# 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:** 5
**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, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/81 "2015-09-02T19:39:21Z")
Bloodrock!!! You read it here first ---
**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 2, 2015, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/82 "2015-09-02T20:05:46Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Bloodrock!!! That suggestion is DOA if you ask me. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/83 "2015-09-02T20:31:31Z")
The Cars was always my go to in these convos. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/84 "2015-09-02T20:32:45Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Iā€™m really surprised The Doors arenā€™t getting more traction. Massive hits, American feel and international appeal. This is a place where you and I differ, **lieu**. I see their stock going down a bit. Morrisonā€™s rep has worsened, and, frankly, some of their songs donā€™t hold up/come across as sellout-y. I canā€™t deny their good stuff when it comes on, but man is he a douche. I start by thinking that the few bands that will be discussed in a few hundred years will be The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan. I think of Hendrix and Dylan as American Bands because their sound required a ā€œband soundā€ - Dylanā€™s electric stuff here. And also, they were working in the American idiom - screw whether Mitchell and Redding were Brits. Seriously. Beyond that, I would go with The Beach Boys\*, The Ramones, Talking Heads (more than Velvet Underground) Nirvana. It feels like they are the longest shadows in their eras. I love Aerosmithā€™s first four, and the peak Allmanā€™s, too. \*If we can include the Beach Boys could we include the Wrecking Crew? šŸ˜‰ James Brownā€™s bands were badass, but not quite the same thing. ---
**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 2, 2015, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/85 "2015-09-02T20:40:36Z")
Worth mentioning, despite the detour into commercialized AM pop: The Steve Miller Band. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/86 "2015-09-02T20:50:43Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > Mitchell and Redding were English. The JHE was an international band, not an American band. And it was formed in London. ---
**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, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/87 "2015-09-02T20:52:07Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > Worth mentioning, despite the detour into commercialized AM pop: The Steve Miller Band. You are right on the money. They made the best music out of the whole SF scene. But the American bands were always specializing, or studio based or burning out or selling out. The pyramid for US bands is very steep and narrow, there was so many doing different things for only a little while. Itā€™s hard to say any of these great acts are ā€œthe bestā€ Whereas itā€™s easy to say that The beatles, stones, who, or the kinks were masters of their craft. ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/88 "2015-09-02T20:56:12Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > What is wrong with you guys? NO MENTION of Foo Fighters?? I agree, they have to be in the mix. I canā€™t decide on a #1, but the top tier has to include The Doors, The E Street Band (Iā€™m including Bruce by proxy), Aerosmith, Pearl Jam, and Metallica in order to cover a sufficient mix of genres. FF probably fits right under that top tier. ---
**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, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/89 "2015-09-02T21:16:01Z")
See, thereā€™s the problem: if Iā€™m going to award the label of ā€œGreatest American Rock Band of All Timeā€ to someone, Iā€™d want them to ā€œcover a sufficient mix of genresā€ by themselves. ---
**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, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/90 "2015-09-02T21:43:27Z")
So far Pearl Jam is the worst band to be nominated. I canā€™t even express how much I dislike them. ā€œOh Noā€¦heā€™s going to kill everybody in the classroom!!! You can tell by when the singers eyes go back up in his head! Intenseā€ ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/91 "2015-09-02T21:43:45Z")
For a different take on ā€œAmerican band,ā€ Iā€™ll suggest Los Lobos. Long tenure (40 years and counting), commercial success, critical acclaim, and theyā€™ve definitely got **Thudlow Boinkā€™s** ā€œsufficient mix of genresā€ covered. And theyā€™re just great live. If you want to focus on Americana, thereā€™s Uncle Tupelo - hugely influential (they spawned both Son Volt and Wilco, as well as the name ā€œNo Depressionā€ for the seminal Americana magazine) and critically acclaimed, but with limited commercial success. > [@lieu](#): > > Iā€™m really surprised The Doors arenā€™t getting more traction. Massive hits, American feel and international appeal. Iā€™m with **WordMan** on this one. Maybe you just turned [17 at the right time](http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/an-open-letter-to-17-year-old-boys-who-just-discovered-the-doors)ā€¦ ---
**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, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/92 "2015-09-02T21:48:33Z")
Aerosmith is good, but I donā€™t think their songwriting is at the same level as some of the other contenders. > [@stillownedbysetters](#): > > Little Feat I was thinking of them too. Great playing, a melange of influences, maybe a bit too under the popular radar. ---
