# The List of the Greatest Rock Bands **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 25, 2009, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264 "2009-07-25T23:28:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/1 "2009-07-25T23:28:07Z")
These are the rock bands from the Beatles forward (including solo artists) generally considered among the best ever. Is there anyone else who rightfully has a claim to be in this group? This doesn’t mean _your_ favorite artist, but someone who has been considered the best. If you add someone to the list, they should realistically be able to stand up to this competition. The Beatles The Rolling Stones The Who Bob Dylan Led Zeppelin U2 ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/2 "2009-07-25T23:41:31Z")
Lynyrd Skynyrd Rush Queen Van Halen AC/DC Bruce Springsteen Hell, even some of the more recent stuff I’d put there. Like Cake or The Barenaked Ladies. This list will be long and debated. ---
**Author:** ![unclviny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e274bd/32.png) [@unclviny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclviny)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/3 "2009-07-26T00:12:26Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > The Beatles > The Rolling Stones > The Who > Bob Dylan > Led Zeppelin > U2 I’m not a Stones fan but they belong on this list but U2?!, they don’t belong anywhere near the list of “the best Rock bands”. Unclviny ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/4 "2009-07-26T01:24:08Z")
Neil Young. ---
**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 26, 2009, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/5 "2009-07-26T01:26:59Z")
I’m no U2 fan, but they clearly belong on the list. They lasted longer than most groups on the list and put out critically successful albums for 20 years. I’d add **The Kinks** (underrated, but their sound was highly influential and Ray Davies was one of rock’s top songwriters. **The Band** **Traffic** **Frank Zappa** **Pink Floyd** **The Grateful Dead** **The Clash** ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/6 "2009-07-26T01:28:35Z")
> [@](#): > > Bob Dylan > Bruce Springsteen > Neil Young > Frank Zappa Bands? 😕 ---
**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:** [July 26, 2009, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/7 "2009-07-26T01:38:09Z")
Bob Dylan is a genius, but he makes a terrible rock band. 🙂 Seriously, if he’s on the list then why not Elvis Presley? Chuck Berry? Bo Diddley? Rock didn’t start in the 1960s. The Beach Boys were taken as seriously as the Beatles. They won out over them for best band of the year in some NME reader competition in the 60s. The Allman Brothers has always been my choice for best American rock band, musically, if you don’t count the Beach Boys as rock. But the Brits have all the other claims for greatest rock, emphasis, rock bands. Look who you can add who started in the 60s. Pink Floyd. Cream. Fleetwood Mac. The Kinks. The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Ten Years After. After that you just get into a pissing contest between people of different decades. And different definitions of rock. Michael Jackson, anybody? ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/8 "2009-07-26T01:41:44Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Bands? 😕 The OP did say solo artist too. But just to make everyone happy. Bob Dylan and The Band Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band Neil Young and Crazy Horse Frank Zappa and The Mothers Of Invention Plus I would like to add: The Beach Boys Aerosmith Black Sabbath Deep Purple Metallica Nirvana ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/9 "2009-07-26T02:01:34Z")
I’d add Heart. Dreamboat Annie was an amazing album and they had plenty of good songs outside of it. They also did/do the best Led Zeppelin covers. They’ll also probably be the only band with females on the list. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/10 "2009-07-26T02:16:49Z")
Wow, my OP must have been poorly worded. I thought I made it fairly clear, but apparently not. What I was asking about were bands that have been considered the _best rock band ever_. That means, the **best.** I wasn’t asking for a list of good bands. We’ll be here for weeks. Does anyone really think Deep Purple is the best band ever? Aerosmith? Heart? Barenaked Ladies? No offense, since my OP apparently wasn’t clear. ---
**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 26, 2009, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/11 "2009-07-26T02:45:45Z")
Every rock band was considered the best rock band ever by their fans. ---
**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:** [July 26, 2009, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/12 "2009-07-26T02:47:41Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > Wow, my OP must have been poorly worded. I thought I made it fairly clear, but apparently not. What I was asking about were bands that have been considered the _best rock band ever_. That means, the **best.** I wasn’t asking for a list of good bands. We’ll be here for weeks. Does anyone really think Deep Purple is the best band ever? Aerosmith? Heart? Barenaked Ladies? > > No offense, since my OP apparently wasn’t clear. Welcome to the Internet. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/13 "2009-07-26T03:27:16Z")
I will, of course, second Sabbath, and throw a interesting one into the mix: The Ramones. Because, of course, all that other stuff being played? That wasn’t rock. Rock was three chords and a backbeat. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/14 "2009-07-26T03:29:16Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > …But the Brits have all the other claims for greatest rock, emphasis, rock bands. Look who you can add who started in the 60s. Pink Floyd. Cream. Fleetwood Mac. The Kinks. The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Ten Years After… Jimi was from Seattle. Yup, he got his start in the UK, for some odd reason, but still… ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/15 "2009-07-26T03:32:53Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > Wow, my OP must have been poorly worded. I thought I made it fairly clear, but apparently not. What I was asking about were bands that have been considered the _best rock band ever_. That means, the **best.** I wasn’t asking for a list of good bands. We’ll be here for weeks. Does anyone really think Deep Purple is the best band ever? Aerosmith? Heart? Barenaked Ladies? > > No offense, since my OP apparently wasn’t clear. No offense taken, but you did say in the OP “considered among the best”–but altho’ the next sentence says “someone who has been considered the best” you didn’t really emphasize “the best” as your subsequent post makes more clear. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/16 "2009-07-26T08:46:18Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Hell, even some of the more recent stuff I’d put there. Like Cake or The Barenaked Ladies. Best ever? No **Southern Yankee** maybe not best evr, but Aerosmith certainly has a lot of longevity. Same with U2. The OP’s list is hard to beat. I would throw on: Gratefull Dead Metallica Aerosmith AC/DC Bruce Springstein (and the E Street Band if you want to be technical about it) Pink Floyd Pearl Jam (I just think they are a better band than Nirvana) REM and Queen as contenders ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/17 "2009-07-26T08:52:23Z")
I think **Guns 'N Roses** has to be near the top. **Appetite for Destruction** is one of the top albums of all time and they didn’t stop there. ---
**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:** [July 26, 2009, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/18 "2009-07-26T09:28:10Z")
The Beach Boys The Velvet Underground R.E.M. the Pixies The Ramones The Clash are all bands that have been considered among the best ever, none of which I would object to. Joy Division probably belong on the list as well, but I’m not as sure how widely they’re considered among the greatest rock bands. ETA: And of course, David Bowie. ---
**Author:** ![Jettboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@Jettboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jettboy)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/19 "2009-07-26T14:36:48Z")
I would add The Clash and Queen, but remove U2 and Led Zeppelin. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264/20 "2009-07-26T16:42:41Z")
> [@Jettboy](#): > > I would add The Clash and Queen, but remove U2 and Led Zeppelin. VH1 considered Led Zeppelin as the best rock and roll band ever in one of their shows I think. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-list-of-the-greatest-rock-bands/504264.md?page=2)