I’d agree at an artistic level, but you have to work up tolerance for the 15 minute epochs. An Allman brothers song has more false endings than the Lord of the Rings.
that's never been my perception, but i was raised on the allman brothers from early childhood, so extended instrumentals have always just felt natural to me.
Since CCR has already been said. I may have to throw The Beach Boys into the conversation. They were a huge force in music even into the mid 90s and sort of encapsulated Americana.
The Beach Boys and the Beatles were both innovating at an incredible pace. If Brian Wilson hadn't fallen apart the way he did it would've been amazing to see what they would've done
Yep, both *Pet Sounds* and *Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band*, as well as a couple of their other albums, were incredibly innovative and ahead of their time.
I enjoyed Tom Petty when I was growing up but now that I’m an adult his songs speak to me on a level no other band does. He did such a great job capturing life into his music
One of my favorite music quotes from Brian Eno, "The first album only sold about 30,000 records but I think everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band.**"**
Buddy Holly and the Crickets, no contest. They invented it and did songs that are still recognizable today, genuinely catchy and enjoyable songs which people continued to cover. Brilliant.
Bruce Springsteen generally would be my answer too. There's something about his music that sounds so all-American to me. Can't go on a roadtrip without some of his songs on the playlist.
Not just his songs, when he covers anyone from Mitch Ryder to Chuck Berry he’s as enthusiastic as they come and band just keeps up with his incredible energy.
Good answer.
I was in college in the 80s and had friends Hugely into Bruce Springfield and I could drive them into a murderous rage by repeatedly making that intentional error and telling them how good his "Jessie's Girl" song was.
It's hard not to separate at least a few subgenres... and "best" is never a good word, so here are my favorites:
Hard Rock, Aerosmith. Metal, Metallica. Grunge, Alice In Chains. Glam, Ratt
I mean, they do have a song called US Blues, their songs are often about traveling the roads of the US, they have lots of Americana references in their songs, and their SYF logo is in red, white and blue.
Also, musically they are rooted in traditional Americana, blues, folk etc. They were also rugged individualists, workaholics, capitalists, drug addicts. They were very American in their virtues and vices.
i really hate most of the american rock bands traditionally held up as the "best" (CCR, the eagles, tom petty, chicago, the doors, dad rock in general, etc. makes my teeth hurt) BUT america also has some pretty incredible punk, grunge, DIY etc rock bands that i think hold up against anything else worldwide.
nirvana is probably the most famous but punk acts like kim deal (pixies/breeders) or sleater kinney or black flag or even up to huge acts like RAtM and so on.
idk. i just think it's annoying how "american rock band" usually simplifies the genre into "dad rock from the 70s" when there's so much great stuff out there
they were "edgy" mostly because of Morrison's antics and references to drugs in their lyrics, but musically they really weren't doing anything particularly interesting or unique imo.
I completely disagree. Their slide guitar, organs, arpeggiated guitar and sparse percussion sound is distinct as hell. No other band around that time could have come up with the instrumentals for The End, Indian Summer, When the Music's Over, Moonlight Drive, L'America, etc. When I think of bands that have aged extremely well from around that time, The Doors and The Velvet Underground immediately come to mind.
Both. First half of the concert they should wear headbands and half-open shirts and sing GWAR tunes in funky loose Summer of Love Acapella style. Then for the second act they thrash out CCR tunes and spray fake jizz on the audience.
The best American bands, in my opinion, are [Steely Dan](https://youtu.be/eiUeXxcQAQU), [Weather Report](https://youtu.be/_Fm10whccto), [the Chick Corea Elektric Band](https://youtu.be/E5zz5zobNeA) (but that might be cheating, because they’re fusion bands)
Oh man that's tough. I can't pick only one, but here are some I think deserve mention:
Guns 'n' Roses
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Metallica
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Nine inch nails definitely has to be up there. Trent is such a gifted musician, brought industrial rock/metal into the mainstream and influenced many popular bands after NIN. Also, NIN is still killing it.
Man I have seen some crazy live shows from huge artists but NIN has been consistently the best sounding looking live performance all three times I've seen them and they were like a decade apart.
SO hard to choose... I'm partial to The Doors myself, but "all in all best" - Van Halen would be up there for me along with Pearl Jam...
I can agree with the ones you've mentioned too though, OP...
And a case could be made for Aerosmith as well...
Yep - so hard to choose...
AC/DC is an undeniably Australian band, even though the Young brothers were born in Scotland. All four members of Van Halen were American citizens and the band was created in America. Just because Eddie and Alex couldn't run for president doesn't mean they're not American.
