Bands/Musicians The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists  

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6k votes 701 voters 41k views 87 items

Similarly to avant-garde rock and avant-garde rock bands, experimental rock takes rock music and takes it to places where many mainstream bands are afraid to go. Experimental rock bands are among the most interesting bands with extremely rabid, loyal fanbases. Usually, experimental rock bands will tinker with things like song structure, and showcases a different side of a rock band. Technical prowess is crucial for experimental rock bands to challenge the status quo. Beginning in the 1960s, experimental rock used elements from free jazz, classical music and even psychedelic rock to create a sound people had never heard before. Experimental rock has also called post-rock.

So, who are considered experimental rock bands? You can't think of experimental rock without bringing up Frank Zappa, Brian Eno and even Neil Young. These guys took traditional rock music and decide to create their own subtexture to their sound. How else can you accurately explain what Zappa and the Mothers of Invention did? They took traditional music and made it their own, hence the experimental rock label. Elements of Krautrock, ambient music and underground music were embraced by experimental rock bands.

This list of experimental rock bands should be a guide to the genre. Experimental rock This list answers the questions "who are the best experimental rock bands of all time?" and "who is the greatest experimental rock musician ever?"(87 items)

1
176 107
Pink Floyd is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Pink Floyd Rock music, Space rock, Experimental rock

2
135 87
Frank Zappa is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Frank Zappa Rock music, Experimental rock, Heavy metal

3
186 131
Radiohead is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Radiohead Rock music, Electronic music, New Prog

4
107 70
King Crimson is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
King Crimson New Wave, Rock music, Experimental rock

5
118 87
The Velvet Underground is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
The Velvet Underground Noise rock, Blues-rock, Rock music

6
61 38
Talking Heads is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
RayFracalossy added Talking Heads New Wave, Rock music, Punk funk

7
69 48
Sonic Youth is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Sonic Youth Noise rock, Rock music, No wave

8
57 40
Syd Barrett is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Syd Barrett Blues-rock, Psychedelic folk, Space rock

9
68 52
The Mothers of Invention is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
The Mothers of Invention Rock music, Protopunk, Jazz fusion

10
60 46
Brian Eno is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Brian Eno Electronic music, Experimental rock, Experimental classical music

11
52 40
Lou Reed is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Lou Reed Noise rock, Blue-eyed soul, Spoken word

12
39 27
Soundgarden is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
AdamBell added Soundgarden Rock music, Grunge, Heavy metal - An interesting mix of metal, psychedelia, hard rock, punk, and eastern music that became iconic of one of the big four of the Seattle scene.

13
44 33
Kraftwerk is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
TCUhimself added Kraftwerk Krautrock, Synthpop, Electronic music

14
29 19
Mr. Bungle is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
JackSalvucci added Mr. Bungle Noise rock, Experimental rock, Funk metal

15
52 44
Neil Young is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Neil Young Rock music, Experimental rock, Grunge

16
37 29
George Harrison is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
George Harrison Pop music, Rock music, Experimental rock

17
28 20
The Arcana is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
*DSO* added The Arcana The Arcana are a British rock band that formed in 2015. Albums: Lemon Freddy Phantom of the Sky (2017), Tomorrow is Yesterday (2016)

18
30 24
The Residents is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
RayFracalossy added The Residents Noise rock, Rock music, Experimental rock

19
54 51
Swans is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
bigwackywilly added Swans Noise rock, Rock music, No wave

20
43 39
CAN is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
carl-taylor added CAN Krautrock, Rock music, Electronic music

21
31 26
Robert Fripp is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
passionsears added Robert Fripp New Wave, Experimental rock, Instrumental rock

22
35 31
The Flaming Lips is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
The Flaming Lips Rock music, Space rock, Psychedelic pop

23
39 36
John Lennon is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
John Lennon Blues-rock, Pop music, Rock music

24
37 35
The Mars Volta is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
The Mars Volta Krautrock, Noise rock, Space rock

25
33 34
Beck Hansen is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Beck Hansen Alternative hip hop, Anti-folk, Country rap

26
29 30
Ween is listed (or ranked) 26 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Ween Rock music, Experimental rock, Neo-psychedelia

27
28 29
Brian Wilson is listed (or ranked) 27 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Brian Wilson Pop music, Rock music, Outsider music

28
30 34
Animal Collective is listed (or ranked) 28 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Animal Collective Psychedelic folk, New Weird America, Electronic music

29
23 26
Massive Attack is listed (or ranked) 29 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Massive Attack Hip hop music, Soundtrack, Alternative hip hop

30
10 10
My Bloody Valentine is listed (or ranked) 30 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Pavementor added My Bloody Valentine Indie pop, Noise rock, Shoegazing

31
20 23
Einstürzende Neubauten is listed (or ranked) 31 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
kirk datema added Einstürzende Neubauten Dark ambient, Noise rock, Industrial rock

32
26 31
Gorillaz is listed (or ranked) 32 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Gorillaz Hip hop music, Alternative hip hop, Synthpop

33
26 32
PJ Harvey is listed (or ranked) 33 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
PJ Harvey Punk blues, Grunge, Electronica

34
18 22
Robert Wyatt is listed (or ranked) 34 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
passionsears added Robert Wyatt Experimental rock, Jazz fusion, Experimental music

35
24 31
At the Drive‐In is listed (or ranked) 35 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
At the Drive‐In Rock music, Emo, New Prog

36
26 34
Atoms for Peace is listed (or ranked) 36 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Atoms for Peace Electronic music, Experimental rock, Alternative rock

37
14 19
Chrome is listed (or ranked) 37 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
WillyG added Chrome Rock music, Experimental rock, Industrial music

38
17 24
Thee Silver Mt. Zion is listed (or ranked) 38 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Experimental rock, Post-rock

39
14 20
Faust is listed (or ranked) 39 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
RayFracalossy added Faust Krautrock, Experimental rock, Progressive rock

40
8 13
Steven Wilson is listed (or ranked) 40 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
passionsears added Steven Wilson Krautrock, Industrial rock, Electronic music

41
8 13
Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come is listed (or ranked) 41 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
passionsears added Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come Experimental music, Progressive rock, Psychedelic music

42
5 9
Death Grips is listed (or ranked) 42 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Luke Albright added Death Grips Alternative hip hop, Experimental hip hop, Industrial hip hop

43
5 9
The Arcana is listed (or ranked) 43 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
*DSO* added The Arcana

44
13 22
TV on the Radio is listed (or ranked) 44 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
TV on the Radio Shoegazing, Rock music, Experimental rock

45
8 15
Sean Lennon is listed (or ranked) 45 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Sean Lennon Indie pop, Rock music, Experimental rock

46
8 15
The United States of America is listed (or ranked) 46 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
passionsears added The United States of America Pop music, Rock music, Psychedelic pop

47
10 18
Magma is listed (or ranked) 47 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
passionsears added Magma Avant-progressive rock, Experimental rock, Jazz fusion

48
7 14
Kevin Ayers is listed (or ranked) 48 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
passionsears added Kevin Ayers Pop music, Experimental music, Psychedelic music

49
19 32
Steve Lieberman is listed (or ranked) 49 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
GANGSTARABBI added Steve Lieberman Garage punk, Outsider music, Heavy metal

50
14 25
Babymetal is listed (or ranked) 50 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
adlangilbuz added Babymetal Hip hop music, Bubblegum pop, Eurobeat