Who are the strongest contenders for the title of "greatest American rock band ever"?

[Pantastic]

@Jacquernagy

I don’t think there’s anything at all “dangerous” about the Beach Boys, but they are most certainly rock.

Beach music sounds pretty dangerous if you just add distortion to the guitar. You pretty much instantly go from completely inoffensive popcorn music to speed metal:

Surf Music with Distortion

And vice-versa:

Metal without Distortion