# Who is the greatest American rock band of all time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 4, 2015, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897 "2015-09-04T12:12:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**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 5, 2015, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/61 "2015-09-05T22:36:23Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > [Actually…](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greetings_from_Asbury_Park,_N.J.#Personnel) Oops. I did remember a little bit of it right… ---
**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 5, 2015, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/62 "2015-09-05T23:01:02Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > It might be ironic to note here that Arthur Lee and Love were the house band at the Whiskey au Gogo when the Doors started. The sole ambition of the Doors was to be as big as Love. When Love got signed to Elektra and they left the slot behind, the Doors took it over. It was Love that brought the attention of Elektra to the Doors, and it wasn’t pretty in the aftermath at least for Arthur Lee. In fact Pamela, who became Morrisons GF was originally Arthur’s. > > Love were pioneers of Garage/Punk, Folk Rock, and Psych rock, all in their first 3 albums. in addition Arthur was a black rock and roller predating the Experience by a few years. In addition I forgot to say this: I saw Arthur Lee and a new version of Love in the 90’s, the first comeback, and the opening act was Ray Manzarek playing keyboards behind Michael McClure reading poetry. You should have been there. I know you would have dug it. ---
**Author:** ![bmoak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@bmoak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmoak)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2015, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/63 "2015-09-05T23:01:13Z")
> [@Roland\_the\_Headless\_T.G](#): > > For me, it was a toss up among The Beach Boys, The Band, and R.E.M. How could a band that is 4/5 Canadian be the greatest American rock band of all time? Is it too late to nominate Rush and The Guess Who? ---
**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:** [September 5, 2015, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/64 "2015-09-05T23:12:31Z")
Isn’t Neil Young a Canadian? For me, the ones who really stand out are Creedence Clearwater Revival The Doors Lynyrd Skynyrd The Ramones Zappa & Mothers of Invention ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/65 "2015-09-06T09:21:08Z")
I went Beach Boys- greatest sales would suggest something. However it is difficult with (IMHO) The Doors, The Eagles, CCR and as mentioned Simon and Garfunkel. I certainly don’t want to continue- “These should have been included…” but I would not have been surprised to see Lovin Spoonful and Iron Butterfly included. However, I recognise their achievements don’t really compare to the ones in the poll. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/66 "2015-09-06T14:48:13Z")
The Bangles should be on the list. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/67 "2015-09-06T16:21:34Z")
Re the list; we have a different understanding of _great_. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/68 "2015-09-06T16:33:50Z")
No kidding. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/69 "2015-09-06T16:47:18Z")
> [@bmoak](#): > > How could a band that is 4/5 Canadian be the greatest American rock band of all time? Is it too late to nominate Rush and The Guess Who? > [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Isn’t Neil Young a Canadian? Per the OP, Canadians are American. > [@solost](#): > > I inluded all of North America… > The band has to have a majority of North American members. > [@scoots](#): > > Some other bands not on the list: > > Simon & Garfunkel Per the OP, Simon & Garfunkel were not a band. > [@solost](#): > > At least two members, one playing drums, one playing guitar or other instrument, one or both singing. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/70 "2015-09-06T16:49:10Z")
I threw in a vote for Foo Fighters, cause I have a long-standing affection for them. They are a band I don’t think are the _best_ at any one thing…they haven’t been around the longest, their songs aren’t the most brilliant, they’re not the best musician-ship-wise, but to me they have enough in every quality to add up. They have been around 20 years with the same lineup for probably at least 15 (and still going strong and seemingly still getting more popular year by year), they have solid, fun songs that stand the test of time and don’t sound dated, they have their own sound with not being too afraid to try new things from time to time, they play great live shows and are good to their fans, they have a sense of humor and so peripheral stuff like videos are enjoyable and memorable, plus they don’t take themselves too seriously so they can do something rather grandiose like the Sonic Highways series without _seeming_ grandiose or pompous. So…I think I just convinced myself I threw my vote the right way! 🙂 ---
