Top 50 Rock Bands Of All Time

[Kinky]

So Louder Sounds ran a reader survey to define the top 50 greatest rock bands of all time. The list is quite interesting; and not one I entirely agree with. You can read the top 50 here: https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-50-best-r...

But to save everyone the hassle, here't the list.

50. Roxy Music
49. King Crimson
48. ZZ Top
47. Ramones
46. Journey
45. Cream
44. Motley Crue
43. Rainbow
42. Pearl Jam
41. Marillion
40. Status Quo
39. Uriah Heep
38. Chicago
37. Creedence Clearwater Revival
36. The Doors
35. Lynyrd Skynyrd
34. Slade
33. Bruce Springsteen
32. Tool
31. Fleetwood Mac
30. Nirvana
29. Judas Priest
28. Genesis
27. Motorhead
26. Foo Fighters
25. U2
24. Bon Jovi
23. David Bowie
22. Thin Lizzy
21. Bob Dylan
20. Jimi Hendrix
19. Yes
18. Eagles
17. Aerosmith
16. Kiss
15. Van Halen
14. Def Leppard
13. The Who
12. Guns N' Roses
11. Deep Purple
10. Iron Maiden
9. Metallica
8. The Rolling Stones
7. Black Sabbath
6. The Beatles
5. AC/DC
4. Pink Floyd
3. Rush
2. Queen
1. Led Zeppelin

IMHO, bands missing include, Ozzy, Whitesnake, Pistols, Venom, Television, Budgie, RATM, Offspring, Dio, Tom Petty, The Band, The Clash, Rory Gallagher, Accept, Dire Straits, Black Flag, RHCP, Boomtown Rats. I'm sure I could think of more, but those immediately spring to mind.

But of course, this is a collective list. I'm just really surprised with some of those included and excluded (as per my list above).

[So]

Kinky said:

So Louder Sounds ran a reader survey to define the top 50 greatest rock bands of all time. The list is quite interesting; and not one I entirely agree with. You can read the top 50 here: https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-50-best-r...

But to save everyone the hassle, here't the list.

50. Roxy Music
49. King Crimson
48. ZZ Top
47. Ramones
46. Journey
45. Cream
44. Motley Crue
43. Rainbow
42. Pearl Jam
41. Marillion
40. Status Quo
39. Uriah Heep
38. Chicago
37. Creedence Clearwater Revival
36. The Doors
35. Lynyrd Skynyrd
34. Slade
33. Bruce Springsteen
32. Tool
31. Fleetwood Mac
30. Nirvana
29. Judas Priest
28. Genesis
27. Motorhead
26. Foo Fighters
25. U2
24. Bon Jovi
23. David Bowie
22. Thin Lizzy
21. Bob Dylan
20. Jimi Hendrix
19. Yes
18. Eagles
17. Aerosmith
16. Kiss
15. Van Halen
14. Def Leppard
13. The Who
12. Guns N' Roses
11. Deep Purple
10. Iron Maiden
9. Metallica
8. The Rolling Stones
7. Black Sabbath
6. The Beatles
5. AC/DC
4. Pink Floyd
3. Rush
2. Queen
1. Led Zeppelin

IMHO, bands missing include, Ozzy, Whitesnake, Pistols, Venom, Television, Budgie, RATM, Offspring, Dio, Tom Petty, The Band, The Clash, Rory Gallagher, Accept, Dire Straits, Black Flag, RHCP, Boomtown Rats. I'm sure I could think of more, but those immediately spring to mind.

But of course, this is a collective list. I'm just really surprised with some of those included and excluded (as per my list above).

Pearl Jam below Status Quo?

All great bands, but as you say the order is not mine.

[Dr Murdoch]

Rush?

Qui?

Lots of other things I don't agree with (Nirvana 20 something, but they've had the biggest impact in 30 years?)

Rush at No. 3. Of all frigging time?

[scottydoesntknow]

Agree with you about Dire Straits. A few of your offerings are solo artists though, Dio and Ozzy could be included with Sabbath.

[So]

scottydoesntknow said:

Agree with you about Dire Straits. A few of your offerings are solo artists though, Dio and Ozzy could be included with Sabbath.

Yes Dire Straits and RHCP should be in there.

Edited by So on Saturday 30th November 22:08

[craig1912]

Dire Straits definitely

[stevemcs]

I also agree about dire straights, i'd put metallica higher and throw motley crue in the top 50 but only for mick marrs

[LaurasOtherHalf]

I can understand (if not agree) with The Sex Pistols being missing but not The Clash. It's obviously skewed towards to the 70s and hard rock too.

Lists like these will always bring up controversy however-there'll be a million fans of a certain band out there who can say "what, you don't include xxxxxxxxxx but Status Quo are in there?!".

Where on earth are ELO by the way?

[RichB]

Totally bizarre, Led Zeppelin on the same chart as Pink Floyd and The Beatles! All brilliant in their own genre but how could you possibly rank them? If, as it suggests, it's "rock bands" then you can exclude The Beatles and Floyd. If it's the influence on music then the Beatles have to be top, if it's crating a genre all of your own then it's Floyd. Total nonsense.

