# Biggest Rock Stars? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 14, 1999, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871 "1999-08-14T00:29:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@chief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chief)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 1999, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/1 "1999-08-14T00:29:00Z")
who do you think were the biggest rock stars of the 60s through the 90s ? * * * Chief’s Domain - [http://www.seas.ucla.edu/~ravi](http://www.seas.ucla.edu/~ravi) ---
**Author:** ![MrKnowItAll](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrknowitall/32/87_2.png) [@MrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 1999, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/2 "1999-08-14T01:26:00Z")
No contest. They’ve got to be John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. * * * Carpe hoc! ---
**Author:** ![Babar714](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Babar714](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babar714)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 1999, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/3 "1999-08-14T01:28:00Z")
Box Car Willie. ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 1999, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/4 "1999-08-14T01:34:00Z")
Led Zeppelin–very influential–I’m still hearing clones. The Who–Pete Townsend practically invented the rock opera. The Rolling Stones David Bowie–He was very adaptable and changed with the music trends. And, reluctantly, Metallica–a Led Zep clone that is now spawning its own clones. * * * Gail “Any major dude with half a heart surely will tell you, my friend– Any minor world that breaks apart falls together again…” -Steely Dan ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 1999, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/5 "1999-08-14T03:38:00Z")
The Beatles. All the rest are just all the rest. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 1999, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/6 "1999-08-14T04:26:00Z")
Gail your just like my friends who don’t think there has been any music since the late 60’s. Calling Metallica a LZ clone is completely misguided, LZ was one of the first, but they’ve been so far surpassed that comparing bands to them is an insult. But Classic rock fans can bring themselves to listen to a band that hasn’t broken up and/or died. My list: Beatles Dave Matthews Metallica Led Zepplin RUN DMC/Sugar Hill Gang Bob Marley Michael Jackson (hey, he was influential) I know they’re not all rock stars, but they all were music stars who changed music. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 1999, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/7 "1999-08-14T04:27:00Z")
Damn. “…clasic rock fans can’t bring themselves to listen to…” ---
**Author:** ![sly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@sly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sly)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 1999, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/8 "1999-08-14T04:56:00Z")
Meatloaf. You said the _biggest_, right? ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 1999, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/9 "1999-08-14T09:52:00Z")
Define biggest. And are we talking for the whole 30 year period, or different periods, different stars? Records sold. actual influence and staying power? These are usually different. ---
**Author:** ![Contestant\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Contestant\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contestant_3)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 1999, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/10 "1999-08-14T11:11:00Z")
I think that the Blues Traveler probably outweighs MeatLoaf… * * * Contestant #3 ---
**Author:** ![Rich\_Hall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ebca7d/32.png) [@Rich\_Hall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_Hall)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 1999, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/11 "1999-08-14T11:35:00Z")
Lesley West is pretty big too, why do you think they called the band Mountain? ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 1999, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/12 "1999-08-14T15:33:00Z")
Ok–what do we mean by big? Influential? sells a lot of albums? well known? staying power? And I am not necessarily a classic rock fan, just a fan. (Right now I’m kind of on an 80’s kick.) I enjoy Dave Matthews and Omnicient, you are right about Michael Jackson. And reluctantly, Metallica–I can see that they are good, but I don’t like listening to them–they are kind of overly obsessed with death for my taste. Anyway I thought of a few more Nirvana–started the grunge movement The Cars–because they popularized New Wave Music * * * Gail “Any major dude with half a heart surely will tell you, my friend– Any minor world that breaks apart falls together again…” -Steely Dan ---
**Author:** ![omniscientnot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a5b964/32.png) [@omniscientnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omniscientnot)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 1999, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/13 "1999-08-14T16:53:00Z")
Although I’m a HUGE Beatles fan, I’ve never considered them to be _rock and roll_ stars, more in the popular music genre. Rolling Stones, on the other hand, have to be pretty high up there, although there are elements of blues in some of their songs. As far as Michael Jackson is concerned, the jury’s still out as far as I’m concerned. Mass popular appeal: definitely. Influence: no. David Bowie (influence and mass appeal) and Lou Reed (influence) also come to mind. As far as the _more recent_ newcomers are concerned, I tend to like R.E.M., U2, Radiohead. Are they rock and roll stars? Probably not in the traditional sense. ---
**Author:** ![Feelyat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3be4f8/32.png) [@Feelyat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feelyat)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/14 "2000-08-10T23:43:34Z")
Garry Glitter!!! Woooo hoooo! I’m resurrectin’ this sucka! ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/15 "2000-08-10T23:48:24Z")
[shameless post pading] Biggest Rock??? Gibralter, right? :ducks and runs: :comes back quietly: um, the Beatles??? what’s my prize??? [/shameless post pading] ---
**Author:** ![Boots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c89c15/32.png) [@Boots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boots)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/16 "2000-08-11T00:15:01Z")
If we’re talking about rock stars in terms of excessively destructive and indulgent behavior, I would have to nominate Motley Crue – of course preceded by Led Zep. ---
**Author:** ![rockstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockstar)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/17 "2000-08-11T00:15:15Z")
Hmmm… since someone resurrected this thread anyway (nearly a year after it started! What is wrong with you Feelyat!!!) I will have to say Bono. U2 is the definitive Rock-n-Rool band of the 80’s and 90’s but Bono is the star. ---
**Author:** ![Feelyat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3be4f8/32.png) [@Feelyat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feelyat)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/18 "2000-08-11T00:18:38Z")
Um…rockstar, what’s wrong with you!!! U2!!! haha!! And, by the way, it’s rock-n-rOLL, not rock-n-rool!!! Garry Glitter, all the way!! I mean, his last name is Glitter!! Need I say more? ---
**Author:** ![rockstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockstar)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/19 "2000-08-11T00:23:36Z")
Feelyat, you pretentious heathen! I can’t believe you are acting all high and mighty because I mispelled “roll” and because you like Garry Glitter. Speaking of which… GARRY GLITTER!!! What odd world are you living in? ---
**Author:** ![Feelyat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3be4f8/32.png) [@Feelyat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feelyat)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2000, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871/20 "2000-08-11T00:26:41Z")
I have just ONE question for you, missy/mister: Who’s Garry Glitter? I just kinda like his name and I wanted to resurrect the board. hehehe. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-rock-stars/6871.md?page=2)