OT: 5 biggest bands ever?

[thfcsteff]

Probably these 5, certainly from longevity viewpoint. I don't think there can be much of an argument about , The Beatles, Stones , Led Zep and Floyd.

All 4 still massively popular, all 4 reached peaks that no other bands can come close to . If 50 years time they will still be popular unlike ACDC, Guns and Roses,or Mettalica IMO.

You could make an argument for the 5th spot. The Who, The Eagles, Queen or U2.

Agree with G N'R there, but the other two are eternal...they'll still be there in 50 years time IMHO...

 

[Papercut]

Steff clearly knows his stuff What don't you know fella!

Love the Kinks btw, shame not there imo

 

[Kyspursfan]

1.Grateful Dead
2.The Beatles
3.Pearl Jam
4.The Band
5.Sublime

 

[Jurgen the German]

Some of you are really overrating The Who here.

If anything they are underrated. They were without doubt better musicians than both the Stones and the Beatles, although I accept that the latter two were better songwriters.

 

[Jordinho]

If anything they are underrated. They were without doubt better musicians than both the Stones and the Beatles, although I accept that the latter two were better songwriters.

The topic isn't who 's the best, but biggest. The Who are nowhere near the top 5.

 

[Jurgen the German]

The topic isn't who 's the best, but biggest. The Who are nowhere near the top 5.

All subjective though isn't it. I mean people are arguing Guns and Roses despite them only being big for a 5/6 year period. I think people would care about them more now if Slash, Duff and co would rejoin the band, but they've disappeared up Axl Rose's arsehole.

 

[Jordinho]

It's about record sales, attendances at concerts, number of concerts etc. You could throw in something like longevity and recognisability (did I just invent a word?).

It's hard to narrow it down to just five though. Beatles and Stones are no brainers. Metallica, Led Zep, AC DC, Bon Jovi, Queen, ABBA all score high on those criteria.

 

[Jurgen the German]

It's about record sales, attendances at concerts, number of concerts etc. You could throw in something like longevity and recognisability (did I just invent a word?).

It's hard to narrow it down to just five though. Beatles and Stones are no brainers. Metallica, Led Zep, AC DC, Bon Jovi, Queen, ABBA all score high on those criteria.

Surely The Who would qualify then. They've sold in excess of a hundred million albums. They were big in America in their prime. Don't know the figures of their concerts, but must be high grossing.

 

[Jordinho]

Surely The Who would qualify then. They've sold in excess of a hundred million albums. They were big in America in their prime. Don't know the figures of their concerts, but must be high grossing.

But I wouldn't say they're bigger than any of those I mentioned and I could probably come up with a few more. CSI has got them some new fans though.

 

[colin fishwick]

The problem with Mettalica, G&R ACDC, Pearl Jam and some others mentioned, is that the general public, don't know any of their songs, but with the Who everyone knows My Generation . The have appeared at Woodstock, Live Aid , Live 8, have had two full length feature films. It is not simply about record sales.

Floyd are popular with each new generation, despite being split up for 25 years. DSOTM, still sells bucket loads every year, it will still being selling well in 50 years .

The Australian Pink Floyd are massive and they are just a tribute band.

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

Are people listing their favourite 5 bands? The biggest from their nation's perspective? Or the world in general?

In terms of history and globally (people often disregard the rest of Europe in these discussions):

1) The Beatles
2) The Rolling Stones
3) Pink Floyd
4) Queen
5) Genesis

Led Zep possibly should be in there but in terms of album/single sales, longevity and concert attendances those are the big 5. The Police and Dire Straits were also massive for periods in the 80's and The Police comfortably sold out their stadium re-union tour (as did Genesis 5 years ago). The Eagles were also huge but had more localised fandom. The Who are apparently massive too, and yet I can never find hardly anyone who listens to them and I certainly felt they were over rated.

The last true super band for me was Guns N' Roses between 87 to 93. Bands like U2, Bon Jovi, Metallica.....all did their best stuff in the 80's and very early 90's (the same time many of the aforementioned bands were still functioning and pumping out superior stuff to those three). It just goes to show how poor music has been in the last 20 years that average bands like that are now regarded as the world's biggest.

I've always found it strange that the States has churned out some amazing artists over the years but very few great bands. Personally love GNR, Aerosmith and The Eagles though.

Because they are now regarded as cheese (and as a gay anthem band, must to their writers chagrin because they never were) and aren't taken seriously people always disregard ABBA. But they were huge at the time and have sold millions of records.

I knew I liked you MK! exchange rolling stones and pink floyd for the clash and the who and you've nailed it !!!

 

[Superted]

The problem with Mettalica, G&R ACDC, Pearl Jam and some others mentioned, is that the general public, don't know any of their songs, but with the Who everyone knows My Generation .

Wha???

Sweet Child O' Mine, Paradise City, November Rain, Enter Sandman, Back in Black, Better Man, Alive and others are far more commercially and widely known than The Who songs.

I'm not a massive Who fan (ironically, I know most of their stuff through Pearl Jam covering them so often), but once i get past My Generation, and Who Are You, Who Who (or whatever it is called) I would struggle to name another song of theirs (given I know Baba O'Reilly due to Pearl Jam).

 

[Mulletperm]

The problem with Mettalica, G&R ACDC, Pearl Jam and some others mentioned, is that the general public, don't know any of their songs, but with the Who everyone knows My Generation . The have appeared at Woodstock, Live Aid , Live 8, have had two full length feature films. It is not simply about record sales.

Floyd are popular with each new generation, despite being split up for 25 years. DSOTM, still sells bucket loads every year, it will still being selling well in 50 years .

The Australian Pink Floyd are massive and they are just a tribute band.

 

[thfcsteff]

The problem with Mettalica, G&R ACDC, Pearl Jam and some others mentioned, is that the general public, don't know any of their songs, but with the Who everyone knows My Generation . The have appeared at Woodstock, Live Aid , Live 8, have had two full length feature films. It is not simply about record sales.

Floyd are popular with each new generation, despite being split up for 25 years. DSOTM, still sells bucket loads every year, it will still being selling well in 50 years .

The Australian Pink Floyd are massive and they are just a tribute band.

I would argue that a lot of the general public would know "Enter Sandman" and/or "Nothing Else Matters" if they heard them. Metallica have appeared at "a" Woodstock, they played to approx 500,000 people in Russia at an airfield in 1991, they have sold out Wembley Stadium, had one full length feature film and are in the process of making a 3D one as I write. They consistently play to crowds of 40-50,000 people in Europe every summer, and in the US are recognized as perhaps the closest American group to The Grateful Dead in terms of their disciple-esque fan-base. You are absolutely correct, it is indeed about far more than simply record sales. For the record, only AC/DC of the groups you've mentioned could get close to rivaling those Metallica facts, but the truth is, they don't play live enough anymore.

This is a great thread Colin, could be some excellent debates here...I think we've stumbled across one already!

 

[thfcsteff]

Are people listing their favourite 5 bands? The biggest from their nation's perspective? Or the world in general?

In terms of history and globally (people often disregard the rest of Europe in these discussions):

1) The Beatles
2) The Rolling Stones
3) Pink Floyd
4) Queen
5) Genesis

Led Zep possibly should be in there but in terms of album/single sales, longevity and concert attendances those are the big 5. The Police and Dire Straits were also massive for periods in the 80's and The Police comfortably sold out their stadium re-union tour (as did Genesis 5 years ago). The Eagles were also huge but had more localised fandom. The Who are apparently massive too, and yet I can never find hardly anyone who listens to them and I certainly felt they were over rated.

The last true super band for me was Guns N' Roses between 87 to 93. Bands like U2, Bon Jovi, Metallica.....all did their best stuff in the 80's and very early 90's (the same time many of the aforementioned bands were still functioning and pumping out superior stuff to those three). It just goes to show how poor music has been in the last 20 years that average bands like that are now regarded as the world's biggest.

I've always found it strange that the States has churned out some amazing artists over the years but very few great bands. Personally love GNR, Aerosmith and The Eagles though.

Because they are now regarded as cheese (and as a gay anthem band, must to their writers chagrin because they never were) and aren't taken seriously people always disregard ABBA. But they were huge at the time and have sold millions of records.

Really?

First off, The Who were actually dangerous; not Kings Road 'fake' dangerous, collapsing into piles of coke and dope personally procured from the cleanest sources and administered in the finest surroundings, no, they played dangerous chords, they wrote ambitious songs and in Townshend and Moon they had two absolute genuine, bona-fide nutters (not to mention two FANTASTIC musicians)...

As for the second bolded bit, how would you gauge that then? I have to ask if you've seen Metallica live in the last 5 years? have you listened to any of their music recently (granted I'd be amazed if you had as I suspect it isn't your cup of tea to start with). Whether you like them or not, they are one of the best live bands in the world, which is why they continue to pack venues wherever they go. Unless, of course, you're just drinking from the same well as those who bleat on about them having "sold-out" after the first three albums (I'l bet most of them didn't even hear all of those either LOL)... As for U2, well again, say what you will about your personal tastes with regards to their output (personally I don't disagree) but to question them as being 'average' is again inaccurate if gauged by how many people continue to enjoy their music.

...in the spirit of debate!

 

[thfcsteff]

Steff clearly knows his stuff What don't you know fella!

Love the Kinks btw, shame not there imo

Pretty much anything I don't blab on about...and probably most of what I DO!!!!!! ;-)

 

[Superted]

Not saying it's a band that belongs on this list, but I'm amazed that Credence are never considered in the realms of the greats. Their songwriting is second to none in my opinion.

 

[colin fishwick]

Wha???

Sweet Child O' Mine, Paradise City, November Rain, Enter Sandman, Back in Black, Better Man, Alive and others are far more commercially and widely known than The Who songs.

I'm not a massive Who fan (ironically, I know most of their stuff through Pearl Jam covering them so often), but once i get past My Generation, and Who Are You, Who Who (or whatever it is called) I would struggle to name another song of theirs (given I know Baba O'Reilly due to Pearl Jam).

Superted

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjA_RtsBfAo

Check this out and the comments [ amazing performance ] - Massive concert , The Who right at the top of the bill " stole the show ". Live 8, 3rd top billing behind Floyd and McCartney. Pearl Jam, Mettalica, G&R , Bon Jovi etc, nerver going to fit that bill.

I am not saying they should be in the 5, by definitely should be in with a real shout.

 

[WookieD]

Nice use of the owl, though you may have done better with his cousin

How old before a meme becomes "old school"?...

Anyway, I'd agree with Pearl Jam and I would imagine that there are a lot of people that, whilst they know a couple of AC/DC, GNR or Metallica tracks, they probably don't realise who they are by.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Genesis above The Who? Really?

If you were to ask people in the street to name songs of various bands, I would bet most people could name more songs by The Who than the likes of Metallica and Guns and Roses beyond Enter Sandman, Sweet Child O mine, November Rain and Paradise City.

Metallica and AC/DC certainly have an army of dovoted fans, but are those bands really popular in the mainstream?

Good debate!

How about the last 15 years then? I would say Red Hot Chili Peppers would be up there, alongside Coldplay (even though their brick!), U2 (overrated), Oasis to name a few.