Greatest Rock Band of All Time?

[Communisto]

 

[Supr49er]

Studio band - Led Zeppelin

Live - Queen

 

[StittsvilleJame]

I would like to throw CCR into the ring. And then vote for them.
I'd aslo like you all to take a listen to The Tragically Hip. By far the best band to come from Canada (Rush sucks!)

 

[Vordeo]

Bad comparisons are bad.

Bad logic is bad too.

I would like to throw CCR into the ring. And then vote for them.

Good shout, CCR are brilliant.

I'd aslo like you all to take a listen to The Tragically Hip. By far the best band to come from Canada (Rush sucks!)

I'd back the New Pornographers, personally.

 

[lordsurya08]

Beatles aren't a rock band...bad thread is bad.

In case you didn't realize as of yet, "rock" refers to "rock music", not stones or pebbles. Hope that resolves your confusion \end sarcasm

 

[sophie]

Studio band - Led Zeppelin

Live - Queen

Wow that's...not something I hear everyday.

Bad logic is bad too.

No, not really. We're talking about comparing on the one hand three musicians that created and developed a style of music practiced and adored by millions of billions of people, while at the same time being highly successful in their own rights as musicians (I'd put Berry on the top 20 rock guitarists list), creating songs that have been covered by nearly every rock band in the 60s and early 70s (and are still covered to this day), and just being all around awesome in their own rights

To on the other hand the guy who invented and codified a sport, albeit a popular one, and then went on to be a mediocre coach sporting a losing record.

apples to oranges much?

What must be noted is that I am not picking Berry, Holly and Diddley simply because they basically created Rock and Roll as we know it today, but more because while doing that they also damn good rock artists. I didn't pick Elvis for precisely this reason. I mean come on, are you really going to discount the collective writers of Rock and Roll Music, Johnny B. Goode, Oh Boy!, Not Fade Away, Peggy Sue, Roll Over Beethoven, Road Runner, I'm A Man, and Who Do You Love, just to name a few? I mean come on, those are Rock and Roll classics! I'd say those three artists collectively are covered more often than any other three bands, with the closest three in my mind being in all likelihood Dylan and another two of those three.

 

[classical_hero]

Beatles aren't a rock band...bad thread is bad.

I agree. I consider them closer to pop than rock.

 

[lordsurya08]

I agree. I consider them closer to pop than rock.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taADLPtyDb0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMfkVGCU_BA

That sound pop to you? Sounds very much like Zeppelin to be sure.
Oh, and Wikipedia considers them to be a rock band.

 

[sophie]

That sound pop to you? Sounds very much like Zeppelin to be sure.

Link to video.
No, but that does

No one's disputing that the Beatles did Rock Songs. What we're saying is that they are a pop/rock band that tends to fall more on the Pop side of things.

Oh, and Wikipedia considers them to be a rock band.

Because Wikipedia is totally the ultimate opinion on everything.

 

[Vordeo]

Wow that's...not something I hear everyday.

TBF, Queen did put on brilliant concerts, and Mercury was a dynamic, electrifying frontman. I personally wouldn't put them up as the best live band of all time (that would be the Who, IMO), but they belong in the discussion.

No, not really. We're talking about comparing on the one hand three musicians that created and developed a style of music practiced and adored by millions of billions of people, while at the same time being highly successful in their own rights as musicians (I'd put Berry on the top 20 rock guitarists list), creating songs that have been covered by nearly every rock band in the 60s and early 70s (and are still covered to this day), and just being all around awesome in their own rights

To on the other hand the guy who invented and codified a sport, albeit a popular one, and then went on to be a mediocre coach sporting a losing record.

apples to oranges much?

What you said was:

THE GREATEST ROCK BAND OF ALL TIME IS OBJECTIVELY EITHER CHUCK BERRY OR BUDDY HOLLY AND THE CRICKETS OR BO DIDDLEY. Since, you know, they basically created Rock Music.

Emphasis mine.

Leaving aside that this entire debate is subjective, the gist of that is that they created it, so they're the best at it. That's just faulty, faulty logic, and it falls apart when applied to pretty much anything else, which was the point I was making.

Being an innovator adds to your legacy, certainly, but innovation isn't, and cannot be the only criteria.

What must be noted is that I am not picking Berry, Holly and Diddley simply because they basically created Rock and Roll as we know it today, but more because while doing that they also damn good rock artists.

Fair enough, this makes more sense. However, this is clearly subjective. Not objective, as you claimed.

FWIW, I'd say those three are up there with anyone in rock, Berry especially.

I'd say those three artists collectively are covered more often than any other three bands, with the closest three in my mind being in all likelihood Dylan and another two of those three.

I'd doubt that. 'Yesterday' for one, is the most covered song around, AFAIK. They're certainly up there though.

 

[sophie]

TBF, Queen did put on brilliant concerts, and Mercury was a dynamic, electrifying frontman. I personally wouldn't put them up as the best live band of all time (that would be the Who, IMO), but they belong in the discussion.

I understand, but generally it's Led Zep you see as best live band, and not best studio.

What you said was:



Leaving aside that this entire debate is subjective, the gist of that is that they created it, so they're the best at it. That's just faulty, faulty logic, and it falls apart when applied to pretty much anything else, which was the point I was making.

My fault for thinking it was implied. I wouldn't have put them up if they were terrible artists, which, as I said, was exactly why I didn't put Elvis up there. Also I didn't really bother to mention that I was being rather tongue in cheek when I said that (which I tried to convey by the All Caps and the fact that I said it directly after ranting about how selecting a "BEST EVAR" really isn't worth pursuing, and rather we should list off bands by tier instead so things could get just slightly less flamin'). I suppose I could have conveyed this much better by saying something obnoxious like GUNS N ROSES BEST EVAR AMIRITE, but my train of thought got lost in my irritation that some here were just fawning over The Beatles when some equally (if not IMO more deserving) bands were going completely unmentioned.

