# The greatest American rock band of all time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 2, 2015, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690 "2015-09-02T11:55:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/61 "2015-09-02T17:34:47Z")
I’m gonna toss my hat in the ring before even reading the thread. In 1987, Rolling Stone dubbed R.E.M. “America’s Best Rock’n’Roll Band.” 🆒 eos 😛 ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/62 "2015-09-02T17:37:44Z")
> [@mack](#): > > CSN(Y) - Graham Nash is British and Neil Young is Canadian Ergh, can’t believe I forgot Neil Young is Canadian. And Graham Nash, hmmm… the nationality thing is getting tricky. Though once again as previously mentioned, I’m willing to be loose on country of origin of every single band member as long as the music has an element of “Americana” to it. I keep mentioning The Band in that regard, not because I think they are necessarily the GARBOAT, but they definitely have that Americana vibe. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/63 "2015-09-02T17:43:08Z")
I’m really surprised The Doors aren’t getting more traction. Massive hits, American feel and international appeal. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/64 "2015-09-02T17:47:32Z")
Americanness? I don’t know how you could define or referee that one. To me an American band can have non american members but not the majority. The experience was 2/3 english, came from england: Not american. Santana: Have to be American. What else? CSNY: Yes of course. What about Arthur Lee and Love for the best? ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/65 "2015-09-02T17:49:29Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Go over to youtube. > > Play this track: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfFEb1Ixbe0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfFEb1Ixbe0) > > The answer is Creedence Clearwater Revival. Ooooh, so much folk in that first track. I know Creedence pretty well, and I’d say that ZZ Top would leave them in the dust in a “best rock band” drag race. > [@solost](#): > > Well, I like all those guys. But when it comes to “rock-ness” my definition would be stricter than the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so I would not include funk or R&B. So no James Brown. > > I might just consider Prince rocking, not just pure funk/rhythm, but has he ever been part of one band for long? Seems like he’s used many different incarnations as backing bands. And I’d be pretty open to interpretation there, like Dylan and The Band as mentioned, or say, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, even, though Neil’s done his own thing more often than not. So by band qualification alone I’d say no to Prince. > > As for nationality slash “American-ness”, I’ve been pretty loose with this definition, but yeah, when I think of Santana I don’t really think “American Band”. I think if we’re going to rule out the Jimi Hendrix Experience then Santana wouldn’t make the cut I’d reluctantly say. I’d agree to no JB’s with the right argument. But I have, umm, let’s just call it issues with the RnRHOF, so I can’t guarantee that I’d abide by their idea of merit.\* I’d say that if Hendrix counts, Santana certainly counts. If we’re extending our metrics to Neil Young’s catalog and Dylan’s, I’d have a very hard time excluding Prince. He at least often billed himself as Prince and the \_\_\_\_\_\_. So if the consensus wants do divide the blanks up into different bands, I can go along, provided we extend it to the others. But even I think we’re lawyering it down a bit at that point. \*Seriously, no Dick Dale? They’re a bunch of booger eating morons. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/66 "2015-09-02T18:00:25Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > Ooooh, so much folk in that first track. I know Creedence pretty well, and I’d say that ZZ Top would leave them in the dust in a “best rock band” drag race. > > I’d agree to no JB’s with the right argument. But I have, umm, let’s just call it issues with the RnRHOF, so I can’t guarantee that I’d abide by their idea of merit.\* > > I’d say that if Hendrix counts, Santana certainly counts. If we’re extending our metrics to Neil Young’s catalog and Dylan’s, I’d have a very hard time excluding Prince. He at least often billed himself as Prince and the \_\_\_\_\_\_. So if the consensus wants do divide the blanks up into different bands, I can go along, provided we extend it to the others. But even I think we’re lawyering it down a bit at that point. > \*Seriously, no Dick Dale? They’re a bunch of booger eating morons. Best Rock band Drag race? That’s like saying who would win in a drag race between Ernest Hemingway and Michael Crighton? (In cars of their own period) For variety of material Creedence is greater, but Creedence didn’t have enough variety to make my top 5. In fact they are a pony with not that many tricks. Plus on the playing side they are not known for high quality, rthm section and all. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/67 "2015-09-02T18:04:47Z")
