- Category :Music
Compiling a Top 50 list of rock bands is a monumental task. Genres associated with this form of music are vast. This article gives a detailed perspective on famous rock bands that have made a noteworthy contribution in various rock genres.
Compiling a Top 50 list of rock bands is a monumental task. Genres associated with this form of music are vast. This article gives a detailed perspective on famous rock bands that have made a noteworthy contribution in various rock genres.
The loud and mellow strains of rock music have enthralled fans the world over. Attitude, stage presence, creativity, music, lifestyle, madness and mayhem of rock bands are aspects that evoke a burning desire to form a band and roll without brakes. Every individual that loves rock music understands the nostalgia of purchasing albums by their favorite band or artist.
Expression and style of bands through different genres of rock music evoke a special feeling in every rock lover. The distinctive sound and trademark performance of famous rock bands gives every rock genre its share of worshipers.
History of Rock Music
Rock music gained prominence in the early 60s.
Deriving from blues, country, folk, jazz, and rock n’ roll, rock music emerged with numerous bands infusing elements of early influences. A number of blues rock, and psychedelic bands mushroomed in the early years. Towards the end of the 60s diverse forms of rock music began to take shape. The 70s opened doors to several rock genres and its sub-genres.
Different forms of rock music changed the cultural and social movement. Thinkers, poets, politicians, and the common man, everyone was a mesmerized by rock bands. Over the years rock has established itself as one of the most powerful genres in music. Here’s a list of the best rock bands that have mesmerized listeners.
Famous Classic Era Rock bands
1. Led Zeppelin
2. Rainbow
3. Deep Purple
4. The Who
5. The Doors
6. The Beatles
7. Rolling Stones
8. Pink Floyd
9. Bad Company
10. Thin Lizzy
11. Cream
12. Guess Who
13. Blue Oyster Cult
14. Black Sabbath
15. Jethro Tull
16. The Eagles
17. Free
18. Dire Straits
19. Steppenwolf
20. Big Brother and the Holding Company
21. Chicago
22. The Police
23. Grand Funk Railroad
24. Foreigner
25. The Rolling Stones
26. Humble Pie
27. Fleetwood Mac
28. Journey
29. Queen
30. Meatloaf
31. Mamas & the Papas
32. The Animals
33. The Moody Blues
34. The Jimi Hendrix Experience
35. Moby Grape
36. Status Quo
37. Wishbone Ash
38. Vanilla Fudge
39. Badfinger
40. MC5
41. Fanny
42. Love
43. Iron Butterfly
44. The Bonzo Dog Band
45. The Kinks
46. Jefferson Airplane
47. Three Dog Night
48. Boston
49. REO Speedwagon
50. The Cars
Famous Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Bands
1. Judas Priest
2. AC/DC
3. Manowar
4. Accept
5. Warrior
6. Iron Maiden
7. Dio
8. Savatage
9. Thor
10. Blitzkrieg
11. Motorhead
12. Pentagram
13. Cactus
14. Fastway
15. UFO
16. Sweet Savage
17. Rainbow
18. Tygers of Pan Tang
19. Battleaxe
20. Grim Reaper
21. Nightwing
22. Saxon
23. Moxy
24. Avenger
