Your 5 Greatest American Rock Bands of All Time and 5 More

brianlux

Jumping off the "the final five Greatest American Rock Bands of All Time" thread, list your top 5 (plus 5 more) here.
Think "Greatest" as well as favorites (For example, for me The Dream Syndicate is a top-5 favorite).

Mine are:

The Beach Boys
R.E.M.
The Replacements
Neil Young and Crazy Horse
The Velvet Underground

And 5 more:

The Dream Syndicate
David Lindley and El Rayo-X
Moby Grape
Pearl Jam
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Would have love to name The Jimi Hendrix Experience, but only Jimi was American.  NY and Crazy Horse counts because Neil has dual citizen ship.

jjflash

The Grateful Dead
Pearl Jam
CCR
Petty
REM

Hmmm, I gotta think on the next five. GnR comes to mind but their total output, IMO, counts as a strike against them. Prince and The Revolution also comes to mind but The Revolution was constantly, well, revolving, so I tend to think of him more as a solo artist. The Allmans are definitely in there. Metallica may be in there - they're certainly one of the GOATs, maybe not top ten tho. The Black Crowes? The Eagles, perhaps? Fun exercise, Brian. Gonna think on this and circle back....

g under p

Great thread list for this PJ Community Brian.  I can recall many years ago posting a thread ✨️ that was
 Your Greatest American &  United Kingdom Rock Bands then....Your Choice Which Country Is Better?

Anyway here's my top 5 favorites...

1. Talking Heads
2. METALLICA 
3. Parliament Funkadelic 
4. Van Halen
5. Isley Brothers

Five more...

6. Pearl Jam
7. Boston
8. Red Hot Chili Peppers
9. Eagles
10. Rage Against The Machine 

Honorable mention:

FUGAZI
🎶✌️

GB281198

Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band
Tom Petty & Heartbreakers
Metallica
Nirvana
Lynyrd Skynyrd

Allman Brothers
CCR
The Doors
Tool
Beastie Boys 

brianlux

g under p said:

Great thread list for this PJ Community Brian.  I can recall many years ago posting a thread ✨️ that was
 Your Greatest American &  United Kingdom Rock Bands then....Your Choice Which Country Is Better?

Anyway here's my top 5 favorites...

1. Talking Heads
2. METALLICA 
3. Parliament Funkadelic 
4. Van Halen
5. Isley Brothers

Five more...

6. Pearl Jam
7. Boston
8. Red Hot Chili Peppers
9. Eagles
10. Rage Against The Machine 

Honorable mention:

FUGAZI
🎶✌️

Now that you mention it, I remember that thread.  That was fun!

Nice to see Fugazi mentioned- good one!

tempo_n_groove

Oh I love these!

The Misfits
Metallica
Sublime
James Brown
Pearl Jam

Next 5

Tool
The Weeks
The Doors
CCR
Roy Orbison

pjhawks

My rankings, not necessarily my favs

1 - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
2 - Metallica
3 - Pearl Jam
4 - Eagles
5 - Beach Boys

Next 5
6 - Van Halen
7 - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakrs
8 - Aerosmith
9 - The Killers
10 - REM

Underrated:
Goo Goo Dolls
Smithereens
Shinedown
Bob Segar & the Silver Bullet Band

brianlux

tempo_n_groove said:

Oh I love these!

The Misfits
Metallica
Sublime
James Brown
Pearl Jam

Next 5

Tool
The Weeks
The Doors
CCR
Roy Orbison

Mr. Jaaaaaaaames Brown- oh yeah!

pjhawks said:

My rankings, not necessarily my favs

1 - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
2 - Metallica
3 - Pearl Jam
4 - Eagles
5 - Beach Boys

Next 5
6 - Van Halen
7 - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakrs
8 - Aerosmith
9 - The Killers
10 - REM

Underrated:
Goo Goo Dolls
Smithereens
Shinedown
Bob Segar & the Silver Bullet Band

Agreed, Seger often gets over-looked.   I remember reading once that Bob Seger and Ted Nugent  shared a bill and between sets Nugent told Seger to "shit or get off the pot".  Much as I don't care for ol' shot-gun Ted, apparently that really fired up Bob and he really stepped up his game.  Seger has done dome great work.

hrd2imgn

After seeing Bruce and E street tonight...they are for sure in the discussion

brianlux

hrd2imgn said:

After seeing Bruce and E street tonight...they are for sure in the discussion

Yes, for sure. 

