Best AMERICAN Rock Band?

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Mediocre Man

Mediocre Man

Mr. SportsTwo
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We have things like this from time to time, but I don't remember seeing an AMERICAN version.

This means no

Zeppelin, Beatles, Stones, AC/DC, Sabbath, Ozzy, etc. I am also trying to stay away from single performers like Elvis and Michael Jackson.

If we get too many of what I think people will answer, we will break it down by decade.... feel free to do that anyway. Have fun
 
The Beach Boys, Big Star and/or The Violent Femmes. Possibly the Byrds.
 
Talking heads. REM. Steely Dan. Nirvana. Fuck, you'd probably have to say The Eagles, even though I think they're evil.
 
Minstrel said:
The Beach Boys, Big Star and/or The Violent Femmes. Possibly the Byrds.
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I read somewhere that the Beach Boys have sold the most records of American "rock" bands. I don't know if that's true. I don't know if thats true because I know the Eagles have an album with like 29 million units sold by itself (but are the Eagles a "rock band"?) and I can't find any single Beach Boys album with over 10 million sold.

I believe Boston has something like 33 million sold, but 24 million units were sold just wit 2 albums. And outside of "more than a feeling", I doubt many people could name many of their songs (WITHOUT looking them up on wiki like I had to).

But I'm not sure if # of albums sold is a good barometer. A great example? Hootie and the Blowfish sold more albums (cracked rear view) than Pink Floyd did with Dark side of the moon. You can't tell me DSOTM is not better than Cracked Rear View.

Maybe there should be a list made and a vote done. And no crappy bands (that are just bands I know nothing about actually).
 
julius said:
I read somewhere that the Beach Boys have sold the most records of American "rock" bands. I don't know if that's true. I don't know if thats true because I know the Eagles have an album with like 29 million units sold (but are the Eagles a "rock band"?).
I believe Boston has something like 33 million sold, but 24 million units were sold just wit 2 albums. And outside of "more than a feeling", I doubt many people could name many of their songs (WITHOUT looking them up on wiki like I had to).

But I'm not sure if # of albums sold is a good barometer. A great example? Hootie and the Blowfish sold more albums (cracked rear view) than Pink Floyd did with Dark side of the moon. You can't tell me DSOTM is not better than Cracked Rear View.

Maybe there should be a list made and a vote done. And no crappy bands (that are just bands I know nothing about actually).
Click to expand...

Yeah, what I consider a great rock band doesn't necessarily sell well. But what I consider a great rock band others likely wouldn't. I think by sales you'd have to say the RHCPs, but I don't think they're great.
 
maxiep said:
Talking heads. REM. Steely Dan. Nirvana. Fuck, you'd probably have to say The Eagles, even though I think they're evil.
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Nirvana is a good call. They flamed so hard for such a short amount of time - that it's hard to remember how influential they were. Nevermind is still, imho, one of the best albums ever.

How about the New York Dolls.
 
andalusian said:
Nirvana is a good call. They flamed so hard for such a short amount of time - that it's hard to remember how influential they were. Nevermind is still, imho, one of the best albums ever.

How about the New York Dolls.
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The Dolls were fantastic, but David Johansen's "Feelin' Hot Hot Hot" has ruined them for me.

BTW, how have we forgotten the Ramones?
 
julius said:
I read somewhere that the Beach Boys have sold the most records of American "rock" bands. I don't know if that's true. I don't know if thats true because I know the Eagles have an album with like 29 million units sold by itself (but are the Eagles a "rock band"?) and I can't find any single Beach Boys album with over 10 million sold.
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The Beach Boys made about 100 albums, though (of which the first 10 or so were actually great...after Brian Wilson stopped writing for them, they devolved quickly). It's just a shame that SMiLE wasn't produced at the time it was supposed to. I've heard the 2004 version, with Brian's voice a shambles, and it's still spectacular. Had it come out in 1968-69, it would have been viewed as a contender for greatest album ever.
 
maxiep said:
Yeah, what I consider a great rock band doesn't necessarily sell well. But what I consider a great rock band others likely wouldn't. I think by sales you'd have to say the RHCPs, but I don't think they're great.
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One way I've always thought should be a barometer, is if the music is still being played and listened to years later. The Beach Boys, Eagles, Chicago, Aerosmith (etc) are still being listened to 20, 30, 40 and in some cases, almost 50 years later.

