# Help me combat my rock & roll/popular music ignorance **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 22, 2009, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827 "2009-07-22T04:53:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![misterW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@misterW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misterW)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/1 "2009-07-22T04:53:16Z")
Despite being a musician myself, I often find myself surprisingly ignorant of bands that have played an important roll in rock/popular music history. Maybe its partly due to my college years being prior to the Internet and widespread downloading/sharing of mp3s and the like. In any case, I would like to combat this ignorance – and you can help! Name a genre or time/place in musical history (for example: the “grunge”/seattle band movement of the early 90s) then name some bands that fit in that category that it is inexcusable to not have knowledge of (for example: pearl jam, nirvana, soundgarden, etc.). Any genres will do, even if they are very specific or obscure. Feel free to expand on or debate other posters choices. I can then begin the task of efficiently addressing the no doubt sizable gaps in my musical knowledge… I’ll start this off with my example from above (please feel free to add to or correct my choices). Genre/place in history: grunge movement of early 90s/seattle bands Bands: pearl jam, nirvana, alice in chains, soundgarden ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/2 "2009-07-22T04:57:45Z")
Southern Rock, late 1960’s and 1970’s, mostly southern US: Two essential bands - The Allman Brothers, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Alt-Country, late 1990’s, no particular place: Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, The Jayhawks, Son Volt. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/3 "2009-07-22T05:01:04Z")
Progressive rock of the early 1970s: Genesis, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Yes. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/4 "2009-07-22T05:04:42Z")
British Blues Rock, 1961-1969: John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, Fleetwood Mac (yes, there was a time they were cool), Alexis Korner, The Animals, The Yardbirds, Cream, and culminating in Led Zeppelin. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/5 "2009-07-22T06:33:10Z")
Yacht Rock - (1976 - 1984). Michael McDonald Bee Gees Kenny Loggins Christopher Cross Toto Steely Dan etc. \*Artists may be cross-referenced with other genres, eg “AOR” (Adult-oriented rock), Easy Listening. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/6 "2009-07-22T06:34:35Z")
Industrial (Early 80s - Early 90s): Skinny Puppy, KMFDM, Ministry and Nine Inch Nails ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/7 "2009-07-22T06:38:04Z")
Post-punk, late-70s/early-80s: Gang of Four Wire Pere Ubu Joy Division The Fall Public Image, Ltd. Gang of Four is especially a good one to know, as it seems a lot of early-to-mid-00s indie/alternative bands took some cues from them (the most obvious band being Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party.) ---
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/8 "2009-07-22T08:33:24Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Gang of Four is especially a good one to know, as it seems a lot of early-to-mid-00s indie/alternative bands took some cues from them (the most obvious band being Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party.) That and the fact that “Entertainment!” is the single best post-punk album. ---
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/9 "2009-07-22T08:37:18Z")
late 1970’s New York rock scene: Blondie Television Talking Heads the Ramones Richard Hell and the Voidods Patti Smith Johnny Thunders ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/10 "2009-07-22T11:45:32Z")
Punk (I’ll qualify that as _English_ punk to avoid arguments) The Sex Pistols The Clash The Damned See also: Buzzcocks The Undertones (John Peel liked them so they must have been important) A couple of guys who practically invented _Rock and Roll_ Chuck Berry Bo Diddley A bit earlier than them: Elmore James (blues) Louis Jordan (R’n’B/swing) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/11 "2009-07-22T12:18:58Z")
British Art Rock: Soft Machine, Pink Floyd (prior to “Dark Side of the Moon”), Gentle Giant New Wave: Talking Heads, Elvis Costello, Television, Joe Jackson (not the father of Michael), Ian Dury and the Blockheads ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/12 "2009-07-22T12:25:01Z")
[QUOTE=Small Clanger] I’ll qualify that as _English_ punk to avoid arguments [/QUOTE] Oops, sorry people, The Undertones were Irish, let’s say _non-American_ Punk. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/13 "2009-07-22T14:53:08Z")
Calling \*\*ultrafilter \*\*- he compiled a bunch of threads where folks built out long lists of good stuff, sorted by genres… ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/14 "2009-07-22T15:01:53Z")
Modern Prog (progressive metal): King Crimson, Tool, The Mars Volta 90s Grunge: Add Mudhoney to your list please. 80s early techno: Joy Division, Depeche Mode, New Order, (more I haven’t thought of yet) Modern Techno/Electronica: The Crystal Method, Moby, The Prodigy, Orbital, Propellerheads I’ll be back when I think of more… ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/15 "2009-07-22T15:07:17Z")
See, I’ve already thought of more: Manchester & Other English bands that have been influential: The Hollies, the Bee Gees, Buzzcocks, The Sex Pistols, The Stone Roses, New Order, The Happy Mondays, Oasis, The Fall, The Smiths (see also, the movie 24 Hour Party People – about the Manchester music scene in the 80s), The Verve, James, Charlatans (known as The Charlatans UK in the US), Doves, Simply Red, Badly Drawn Boy. That list spanned the 80s through today. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/16 "2009-07-22T15:22:33Z")
In a genre of one: David Bowie has been quite influential in rock history. For the way people dress. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/17 "2009-07-22T15:56:49Z")
80’s Goth Rock: Sisters of Mercy, Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cult ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/18 "2009-07-22T15:57:22Z")
Beyond the obvious British Invasion group the Beatles, I would suggest no rock history is complete without knowledge of the Kinks and the Zombies, particularly, the albums \* Village Green Preservation Society\* and _Arthur_ by the former, and _Odessey and Oracle_ by the latter. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/19 "2009-07-22T16:04:54Z")
San Francisco sound, late 60s: Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Big Brother & the Holding Company Folk boom, late 50s-early 60s: Kingston Trio; Peter, Paul & Mary; Bob Dylan; Joan Baez; Tom Paxton; Phil Ochs; Pete Seeger (although he’d been around awhile already) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827/20 "2009-07-22T16:13:09Z")
Power Pop. I refer you to [the Wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_pop) and [this SDMB thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=233721). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-combat-my-rock-roll-popular-music-ignorance/503827.md?page=2)