# Which band best typifies "hard rock"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [March 7, 2021, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397 "2021-03-07T18:47:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2021, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/181 "2021-03-26T18:33:27Z")
That’s a really good idea. [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MohsScaleOfRockAndMetalHardness](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MohsScaleOfRockAndMetalHardness) ---
**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:** [March 26, 2021, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/182 "2021-03-26T19:50:55Z")
I like that the scale goes up to 11. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2023, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/183 "2023-03-04T07:22:44Z")
**Portrait of the Artist as a Young Ram** by Ram Jam recently popped up on my YouTube recommendations and upon playing it, I think that outside of AC/DC and possibly Boston and Heart, it fits as the best album typifying Hard Rock. I’m not sure if this will play the album for everyone since YouTube like to break albums into tracks for more ad opportunities, but here is the first track. https://www.youtube.com/embed/Zq6H0NiJm1E?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=PLEMzLROuENR207cgBJFTMu0i1KXkXR5Ue ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2023, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/184 "2023-03-04T17:32:42Z")
The Ram Jam album is fine, but not close to best hard rock album in my opinion. Here are my picks: 1. Guns N’ Roses - Appetite for Destruction 2. Van Halen - Van Halen 3. The Who - Who’s Next 4. Aerosmith - Toys in the Attic 5. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II 6. Van Halen - 1984 7. The Who - Quadrophenia 8. Molly Hatchet - Flirtin’ with Disaster 9. Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced? 10. AC/DC - Highway to Hell As for best hard rock band, I’d go with Guns N’ Roses, AC/DC, and Led Zeppelin in order. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2023, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/185 "2023-03-04T17:56:05Z")
What, no Deep Purple? Surely Smoke on the Water is almost a definition of “hard rock”? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2023, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/186 "2023-03-04T18:10:01Z")
To get a stronger female presence in the list, I’ll add Pat Benatar. Most of her stuff is pretty hard rock. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2023, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/187 "2023-03-04T18:17:56Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > As for best hard rock band, I’d go with Guns N’ Roses, AC/DC, and Led Zeppelin in order. I was going to give you a “Yep, 100%”, then I read: > [@xtenkfarpl](#): > > What, no Deep Purple? And then I thought, “Yep, 100%”. Well, except for Smoke on the Water which no one needs to hear again. Put on _Deep Purple in Rock_ or _Fireball_ for proof. I left off _Machine Head_ because of…well, you know. Go to Guitar Center on a busy Saturday if you really want to hear it. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2023, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/188 "2023-03-04T18:28:12Z")
Yeah, I could put Deep Purple in there. My list of great hard rock albums is also iffy - on second thought, Quadrophenia is NOT a hard rock album, just one of my favorite Who albums. “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds” - Ralph Waldo Emerson ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2023, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/189 "2023-03-04T18:36:29Z")
Right, Smoke is one of those iconic things that can only be done once. Purple at their best were very capable musicians who produced music that has never quite been replicated. But didn’t really leave a “legacy”… they didn’t exactly ‘create’ Heavy Metal or other genres… ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2023, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/190 "2023-03-04T18:51:50Z")
There again, 5:15 rocks like hell, I’d say! ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2023, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/191 "2023-03-04T18:55:19Z")
Yep! However, “Sea and Sand”, not so much. Still love the song though. ---
**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:** [March 4, 2023, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/192 "2023-03-04T19:13:31Z")
I dunno, I would describe “Sea And Sand” as a guitar-riff driven rock song, with some quieter moments. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2023, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/193 "2023-03-04T20:59:38Z")
AC/DC, there is really no need for discussion. And it is not true that they made 11 albums that all sound the same, they made 12. > Here’s how **Angus Young** reacted to the criticism regarding the sound of AC/DC album: > > “I’m sick to death of people saying we’ve made 11 albums that sound exactly the same. In fact, we’ve made **12 albums that sound exactly the same**.” [Here’s How Angus Young Reacts To Claims That AC/DC’s All Albums Sound Like The Same - Metalhead Zone](https://metalheadzone.com/heres-how-angus-young-reacts-to-claims-that-ac-dcs-all-albums-sound-like-the-same/) ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2023, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/194 "2023-03-04T22:55:41Z")
One hard rock album you don’t hear much about is Cheap Trick’s debut album. It rocks! I’ve probably played it a thousand times. Sadly, they later changed their style to make them more radio-friendly. ---
**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:** [March 4, 2023, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/195 "2023-03-04T23:17:08Z")
But they always stayed on the good side of radio-friendly with their power pop and never sold out. ---
**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:** [March 5, 2023, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/196 "2023-03-05T00:59:44Z")
Agreed. Don’t write them off if you haven’t heard any of their releases from the past 30 years. > **[Cheap Trick Albums Ranked Worst to Best](https://ultimateclassicrock.com/cheap-trick-albums-ranked/)** > > We're counting down all of Cheap Trick's studio albums, from the worst to the best. ---
**Author:** ![fordgt100](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@fordgt100](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fordgt100)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2023, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/197 "2023-03-05T01:04:48Z")
Grand Funk Railroad. OK, not the best musicians, not the best songwriters, but they were LOUD and really put on a great show when I saw them. Every song was rock and roll, no ballads. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2023, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/198 "2023-03-05T07:12:16Z")
Your post reminded me of the Steppenwolf song Born To Be Wild when they sing about “heavy metal thunder.” Does anyone remember which three bands were considered the originators of heavy metal? I believe it was Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, but I can’t remember who the third band was. I saw Deep Purple mid to late 70s. They were the openers. Highway Star kicked ass!!! So did their whole set. They blew away the headliners whoever they were,maybe Kansas, or one of the other popular bands at that time. ---
**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:** [March 5, 2023, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/199 "2023-03-05T13:06:55Z")
> [@saucywench](#): > > I believe it was Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, but I can’t remember who the third band was. Led Zeppelin. Together, the “unholy trinity” ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2023, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397/200 "2023-03-05T13:35:42Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > > [@silenus](#): > > > > When do we start the Definition jihad? > > It won’t be started by me. 🙂 When I was younger, I didn’t really understand the difference between “heavy metal” and “hard rock,” and even now, that I do sort of grok it, it’s kind of a fluid distinction. Some bands (like Black Sabbath) are clearly heavy metal, some (AC/DC) clearly are not, but I supposed that they’re all hard rock. If I were to come up with a distinction, “hard rock” tends to be about sex, drugs, and rock & roll where as “heavy metal” tends to invoke the occult, spiritualism, philosophy, literature, or weird and esoteric topics. Or it’s just “hard as shit” so you just know. For example: MORE METAL Slayer Metallica Iron Maiden Led Zeppelin AC/DC Kiss Motley Crue The Who The Rolling Stones MORE HARD ROCK [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-best-typifies-hard-rock/937397.md?page=11)