**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, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/93 "2015-09-02T21:51:06Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Another factor is the ā€œof all timeā€. > > How many times have you been listening to the radio and heard an Eagles song come on, and think to yourself, ā€œWow, that was great!ā€? The answer is never. You never did that. You shrugged and said to yourself, ā€œWell, itā€™s the Eagles againā€. > > Nobody wants to hear the Eagles anymore. Yes, they were huge and influential and whatever. But theyā€™re done, thereā€™s nobody who wants to hear the Eagles again. I have pretty much the same feeling about The Eagles. A lot of it sounds kind of bland to me now. ---
**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, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/94 "2015-09-02T21:53:47Z")
> [@mack](#): > > I think a lot of people went through a Doors phase but maybe not so many life-long devotees. I had one of those for a bit when I was a teenager. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/95 "2015-09-02T23:24:51Z")
> [@Accidental\_Martyr](#): > > I have pretty much the same feeling about The Eagles. A lot of it sounds kind of bland to me now. Me, too, although it might because Iā€™ve heard all their songs so many times. The last ā€œnewā€ song of theirs I remember is _Howl On_, I mean, _How Long_, which was in 2007. Iā€™d still go see them live, though. ---
**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, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/96 "2015-09-02T23:29:07Z")
> [@SykoSkotty](#): > > Well kids, it goes like thisā€¦ > > The greatest American rock band of all time is KISS. > > More gold records than any other american band, and second in gold records world wide. The only band with more global gold records than KISS? Thatā€™s rightā€¦The Beatles. Itā€™s never been so wrong to be right. > [@WordMan](#): > > \*If we can include the Beach Boys could we include the **Wrecking Crew**? šŸ˜‰ There is your real answer. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/97 "2015-09-02T23:39:49Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > \*If we can include the Beach Boys could we include the Wrecking Crew? šŸ˜‰ > > James Brownā€™s bands were badass, but not quite the same thing. Same could be said about Booker T and the MGs. ---
**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, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/98 "2015-09-02T23:44:18Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > How many times have you been listening to the radio and heard an Eagles song come on, and think to yourself, ā€œWow, that was great!ā€? The answer is never. You never did that. You shrugged and said to yourself, ā€œWell, itā€™s the Eagles againā€. > > Nobody wants to hear the Eagles anymore. Yes, they were huge and influential and whatever. But theyā€™re done, thereā€™s nobody who wants to hear the Eagles again. The Eaglesā€™ ā€œLong Road Out of Edenā€ tour from 2008-2011 grossed over $250,000,000. Their current ā€œHistory of the Eaglesā€ tour is on pace to equal that amount. Both tours have had multiple sellouts and rave reviews. The Eagles have sold 140,000,000 albums worldwide and their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 is the best selling album of all time in the U.S. ā€œNobody listens to the Eagles anymore?ā€ What a ludicrous statement! Itā€™s like Yogi Berraā€™s comment about the restaurant nobody goes to anymore because itā€™s too crowded. ---
**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:** [September 2, 2015, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/99 "2015-09-02T23:49:10Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > So far Pearl Jam is the worst band to be nominated. > > I canā€™t even express how much I dislike them. > > ā€œOh Noā€¦heā€™s going to kill everybody in the classroom!!! You can tell by when the singers eyes go back up in his head! Intenseā€ Nah, their first three albums were solid and rockinā€™. Theyā€™re not really my cuppa from that ā€œgrungeā€ genre (Soundgarden is my preferred from the bunch usually associated with that time and place), but they did good, and they put on a very good show and are gracious and appreciative towards the fans. The only band Iā€™ve seen more loving of their fans is Metallica (and I assume Bruce Springsteen, judging by his legendary encores, although Iā€™ve never actually seen him.) ---
**Author:** ![SacFly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@SacFly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SacFly)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690/100 "2015-09-03T00:05:27Z")
This has been a fun thread to follow and it has led to some quality youtube time. If Hendrix counts then Iā€™d have to choose him. Many of the other acts mentioned, all of which rock in their own right, would have no business on the same stage with him. Iā€™m not sure if theyā€™re the greatest, but if someone asked you what American rock nā€™ roll was and you played CCRā€™s ā€œFortunate Sonā€ Iā€™d feel like that was a pretty solid answer. Honorable mention which hasnā€™t been mentioned yet: Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729690.md?page=6)