Greatest Rock Band of All Time?

[sophie]

Do tell, what albums have you listened to? Full Moon Fever isn't even a Heartbreakers album! I actually don't like Free Fallin' all that much myself.

I have a greatest hits album of his, and then I have his stuff from Concert for George and Traveling Wilburys.

The greatest hits stuff is alright when I listen to it once a year, but as I said, it's just generally unspectacular. His Wilburys stuff is just kind of obnoxious and I always find myself wanting them to go back to Harrison or Orbison's voice. And as for Concert for George, there's a reason I skip over the stuff that Petty sings.

You just need to learn to accept that Petty is unspectacular in comparison to the likes of The Beatles, Floyd, Clapton, etc., and just move on. This obsession is unhealthy.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I have a greatest hits album of his, and then I have his stuff from Concert for George and Traveling Wilburys.

Except its just greatest hits. No deeper cuts. Heck, even Jammin' Me wasn't on there and that was a pretty good single. Hardly any ballads at all except for Free Fallin' which I mentioned aint my favorite.

 

[sophie]

Except its just greatest hits. No deeper cuts. Heck, even Jammin' Me wasn't on there and that was a pretty good single. Hardly any ballads at all except for Free Fallin' which I mentioned aint my favorite.

It doesn't matter, as it in no way changes what I said above.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Mhm, but how can you judge on how a band sounds just from their greatest hits?

The song writing is meh, the guitar work is mediocre at best. I'd consider him to have one of the most obnoxious singing voices out there, and the drums/bass are unspectacular. The only benefit the band has is that a couple of their songs are occasionally catchy.

Especially WHEN THE GREATEST HITS IGNORES NEARLY HALF THEIR CAREER. Its only the pre-Wildflowers tracks.

 

[sophie]

Mhm, but how can you judge on how a band sounds just from their greatest hits?



Especially WHEN THE GREATEST HITS IGNORES NEARLY HALF THEIR CAREER. Its only the pre-Wildflowers tracks.

As much as I appreciate the free pc, this argument is pointless. Until you show me something proving that Tom Petty deserves to be on this list, and that he's not just a mediocre artist, then I'm done with this.

 

[The Supervisor]

Either Queen, CCR-Sorry John Fogerty, or The Stooges/

bunch of people cited them all as influences later.

 

[ParkCungHee]

No Talking Heads or Doors?

 

[Love]

I chose reserved 1, 2 and 3 to be the Clash, the Doors and Yes.

 

[Vordeo]

As I said before, Petty is aight, but I certainly wouldn't put him up there with The Beatles, The Kinks, Led Zep, Chuck Berry, etc. For me he's a 2nd tier band at best.

While I agree with this (mostly), I do want to say that 'Refugee' is one of the best rock songs ever made.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

While I agree with this (mostly), I do want to say that 'Refugee' is one of the best rock songs ever made.

Oh, it is. I really like the extended live version done on Take the Highway. Theyre really more of a live band than a studio one, though Pack Up the Plantation seems to lack a kind of energy IMHO. The Live Anthology is great but overkill for the casual fan. I mean I prefer the live versions of a lot of songs.

Im gonna save the argumenting for when Im not so tired. I was up to 3 am last night

 

[shadowplay]

The song writing is meh, the guitar work is mediocre at best. I'd consider him to have one of the most obnoxious singing voices out there, and the drums/bass are unspectacular.

This.

They're not even in contention.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

And what albums have you listened to?

 

[shadowplay]

Enough to know we're not talking about someone on par with most of the top bands listed above.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Mhm, but what exactly?

By the way, Im not arguing that he's above all of those -- Im arguing that hes good enough to be listed with some of them. For what its worth I could possibly list connections to a good chunk of them to Petty and the Heartbreakers. Want me to try?

 

[shadowplay]

By the way, Im not arguing that he's above all of those -- Im arguing that hes good enough to be listed with them.

And I'm arguing that he's not.

The one thing I'll give Petty credit for is he's quite a good song writer. I don't care at all for his performing abilities.

Just my opinion, Aimee. Not trying to say your tastes aren't valid.

 

[Traitorfish]

aimee all the bands in the poll options are better than Tom Pety because no one had to post links to pics and articles to convince anyone that they are generally accepted as great.

Eh, I'd call maybe four or five of them "great". The rest are just "popular".

 

[tycoonist]

Led Zep or The Who... I'd say that Led Zep made better albums in general, and that their overall contribution was greater. However, The Who wrote the best album (IMO) of all time - Who's Next will always be my favourite album.

Close contenders: Rolling Stones (their influence, and the sheer amount of high quality work they've pumped out over the years is incredible), Pink Floyd (possibly the most thought provoking music - I never get tired of DSOTM or the wall or animals or even Piper) and Jimi Hendrix Experience (the man revolutionized guitar)

EDIT: aimee, i understand where you're coming from with Tom Petty. He is a fantastic vocalist and song writer, but good as the heartbreakers are, they really don't hold a candle to the most of the other bands on that list.

 

[bathsheba666]

Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band...


...for the kind of opaque melodies that would bug most people.

 

[W|M]

Rush or Dragonforce.

 

[StittsvilleJame]

Why no Pearl Jam? They've been arou nd for a long time, have many great songs.

As a matter of fact, I would place Ten as one of the best albums of all time. The entire A side was full of anthems, and the B side full of lesser known but quite groovy tunes.