Best American Rock Band

[Apollo]

The Ramones...absolutely undeniably The Ramones, over and above any other American band that ever existed.

Along with the Beastie Boys, one of the most overrated bands ever.

I guess personally you can say that and it cant be true but in terms of being the best American group, scope of influence etc, its difficult to deny them. Unless the question meant who you LIKE best, in which case i couldn't answer.

The OP is asking what is the best American rock band. Credit is due for running counter to the larger musical narrative at the time, but for me, that's about it. Maybe two decent and well recognized songs (Blitzkrieg Pop and I Wanna Be Sedated - not including Hey Ho, Let's Go because it's the same fucking some as Blitzkrieg Pop), but we're looking at a band that contained a singer who really couldn't sing and a bunch of musicians who were hardly tops of their class. Influential, sure. But the best American band? Not a fucking chance. If this was asking who the most influential American act is, we'd have to go with Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, etc..

And the Dolls and the Stooges deserve far more credit for the punk sound, in my opinion, than the Ramones. Nobody really celebrated them while they were still playing and alive like they do today. It's only been in the last ten years that they've been elevated to some Godly status that I think is better reserved for bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and a few others.

In my opinion the Ramones are a band that's used as a fashion accessory by a younger generation. One that is bereft of their own genuine music identity that haphazardly latches on to the aesthetic more so than the actual cause and music of seminal bands from their parents (or soon grandparents) day and age. Ask the random 17 year old walking around with a Ramones t-shirt and my bet is they'd be hard pressed to name one Ramones song.

Great post.

In terms of influencing rock music as we know it, I don't think anybody could complain about a tree that had Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry as it's roots.

Buddy gets lost in the shuffle when people start showing us how hip, edgy and underground they are by throwing out bands that have cult followings. Buddy Holly literally changed the way rock music was played and recorded. And he was the king of writing the rock single. This guy is mentioned with the all time greats even though his career was only a few years long.

And chuck berry and his guitar. Man, what's their to even say. Johnny B Good is the foundation for 83.75% of every guitar driven rock song written since it came out.

We can all throw our personal favorites out there. But in terms of success, critical and fan acclaim, respect from their peers, and being influencial (sp), and starting music trends or genres.......buddy Holly and chuck berry are absolute first ballot hall of famers.

Great topic and opening list. I guess if we were talking rock bands, Rolling Stones would probably top the list.

[DR DOOM]

Quick scroll through the thread on mobile which was quite an eye sore (so many long quotes - thanks downzy and Len ) but I didn't see KISS mentioned. Like them or hate them, they've been incredibly influential and amidst a string of bad albums and line-up changes they persevered and are still going. Biggest band? Currently no, but perhaps at one time. Big in general though? Yes, even just the name is known everywhere.

I thought about putting them forward, but (like my own suggestion, the Alice Cooper Group) I couldn't seriously put them above someone like Chuck Berry...I guess in the hard rock category they are certainly a contender.

KISS really did influence so many people, even if just by making them want to pick up an instrument.

[GivenToFly]

The Ramones...absolutely undeniably The Ramones, over and above any other American band that ever existed.

Along with the Beastie Boys, one of the most overrated bands ever.

I guess personally you can say that and it cant be true but in terms of being the best American group, scope of influence etc, its difficult to deny them. Unless the question meant who you LIKE best, in which case i couldn't answer.

The OP is asking what is the best American rock band. Credit is due for running counter to the larger musical narrative at the time, but for me, that's about it. Maybe two decent and well recognized songs (Blitzkrieg Pop and I Wanna Be Sedated - not including Hey Ho, Let's Go because it's the same fucking some as Blitzkrieg Pop), but we're looking at a band that contained a singer who really couldn't sing and a bunch of musicians who were hardly tops of their class. Influential, sure. But the best American band? Not a fucking chance. If this was asking who the most influential American act is, we'd have to go with Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, etc..

