# 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:** 5
**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, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/81 "2015-09-06T21:58:04Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](#): > > 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. No other band touches or contains as many different facets of American music–in _addition_ to having their own idiosyncratic, yet quintessentially American thing. Dead lyricist Robert Hunter said, "The best compliment I ever had on a lyric was from an old guy who’d worked at the Cumberland mine. He said, ‘I wonder what the guy who wrote this song would’ve thought if he’d ever known something like the Grateful Dead was gonna do it.’ " ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2015, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/82 "2015-09-06T22:01:21Z")
I voted Grateful Dead for music culture influence, and would vote Hendrix for his influence on British Invasion but his trio isn’t a band I guess. Bands like the Band, Buffalo Springfield, R.E.M., the Eagles deserve mention for their Americana, Beach Boys for Brian Wilson’s mad genius, and Rush for being the main North American prog band along with Kansas. Simon & Garfunkel had a large cultural influence but a duo isn’t qualified as a band. Then there’s singletons such as Elvis, Bob Dylan, B.B. King, Professor Longhair and Dr. John, but that’s for another poll. ---
**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 6, 2015, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/83 "2015-09-06T22:58:23Z")
I’m just here to say I get to meet **ZZ Top** later this week! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/84 "2015-09-07T01:49:17Z")
The Beach Boys would surely be leading this poll if not for that sticky requirement that “they rock”. In terms of longevity, Americana, and influence on other groups, I don’t think there’s anyone close. ---
**Author:** ![gladtobeblazed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@gladtobeblazed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gladtobeblazed)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/85 "2015-09-07T10:06:52Z")
If Bruce is counted, then surely Madonna is counted too. So my vote goes to Madonna. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/86 "2015-09-07T10:15:20Z")
really surprised nirvana is not doing better here ---
**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 7, 2015, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/87 "2015-09-07T14:42:49Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > really surprised nirvana is not doing better here I’m a huge Nirvana fan and I think they were one of them most influential and game-changing bands in the history of rock. But I just don’t think they were around long enough to be called the greatest. ---
**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 7, 2015, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/88 "2015-09-07T17:59:38Z")
> [@Sarahfeena](#): > > I’m a huge Nirvana fan and I think they were one of them most influential and game-changing bands in the history of rock. But I just don’t think they were around long enough to be called the greatest. I agree with every word of this. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/89 "2015-09-07T18:38:39Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > Oooooooooooooo, poll give scabpicker headache. Maybe I’ll just write in X. I’d vote for X. I saw them live, still have them in iPod rotation. ---
**Author:** ![SigMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SigMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SigMan)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/90 "2015-09-07T18:44:12Z")
B o c! B o c! B o c! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/91 "2015-09-07T19:48:35Z")
Black Flag. They aren’t even a favorite, but they got the ball rolling. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/92 "2015-09-07T20:34:53Z")
The Beach Boys and it’s not even close. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2015, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/93 "2015-09-07T20:48:28Z")
I’d be very curious to see a breakdown of the ages of the people voting in this poll. ---
**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 7, 2015, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/94 "2015-09-07T21:01:11Z")
Anybody under 40 should be disqualified from voting. They never got to see the **good** bands. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2015, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/95 "2015-09-08T00:51:58Z")
Zappa and the Mothers – not just for what they did but for the others they helped along like Captain Beefheart and the GTOs. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2015, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/96 "2015-09-08T03:28:46Z")
> [@Sarahfeena](#): > > I’m a huge Nirvana fan and I think they were one of them most influential and game-changing bands in the history of rock. But I just don’t think they were around long enough to be called the greatest. They had 3 major albums though… isn’t that enough? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2015, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/97 "2015-09-08T04:16:50Z")
Nirvana didn’t have wide appeal. They were the voice of a very small generation, mainly those who came of age in the early 90s. Many of the other bands on that list draw audiences of all ages 30 years after their commercial prime. ---
**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 8, 2015, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/98 "2015-09-08T06:03:00Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Nirvana didn’t have wide appeal. They were the voice of a very small generation, mainly those who came of age in the early 90s. > > Many of the other bands on that list draw audiences of all ages 30 years after their commercial prime. First of all, with statements like this is it any wonder Generation Y and millennials feel marginalized by Gen X? Second of all, how may other bands on the entire list could be called the voice of an entire generation, of ANY size? Thirdly, what makes you think Nirvana didn’t have wide appeal? Nevermind sold 30 million copies! ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2015, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/99 "2015-09-08T13:55:55Z")
Because the list did not include either Blood Sweat and Tears or Three Dog Night, I had to select “Other”. Sigh. ---
**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 8, 2015, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897/100 "2015-09-08T22:20:05Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > First of all, with statements like this is it any wonder Generation Y and millennials feel marginalized by Gen X? Slight hijack, here, but if any group has been marginalized it would seem to me to be Gen X - being I’ve shadowed by the Boomers and Millenials (I consider Gen Y to belong to either Gen X or Millenial, not their own group). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-american-rock-band-of-all-time/729897.md?page=6)