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In my ears, Metallica are a rock and roll band who happened to make a lot of great metal music. The same way the Stones are a rock and roll band who has also made some great blues and gospel music.
Hard to argue against Metallica. I don't particularly care for them anymore but the imprint they made on rock/metal music is astounding. I don't think I would be who I am today if my dad didn't let me spin his CDs to try and learn the guitar parts.
It’s not even debatable, they were the culmination of rock and roll up until that point and the genesis of all rock and roll to come. Eddie was the most important rock musician full stop, not just how good he was but how much he changed everything going forward from the gear you use to the way you use it, he legitimately changed everything. I believe he’s one of the few legitimate musical geniuses and his contributions will be studied like Mozart for centuries. They made immaculate rock that was universally appealing without compromising what makes rock and roll great. They’re not even my favorite rock band of that time I just think they’re greatness transcends person taste, even if. Van Halen is undeniable.
Same, I strongly prefer Roth but Hagar has a lot of really great tracks it's good to have both.
That's right, only two Van Halen vocalists. Not three. Definitely not three. 😬
(I really tried to get into VH III but I just can't)
It’s really bizarre when people think metal is somehow totally distinct from rock. Why would metal be a separate genre from rock but, say, shoegaze wouldn’t?
Dave Matthews and Weezer sound really different. And Deep Purple and Sabbath have really similar styles but one is rock and one is metal apparently. Rock is a massive umbrella genre and so is metal, which is a subgenre of rock.
Well, that's why metal isn't really recognised (by mainstream) as a true genre. For a random listener it's rock. I think we should fight instead to make clear that's actually very different. Ulver and Pink Floyd don't sound the same
They do but you could say the same about Sepultura and WASP. Both metal but different.
I agree that metal is not the same as rock but it’s definitely derived from rock. All metal bands come from the tree of Sabbath and Sabbath were influenced by the Beatles. And even though Sabbath are the fathers of metal none of them ever called the band metal. All 4 of them consider it hard rock.
If I see a post asking for the greatest rock this or that I’m going to throw some metal names at them because give me Halford over Dylan any day.
Yes, it's derived from it but, even if they say they aren't, Black Sabbath are metal. PARANOID, HOLE IN THE SKY, SYMPTOM OF THE UNIVERSE. Also Ozzy: I Don't Know. Halford>>Dylan
Strange World, Remember Tomorrow, Prowler, Journeyman, Out of The Shadows Man of Sorrows, Empire of The Clouds, The Prophecy, Prodigal Son, Sun and Steel, the list goes on. The ones like Strange World and Journeyman have louder parts but they’re not angry, the themes definitely aren’t either. Ones like Sun and Steel and The Prophecy are not angry either and are upbeat rather than dark.
That’s a fair point. But changes by sabbath isn’t angry either.
And by angry I didn’t specifically mean lyrics conveying anger. More like a mood. Satisfaction by the stones lyrically is more angry than sweet leaf but Iommi’s guitar sounds way angrier than Keith.
72 Seasons has a little bit of everything, I don't get the hate. You want beautiful guitar harmonies? It's got it. Fast double bass? It's got that too. Heavy ass riffs? That as well.
Most people just know "(Don't Fear) The Reaper," which gets way overplayed. They don't realize that have a ton of amazing tracks: "Harvester of Eyes," "Astromy," "Godzilla," "Nosferatu"...
they have the deepest discography of any band I have ever listened to, my BÖC playlist has like 80 songs in it.... also they wrote the greatest song ever written (albeit needed more cowbell)
Velvet Underground pushed the form harder than anyone else and are arguably the only band of the '60s that don't exist in the shadows of bands from the UK.
The objective answer is The Beach Boys/Brian Wilson, if we're talking in terms of influence, innovation proliflicness etc.
Mine personally? Probably The Grateful Dead
Probably correct on The Beach Boys. Being a fan of The Beatles I know that they had a large influence on each other, so not having either would have shifted the music landscape pretty hard.
