rock The Best Rock Bands of All Time  

Ranker Community
Originally by Ranker Community
2M votes 134.5k voters 2.5M views 2,294 items

List Rules Only rock bands or rock artists with solo careers.

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 and popular bands to listen to with their timeless music. 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 are truly the best. 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 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.
list ordered by

1
30,694 19,641
The Beatles is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
The Beatles Pop music, Rock music, Pop rock - See  The Best Beatles Songs 

2
35,415 14,152
Led Zeppelin is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Led Zeppelin Blues-rock, Classic rock, Rock music - See  The Best Led Zeppelin Songs

3
21,671 14,112
The Rolling Stones is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
The Rolling Stones Blues-rock, Rock music, Protopunk - See  The Best Rolling Stones Songs

4
26,939 13,659
Pink Floyd is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Pink Floyd Rock music, Space rock, Experimental rock - See  The Best Pink Floyd Songs

5
28,787 11,554
Queen is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Queen Pop music, Rock music, Heavy metal - See  The Best Queen Songs

6
16,208 11,510
The Who is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
The Who Popular music, Pop music, Rock music - The Best Who Albums

7
20,113 12,392
AC/DC is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
AC/DC Blues-rock, Boogie rock, Rock music - See  The Best AC/DC Songs

8
17,046 9,553
Jimi Hendrix is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Jimi Hendrix Blues-rock, Rock music, Experimental rock - See  The Best Jimi Hendrix Songs

9
14,366 11,190
The Doors is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
The Doors Blues-rock, Rock music, Protopunk - See  The Best Doors Albums

10
17,701 14,480
Nirvana is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Nirvana Rock music, Grunge, Alternative rock

11
12,951 11,125
Eagles is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Eagles Country pop, Rock music, Folk rock - See  The Best Eagles Songs

12
14,588 12,832
Metallica is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Metallica Thrash metal, Rock music, Heavy metal - See  The Best Metallica Songs

13
12,722 11,055
Aerosmith is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Aerosmith Glam metal, Blues-rock, Rock music - See  The Best Aerosmith Songs

14
12,168 8,328
Creedence Clearwater Revival is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Creedence Clearwater Revival Blues-rock, Blue-eyed soul, Swamp pop - See  The Best Creedence Clearwater Revival Albums

The Most Rewatchable Movies

15
15,333 10,988
Guns N' Roses is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Guns N' Roses Glam metal, Blues-rock, Rock music - See  The Best Guns N' Roses Songs

16
13,075 9,277
Black Sabbath is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Black Sabbath Doom metal, Blues-rock, Power metal - See  The Best Black Sabbath Songs

17
10,869 12,709
U2 is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
U2 Rock music, Alternative rock, Punk rock - See  The Best U2 Songs

18
10,897 8,127
David Bowie is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
David Bowie Rock music, Psychedelic pop, Electronic music - See  The Best David Bowie Songs

19
8,442 9,077
The Beach Boys is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
The Beach Boys Pop music, Rock music, Psychedelic pop - See  The Best Beach Boys Songs

20
9,756 8,481
Van Halen is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Van Halen Glam metal, Rock music, Heavy metal - See  The Best Van Halen Songs

21
7,451 6,314
Bob Dylan is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
prostoemail97 added Bob Dylan Blues-rock, Rock music, Folk music - See  The Best Bob Dylan Songs

The Worst Band Names Ever

22
9,648 6,466
Eric Clapton is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Eric Clapton Blues-rock, Rock music, Reggae - See  The Best Eric Clapton Songs

23
11,471 8,901
Red Hot Chili Peppers is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Red Hot Chili Peppers Classic rock, Jazz-funk, Rock music - See  The Best Red Hot Chili Peppers Songs

24
10,255 7,263
Elvis Presley is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Elvis Presley Christian music, Pop music, Rock music - See  The Best Elvis Presley Songs

25
9,777 8,004
Rush is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Rush Progressive metal, Rock music, Heavy metal - See  The Best Rush Songs

26
9,081 6,743
Lynyrd Skynyrd is listed (or ranked) 26 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Lynyrd Skynyrd Outlaw country, Blues-rock, Boogie rock - See  The Best Lynyrd Skynyrd Songs

