Ok, I tried to make the title pretty clear. This poll will consist of well-known, big-selling, American rock bands (that definition is malleable.) I’m trying to see current popular opinion on iconic American bands circa 1963 - ? (I do not have a lot of knowledge of bands who have got their start post-2000, so none are represented here.) Please just choose from the list of you want to participate. I tried to include BANDS, not just solo artists, no matter how good. I know it’s not a perfect list, but work with me here…
I hesitantly left TP and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band off this poll because as great as the Heartbreakers and E Street are, I didn’t think they fit the definition of a band, as opposed to a Lead guy with supporting musicians. I very well may be wrong.
I’m not much of a Dead listener, but of those bands, The Grateful Dead is the most “American” to me.
Ah, crap, I didn’t see the “favorite” part. I would probably vote Beach Boys. (I also think a few more bands deserve consideration – CCR, REM, Talking Heads, Steely Dan).
Of the ones on the list, the Eagles are my favorite, but I would concur with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers as being above the Eagles on my personal list.
They were originally a British band, and even in their iconic lineup from the mid '70s, were still 60% British, so I don’t think they would fit the OP.
The word “iconic” disqualifies all but The Beach Boys and The Ramones for me. I’ll give the Ramones the edge, just because I enjoy their entire body of work; I can’t say the same for The Beach Boys. (Cheap Trick should be on that list)
Talking Heads? Velvet Underground? White Stripes? Come on… Iconic? No. Do you really think there is a single person that thinks any of those are the best American band ever? I didn’t say it was a poll of good bands…
That’s a pretty high bar – I will guarantee you that there are not only is at least one person, but there are many people who do, non-ironically, believe that each of those three bands are, in fact, the best American rock band ever. I’m pretty sure that you could say the same thing for CCR, Cheap Trick, REM, etc., etc.
Plus, you’re asking, possibly, two or three different questions:
One’s favorite band (as per the title) from the list of major (“iconic”) bands that you came up with
One’s favorite American rock band
One’s choice for “the best American rock band ever” (the wording of how you just replied to @Mean_Mr.Mustard )
Three of the most iconic, best and my favorite American bands are not on the list, the Byrds, the Velvet Underground and the Ramones. It’s kinda useless, but from the list I choose the Beach Boys.
I voted for Eagles, because they are the only artist on the list to make the top 10 list of all-time best selling albums, and they have two of them on the list - their greatest hits album, which was until fairly recently the best-selling album of all time (it finally got beat by Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”), and “Hotel California” which has sold over 40 million copies.
No other American band comes close. The next closest on this list is Guns N’ Roses’ “Appetite For Destruction” at 21 million.
Of course, Album sales aren’t everything. But they are certainly a measure of both popularity and how well known the band is.
Another data point is that until Glenn Frey recently died they were still selling out stadiums while demanding incredibly high ticket prices. We saw them a few years ago, and floor tickets were over $500. The show was sold out in a 17,000 seat venue so they added a second, also sold-out show. Not too many artists can draw people in like that - especially artists who haven’t put out new material for over a decade, and had only one album of new material in 40 years, plus a live album with a couple of new songs 24 years ago.
I only bought music by the Beach Boys, the Doors and the Ramones. And I only saw the Ramones live, so I guess , from that list, they get my vote. I probably have spent the most fan dollars on the Decemberists - several albums and both live gigs here.