Let The Debating Begin!
- ToonaRockGuy
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Let The Debating Begin!
Okay, so USA Today has published their rankings of the "Top 20 Rock Bands Of All Time". THeir rankings included factors of longevity, influence, record sales, live performance, and musicianship. I'm just curious to see what everyone thinks. Here's the list:
1. Pearl Jam
2. Aerosmith
3. Van Halen
4. The Eagles
5. Journey
6. Guns-N-Roses
7. Grateful Dead
8. Queensryche
9. The Doors
10. REM
11. (tie) Allman Brothers/Fleetwood Mac
12. Metallica
13. KISS
14. The Ramones
15. (tie) Springsteen/CCR
16. (tie) Dave Matthews Band/Lynyrd Skynyrd
17. The Beach Boys
18. Nirvana
19. The Replacements
20. Bon Jovi
----------------------------------
For me, it's interesting...where's The Beatles? The Stones? Led Zeppelin? The Who? Black Sabbath? Cream?
Anyway, as in the title...LET THE DEBATING BEGIN!!!
1. Pearl Jam
2. Aerosmith
3. Van Halen
4. The Eagles
5. Journey
6. Guns-N-Roses
7. Grateful Dead
8. Queensryche
9. The Doors
10. REM
11. (tie) Allman Brothers/Fleetwood Mac
12. Metallica
13. KISS
14. The Ramones
15. (tie) Springsteen/CCR
16. (tie) Dave Matthews Band/Lynyrd Skynyrd
17. The Beach Boys
18. Nirvana
19. The Replacements
20. Bon Jovi
----------------------------------
For me, it's interesting...where's The Beatles? The Stones? Led Zeppelin? The Who? Black Sabbath? Cream?
Anyway, as in the title...LET THE DEBATING BEGIN!!!
Dood...
- bassist_25
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- Location: Indiana
Pearl Jam as number one!? I liked Ten just as much as anybody, but why the hell are they number one? Even if you get past Vedder's pretentious "Oh whoa is me; I'm a rock star and I don't want to be" bullshit, they still shouldn't be number one.
It was an interesting choice to put the Replacements on the list. They've definatley influenced a lot of modern Pop Rock.
It was an interesting choice to put the Replacements on the list. They've definatley influenced a lot of modern Pop Rock.
"He's the electric horseman, you better back off!" - old sKool making a reference to the culturally relevant 1979 film.
- bassist4life2004
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thats a bullshit list. Metallica should have been number 1. I mean, i know that aerosmith and all of those other bands stuck around, but if Zepp isnt on there, then why the hell is metallica so far down on the list. They were around for a long time, and sold more albums than pearl jam did 10 fold. Makes you wonder what the hells goin on in this world today.
Re: Let The Debating Begin!
My thoughts exactly. And there are a few other "all time greats" that you could add to that list, like U2 or the Clash or Rush.ToonaRockGuy wrote:For me, it's interesting...where's The Beatles? The Stones? Led Zeppelin? The Who? Black Sabbath? Cream?
It just seems like such a random list. At first you think "oh cool, it's giving props to newer bands". But then you try to figure out how the Beach Boys made the list and so many other bands didn't.
Nice to see the Replacements on the list, but they do kind of stick out as being a more obscure act. Well, the Ramones didn't sell many records either. But they still had way more mainstream recognition than the Replacements. When you mention the Replacements to most people, the best you might get is, "weren't they the band that wore the big eyeballs on their heads?" Which is of course completely wrong. Everyone knows it was the REFRESHMENTS who wore the big eyeballs. Duh.

- ToonaRockGuy
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- Joined: Tuesday Dec 17, 2002
- Location: Altoona, behind a drumset.
Re: Let The Debating Begin!
Jimi's having Radiation Nation flashbacks! "So take your ID card to the border guard..."Jimi Hatt wrote: Nice to see the Replacements on the list, but they do kind of stick out as being a more obscure act. Well, the Ramones didn't sell many records either. But they still had way more mainstream recognition than the Replacements. When you mention the Replacements to most people, the best you might get is, "weren't they the band that wore the big eyeballs on their heads?" Which is of course completely wrong. Everyone knows it was the REFRESHMENTS who wore the big eyeballs. Duh.







