The Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time Bands/Musicians
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The Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time

original ranker Clark Benson  Ranker
Staff 208,863 views 1,227 items 327 followers
The best rock bands ever, ranked by music fans worldwide. Anyone can vote on this best rock bands list, which makes these rankings a trustworthy way to find out which great rock artists are truly the best. You can also add your own rankings to this list of the best rock bands, and see how your taste in music stacks up against everyone else's. Because listening to great rock music is fun, but showing off your superior rock and roll taste is even better.

For more rock music, check out this list of the Best Beatles Songs of All Time, or vote on these lists of the Best Rock Vocalists and the Best Female Rock Vocalists of all time.
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Rank     Name
  1. 51
    Up 358
    Down 302

    Billy Joel

    Classical music, Rock music, Hard rock More
    BUY
  2. 52
    Up 382
    Down 247

    Ray Charles

    Rock music, Rhythm and blues, Soul music More
    BUY
  3. 53
    Up 459
    Down 341

    Buddy Holly

    Rock music, Pop rock, Rockabilly More
    BUY
  4. 54
    Up 375
    Down 348

    R.E.M.

    Alternative rock, College rock, Jangle pop
    BUY
  5. 55
    Up 569
    Down 346

    Jethro Tull

    Rock music, Hard rock, Progressive rock More
    BUY
  6. 56
    Up 449
    Down 297

    Stevie Ray Vaughan

    Rock music, Jazz fusion, Blues-rock More
    BUY
  7. 57
    Up 229
    Down 96

    Paul McCartney

    Classical music, Rock music, Hard rock More
    BUY
  8. 58
    Up 376
    Down 310

    Journey

    Rock music, Hard rock, Progressive rock More
    BUY
  9. 59
    Up 361
    Down 269

    Dire Straits

    Rock music, Hard rock, Progressive rock More
    BUY
  10. 60
    Up 386
    Down 286

    Alice Cooper

    Psychedelic rock, Shock rock
    BUY
  11. 61
    Up 363
    Down 257

    Boston

    Rock music, Hard rock, Progressive rock More
    BUY
  12. 62
    Up 314
    Down 111

    The Jimi Hendrix Experience

    Rock music, Hard rock, Heavy metal More
    BUY
  13. 63
    Up 329
    Down 234

    Heart

    Rock music, Hard rock, Pop rock More
    BUY
  14. 64
    Up 350
    Down 260

    Stevie Wonder

    Rhythm and blues, Soul music, Pop music More
    BUY
  15. 65
    Up 412
    Down 325

    Janis Joplin

    Folk music, Rock music, Hard rock More
    BUY
  16. 66
    Up 209
    Down 108

    The Cars

    Alternative rock, Rock music, Hard rock More
    BUY
  17. 67
    Up 419
    Down 389

    Foo Fighters

    Alternative rock, Rock music, Hard rock More
    BUY
  18. 68
    Up 240
    Down 116

    Eagles

    Rock music
    BUY
  19. 69
    Up 317
    Down 267

    Van Morrison

    Folk music, Rock music, Jazz fusion More
    BUY
  20. 70
    Up 366
    Down 294

    Genesis

    Rock music, Hard rock, Progressive rock More
    BUY
  21. 71
    Up 371
    Down 395

    Green Day

    Alternative rock, Punk rock, Pop punk
    BUY
  22. 72
    Up 300
    Down 240

    Steve Miller Band

    Rock music, Progressive rock, Pop rock More
    BUY
  23. 73
    Up 273
    Down 226

    Chicago

    Rock music, Hard rock, Progressive rock More
    BUY
  24. 74
    Up 420
    Down 362

    KISS

    Rock music, Hard rock, Heavy metal More
    BUY
  25. 75
    Up 333
    Down 289

    Def Leppard

    Rock music, Hard rock, Pop rock More
    BUY
  26. 76
    Up 248
    Down 136

    Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

    BUY
  27. 77
    Up 372
    Down 289

    Yes

    Rock music, Hard rock, Progressive rock More
    BUY
  28. 78
    Up 222
    Down 103

    George Harrison

    Rock music, Pop music, Experimental rock More
    BUY
  29. 79
    Up 297
    Down 198

    Electric Light Orchestra

    Rock music, Progressive rock, Pop rock More
    BUY
  30. 80
    Up 281
    Down 165

    The Animals

    Rock music, Blues-rock, Rhythm and blues More
    BUY
  31. 81
    Up 277
    Down 320

    Prince

    Alternative rock, Rock music, Pop rock More
    BUY
  32. 82
    Up 321
    Down 306