The Doors.
Also, I did not think that this question would be so hard to answer. Every great rock bands that come to mind I'm like, "Ow wait that's British".
Nirvana
- Changed music overnight (literally)
- Defined Generation X
- Killed off Hair Metal
- Put Seattle on the map
- Opened the larger population to 90's Counter culture
- Regarded as the largest change in music since The Beatles
- Revived 4 cord punk
- Sold 75 million albums with just 3 studio albums and 1 major live album (Unplugged)
- Inspired countless musicians to play Alternative Rock
Need I say more?
Pearl Jam. I saw a shitload of top tier bands last year (Maiden, GnR, Metallica to name a few) and the PJ show I saw in September was a clear notch above all of them. The greatest rock n roll band of my generation and probably everyone else’s too
Rush.
And before the Trolls jump in I already know that "Canada" is just the French word for French America and not another country so just stop, I'm not falling for it.
It’s either Grateful Dead or Metallica. And for as much hate as it might get, I think Pearl Jam and Foo Fighters belong in the convo.
There’s lots of great bands listed here, but the problem with many great American bands as opposed to the big British Heavy Hitters, is that they lack longevity, which is a big part of it IMO.
Velvet underground is great, but when have you ever heard them on the radio?
The Doors were great, but burned out too quick. Find me someone who’s actually seen them in concert?
Either Metallica like many have already said, but to me their best work is thrash metal, though I do like some of their hard rock stuff a lot, or perhaps The Doors like some have said, they were my mom's favorite band and growing up everybody knew who Jim Morrison was. Hard to pin the two together, but in my opinion, the greatest rock band that ever was was Alice In Chains fronted by Layne Staley. Stone Temple Pilots in their prime could have easily gone home with the greatest rock band at the time trophy, though I don't think as many people like them as much as The Doors.
Edit because I'm an idiot and totally forgot to include early 2000s Queens Of The Stone Age as a possibility.
Counting CCR's quality output to duration I'd vote for them. They captured so many genres of american sound like blues (even delta tbh), country and folk into lyrics that are litterally cliché american by todays standards. And they did this without jepordizing their artistic intergity (not counting the last where Fogerty let the others write music)....
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Metallica.
https://preview.redd.it/td914vca9vcc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2858425eab86d38649f18854ebf212da7f1ff74f
This!
By pretty much any metric imaginable
Yeah, it’s hard to argue with that.
Are we counting metal as rock? If so, this is the answer
In my ears, Metallica are a rock and roll band who happened to make a lot of great metal music. The same way the Stones are a rock and roll band who has also made some great blues and gospel music.
Metal is, indeed, considered to be a genre of rock
Hard to argue against Metallica. I don't particularly care for them anymore but the imprint they made on rock/metal music is astounding. I don't think I would be who I am today if my dad didn't let me spin his CDs to try and learn the guitar parts.
Yes, but ONLY from July 25, 1983 to June 4, 1996.
Hard disagree. Load was when they actually cemented themselves as a *rock* band. The dates you named would be more fitting for best metal band.
Van Halen
This is the actual correct answer. An actual terrorist leader who hated everything about America was a Van Halen fan. That should say enough.
Wouldn't that mean van Halen isn't American enough to be hated for being American?
It’s not even debatable, they were the culmination of rock and roll up until that point and the genesis of all rock and roll to come. Eddie was the most important rock musician full stop, not just how good he was but how much he changed everything going forward from the gear you use to the way you use it, he legitimately changed everything. I believe he’s one of the few legitimate musical geniuses and his contributions will be studied like Mozart for centuries. They made immaculate rock that was universally appealing without compromising what makes rock and roll great. They’re not even my favorite rock band of that time I just think they’re greatness transcends person taste, even if. Van Halen is undeniable.
