Jun07
23
The Top 10 Most Influential Bands Of All Time
Just for fun, my list of the 10 most influential bands (not solo artists, so Josh Groban didn’t qualify) of all time, in my humble opinion (and in no particular order):
1. The Beatles
2. U2
3. The Rolling Stones
4. Queen
5. Nirvana
6. The Who
7. Led Zeppelin
8. Metallica
9. The Beach Boys
10. Linkin Park
Others that I’d love to include but don’t quite cut it are Creedence and Toto. Beach Boys may come as a surprise but I really do think they’ve made an enormous impact.
Who have I left out?
It’s a good list.. but you really think Linkin Park are that influential? I’d maybe replace them with The Police
Agree with Chris and how about Red Hot Chili Peppers
Hmmm, yes indeed. Was desperately trying to find someone from the modern era who have been influential. Red Hot Chili Peppers indeed. The Police indeed. In fact the could prob replace Beach Boys and Linkin Park respectively.
You live and learn. So ironic in that The Police and RHCP are such huge personal influences
Another from the modern era would probably be R.E.M.
None from the punk era? Sex Pistols? Clash?
Um, Mike?
People may roll their eyes at this, but if you’re talking about influence - as in influential - you really need to include ABBA on the list.
I also agree with the Police idea. Chilli Peppers - not so much. I think R.E.M. is a better call than them.
I think REM definitely need to be there, as well as the Clash or the Sex Pistols. Police, too, probably. As to who I’d drop to accommodate them- I’d probably say The Who and Linkin Park. I’m tempted to throw the Grateful Dead in, not for their music as such but because of their influence on the jam band and touring scene.
In a way this list is easier as a top 5 (Beatles, Queen, U2, R.E.M, Nirvana) or a top 15 (uh, everything mentioned in all comments).
Agree that The Police should definitely be in, and Linkin Park is too early.
But what about Cream instead of The Who?
what about the VELVET UNDERGROUND?
the most influential bands without them there would be no REM OR NIRVANA !
Not a fan, but since I live in Jersey I’m obliged to throw in Springstein. And I agree some representation of the punk/new wave era is mandatory– Sex Pistols, Patty Smith, The Clash, Blondie, Elvis Costello? Definitely Velvet Underground, Lou Reed. David Bowie? Rod Stewart?
Just too damned hard. Nice try. I can’t believe this is the first comment I’ve posted on your blog…
!
Good calls all around. Apologies guys for leaving out Velvet Underground, Pink Floyd and Sex Pistols - but largely due to my ignorance and youth they have not yet had the impact on me they probably would if I took the time to discover them.
Springstein didn’t get a place because I consider him, along with Elvis, to be a solo artist. The Who trumps Cream, sorry Simon.
I’m fascinated that nobody has argued Metallica?
Well, I would definitely include Black Sabbath before Metallica. Without them there might never have been a Metallica to begin with
my to 10
1 the beatles
2 the beach boys
3 the velvet underground
4 the rolling stones
5 black sabbath
6 the pixies
7 the ramones
8 nirvana
9 r.e.m.
10 the clash
Thanks to Kevin for throwing The Pixies in the mix. Prior to The Pixies no other band had really done the ‘quiet verse loud chorus’ formula before. If you think about how many bands since have used this formula, and not only in rock music, but pop music too, their influence is astounding.
Thanks Mike!!! Now my mind is rotating through every band I have ever listened to - and will probably continue to do so the whole night if not the whole week…
Sisters of Mercy, Aeorsmith, Bon Jovi (it was a group), Poison,
Nirvana…
K….Stop the World! It’s time to get off musical mayhem…
ok my idea of what the list should be:
1. beatles
2.beach boys
3.led zeppelin
4.black sabbath
5.pink floyd
6.ac/dc
7.metallica
8.the clash
9.nirvana
10.korn
now those are the most influential bands ever!!! in my opinion.
Eish you forgot..
The Doors
or Pink Floyd
kudos for including the Beach Boys alot of people dont realize how influential they were on the beatles.yes black sabbath over metalica(those guys are fags) lincoln park how about the spin doctors. the stones top ten great bands but most infuentail? no
korn? linkin park?
are you joking?
no elvis? no blues artists, bo diddley, muddy waters, hound dog taylor? who in god’s name has korn ever inspired? meth heads to form awful metal garage bands?
do you know what the word “influence” even remotely means?