    James Brown

    Rock music, Rhythm and blues, Soul music More
    BUY
  33. 83
    Up 335
    Down 210

    The Yardbirds

    Rock music, Hard rock, Blues-rock More
    BUY
  34. 84
    Up 292
    Down 321

    The Velvet Underground

    Alternative rock, Rock music, Folk rock More
    BUY
  35. 85
    Up 294
    Down 210

    The Byrds

    Rock music, Folk rock, Pop music More
    BUY
  36. 86
    Up 221
    Down 118

    Jefferson Airplane

    Rock music, Hard rock, Folk rock More
    BUY
  37. 87
    Up 273
    Down 260

    Talking Heads

    Rock music, Progressive rock, New Wave More
    BUY
  38. 88
    Up 286
    Down 274

    Steely Dan

    Rock music, Jazz fusion, Pop rock More
    BUY
  39. 89
    Up 153
    Down 95

    The Moody Blues

    Progressive rock, Synthpop, Rhythm and blues More
    BUY
  40. 90
    Up 292
    Down 270

    The Band

    Rock music, Folk rock, Blues-rock More
    BUY
  41. 91
    Up 311
    Down 247

    Frank Zappa

    Rock music, Progressive rock, Jazz fusion More
    BUY
  42. 92
    Up 364
    Down 393

    Grateful Dead

    Rock music, Blues-rock, Psychedelic rock More
    BUY
  43. 93
    Up 264
    Down 207

    Marvin Gaye

    Film score, Rock music, Rhythm and blues More
    BUY
  44. 94
    Up 167
    Down 130

    Rod Stewart

    Rock music, Hard rock, Progressive rock More
    BUY
  45. 95
    Up 416
    Down 324

    Scorpions

    Hard rock, Heavy metal, Glam metal
    BUY
  46. 96
    Up 449
    Down 321

    Blue Öyster Cult

    Hard rock, Progressive rock, Heavy metal More
    BUY
  47. 97
    Up 297
    Down 215

