Bands/Musicians The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists  

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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?"(119 items)
list ordered by

1
223 78
King Crimson is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
New Wave, Rock music, Experimental rock

2
58 17
Alice Cooper is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Kassie Lanzarotta added Glam metal, Experimental rock, Shock rock

3
210 140
Pink Floyd is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Rock music, Space rock, Experimental rock

4
91 48
Talking Heads is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
RayFracalossy added New Wave, Rock music, Punk funk

5
154 99
Frank Zappa is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Rock music, Experimental rock, Heavy metal

6
147 94
The Velvet Underground is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Noise rock, Blues-rock, Rock music

7
98 56
Sonic Youth is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Noise rock, Rock music, No wave

8
100 59
The Mothers of Invention is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Rock music, Protopunk, Jazz fusion

9
217 157
Radiohead is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Rock music, Electronic music, New Prog

10
13 1
The Beatles is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Kassie Lanzarotta added Pop music, Rock music, Pop rock

11
66 47
Syd Barrett is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Blues-rock, Psychedelic folk, Space rock

12
67 49
Brian Eno is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Electronic music, Experimental rock, Experimental classical music

13
52 35
Kraftwerk is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
TCUhimself added Krautrock, Synthpop, Electronic music

14
47 32
Soundgarden is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
AdamBell added 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.

15
38 24
Mr. Bungle is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
JackSalvucci added Noise rock, Experimental rock, Funk metal

16
56 42
Lou Reed is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Noise rock, Blue-eyed soul, Spoken word

17
60 46
Neil Young is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Rock music, Experimental rock, Grunge

18
53 41
CAN is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
carl-taylor added Krautrock, Rock music, Electronic music

19
42 30
George Harrison is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Pop music, Rock music, Experimental rock

20
38 26
The Residents is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
RayFracalossy added Noise rock, Rock music, Experimental rock

21
63 55
Swans is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
bigwackywilly added Noise rock, Rock music, No wave

22
37 28
Robert Fripp is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
passionsears added New Wave, Experimental rock, Instrumental rock

23
17 7
Neu! is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
shacharhbr added Krautrock, Electronic music, Protopunk

24
45 37
John Lennon is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Blues-rock, Pop music, Rock music

25
6 0
Jefferson Airplane is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Best Experimental Rock Bands/Artists
Kassie Lanzarotta added Blues-rock, Psychedelic folk, Rock music