# Rank Your Top Ten Rock Bands **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 22, 2009, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793 "2009-10-22T23:18:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/1 "2009-10-22T23:18:34Z")
Simple thread: name your top ten rock bands in order. Ten points for first place, nine for second, and so on. At some point, I’ll tabulate the scores and we can figure out who The Greatest Rock Band Ever According To The SDMB is. I know the definition of “rock band” is a little hazy, so I’ll provide a simple definition: electric guitar(s), bass, drums, singer. Keyboard optional. Solo artists whose backing band resembles a rock band count, so Ozzy Osbourne’s solo career (for example) is eligible, but Elton John isn’t. You can present your list based on sales, influence, how many of their records you bought, or even how well they dressed. Entirely up to you. Bands who did not change their names should be judged by their entire ouvre, even if there’s only one original member left- so you can’t nominate Guns and Roses without apologizing for _Chinese Democracy_, but Queen counts since they did the “+ Paul Rodgers” bit. Please present your list Feud-style; number, dot, one space, name. Feel free to insert commentary after the list. My list (based primarily on influence; I’ve never bought a single record from some of these bands): 1. Queen 2. The Who 3. Black Sabbath 4. U2 5. Depeche Mode 6. Cream 7. Faith No More 8. Thin Lizzy 9. Iron Maiden 10. Led Zeppelin ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/2 "2009-10-22T23:44:33Z")
off the top of my head: 1. AC/DC 2. REO Speedwagon 3. Boston 4. Guns & Roses 5. Queen 6. Bruce Springsteen 7. Jackson Browne 8. B-52s 9. The Clash 10. Lynyrd Skynyrd ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/3 "2009-10-22T23:48:37Z")
1. Rush 2. Judas Priest 3. Iron Maiden 4. The Beatles 5. Manowar 6. ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic 7. [ZONE](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udumsYx46-Q) (Japanese all-girl rock band) 8. [MARIA](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC9UwilUQUQ) (Japanese all-girl rock band fronted by ZONE’s bassist, formed after ZONE disbanded)\* 9. Disturbed 10. Bowling For Soup \*Yeah, MARIA is fronted by two bassist/vocalists - the first one singing in that video is the one from ZONE ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/4 "2009-10-22T23:50:44Z")
1. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band 2. Renaissance 3. Rolling Stones 4. Allman Brothers 5. Beatles 6. Neil Young 7. Eagles 8. Fleetwood Mac 9. The Who 10. Jefferson Airplane ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/5 "2009-10-23T00:08:41Z")
Presented in Freudian format: 1. The Beatles 2. Jimi Hendrix 3. Pink Floyd 4. Led Zeppelin 5. Rolling Stones 6. The Who 7. Deep Purple 8. Tom Petty 9. The Doors 10. Uriah Heap 11. Santana The farther I go down the list the harder it is to rank them and the easiest to leave one off. I definately put the Beatles first because they had the most prolific and diverse group of songs. Jimi Hendrix is the consummate blues guitarist. Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and The Who did excellent rock-opera albums. The Rolling Stones are almost a class unto themselves and could be second on the list. Deep Purple utilized the organ best. Tom Petty has a unique sound unlike any other. The Doors, well, they’re The Doors. Uriah Heap could be replaced on this list by a lot of bands but I put them on along with Santana to round it out. ---
**Author:** ![Pulp\_Friction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2acd7d/32.png) [@Pulp\_Friction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pulp_Friction)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/6 "2009-10-23T00:40:19Z")
Off the T.O.M.H.: 1. The Beatles 2. Elvis Costello & The Attractions 3. Neil Young & Crazy Horse 4. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band 5. The Who 6. The Rolling Stones 7. Led Zeppelin 8. The Clash 9. The Doors 10. Jethro Tull ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/7 "2009-10-23T00:44:34Z")
