The 10 Greatest American Bands of All Time
Despite the increased popularity of international music and foreign artists in the United States, there's still something special about American bands and their music. Whether they perform country, jazz, rock, hip hop, or any other genre, these ten greatest American bands have impacted our society and culture since their creation over the last century. Let's take a look at each of them.
1. Beatles
You can't have a list of classic rock bands without mentioning The Beatles. Even if you don't consider them your cup of tea, most music lovers would have a hard time denying that they are perhaps one of music's greatest bands. With so many hit songs to their name, it seems like everyone has their favorite Beatle song; everyone from an 8-year-old kid just getting into music to an 80-year-old man with hearing aids in both ears has heard something by The Beatles. And what can we say? Even though they stopped playing decades ago and weren't even considered a band for most of their run together, there is still magic present when you hear any song performed by them.
2. Rolling Stones
What started as a small band in England has become one of the most respected bands in American history. Their iconic status landed them on our list of The 10 Greatest American Bands in 1965 and made it onto countless other lists since then.
The Beatles greatly influenced all of the popular music in America. However, their power is seen throughout American rock history, from their first album to even after they broke up. In 1967, America put them at No. 7 on its list of The 10 Greatest American Bands. Over 50 years after they took over England and conquered America, some still argue over whether it was The Beatles or The
3. Queen
Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon combined to give us some of history's most memorable moments in rock and roll. Led Zeppelin: Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones have their place among other great American bands for giving us some of rock's greatest anthems, from songs like Stairway to Heaven to Kashmir. The Eagles: Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh, and Randy Meisner created an influential rock sound; it remains one of America's greatest exports. Rolling Stones: It seems as if nearly every band on our list took a page from Jagger & Co.
4. U2
Irish alternative rock band U2 has arguably been around long enough that they don't belong on a list of American bands anymore, but I don't make the rules. Their 1987 album The Joshua Tree is still one of my favorite albums ever, and Achtung Baby – which followed it in 1991 – is about as good as alternative rock (incredibly Mysterious Ways). Almost 25 years into their career, U2 shows no signs of slowing down: its newest album, Songs Of Innocence (2014), was a smash hit. Until The Edge finally loses his perfect if that closes Where The Streets Have No Name, I think we can safely say we'll be hearing from them for quite some time.
Have they ever heard of Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani, or Miley Cyrus? These days they're more likely to be associated with American Idol. Still, back in their heyday, they were part of The Mickey Mouse Club -- an American band made up entirely of pre-teen and teen pop stars who sang and danced on a weekly children's television show (sound familiar?). Although Stefani only appeared in two seasons, and Spears didn't join until 1993 -- after it had been canceled -- most people agree that MMC is responsible for cultivating some serious vocal talent. During its run between 1989 and 1996, performers included Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, and Ryan Gosling.
5. Eagles
The Eagles have sold more than 150 million albums worldwide since its founding in 1971, spanning a career with six number-one singles and six Grammys. The group has also helped drive hits for many other musicians by taking them on tour as openers or backing bands. From Ricky Nelson to Taylor Swift, few famous artists haven't at least attempted to emulate Don Henley and co.'s signature rock 'n' roll sound. Of course, their Hotel California is considered one of rock's best-ever anthems.
The band formed when Don Henley and Glenn Frey met at the Troubadour club in Los Angeles. Over time, they brought on several other players, including Randy Meisner, Bernie Leadon, and Timothy B. Schmit. But it took time for these musicians to find their footing as a group, with an album not coming out until more than a decade after they first started playing together. The band's third album, 1973's Desperado, contained some of their most enduring songs yet didn't make them household names. It wasn't until 1977's Hotel California that their fortunes changed course forever with hit singles such as Hotel California, Life In The Fast Lane, and New Kid In Town.
6. Led Zeppelin
John Bonham, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones may not have been particularly flashy musicians. They didn't need to be. The British band was more influential than any other American band in rock history and helped shape an entire genre for generations to come—with songs that still sound fresh and exciting today. Songs like Stairway to Heaven may be ubiquitous now, but it takes great talent to make something so widely imitated still feel new decades later. Perhaps you think Bohemian Rhapsody from Queen is a better song? That's fine—the way Zeppelin played rock music will always stand out, even if they weren't necessarily revolutionary.