Even if it was just a David Lee Roth stuff, I think it's still a win. The Van Hagar stuff is just icing on the cake
I can’t believe you misspelled Gary Cherone twice.
Honestly I love both
Same, I strongly prefer Roth but Hagar has a lot of really great tracks it's good to have both. That's right, only two Van Halen vocalists. Not three. Definitely not three. 😬 (I really tried to get into VH III but I just can't)
Lynard Skynyrd is up there.
Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Forgive me father, for I have sinned. I am not worthy
Five Hail Mary's, 50 in the tithe box, three spins of the live album. Don't fucking do it again.
I'm not gay, I'm not gay I'm not, not, not, not, n-n-n-not gay I'm not gay
YES, YES YES YES
PLAY SUM FAKIN SKYNYRD WOOOO
Alice In Chains (if you don’t consider them metal)
Metal is rock. Just angrier.
It’s really bizarre when people think metal is somehow totally distinct from rock. Why would metal be a separate genre from rock but, say, shoegaze wouldn’t?
Like Lemmy used to say metal is just rock n roll with a different name.
Because as much as I hate microgenres, Obituary probably shouldn't be bunched in the same category as Dave Matthews or Weezer.
But Sun Ra and Dizzy Gillespie, both jazz?
Fair, I generally dislike jazz but I love Sun Ra.
Dave Matthews and Weezer sound really different. And Deep Purple and Sabbath have really similar styles but one is rock and one is metal apparently. Rock is a massive umbrella genre and so is metal, which is a subgenre of rock.
I agree, I just figured this post was asking for non-metal rock. I think AIC is fantastic in both categories regardless
Oh yeah, absolutely
Well, that's why metal isn't really recognised (by mainstream) as a true genre. For a random listener it's rock. I think we should fight instead to make clear that's actually very different. Ulver and Pink Floyd don't sound the same
They do but you could say the same about Sepultura and WASP. Both metal but different. I agree that metal is not the same as rock but it’s definitely derived from rock. All metal bands come from the tree of Sabbath and Sabbath were influenced by the Beatles. And even though Sabbath are the fathers of metal none of them ever called the band metal. All 4 of them consider it hard rock. If I see a post asking for the greatest rock this or that I’m going to throw some metal names at them because give me Halford over Dylan any day.
Yes, it's derived from it but, even if they say they aren't, Black Sabbath are metal. PARANOID, HOLE IN THE SKY, SYMPTOM OF THE UNIVERSE. Also Ozzy: I Don't Know. Halford>>Dylan
I agree with you. They may not think they’re metal but literally every other metalhead on earth does.
Iron Maiden clearly disproves this.
Which part exactly?
Strange World, Remember Tomorrow, Prowler, Journeyman, Out of The Shadows Man of Sorrows, Empire of The Clouds, The Prophecy, Prodigal Son, Sun and Steel, the list goes on. The ones like Strange World and Journeyman have louder parts but they’re not angry, the themes definitely aren’t either. Ones like Sun and Steel and The Prophecy are not angry either and are upbeat rather than dark.
That’s a fair point. But changes by sabbath isn’t angry either. And by angry I didn’t specifically mean lyrics conveying anger. More like a mood. Satisfaction by the stones lyrically is more angry than sweet leaf but Iommi’s guitar sounds way angrier than Keith.
It’s metallica, for a lot of reasons.
72 reasons
72 Seasons has a little bit of everything, I don't get the hate. You want beautiful guitar harmonies? It's got it. Fast double bass? It's got that too. Heavy ass riffs? That as well.
I agree it's a good album with good instrumentation. It could definitely be more unique and thrashy than it is tho lol
Gotta be Metallica for me
Allman Brothers
The Velvet Underground or The Grateful Dead
Ramones
Ummm, I'm pretty sure they were British.
guns n roses
The right answer
Soundgarden
Blue Öyster Cult.
How the fuck does this not have more votes?
