So Best Rock & Roll Group Ever

[Golden Spur]

I would say the Beatles. They were expert musicians, wrote great songs, experimented with new sounds, including out on the psychedelic frontier. And of course they had a huge impact.

Other than that, you'll probably see a lot of generational choices, though I can think of a couple that should be near the top. Zeppelin (there's only 2 songs of theirs I don't like). The Jimi Hendrix Experience should be in any top 5.

But as has been mentioned, it's hard to separate "favorite" and "best". The Kinks were a band mentioned - love their music, but wouldn't put them top 5. Same with the Misfits, Sex Pistols, Gang Of Four, Aerosmith.

 

[YankeeRebel]

The first couple of years they were famous (63’-64’) were “bubble gum” but they did it better than everyone and they did tons of it. And IMO, almost all of those tunes still hold up and are highly enjoyable. The Stones weren’t doing anything groundbreaking during that period, either.

Doing crap well is still crap

 

[Center Ice]

Genesis???

Fucking Genesis????

You're only thinking of some of their later albums which I like less. Their earlier art rock stuff was huge!!!!

 

[Wamu]

The Beatles had 27 number one songs. I think they can be broken up into two categories.

love me do ('64), from me to you ('63), she loves you ('63), i want to hold your hand ('63), can't buy me love ('64), a hard day's night ('64), i feel fine ('64), eight days a week ('64), ticket to ride ('65), help! ('65), we can work it out ('65), day tripper ('65)

yesterday ('65), paperback writer ('66), yellow submarine ('66), eleanor rigby ('66), penny lane ('67), all you need it love ('67), hello, goodbye ('67), lady madonna ('68), hey jude ('68), get back ('69), the ballad of john and yoko ('69), something ('69), come together ('69), let it be ('70), the long and winding road ('70)

 

[BigFin]

Doing crap well is still crap

It’s your opinion that it’s crap.

 

[YankeeRebel]

I would say the Beatles. They were expert musicians, wrote great songs, experimented with new sounds, including out on the psychedelic frontier. And of course they had a huge impact.

Other than that, you'll probably see a lot of generational choices, though I can think of a couple that should be near the top. Zeppelin (there's only 2 songs of theirs I don't like). The Jimi Hendrix Experience should be in any top 5.

But as has been mentioned, it's hard to separate "favorite" and "best". The Kinks were a band mentioned - love their music, but wouldn't put them top 5. Same with the Misfits, Sex Pistols, Gang Of Four, Aerosmith.

And as far as musicianship goes there were a ton of bands in that time frame that were IMO better musicians. A few that come to mind Cream, The Moody Blues, Pink Floyd, etc and for Lyrica give me Dylan, The Band, The Doors. It's not IMO that The Beatles had some great run.

 

[YankeeRebel]

It’s your opinion that it’s crap.

Not all Beatles just the real early stuff I mentioned. But I get it at the time there were a lot more restrictions on bands and they had to find ways around that.

For instance I really don't feel Lucy in the sky with Diamonds was about a fucking baby sitter, just as I feel Norwegian Wood it not about wood products

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

I'm pretty sick of them by now and rarely listen but if you really look at the lengthy collection of great songs I can't see how they would not be considered the best of all time. Stones second.

 

[BigFin]

It wasn’t until the later 60’s the musicianship of rock bands really got much better. In the early 60’s, most of the great guitarist and the like were playing in jazz orchestras. Most big American west coast bands thru the 60’s had The Wrecking Crew play the music for their records.
As far as the composing the music that would be in their songs, the Beatles were great.

 

[BigFin]

Not all Beatles just the real early stuff I mentioned.

Their early stuff had great chord changes that weren’t being done yet and very good harmonizing vocals. It all added up to catchy music that was driving everyone crazy. As a matter of fact, the older I get, the more I appreciate it.

 

[PatsFan2003]

My friend and I banter back and forth about this all the time. He claims the Beatles are the best group ever, I disagree but include they may be the most influential band ever but that does not make them the best. So!!!

For about 2 decades they led the rock world. whatever they did the rest followed soon after.