And the Dolls and the Stooges deserve far more credit for the punk sound, in my opinion, than the Ramones. Nobody really celebrated them while they were still playing and alive like they do today. It's only been in the last ten years that they've been elevated to some Godly status that I think is better reserved for bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and a few others.

In my opinion the Ramones are a band that's used as a fashion accessory by a younger generation. One that is bereft of their own genuine music identity that haphazardly latches on to the aesthetic more so than the actual cause and music of seminal bands from their parents (or soon grandparents) day and age. Ask the random 17 year old walking around with a Ramones t-shirt and my bet is they'd be hard pressed to name one Ramones song.

Great post.

In terms of influencing rock music as we know it, I don't think anybody could complain about a tree that had Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry as it's roots.

Buddy gets lost in the shuffle when people start showing us how hip, edgy and underground they are by throwing out bands that have cult followings. Buddy Holly literally changed the way rock music was played and recorded. And he was the king of writing the rock single. This guy is mentioned with the all time greats even though his career was only a few years long.

And chuck berry and his guitar. Man, what's their to even say. Johnny B Good is the foundation for 83.75% of every guitar driven rock song written since it came out.

We can all throw our personal favorites out there. But in terms of success, critical and fan acclaim, respect from their peers, and being influencial (sp), and starting music trends or genres.......buddy Holly and chuck berry are absolute first ballot hall of famers.

Great topic and opening list. I guess if we were talking rock bands, Rolling Stones would probably top the list.

I often wonder what an alternate history without Buddy Holl's sudden death might look like. I think he would have been the reigning king of rock in USA and the american counterpart to the Beatles. With him around the british invasion I think would have been a lesser deal than it was and it's so entertaining to think how it may have transformed, and with it how thehistory of music could have changed. Shame we'll never know.

Also, Holly and Berry were NOT bands, they were solo artists, and The Rolling Stones were english. The whole point is that when comparing England and US in rock music the english win in bands and America wins in solo acts. N

[Georgy Zhukov]

If the The Buddy Holly Story was correct than Buddy was one of the earliest pioneers of the rock band formula with The Crickets. Lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass player and drummer. Usually bands would come with additional pieces such as saxophone, piano, tenor sex, alto sax, trumpet, flute, depending on the genre, steel guitars and string arrangements. Just keep it at a simple 4 to 5 person lineup and be creative enough to make that sound as big as any band.

The British bands took this formula to heart. How much of it was attributed by Buddy Holly, I do not know. He was however one of the first to pioneer the stratocaster. A guitar that was meant for country and western.

[Carlos Castaneda]

I'm trying to be as unbiased as I can as a GnR fan but I do think when you hear "Great American Rock Band" you think Guns N Roses. I think GnR 87-93 embodies the American Rock band. Every other band fills some roll in the criteria but GnR rolls it all into one.

Often the voice of reason on this forum. All these other suggestions don't quite get it. what do you post under on interference?

I'm trying to be as unbiased as I can as a GnR fan but I do think when you hear "Great American Rock Band" you think Guns N Roses. I think GnR 87-93 embodies the American Rock band. Every other band fills some roll in the criteria but GnR rolls it all into one.

[DieselDaisy]

The Crickets if you are not going to let me vote Berry's band.

[Carlos Castaneda]

GNR

RHCP

PEARL JAM
METALLICA

THE DOORS
AEROSMITH

STP

[J Dog]

I know it's bands. But I have no problem counting Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Elvis, Bob Dylan. Solo yes, but rock n roll none the less. You can't really even talk about the history of rock n roll without talking about them. So they make my list.

[Bono]

I'm trying to be as unbiased as I can as a GnR fan but I do think when you hear "Great American Rock Band" you think Guns N Roses. I think GnR 87-93 embodies the American Rock band. Every other band fills some roll in the criteria but GnR rolls it all into one.

Often the voice of reason on this forum. All these other suggestions don't quite get it. what do you post under on interference?

Hallucination. I don't post very often though. I mostly read over there.

[wasted]

The Doors for me.