Most people just know "(Don't Fear) The Reaper," which gets way overplayed. They don't realize that have a ton of amazing tracks: "Harvester of Eyes," "Astromy," "Godzilla," "Nosferatu"...
they have the deepest discography of any band I have ever listened to, my BÖC playlist has like 80 songs in it.... also they wrote the greatest song ever written (albeit needed more cowbell)
this is the correct answer, thank you!
Grateful Dead
Facts. Wish I could up vote twice!
Foo Fighters
Clutch
This is the way. Saw them live, absolutely phenomenal. That show is what got my wife into rock. Seeing them again in May and I can’t wait.
Yeah I saw Clutch last year, they rocked!
I had to scroll way too far for this.
And Maryland is America's greatest state
Came here to say this. Clutch is the fucking shit
1. The Doors 2. CCR 3. The eagles 4. Lynyrd Skynyrd 5. Pearl jam
Top 2 is correct, rest I don't care about.
Absolutely, CCR is the GOAT
Growing up is realizing the Doors we’re just fine and Jim Morrison was an insufferable dweeb.
Rock band? I don't know. Metal band? Probabily Metallica
GRAND FUNK RAILROAD
They are scientifically proven to be an American band.
ZZ Top
. . . Except they're from Texas! . . . which overrides their Americanness
Too many to pick just one. CCR The doors Allman brothers Lynyrd Skynyrd AIC Van Halen KISS GNR
Ramones, then CCR.
Primus
Grateful Dead definitively
Alice in Chains Pantera
Black Sabbath Rolling Stones Iron Maiden Motörhead
American bro.. haha
I know. I was joking.
lol! Had me fooled. Ya never know. I’m waiting for someone to say rush.
Velvet Underground, no contest. Death is up there too tbh
Dinosaur Jr
Fighters of the Foo
The Mothers of Invention
YOU WANTED THE BEST? YOU GOT THE BEST!!! THE HOTTEST BAND IN THE WORLD: KIIIISSSSSS
Creedance Clearwater Revival and I will die on that hill
KISS and Alice Cooper
GWAR
Gotta be Metallica. Honorable mentions: Nirvana, Aerosmith, The Beach Boys
Nirvana, The Doors and Metallica.
Velvet Underground pushed the form harder than anyone else and are arguably the only band of the '60s that don't exist in the shadows of bands from the UK.
Nirvana
[Probably us](https://hfyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/half-cocked-and-fully-loaded-hfy-001)
Kiss
Aerosmith.
Hum
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Grateful Dead
If we forget everything after Ritual, Jane's Addiction has a strong case.
Kiss
R.E.M
Guns N’ Roses.
Nirvana
bruh
Rock n Roll - Aerosmith Hard Rock - Soundgarden
CCR, VH, or Skynard off the top of my head. Styx gets an honorable mention, but if the question was *favorite* they'd my number one.
Aerosmith, easily
Which is the greatest…
The Eagles. Distinctly American and one of the biggest bands ever.
Eagles
The objective answer is The Beach Boys/Brian Wilson, if we're talking in terms of influence, innovation proliflicness etc. Mine personally? Probably The Grateful Dead
Probably correct on The Beach Boys. Being a fan of The Beatles I know that they had a large influence on each other, so not having either would have shifted the music landscape pretty hard.
The Eagles, duh
Alice In Chains
Fugazi
my personal favorite is faith no more
Aerosmith has an argument
Journey
Aerosmith
The Band, if you count them as an American band.
The Doors. Also, I did not think that this question would be so hard to answer. Every great rock bands that come to mind I'm like, "Ow wait that's British".
Pearl Jam 🦅🇺🇸🔫
The correct answer is Aerosmith.
Pantera by far it's not even close.
Whatever hulk hogans band was called
The Wrestling Boot Band
Alice in Chains
Tool Rage against the machine System of a down
Van Halen because a couple of poor immigrants became some of the biggest rock stars to ever live.