25. Mama’s Boys
26. Aerosmith
27. Samson
28. Rock Goddess
29. Jameson Raid
30. Diamond Head
31. More
32. Witchfynde
33. Budgie
34. Vardis
35. Tank
36. Lionheart
37. Tytan
38. Cloven Hoof
39. Urchin
40. Angel Witch
41. Venom
42. Van Halen
43. Montrose
44. Trespass
45. Girlschool
46. Elixir
47. White Spirit
48. Black Rose
49. Tokyo Blade
50. Persian Risk
Famous Progressive/Experimental Rock Bands
1. Yes
2. ELP
3. Rush
4. Gentle Giant
5. Magma
6. The Flower Kings
7. The Soft Machine
8. Spock’s Beard
9. Focus
10. Camel
11. The Mothers of Invention
12. Goblin
13. Porcupine Tree
14. Captain Beefheart
15. King Krimson
16. Utopia
17. Marillion
18. Can
19. Hatfield and the North
20. Cano
21. Eloy
22. Renaissance
23. Kansas
24. Family
25. Saga
26. Aphrodite’s Child
27. Caravan
28. Ange
29. Premiata Forneria Marconi
30. UK
31. The Alan Parsons Project
32. Van der Graaf Generator
33. Happy the Man
34. Area
35. Genesis
36. Henry Cow
37. Atomic Rooster
38. Anekdoten
39. The Nice
40. Transatlantic
41. Pendragon
42. Quiet Sun
43. Nektar
44. Gong
45. Kayak
46. Pallas
47. Anyone’s Daughter
48. The Tangent
49. Cairo
50. Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Famous Progressive Metal/Experimental Metal Bands
1. Dream Theater
2. Symphony X
3. Ayreon
4. Fates Warning
5. Shadow Gallery
6. Opeth (Prog Death Metal)
7. Andromeda
8. Stratovarius
9. Pain of Salvation
10. Tool
11. Angra
12. Vanden Plas
13. Watchtower
14. Psychotic Waltz
15. Evergrey
16. Ambeon
17. Magellan
18. Threshold
19. Crimson Glory
20. Queensryche
21. Borknagar (Prog Black Metal)
22. Aghora
23. Circus Maximus
24. Liquid Tension Experiment (Instrumental)
25. Harmony
26. Alchemist
27. Spiral Architect
28. Beyond Twilight
29. Enchant
30. Into Eternity
31. Sun Caged
32. Scale the Summit (Instrumental)
33. Adagio
34. Pagan’s Mind
35. Dark Suns
36. Mekong Delta
37. Spastic Ink
38. Thought Industry
39. Explorers Club
40. Sieges Even
41. Royal Hunt
42. Protest the Hero
43. Kings X
44. Stride
45. Platypus
46. Alarum
47. Artension
48. Prototype
49. In Mourning (Prog Death Metal)
50. Tomorrow’s Eve
Famous Country Rock/Southern Rock/Folk Rock Bands
1. Creedence Clearwater Revival
2. Allman Brothers Band
3. 38 Special
4. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5. Flying Burrito Brothers
6. Southern Pacific
7. Lynyrd Skynyrd
8. Rossington Collins Band
9. The Doobie Brothers
10. The Band
11. Blackfoot
12. Gator Country
13. The Byrds
14. The Georgia Satellites
15. Molly Hatchet
16. Wet Willie
17. Atlanta Rhythm Section
18. Alabama
19. Zac Brown Band
20. Marshall Tucker Band
21. Black Oak Arkansas
22. Whiskey Falls
23. The Kentucky Headhunters
24. Barefoot Jerry
25. Gov’t Mule
26. Amazing Rhythm Aces
27. Little Feat
28. Ozrak Mountain Daredevils
29. Widespread Panic
30. North Mississippi Allstars
31. Firefall
32. The Rounders
33. Travelling Wilburys
34. Grinderswitch
35. The Outlaws
36. Pure Prairie League
37. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
38. The Georgia Satellites
39. Stillwater
40. New Riders of the Purple Sage
