Top 5 Classic Rock Bands

[Stadler]

I think there is a narrow list of albums - Tommy, Zep IV, Dark Side Of The Moon, Rumors - that are must listening, if for no other reason than to understand that which came after.  It's like "musical education".    The Beatles are one of the few bands that have THREE of those types of albums:  Sgt. Pepper, The White Album, and Abbey Road.  Even if you think I'm wrong on that last point, I think you have to at least have heard "Sgt. Pepper" to get where artists like Hendrix, Yes, Dream Theater, Pink Floyd, etc. are coming from.

And you didn't even include the Beatles album widely regarded as their best 'Revolver'.

I love Revolver (except for Taxman), but I don't think any Beatles is "widely regarded" as their best.  It's certainly in the conversation alone with Sgt Pepper and Abbey Road, but opinions seem to vary quite a bit.

But what other band - besides Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd - have FOUR albums that could legitimately and with objectivity be considered by the general public (as opposed to one fan living in the basement of his mom's Cape Cod) to be "their best"?   


As for Zeppelin, well, I've seen Plant three times, and while he has his moments (not good), he has his moments (unbelievable).  Just watch anything pre-1975 and see why Led Zeppelin isn't just not overrated, but perhaps even a little underrated.   I have seen over 400 concerts in my life, some great, most good, some shitty, and the single greatest moment ever was in a Page-Plant show in Nassau Coliseum in '95.   

[ghostnotes]

To me this topic always needs to be what's 6 through 10, because the Top 5 are a given each and every time. 6-10 are the much more interesting conversation.

5. Rolling Stones
4. The Who
3. Pink Floyd
2. The Beatles
1. Led Zeppelin

With that out of the way....

10. Van Halen
09. Aerosmith
08. Jimi Hendrix
07. Queen
06. ZZ Top

Honorables: Heart, The Doobie Bros., AC/DC

 

[Fluffy Lothario]

Stadler, you've just gone on to support everything I was pointing out. THEY CHANGED LIVES. THEY MADE FOUR ALBUMS THAT ARE OBJECTIVELY MASTERPIECES. THE COLOUR YELLOW DIDN'T EXIST UNTIL THE BEATLES SANG ABOUT IT.

So, what's wrong with The Beatles?

I like the Beatles. They have some good albums, and Within You Without You is one of my favourite songs. I would ask why you would infer that that's what this is about, but it's obvious how you could completely miss the point based on your next sentence.

They are the Bethoven of the 20th century. 

You realise it's possible to like the Beatles and not become a zombie spewing asinine overblown meaningless bullshit platitudes like this, right?

And so what if they apparently were "the Bethoven of the 20th Century"? It's a completely legitimate opinion to not like Beethoven, or Mozart, or Elvis Presley, or the music of the heavenly company in the clouds, or even, god forbid, The Beatles.

In fact, call me crazy, but I even think you should be able to emit these figures from your list of Top X Artists of whatever criteria without having someone immediately, like in the second fucking post of the thread, go, "well, your musical opinions are obviously ineligible because you didn't include Artist Y", or having a legion go on to vomit stats, superlatives and mawkish anecdotes ad infinitum, proselytising about the objective appeal of said artist.

And no-one would disagree with me on that, but for, evidently, one of those artists.

[Prog Snob]

In fact, call me crazy, but I even think you should be able to emit these figures from your list of Top X Artists of whatever criteria without having someone immediately, like in the second fucking post of the thread, go, "well, your musical opinions are obviously ineligible because you didn't include Artist Y", or having a legion go on to vomit stats, superlatives and mawkish anecdotes ad infinitum, proselytising about the objective appeal of said artist.

Oh lighten up and take a joke. Stop being so sensitive. 

[Fluffy Lothario]

In fact, call me crazy, but I even think you should be able to emit these figures from your list of Top X Artists of whatever criteria without having someone immediately, like in the second fucking post of the thread, go, "well, your musical opinions are obviously ineligible because you didn't include Artist Y", or having a legion go on to vomit stats, superlatives and mawkish anecdotes ad infinitum, proselytising about the objective appeal of said artist.

Oh lighten up and take a joke. Stop being so sensitive. 

Now now, you're not conceding that easily, are you? Or aren't you a real Beatles fan?