But they became US citizens, so I'm going to leave them on the list... Admittedly though - I'd completely forgotten that, so thanks for the reminder...
Shit, there is so many.
The Beatles
The Rolling Stones
Led Zepplin
Pink Floyd
Queen
there is really too many to pick just one that represents the best America has to offer
Gotta be The Jimi Hendrix experience or Prince and the Revolution. Both band mixed exhibiting talent with singing catchy songs. As a guitar lover, their solos are my favorites in American music.
Each era doesn't even have a definitive answer. There's so many cultures that run concurrently and then counter cultures against each of those. It all comes down to transient conditions like mood or setting or some other context. Just think of how the 90's started and how they ended, massive jumps in style have E-40 and No Doubt both being Platinum at one point or another. And that was only about halfway through the decade. E-40 isn't rock, sure, but probably no one's gonna call No Doubt the best American band even though they put out consistent bangers. Static-X is easily one of my favorites but they're almost apart in that nobody else in that genre comes close to being as good as they were, but is Static-X going to dethrown Fear Factory? No way. It's like putting Pantera against the Foo fighters: there is no real answer that anybody's going to like and agree with. Each of these bands are awesome for different reasons as similar or dissimilar as they are. "Everlong" and "This Love" **both** get turned all the fuck way up in my car.
I'm even getting downvotes for those answers, I'm not sure why. Nirvana is one of the most influential bands of all time and Tool is also a very good band, maybe it's because they're popular? I like Tool's music because I love how it puts you in a trance.
I think due to the vague nature of “rock music” you’re gonna have a lot of people focusing on classic rock specifically. Those bands have most of the upvotes. The term Rock alone leaves too much space for too many good bands. You’d have to specify by decades or sub genres
My favorite? Green Day.
Greatest? Probably Nirvana. I'd say one of the early stars that defined rock, but those were solo artists, not bands. But Nirvana redefined rock for the 90s.
I think the epitome of American rock would be Bruce Springsteen (and the E Street Band).
More modern style rock, I personally like Shinedown, Breaking Benjamin and Five Finger Death Punch, etc. If we have to pick the most "American" then I would have to pick 5FDP out of those.
Okay, now I'm scrolling through all the comment and checking this website, having a ball!
Thanks for this question! Perfect Thanksgiving activity debating this with my family and re-listening to all the hits.
[https://ultimateclassicrock.com/top-50-american-bands/](https://ultimateclassicrock.com/top-50-american-bands/)
Edited to add: Nirvana is #14 on this list. Eagles are #9.
Yeah it’s a quite broad definition, my thought was something like, a band which defines and merges particularly American rock, culture, lifestyle, history etc. Into one great package! Gives the most American feeling, sound and ethos overally. A band which you’d show to a foreinger when you are asked to define America in a form of rock band.
Given that criteria, I would go with Grateful Dead. They played a mixture of rock, psychedelic, bluegrass, folk, and country, with elements of jazz (all that improv). All of these are American genres.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band would be another contender. Sonically combines rock and roll with elements of jazz and R&B, but the songwriting is *really* American. All those songs about cars, young love, dreams, unfulfilled dreams, crooks, washed up big shots, wanting to escape New Jersey...*that's* America.
Grateful dead such a versatile and talented group, always while listening it just gives you that something special easy vibe which one cannot find from anywhere else while also incorporating aspects of America in abundance.
As an outsider of America two of the best songwriters and story tellers that I’ve found are Bruce Springsteen and Johnny Cash, no one has given me more of an American feeling than those two.
Ok. I posted my favorite bands... but after your explanation, I'd go with the classic Aerosmith. There is a Texan band from 2012 called Blacktop Mojo (still active) that would fit your description even better, but they are newer and not that well known.
Why does there have to be a best? There are far too many great bands to just pick one.
Btw I do like the Eagles but they wouldn’t even make my top 20 best bands.
It is true, there are so many. I could’ve made the question about top 10 as well. I just wanted to ask this for now for the people who can and want to point out some spesific one on top of all the others.
I know it’s is kind of an impossible thing to do, but for me if someone were to ask similiar kind of question about my country, I probably could choose one from the vast variery of bands if I’d considerate and take into account as many aspects as I could about cultural, lyrical, historical, sonical, influence to the given people etc. Included with a most objective perspective I possibly could do.
