The top 20 bands of all time Nov 03 '03    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Music The Dirtchamber Sessions, Vol. 1 by The Prodigy From $11 Jersey Boys [Original Broadway Cast Recording] by Original Broadway Cast From $8 The Bottom Line These are my favorite bands of all time. The top two spots are not subject to change. You know that you are a geek when you compile lists of your favorite things. "Yeah," you tell yourself, "but I'm a cool geek." Sure, that's why you play air guitar and the closest you get to being on stage is by cleaning it up after the show. Anyway, it is time to drop a list of my 20 favorite bands of all time. I am not afraid to reveal my tastes and I will not include any crappy indie bands just to gain credibility. I like what I like, and for one reason or another these bands have had a strong impact on my life. This list will represent a healthy mix of new wave and classic rock. There are very few newer bands, basically because today's music scene pretty much sucks a#s. 20. New Order New Order has always kept things interesting. Whether pounding out dance floor hits or introspective numbers, they have always stayed true to what they do best. From 1983's epic "Blue Monday" through 2001's awesome Get Ready album, New Order has been consistent and cutting edge. Best song - Regret(1993) Best album - Get Ready(2001) 19. The Cars Skinny ties and synthesizers are what come to mind when I think of The Cars. But more than that, they had great radio hits that were catchy and memorable. Their final album(1987's Door to Door) was awful, but The Cars self titled debut was as good a first album as any other. With dual lead singers(quirky Ric Ocasek and belter Benjamin Orr), The Cars could adapt well to any material. This was a light, fun pop band who had a constant stream of top 40 hits. Best song - Just What I Needed(1978) Best album - The Cars(1978) 18. Talking Heads David Byrne and co. were trailblazers by combining African beats, art school rock and pop to make idiosyncratic records that stand the test of time. The Heads were deservedly inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and how could you forget about the big suit? Best song - Once in a Lifetime(1981) Best album - Stop Making Sense(1984) 17. Stone Temple Pilots When STP emerged in 1993, people assumed that they were a Seattle/grunge rip off band. They did share some characteristics with their Washington counterparts, but STP were unique. Their first album(Core) was full of anger and confusion, and the band continued to grow with each successive album. Singer Scott Weiland had an impressive array of disturbing and beautiful lyrics, while the band pushed the conventional boundaries of hard rock. Best song - Sex Type Thing(1992) Best album - Core(1992) 16. Guns n' Roses It is a big tribute to this band to be at this spot on my list because I loathed G n R when they first came out. The same things that repelled me in the first place are the same things that attract me to this band now: the attitude, the music, the ambition, Axl Rose. Their first full album(Appetite For Destruction) was a kick in the pants to the sorry state of hard rock at the time. Sure these guys had fun, but Appetite was a little more serious than say Poison or Whitesnake. Their legend only increased with the simultaneous release of two albums in 1991(Use Your Illusion I and II). Too bad Axl can't get his s#it together, who knows where this band could have gone. Best song - Welcome to the Jungle(1987) Best album - Appetite For Destruction(1987) 15. Van Halen The original lineup of VH is and was always THE classic lineup. I liked a few of the things that Van Hagar did, but they lacked the depravity and excitement of the David Lee Roth era. VH was pure fun, and their songs were tight. The live shows were exciting and they knew how to behave like proper rock and roll stars. The third incarnation of VH was pointless, and it seems like these guys may not put out material any time soon. Long live Diamond Dave! Best song - Running With the Devil(1978) Best album - 1984(1984) 14. Pearl Jam At one point, Pearl Jam was the biggest band in the world. But that didn't really matter to Eddie Vedder and co. They were content with writing and performing raw and heartfelt music. It has been a long journey for this band, one that includes an infamous battle with Ticketmaster and a disastrous European concert festival appearance in which nine audience members were killed in a freak accident. But the band remained consistent and they didn't sell out for anybody. This band reeks of integrity, something a lot of current pop stars don't even know how to spell. Best song - Corduroy(1994) Best album - Vs.(1993) 13. R.E.M. This band would have placed higher on my list if were not for their lackluster output over the last six years or so. R.E.M. have always made thoughtful and intelligent music without losing their edge. They made the transition from college radio heroes/critics darlings to full blown superstars rather well. From 1987 to 1992 they were unmatched as America's best band, by putting out excellent albums and staying true to their artistic vision. Best song - Losing My Religion(1991) Best album - Green(1988) 12. The Kinks Ray Davies and his band almost singlehandedly invented hard rock. With their 1964 cruncher "You Really Got Me," they had perfected the guitar sound that would be emulated for generations to come. The Kinks consistently came up with hard rocking numbers as well as beautiful ballads. Davies was a great songwriter who had a knack for catchy melodies and quirky lyrics. Best song - You Really Got Me(1964) Best album - Lola Vs. Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One(1970) 11. Nirvana When Nirvana's second album came out in 1991, the sh%t hit the fan. The revolution was on and Kurt Cobain was the new voice of a generation. That album(Nevermind) was all killer and no filler. Every track was excellent, and Cobain sang his guts out for his art. Their proper follow up(in Utero - 1993) was just as good, with Cobain again playing the tortured soul and his bandmates bashing the hell out of their instruments. It is too bad that Cobain ended his life in 1994, because this band could have burned brightly for quite awhile longer. Best song - Smells Like Teen Spirit(1991) Best album - Nevermind(1991) INTERMISSION 10. The Clash Everbody's favorite punk band. But The Clash were so much more than that. They played a credible mix of punk, reggae, rockabilly, and pop to great effect. They were known at one time as 'the only band that matters.' London Calling is The Clash's true masterpiece, a sprawling double album that covers all the ground that the band would explore. The Clash were great live and they were definitely not afraid to take a political stance. R.I.P Joe Strummer. Best song - London Calling(1979) Best album - London Calling(1979) 9. The Who The Who were the masters of the concept album, and the best concept album is their 1969 masterpiece Tommy. This band had great musicians and their anthems are still resounding today. Songwriter/guitarist Pete Townshend always seemed ahead of his time, and the band recorded solid album after solid album. They had a thunderous live sound and they ruled the 70's with their great albums. Best song - Won't Get Fooled Again(1971) Best album - Tommy(1969) 8. The Pretenders Chrissie Hynde, The singer/songwriter for this band sure was a tough chick. She combined soulful singing with rough music to create a wholly unique band. Their 1980 self titled debut was nearly perfect, and Hynde seemed to get better over the next few years. Learning to Crawl(1984) was another high point for the band as that album featured some of Hynde's best songwriting to date. The Pretenders had a nice comeback in 1994 with their excellent Last of the Independants album. I hear the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame calling for this band. Best song - Back on the Chain Gang(1982) Best album - Pretenders(1980) 7. Led Zeppelin The best hard rock band of all time laid waste to everybody in the early to mid 1970's. Featuring three world class musicians and a howling frontman, this blues based British band created sonically dense music and had a flair for the mystical. Although excess started to erode the band's output in the late 70's , it could not diminish the groundbreaking work that they achieved early on.Although the untimely death of John Bonham(drums) put an end to the band, their legend lives on. Best song - When the Levee Breaks(1971) Best album - Led Zeppelin IV 6. The Rolling Stones The greatest rock and roll band of time? You bet. And they have the back catalogue to back it up. The Stones have recorded so many great songs and albums, it is too space constraining to list here. This band has so many great riffs and all the attitude in the world. To this day, the Stones are a top concert draw, and the live shows are still packed with plenty of excitement. This is the only band that truly rivals The Beatles in terms of popularity and respect. Best song - Jumping Jack Flash(1968) Best album - Beggar's Banquet(1968) 5. Creedence Clearwater Revival John Fogerty was a master of the single. From 1968 to 1971, no band consistently put out better singles than CCR. The songs were tight and fast and hard. Nirvana is the 90's version of CCR. They had excellent lyrics and many astute political observations were made by Fogerty. Infighting ultimately broke the band up prematurely, but their legacy lives on. Best song - Fortunate Son(1968) Best album - Cosmo's Factory(1968) 4. U2 U2 consistently puts out great product, the hallmark of a great band. Their music is always grand and the lyrics are insightful. The band also has a knack for reinventing themselves. Their 1991 release, Achtung Baby, was a European sounding masterpiece that drew on electronic sounds and textures to create something radically different from their previous effort. In 2000, U2 released All That You Can't Leave Behind, a stellar effort that found the band doing what they do best: creating anthems that are heartfelt and universal. I am sure this band is far from over, and I look forward to their next release with great anticipation. Best song - One(1991) Best album - Achtung Baby(1991) 3. The Beatles Who doesn't like these guys? It is hard to imagine what the last 40 years would be like without the input of The Beatles. Just about everything the band did was pure gold. I grew up listening to them, and their songs are so tuneful and recognizable, that they are embedded on the public's consciousness indelibly. Best song - Hey Jude(1968) Best album - Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band(1967) Houston, we have a tie. These next two bands, to me, are the greatest of all time. And to be fair to each, I have to break them into two categories: favorite active band and favorite defunct band. 1.(tie) The Cure Robert Smith, the leader of The Cure, creates such beautifully sad music. He also has a lighter side at times, just to balance things out. But he always does what he wants to do, and that makes him a true artist. The Cure have covered so many styles musically that they are too hard to pigeonhole. Smith's lyrics are often like fever dreams, and he displays a knack for wistful romanticism. The Cure have a large back catalogue and their albums, while sometimes inconsistent, are always edgy. The Cure have had a large influence over the last 20 years and Smith is a brilliant composer. The Cure are simply a great band. Best song - Just Like Heaven(1987) Best album - Disintegration(1989) 1.(tie) The Police The Police were only around for six or seven years, but their impact was widely felt throughout the music industry. They had great songs, great looks, and they were stunning live. The band's greatest hits will rival anybody's and I can't think of a band that could perform any better onstage. They played with such intensity and control onstage.In just the space of five studio albums, The Police managed to become one the elite bands of all time. Best song - Every Breath You Take(1983) Best album - Ghost in the Machine(1981) Well there you have it. Another list from this music geek. Maybe next time I'll make a list of my favorite lists. Why can't I be normal? Anyway, I hope this can spur some discussion among you audiophiles out there. Remember, this is objective and not fact, so don't get mad at me because I did not include Dave Mathews Band or Grateful Dead or The Strokes. This is an honest list, not a poser's list.

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