41. Desert Rose Band
42. Mudcrutch
43. Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen
44. Area Code 615
45. Poco
46. Great Spectacled Bird
47. Blue Rodeo
48. Blue Mountain
49. Little Texas
50. Cross Canadian Ragweed
Famous Power Metal Bands
1. Gamma Ray
2. Hammerfall
3. Dragonforce
4. Jag Panzer
5. Iced Earth
6. Demons & Wizards
7. Heloween
8. Running Wild
9. Lost Horizon
10. Dark at Dawn
11. Grave Digger
12. Noctural Rites
13. Edguy
14. Labyrinth
15. Primal Fear
16. Kamelot
17. Dream Evil
18. Axxis
19. Dreamtale
20. Wizard
21. Iron Savior
22. Mob Rules
23. Dragonland
24. Masterplan
25. Steel Prophet
26. Darna
27. Liege Lord
28. Dawn of Density
29. Lonewolf
30. Falconer
31. Sabaton
32. Nostradameus
33. Tad Morose
34. Steel Attack
35. Freedom Call
36. Timeless Miracle
37. Silent Force
38. Human Fortress
39. Chinchilla
40. Tarot
41. Rising Dream
42. Dionysus
43. Silver Seraph
44. Metalium
45. Heavenly
46. Sonata Arctica
47. Rata Blanca
48. Cain’s Offering
49. Sinergy
50. Olympos Mons
Famous Thrash/Speed Metal Bands
1. Exodus
2. Anthrax
3. Metallica
4. Megadeth
5. Testament
6. Sepultura
7. Slayer
8. Metal Church
9. Kreator
10. Coroner
11. Dark Angel
12. Anvil
13. Rage
14. Tankard
15. Whiplash
16. Forbidden
17. Overkill
18. Xentrix
19. Death Angel
20. Annihilator
21. Exumer
22. Nuclear Assault
23. Destruction
24. Rigor Mortis
25. Onslaught
26. Razor
27. Gama Bomb
28. Exciter
29. Hirax
30. Tourniquet
31. Witchery
32. Mortal Sin
33. Sabbat
34. Flotsam and Jetsam
35. Agent Steel
36. Cranium
37. Stormwarrior
38. Deliverance
39. Sodom
40. Heathen
41. Powermad
42. Reverend
43. Muncipal Waste
44. Evile
45. Artillery
46. Voivod
47. Sacred Reich
48. Korzus
49. Voilator
50. Deadfall
Famous Alternative/Grunge/Noise Rock Bands
1. Mudhoney
2. The Smiths
3. Sonic Youth
4. The Smashing Pumpkins
5. Radiohead
6. Screaming Trees
7. Alice in Chains
8. Nirvana
9. Soundgarden
10. Pearl Jam
11. Weezer
12. Pulp
13. Muse
14. Blur
15. The Stone Roses
16. Pavement
17. Oasis
18. Manic Street Preachers
19. Jane’s Addiction
20. Pixies
21. Candlebox
22. Stone Temple Pilots
23. Cocteau Twins
24. Toadies
25. Mother Love Bone
26. Helium
27. The White Stripes
28. Cake
29. Foo Fighters
30. Hole
31. Seven Mary Three
32. Dinosaur Jr.
33. L7
34. Toad the Wet Sprocket
35. Creed
36. Silverchair
37. Green River
38. Tad
39. Meat Puppets
40. Love and Rockets
41. The Jesus and Mary Chain
42. Happy Mondays
43. Temple of the Dog
44. Sponge
45. My Bloody Valentine
46. Ween
47. Placebo
48. Love Battery
49. Skin Yard
50. Butthole Surfers
Famous Punk Rock Bands
1. The Ramones
2. Black Flag
3. Bad Brains
4. The Sex Pistols
5. Misfits
6. The Clash
7. Dead Kennedys
8. Buzzcocks
9. Minor Threat
10. Social Distortion
11. Rancid
12. Crass
13. The Jam
14. The Unseen
15. Paint It Black
16. Bad Religion
17. The Circle Jerks
18. The Exploited
19. Green Day
20. Sublime
21. The Offspring
22. Rise Against
23. The Adolescents
24. The Dead Boys
25. U.K. Subs
26. The Germs
27. Jawbreaker
28. Generation X
29. Discharge
30. Leftover Crack
31. Alkaline Trio
