# The 6 greatest British bands of all time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 9, 2024, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019 "2024-09-09T16:26:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/121 "2024-09-11T17:56:22Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > One thing I’ve noticed - I _think_ only 4 posters have mentioned bands fronted by women. To be fair, there’s probably not a large set to choose from, depending on how each poster is defining “greatest,” “British,” and “band.” Historically, there just haven’t been a huge number of successful and/or influential (which is how a lot of the posters are defining “greatest”) British bands which were fronted by women. Though, that’s not a unique issue to British bands: if one asked the same question about American bands, it’d still be a fairly narrow list. Historically, “bands” (particularly rock bands) were usually groups of guys, and female vocalists were often either solo artists, or vocal-only groups (e.g., the Motown “girl groups”). And, of course, two of the prominent ones which have been mentioned by others in response to your post – Fleetwood Mac and The Pretenders – are being debated as whether they qualify or not, due to American members (and, particularly, female American vocalists). ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/122 "2024-09-11T18:01:34Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Historically, there just haven’t been a huge number of successful and/or influential (which is how a lot of the posters are defining “greatest”) British bands which were fronted by women. Well, not in the dinosaur rock genre, I agree. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/123 "2024-09-11T18:32:41Z")
I’ve got: Beatles Stones Clash Zeppelin Floyd And then I can’t really think of any sixth band that I feel rises to that exalted level. GTH I might pick the Kinks, or Queen, or the Buzzcocks, or Sabbath, but it would feel like a “one of these things is not like the others” list. (I would also consider Crass, who haven’t been mentioned here yet) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/124 "2024-09-11T19:24:48Z")
I saw Renaissance a few years ago, whose singer is Annie Haslam. They were terrific and her voice was still magical. By far the best concert I’ve seen from a 50-year-old band. Is Renaissance remotely in the running for the 6 greatest British bands of all time? Very good, of course, but not historically great. The only historically great band fronted by a woman in the 1960s was Jefferson Airplane. That’s just a product of the times, not a moral judgement. If people dismiss that era as dinosaur rock, just lift the needle off the record. I’m prepared to defend Fleetwood Mac as a historically great band fronted by a woman, but not as a British band. I know that Peter Green led the group and wrote such huge well-respected hits in England. But they weren’t yet great, any more than Pink Floyd was historically great with Syd Barrett. Christine Perfect was recruited in 1970 after Green left. American guitarist Bob Welch joined in 1971 and wrote most of their best stuff over the next half-dozen albums, and the band moved their base to California. Then came Buckingham-Nicks and superstardom. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/125 "2024-09-11T19:55:28Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > The only historically great band fronted by a woman in the 1960s was Jefferson Airplane. Big Brother and the Holding Company. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/126 "2024-09-11T20:23:37Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > … dinosaur rock… Ouch! ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/127 "2024-09-11T21:50:54Z")
Dinosaur rock…like T. Rex? 🙃 A few great but-maybe-not-greatest classic rock bands that deserve a mention: ELP, The Move/ELO, Wishbone Ash, Be Bop Deluxe and Ten Years After. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/128 "2024-09-11T22:00:53Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > A few great but-maybe-not-greatest classic rock bands that deserve a mention: ELP, The Move/ELO, Wishbone Ash, Be Bop Deluxe and Ten Years After. These are all genuine dinosaur bands, but T. Rex really deserved a mention in this thread. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/129 "2024-09-11T22:14:40Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I’m prepared to defend Fleetwood Mac as a historically great band fronted by a woman, but not as a British band. They’re named after Mick Fleetwood. Mick. Fleetwood. You can’t _get_ a more British name than that! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/130 "2024-09-11T22:15:08Z")
As @kenobi_65 pointed out, until recently there just haven’t been that many girl bands. Solo artists? Dusty would have been my #1 choice. j ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/131 "2024-09-11T22:16:24Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > Solo artists? Dusty would have been my #1 choice. > > j Oh yes, mine too. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/132 "2024-09-11T22:20:14Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > They’re named after Mick Fleetwood. Mick. Fleetwood. You can’t _get_ a more British name than that! 🙂 How about The Sir Douglas Quintet…from San Antonio, TX? ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/133 "2024-09-11T22:39:39Z")
[Curved Air](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curved_Air) came to mind as a British band with a female lead singer, Sonja Kristina. A couple of notable members (and future Rock Hall of Fame inductees) were Stewart Copeland and Eddie Jobson. ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/134 "2024-09-11T23:05:26Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > The only historically great band fronted by a woman in the 1960s was Jefferson Airplane. > [@Thing.Fish](#): > > Big Brother and the Holding Company. That is really stretching the definition of a “great” band. ---
**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:** [September 11, 2024, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/135 "2024-09-11T23:17:59Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > They’re named after Mick Fleetwood. Mick. Fleetwood. You can’t _get_ a more British name than that! 🙂 And poor John McVie gets left alone again. Bass players never get any respect. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/136 "2024-09-11T23:37:17Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > How about The Sir Douglas Quintet…from San Antonio, TX? Or the Beau Brummels, the forgotten San Francisco band. > [@Jaycat.again](#): > > That is really stretching the definition of a “great” band. Janis Joplin was many things but not a band. ---
**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:** [September 11, 2024, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/137 "2024-09-11T23:46:23Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Janis Joplin was many things but not a band. And Big Brother was anything but “great.” Unless you mean a “great big mess.” ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/138 "2024-09-11T23:46:36Z")
Elastica was primarily female. Not a great band, but had some great songs. ---
**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:** [September 12, 2024, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/139 "2024-09-12T00:33:01Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > One thing I’ve noticed - I _think_ only 4 posters have mentioned bands fronted by women. I’m having trouble thinking of British bands fronted by women. Seems like women singers are more common in American bands or as solo artists. > [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Do the Pretenders count as a British band? Because they’d be my pick for best female-lead band, and they keep up with everyone posted so far. If I were ruling, I’d say you could count them as a British band or a female-led band, but not both. (Since Chrissie Hynde was born and raised in America.) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019/140 "2024-09-12T00:54:40Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I’m having trouble thinking of British bands fronted by women The Slits. Siouxsie and the Banshees. Bow Wow Wow. X-Ray Spex. It just took about 10-15 years after the Invasion for them to start popping up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-6-greatest-british-bands-of-all-time/1007019.md?page=8)