FWIW, I'd say those three are up there with anyone in rock, Berry especially.

Well good on ya! Personally I love all three rather equally which is why I listed all three together.

I'd doubt that. 'Yesterday' for one, is the most covered song around, AFAIK. They're certainly up there though.

Meh, I'd put them as the 4th most behind Dylan. This too is probably rather subjective, being that the main reason I like those three so much is the focus of my listening is sixties and early seventies (when everyone and their mother did Who Do You Love or I'm a Man or Not Fade Away), and then the only thing past the early seventies I have, barring Led Zep, Queen, The Clash and the like, are sixties artists' later releases (who really liked covering Dylan). The only Beatles covers I have that I can think of off the top of my head are The Grateful Dead doing Revolution, and The Jerry Garcia Band doing Dear Prudence, so...

 

[Vordeo]

I understand, but generally it's Led Zep you see as best live band, and not best studio.

Yeah, that was a bit strange.

My fault for thinking it was implied. I wouldn't have put them up if they were terrible artists, which, as I said, was exactly why I didn't put Elvis up there. Also I didn't really bother to mention that I was being rather tongue in cheek when I said that (which I tried to convey by the All Caps and the fact that I said it directly after ranting about how selecting a "BEST EVAR" really isn't worth pursuing, and rather we should list off bands by tier instead so things could get just slightly less flamin'). I suppose I could have conveyed this much better by saying something obnoxious like GUNS N ROSES BEST EVAR AMIRITE, but my train of thought got lost in my irritation that some here were just fawning over The Beatles when some equally (if not IMO more deserving) bands were going completely unmentioned.

Ah, fair enough, my sarcasm detector has been pretty faulty recently. My bad.

Also, I wouldn't call Elvis terrible. Overrated, sure, but he put out some good music.

Meh, I'd put them as the 4th most behind Dylan. This too is probably rather subjective, being that the main reason I like those three so much is the focus of my listening is sixties and early seventies (when everyone and their mother did Who Do You Love or I'm a Man or Not Fade Away), and then the only thing past the early seventies I have, barring Led Zep, Queen, The Clash and the like, are sixties artists' later releases (who really liked covering Dylan). The only Beatles covers I have that I can think of off the top of my head are The Grateful Dead doing Revolution, and The Jerry Garcia Band doing Dear Prudence, so...

Yeah, I doubt there are any real numbers out there. Ah well.

 

[sophie]

Ah, fair enough, my sarcasm detector has been pretty faulty recently. My bad.

Well, glad we could sort that out. It's so nice to be able to resolve an argument easily and peaceably, I've gotten so tired of the 17 page shoutfest that are the creationist threads over in OT.

Also, I wouldn't call Elvis terrible. Overrated, sure, but he put out some good music.

Meh, there are a couple tracks of his I like, so I suppose calling him terrible would probably be a little aggressive.

 

[Traitorfish]

Motörhead may not be the greatest musicians, they may not be the most influential artists, and they sure as hell aren't the prettiest, but when it comes to actually being a rock band, there ain't none that can think to rival them.

 

[Huayna Capac357]

The Beatles.

Post-1980 though, I have no idea. I'd probably just go with my favorite bands, not necessarily the "best" ones.

 

[lordsurya08]

Link to video.
No, but that does

No one's disputing that the Beatles did Rock Songs. What we're saying is that they are a pop/rock band that tends to fall more on the Pop side of things.



Because Wikipedia is totally the ultimate opinion on everything.

I've Just Seen A Face is folk rock, not pop. Pop music is supposed to be directed at a teen audience and designed to have mass appeal (and often crappy lyrics too). I've Just Seen doesn't fall into either of those categories.

And secondly, out of all the easily accessible information sources available on the internet, Wikipedia is the ultimate authority in everything, because it is written by a group of intelligent, hardworking people who take information from a variety of reliable sources. And it is unbiased.

The Beatles did make pop songs, some of them downright horrible I will admit ("Tell Me Why", "Little Child") and some of them really good ("Michelle", the overrated but great "Yesterday"). Having heard over 150 Beatles songs, I would say most of their songs were rock however, some of them psychedelic rock (Strawberry Fields Forever) and some hard rock (Helter Skelter, Paperback Writer, Revolution, Happiness is a Warm Gun, I Me Mine, etc.) .

 

[classical_hero]

This is mine. I spoilered them for good taste.

Spoiler :

Just kidding.

@lordsurya08, I would say that there a plenty of Pop groups that have strayed into the rock genre, so it is not unusual for that, neither it is unusual for rock groups to go into other areas.

My personal choice is Queen. They are without out a doubt the best Live group that has ever lived. The art of doing a concert is important for a band it shows if a band is really interested in music, since this is the best way to get your fans connected. This is why G'n'R should not be in the list since Axl is a often terrible at doing concerts. Also G'n'R could have been a great rock band if it weren't for the fact that Axl is such a prick and caused the break-up of the original line-up.

 

[Love]

Poll missing the Doors and the Clash.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I wonder how Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers got dropped from the list. Seriously, theyve been around for 30-some years which IIRC is one of the longest-lasting American bands.

 

[Skwink]

I wonder how Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers got dropped from the list. Seriously, theyve been around for 30-some years.

So has Aerosmith, but their not on the list either.