Tell me how many #1 singles they had. Tell me how many albums they continue to sell to this day. Tell me about how they changed the face of music forever. Tell me about the songwriting wizardry of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Peace Be Upon Them. Tell me how English is the world's lingua franca because the Beatles spoke it. Tell me about the arseless pants in your closet and your emergency fund for short-notice plane tickets to New York for the improbable, but oh so delectable chance that John Lennon might rise again from his ashes and walk the earth sodomising everyone in his path.

Don't you understand? There are people out there who actually think the Beatles weren't the greatest composers of music to have ever walked the earth, and question their godliness! This must be rectified! (Just as, hopefully, someday, John Lennon, PBUH, will go about "rectifying", if you know what I mean).

[Lowdz]

I've never been a Beatles fan but accept their huge contribution to the music scene. I've heard Sgt Pepper (my ex wife used to play it a lot) but didn't like it, same with the White album. They are obviously on the list of greatest bands ever, just not my list.

[twosuitsluke]

 

P.S. I love The Beatles, my dad is a huge fan and I grew up listening to them. My love for them is mixed in with nostalgia so it's hard for me to look at them objectively. I think they are great and would be surprised if at least one song in their entire catalogue didn't appeal to everyone, at least in some small way.

I've had many discussions about them with friends, there are plenty who don't like them at all. That's fine as they just bang on about some band they grew up on that I hate. With my generation, I find most people who didn't grow up listening to them really couldn't care less for them.

On a side note, my old flat mate once shot another friend of ours in the head with a BB gun because he said he didn't like The Beatles  in his defence he said "I just don't relate to The Beatles, they sing about holding someone's hand, I don't want to hold anyone's fucking hand!"

[red barchetta]

Stadler, you've just gone on to support everything I was pointing out. THEY CHANGED LIVES. THEY MADE FOUR ALBUMS THAT ARE OBJECTIVELY MASTERPIECES. THE COLOUR YELLOW DIDN'T EXIST UNTIL THE BEATLES SANG ABOUT IT.

So, what's wrong with The Beatles?

I like the Beatles. They have some good albums, and Within You Without You is one of my favourite songs. I would ask why you would infer that that's what this is about, but it's obvious how you could completely miss the point based on your next sentence.

They are the Bethoven of the 20th century. 

You realise it's possible to like the Beatles and not become a zombie spewing asinine overblown meaningless bullshit platitudes like this, right?

And so what if they apparently were "the Bethoven of the 20th Century"? It's a completely legitimate opinion to not like Beethoven, or Mozart, or Elvis Presley, or the music of the heavenly company in the clouds, or even, god forbid, The Beatles.

In fact, call me crazy, but I even think you should be able to emit these figures from your list of Top X Artists of whatever criteria without having someone immediately, like in the second fucking post of the thread, go, "well, your musical opinions are obviously ineligible because you didn't include Artist Y", or having a legion go on to vomit stats, superlatives and mawkish anecdotes ad infinitum, proselytising about the objective appeal of said artist.

And no-one would disagree with me on that, but for, evidently, one of those artists.

"Meaningless bullshit platitudes" lol.  I think they were great. You may like them or not, that's it. In 200 years, they will still be remember because of their amazing creativity. Sorry for my "meaningless bullshit platitudes" comments. Just my way to show my deep and great deal of appreciation of them.

[King Postwhore]

Spewing asinine overblown meaningless bullshit platitudes is a daily occurrence for me.

[Fluffy Lothario]

On a side note, my old flat mate once shot another friend of ours in the head with a BB gun because he said he didn't like The Beatles 

How completely unsurprising.

[twosuitsluke]

On a side note, my old flat mate once shot another friend of ours in the head with a BB gun because he said he didn't like The Beatles 

How completely unsurprising.

Literally triggered 

[Prog Snob]

In fact, call me crazy, but I even think you should be able to emit these figures from your list of Top X Artists of whatever criteria without having someone immediately, like in the second fucking post of the thread, go, "well, your musical opinions are obviously ineligible because you didn't include Artist Y", or having a legion go on to vomit stats, superlatives and mawkish anecdotes ad infinitum, proselytising about the objective appeal of said artist.

Oh lighten up and take a joke. Stop being so sensitive. 

Now now, you're not conceding that easily, are you? Or aren't you a real Beatles fan?