And I'm guessing had he gotten more support from the recording industry, The Boss's long-time lead guitarist Nis Lofgren might be right up there as well, either with Grin or one of his other bands.

In any case, must have been a hell of a show.  Great that you got to see them.

Johnny Abruzzo

E Street
Pearl Jam
Petty/Heartbreakers
REM
Soundgarden

Aerosmith
CCR
Death Cab
Metallica
MMJ

NY is Canadian right? Otherwise NY/CH would be in my top 10, bumping down Soundgarden and bumping out CCR.

tempo_n_groove

So many groups I left out.  Can you use Beastie Boys?

Early VH.  Sound Garden, Beach Boys, The Dead, Buddy Holly, pick any one of the Kings in Elvis Michael Albert BB Freddie, Talking Heads, Violent Femmes, Minor Threat, Dead Kennedys, Dolly Pardon, Johnny Cash... The list goes on...

brianlux

tempo_n_groove said:

So many groups I left out.  Can you use Beastie Boys?

Early VH.  Sound Garden, Beach Boys, The Dead, Buddy Holly, pick any one of the Kings in Elvis Michael Albert BB Freddie, Talking Heads, Violent Femmes, Minor Threat, Dead Kennedys, Dolly Pardon, Johnny Cash... The list goes on...

Beaties?  Sure- they're rockish hip hop.

Dolly?  Why not... did a cover of Stairway to Heaven!

DKs- oh yeah!

Kings?  Hail to  the three kings!

tempo_n_groove

brianlux said:

tempo_n_groove said:

So many groups I left out.  Can you use Beastie Boys?

Early VH.  Sound Garden, Beach Boys, The Dead, Buddy Holly, pick any one of the Kings in Elvis Michael Albert BB Freddie, Talking Heads, Violent Femmes, Minor Threat, Dead Kennedys, Dolly Pardon, Johnny Cash... The list goes on...

Beaties?  Sure- they're rockish hip hop.

Dolly?  Why not... did a cover of Stairway to Heaven!

DKs- oh yeah!

Kings?  Hail to  the three kings!

I did throw the King of Pop and The King, Elvis in there too, lol.

brianlux

tempo_n_groove said:

brianlux said:

tempo_n_groove said:

So many groups I left out.  Can you use Beastie Boys?

Early VH.  Sound Garden, Beach Boys, The Dead, Buddy Holly, pick any one of the Kings in Elvis Michael Albert BB Freddie, Talking Heads, Violent Femmes, Minor Threat, Dead Kennedys, Dolly Pardon, Johnny Cash... The list goes on...

Beaties?  Sure- they're rockish hip hop.

Dolly?  Why not... did a cover of Stairway to Heaven!

DKs- oh yeah!

Kings?  Hail to  the three kings!

I did throw the King of Pop and The King, Elvis in there too, lol.

All good choices! 

Johnny Abruzzo

I was going for bands rather than artists. That would change everything.

brianlux

Johnny Abruzzo said:

I was going for bands rather than artists. That would change everything.

Thank you for the reminder.  I think I was the one who started this thread, LOL.  And yes, it does say "Bands".

OK tempo_n_groove  that means you have to refine you list... OR ELSE! 

tempo_n_groove

brianlux said:

Johnny Abruzzo said:

I was going for bands rather than artists. That would change everything.

Thank you for the reminder.  I think I was the one who started this thread, LOL.  And yes, it does say "Bands".

OK tempo_n_groove  that means you have to refine you list... OR ELSE! 

lol, Thank goodness James Brown plays w a band or had the JB's w him!

F Me In The Brain

I don't have any way to judge greatest...ans even what I might consider Rock.  Which do I listen to the most / have I listened to the most / do I love now the most?  Could come up with 10 of each.

The Beach Boys (rock, though?)
Chilis
Metallica
GnR
Pearl Jam
NIN
CCR
Beasties
Rage
SG


Too tough to leave out so many.  Top 10 hair bands could also be a category for my tastes

Also, can I ignore any Aerosmith pop shit?  The ZZ Top pop stage?  Those could go in there for me, based on Tres Hombres and Toys in The Attic, alone.
  

brianlux

tempo_n_groove said:

brianlux said:

Johnny Abruzzo said:

I was going for bands rather than artists. That would change everything.

Thank you for the reminder.  I think I was the one who started this thread, LOL.  And yes, it does say "Bands".

OK tempo_n_groove  that means you have to refine you list... OR ELSE! 

lol, Thank goodness James Brown plays w a band or had the JB's w him!