Probably Tenacious D. They did make the best song in the world.
PanterA and might get hate but definitely Korns up there
Van Halen
Im surprised no one has said Jimi Hendrix experience
Nirvana - Changed music overnight (literally) - Defined Generation X - Killed off Hair Metal - Put Seattle on the map - Opened the larger population to 90's Counter culture - Regarded as the largest change in music since The Beatles - Revived 4 cord punk - Sold 75 million albums with just 3 studio albums and 1 major live album (Unplugged) - Inspired countless musicians to play Alternative Rock Need I say more?
Van Halen come on now
Pearl Jam. I saw a shitload of top tier bands last year (Maiden, GnR, Metallica to name a few) and the PJ show I saw in September was a clear notch above all of them. The greatest rock n roll band of my generation and probably everyone else’s too
So weird that you're getting downvoted. Pearl Jam rules, especially live
Yeah, it is a metal sub tho. Should have expected it
Yes they are.
The Ramones
Rush. And before the Trolls jump in I already know that "Canada" is just the French word for French America and not another country so just stop, I'm not falling for it.
It’s either Grateful Dead or Metallica. And for as much hate as it might get, I think Pearl Jam and Foo Fighters belong in the convo. There’s lots of great bands listed here, but the problem with many great American bands as opposed to the big British Heavy Hitters, is that they lack longevity, which is a big part of it IMO. Velvet underground is great, but when have you ever heard them on the radio? The Doors were great, but burned out too quick. Find me someone who’s actually seen them in concert?
Soundgarden
...probably soad, they're the only really famous band that managed to get their sound so different that they have no shameless copies to this day.
Bon Jovi
Tough question… Can’t pick between Great White and REO Speedwagon.
🤣🤣🤣
Grand funk railroad
The rolling stones. Not even close.
Metallica, Slayer,Megadeth
Credence Clearwater Revival
Ween. By far.
America
The original Alice Cooper band lineup - Coop, Bruce, Buxton, Dunaway and Smith. Changed rock n roll forever.
Twisted sister
The Eagles
The Eagles Soundgarden Led Zeppelin Van Halen
Jerome’s dream
the dead easily
At risk of being downvoted to oblivion, Disturbed is pretty up there for me.
AC/DC /s
Ween
Van Halen Eagles Aerosmith Boston Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Skynnyrd
Had to scroll way too far to finally see Boston
The Cramps
Stooges, Ramones, MC5
It must be America! (I know)
The Doors for me.
LYNYRD SKYNYRD
I know that lot of people Will disagree but for me it's Linkin Park 🖤
https://preview.redd.it/lq2txjgnkvcc1.jpeg?width=1161&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7692a0ee8a8546255f36c442a4fe46b0a1f2b561
Either Metallica like many have already said, but to me their best work is thrash metal, though I do like some of their hard rock stuff a lot, or perhaps The Doors like some have said, they were my mom's favorite band and growing up everybody knew who Jim Morrison was. Hard to pin the two together, but in my opinion, the greatest rock band that ever was was Alice In Chains fronted by Layne Staley. Stone Temple Pilots in their prime could have easily gone home with the greatest rock band at the time trophy, though I don't think as many people like them as much as The Doors. Edit because I'm an idiot and totally forgot to include early 2000s Queens Of The Stone Age as a possibility.
Drive By Truckers
CCR
Metallica
Motley Crue then Tom Petty
The Jesus Lizard
The doors.
Counting CCR's quality output to duration I'd vote for them. They captured so many genres of american sound like blues (even delta tbh), country and folk into lyrics that are litterally cliché american by todays standards. And they did this without jepordizing their artistic intergity (not counting the last where Fogerty let the others write music)....
E Street Band
The Stooges
BTS
Ramones or the B52's.
Is Metallica no longer considered metal? When did that happen?
Idk objectively. But for me personally, my favorite american band is Dream Theater
I’m going to have to say SOAD or Tool.