Dood...
- JeffLeeper
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I CAN agree with everyone who posted before me. the bottom line is this line up is a study from a small experament. dont get me wrong I really like queensryche but at number 8 I disagree I cant see how they beat metellica, or R.E.M as far as album sales and a few others. its just a b.s. list. In my opinion if queensryche made the list then Iron Maiden or Judas Priest should have as well. as far as the bands that toona rock guy mentioned, the stones, beatles, the who, sabbath, and zep were all insperations of rock and roll.
- bassist_25
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Or it's compiled by the pretentious mainstream music press elite. Those are the same idiots that hail no-talent bums like the White Stripes as brilliant.DennySD wrote:When it comes down to it, lists like this are usually determined by some guys in offices who figure they listen to the radio a lot.
"He's the electric horseman, you better back off!" - old sKool making a reference to the culturally relevant 1979 film.
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Well that about fixes it for me...it's official.....
THE WORLD HAS LOST IT'S FUCKIN' MIND
I'm no metal head but You have to give it it's props No Sab? WTF!!!!
No Beatles WTF????
No Stones WTF????
Journey doesn't belong on the the list same goes for
G n R Good band band but C'mon they had one good album
Queensryche, ya gotta be kidding me
This list is Total crap
A great band stands the test of time and half of the list is dated, the Doors, c'mon...influential certainly but 9th greatest of all time, I don't think so
and who's dick is Jon Bon Jovi sucking to get this kind of press?
Wanna talk influential, where are the Pistols?
and the coup d' gras, Pearl Jam as #1, WTF? 1 good album, I thought of all the seattle bands Alice or Soundgarten were better than PJ
Yea the Eagles don't get the credit they deserve, same for Fleetwood Mac
same for Bruce and Creedence but over the Beatles the Stones, Led Zep, Pink Floyd and the Who? I don't think so
so only one question remains
What the hell are they smoking at USA Today?
THE WORLD HAS LOST IT'S FUCKIN' MIND
I'm no metal head but You have to give it it's props No Sab? WTF!!!!
No Beatles WTF????
No Stones WTF????
Journey doesn't belong on the the list same goes for
G n R Good band band but C'mon they had one good album
Queensryche, ya gotta be kidding me
This list is Total crap
A great band stands the test of time and half of the list is dated, the Doors, c'mon...influential certainly but 9th greatest of all time, I don't think so
and who's dick is Jon Bon Jovi sucking to get this kind of press?
Wanna talk influential, where are the Pistols?
and the coup d' gras, Pearl Jam as #1, WTF? 1 good album, I thought of all the seattle bands Alice or Soundgarten were better than PJ
Yea the Eagles don't get the credit they deserve, same for Fleetwood Mac
same for Bruce and Creedence but over the Beatles the Stones, Led Zep, Pink Floyd and the Who? I don't think so
so only one question remains
What the hell are they smoking at USA Today?
Blooz to Youz
As a testament to the list being idiotic, why are there 23 bands in a top 20 list? Those people at USA Today are smokin' crack. That fact alone makes the list a complete joke because Nirvana, The Replacements, and Bon Jovi didn't make it into the top 20. Am I right or am I right? If more bands tied they could have 40 bands in their top 20 bands list.
Whatta Joke.
Whatta Joke.
... and then the wheel fell off.
- GoneForever
- Gold Member
- Posts: 320
- Joined: Monday Jul 19, 2004
Re: Let The Debating Begin!
I agree with Kiss and the Ramones. Nirvana shouldn't be on that list. DMB shouldn't be on. Black Sabbath should be #1. Where's the Beatles, Led Zep, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, The Misfits, and Rush? 2 thumbs down for that list.
Man I could see a skit about that one. USA Today staffers call a meeting to figure out how many bands are going to be on their top 20 list. 
Writer: "Hey Johnson, how many bands do you think we should have in our top 20 list ?"
Johnson: "Uh, 23 ?"
And wait until they introduce the three-way +more-way ties between bands. Their list in the end gets enough ties in it to include every band that has ever existed. 32 million bands tied for #20... hehe.

Writer: "Hey Johnson, how many bands do you think we should have in our top 20 list ?"
Johnson: "Uh, 23 ?"
And wait until they introduce the three-way +more-way ties between bands. Their list in the end gets enough ties in it to include every band that has ever existed. 32 million bands tied for #20... hehe.
... and then the wheel fell off.
I think maybe a top 10 list for bullshit music magazines.
#1. Rolling Stone- these guys dissed every single Led Zeppelin album.
Or maybe top 10 Hairstyle influences
#1 Flock of Seagulls
Never the less I would think it almost impossible to list the best bands ever. If they would ever ask a group of ACTUAL musicians they could first never make a number 1 or 100. The list would never stop growing. And if it ever does please tear out my guts and use them to grease the treads of a tank over in Iraq.
#1. Rolling Stone- these guys dissed every single Led Zeppelin album.
Or maybe top 10 Hairstyle influences
#1 Flock of Seagulls
Never the less I would think it almost impossible to list the best bands ever. If they would ever ask a group of ACTUAL musicians they could first never make a number 1 or 100. The list would never stop growing. And if it ever does please tear out my guts and use them to grease the treads of a tank over in Iraq.
If Freedom is not free then I will use my credit card.
Where's the Rush?
I didn't even bother reading the rest if Rush wasn't in the top 10.
I didn't even bother reading the rest if Rush wasn't in the top 10.
Jae Smith
Root and The Fifths
www.rootandthefifths.com
www.facebook.com/rootandthefifths
www.twitter.com/rootfifths
www.pabands.com
Root and The Fifths
www.rootandthefifths.com
www.facebook.com/rootandthefifths
www.twitter.com/rootfifths
www.pabands.com
- Imgrimm01
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yes
You beat me to it Jae, 30+ years of touring and recording, 20+ albums and NO RUSH on the list??? Pearl Jam #1? whatever , this list is absolute bullshit! However I'm never surprised by this sorta thing , most of the world is retarded.
I'm glad I didn't have to fight in a war, I'm glad I didn't get killed or kill somebody, I hope my kids enjoy the same lack of manhood
- bassist4life2004
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Im almost suprised that Falling Higher isnt on that list, i mean, with all the other obsolete, podunk bands they put on there, we should be actually right up there with Pearl Jam. 
What slays me is, Skynard is tied with Dave Matthews Band...PA-F**KIN-LEASE. If only the editors of that list lived around here, they would surely see that Skynard is the most worn out name in every bar.
Word of advice to anyone putting out an album. If you are getting low record sales in PA, put a skynard song on it, you will quadrupal your record sales. Shit, look at shinedown, they were hitting PA hard to get their names out there, they added Simple Man to their cd and BOOM, EVERYONE knows them. Works like magic.

