Worldwide 35 Of The Greatest And Most Influential Rock Bands In History

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35. Rush​

Later, in the 1990s, Rush re-introduced their guitar-based hard rock sound, a style they stuck to until the end of the band’s career. Drummer Neil Peart, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and Geddy Lee the lead vocalist, definitely earned themselves a place of this list thanks to their musical diversity and experimentation with the genre.

 

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34. Journey​

Journey began their journey in the world of rock n’ roll in San Francisco, and in 1981 had their ultimate hit song “Don’t Stop Believing”; a song which was a hit in the year it came out, but even more impressive, it made history in 2009 when it became the top-selling track on iTunes for a song that was not even released in the same century!

Journey
But, other than that hit, there are many more reasons that this band is on our list. Journey is highly rated for their power ballads, and it is thought that Steve Perry, the band’s lead vocalist is one of the greatest in rock history, and Neal Schon’s supreme guitar licks are thought to be unparalleled! The fact that they sold over 75 million record worldwide is a testament to their greatness.

 

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33. Talking Heads​

Talking Heads became famous for their three or four chord songs and their experimentation, which gave punk music the punch-up it needed at the time; they are practically responsible for inventing art-punk. Listening to one of their tracks with take you on all sorts of journeys.

Talking Heads
All the elements of their music mix together into some sort of collective consciousness. “Once in a Lifetime” is one of those tracks that speak to so many adults in transient phases of their lives. And a song like “This Must Be the Place” makes wherever you feel like home. That’s quite a power for a song to have.

 

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32. The Allman Brothers Band​

A lot of what rock is came from the blues, and the Allman Brothers Band gives those roots their due respect. The Allman Brothers Band, formed in 1969 in Florida, was definitely a rock band but who made music that was proudly rooted in blues, jazz, and country music.

The Allman Brothers Band
Their comforting sound became associated with a quintessentially American one aspired to be. It is simple, yet artful, and completely unified into one harmonious song. They also became known for their live show jamming and improvisation and instrumentals. Listening to “Midnight Rider” or “Ramblin’ Man” just make you want to go cross-country cruising!

 

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31. Heart​

Another welcome group of rockin’ ladies on our list are the Wilson sisters, Ann and Nancy, and their band, Heart. These multi-talented sisters and their band really rocked it hard, making them one of the best bands to come out of the 1970s. Their first mainstream hit was “Crazy on You” released in 1976, with influences from hard rock, heavy metal, and folk music.

Heart
Their sound really developed and changed over the years, but their second unforgettable hit came out a year later, “Barracuda”. The song was apparently written by the sisters when they were angry at their old record label who seemed to present the sisters sexually rather than for their music. The song is kicked off by a kickass guitar riff, then the drums hit it, all building up to when Ann starts belting out this absolute banger.

 

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30. Van Halen​

Van Halen were revolutionary in their use of keyboards and synthesizers in their music. Back in the 1980s, it was practically unheard of to use keyboards and synthesizers in rock n’ roll music, when keys and synths were mostly associated with pop music, and definitely ‘not cool’ enough for hard rockers. But a band formed by two bothers made bold moves, and managed to change this image, paving a new way for hard rock in the wider music industry.

Van Halen
Van Halen began in Pasadena, California as a heavy metal band, and made a name for themselves with musical innovation and their unforgettable high-energy live performances. Eddie Van Halen, the lead guitarist, is accredited with some ingenious electric-guitar playing, and together with lead vocalist, David Lee Roth, the band gave the world some impressive headbangers.

 

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28. Def Leppard​

Def Leppard has definitely earned their honorable mention for their place at the top of the 80s heavy metal pile. It was the British band’s third album which was really their breakthrough and saw their popularity soar, Pyromania had a bit more of a polished sound with some catchy choruses one could really rock to.

Def Leppard
The band has two diamond-certified albums, Pyromania and the follow-up which was released in 1987, Hysteria. While they were putting Hysteria together, drummer Rick Allen actually lost an arm in a terrible car accident, but that didn’t stop him drumming. It’s a metal baby, metal.

 

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27. Creedence Clearwater Revival​

Creedence Clearwater Revival are held in high regard for their folk rock anthems from the Vietnam War era. This quartet produced music with a soft, light, and magical feel to it which is enough to take you out of your inner/outer chaos into a better ‘chill’ space. Part of their success is that their music appealed to a broad audience of all ages.

Creedence Clearwater Revival
Lead vocalist and guitarist John Fogerty, guitarist Tom Fogerty, bassist Stu Cook, and drummer Doug Clifford, formed in San Francisco and are famous for their rock music which is noticeably Southern with lyrics about the Mississippi River, bayous, and catfish. The band was actually only active for four years but in that short time they managed to produce seven studio albums!

 

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26. Cream​

Cream was responsible for one of the most immediately recognizable guitar riffs of all time on “Sunshine of Your Love”, reason enough for them to be canonized. Cream is often referred to as a “supergroup” as they are thought to be the inspiration for countless other rock bands.

Cream
Eric Clapton is almost always at the top of every “Greatest Guitarists” list, Jack Bruce made bass playing seem completely effortless, and drummer Ginger Baker had a unique style that was all his own, all which gave this group their undeniable rock legacy.

