The Monkees were British.
Only Davy Jones was British. Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Micky Dolenz are Americans and the Monkees were a Hollywood creation.
BTO reunited on the Simpsons. Randy Bachman and Fred Turner played themselves in an episode.
There is no equivalent, and the only Americans that came close were Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley.
No rock group created that much excitement. (A case could be made for NSYNC, at least in respect to massive popularity with teenage girls – which was the key demographic for that sort of mania – but in nothing else.)
On an artistic level, the Beatles surpassed all American groups. They had a way of taking new ideas and different song structures (e.g., “Yesterday,” which had no chorus) and turning them into hits, mostly because their melodies were almost always memorable.
Short career? Iconic image? Took his influences and made them into something new? Still massively popular now? Went across the Atlantic for more success?
Jimi Hendrix.
But what about Bob Overdrive, the most often overlooked member of BTO?
True! He was almost as famous as Tony Grand and Lionel Funk from Grand Funk Railroad.
The Eagles actually fit a lot more of those criteria.
I was listening to Bill Flanagan’s show the other day and he was talking about the trend of American bands usually having a leader with a band, while Brits tend to feature a duo or groups of contributors.
For example,
Bruce Springsteen and …
Neil Young and…
Buddy Holly and …
Bob Dylan and …
Tom Petty and …
Plant/Page
Lennon/McCartney
The Davies brothers
The Gallagher brothers
Jagger/Richards
What is it about the human psyche that needs to identify the “Next _____”?
Is it a need to re-experience a high?
I remember a (Time?) magazine cover with a young Bruce Springsteen’s face filling it: “The Next Bob Dylan!”
And weren’t there a dozen of those, some of which we’ve barely heard from since? David Blue, Elliott Murphy, Joe Pug, Steve Forbert, Kristian Matsson (“The Tallest Man on Earth”) and Loudon Wainwright III (who joked about being a member of “The New Bob Dylan Club”).
And, of course, Dick Campbell (the artist behind “dick campbell sings where it’s at”)… oh, my og, that’s Trying So Much To Be Dylan It’s Embarrassing…
So, another vote for the Beatles being unique. As are the Beach Boys and the Doors and the Grateful Dead. And Bob.
For whatever reason, there always seems to be people that think music is some sort of (national) competition.
One of the great debates has always been between American and British music, which is better, sold more records, and how they have fended off each other’s cultural dominance.
It’s almost as bad as those that feel we need to decide a “best” artist, band, guitarist, drummer, etc… Who cares? Each and every one of them is the best at what they do. Period.
Who were America’s Beatles? The Ramones; duh.
I was going to say them too…
Goddammit, I was out on a limb there wondering if anyone had my back!!
Styx.
Broad range of musical styles, multiple singers and songwriters, massive egos and clashing personalities, and super longevity.
Oh, I have your back when it comes to The Ramones. I’ve written quite a bit about them on the SDMB.
If I were to name an American band with the Beatles’ sort of impact not to mention clashing personalities and focus on two members, I might go with the Eagles. Creativity, beautiful harmonies, meaningful lyrics… I’d say that Henley/Frey combination was up there with Lennon/McCartney. Also Billy Joel, though he had his share of critics as well.
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Billy Joel is a really good choice.
He certainly is, and he has the catalogue of music to back him up too. 
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OK we have left earth. I’m ready to say it’s the Monkees now. Are you happy?
New Kids On The Block
(runs away)