What slays me is, Skynard is tied with Dave Matthews Band...PA-F**KIN-LEASE. If only the editors of that list lived around here, they would surely see that Skynard is the most worn out name in every bar.
Word of advice to anyone putting out an album. If you are getting low record sales in PA, put a skynard song on it, you will quadrupal your record sales. Shit, look at shinedown, they were hitting PA hard to get their names out there, they added Simple Man to their cd and BOOM, EVERYONE knows them. Works like magic.
- J Michaels
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Uhh.. dudes - the USA Today article is the Top 20 AMERICAN Rock bands of all time......
My god - if anyone actually put out a list of the Top __ Bands with no Zep, no Who, no Stones, and no Beatles, there would be absolutely no credibility for them left... zip - zero - zilch - nada.....
That being said, how can they claim longevity as a criterion and have GnR that high? Two records? I know - influence, live performance, blah blah blah. Above Metallica and Kiss? Uhh... ok.
And Journey above Metallica, Kiss, the Boss, and the Ramones? Uhh... ok.
But I will say this - THANK GOD Nirvana is not anywhere near the #1 slot. Good band - cool songs - changed rock music's direction a lot, but they are not - repeat NOT - the Led Zeppelin of their generation or any of the other outrageously overstated comparisons and analogies I have heard from the jerkoff music industry people who like to make themselves sound important and as if they know what they are talking about.
Sorry. Rant off.......
Oh yeah - one more thing. Keep in mind that these kinds of lists are ALWAYS formulated with atleast one eye towards pissing a bunch of us off so that we will get fired up, rant, and create more interest in their drivel.
Love and kisses, everyone.
My god - if anyone actually put out a list of the Top __ Bands with no Zep, no Who, no Stones, and no Beatles, there would be absolutely no credibility for them left... zip - zero - zilch - nada.....
That being said, how can they claim longevity as a criterion and have GnR that high? Two records? I know - influence, live performance, blah blah blah. Above Metallica and Kiss? Uhh... ok.
And Journey above Metallica, Kiss, the Boss, and the Ramones? Uhh... ok.
But I will say this - THANK GOD Nirvana is not anywhere near the #1 slot. Good band - cool songs - changed rock music's direction a lot, but they are not - repeat NOT - the Led Zeppelin of their generation or any of the other outrageously overstated comparisons and analogies I have heard from the jerkoff music industry people who like to make themselves sound important and as if they know what they are talking about.
Sorry. Rant off.......
Oh yeah - one more thing. Keep in mind that these kinds of lists are ALWAYS formulated with atleast one eye towards pissing a bunch of us off so that we will get fired up, rant, and create more interest in their drivel.
Love and kisses, everyone.

You better call me a doctor - feelin' no pain!
- HurricaneBob
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- ZappasXWife
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- Location: Altoona
So Vin, tell us what you really think ...FatVin wrote:Well that about fixes it for me...it's official.....
THE WORLD HAS LOST IT'S FUCKIN' MIND
I'm no metal head but You have to give it it's props No Sab? WTF!!!!
No Beatles WTF????
No Stones WTF????
Journey doesn't belong on the the list same goes for
G n R Good band band but C'mon they had one good album
Queensryche, ya gotta be kidding me
This list is Total crap
A great band stands the test of time and half of the list is dated, the Doors, c'mon...influential certainly but 9th greatest of all time, I don't think so
and who's dick is Jon Bon Jovi sucking to get this kind of press?
Wanna talk influential, where are the Pistols?
and the coup d' gras, Pearl Jam as #1, WTF? 1 good album, I thought of all the seattle bands Alice or Soundgarten were better than PJ
Yea the Eagles don't get the credit they deserve, same for Fleetwood Mac
same for Bruce and Creedence but over the Beatles the Stones, Led Zep, Pink Floyd and the Who? I don't think so
so only one question remains
What the hell are they smoking at USA Today?
r:>)
That's what she said.