In resonse to a few notable objections, and to explain my thought process:
The Clash/Ramones
Iggy Pop and MC5 essentially created punk, and so I believe them to be the most influential. All are born of Iggy's denim clad loins.
Hendrix, Elvis, etc.
People aren't really a "band" per se. Danzig was associated with bands when his influence was truly made evident, thats why he is an exception.
Metalicca
Were born of Motorhead, as was most metal that became popular in the 80's and 90's, if you ask them. They took the place of Black Sabbath in influence, if not talent.
Black Sabbath
See above.
Nirvana
They are my truly noteable exception, but I wouldn't put them on this list, because I believe they are a collection of influences more than anything. Also, listening to music that came out after them, they didn't influence music all that much. Or maybe thats just wishful thinking considering all the absolute SHIT that has come out as Rock and Roll post 1995. They influenced a generation, but I don't think they had enough time to infleunce music (and NO, they did NOT create grunge). Also, putting Nirvana on the list would open a whole can of worms including Faith No More and the Melvins, as KG said.
The Foo Fighters
You gotta be fucking kidding me...
Black Flag, Velvet Underground and Pink Floyd are all great picks, IMO. I really struggled with not having Pink on the list. Looking back on the lst, I think it suffers from trying to have too many influences on it, rather than just the MOST influential.
And people, lets not just post the names, LETS GET SOME YouTube vids up in this piece!!!
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Last edited by Professor S : 06-01-2008 at 10:50 AM.
I don't need to rank my top 10 as most on my list have been said numerous times (Beatles #1), but I will share a couple that have been (at least for the most part) excluded.
Michael Jackson (King of Pop, evolutionized music videos, made dancers out of singers).
Chuck Berry - "If rock 'n' roll had another name, it would be Chuck Berry." - John Lennon
__________________ -Perfect Stu-
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Last edited by Perfect Stu : 06-01-2008 at 02:35 PM.
I think it's safe to say that the majority of "influential bands" all predated 1990, and only a few jems were rolled out in the 80s. Hindsight is 20/20, but as of right now, it doesn't seem like music has the power it did during the 60s and 70s. We'll see how the critics reflect on the 1990-2010 stretch in 20 or 30 years.
Strangler, what you have to factor in, is that to be influential, one doesn't only need to "create" a genre, sound, song etc. But also has to create a buzz around that genre, and sound.
Iggy Pop was first, yes. But the splash he made for punk to bring it to the mainstream wasn't nearly as big as what The Ramones or the Clash did. Look at the staying power of the Ramones and the Clash. Both bands were barely around, and there are handfuls of songs still played by both on modern radio stations. All Iggy Pop gets is Lust for Life.
For Nirvana, you're right. They did not create grunge. Arguably, The Pixies Did. However, what Nirvana did was bring grunge into the limelight, and especially Seattle. Making a name for bands like Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, The Screaming Trees, Hole, and Stone Temple Pilots.
Also, Danzig is a band. Just because it's the last name of the creator, doesn't mean it isn't a band. It's not him sitting solely there with a guitar doing everything by himself. Glenn Danzig is a man. Danzig, is a band.
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Re: Top 10 Most Influential "Rock" Bands
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