Here are the 100 Best Bands of All Time:
First, what is a band? I started with what it is not. Defining a band excludes solo artists, but what about backing bands like E Street, Crazy Horse, and the Attractions? Those were excluded for the most part because they highlighted the main figure too much. Can a duo be a band? What makes Daft Punk different from the White Stripes? What about a rap group? Something like the Roots compared to Wu-Tang Clan? Do they have to play instruments? What separates the Supremes from the Beach Boys? How much has our societal views on gender and race defined the word “band?”
It gets tricky quickly. That’s why I have avoided this. As you will see, the dividing lines of a “band” between something else are loose. I just went with my gut.
One thing is for sure: if I thought the act was a band, I ranked it where I thought it should be. This was determined by personal taste and historical importance, so disagree all you like.
100. Silver Apples
99. Grateful Dead
98. Throbbing Gristle
97. Gang of Four
96. The Slits
95. The Zombies
94. R.E.M.
93. The B-52’s
92. XTC
91. U2
90. Bad Brains
89. Buzzcocks
88. Os Mutantes
87. The Modern Lovers
86. Love
85. The Congos
84. X-Ray Spex
83. Black Flag
82. Galaxie 500
81. Sigur Rós
80. The Stone Roses
79. The Jesus and Mary Chain
78. King Crimson
77. Spiritualized
76. Dinosaur Jr.
75. Guns N’ Roses
74. Portishead
73. Blur
72. Queen
71. Massive Attack
70. The War on Drugs
69. Talk Talk
68. The Band
67. Creedence Clearwater Revival
66. Guided By Voices
65. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
64. Sade
63. Phoenix
62. Sleater-Kinney
61. Spoon
60. Pulp
59. Wire
58. Arcade Fire
57. Weezer
56. The Strokes
55. Tame Impala
54. Vampire Weekend
53. Built to Spill
52. CHIC
51. Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band
50. Beach House
49. Yo La Tengo
48. Belle & Sebastian
47. The Flaming Lips
46. Metallica
45. Pink Floyd
44. Cocteau Twins
43. Modest Mouse
42. Roxy Music
41. Depeche Mode
40. Smashing Pumpkins
39. The Replacements
38. Black Sabbath
37. Steely Dan
36. Deerhunter
35. Blondie
34. Television
33. The White Stripes
32. Wilco
31. The Who
30. Fugazi
29. Ramones
28. Animal Collective
27. The Clash
26. Big Star
25. Can
24. My Bloody Valentine
23. The Smiths
22. Fleetwood Mac
21. Pavement
20. LCD Soundsystem
19. Funkadelic / Parliament
18. The Kinks
17. Nirvana
16. Pixies
15. Sly and the Family Stone
14. New Order
13. Joy Division
12. The Stooges
11. The Cure
10. Sonic Youth
9. Led Zeppelin
8. The Jimi Hendrix Experience
7. Talking Heads
6. Kraftwerk
5. The Rolling Stones
4. Radiohead
3. The Beach Boys
2. The Velvet Underground
1. The Beatles
Bitter Melodies 