Greatest American band in history

Picture it:

It is 2005, approximately. It is Rupp Arena. A young man and his friends take their seats.

The lights go down, and Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band begins to play their hit song, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Never Forgets.”

Imagine it!

This is my number 2 band.

 

One Canadian and one Englishman
Don’t care
Best concert I ever saw

 

Good thing I saw them on their 1974 reunion/farewell tour! With Santana and Jesse Colin Young. What a show.

 

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Final answer.

 

Eh, I'll wade in.

I'm inclined to eliminate any "and the" bands. No Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, no TP and the Heartbreakers, no Prince and the Revolution (which would probably be the best answer, and it's really mostly just Prince.) It's tricky because you could probably argue that Bruce and the E Street Band are more of a "band" than Creedence ever was... but that's my ruling.

The top 3 should rightfully be the Funk Brothers, Booker T & the MGs and the Swampers, but that's probably cheating. So, not necessarily in order...

Beach Boys
Isley Brothers
Guns n Roses
REM
Parliament

And seriously, the Eagles are fucking horrendous. Stop with the Eagles.

 

Booker T & The MGs
Van Halen
Metallica
The Eagles*

*only if they and Steely Dan are the last two remaining American rock bands on the planet

 

Jesse opened for me, also in 1974, followed by The Band, who were inspired to kick ass in Toronto and did so
Crosby, Stills and Nash came out first and did Suite Judy Blue Eyes
While they were finishing, you could see a guy scuffling on the stage wearing a hat, sunglasses and an overcoat, with a dog
As the other three exited the stage, Neil Young tied the dog’s leash to the piano, took off the coat, sat down and started playing Helpless
They played for 3 1/2 hours before a driving rainstorm forced them to end
“We wanna keep playing for you but we don’t want to get electrocuted,” Young said as they left the stage

 

Van Roth or Van Hagar?

 

Greatest American rock band not Greatest American Pepsi commercial composers.

 

Ohio State Marching

Alexander's Ragtime

Benny Goodman Orchestra circa 1939 Concert at Carnegie Hall

Duke Ellington Orchestra ca 1960

Beach Boys

Velvet Underground

Prince alone in a studio

 

yes.