Tell me how many #1 singles they had. Tell me how many albums they continue to sell to this day. Tell me about how they changed the face of music forever. Tell me about the songwriting wizardry of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Peace Be Upon Them. Tell me how English is the world's lingua franca because the Beatles spoke it. Tell me about the arseless pants in your closet and your emergency fund for short-notice plane tickets to New York for the improbable, but oh so delectable chance that John Lennon might rise again from his ashes and walk the earth sodomising everyone in his path.

Don't you understand? There are people out there who actually think the Beatles weren't the greatest composers of music to have ever walked the earth, and question their godliness! This must be rectified! (Just as, hopefully, someday, John Lennon, PBUH, will go about "rectifying", if you know what I mean).

I don't know why you're proselytizing. I'm not interested. You're so easily roused. Lighten up. Have a drink. Get high. Rub one out. Whatever works. 

[Stadler]

Stadler, you've just gone on to support everything I was pointing out. THEY CHANGED LIVES. THEY MADE FOUR ALBUMS THAT ARE OBJECTIVELY MASTERPIECES. THE COLOUR YELLOW DIDN'T EXIST UNTIL THE BEATLES SANG ABOUT IT.

So, what's wrong with The Beatles?

I like the Beatles. They have some good albums, and Within You Without You is one of my favourite songs. I would ask why you would infer that that's what this is about, but it's obvious how you could completely miss the point based on your next sentence.

They are the Bethoven of the 20th century. 

You realise it's possible to like the Beatles and not become a zombie spewing asinine overblown meaningless bullshit platitudes like this, right?

And so what if they apparently were "the Bethoven of the 20th Century"? It's a completely legitimate opinion to not like Beethoven, or Mozart, or Elvis Presley, or the music of the heavenly company in the clouds, or even, god forbid, The Beatles.

In fact, call me crazy, but I even think you should be able to emit these figures from your list of Top X Artists of whatever criteria without having someone immediately, like in the second fucking post of the thread, go, "well, your musical opinions are obviously ineligible because you didn't include Artist Y", or having a legion go on to vomit stats, superlatives and mawkish anecdotes ad infinitum, proselytising about the objective appeal of said artist.

And no-one would disagree with me on that, but for, evidently, one of those artists.

Honestly?  The problem isn't the people who proselytize about the Beatles, it's the people that seem to have a chip on their shoulder about the Beatles and refuse to acknowledge their greatness.    I kid, but I honestly do not know what you mean with your first sentence.  I didn't say any of those things.  I DID however, point out the FACT - not "opinion", not "love lorn wish of a scorned lover", not "irrational fan boyishness" - but FACT.

But really, this is just sword fighting.   The REAL issue is really just that we're working under two very different assumptions.  ALL I was doing - because I was the one that questioned why the Beatles weren't on every list - was understanding what the standard was.   Fluffy, you're working on the assumption that "Top Five" means "the ones I like best".  Under that scenario, you're 1000% right.  There's no business for one person to say what should be on any other list.    If "Top Five" is something more objective, well, you're "likes" (or anyone's "likes") are irrelevant.   It IS foolish to say that OBJECTIVELY, the Beatles aren't in the Top Five.  I think fifty years on, most people forget how innovative they were.   Eleanor Rigby - today a harmless, innocuous, perhaps even naïve little ditty - was scandalous then.  The list of things that literally didn't happen before the Beatles and now are common, accepted practice is as long as my arm. 

[Prog Snob]

You make a great point, Stad. To say that The Beatles aren't in the top 5 of greatest rock bands ever is just someone with a personal thing against them. Nobody is saying one has to like them, but lets stop fooling ourselves and admit their place in rock history.

[King Postwhore]

I voted for who I liked and really top 10 would cover other bands that people have posted.  I've never been bonkers over the Beatles but there is no doubt their place in history, their influence on so many bands and their groundbreaking approach to recording.

[mikeyd23]

You make a great point, Stad. To say that The Beatles aren't in the top 5 of greatest rock bands ever is just someone with a personal thing against them. Nobody is saying one has to like them, but lets stop fooling ourselves and admit their place in rock history.

Not to jump in the middle of this but it totally depends how you define "top 5 greatest rock bands ever". If you define that buy sales, cultural impact, and other measurable things, then yes they probably should be on that list. But if I'm defining that as my PERSONAL 5 greatest bands (read: the bands I like the most that are the greatest to me) the Beatles wouldn't make my top 100 let alone my top 5.

