The Greatest Artists Of Hard Rock

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11816

Definition of hard rock:
Any kind of guitar-driven, aggressive rock music with hard-edged riffs and more emphasis on volume than melody.

Short launching point:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3008&p=275975#p275975

Criteria:
-Influence (within hard rock and beyond)
-Popularity (RIAA standings, BPI certifications, and US/UK chart positions)
-Acclaim (general acclaim from any source and/or genre)

1. Led Zeppelin
2. The Who
3. The Jimi Hendrix Experience
4. Black Sabbath
5. Deep Purple
6. Van Halen
7. Metallica
8. Nirvana
9. Aerosmith
10. AC/DC
11. Cream
12. Guns 'N Roses
13. The Ramones
14. Pearl Jam
15. KISS
16. Green Day
17. Alice Cooper
18. Queen
19. The Sex Pistols
20. Iron Maiden
21. Rush
22. The Stooges
23. The Clash
24. The Red Hot Chili Peppers
25. Rage Against The Machine
26. Soundgarden
27. Def Leppard
28. Boston
29. Alice In Chains
30. Bon Jovi
31. MC5
32. Judas Priest
33. Motorhead
34. Faith No More
35. The Smashing Pumpkins
36. New York Dolls
37. ZZ Top
38. Lynyrd Skynyrd
39. Sonic Youth
40. Grand Funk Railroad
41. Motley Crue
42. Nine Inch Nails
43. Korn
44. Slayer
45. The Offspring
46. Ozzy Osbourne
47. Patti Smith
48. The White Stripes
49. Scorpions
50. Heart
51. Cheap Trick
52. Pixies
53. Megadeth
54. Pantera
55. Thin Lizzy

pave · **Posted:** Sun May 13, 2012 6:22 pm

why are you remaking a thread that already exists AND isn't getting any activity?

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11816

Because beaverteeth hardly posts anymore, so I figured a new one would garner more activity.

So far it looks like I'm wrong though. :lol:

pgm · **Posted:** Thu May 17, 2012 10:52 am

The first thing you need to do is define "hard rock." I'll come back when that's done.

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11816

You need an explanation on what hard rock is?! :eh:

pgm · **Posted:** Fri May 18, 2012 10:39 pm

Yeah, actually. Because there's a lot of stuff that's arguable.

Also, what about artists who did well in both hard rock and not hard rock? Take the Rolling Stones or the Beatles. Both bands have songs that rock hard at times, but I don't think anyone would call them "hard rock artists." Likewise, Led Zeppelin is clearly a hard rock artist, but some of their stuff is clearly not. Do we count the soft stuff towards the artist's greatness, or only the hard stuff? Is Stairway to Heaven a hard rock song?

ClashWho · **Joined:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:45 pm **Posts:** 19385

pgm wrote:

Is Stairway to Heaven a hard rock song?

It takes a while to get there, but once it gets there it rocks pretty hard.

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11816

Quote:

Also, what about artists who did well in both hard rock and not hard rock? Take the Rolling Stones or the Beatles. Both bands have songs that rock hard at times, but I don't think anyone would call them "hard rock artists."

Totally agreed. I would never include The Beatles or The Stones as hard rock artists.
That's like saying we should put Little Richard on the list because he had a lot of influence on hard rock too. So I agree with you here.

Quote:

Likewise, Led Zeppelin is clearly a hard rock artist, but some of their stuff is clearly not. Do we count the soft stuff towards the artist's greatness, or only the hard stuff? Is Stairway to Heaven a hard rock song?

I would say only count the hard stuff. Why make it harder than it has to be?

pgm · **Posted:** Sat May 19, 2012 6:17 pm

It'd still be cool to get a definition of Hard Rock. Otherwise, we have to do this on a case-by-case basis. I brought up the Rolling Stones because they were on VH1's list (and The Beatles because of Helter Skelter).

How about Pink Floyd? Sonic Youth? Boston? A whole bunch of prog?

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11816

In what universe would Floyd be considered hard rock? I think they have a grand total of about three, maybe four, hard rock songs in their classic lineup.
And taking this case-by-case, as you said, I don't really think is a bad thing. I think it would bring about more discussion anyway.

I don't think I'd consider any prog band for this list, tbh, at least none of the "classic" ones (Rush/Tull/KC/Yes/Genesis/Floyd). The only ones that straddle the fence are Rush, but they have way too much light radio-oriented synth stuff in their overall body of work, imo.

If anyone's interested, should we include metal artists? Beaverteeth didn't include them in his list, but I think it would make it more interesting and varied anyway.
And obviously, metal is a natural extension of hard rock.

ClashWho · **Joined:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:45 pm **Posts:** 19385

Rush is a hard rock band.

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11816

I guess I could go either way on them.

ClashWho · **Joined:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:45 pm **Posts:** 19385

Negative Creep wrote:

I guess I could go either way on them.

Their overall body of work is as hard rock as Led Zeppelin's.

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11816

Yeah I can see that. But like I said, they would be the only one of the classic prog rock bands I could see on this list.

pauldrach · **Posted:** Mon May 21, 2012 2:43 pm

Negative Creep wrote:

Yeah I can see that. But like I said, they would be the only one of the classic prog rock bands I could see on this list.

Kansas?

The Greatest Artists Of Hard Rock

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