Most Influential Bands...1967 to Current

[rchrhds29]

I remember reading in The Pixies 'Death to the Pixies' liner notes a quote by someone that said something like, The Pixies may not have sold millions of albums or been the most popular band on the planet, but in a lot of ways they were like The Velvet Underground in that people who owned a guitar and / or played music nearly always have heard of them and probably own several of their albums. So wanted to make list of my top 10 influential bands and see your all's to see which bands people around here think have been the most influential since 1967 (picked that year because The Velvet Underground's first album was released in 1967 and wanted to desperately make it where The Beatles could not be included.

Note: Also, please include only Rock acts (can be from any rock subgenre though, like: rock rap, punk, ska, metal, emo...etc...)

Top Ten Most Influential Rock Bands: 1967 to Present:
1. Radiohead: Two words needed: Kid A

I mean, by their second album, The Bends', Radiohead had already proven at the beginning of their career that they had mastered traditional guitar driven rock. 'OK Computer' introduced the world to one of the best experimental albums of all time, but, yeah come on again...Kid A...Kid A!!!!

2. The Pixies: I know how weird it is to The Pixies in front of The Velvet Underground who so radically influenced them, but without The Pixies we wouldn't have had the wave of great rock that came during the 1990s. Also they were a workhorse band, around from just 1988 to 1991, they released 4 LPs, Come on Pilgrim EP, as well as having quite a few b sides.

3. The Velvet Underground: The Pixies of the 1960s is the best way I think they can be described

4. R.E.M: A over 30 year long career, fifteen studio albums, a frontman in Michael Stipe who is a true stage genius, one of the first band's to go from college radio and indie radio to the mainstream successfully, R.E.M. has influenced virtually every band that formed after 1980.

5. Gang of Four: Yeah, every other fan is shaking their head saying The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, or The Clash should be the punk band on the list, but I have to disagree, strongly. Gang of Four formed in 1978, so yes they weren't the very first punk band. They were however innovators in infusing their lyrics with politics, yes, The Clash did to, but Gang of Four were more politically active than any other punk band of the early era as well. Also, while I've seen The Clash listen on tons of bands listening lists, including 311, duh, Gang of Four shows up more often on the great influential punk bands of today's listening lists.

6. AC/DC: Yeah, what band hasn't been influenced by AC/DC honestly?

7. Sunny Day Real Estate: If you don't know who SDRE is and haven't heard any of their records see bottom of page. Sunny Day Real Estate were just ridiculous innovators musically. They pretty much singularly created emo, were cited as a huge influence by the grunge bands of the 1990s, including Nirvana, two of SDRE's members are now in Foo Fighters, and lead singer Jeremy Enigk's first solo album 'Return of the Frog Queen' was cited by Thom Yorke as one of his favorite albums from the late 1990s.

8. Nirvana: I felt I had to put them this low, because first had to get all the bands that were gigantic influences on Kurt Cobain and Nirvana overall in, although The Pixies were undoubtedly the greatest influence on Nirvana. Kurt Cobain once said" The album ('Nevermind') should sound to the whole world like a Pixies record".

9. Anti-Flag: Maybe not the most musically influential band, but definitely the most politically influential rock group post 1960s. More importantly, Anti-Flag is a band that is serious at their political views and actually work hard to change things and not just make quotes and stuff about problems. Anti-Flag has formed / or been key players in the formation of three non profits to address the political change they wish to seek: Underground Action Alliance, Military Free Zone, and The Bright Lights. Anti-Flag was also the first punk band ever, and I would imagine are still the only ever, to speak on the floor of the US House of Representatives, when they spoke with Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) on the issue of depleted uranium from tank munitions and it's severely dangerous medical consequences on US soldiers and the public living in areas where it is used, Rep. McDermott opens the Anti-Flag song "Depleted Uranium (is a War Crime) with a spoken word segment.

Furthermore, Anti-Flag has also performed benefit concerts for Amnesty International, released new songs for Amnesty International and Greenpeace to help them each raise money, and in 2007 released 'A Benefit for Victims of Violent Crime' after bassist Chris "#2" sister and her boyfriend were brutally murdered.

10. Beastie Boys: Innovator in rap and rock rap.

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):
311
Reel Big Fish
Metallica
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Operation Ivy

Sunny Day Real Estate mp3s: One song from each of their LPs
"Seven" from 'Diary': http://beemp3.com/download.php?file=6428029&song=Seven" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"Every Shining Time You Arrive" from 'How It Feels to Be Something On': http://beemp3.com/download.php?file=314 ... You+Arrive" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"Friday" from LP2 (The Pink Album): http://beemp3.com/download.php?file=228 ... ong=Friday" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"The Ocean" from The Rising Tide: http://beemp3.com/download.php?file=559 ... =The+Ocean" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Smoke]

Really?

The Beatles
The Smiths
The Doors

Not even an honorable mention

[rchrhds29]

Hey Smoke, if you look I picked 1967 to avoid The Beatles being worshiped. With The Doors, yeah I just hate the old hippie rock like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead, etc...so yeah. On The Smiths, I pretty much considered them part of the early years of punk, The Ramones, The Clash, Sex Pistols, etc...and wanted to go with Gang of Four as my pick for that era of punk.

Note:
Looked at my list again, and decided to move Metallica to Honorable Mentions and Beastie Boys to the #10 slot, as I already have AC/DC who pretty much did what Metallica did over 10 years before Metallica did.

[logosteel]

Or the Rolling Stones?