32. The Bouncing Souls
33. Operation Ivy
34. Anti-Flag
35. Screeching Weasel
36. Minutemen
37. Guttermouth
38. X
39. The Screamers
40. Dead Milkmen
41. Reagan Youth
42. The Suicide Machines
43. Refused
44. Fear
45. Agent Orange
46. 7 Seconds
47. Conflict
48. The Vibrators
49. Angry Samoans
50. TSOL
Famous Death/ Grindcore/ Industrial/Doom/Groove/Experimental Metal Bands
1. Obituary
2. Candlemass
3. Nile
4. Death
5. Napalm Death
6. Arch Enemy
7. Suffocation
8. Carcass
9. Cathedral
10. Deicide
11. Carnage
12. Blood Red Throne
13. Morbid Angel
14. Entombed
15. Cannibal Corpse
16. At the Gates
17. Bolt Thrower
18. Decapitated
19. Wormrot
20. Ministry
21. Sleep
22. Paganizer
23. Dark Tranquility
24. Vader
25. Incantation
26. Godflesh
27. Autopsy
28. Broken Hope
29. Massacre
30. Hate Eternal
31. In Flames
32. Confessor
33. Brutal Truth
34. Saint Vitus
35. Amon Amarth
36. Fear Factory
37. Nine Inch Nails
38. Corpus Mortale
39. My Dying Bride
40. Neaera
41. Soils of Fate
42. Trouble
43. Malevolent Creation
44. Pestilence
45. God Macabre
46. Necrophagist
47. Six Feet Under
48. Kronos
49. Terrorizer
50. Possessed
Famous Black/Pagan/Viking/Extreme Metal Bands
1. Rotting Christ
2. Emperor
3. Dimmu Borgir
4. Immortal
5. Mayhem
6. Black Funeral
7. Hellhammer
8. Enslaved
9. Absurd
10. Marduk
11. Bal-Sagoth
12. Crimson Moonlight
13. Ancient
14. Vald Tepes
15. Dissection
16. Cadaveria
17. Bathory
18. Tormentor
19. Gorgoroth
20. Thorns
21. Hades Almighty
22. Cradle of Filth
23. Satyricon
24. Solefald
25. Fleurety
26. Gehenna
27. Summoning
28. Impaled Nazarene
29. Demoncy
30. Urgehal
31. Keep of Kalessin
32. Sarcofago
33. Moonsorrow
34. Graveland
35. Ludicra
36. Sacramentum
37. Kampfar
38. Tsjuder
39. Hecate Enthroned
40. Naglfar
41. Beherit
42. Sigh
43. Gaahlskagg
44. Carpathian Forest
45. Old Man’s Child
46. Shade Empire
47. Dark Fortress
48. Ragnarok
49. Satanic Slaughter
50. Von
Famous Hair Metal/ Glam Metal/Rock Bands
1. Motley Crue
2. Slaughter
3. Kix
4. Hanoi Rocks
5. Kiss
6. Skid Row
7. Poison
8. Twisted Sister
9. Warrant
10. Faster Pussycat
11. Nelson
12. Quiet Riot
13. Ratt
14. L.A. Guns
15. Dokken
16. Danger Danger
17. Trixter
18. Shotgun Messiah
19. Loudness
20. Cinderella
21. Sleeze Beez
22. Winger
23. Bang Tango
24. Mr. Big
25. Tora Tora
26. White Lion
27. Tyketto
28. Firehouse
29. Y&T
30. Stryper
31. Whitesnake
32. Britny Fox
33. Tigertailz
34. Vixen
35. Enuff Z’ Nuff
36. Pretty Boy Floyd
37. Guns n’ Roses
38. Dangerous Toys
39. XYZ
40. Dogs D’ Amour
41. W.A.S.P.
42. TNT
43. Steelheart
44. Nitro
45. Roxx Gang
46. Europe
47. Autograph
48. Diamond Rexx
49. Tuff
50. Vain
Some of the bands mentioned in the list may not have earned the success they desired, but have influenced hordes of musicians to keep the flag waving. This list of famous rock bands proclaims that no form of expression in rock music is dead. Loud or mellow, hard or heavy, there’s room for everyone. Choose what you like. Every story has an end, but not this one. Keep Rocking.
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