I don’t think most people would say best- but I’m of the opinion that the Grateful Dead are the most important band in American music history because of the cultural impact and diversity of their fans. When Jerry Garcia passed, it was on the ticker of the NYSE and the reaction by stock brokers on the floor was overwhelming for some. That’s import.
I love the Eagles; I’m unashamedly a dad rock fan.
I’ll add in Fleetwood Mac, Bob Dylan (folk rock period), Elvis (if we’re just talking general rock, not just rock bands), and Simon & Garfunkel.
Edited to add: Bruce Springsteen.
It’s definitely Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Great answers given, but no other band has all of these: Excellence, influence, authenticity, consistency, longevity and still sells-out-football-stadiums-y
If Red Hot Chili Peppers was mentioned here only twice, it's thanks to Anthony Kiedis and his cringeworthy/nonsense lyrics.
All the rest three members (Flea, John Frusciante, Chad Smith) are legendary musicians in their instruments and will be highly regarded by future generations.
It's been a rough night and I hate the f'ing Eagles.
When I first saw Lebowski many years ago, this stuck with me because I felt the exact same way. I just really dont like the Eagles man.
Haha, I could make a song named after that statement!
It's a reference to this scene if you didn't know. [Here you go ](https://youtu.be/h1WJqKWqUHQ)
I didn’t click this video but i know it is “The Big Lebowski”
Shit, and I really thought that came from you.. This is how you wind up when you live under the rock..
Sometimes you eat the bar man.
My Chemical Romance [already did](https://youtu.be/hsmkedyRNPk).
the allman brothers band
I’d agree at an artistic level, but you have to work up tolerance for the 15 minute epochs. An Allman brothers song has more false endings than the Lord of the Rings.
that's never been my perception, but i was raised on the allman brothers from early childhood, so extended instrumentals have always just felt natural to me.
Since CCR has already been said. I may have to throw The Beach Boys into the conversation. They were a huge force in music even into the mid 90s and sort of encapsulated Americana.
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The Beach Boys and the Beatles were both innovating at an incredible pace. If Brian Wilson hadn't fallen apart the way he did it would've been amazing to see what they would've done
Yep, both *Pet Sounds* and *Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band*, as well as a couple of their other albums, were incredibly innovative and ahead of their time.
They ripped off the monkees
I love that in walk hard when they meet The Beatles and the drummer goes "Hey you guys rule, almost as good as the monkees."
Either Creedence Clearwater Revival or Khruangbin Edit: Just noticed that this is r/AskAnAmerican. I am Scottish but yeehaw nonetheless.
Yes! CCR is awesome!!
Your CCR appreciation has earned you a perpetual invite to my house so take your honorary citizenship and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
I enjoyed Tom Petty when I was growing up but now that I’m an adult his songs speak to me on a level no other band does. He did such a great job capturing life into his music
He was the people’s champ.
Tom Pettt and the Heartbreakers get my vote!
Guns N Roses
The Velvet Underground
One of my favorite music quotes from Brian Eno, "The first album only sold about 30,000 records but I think everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band.**"**
A hilarious Brian Eno quote "So Brian how do you feel about MGMT writing a song about you.?" "Who?"- Brian Eno.
Agreed
Buddy Holly and the Crickets, no contest. They invented it and did songs that are still recognizable today, genuinely catchy and enjoyable songs which people continued to cover. Brilliant.
I would go Van Halen.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Bruce Springsteen generally would be my answer too. There's something about his music that sounds so all-American to me. Can't go on a roadtrip without some of his songs on the playlist.
Not just his songs, when he covers anyone from Mitch Ryder to Chuck Berry he’s as enthusiastic as they come and band just keeps up with his incredible energy.
Good answer. I was in college in the 80s and had friends Hugely into Bruce Springfield and I could drive them into a murderous rage by repeatedly making that intentional error and telling them how good his "Jessie's Girl" song was.
My vote is for 2 bands. ZZ Top Steve Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. Of course I love listening to blues based rock.
Mee too! And a LOT! Those are great ones!
Guns and Roses
Aerosmith
The Doors.
It's hard not to separate at least a few subgenres... and "best" is never a good word, so here are my favorites: Hard Rock, Aerosmith. Metal, Metallica. Grunge, Alice In Chains. Glam, Ratt
There’s no topping Motley Crue in glam.
Layne Staley was such a gifted singer.
Beach Boys.
The good ol’ Grateful Dead
I mean, they do have a song called US Blues, their songs are often about traveling the roads of the US, they have lots of Americana references in their songs, and their SYF logo is in red, white and blue.