JB was so amazing and I would definitely keep him on your list considering how much a task master he was with his band.  Miss one beat and a guy would get fined.  Whoa!

brianlux

F Me In The Brain said:

I don't have any way to judge greatest...ans even what I might consider Rock.  Which do I listen to the most / have I listened to the most / do I love now the most?  Could come up with 10 of each.

The Beach Boys (rock, though?)
Chilis
Metallica
GnR
Pearl Jam
NIN
CCR
Beasties
Rage
SG


Too tough to leave out so many.  Top 10 hair bands could also be a category for my tastes

Also, can I ignore any Aerosmith pop shit?  The ZZ Top pop stage?  Those could go in there for me, based on Tres Hombres and Toys in The Attic, alone.
  

I would count the Beach Boys.  Like Robbin Williams playing the part of Adrian Cronauer in "Good Morning Vietnam" when they were having a staff meeting to talk about what music to play for the G.I. camp show at the base and Cronauer says something like, "We need some rock 'n' rock.  For Christ's sake, get The Beach Boys!"

F Me In The Brain

If I count them (which I did) they are on top list, for me.

brianlux

F Me In The Brain said:

If I count them (which I did) they are on top list, for me.

Me too.  My first favorite band!

tempo_n_groove

F Me In The Brain said:

If I count them (which I did) they are on top list, for me.

OMG ZZ Top!  How can one forget them.

How about CSN?  Croce? Skynard? Kiss?

All great bands but maybe a different tier?

brianlux

tempo_n_groove said:

F Me In The Brain said:

If I count them (which I did) they are on top list, for me.

OMG ZZ Top!  How can one forget them.

How about CSN?  Croce? Skynard? Kiss?

All great bands but maybe a different tier?

All good possible choice BUT...

...This leads me to  realizing how futile the whole premise of this thread is.  Who the hell came up with this nonsense in the first place anyway?           

But seriously, it nearly impossible to define "greatest" when it comes to music.  What if we did a thread similar to this for jazz?  How could we possibly compare, let's say, the work of early Louis Armstrong to Charlie Parker to Sun Ra to Bitches Brew era Miles Davis?  They are so different it's almost not even the same genre!

Somebody needs to talk to the OP here and straighten that guy out!

tempo_n_groove

brianlux said:

tempo_n_groove said:

F Me In The Brain said:

If I count them (which I did) they are on top list, for me.

OMG ZZ Top!  How can one forget them.

How about CSN?  Croce? Skynard? Kiss?

All great bands but maybe a different tier?

All good possible choice BUT...

...This leads me to  realizing how futile the whole premise of this thread is.  Who the hell came up with this nonsense in the first place anyway?           

But seriously, it nearly impossible to define "greatest" when it comes to music.  What if we did a thread similar to this for jazz?  How could we possibly compare, let's say, the work of early Louis Armstrong to Charlie Parker to Sun Ra to Bitches Brew era Miles Davis?  They are so different it's almost not even the same genre!

Somebody needs to talk to the OP here and straighten that guy out!

hahahahaah!!!

And this is why they made subgenres in music.  If you said BEST southern Rock band?  You'd get CCR, Skynard and Grand Funk for sure every time in those!

brianlux

tempo_n_groove said:

brianlux said:

tempo_n_groove said:

F Me In The Brain said:

If I count them (which I did) they are on top list, for me.

OMG ZZ Top!  How can one forget them.

How about CSN?  Croce? Skynard? Kiss?

All great bands but maybe a different tier?

All good possible choice BUT...

...This leads me to  realizing how futile the whole premise of this thread is.  Who the hell came up with this nonsense in the first place anyway?           

But seriously, it nearly impossible to define "greatest" when it comes to music.  What if we did a thread similar to this for jazz?  How could we possibly compare, let's say, the work of early Louis Armstrong to Charlie Parker to Sun Ra to Bitches Brew era Miles Davis?  They are so different it's almost not even the same genre!

Somebody needs to talk to the OP here and straighten that guy out!

hahahahaah!!!

And this is why they made subgenres in music.  If you said BEST southern Rock band?  You'd get CCR, Skynard and Grand Funk for sure every time in those!

Great idea!  Why didn't I think of that?

tempo_n_groove

brianlux said:

tempo_n_groove said:

brianlux said:

tempo_n_groove said:

F Me In The Brain said:

If I count them (which I did) they are on top list, for me.

OMG ZZ Top!  How can one forget them.