 

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25. Blondie​

We definitely think that the women of rock don’t get their due credit, so we would like to give Debbie Harry and Blondie their moment that they so deserve! Debby Harry came from the proto-punk genre and brought in a new age of music with hits like “Heart of Glass” and “One Way or Another”, introducing new wave.

Blondie
Parallel Lines, Blondie’s third studio album, had punk rock, with pop thrown in, mixed with a little bit of disco, and you have the epitome of new wave music. A full-on recipe for an experimental sound that was so catchy and New York-y that you couldn’t help but sing along.

 

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24. Deep Purple​

Deep Purple didn’t get branded the “globe’s loudest band” for nothing! These guys are pioneers of heavy metal, and set the way for so many of the successful hard rock bands we know and love. Queen, Metallica, and Aerosmith are just some of the bands that say they are indebted to Deep Purple because of the inspiration they got from songs like “Highway Star”.

Deep Purple
Not to mention of course, and inspiration to many, was a song that begins with one of the most recognizable 50 seconds in music history; the guitar riff at the beginning of “Smoke on the Water”. Even so many decades after they made their unmistakable mark on rock and metal, the band still plays with their sound at live shows.

 

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22. The Eagles​

The Eagles have had many chart-topping singles, consistently reaching #1s in the 1970s, making them one of the most successful musical acts of their time. With five #1 singles and six #1 albums, it should come as no surprise that they won five American Music Awards and six Grammys.

The Eagles
The band that produced “Hotel California” was made up of lead singer and guitarist, Glenn Frey, guitarist Bernie Leadon, bass player Randy Meisner, and drummer Don Henley. Unfortunately, it seems the band members’ relationship was less successful than their music, and the band broke up in 1980.

 

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21. The Ramones​

Native to Queens, New York, The Ramones were the antidotes to the era’s impending progressive and punk rock revolution. Lead singer Joey Ramone, guitarist Johnny Ramone, bassist Dee Dee Ramone, and drummer Tommy Ramone, are not actually related, but adopted pseudonyms with ‘Ramone’ as their last name in 1974.

The Ramones
The band mixed simple chords that were played quickly with high-energy making relatively short songs (usually around two and a half minutes), which were highly memorable and easy to emulate, and gave listeners catchy, straightforward, and often shocking, tunes such as “I Wanna Be Sedated” and “Blitzkrieg Bop”.

 

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20. The Clash​

The Clash are beasts at what they do best and that was an energy and commitment to rock n’ roll, to rocking n’ rolling. Plus they gave us a new way to say “Should I Stay or Should I Go”, that we can never say it in another way again.

The Clash
The Clash were one of the voices of British Punk but they also experimented with their sound, mixing punk and rock with reggae, or rockabilly, and they wouldn’t give a damn what anyone else thought of them or the way they made their music. They didn’t just experiment and get away with it, they absolutely killed it.

 

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19. The Velvet Underground​

This New York City band had a huge Impact on the music industry at large. Despite their the first Velvet Underground album only selling 10,000 copies, they inspired millions into forming their own band.

The Velvet Underground
The band started out in 1965 under the management of artist Andy Warhol. Lou Reed, John Cale, Moe Tucker, and Sterling Morrison, consistently pushed the limits of the musical convention of the 1960s and 70s, giving live performances which resembled art shows more than any standard musical performances, all earning them a definite place on this list of best rock n’ roll bands.

 

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18. Fleetwood Mac​

Not everyone knows that Fleetwood Mac actually formed in London in 1967 as a blues rock band, but it wasn’t until Americans Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined the band in late 1974, that Fleetwood Mac became the famous rockers we know them to be today.

Fleetwood Mac
This mix of Americans and English turned out to be a highly successful move, taking their music in a dramatic new direction, and commercially appealing to a wider audience. Their album, “Rumours”, released in 1977, with hits like “Go Your Own Way”, “The Chain”, and “Dreams”, really helped establish their musical legacy.

 

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17. The Kinks​

The Kinks emerged at the height of British rhythm and blues, and the four working-class lads from North London produced a number of chart-topping records reflecting English culture and lifestyle making them idols in Britain during the mid to late 1960s. Ray and Dave Davies, Mick Avory, and Peter Quaife, fueled by the sharp songwriting of Ray Davies, presented a rebellious image which influenced bands such as Blur and Oasis.

The Kinks
Just like in Oasis, brotherly rivalry was rife in the Kinks between brothers Ray and Dave Davies, but it was recently announced that over two decades after their split, the band is recording new tracks! We will definitely be on the lookout for their new releases!

 

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16. U2​

U2 cannot be mentioned here! The four Irish lads that are Bono, Larry Mullen Jr., Adam Clayton, and the Edge, have been in the music industry for over 40 years now, and have been filling stadiums during most of that time, with ease! This group has won a whopping 22 Grammy Awards! More than any other band!

U2
Initially rooted in post-punk, their music has changed quite a lot over the years appealing to more and more people, often making songs with political or social meaning. There is always a perfect balance between the drums and bass and The Edge’s effects-based guitar layers they create on their tracks.

 

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Beach boys?

 

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The Monkees?