Music

240.9k voters

The Best Rock Bands of All Time

Originally by Ranker Community

Updated March 24, 2020 3.6m votes 240.9k voters 3.4m views1.7k items

List RulesOnly rock bands or rock artists with solo careers.

Update: Follow Ranker's official New Rock 2020 playlist on Spotify!

There are thousands of rock bands that have existed throughout the decades ever since the dawn of rock and roll, but only the greatest ones have stood the test of time and continue to be classic, popular bands to listen to with their timeless music. Whether it be current bands or classic oldies, the biggest. most famous superstars or heavy-hitting deep cuts, who are the greatest rock bands of all time?

Anyone can vote on this best rock bands list, which makes these rankings a trustworthy way to find out which great rock artists and groups are truly at the top of their class. You can also add your own rankings to this list and see how your taste in music stacks up against everyone else's. Listening to great rock music is good, 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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68,462
28,137
Queen
A Night at the Opera, Queen
Genres (Music): Pop music, Rock music, Heavy metal, Progressive rock, Glam rock
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2
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Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin IV
Genres (Music): Blues-rock, Classic rock, Rock music, Folk rock, Heavy metal
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3
63,577
38,881
The Beatles
Abbey Road, Revolver
Genres (Music): Pop music, Rock music, Pop rock
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4
49,621
31,160
Pink Floyd
The Wall, The Dark Side of the Moon
Genres (Music): Rock music, Space rock, Experimental rock, Acid rock, Progressive rock
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5
38,091
26,041
AC/DC
Back in Black, Highway to Hell
Genres (Music): Blues-rock, Boogie rock, Rock music, Heavy metal, Rock and roll
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6
31,458
20,920
Jimi Hendrix
First Rays of the New Rising Sun, Band of Gypsys
Genres (Music): Blues-rock, Rock music, Experimental rock, Psychedelia, Heavy metal
Nationality: United States of America
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7
23,082
17,266
David Bowie
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, Hunky Dory
Genres (Music): Rock music, Psychedelic pop, Electronic music, Protopunk, Glam rock
Nationality: England
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8
25,169
19,111
Black Sabbath
Paranoid, Black Sabbath
Genres (Music): Doom metal, Blues-rock, Power metal, Heavy metal, Stoner rock
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9
41,020
31,554
The Rolling Stones
Let It Bleed, Exile on Main St.
Genres (Music): Blues-rock, Rock music, Protopunk, Rhythm and blues, Rock and roll
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10
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Creedence Clearwater Revival
Green River, Cosmo's Factory
Genres (Music): Blues-rock, Blue-eyed soul, Swamp pop, Rock music, Garage rock
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11
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Elvis Presley
Jailhouse Rock, The Sun Sessions
Genres (Music): Christian music, Pop music, Rock music, Rockabilly, Country rock
Nationality: United States of America
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12
18,551
14,171
Fleetwood Mac
Rumours, Fleetwood Mac
Genres (Music): Blues-rock, Pop music, Rock music, Instrumental rock, Pop rock
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13
29,534
22,559
Guns N' Roses
Appetite for Destruction, G N' R Lies
Genres (Music): Glam metal, Blues-rock, Rock music, Heavy metal, Rock and roll
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14
18,389
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Lynyrd Skynyrd
(pronounced 'lĕh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd), Second Helping
Genres (Music): Outlaw country, Blues-rock, Boogie rock, Rock music, Country rock
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15
28,116
21,714
Eagles
Hotel California, Eagles Greatest Hits
Genres (Music): Country pop, Rock music, Folk rock, Country rock, Soft rock
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16
14,609
11,147
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
The Last DJ, Damn the Torpedoes
Genres (Music): Blues-rock, New Wave, Classic rock, Heartland rock, Rock music
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17
20,310
16,541
Van Halen
Van Halen, 1984
Genres (Music): Glam metal, Rock music, Heavy metal, Hard rock
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18
29,057
24,449
The Who
Who's Next, Tommy
Genres (Music): Popular music, Pop music, Rock music, Protopunk, Pop rock
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19
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Eric Clapton
461 Ocean Boulevard, Crossroads
Genres (Music): Blues-rock, Rock music, Reggae, Pop rock, Soft rock
Nationality: England
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20
24,525
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Aerosmith
Toys in the Attic, Pump
Genres (Music): Glam metal, Blues-rock, Rock music, Heavy metal, Rock and roll
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21
28,203
23,630
Metallica
Master of Puppets, Ride the Lightning
Genres (Music): Thrash metal, Rock music, Heavy metal, Speed metal, Hard rock
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22
7,103
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The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Electric Ladyland, Are You Experienced
Genres (Music): Blues-rock, Psychedelic soul, Rock music, Heavy metal, Acid rock
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23
17,884
15,253
Rush
Moving Pictures, 2112
Genres (Music): Progressive metal, Rock music, Heavy metal, Progressive rock, Hard rock
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24
10,885
9,075
Chuck Berry
The Great Twenty-Eight, Maybellene
Genres (Music): Rock music, Rhythm and blues, Rock and roll, Blues
Nationality: United States of America
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25
9,464
6,593
Paul McCartney
Flaming Pie, Ram
Genres (Music): Pop music, Rock music, Experimental rock, Classical music, Pop rock
Nationality: United Kingdom, England
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