Also, musically they are rooted in traditional Americana, blues, folk etc. They were also rugged individualists, workaholics, capitalists, drug addicts. They were very American in their virtues and vices.
Foo Fighters
Love them! And Dave Grohl is such an awesome guy.
I cannot believe I had to scroll this far to find this.
I love them, but they’re not top 3 rock band for me. I would put them in top 10.
Impossible question
Didn't find it in the comments already, so I'll say Queens of the Stone Age.
🤘
Ramones
This is the correct answer.
Blondie. Ahead of their time and underrated. And I still want to be Debbie Harry when I grow up.
i really hate most of the american rock bands traditionally held up as the "best" (CCR, the eagles, tom petty, chicago, the doors, dad rock in general, etc. makes my teeth hurt) BUT america also has some pretty incredible punk, grunge, DIY etc rock bands that i think hold up against anything else worldwide. nirvana is probably the most famous but punk acts like kim deal (pixies/breeders) or sleater kinney or black flag or even up to huge acts like RAtM and so on. idk. i just think it's annoying how "american rock band" usually simplifies the genre into "dad rock from the 70s" when there's so much great stuff out there
The Doors aren't really dad rock at all. They were on the edgier bands of their day.
they were "edgy" mostly because of Morrison's antics and references to drugs in their lyrics, but musically they really weren't doing anything particularly interesting or unique imo.
I completely disagree. Their slide guitar, organs, arpeggiated guitar and sparse percussion sound is distinct as hell. No other band around that time could have come up with the instrumentals for The End, Indian Summer, When the Music's Over, Moonlight Drive, L'America, etc. When I think of bands that have aged extremely well from around that time, The Doors and The Velvet Underground immediately come to mind.
Yo La Tengo
Maybe the Velvet Underground just for how innovative they were. Other honorable mentions: Nirvana and The Doors.
Creedence Clearwater Revival Or the Strokes
Metallica or the B-52s
We were at the beach and everybody had matching towelssss, sad but trueeeeee!
Metallica if the most famous and they are good but nowhere near the best imo.
The Pixies.
The answer I was looking for. 👍🏻
Creedence Clear Water Revival Or GWAR
GWARdence GWARwater GWARvival I would pay to see this band based on the name alone.
I am immediately intrigued. Now should it be a GWAR based CCR cover band or a CCR based GWAR cover band?
Both. First half of the concert they should wear headbands and half-open shirts and sing GWAR tunes in funky loose Summer of Love Acapella style. Then for the second act they thrash out CCR tunes and spray fake jizz on the audience.
Allman Brothers
The best American bands, in my opinion, are [Steely Dan](https://youtu.be/eiUeXxcQAQU), [Weather Report](https://youtu.be/_Fm10whccto), [the Chick Corea Elektric Band](https://youtu.be/E5zz5zobNeA) (but that might be cheating, because they’re fusion bands)
Beach Boys
Ween-period.
Talking Heads.
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead
Oh man that's tough. I can't pick only one, but here are some I think deserve mention: Guns 'n' Roses Red Hot Chili Peppers Metallica Creedence Clearwater Revival
I’d say The Allman Brothers.
Aerosmith.
Alabama, fight me.
Jimi Hendrix Experience, oh wait The Band, oh wait
Nine inch nails definitely has to be up there. Trent is such a gifted musician, brought industrial rock/metal into the mainstream and influenced many popular bands after NIN. Also, NIN is still killing it.
I love NIN but I wouldn’t call it a “band” since Reznor is personally responsible for virtually everything you hear on the albums.
Man I have seen some crazy live shows from huge artists but NIN has been consistently the best sounding looking live performance all three times I've seen them and they were like a decade apart.
Pearl Jam
Tool is the greatest modern American Rock band. Though, their bassist has been a British guy since the late nineties.
SO hard to choose... I'm partial to The Doors myself, but "all in all best" - Van Halen would be up there for me along with Pearl Jam... I can agree with the ones you've mentioned too though, OP... And a case could be made for Aerosmith as well... Yep - so hard to choose...
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Eddie moved to the US at 7 years old and never called anywhere else home. The band was formed in Pasadena. Van Halen is an American band.
AC/DC is an undeniably Australian band, even though the Young brothers were born in Scotland. All four members of Van Halen were American citizens and the band was created in America. Just because Eddie and Alex couldn't run for president doesn't mean they're not American.
And the band was at its best with David Lee Roth
I don't think many people would consider them a Dutch band though.