Talking Heads B-52s Jane’s Addiction Nirvana R.E.M. U2 Genesis (back in the day) Yes The Police The Replacements ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/8 "2009-10-23T01:07:49Z")
1. Lynyrd Skynyrd 2. Led Zeppelin 3. The Doors 4. The Who 5. Janis Joplin 6. Jimi Hendrix 7. Creedence Clearwater Revival 8. The Allman Brothers 9. The Beatles 10. The Rolling Stones ---
**Author:** ![Pray\_for\_peace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pray\_for\_peace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pray_for_peace)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/9 "2009-10-23T01:08:53Z")
1. The Beatles 2. The Rolling Stones 3. The Who 4. Queen 5. Led Zeppelin 6. Fleetwood Mac 7. R.E.M. 8. Talking Heads 9. The Smiths 10. The Beach Boys ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/10 "2009-10-23T01:09:18Z")
1. Tool 2. Led Zeppelin 3. Black Sabbath 4. Ministry 5. Alexisonfire 6. Deftones 7. New Bomb Turks 8. Dinosaur Jr. 9. Modest Mouse 10. Built To Spill Based purely and completely on the bands I like the most. There were approximately 400 ties for eleventh place. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/11 "2009-10-23T01:26:12Z")
If we’re supposed to go by what you like, not a more abstract, Platonic ideal of the “best ever”, then: Porcupine Tree The Church The Beatles REM Renaissance Ride Pink Floyd Kate Bush Ozric Tentacles Echo & the Bunnymen ---
**Author:** ![gladtobeblazed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@gladtobeblazed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gladtobeblazed)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/12 "2009-10-23T01:39:22Z")
This is based off of what I find most enjoyable: 1. Nirvana 2. Pink Floyd 3. Tool 4. Metallica 5. Yeah Yeah Yeahs 6. Black Sabbath 7. Creedence Clearwater Revival 8. The Doors 9. Led Zeppelin 10. Radiohead ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/13 "2009-10-23T01:56:18Z")
According to the eyeball test the Stones and The Who are more or less tied right now for first. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/14 "2009-10-23T02:31:37Z")
The Beatles Jethro Tull Jefferson **Airplane** Traffic Cream The Doors The Grateful Dead John Mayall Frank Zappa Jimi Hendrix Yeah, yeah, I know, me and your grandma. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![tacoloco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/15 "2009-10-23T02:54:54Z")
Not in specific order except for The Beatles. I’m too lazy to rank the rest. 1. Beatles 2. Queen 3. The Who 4. Deep Purple 5. The Smithereens 6. Elvis Costello 7. Zombina & The Skeletones 8. Jethro Tull 9. The Clash 10. Bruce Springsteen ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/16 "2009-10-23T03:30:27Z")
1. Pink Floyd 2. Led Zeppelin 3. The Beatles 4. Metallica 5. Neil Young 6. Crosby Stills Nash (& Young) 7. Guns N Roses 8. Rush 9. Motley Crue 10. Poison ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/17 "2009-10-23T03:36:48Z")
The first two are in order. After that it’s too hard. 1. The Beatles 2. R.E.M. 3. The Smiths 4. Husker Du 5. The Replacements 6. The Ramones 7. David Bowie 8. The Velvet Underground 9. Big Star 10. Joy Division ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Credible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/18 "2009-10-23T03:49:41Z")
1. Rush 2. Led Zeppelin 3. Stone Temple Pilots 4. The White Stripes 5. Wolfmother 6. Pink Floyd 7. The Beatles 8. Nirvana 9. Weezer 10. Black Sabbath Hard to get the list down to ten. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Red\_Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/19 "2009-10-23T04:01:49Z")
1. The Clash 2. Smashing Pumpkins 3. The Beatles 4. The Who 5. Led Zeppelin 6. Dropkick Murphys 7. Pearl Jam 8. Dead Kennedys 9. Tool 10. Violent Femmes Honorable Mention: Matisyahu, Rolling Stones, Nine Inch Nails, Phish and System Of A Down ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793/20 "2009-10-23T04:45:20Z")
[ol] [li]Queen[/li][li]Geraldine Fibbers[/li][li]XTC[/li][li]PJ Harvey[/li][li]The Beastie Boys[/li][li]The Police[/li][li]L7[/li][li]ABBA[/li][li]Outkast[/li][li]El Control Machete[/li][/ol] [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-your-top-ten-rock-bands/514793.md?page=2)