Greatest American rock band

Agree, except you can say that about half of most rock lyrics.

 

If you go by albums sold (I have no way of looking this up, my chart knowledge is stuck on 1991), you'd probably have to go 1. Eagles, 2. Springsteen/E Street, 3. Aerosmith (they've been charting since 1974).

 

1. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (Petty is one of the best songwriters ever. Mike Campbell's guitar is amazing)
2. BRuuuuuuuce. (Body of work is just amazing.)
3. B.B. King and whatever band he's playing with. (Actually, King's band had several longtime members only most of them have died. His presence here should also be taken to represent the many blues singers and bands whose influence gave us what we call American Rock. The reason many of us are bemoaning the lack of great bands from our own country has a lot to do with the fact that our formitive musicians played blues.)
4. The Eagles
5. Nirvana

 

the girl in that vid might be the "greatest american ever to appear in a rock video" though. you were on the right track.

 

I like Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, but how can they be number one when they're proudly derivative of another American band -- the Byrds?

 

I'd take Courtney Cox in the Springsteen video over that Warrant skank. I'd take the pre-crazy Tawny Kitaen writhing on the hood of the Jaguar (and showing a nipple in the first version shown on MTV) over the Cherry Pie girl.

 

No one has ever covered Dylan better than the Byrds.

 

Mr Bubbler,

Glad someone else mentioned the Byrds.

I'd put The Band in there but they were more of a Toronto outfit than anything else.

YD&OHS, etc

 

You're saying the student can never surpass the teacher?

 

I already had my wrists slapped for mentioning Robbie Robertson et al.

They used to do dances at the Burlington arena when I was in high school along with that old standby, Ronnie Hawkins. They were the Hawks back then

 

I'm not sure they ever did surpass the Byrds, I'd say they're about equal. Frankly, I wouldn't consider either one of the best American bands. Tom Petty gets accolades because he's been around forever.

 

Admittedly, I'm not up on current music and amny of these bands mentioned, I've never heard of. So, a vote from the Geezer generation:

1. The original Allman Brothers Band, before the motorcycle crashes. Simply the best ever.

2. The Beach Boys. From about 1964-70, their music is unbelievably good.

3. Thanks to others for mentioning the Byrds. "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" was a monumental album in American music history. Highly underrated band.

4. CCR, the E-Street Band. To me, however, they often seem like the front guy and his backup musicians, since Fogarty and Springsteen were most, if not all, of the show.

I'd put REM in there, too. And despite the appeal of Jim Morrison, the Doors are out of their league in this group.

And no love for the Lamont Cranston Band?