You might be tempted to pick The Beatles for another American band. Their complex harmonies, infectious melodies, and impeccable vocals have had an enormous influence on rock music to date. But one thing Zeppelin did better than any other band was combining those sounds into something more significant—and powerful—than those components would have been alone. If you don't believe it, listen to Heartbreaker, Kashmir or When the Levee Breaks and imagine The Beatles tackling those songs in their prime—it wouldn't be a fair fight. If you can still choose against
7. Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd was formed in 1965 and disbanded in 1994. The band sold an estimated 250 million records worldwide. The group is known for songs like Another Brick in The Wall Part 2 (1979) and Money (1973). Another Brick in the Wall Part 2 won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video. Their 1993 album, Pulse, went platinum ten times over. Pink Floyd was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked them as one of the best artists.
Their Dark Side of The Moon (1973) album remained on Billboard charts for over 800 weeks, longer than any other in history. The band members were David Gilmour (singer and guitarist), Richard Wright (keyboardist and backing vocalist), Roger Waters (bassist and co-lead vocalist), and Nick Mason (drummer). Their most recent appearance was in 2005 at London's Royal Albert Hall to accept an Ivor Novello Award for outstanding song collection. The band was founded by Syd Barrett, who left after five years due to mental health problems. He also suffered from drug abuse. Barrett's leading writing partner was Roger Waters, a bassist who took over as primary songwriter after Barrett's departure in 1968.
8. Stevie Wonder
Many consider it one of America's greatest bands, and Grateful Dead was also considered an incredible force in popular culture. While their live performances were always highly anticipated, their recording career only produced a handful of studio albums. Still, these albums were hugely successful and feature some classic 'Dead tracks, including Truckin' and Touch of Grey. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, joining other greats like Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson, who are recognized for changing music throughout their careers. It is one thing to have a legendary live act; it's another to change pop music with every album you put out.
9. Metallica
Metallica is an American band that's been rocking since 1981. Metallica was founded by drummer Lars Ulrich, guitarist and vocalist James Hetfield, and bass player Ron McGovney. It is one of hard rock's most popular bands, known for hits like 'Enter Sandman' and 'One.' When performing live, fans know to wear earplugs because their concerts are so loud!
Rush is another great American band. Formed in 1968, they have made several hit albums throughout their career. Three of their 12 albums have gone multi-platinum, and more than 30 million people have seen them live in concert. They are even enshrined in the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame! Check out Rush tracks like 'Working Man' and 'Fly By Night.'
10. Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was one of a kind, but it would be unwise to neglect some of their closest musical relatives: The Allman Brothers Band, Widespread Panic, and even Phish. Many of these bands owe their sound to Jerry Garcia and his contemporaries. Of course, there are many other American bands worthy of your respect as well; however, if we had to pick a handful that stands out from an American perspective - with distinction from acts around them in both scope and talent - these are our choices. Any list like this will spark debate, so feel free to voice your opinion on Twitter at @thatmelissajoy or find me on Facebook by clicking here. In honor of Independence Day weekend, here's wishing you long-lived creativity.
Conclusion
While arguing about who's better, Led Zeppelin or The Beatles can be fun, and it doesn't change a thing. Rock history may take another hundred years to be well-defined enough for people to agree on these bands. For now, we can only say that these ten bands had an effect on music—and maybe even society—that would make them hard to forget, no matter what timeline you consider. It's not easy narrowing down all great bands from decades and decades of rock' n roll history into a simple list, but here at Rolling Stone, we think we did just that.
Let's face it, any band that's lasted more than a few decades is pretty impressive. The bands on our list are all from the United States and have been active since 1980. To be considered for our list, they also needed to have some significant success (in record sales and popularity) at least once in their career. We started by scouring online resources such as Encyclopedia Britannica, Hall of Fame Inductees, and Billboard Magazine, which helped us compile a huge list. From there, we narrowed down our list to just ten great bands. What makes these ten bands different from others who came before or after them? Why did we pick them? Well, each one had an impact on music that changed everything. Some were innovators with original sounds; others influenced generations of artists, and others had lyrics or concepts that resonated with people worldwide. Regardless of how you feel about rock 'n roll, most would agree these bands deserve recognition—and respect—for their contributions to music history.