[gazza285]

My subjective opinion is that Def Leppard are ste.

ZZ Top far too low as well.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

RichB said:

Totally bizarre, Led Zeppelin on the same chart as Pink Floyd and The Beatles! All brilliant in their own genre but how could you possibly rank them? If, as it suggests, it's "rock bands" then you can exclude The Beatles and Floyd. If it's the influence on music then the Beatles have to be top, if it's crating a genre all of your own then it's Floyd. Total nonsense.

I was going to post exactly this too ^^ Completely agree

[scottydoesntknow]

gazza285 said:

My subjective opinion is that Def Leppard are ste.

I was never a fan either. I rewatched the Freddie Mercury tribute concert recently and they were dreadful and thin sounding. Extreme, Metallica and G n’ R knocked it out if the park though.

[cherryowen]

Kinky said:

So Louder Sounds ran a reader survey to define the top 50 greatest rock bands of all time. The list is quite interesting; and not one I entirely agree with. You can read the top 50 here: https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-50-best-r...

But to save everyone the hassle, here't the list

48. ZZ Top
47. Ramones
45. Cream
44. Motley Crue
43. Rainbow
42. Pearl Jam
40. Status Quo
39. Uriah Heep
36. The Doors
35. Lynyrd Skynyrd
34. Slade
33. Bruce Springsteen
32. Tool
30. Nirvana
29. Judas Priest
27. Motorhead
26. Foo Fighters
25. U2
24. Bon Jovi
22. Thin Lizzy
20. Jimi Hendrix
17. Aerosmith
16. Kiss
15. Van Halen
14. Def Leppard
13. The Who
12. Guns N' Roses
11. Deep Purple
10. Iron Maiden
9. Metallica
8. The Rolling Stones
7. Black Sabbath
5. AC/DC
3. Rush
2. Queen
1. Led Zeppelin

I've snipped the list to remove those that (IMVHO) are not "rock".

I'd also question why Megadeth, Soundgarden and Slayer are not on the list. Slade and Springsteen I include as tenuous at best.

[Johnspex]

That's just a list of favourite band.
Kiss and Queen aren't rock bands. They're novelty acts.

[Voldemort]

Kinky said:

IMHO, bands missing include, ..., Budgie,

I needed a laugh this morning. And that delivered.

[anonymous-user]

Voldemort said:

Kinky said:

IMHO, bands missing include, ..., Budgie,

I needed a laugh this morning. And that delivered.

Budgie are a good band but it was only ever going to be the usual suspects on the list.

[Walter Sobchak]

So said:

Yes Dire Straits and RHCP should be in there.

Edited by So on Saturday 30th November 22:08

Agreed, they could both be in there purely on the talents of Mark Knopfler and John Frusciante.

[Active75]

Alter the survey to read "Most Influential Bands"

No numbering.

Rock Band was a generic term for all modern music in the '70's I believe.

Sacrilege not to Include Rory Gallagher though..

Slade, well Dave Hill is a genius guitarman.

[Ali2202]

Dr Murdoch said:

Rush?

Qui?

Lots of other things I don't agree with (Nirvana 20 something, but they've had the biggest impact in 30 years?)

Rush at No. 3. Of all frigging time?

Rush are better than your favourite Band even if Rush ARE your favourite band!

[anonymous-user]

Kinky said:

So Louder Sounds ran a reader survey to define the top 50 greatest rock bands of all time. The list is quite interesting; and not one I entirely agree with. You can read the top 50 here: https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-50-best-r...

But to save everyone the hassle, here't the list.

50. Roxy Music
49. King Crimson
48. ZZ Top
47. Ramones
46. Journey
45. Cream
44. Motley Crue
43. Rainbow
42. Pearl Jam
41. Marillion
40. Status Quo
39. Uriah Heep
38. Chicago
37. Creedence Clearwater Revival
36. The Doors
35. Lynyrd Skynyrd
34. Slade
33. Bruce Springsteen
32. Tool
31. Fleetwood Mac
30. Nirvana
29. Judas Priest
28. Genesis
27. Motorhead
26. Foo Fighters
25. U2
24. Bon Jovi
23. David Bowie
22. Thin Lizzy
21. Bob Dylan
20. Jimi Hendrix
19. Yes
18. Eagles
17. Aerosmith
16. Kiss
15. Van Halen
14. Def Leppard
13. The Who
12. Guns N' Roses
11. Deep Purple
10. Iron Maiden
9. Metallica
8. The Rolling Stones
7. Black Sabbath
6. The Beatles
5. AC/DC
4. Pink Floyd
3. Rush
2. Queen
1. Led Zeppelin
.

So many bands in that list that I once loved but find hard work listening to now.Perhaps I associate most of them to my youth in the late 70s and early 80s. On a regular basis now would be Fleetwood Mac, Eagles, Springsteen, Genesis. Up to 1980.