I know what you're thinking: "Oh great, another dude who wants to shove his opinion about his favorite rock bands down our throat." Well, yeah, that's what I'm trying to do. But the difference is I actually have reason behind the order of these bands. I wanted to compile a list of my favorite bands (which happen to be fairly popular on the world's stage) and offer you a reason as to why I picked them, and why I put them in that order. So if you are like me, and you love seeing your favorite bands in the Top 10 lists everywhere you look, then great! Let's go!
10. Queen - London, England - 1970
Listen, before you say a word. Just listen. Queen is certainly one of the most innovative, progressive and experimental rock bands of all time. They produced timeless hits such as "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Somebody to Love," "We Are the Champions," and "We Will Rock You." Having sold over 300 million albums worldwide, Queen has been one of the most commercially successful rock bands of all time.
Forming in 1971 and producing their first album in 1973, Queen's best days featured Freddie Mercury on lead vocals, Brian May on lead guitar, and Roger Taylor on drums. Generally, critics have loved Queen's music too, as their singles and albums have landed on numerous "best of" lists.
Since the death of Freddie Mercury in 1991, Queen has continued recording and touring. They are now legendary rockers with a list of accolades and awards too long to put in this meager space. A fabulous band with extraordinary, larger-than-life lyrics, and a knack for becoming intoxicating to those who listen, Queen has cemented itself as one of the greatest bands of all time, but the reason for placing them at number ten has nothing to do with their quality of music, but rather the influence that the following groups have which reaches slightly further than Queen's in my opinion.
9. Pearl Jam - Seattle, Washington - 1990
A multitude of rock fans fell in love with Seattle grunge band Pearl Jam's first album. Ten, released in 1991, is certainly one of the greatest rock albums of all time, and I would argue is the greatest debut album of all time without a doubt. VH1 listed the album as number seventy-nine on the list of 100 Greatest Rock Albums. (Way too low, don't you think?)
When most people are asked who they think is the most influential grunge era band, the general consensus is either Pearl Jam or Nirvana. I would argue that Pearl Jam has more influence than Nirvana simply because of the fact that once the "grunge revolution" took off, Pearl Jam became the forefront of what would replace hair metal and end the era of classic rock as we all knew it. On top of ushering in one of the greatest rock eras, Pearl Jam never cared too much to be considered "cool", and their album Ten hit America like a bomb in the early 90's.
By the 2000's, Pearl Jam had become Seattle's answer to the Grateful Dead, born in a West Coast rock boom and molded in a fiery stage show for which everything else - personal trials, world strife - was kindling. Pearl Jam abdicated the seat of rock super-stardom at its peak, but not through the drift, death, or disintegration that picked off its peers throughout the 90's. This band earned its freedom by slipping out of sight step-by-step, first waving off television, then worming its way off radio. I'm not saying that Pearl Jam is the end-all-be-all of rock music, but for the grunge era, they certainly paved the way for rock music as we know it today.
8. Metallica - Los Angeles, California - 1981
Fewer bands have captivated the minds and hearts of rock fans from all genres. Right in the middle of the largest explosion of hair that rock has ever seen, Metallica was busy paving the way for a new generation of rock: thrash metal. From their early, fiery days of Ride The Lightning and Master of Puppets to their deeper years of Metallica (Black Album) and ...And Justice For All, Metallica soared to metal relevance and superiority in a matter of months after their debut in 1981.
While they weren't always the biggest metal band in the world, they did their fair share of relentless touring, writing, and building from humble beginnings to get to where they are today. Metallica's success didn't happen overnight, and it has kept the same script of playing fan favorites at concerts despite most other band's attempts to shed older material in favor of newer songs. On the subject of fans, Metallica loves their fans unconditionally, and constantly gives back to the user experience of Metallica -- allowing fans to choose their set list, fan club experiences, supporting the troops, working with charities, and supporting local businesses -- to create an atmosphere of great music and great fun.
Metallica has released ten studio albums, four live albums, a cover album, five EP's, thirty-seven singles and thirty-nine music videos. That is a resume any band would love to have, on top of their nine Grammy Awards from twenty-three nominations. Metallica ranks as one of the most commercially successful bands of all time and have sold over 125 million albums worldwide. And we haven't even gotten started on how they influenced countless bands yet to come.
7. Aerosmith - Boston, Massachusetts - 1970
No American rock band has won more awards and honors—and sold more albums—than Aerosmith. Formed in the early 1970s, this Boston-based band developed a hard rock cutting edge that rivaled that of other hard rock bands such as Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and AC/DC (though some critics considered them nothing more than a poor man’s Rolling Stones). Perhaps the band’s greatest hit is “Walk This Way,” which has been covered by numerous groups, including the hip-hop band Run D.M.C.