It would be helpful if we defined what we mean by ‘greatest’. Musical quality? Too subjective. That’s why just tossing out the name of our favorite obscure band muddies the water. Factors we would have to look at: Record sales. Tours. Influence. Notoriety. Longevity (both in being around a long time and the music holding up). Critical acclaim, respect from peers? ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/68 "2015-09-02T18:08:42Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Best Rock band Drag race? > > That’s like saying who would win in a drag race between Ernest Hemingway and Michael Crighton? (In cars of their own period) Well, other than they’re largely of the same era (a 60’s muscle car would also pummel most cars from the 70’s), and one is so very much more mellow than the other. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/69 "2015-09-02T18:10:38Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > ``` > I'm really surprised The Doors aren't getting more traction. Massive hits, American feel and international appeal. > > ``` Points off for Morrison being too much of a drunken lout perhaps? I think a lot of people went through a Doors phase but maybe not so many life-long devotees. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/70 "2015-09-02T18:10:39Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > It would be helpful if we defined what we mean by ‘greatest’. > > Musical quality? Too subjective. That’s why just tossing out the name of our favorite obscure band muddies the water. > > Factors we would have to look at: > > Record sales. Tours. Influence. Notoriety. Longevity (both in being around a long time and the music holding up). Critical acclaim, respect from peers? I can see where you’re coming from. But to divorce this from musical quality would make it meaningless. Did we forget about the Velvet Underground? ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/71 "2015-09-02T18:11:13Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I’m gonna toss my hat in the ring before even reading the thread. > > In 1987, Rolling Stone dubbed R.E.M. “America’s Best Rock’n’Roll Band.” 🆒 > > eos > > 😛 That’s because Pearl Jam wasn’t formed until 1990. ---
**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 2, 2015, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/72 "2015-09-02T18:15:53Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > ETA: AND CHEAP TRICK! I can’t believe we got this far without anyone, including myself, thinking of them. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/73 "2015-09-02T18:16:25Z")
Lynyrd Skynyrd gets my vote. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/74 "2015-09-02T18:23:18Z")
Drive-By Truckers. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/75 "2015-09-02T18:23:34Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > It would be helpful if we defined what we mean by ‘greatest’. > > Musical quality? Too subjective. That’s why just tossing out the name of our favorite obscure band muddies the water. > > Factors we would have to look at: > > Record sales. Tours. Influence. Notoriety. Longevity (both in being around a long time and the music holding up). Critical acclaim, respect from peers? Thought I covered that in my OP- 1. Fame/success/longevity 2. Influence on later bands 3. They rock. There was also discussion of a possible fourth point- the amount of “Americana” quality of the band and its songs. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/76 "2015-09-02T18:25:42Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > Well, other than they’re largely of the same era (a 60’s muscle car would also pummel most cars from the 70’s), and one is so very much more mellow than the other. Mellow is in the ear of the beholder. I might think that a lack of peaks and valleys in a record means that it is mellower (Maybe I should say “more somnolent”) regardless of the attitude struck. Even if the metronome is faster, or the amp is on 11. It has less interest. Some play real fast and lose all the feel in the rush. To me that’s like being asleep, esp across a whole record. They are not from the same era to me at all. ZZ top is “post Creedence” in many ways. 5 Years was a long time then. My definition of the GARB is not just based on “Rocking” but on a lot of things around musical qualities. The idea that bands should only rock loud and fast and there was a failure or weakness in not doing so came about after the mid 70s and punk. By then most music really blew. Hmmm… ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/77 "2015-09-02T18:34:19Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > But really, if we’re actually talking greatest rock band, irrespective of popularity, influence, composition or place of origin: the band that ate lightning and crapped Rock n’ Roll every day so they could deliver it to you has only one name. The Cramps. R.I.P. Lux Interior. I would put R.E.M. at or near the top of my list. I’ve been a big fan of them since I was about 14 (1983) and they were a big part of my formative years (high school and college.) If we’re counting Canadians, Neil Young and Crazy Horse has to be near the top. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/78 "2015-09-02T18:44:10Z")
Little Feat ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/79 "2015-09-02T18:52:36Z")
My first thought was Aerosmith, then the Eagles. Boston? No. And I loved their first three albums. But since then, they’ve been nowhere without the late Brad Delp. Tom Scholz is a musical genius (a real genius, he graduated from M.I.T.), but he’s also too much of a perfectionist and takes eons to produce an album, and their last couple of albums have sold poorly and have been generally derided as crap. They haven’t had too much consistency for almost 30 years, and other than Scholz, have had a revolving door of members. They’re mostly a nostalgia act these days as audiences mostly prefer the songs from their heyday in 1976-1978. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/80 "2015-09-02T19:09:03Z")
Another factor is the “of all time”. How many times have you been listening to the radio and heard an Eagles song come on, and think to yourself, “Wow, that was great!”? The answer is never. You never did that. You shrugged and said to yourself, “Well, it’s the Eagles again”. Nobody wants to hear the Eagles anymore. Yes, they were huge and influential and whatever. But they’re done, there’s nobody who wants to hear the Eagles again. Same with The Doors. Nobody wants to hear the Doors again. But put on a Creedence song, and you want to hear another Creedence song. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690.md?page=5)