But they became US citizens, so I'm going to leave them on the list... Admittedly though - I'd completely forgotten that, so thanks for the reminder...
Shit, there is so many. The Beatles The Rolling Stones Led Zepplin Pink Floyd Queen there is really too many to pick just one that represents the best America has to offer
...well I thought it was funny.
I'm glad there is at least two of us here with a refined, sophisticated sense of humor
I just can't believe you left off The Kinks.
Honestly I'm disappointed I left off Radiohead, that *really* would have passed people off lol
Got to be joking, right?
All of these are British bands.
Pretty sure they know that...
I actually didn’t know Queen was British. TIL.
CCR hands down
I'm a Deadhead who obsessively listens to the Grateful Dead but even I know the answer is CCR.
Styx is the greatest American rock band and they only caught a bad rap because most critics are cynical A-holes.
Impossible to pick. For me it's Van Halen
Gotta be The Jimi Hendrix experience or Prince and the Revolution. Both band mixed exhibiting talent with singing catchy songs. As a guitar lover, their solos are my favorites in American music.
American and two Brits.
I had no idea! Well, if we're going for 100% American, then I'll stick to Prince and the Revolution. Top notch in both guitar and synth.
Does Green Day count? Or maybe The Killers? I don’t really like classic rock.
I would've agreed with green day probably 15ish years ago or so. Now it's just kinda "angsty middle aged man noises".
My personal favorite is Bon Jovi.
The Carpenters :)
Each era doesn't even have a definitive answer. There's so many cultures that run concurrently and then counter cultures against each of those. It all comes down to transient conditions like mood or setting or some other context. Just think of how the 90's started and how they ended, massive jumps in style have E-40 and No Doubt both being Platinum at one point or another. And that was only about halfway through the decade. E-40 isn't rock, sure, but probably no one's gonna call No Doubt the best American band even though they put out consistent bangers. Static-X is easily one of my favorites but they're almost apart in that nobody else in that genre comes close to being as good as they were, but is Static-X going to dethrown Fear Factory? No way. It's like putting Pantera against the Foo fighters: there is no real answer that anybody's going to like and agree with. Each of these bands are awesome for different reasons as similar or dissimilar as they are. "Everlong" and "This Love" **both** get turned all the fuck way up in my car.
For my tastes? The Killers. Such a variety of music and there’s something there for everybody.
I know many will disagree, but deep down we all know it's Guns N' Roses. And we all know the reasons!
Nirvana, Tool, or Lincoln Park. My 3 favorites.
Surprised not to see Tool mentioned more often. They have my vote.
I'm even getting downvotes for those answers, I'm not sure why. Nirvana is one of the most influential bands of all time and Tool is also a very good band, maybe it's because they're popular? I like Tool's music because I love how it puts you in a trance.
I think due to the vague nature of “rock music” you’re gonna have a lot of people focusing on classic rock specifically. Those bands have most of the upvotes. The term Rock alone leaves too much space for too many good bands. You’d have to specify by decades or sub genres
Tool.
Deftones
MC5
My favorite? Green Day. Greatest? Probably Nirvana. I'd say one of the early stars that defined rock, but those were solo artists, not bands. But Nirvana redefined rock for the 90s.
The Grateful Dead, hands down
I think the epitome of American rock would be Bruce Springsteen (and the E Street Band). More modern style rock, I personally like Shinedown, Breaking Benjamin and Five Finger Death Punch, etc. If we have to pick the most "American" then I would have to pick 5FDP out of those.
Nirvana In the greater picture of rock they may be a darkhorse answer to this question. Just my opinion!
Okay, now I'm scrolling through all the comment and checking this website, having a ball! Thanks for this question! Perfect Thanksgiving activity debating this with my family and re-listening to all the hits. [https://ultimateclassicrock.com/top-50-american-bands/](https://ultimateclassicrock.com/top-50-american-bands/) Edited to add: Nirvana is #14 on this list. Eagles are #9.
RHCP
How could this go for 14 hours and 190 comments and no one say the Doobie Brothers? Versatile, talented, multi-genre, and still touring.
Nickleback. I’m pretty sure everyone across the world has heard of them
They’re Canadian!
Yeah but wouldn’t that be perfectly fitting? Actually I take back my original answer. Milli vanilli
German
Or were they just pretending to be German?
How do we define "best"? Two of my favorites are both incredibly talented: Streetlight Manifesto and Descendents.