With 25 gold albums, 18 platinum albums, and 12 multi-platinum albums, they hold the record for the most total certifications by an American band and are tied for the most multi-platinum albums by an American band. The band has scored twenty-one Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, nine number-one Mainstream Rock hits, four Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards, and ten MTV Video Music Awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, and were included among both Rolling Stone's and VH1's lists of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time at number 57 and number 30 respectively.
But, even with all of their success, it has been a bumpy ride for these guys. By the middle of the 1980's, virtually every band member ended up in drug rehab. The band didn’t rebound until the end of the decade, when every member had finally sworn off the contraband. Since then, they've rocked. So, regarding rock longevity, only the Rolling Stones top these aging, though potent, rockers.
6. U2 - Dublin, Ireland - 1976
U2 seems to be one of the most popular musical acts in the world (they also have a social conscience). One of their first songs, 1983’s “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” commemorated the slaughter of civilians during upheavals in IRA-embattled Ireland. The band was also prominent at the Live-Aid (for Africa) concerts in 1985. Bono, the lead singer of the group, remains a social activist on the world scene, visiting troubled spots with the regularity of a United Nations ambassador. Of course, U2 has written ballads too, perhaps most prominently “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” featured on their album Joshua Tree, rated number 15 on VH1’s list of the 100 Greatest Rock Albums of All Time, compiled in 2001. If any rock group lasts as long (or even longer) than the Rolling Stones, it may be U2.
U2 have released 14 studio albums and are one of the world's best-selling music artists, having sold an estimated 150–170 million records worldwide. They have won 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other band, and in 2005, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. Rolling Stone ranked U2 at number 22 on its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Throughout their career, as a band and as individuals, they have campaigned for human rights and social justice causes, including Amnesty International, Jubilee 2000, the ONE/DATA campaigns, Product Red, War Child, and Music Rising.
By the way, U2 puts on a spectacular live show, particularly when performing in arenas or stadiums. In that regard, The Edge, A.K.A. David Howell Evans, U2’s lead guitarist, seemingly uses a different guitar for every song U2 plays. Small wonder, since it appears every guitar has a unique tone the artist must utilize to its fullest.
5. Pink Floyd - London, England - 1965
Few rock bands have been as influential as Pink Floyd, which formed in 1965. Pink Floyd were an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining a following as a psychedelic rock group, they were distinguished for their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philosophical lyrics and elaborate live shows, and became a leading band of the progressive rock genre. They are one of the most commercially successful and influential bands in popular music history.
Pink Floyd has sold over 200 million records and still performs from time to time. Their first album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, was released during the Summer of Love in 1967. Perhaps the album’s greatest hit was “Interstellar Overdrive,” a decidedly psychedelic title and tune, during a very trippy time, if you remember. In 1965, lead guitarist Syd Barrett, suffering from mental problems, was replaced by his friend David Gilmour.
The band has produced numerous hit albums over the years, such as The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall, which have collectively sold over 250 million records worldwide. After breaking up in 1996, Pink Floyd reunited for the Live 8 concert in 2005. Sadly, Syd Barrett died in July 2006, but Pink Floyd’s space music will never perish.
4. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - London, England - 1966
Reputedly, blues guitarist Eric Clapton’s jaw dropped when he heard Jimi Hendrix play Howlin Wolf’s “Killing Floor.” I’ll bet many jaws went south when The Jimi Hendrix Experience, the eponymous power trio, hit the music scene in the U.K. in the latter part of 1966. The group lasted only four years or so, changing bass players and drummers a time or two (Mitch Mitchell was the drummer on all albums except Band of Gypsies, on which Buddy Miles played drums and sang vocals), but their dominance over the genre was truly impressive.
The band’s leader, Jimi Hendrix, quickly established himself as the most explosive and inventive guitarist around and, to this day, he is often considered the greatest rock guitarist of all time. (Rolling Stone magazine voted him as such in 2003.) “Purple Haze,” “Foxy Lady,” “All Along the Watchtower,” and “Machine Gun” are often considered to be the band’s greatest songs.
Then, in the fall of 1970, Hendrix was planning to record an album with jazz great Miles Davis. Wouldn’t that have been incredible! Unfortunately, the band’s stardom was cut short by the death of Hendrix in September 1970. To use an astronomical metaphor (which feels appropriate somehow), Jimi was like a giant blue star, he was so enormous that he burned out in a relatively quick and spectacular fashion. His death was a cataclysmic explosion, such as a supernova...
