All time best US rock and roll band?

[peteb]

And prior to 1964, how often was that #1 a Rock 'n Roll act, and not something like Pat Boone, Patti Page, or Mitch Miller?

rock has always had to compete with different genres.

that is part of it.

this list shows that rock started with Chuck and Elvis and ended with Nirvana and Meltallica.

??? Boston was a good band. They qualify as rock and roll.

so was Huey Lewis, but Huey is not going on the list.

if we get more support for Boston, then they are in.

 

[Timbresmith1]

rock has always had to compete with different genres.

that is part of it.

this list shows that rock started with Chuck and Elvis and ended with Nirvana and Meltallica.




so was Huey Lewis, but Huey is not going on the list.

if we get more support for Boston, then they are in.

Huey is firmly in the “Pop” category for me.

 

[peteb]

I agree.

but the “Heart of rock and roll is still beating …


What about Bob Seeger?

I love that old time rock and roll..

Let’s check with a published list, by a UK source no less


https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/...american-rock-bands-of-all-time-a3804481.html



springsteen?

I could go either way, but I was planning to put Bruce on the list.

 

[Greggorios]

Until you try to think of an iconic rock song they wrote and come up with squat…

Iconic, where did that word come from? Got a feeling that's another thread and probably a good one.

 

[mr natural]

Rock and roll band, not solo artist, I gotta go with Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps. Rock in general, Los Lobos hands down. Saw them 3 times and they brought it every time. Those guys can do anything they put their minds to.

 

[getbent]

Except the "rock and roll" part. Blame Henley for that, probably Frey, too.

blah blah, doesn't fit my narrow view. I'll change the rules to fit my emotions. okay. go for it.

If you go in any record store, in the rock section, the eagles.

it is rough when our dreams aren't shared by all... but, we get over it.

 

[Digital Larry]

Rock in general, Los Lobos hands down. Saw them 3 times and they brought it every time. Those guys can do anything they put their minds to

Another aspect of Los Lobos compared to many bands is that they have 3 songwriters and are not focused on any specific member though I s'pose Dave Hidalgo comes across as the leader. They do the traditional/folk stuff convincingly and pick great covers. Saw 'em at the Fillmore a few years back and they finished with a scorching rendition of Santana's "Soul Sacrifice". I may have seen them 10 times over the years.

 

[Robert H.]

At their best - Sly and the Family Stone

 

[stomped box]

For the millionth (or is it billionth?) time, this isn't an Olympic event! There IS NO best or worst! Stop being so small minded and lacking imagination by feeling the need to categorize and compartmentalize ANY art or creative endeavor in this way. You can say- "This is my FAVORITE American band", but you can't say- "This is the BEST American band".

Yeah!

Plus everyone knows it's the Minutemen.

 

[JBryantfan]

Beach boys

 

[ndcaster]

to my ears, rock and roll was Little Richard playing straight eighths over a swing beat

Gene Vincent, too

no swing? no rock and roll

something happened after Elvis that straightened things into straight-eight rock

 

[Wyzsard]

NRBQ

 

[fenderese]

now that the rules are clarified:

 

[TN Tele]

Too many great bands...
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Aerosmith
Eagles
ZZ Top
Nirvana
Chicago
Earth, Wind and Fire
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Grateful Dead
Grand Funk railroad
Van Halen
Doobie Brothers

 

[Fiesta Red]

ZZ Top—although I think of them more as a Texas band than a US band…

Also…
There’s a bunch of good arguments for the Arc Angels:

(1) Made one spectacular studio album and then disintegrated.
(2) said album produced by a legendary guitarist who was a member of a legendary band himself and left his own legendary band for stupid reasons
(3) Acrimony and personal disputes
(4) Legendary rhythm section
(4a) said rhythm section has had success backing other artists and bands, both live and in-studio
(5) Two charismatic frontmen, both capable of leading their own bands
(5a) said frontmen have never reached as high of critical or commercial success in the bands they later led (adding to legend)
(5b) said frontmen have also joined bands of other beyond-legendary solo artists in studio and on-stage
(6) Drug abuse
(7) occasional reunions and recordings, hinting at more albums and long-term tours and/or band-good, which has never materialized (adding to legend)

 

[Double Stop]

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU FOLKS??!

Has anyone ever heard of THE BYRDS?

I mean, for the love of............ 215 posts without anyone mentioning them. Shame, shame, shame.

Don't give me "Folk Rock", either. They did rock, folk, country, psychedelic, and experimental.

 

[Manual Slim]

I'd rather hear the Sonics than just about any band mentioned here and I'd still pick the electric eels to represent the USA in a rock battle to the death.

 

[Timbresmith1]

Yeah!

Plus everyone knows it's the Minutemen.

On the dime!

 

[Timbresmith1]

Iconic, where did that word come from? Got a feeling that's another thread and probably a good one.

I got it from the label on a pair of Altec speakers.

 

[eMGee]

I tend to lean in this direction for great US bands: