Greatest American Band?

[Glacies]

I always am scared to get into these conversations becuase first, I'm 25, so I just wasn't around when some bands had thier hayday and really have no way of stumbling over them unless someone reccommends them to me. Secondly, I'm pretty new to music, and in the last year I'm going back and listening to things I wouldn't have given a second thought about and greatly appreciating them.

With that said, I have to think that Van Halen or Aerosmith has to be the greatest American Rock Band. If the new Guitar Hero Aersosmith doesn't prove it, I don't know what does. Sheesh.

[stingx]

You know, I think it just might be Slim Whitman. I remember a heavily played commercial a few years back in which it is claimed that he sold more records than The Beatles and Elvis combined. Now thems some bold words right there. :

[Disraeli]

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
Bob Dylan
The Band (they might be from Canada not sure)
Grateful Dead
Doobie Brothers
The Eagles

I would rank these all above Aerosmith and Van Halen, but thats just one man's opinion.

[cherokee747]

: Lynyrd Skynyrd

[Gil Janus]

The Grateful Dead
The Allman Brothers Band
The Doobie Brothers

Can you just have one :

I would list The Band - but they are mostly from North of the Border

Gil

[Andy]

can I disect a little of my reasoning?

I don't care much for Aerosmith beyond their 70's period, but theres no doubt that they would have to be atleast in the top 5.
for anyone who was a teenager in the mid 70's Aerosmith was undeniably huge.and are still huge to a whole new generation today

I like the doobies alot, all of their output, but I can't picture them as the greatest american band. any more than steely dan. both great bands but nowhere near the impact when compared with the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd,The Allmons,Eagles.Bob Seager.

ZZtop could have been and the early stuff was definatey influential but the moment they went commercial and incorperated samples and drum machines, and the simple repeditive ,almost robotic structures....any major influence dissolved.

The gratefull Dead can be admired for longevity and vibe, but face it they hit the charts 2 mabey 3 times in 40 years. They were a mainstay no doubt but more of extreeme cult status than "greatest band"to the masses pinnacle.

Tom Petty is a quandry to me,He has been around a long time,had many hits and has had alot of sucess backing and dueting with others. But you don't hear alot of people say" the day I heard Tom Petty, I knew I wanted to be a musician" (I do know of people influenced by his guitarist).

Tom is a great songwriter.He takes pieces from every style of music and makes it popular to a wide selection of demographic. but nothing he ever did strikes me as new,fresh or groundbreaking...but he's done enough to deserve atleast the top 10.

If this were a regional question the south would have Skynyrd in the top 3 ....atleast.


ok fire away....lol

[tunghaichuan***]

can I disect a little of my reasoning?
I don't care much for Aerosmith beyond their 70's period, but theres no doubt that they would have to be atleast in the top 5.
for anyone who was a teenager in the mid 70's Aerosmith was undeniably huge.and are still huge to a whole new generation today

The one thing about Aerosmith that qualifies them, IMHO, is that by the mid-80s they were over. They crashed and burned. But they actually made a comeback in the 90s and became better than ever.

For most bands, when it's over, it's over. There is no comeback.

Just my $.02

tung