The British invasion
Rock music with classical music influences
Psychedelic music
Album theme based music
Sitar nusic

To name a few.

Its a good point about the difference between best and influential but the Beatles were so far ahead in terms of influential it was ridiculous.

 

[Pure Steel]

Can never disagree with Pink Floyd especially when high

I’m high 8 days a week.....

 

[Janus]

If you say no and very influential, then who did they not influence?. I'll give ya the fact that genre's play significant roles in music and the Beatles were no different than any other band trying their hand at the different genre's. The point is the Beatles wrote songs and music that inspired and were imitated by other bands, and the top bands. They broke grounds with sound and started a new phenomenon. Music prior to the Beatles was 1-dimensional meaning traditional sounds and instruments to go with the lyrics.

The measure of greatness is not that you changed the sport you're in but that the sport had to change because of you. I think this fits the Beatles more than ever and that's why they are the greatest

 

[TheLonestarDUCK]

For about 2 decades they led the rock world. whatever they did the rest followed soon after.

The British invasion
Rock music with classical music influences
Psychedelic music
Album theme based music
Sitar nusic

To name a few.

Its a good point about the difference between best and influential but the Beatles were so far ahead in terms of influential it was ridiculous.

100% agree with this post. Because of that Beatles are #1. My subjective list:

Beatles
Eagles
Stones
AC/DC
Van Halen w/Roth

 

[YankeeRebel]

For about 2 decades they led the rock world. whatever they did the rest followed soon after.

The British invasion
Rock music with classical music influences
Psychedelic music
Album theme based music
Sitar nusic

To name a few.

Its a good point about the difference between best and influential but the Beatles were so far ahead in terms of influential it was ridiculous.

Umm No it was nowhere near two decades

 

[YankeeRebel]

If you say no and very influential, then who did they not influence?. I'll give ya the fact that genre's play significant roles in music and the Beatles were no different than any other band trying their hand at the different genre's. The point is the Beatles wrote songs and music that inspired and were imitated by other bands, and the top bands. They broke grounds with sound and started a new phenomenon. Music prior to the Beatles was 1-dimensional meaning traditional sounds and instruments to go with the lyrics.

The measure of greatness is not that you changed the sport you're in but that the sport had to change because of you. I think this fits the Beatles more than ever and that's why they are the greatest

A lot of the Bands of the Mid to late 60s were influenced by American Southern Blues more than they were The Beatles. The Beatles opened doors for other bands not sure I agree the were the primary influence on a lot of the bands from that era

 

[YankeeRebel]

100% agree with this post. Because of that Beatles are #1. My subjective list:

Beatles
Eagles
Stones
AC/DC
Van Halen w/Roth

I like that you said Van Halen with Roth.

 

[YankeeRebel]

Curious too that I have not seen The Who mentioned who IMO were a better band than the Beatles.

The votes are leveling out it's getting interesting.

 

[Janus]

A lot of the Bands of the Mid to late 60s were influenced by American Southern Blues more than they were The Beatles. The Beatles opened doors for other bands not sure I agree the were the primary influence on a lot of the bands from that era

The music the bands put out. The idea that music could be more than just an instrument from the band ( baby you're a rich man, A day in the life )
Jimmy Page was moved by this thought and while with the Yardbirds used a combination of instruments to produce a sound. The Beatles broke the barriers. While the music industry and bands were trying to catch up ( introducing their own sounds, Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath ) the Beatles took it to another level with SGT Pepper and Abby road.

I love Zepplin ( my favorite ) and Pink Floyd ( best theatrical concerts I ever saw in the early 70's ) But they all borrowed the innovations the Beatles uncovered. The Beatles were a studio band for sure ( and the Zepplin show I saw I didn't like and the Stones ran out of subject matter ( they're too old but their stuff in the 60-70 era was really good )

I still believe the Beatles were the best, living through those times and going to well over 400 concerts in my time ( with the ticket stubs all saved and still have original concert shirts from the early '70s). What I've witnessed reinforces my opinion ( and that's all it really is with everyone ).

 

[The Derski]

No love for Nickleback?