ADVERTISEMENT

Top 5 American rock bands of all time

DT_PITT said:
I wouldn't put Alice in Chains on there but the other 4 are great picks.

I'd put Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band as #1 and the other four could follow.
Click to expand...

We seem to have some converging musical tastes with some significant outliers, lol.

I can't stand Bruce Springsteen's music. I know it is well played and he's got a good voice but it just grates on me. Music is odd in that way.

I'm not a fan of hard rock but AIC's music spoke to me. I guess underneath the heavy sound they were just really superb songwriters. Add to it Staley's voice and I think they were pretty special for the short time they existed.
 
CaptainMurphy said:
We seem to have some converging musical tastes with some significant outliers, lol.

I can't stand Bruce Springsteen's music. I know it is well played and he's got a good voice but it just grates on me. Music is odd in that way.

I'm not a fan of hard rock but AIC's music spoke to me. I guess underneath the heavy sound they were just really superb songwriters. Add to it Staley's voice and I think they were pretty special for the short time they existed.
Click to expand...

We are probably closer than you think. I'm not a huge Bruce fan either, but there is absolutely no denying that he is completely a Rock and Roll deity. Another example is Elvis. There's nothing I like about Elvis, but Elvis is still the King!

I like AIC, but I'd still put them behind a band such as Soundgarden. To me, few have a voice as special as Chris Cornell.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4Mark_Marty
Top Bands - No Order
Aerosmith
Beach Boys
Eagles
Metallica
Springsteen

My Favs - No Order
Chili Peppers
Metallica
Van Halen
Nirvana
Tom Petty

my next five favs would include
Guns & Roses
Linkin Park
Rage Against the Machine
Lynyrd Skynyrd
REM

Neil Young falls under Canadian for me, so I'll leave him off. Also, don't think Johnny Cash or the Beastie's qualify or I would squeeze them in somewhere.
 
  • Like
Reactions: #99HUGHgreen
pittbacker1 said:
1. Grateful Dead
2. Jerry Garcia Band
3. Jefferson Airplane
4. Lou Reed Velvet Underground
5. Leon Russell and the Shelter People
Click to expand...
I saw Lou Reed live, that was a different concert. More CD's and female impersonaters in the audience than I had ever seen.
 
pbrad said:
I thought you said American bands!
Click to expand...
Yeah. I did. When someone suggested Fleetwood Mac, I didn’t know they were British-American. I thought they were just American.
Someone else suggested Elton John, who is neither a band nor American.

what this shows us is when we limit the discussion to just American bands, it gets a bit challenging.
 
jtownknowitall said:
1. Creedence Clearwater Revival
2. The Grateful Dead
3. REM
4. The Allman Brothers Band
5. The Doors
Click to expand...

I am with you on 3 of 5. I really enjoy REM but I take them out, as well as CCR. I put in Skynyrd and I have never been able to come up with a definitive for the 5th spot.

I think Aerosmith, before they got sober, is in but some of the crap they put out after was awful. Guns & Roses and the Appetite for Destruction album is certainly worthy. But so is REM. And The Beach Boys too.

Like I said I have never been able to decide on the final spot.
 
No particular order:

Led Zeppelin
Bob Marley and the Wailers
Alice In Chains
Soundgarden
Smashing Pumpkins
 
  • Like
Reactions: #99HUGHgreen
Last edited:
This top 5 thing is so subjective. There is likely to be at least one band on most of our lists (even one I might put together) where enough people will think, “Really... That band?”
 
Gunga_Galunga said:
Top Bands - No Order
Aerosmith
Beach Boys
Eagles
Metallica
Springsteen

My Favs - No Order
Chili Peppers
Metallica
Van Halen
Nirvana
Tom Petty
The Doors

my next five favs would include
Guns & Roses
Linkin Park
Rage Against the Machine
Lynyrd Skynyrd
REM

Neil Young falls under Canadian for me, so I'll leave him off. Also, don't think Johnny Cash or the Beastie's qualify or I would squeeze them in somewhere.
Click to expand...


For my money “5 Best” means those bands really need to have enough undeniably great songs

Eagles - absolutely
The Beach Boys - deserving
Aerosmith - maybe
Springsteen - maybe
R.E.M. - maybe
Nirvana -maybe
Pearl Jam - maybe
Tom Petty and the HB - maybe
Steve Miller Band -maybe
Red Hot Chili Peppers - maybe
The Talking Heads - maybe
The Doors - maybe
Cheap Trick - maybe
The Grateful Dead- maybe
CCR - maybe
CSN - maybe
The Allman Brothers - maybe
Foo Fighters - maybe
Leonard Skynyrd - maybe
Metallica - maybe
Van Halen- maybe
Boston - love them- but not quite


There are others whose music I like even more than some of these bands, but I don’t know if they belong in the top 5 best.
 
Last edited:
Las Panteras said:
Pearl Jam

Transformational band
Click to expand...
Yeah. That’s a good suggestion. I personally am not a fan and I don’t think their musicianship is anywhere near good enough...but I could see where an argument could be made for them to be in a top 5. How many bands were bigger than them in the 90’s? And they get just as much air play on radio 25 years later.
 
Since we are beyond the scope of the OP, time to mention Grand Funk Railroad , Doobie Brothers and Steve Miller Band, just for fun
 
fkthomas said:
Madden had this subject on his show recently. I forget who his exact top 5 were but he had

1) Aerosmith
2) Van Halen
3) ??? (May have been kiss or Motley Crue)
4) Metallica
5 Eagles

I’d like to put REM in there but I’m objective enough to know that they don’t belong. So here’s my opinion

aerosmith has a Disney ride named after them. That has to count for something.

Van Halen has arguably the best musician of anyone on the list. That counts for something.

The Eagles sold more records than anyone. That certainly counts for something.

but for me, I’d have to lean toward Van Halen being #1. Current radio airplay has to be a major factor, and there are probably 15 David Lee Roth era songs and 15 Sammy Hagar era songs in everyday rotation. I don’t think I could name 15 Aerosmith songs or eagles songs. So for that, I’d give the nod to Eddie and the boys.

what do you guys think? Remember this is “American top 5” , so you Rush fans, Beatles fans, AC/DC fans and stones fans can save it!
Click to expand...
The Doors
Aerosmith
REM
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Grateful Dead
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

JimHammett

Pitt officially announces hire of Tory Verdi

Replies
4
Views
594
Center Court at the Pete
UptownPrivileges
UptownPrivileges
mike412

OT: Springsteen Live In Barcelona

Replies
10
Views
499
Between Fifth And Forbes
TitoBeagle
T
W

Pitt players on ESPN's all-time top 50 freshman seasons

Replies
19
Views
2K
Football Board
4Mark_Marty
4Mark_Marty
TheWerewolfFromTwilight

OT: Just for Fun - Favorite Rock Band Quartet

Replies
35
Views
1K
Football Board
JS School
J
Chris Peak

20 thoughts on a Monday morning: Placing the blame, identifying talent, losing commits and more

Replies
92
Views
4K
Between Fifth And Forbes
johnnygears
johnnygears
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT
Top Bottom
Back