Music

241.2k voters

The Best Rock Bands of All Time

Originally by Ranker Community

Updated March 24, 2020 3.6m votes 241.2k 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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68,532
28,252
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
63,725
38,924
The Beatles
Abbey Road, Revolver
Genres (Music): Pop music, Rock music, Pop rock
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4
49,701
31,218
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
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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
31,505
20,971
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
23,125
17,319
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
25,202
19,171
Black Sabbath
Paranoid, Black Sabbath
Genres (Music): Doom metal, Blues-rock, Power metal, Heavy metal, Stoner rock
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9
41,104
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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
20,519
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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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29,586
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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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12
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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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13
18,591
14,201
Fleetwood Mac
Rumours, Fleetwood Mac
Genres (Music): Blues-rock, Pop music, Rock music, Instrumental rock, Pop rock
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14
18,420
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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
28,171
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Eagles
Hotel California, Eagles Greatest Hits
Genres (Music): Country pop, Rock music, Folk rock, Country rock, Soft rock
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16
14,642
11,165
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
20,347
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Van Halen
Van Halen, 1984
Genres (Music): Glam metal, Rock music, Heavy metal, Hard rock
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18
29,105
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The Who
Who's Next, Tommy
Genres (Music): Popular music, Pop music, Rock music, Protopunk, Pop rock
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19
18,005
13,945
Eric Clapton
461 Ocean Boulevard, Crossroads
Genres (Music): Blues-rock, Rock music, Reggae, Pop rock, Soft rock
Nationality: England
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20
24,549
20,647
Aerosmith
Toys in the Attic, Pump
Genres (Music): Glam metal, Blues-rock, Rock music, Heavy metal, Rock and roll
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21
28,226
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Metallica
Master of Puppets, Ride the Lightning
Genres (Music): Thrash metal, Rock music, Heavy metal, Speed metal, Hard rock
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22
7,130
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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
17,922
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Rush
Moving Pictures, 2112
Genres (Music): Progressive metal, Rock music, Heavy metal, Progressive rock, Hard rock
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24
10,908
9,090
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
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Paul McCartney
Flaming Pie, Ram
Genres (Music): Pop music, Rock music, Experimental rock, Classical music, Pop rock
Nationality: England
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