And I have nothing personal against the Beatles or Beatles fans, people can like whatever kind of music they want, I just personally don't like the Beatles.

[Prog Snob]

You make a great point, Stad. To say that The Beatles aren't in the top 5 of greatest rock bands ever is just someone with a personal thing against them. Nobody is saying one has to like them, but lets stop fooling ourselves and admit their place in rock history.

Not to jump in the middle of this but it totally depends how you define "top 5 greatest rock bands ever". If you define that buy sales, cultural impact, and other measurable things, then yes they probably should be on that list. But if I'm defining that as my PERSONAL 5 greatest bands (read: the bands I like the most that are the greatest to me) the Beatles wouldn't make my top 100 let alone my top 5.

And I have nothing personal against the Beatles or Beatles fans, people can like whatever kind of music they want, I just personally don't like the Beatles.

I think I made it clear that it's not about whether you personally like them, but just admitting their place in history. My issue is who people who personally don't like them but feel that should reflect their objective opinion. Tsk tsk.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

You make a great point, Stad. To say that The Beatles Led Zeppelin aren't in the top 5 of greatest rock bands ever is just someone with a personal thing against them. Nobody is saying one has to like them, but lets stop fooling ourselves and admit their place in rock history.

FTFY

[Prog Snob]

I won't argue that either. Personally, I think they're overrated but I would have to be blind not to see their impact.

[Fluffy Lothario]

Again, why would I have started a thread where people made a list regardless of their personal preference? If I wanted a list of the Top 5 Best-Selling Classic Rock Bands, or the ones with the greatest impact, or whatever, I wouldn't even start a thread. I could put something together in my head in about thirty seconds.

I don't deny the Beatles' impact, though I maintain the discussion of it more often than not descends into completely empty and/or absurd claims. For example, some of the things I said in parody before aren't even things I made up. I have literally seen Beatles fans suggest English is the world's lingua franca because of them. There is being aware of a band's impact, and then there is nonsense. It would be interesting how quickly discussion approaches such crap, like in this thread ("the Beethoven of the 20th Century"), if it wasn't so predictable.

I also don't deny the impact of countless other bands. Think of the vast spiels you could trot out for almost every other artist mentioned in this thread. But no-one did, or ever does. Yet every topic that possibly can be is quickly reduced to "but how about those Beatles?", and the same pointless circlejerk we've all heard a thousand times starts up and kills the topic. Hell, if it's a topic where "The Beatles Shat Gold" types can possibly find an entrance, it's practically dead before it even starts.

Here's a comparison I assume some people can appreciate. I enjoy Monty Python. Not my favourite comedy ever, but their stuff was pretty good, and I can see the influence they had on later comedy. That doesn't mean that when I was at uni, I appreciated how many times I'd show up at a party, or be doing a group assignment, or meet new people, or whatever, and the topic of comedy comes up, and I'd find myself backed into a corner by some dead-eyed lunatics who just can't help reciting endless Monty Python jokes line for line. In the same way, I can like the Beatles, and see their impact, and still not appreciate every topic where the Beatles lunatics can find an opening becoming a reverberation chamber of "the Bethoven of the 20th Century" and "legend in almost every way".

[Prog Snob]

And again, you're still looking too much into what I said. You don't need to use someone's "superlatives and mawkish anecdotes ad infinitum" to proselytize on your soapbox. Just unleash the fookin fury on your own, Yngwie. 

[Stadler]

Fluffy, every time I start to perhaps see your point and give you the benefit of the doubt, you start in on the "lunatics" and completely lose your credibility.   That there ARE "lunatics" ought to be all there is to know that YOU'RE the one missing the boat, and it's not "everyone else".   

[TAC]

What's lingua franca?



Fluff, I'm not a Beatles nor a Monty Python fan. But I get it. It shouldn't be a big deal. It's cool, dude.

[Prog Snob]

What's lingua franca?

A means of communication between two peoples that don't share the same native language.

[King Postwhore]

Fluffy is going Helter Skelter.




Fluffy.  I kid, I kid!

[TAC]

Fluffy is going Helter Skelter.

Better not let him get his hands on a ......revolver.

[Prog Snob]

And he'll start the  Revolution

[LudwigVan]

I think we should all just ...let it be.

[TAC]

Yeah yeah yeah

[KevShmev]

I said my goodbyes to this thread the night before.