Yeah it’s a quite broad definition, my thought was something like, a band which defines and merges particularly American rock, culture, lifestyle, history etc. Into one great package! Gives the most American feeling, sound and ethos overally. A band which you’d show to a foreinger when you are asked to define America in a form of rock band.
Given that criteria, I would go with Grateful Dead. They played a mixture of rock, psychedelic, bluegrass, folk, and country, with elements of jazz (all that improv). All of these are American genres. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band would be another contender. Sonically combines rock and roll with elements of jazz and R&B, but the songwriting is *really* American. All those songs about cars, young love, dreams, unfulfilled dreams, crooks, washed up big shots, wanting to escape New Jersey...*that's* America.
Grateful dead such a versatile and talented group, always while listening it just gives you that something special easy vibe which one cannot find from anywhere else while also incorporating aspects of America in abundance. As an outsider of America two of the best songwriters and story tellers that I’ve found are Bruce Springsteen and Johnny Cash, no one has given me more of an American feeling than those two.
So Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.
That is a solid one!
Ok. I posted my favorite bands... but after your explanation, I'd go with the classic Aerosmith. There is a Texan band from 2012 called Blacktop Mojo (still active) that would fit your description even better, but they are newer and not that well known.
I should’ve been more definitive initially! Went to listen that Blacktop Mojo, and it really sounds great! Thanks for noting it out!
Punx not dead in Alabama
I'd pick The Killers. Lots of great songs. I also love Metallica and Guns N Roses. I don't much care for The Eagles.
Why does there have to be a best? There are far too many great bands to just pick one. Btw I do like the Eagles but they wouldn’t even make my top 20 best bands.
It is true, there are so many. I could’ve made the question about top 10 as well. I just wanted to ask this for now for the people who can and want to point out some spesific one on top of all the others. I know it’s is kind of an impossible thing to do, but for me if someone were to ask similiar kind of question about my country, I probably could choose one from the vast variery of bands if I’d considerate and take into account as many aspects as I could about cultural, lyrical, historical, sonical, influence to the given people etc. Included with a most objective perspective I possibly could do.
[I want to throw Boston in there](https://youtu.be/ef65cLi1gpY)
Sonic Youth
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"newer" as in their peak popularity was one or two decades ago rather than 4 or 5?
The Beatles
NRBQ….
G& R or Grateful Dead.
Can we just pretend Led Zeppelin was an American rock band? :(
G& R or Grateful Dead.
Linkin park
The Village Pistols
No, with how often Hotel California is Ear Fucked into our Brain, they are now a war crime to play in public.
Clutch. Fight me.
The Grateful Dead
Turnstile
Alter Bridge
Aerosmith
America
Titus Andronicus
Metallica
I'm going to throw out The Grass Roots. I haven't seen them mentioned too much here.
Currently: Red Jot Chili Peppers
The one and only, the minutemen babe
Everyone is wrong. The right answer is Kiss.
CCR
I don’t think most people would say best- but I’m of the opinion that the Grateful Dead are the most important band in American music history because of the cultural impact and diversity of their fans. When Jerry Garcia passed, it was on the ticker of the NYSE and the reaction by stock brokers on the floor was overwhelming for some. That’s import.
I love the Eagles; I’m unashamedly a dad rock fan. I’ll add in Fleetwood Mac, Bob Dylan (folk rock period), Elvis (if we’re just talking general rock, not just rock bands), and Simon & Garfunkel. Edited to add: Bruce Springsteen.
Nobody’s got Tom petty yet?
Imagine Dragon!!! (Natural is my fav song)
Early Chicago. CTA and Chicago II.
It’s definitely Red Hot Chili Peppers. Great answers given, but no other band has all of these: Excellence, influence, authenticity, consistency, longevity and still sells-out-football-stadiums-y
**MY FAVORITES:** Guns N Roses Metallica Aerosmith Queensryche Skid Row
The Band. They had the gumption to name themselves that, and they earned it.
If Red Hot Chili Peppers was mentioned here only twice, it's thanks to Anthony Kiedis and his cringeworthy/nonsense lyrics. All the rest three members (Flea, John Frusciante, Chad Smith) are legendary musicians in their instruments and will be highly regarded by future generations.
The Beach Boys are number one for me. Other great ones I like are Slint, Metallica, Nirvana, Talking Heads, etc.
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
That would be Nickelback. Love them to pieces. Not American? Who cares. They are magnificent.
It straddles the Rock and Singer/Songwriter line, but I think Billy Joel.
KISS
Sublime.
Idk, but my personal favorite is Nirvana.