**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 6, 2015, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/71 "2015-09-06T16:51:47Z")
> [@bmoak](#): > > How could a band that is 4/5 Canadian be the greatest American rock band of all time? Is it too late to nominate Rush and The Guess Who? No, it’s not too late. Check “other” and say who you think it should be. This was discussed in the OP of this thread and in the previous thread I linked to there, in which the GARBOAT was discussed. I mentioned myself that The Band was 4/5ths Canadian in the OP of the other thread. I decided to open it up to all of North America and include every band that got more than one mention in the other thread. Then let 'em all duke it out in the poll. Of course there’s a lot of “why didn’t band X get in the poll” and conversely “sure are a lot of shitty bands included in this poll”. I probably could have culled it a bit more, but I didn’t want to impose my judgement if I could avoid it. Oh well, can’t please everybody…:rolleyes: ---
**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 6, 2015, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/72 "2015-09-06T16:53:39Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > Per the OP, Canadians are American. > > Per the OP, Simon & Garfunkel were not a band. Thanks for the assist, Peremensoe! A welcome ninja’ing ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/73 "2015-09-06T17:41:14Z")
Great poll. This is a question I have asked friends for many years. I’ve never counted Bruce as I consider him a solo artist. I always felt that the bands that could make the strongest case were, in no particular order The Beach Boys, The Ramones, The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers, Metallica, Guns n Roses and Nirvana. While GnR and Nirvana did not have the longevity, they hit heights that warranted inclusion in my mind. I’d probably listen to The Pixies and REM (IRS edition) before all on my short list, I concede that they don’t make the cut. For instance, I don’t own any Metallica, but their output and international acclaim can’t be denied. For the record, I voted for The Grateful Dead. I realize that they might be the most polarizing band on the list, with just as many folks that hate them as those that adore them. What makes them tops for me is their Americana music, which, to my ears, is timeless. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/74 "2015-09-06T17:42:35Z")
Where’s Tenacious D? Also, where’s Creed? (said nobody ever) ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/75 "2015-09-06T17:44:20Z")
For a serious oversight, where’s Green Day? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/76 "2015-09-06T18:07:01Z")
The list is for “Greatest,” not \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. 😛 ---
**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 6, 2015, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/77 "2015-09-06T18:51:02Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > For a serious oversight, where’s Green Day? I just heard the Green Day version of “i fought the law”. It made me like them a lot less. It just sounds too clubfooted. No sense of rhythm or the tunes feel. They didn’t need to do it. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/78 "2015-09-06T20:49:08Z")
> [@Roland\_the\_Headless\_T.G](#): > > For me, it was a toss up among The Beach Boys, The Band, and R.E.M. > > I ultimately voted for R.E.M. My thoughts exactly. Especially strong on the “Americana” aspect, for all three. “Longevity” (as a great act) was not The Band’s strongest suit, so that gave the edge to the other two. Neither the Beach Boys nor R.E.M. were the strongest bands in the world in terms of direct “influence” – they were both too _sui generis_ for that, and had atypical sounds for their respective eras – but both certainly inspired others to make great music (most obviously, the Beach Boys helped spur the Beatles to greater heights). I had to give the vote to R.E.M., because they tended to _rock_ more than the Beach Boys, and because they put out a good-to-great album almost every year from 1983 to 1996. (Well, maybe “Fables…,” “Document,” and “Monster” were just okay-to-good, but still). ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/79 "2015-09-06T21:34:41Z")
As an Euro, I can’t in good conscience claim my personal favourites as “greatest”, since most people around me have never even heard of bands like The Pixies. Of the ones I would consider well known even outside the U.S, I’d say the greatest is Bruce Springsteen and the E street band. ---
**Author:** ![stosh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@stosh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stosh)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/80 "2015-09-06T21:48:08Z")
I have a whole bunch of mix CD’s and every track has the best band on it. . .until I hear the next track. I other words, to each there own. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897.md?page=5)