Best American Rock Band EVER....
- Thread starter The Tradition
- Start date
It’s either the Allman Brothers or Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and there’s not even room to argue.
We can debate third place and beyond but those two are jockeying for the top spot into perpetuity.
We can debate third place and beyond but those two are jockeying for the top spot into perpetuity.
First group I mentioned on Page 1. They have the most #2 hits of all time without having a #1.
When I was a kid, they were the biggest US rock band on the radio and it wasn't even close. Talking roughly 1969 to 1975. To me, they're a rubber stamp top 10.
To truly appreciate Morrison and the Doors one had to be alive during the times. If you weren’t functioning back in the 60’s and 70’s you have no idea of their greatness.
No singer was darker than Morrison. He was a troubled young man. Talented, too. “Unknown Soldier” is a greatly under appreciated song of theirs. “LA Woman” captured their spirit...and “Light My Fire” is simply one of the greatest songs ever written by an American musician. All my opinion.
However, Morrison and the Doors were a bright shining star in the sky...it burned bright but for a short period of time. Skyward May have kept the ladies dancing all night but Morrison had everyone listening to the music.
Couple things here:
- Skynyrd isn't even the best southern rock band ever. That title goes to the Allman Brothers Band. By far better than LS.
- The Beach Boys win the title. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers come in second.
- Skynyrd isn't even the best southern rock band ever. That title goes to the Allman Brothers Band. By far better than LS.
- The Beach Boys win the title. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers come in second.
I prefered the band in your avatar over the ABB live. Never had the chance to see Petty and I greatly regret it.
There's no band I'd rather see live than WSP from 98-02. I know no one would put them in that category but they put on the best show I've seen and I've seen quite a few big acts in my time.
Good job.
I saw the Beach Boys in April of 1963 at the Val Air Ballroom in Des Moines. It was the Beach Boys first show outside of California. I was 11 years old at the time. It was a dance, not a concert. They were awesome - absolutely incredible.
This. If you asked actual musicians to choose between The Allmans or Skynyrd, they'd probably laugh at you, the choice is so obvious. The Allmans were one of the best improvisational live acts of all time, even in latter years. Skynyrd intentionally played note for note versions of their songs every night.
Is Simon & Garfunkel a rock band? I'd put them over Skynyrd any day.
That's what you pay for, the note for note experience, otherwise just listen to a tribute band.
I may be going to see them in KC in June. My wife and I are babysitting grandkids and I might try to sneak away. I told my daughter and she replied, Who's that.
So I just asked a couple coworkers in their 20's if they'd heard of Lynyrd Skynyrd and they looked at me like I was speaking Mandarin. They thought they'd maybe heard Free Bird before.
Then I asked if they'd heard of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Well, I won't hold you in suspense, they had heard of Tom Petty. And they knew several songs. And they knew the words to the songs.
So, in Florida maybe Skynyrd is still a thing, but ain't no one should be callin' them the greatest American rock band of all time.
Then I asked if they'd heard of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Well, I won't hold you in suspense, they had heard of Tom Petty. And they knew several songs. And they knew the words to the songs.
So, in Florida maybe Skynyrd is still a thing, but ain't no one should be callin' them the greatest American rock band of all time.
Wyld Stallyns.
They are the greatest band of all-time, not just because of its musical impact, but its societal impact as well, bolstering relations between nations and faciliting contact with extraterrestrial life.
They are the greatest band of all-time, not just because of its musical impact, but its societal impact as well, bolstering relations between nations and faciliting contact with extraterrestrial life.
The Eagles AIAEC. The # 1 and # 2 selling albums by an American band ( by 20 million sales ). 6 # 1 albums, six Grammys, 28 years between # 1 albums and Don Felder taught Tom Petty guitar.....
https://www.billboard.com/articles/...ty-tribute-friend-student-gainesville-florida
https://www.billboard.com/articles/...ty-tribute-friend-student-gainesville-florida
I can't speak for anything recorded after 2004. I went to a shit ton of concerts and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers blew everybody away regardless of genre.
Hum a few bars of Sweet Home Alabama and I'll bet those millennials change their tune....
While LS does have some catchy tunes, part of the issue with calling them the best American band ever is their peak years were very short. That, and musically speaking they aren't even close to anything The Allman Brothers did, let alone Tom Petty.
Like it or not, Skynyrd's music has not aged well at all. It sounds like generic Southern Rock.
Same and same, but I don’t think I can call either the GOAT American rock and roll band.
If the question is what band do I love above all others it’s WSP beyond the shadow of a doubt.
Cheap Trick, Pittsburgh, 1979. My first concert. Quite an education in substance abuse for this 14-year-old.
I like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers as a choice. In my mind, whoever it is has to have a long running, multi decade legacy. I don’t think bands that were only influential / big for handful of albums or relevant for short period of time can be GOAT.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band are another good candidate.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band are another good candidate.
What a bunch of f*cking Hippies in this group....
Husker Du
Black Flag
Fear
Minor Threat
Bad Brains
Husker Du
Black Flag
Fear
Minor Threat
Bad Brains
Lynyrd Skyn is awesome. One of the greatest debut albums ever. However i would rank
1 Tom Petty and HBs
1b. Pearl Jam
2 Foo Fighters
3 Lyn Skyn
4 The Beach Boys
5 The Eagles
1 Tom Petty and HBs
1b. Pearl Jam
2 Foo Fighters
3 Lyn Skyn
4 The Beach Boys
5 The Eagles
You can like those bands and enjoy them but none of them are seriously in consideration for the best American rock band of all time.
If you're gonna say Foo Fighters and not even put Nirvana on your list then we're gonna have to go to fight bar. Dave Grohl is a talented drummer and I'll just leave it at that.
Go easy my friend. Nirvana was awesome and died off too soon.
I think Dave is much more than a talented drummer.
But i will be at fight bar later just because it's Thursday and i have been sober all week..
My friends got a cat and named it Dave Growl. I asked if he was overrated and had a much more talented friend cat that died too young.
Foo Fighters is 100 times the band Nirvana was in just about every respect. Waaay better.