27
8,235 6,025
Fleetwood Mac is listed (or ranked) 27 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Fleetwood Mac Blues-rock, Pop music, Rock music - See  The Best Fleetwood Mac Songs

28
7,597 6,682
The Police is listed (or ranked) 28 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
The Police New Wave, 2 Tone, Ska punk - See  The Best Police Albums

Musicians Who Belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

29
6,897 5,858
Cream is listed (or ranked) 29 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Cream Blues-rock, Classic rock, Rock music - See  The Best Cream Albums

30
8,269 5,930
Deep Purple is listed (or ranked) 30 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Deep Purple Blues-rock, Classic rock, Heavy metal - See  The Best Deep Purple Songs

31
6,763 5,588
Tom Petty and the Heartbreaker... is listed (or ranked) 31 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Blues-rock, New Wave, Classic rock - See  The Best Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Albums

32
6,338 6,630
The Clash is listed (or ranked) 32 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
The Clash Hip hop music, Pop punk, New Wave - See  The Best Clash Songs

33
5,760 6,131
Bruce Springsteen is listed (or ranked) 33 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Bruce Springsteen Americana, Blues-rock, Heartland rock - See  The Best Bruce Springsteen Songs

34
6,286 5,899
ZZ Top is listed (or ranked) 34 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
ZZ Top Blues-rock, Boogie rock, Rock music - See  The Best ZZ Top Songs

35
7,583 7,499
Radiohead is listed (or ranked) 35 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Radiohead Rock music, Electronic music, New Prog - See  The Best Radiohead Songs

The Greatest Musical Artists of the '90s

36
7,955 6,407
Pearl Jam is listed (or ranked) 36 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Pearl Jam Rock music, Grunge, Post-grunge - See  The Best Pearl Jam Songs

37
6,135 4,971
The Kinks is listed (or ranked) 37 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
The Kinks Music hall, Pop music, Rock music - See  The Best Kinks Songs

38
5,871 4,744
Chuck Berry is listed (or ranked) 38 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Chuck Berry Rock music, Rhythm and blues, Rock and roll - See  The Best Chuck Berry Albums

39
6,008 5,895
Journey is listed (or ranked) 39 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Journey Rock music, Jazz fusion, Pop rock - See  The Best Journey Albums

40
5,926 4,358
Dire Straits is listed (or ranked) 40 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Dire Straights Celtic rock, Blues-rock, Rock music - See  The Best Dire Straits Albums

41
5,828 6,050
Ramones is listed (or ranked) 41 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Ramones Pop punk, Rock music, Classic Punk - See  The Best Ramones Songs

42
7,406 6,106
Foo Fighters is listed (or ranked) 42 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Foo Fighters Rock music, Grunge, Post-grunge - See  The Best Foo Fighters Songs

The Greatest Fictional Rock Stars

43
7,323 5,452
John Lennon is listed (or ranked) 43 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
John Lennon Blues-rock, Pop music, Rock music - See  The Best John Lennon Songs

44
7,755 7,299
Green Day is listed (or ranked) 44 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Green Day Pop punk, Rock music, Alternative rock - See  The Best Green Day Songs

45
5,444 5,148
R.E.M. is listed (or ranked) 45 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
R.E.M. Jangle pop, Alternative rock, College rock - See  The Best R.E.M. Songs

46
5,914 4,681
Simon and Garfunkel is listed (or ranked) 46 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Simon and Garfunkel Pop music, Worldbeat, Rock music - See  The Best Simon and Garfunkel Songs

47
6,067 4,725
Iron Maiden is listed (or ranked) 47 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
BaruchLalaev added Iron Maiden New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Heavy metal, Hard rock - See  The Best Iron Maiden Songs

48
4,479 4,361
Genesis is listed (or ranked) 48 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Genesis Rock music, Pop rock, Soft rock - See  The Best Genesis Songs

49
5,597 4,783
Neil Young is listed (or ranked) 49 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
Neil Young Rock music, Experimental rock, Grunge - See  The Best Neil Young Albums

50
4,363 4,631
The Allman Brothers Band is listed (or ranked) 50 on the list The Best Rock Bands of All Time
The Allman Brothers Band Blues-rock, Boogie rock, Rock music - See  The Best Allman Brothers Band Albums