence first caught anyone's attention, and Tarja was the absolute bar to reach for female singers. Of course, now they can't keep a singer.

Also I would put Alice in Chains over Nirvana. Not necessarily for impact, but I think they're overall better musicians.

I like the original list, but it's severely lacking in the form of The Beach Boys. Completely defined the California and Surfer styles, and were just damn fine musicians on top.

I also like the proposed addition of GnR. Also Dream Theater ought to be there, and possibly Rage Against the Machine. Rage had a very distinct sound and a lot of talent.

But it's also true that there really aren't any new kings or queens being crowned anymore. We haven't had a real virtuoso since John Petrucci. A lot of the current trends are for really stripped down music so there's no chance for anyone to really show off or innovate. Who cites Korn or Disturbed as an influence? Really?