3. The Rolling Stones - London, England - 1962
During their fifty years as a band, the Rolling Stones have released twenty-nine studio albums, eighteen live albums, numerous videos, concert films and compilations. The band was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. They were ranked fourth on Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. As of 2014, their albums had sold an estimated 250 million. Well known for their energetic live performances and their wild reputations offstage, perhaps the band's most impressive achievement was that after fifty years they were still going strong with no end in sight.
When the Rolling Stones first hit the scene in the 1960s, they received more attention for their physical appearance, their long hair, for example, than for their music. However, after releasing several covers and, later, their own original music, the band got attention for blending blues and rock into their own signature sound. They brought a simpler form of blues to the forefront of pop culture, merging it with rock and roll.
As the Rolling Stones celebrated their fiftieth anniversary, their influence could be seen in everyone from fellow veteran acts such as Aerosmith and Iggy Pop to more recent bands like the White Stripes. One thing was for certain, long after the Rolling Stones play their last show, their legacy would live on through the music, books and concert films as well as in their influence on current and future rock bands.
2. Led Zeppelin - London, England - 1968
Led Zeppelin’s legacy and influence encompass the rock ‘n roll genre. They pushed the limits, challenged ideals, and pulled out all the stops when it came to making music. They were rooted in blues but unlike some of their contemporaries, they went in hard and heavy. More than the fusion of folk, psychedelia, soul, blues, and rock, they were also commercially successful.
They became household names and every rock-loving soul on the planet had at least one Led Zeppelin record. They were at the forefront in the development of heavy metal. It would take us all day long to list down their accolades and accomplishments but at the end of the day, only one thing matters – that they remain a prominent figure not just in rock but music in general.
Many critics consider Led Zeppelin one of the most successful, innovative, and influential rock groups in history. They are one of the best-selling music artists in the history of audio recording; various sources estimate the group's record sales at 200 to 300 million units worldwide. With RIAA-certified sales of 111.5 million units, they are the third-best-selling band and fifth-best-selling act in the US. Each of their nine studio albums placed in the top 10 of the Billboard album chart and six reached the number-one spot. They achieved eight consecutive UK number-one albums. Rolling Stone magazine described them as "the heaviest band of all time", "the biggest band of the Seventies", and "unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history". They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995; the museum's biography of the band states that they were "as influential" during the 1970's as the Beatles were during the 1960's.
When they released Led Zeppelin II, they knocked The Beatles’ Abbey Road from the top spot – TWICE. For their first three albums, they achieved commercial success but also received mixed reviews. It wasn’t until their untitled fourth album that critics were basically left with no choice but to retract their statements that called Led Zeppelin ‘unoriginal’ or ‘lacking in creativity’. Because even their harshest critics couldn’t help but admit that the album was a tour de force.
Rock bands from the 80's onward were heavily influenced by Led Zeppelin. From Queen to Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin set the template in hard rock. And their reach branched out to folk, soul, punk, and psychedelia too.
1. The Beatles - Liverpool, United Kingdom - 1960
Before John, Paul, George and Ringo became the Beatles, they were simply four teenagers from Liverpool. Never could John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr have imagined they would go on to form one of the most successful groups in modern history, influencing the popular culture in not only music, but also fashion, film and global representation.
In the late 1950's and early 1960's, it was difficult to imagine a band hailing from the relatively poor northwest port city of Liverpool, England, could get a gig in the thriving London music scene of the south, let alone export their eventual homegrown success to a world eagerly opening up to the counter-culture movement of the 60's and the burgeoning phenomenon that was called rock 'n' roll.
The Beatles are the best-selling music act of all time, with certified sales of over 183 million units in the US and estimated sales of 600 million units worldwide. They hold the record for most number-one albums on the UK Albums Chart, most number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and most singles sold in the UK. The group were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, and all four main members were inducted individually between 1994 and 2015. In 2008, the group topped Billboard's list of the all-time most successful artists on the Billboard Hot 100. The band have received seven Grammy Awards, four Brit Awards, an Academy Award (for Best Original Song Score for the 1970 film Let It Be) and fifteen Ivor Novello Awards. Time named them among the 20th century's 100 most important people.
Former Rolling Stone associate editor Robert Greenfield compared the Beatles to Picasso, as "artists who broke through the constraints of their time period to come up with something that was unique and original ... [I]n the form of popular music, no one will ever be more revolutionary, more creative and more distinctive..." I think it's safe to say there isn't a soul in this world who hasn't heard of The Beatles, and we're all the better for it.
If you survived this long, then thank you for taking the time to read my list! I would love to hear your opinion and I'd love for a discussion to start about bands who were snubbed from this list! Name me your own favorite bands and why they should have been on this list, and we might just have to make a second (11-20) list!
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