Does anyone listen to Hootie and the Blowfish anymore? Or Rickie Martin?
 
Except for the first post, thank you Ronan, these are great.

The one's I thought of were Beach Boys, Velvet Underground, Ramones, Aerosmith, VanHalen(DLR) and one that will probably go unmentioned by everyone esle is Blondie. They are in my top few groups.
 
maxiep said:
BTW, how have we forgotten the Ramones?
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And the Pixies. And Simon & Garfunkel (whom I think are vastly underrated...every album they made is stunningly good).
 
Highest quality music? I'd go with Steely Dan, Santana, or Spock's Beard, probably. Biggest? You've got so many: KISS, Aerosmith, Metallica...
 
Mediocre Man said:
Except for the first post, thank you Ronan, these are great.

The one's I thought of were Beach Boys, Velvet Underground, Ramones, Aerosmith, VanHalen(DLR) and one that will probably go unmentioned by everyone esle is Blondie. They are in my top few groups.
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Blondie didn't quite last long enough to me. I think their first couple albums were awesome, but they didn't hold that quality for very long. IMO, anyway.
 
julius said:
One way I've always thought should be a barometer, is if the music is still being played and listened to years later. The Beach Boys, Eagles, Chicago, Aerosmith (etc) are still being listened to 20, 30, 40 and in some cases, almost 50 years later.

Does anyone listen to Hootie and the Blowfish anymore? Or Rickie Martin?
Click to expand...

I hate you. Now I have "I Only Wanna Be With You" and "Livin' La Vida Loca" going through my mind. Those songs are like mental herpes--they're impossible to get rid of.
 
Minstrel said:
The Beach Boys made about 100 albums, though (of which the first 10 or so were actually great...after Brian Wilson stopped writing for them, they devolved quickly). It's just a shame that SMiLE wasn't produced at the time it was supposed to. I've heard the 2004 version, with Brian's voice a shambles, and it's still spectacular. Had it come out in 1968-69, it would have been viewed as a contender for greatest album ever.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I just looked at a website showing the # of albums they made, and at the start they had a lot of good ones (for the era I mean) and then they just didn't stop crapping them out. They even did one apparently where it seemed they phoned it in (called "15 big ones"...which should've been called "15 big piles of shit" instead).
 
maxiep said:
I hate you. Now I have "I Only Wanna Be With You" and "Livin' La Vida Loca" going through my mind. Those songs are like mental herpes--they're impossible to get rid of.
Click to expand...

Well screw you! I didn't have those songs stuck in my head UNTIL I read your post.

Oh yeah? well...She bangs..she bangs...oh baby, when she moves, she moves...

btw, was I the only one who was absolutely floored when it turned out Ricky Martin was gayer than Nathan Lane?
 
Minstrel said:
Blondie didn't quite last long enough to me. I think their first couple albums were awesome, but they didn't hold that quality for very long. IMO, anyway.
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Ya, only 8 albums, but they are coming out with a new album this year. Freakin Debbie Harry is 65??? They also made it to the rock and roll HOF. For me, bsides their sound, it's the influence and stage presence of the band.


But I get you point, and that was the reason I thought no one would mention them.....Plus any youngsters would probably think Debbie was Blondie and not the group
 
Pearl Jam
The Doors
The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Adding them to the list, not sure if any are #1, but they're all Top 10 for me.
 
I look forward to seeing where Modest mouse is in five years. A lot of potential.

Of course, I thought the same thing about Smashing Pumpkins, Live, and Incubus, and those three bands never developed the promise they showed in their early albums.
 
Oh, and I can't believe none of us posted this yet, but ...

Guns and fucking Roses!!!
 
BGrantFan said:
Pearl Jam
The Doors
The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Adding them to the list, not sure if any are #1, but they're all Top 10 for me.
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Maybe I'm overlooking something, but wasn't the Jimi Hendrix Experience really just a vehicle for Jimi Hendrix, rather than a proper band? Hendrix was amazing, no question, but the OP seemed to want to avoid single artists.
 
RHCP
Doors
Pearl Jam

Backstreet Boys
 
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