Red Mosquito

warehouse wrote:i hear ya, the doors are probably another band you can put on that list. zz top, maybe aerosmith if you like prom songs. i think EV puts them above everyone. i'm sure there's arguments to be made every which way about musicianship, songwriting, collaborations, etc. i don't think anyone is going to argue about vocals except for maybe stipe and morrison. even tom petty likes eddie vedder's vocals better than his own lol.

ZZ Top and Aerosmith? No way.

Leatherhead wrote:

warehouse wrote:i hear ya, the doors are probably another band you can put on that list. zz top, maybe aerosmith if you like prom songs. i think EV puts them above everyone. i'm sure there's arguments to be made every which way about musicianship, songwriting, collaborations, etc. i don't think anyone is going to argue about vocals except for maybe stipe and morrison. even tom petty likes eddie vedder's vocals better than his own lol.

ZZ Top and Aerosmith? No way.

Aerosmith is a legit contender. I can't really listen to anything they've done post-1980, but they're a massive band with a lot of of influence (including upon Kurt Cobain, Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, and countless others). Managed to do most of it with the same lineup as well.

Matters wrote:Pearl Jam and The Brian Jonestown Massacre are my favorite American bands ever but I can’t objectively argue they’re better than:

The Allman Brothers Band
The Velvet Underground
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
R.E.M.

It's not like "best American rock band" is some objective thing you can actually measure in any meaningful way. It's all largely based on popularity and personal preference so stuff like Aerosmith, ZZ Top and The Doors is going to top a lot of lists. Personally, the only band mentioned so far I'd put in my own list is VU

I'm just glad no one said The Eagles.

I remember someone on some comment thread once making a passionate argument for AC/DC as "the best American rock band"

It was probably angus young

Van Halen

Ello Sailor wrote:I'm just glad no one said The Eagles.

no one's taste here is that bad

You should know what’s coming out of my mouth here before I say it…

Grateful Dead

I can understand why some of the other bands mentioned so far are worthy of the discussion. I can totally understand why a person would say, for example, REM or The Doors or Credence are the "best American rock band of all time." Honestly, guys, even the Eagles. I'm not saying I support that assessment, but I get. The Eagles are nowhere near as terrible as RM wants to believe they are.

But, having said all of that, the only band other band mentioned so far that even comes close is Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, for me. It's PJ then TP&THB and then a tremendous gulf of, sure, okay, whatever, fine options.

Unless, of course, we're including solo artists. Then things get a little more interesting.

the greatest American rock band is Toad the Wet Sprocket, and you all should be sorry for not recognizing it sooner.

dad wrote:the greatest American rock band is Toad the Wet Sprocket, and you all should be sorry for not recognizing it sooner.

I know you are lying. I smile just the same.

okay, but on a serious note...how have The Beach Boys not been mentioned?

not rock enough?

If Top Petty and the Heartbreakers count as a band then you have to include Springsteen and the E Street Band too.

If those are the rules I fully expect some doofus on this board to seriously nominate both Pearl Jam and Eddie Vedder and The Earthlings.

Monkey_Driven wrote:Top Petty and the Heartbreakers

With a name like that it's pretty undeniable.

Monkey_Driven wrote:If Top Petty and the Heartbreakers count as a band then you have to include Springsteen and the E Street Band too.

included. still behind PJ

dad wrote:okay, but on a serious note...how have The Beach Boys not been mentioned?

not rock enough?

yes. i think they are more on the 'pop' side of 'pop rock', even as influential as they are to rock n roll.