I don’t think that elvis is considred a band.
Alrite, Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Doors, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Queen, Sex Pistols, and Coldplay all have to be thought about. If i were to make a list it would be..
1. The Beatles
2. The Rolling Stones
3. Queen
4. Jimi Hendrix Experience
5. Bob Marley and the Wailers
6. Led Zeppelin
7. The Doors
8. Grateful Dead
9. Pink Floyd
10. U2
What does everyone think about that list?
I would like to share my points of view , for me Journey is included in the list because they are the poineers of arena rock and power ballads so they have they share of influences
1.The Beatles
2.U2
3.The Beach Boys
4.The Clash
5.The Rolling Stones
6.Queen
7.Pink Floyd
8.Guns N Roses
9.AC/DC
10.The Who
KoRn rule, probably the best band of all time
I think that you need some sort of metal bands or grunge bands like Black Sabbath , Iron Maiden, or Judas Priest, Alice In Chains up there because they were like the first bands to venture into metal and grunge and now metal and grunge are some of the most popular genres. also you need jimi hendrix for SURE because I mean setting amplifiers on fire and smashing guitars was his trademark and he sort of started that..
To correct you Dylan, Jimi lit guitars on fire and did not smash his guitars. He also was known for playing guitar behind his head and for being the pioneer in making psychedelic sounds by manipulating his amplifier. Also Dylan, the only metal band that could be considered is Black Sabbath OR Iron Maiden. I would agree that the beach boys have no place of this list. Those of you who dont know who the GRATEFUL DEAD and RUsh are, download them immediatley.
ok if your talking most influential, elvis and the beatles are one and two. than you have to have floyd, led zepplain, and stones, who without, there would be no rock because those 5 bands created rock and roll.
1. elvis
2. the beatles
3. The rolling stones
4. Pink Floyd
5. Led Zepplain
those are the top 5 most influential bands in rock and roll history.
chuck berry
elvis presley
the beatles
pink floyd
kraftwerk
david bowie
sex pistols
the clash
the cure
Elvis
Jerry Lee Lewis
Chuck Berry
The Beatles
Led Zeppelin
Johnny Cash
Queen
Metallica
RUSH
The Who
NIRVANA
THE DOORS
THE BEATLES
THE RAMONES
JOY DIVISION
PINK FLOYD
THE QUEEN
THE WHO
IGGY & THE STOOGES
…AND NIRVANA!
SORRY BUT THERE IS A MUSIC WORLD BEFORE AND ONE AFTER THEM!
Thanks for sharing
This may be a late post, but i had to say i think all of you here forgot one major influential band… Van Halen. Just think about how many poser 80’s rock hair-bands they produced afterwards, like poison, ratt or cinderella. And they brought about a new type of metal/ hard rock guitar sound.
so my list goes:
10. Van Halen
9. Led Zeppelin
8. R.E.M
7. Sex Pistols
6. Elvis Presley
5. Kraftwerk
4. Velvet Underground
3. Jimi Hendrix
2. Rolling Stones
1. The Beatles
i reckon RHCP should be in there mayb in top 5 but i think they will be in the near future, i reckon nirvana are probobly one of the biggest, even though i do hate them i have to say they are influential, if you look at alot of bands they take after nirvana or foo fighters with dave grohl coming from nirvana, stones should be higher even though i hate them aswell and linkin park are to new to music. but kool list
Well nirvana is most definately a influence for ones who say it is not. And i believe metallica is alot different from black sabbath, which influenced bands that are nu metal like disturbed and korn. Which black sabbath influenced bands like lamb of god and more deeper metal. But also bands like slayer and pantera influenced the metal generation of this day and age. So you have to mention them as well. Gotta put in the white stripes for what jack white has accomplished and changed with his music. You’ve got tool Also to think about too. Them and nirvana were big influcences in the hard rock bands like breaking benjamin and seether. There’s alot fo bands im still forgetting but these are honorable mentions too. But i think the top 10 is legit, except for linkin park they started trends to make what music is today.