How about CSN?  Croce? Skynard? Kiss?

All great bands but maybe a different tier?

All good possible choice BUT...

...This leads me to  realizing how futile the whole premise of this thread is.  Who the hell came up with this nonsense in the first place anyway?           

But seriously, it nearly impossible to define "greatest" when it comes to music.  What if we did a thread similar to this for jazz?  How could we possibly compare, let's say, the work of early Louis Armstrong to Charlie Parker to Sun Ra to Bitches Brew era Miles Davis?  They are so different it's almost not even the same genre!

Somebody needs to talk to the OP here and straighten that guy out!

hahahahaah!!!

And this is why they made subgenres in music.  If you said BEST southern Rock band?  You'd get CCR, Skynard and Grand Funk for sure every time in those!

Great idea!  Why didn't I think of that?

Well then we would argue how Kings of Leon are not southern rock but acid rock and so on and so forth, lol.

brianlux

tempo_n_groove said:

brianlux said:

tempo_n_groove said:

brianlux said:

tempo_n_groove said:

F Me In The Brain said:

If I count them (which I did) they are on top list, for me.

OMG ZZ Top!  How can one forget them.

How about CSN?  Croce? Skynard? Kiss?

All great bands but maybe a different tier?

All good possible choice BUT...

...This leads me to  realizing how futile the whole premise of this thread is.  Who the hell came up with this nonsense in the first place anyway?           

But seriously, it nearly impossible to define "greatest" when it comes to music.  What if we did a thread similar to this for jazz?  How could we possibly compare, let's say, the work of early Louis Armstrong to Charlie Parker to Sun Ra to Bitches Brew era Miles Davis?  They are so different it's almost not even the same genre!

Somebody needs to talk to the OP here and straighten that guy out!

hahahahaah!!!

And this is why they made subgenres in music.  If you said BEST southern Rock band?  You'd get CCR, Skynard and Grand Funk for sure every time in those!

Great idea!  Why didn't I think of that?

Well then we would argue how Kings of Leon are not southern rock but acid rock and so on and so forth, lol.

The rabbit hole runs deep, lol

curmudgeoness

brianlux said:

tempo_n_groove said:

brianlux said:

tempo_n_groove said:

brianlux said:

tempo_n_groove said:

F Me In The Brain said:

If I count them (which I did) they are on top list, for me.

OMG ZZ Top!  How can one forget them.

How about CSN?  Croce? Skynard? Kiss?

All great bands but maybe a different tier?

All good possible choice BUT...

...This leads me to  realizing how futile the whole premise of this thread is.  Who the hell came up with this nonsense in the first place anyway?           

But seriously, it nearly impossible to define "greatest" when it comes to music.  What if we did a thread similar to this for jazz?  How could we possibly compare, let's say, the work of early Louis Armstrong to Charlie Parker to Sun Ra to Bitches Brew era Miles Davis?  They are so different it's almost not even the same genre!

Somebody needs to talk to the OP here and straighten that guy out!

hahahahaah!!!

And this is why they made subgenres in music.  If you said BEST southern Rock band?  You'd get CCR, Skynard and Grand Funk for sure every time in those!

Great idea!  Why didn't I think of that?

Well then we would argue how Kings of Leon are not southern rock but acid rock and so on and so forth, lol.

The rabbit hole runs deep, lol

I've been compiling playlists for an older (okay, elderly) friend whose only knowledge of twentieth-century non-classical music seems to be The Beatles. There are some deep rabbit holes on YouTube. :-D And yes I keep branching off into various sub-genres.

curmudgeoness

brianlux said:

pjhawks said:

My rankings, not necessarily my favs

1 - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
2 - Metallica
3 - Pearl Jam
4 - Eagles
5 - Beach Boys

Next 5
6 - Van Halen
7 - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakrs
8 - Aerosmith
9 - The Killers
10 - REM

Underrated:
Goo Goo Dolls
Smithereens
Shinedown
Bob Segar & the Silver Bullet Band

Agreed, Seger often gets over-looked.   I remember reading once that Bob Seger and Ted Nugent  shared a bill and between sets Nugent told Seger to "shit or get off the pot".  Much as I don't care for ol' shot-gun Ted, apparently that really fired up Bob and he really stepped up his game.  Seger has done dome great work.

I grew up in Michigan and I have no idea why Ted Nugent ever would be more popular than Bob Seger. I don't care much for either of them, but Seger has the larger, better catalog, I'd argue.