    Roy Orbison

    Rock music, Pop rock, Pop music More
    BUY
  48. 98
    Up 146
    Down 56

    Blondie

    Pop rock, New Wave, Post-punk More
    BUY
  49. 99
    Up 231
    Down 188

    Foreigner

    Rock music, Hard rock, Pop rock More
    BUY
  50. 100
    Up 216
    Down 168

    Wings

    Rock music, Hard rock, Pop rock More
    BUY

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    comments powered by Disqus
    1. GreenDayRules1985
      Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time at 2/21/2013 11:30 PM
      Couldn't find more than this about greatest rock bands .
    2. The Clap
      Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time at 1/10/2013 10:30 PM
      You wrote this thing about top rock bands ?
    3. FUPA
      Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time at 12/21/2012 1:30 PM
      Admirable Best Rock Bands Ever here.
    4. frankie a
      Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time at 5/23/2012 8:06 PM
      Every body chill. It's All Subjective and we all have views. It's Alright nobody's wrong. Every List is Unique.
    5. Jerry
      Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time at 3/11/2012 5:25 PM
      You need to get all the bands and singers out of this list that CLEARLY are not ROCK bands, then and only then will this be a credible list.
    6. Jack Zimmer
      Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time at 1/25/2012 12:23 PM
      Why is there no Sammy Hagar or Iron Maiden and besides that theres way to many good bands in the 200's like Tesla
    7. joel44
      Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time at 1/21/2012 8:10 PM
      New Order... Joy Division.... Cure...??
    8. paul
      Tool at 12/07/2011 12:45 AM
      Tool Should be in the top 40 who would give them a thumb down? They are comparable to Floyd and zeppelin. Also Rage Against the Machine top 50. this list is perfect aside from that.
    9. tammyluvsweezes
      Beck at 10/23/2011 6:37 AM
      My man!
    10. tammyluvsweezes
      Tool at 10/23/2011 6:35 AM
      Genius.
    11. FAILCOPTER
      The Beatles at 9/13/2011 10:18 AM
      They're more pop than rock.
    12. ravi2
      Black Sabbath at 8/26/2011 5:33 PM
      #10 all time? That's a bit of a surprise. I'd love to hear comments from people who voted them up.
    13. bootyknocker
      Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time at 8/09/2011 11:16 AM
      i hate the beatles. i've always wanted to say that. i think they are way over-rated and so is marilyn monroe. led zep should be #1 followed by pink floyd a close #2!
    14. GoGo
      Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time at 7/12/2011 4:18 AM
      Punk's not dead
    15. chaosad22
      Jimi Hendrix at 7/11/2011 12:36 PM
      The Jimi Hendrix Experience wasn't a band? Jimi and his lawyers sure thought it was a band. Someone needs to inform Mitch Mitchell and the estate of Noel Redding that they were never in a band.
    16. JorisErikPaulvanAalst
      Jimi Hendrix at 6/29/2011 7:09 AM
      Should be higher...!
    17. JorisErikPaulvanAalst
      Elvis Presley at 6/29/2011 7:09 AM
      Should be higher!
    18. JorisErikPaulvanAalst
      The Beatles at 6/29/2011 7:08 AM
      Defenitifly not overrated.... Completly right that they're #1!
    19. JorisErikPaulvanAalst
      Bob Dylan at 6/29/2011 7:07 AM
      Should be higher... and you 2, it's called "Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time" and not "Best Rock Bands Of All Time"
    20. JorisErikPaulvanAalst
      Bob Dylan at 6/29/2011 7:06 AM
      [User deleted their comment]
    21. russel1976
      Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time at 6/28/2011 2:03 AM
      where is Creed, best rock band of last ten years, yeah baby!!!
    22. JosuéPage
      Led Zeppelin at 5/02/2011 5:48 PM
      Must be the first one, Beatles is too pop.
    23. tinasmith988
      Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time at 4/29/2011 12:14 AM
      I was very encouraged to find this site. I wanted to thank you for this special read. I definitely savored every little bit of it.\n\n
      Send Gifts To india
    24. potchmoker
      Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time at 4/26/2011 6:01 PM
      did i win?
    25. par396
      Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time at 4/25/2011 3:07 PM
      Punk is junk; Rap is c**p!!!
    26. gerry
      Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time at 3/25/2011 6:01 PM
      d**********************! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    27. machvi
      Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time at 2/16/2011 7:07 AM
      nice toppic
    28. whiskeyman
      The Who at 2/03/2011 12:13 PM
      the best
    29. Mara
      Metallica at 2/03/2011 8:10 AM
      My number 1 band.
    30. curanc had
      The Best Rock Bands Of All Time at 1/15/2011 9:29 AM
      you gotta be kidding me?......someone has the 'clash' above the 'eagles'..........surely you jest
      1. your face
        Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time at 2/03/2011 3:18 PM
        f**k the eagles oh wait theyre busy sucking my balls
    31. Neil
      The Who at 1/08/2011 12:22 PM
      The best Live band i have ever seen.
    32. Neil
      The Beatles at 1/08/2011 12:20 PM
      Massively overrated, hugely dull.
    33. whutexan
      The Best Rock Bands Of All Time at 1/08/2011 7:49 AM
      There are many great bands and solo artists on this list but they do not belong on a GREAT ROCK BAND list.
    34. Bobbyh69
      The Best Rock Bands Of All Time at 12/28/2010 8:17 AM
      no Nickelback or Saving Abel or Theory of a Deadman or Shinedown
      1. LeSouder3333
        Best Rock Bands/Artists Of All Time at 1/22/2011 10:54 AM
        good since nickelback suck ass
    35. PolkadotKing
      The Best Rock Bands Of All Time at 12/24/2010 10:32 AM
      This is a great list, it's been fun watching it change as more people are adding votes.
    36. adamkadman
      Jimi Hendrix at 12/09/2010 10:05 AM
      not a band
    37. adamkadman
      Elvis Presley at 12/09/2010 10:05 AM
      not a band
    38. adamkadman
      Bob Dylan at 12/09/2010 10:02 AM
      #1 on my list of rock performers BUT NOT A BAND!!
    39. buddgodkin@yahoo.com
      The Rolling Stones at 11/15/2010 9:50 AM
      the best ever
    40. BronxHatten
      Bob Dylan at 11/14/2010 11:42 AM
      Bob Dylan is not a band -- if your list was "The Best Rock Acts of All-Time" then he most certainly should be there ('Act' meaning a solo performer, or a band)
    41. sleepnow
      The Best Rock Bands Of All Time at 11/13/2010 10:56 PM
      nirvana ahead of queen wtf were these retards smoking?
      1. Ariel Kana
        The Best Rock Bands Of All Time at 12/03/2010 8:02 PM
        They wur smoking teen spirit, duh!
    42. armstrongjamest
      The Who at 10/22/2010 3:05 PM
      Is Bob Dylan a rockband? I don't know but he is my Number 1. His last 3 albums are AMAZING and yet another genre switch. The lyrics are indisp**able, but he melodies put him at number one, at least for me.
    43. Bert C. Javelo
      The Best Rock Bands Of All Time at 8/18/2010 1:25 PM
      So, still my idols are the # 1! The Beatles, who else?

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