mastershake Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 I think about this a lot, anyone want to help me put together a timeline? I think it's obvious that the timeline should begin with the beatles and then descend from there (and a lot of this is opinion, but I'd like to hear other people's suggestions): here's the general idea: Beatles: 1963 - Beatles bust on the stage with Love Me Do (in 1962) and never let go of the public's attention until 19701964 - release of A Hard Day's Night and Beatles for Sale1965 - release of Help and Rubber Soul1966 - release of Revolver1967 - release of Sgt. Pepper and Magical Mystery Tour1968 - release of White Album1969 - release of Abbey Road1970 - release of Let it Be1970 - Beatles break up Rolling Stones: 1968 - release of Beggars Banquet1969 - release of Let it Bleed1970 - officially "best band in the world" when beatles expired1971 - released Sticky Fingers1972 - released Exile on Main St. (their best album) then the stones sort of slipped, and the torch passed on to another band. this is where it gets tricky; who became the next best band? in my opinion, it went to pink floyd. led zeppelin had already put out the majority of their best work, but pink floyd was just hitting stride Pink Floyd: 1973 - released Dark Side of the Moon1975 - released Wish You Were Here1977 - released Animals1979 - released The Wall and then floyd's well began to run dry the argument could be made that Led Zeppelin was carrying the torch for a while as well, with the release of Led Zeppelin IV in 1971, Houses of the Holy in 1973, and Physical Graffiti in 1975. I think Pink Floyd should get the nod as their music is much more meaningful than Zeppelin's. Zeppelin is about love and guitar riffs, while Floyd was more interested in overthrowing governments, getting people to stop blindly following orders, etc. Then here is a period starting around 1980 that there was no "world's greatest band" that I can think of anyway until U2 and R.E.M. sprang into existance. During the 80s these two bands competed for the title... most would probably say that R.E.M. was America's greatest band from '83 to the early 90s while U2 was Britain's (or Ireland's) greatest band from '83 to the early 90s. It took longer for R.E.M. to accumulate a large following compared to U2's almost instant breakthrough success with War. R.E.M.'s classics: 1983 - Murmur, 1984 - Reckoning, 1985 - Fables of the Reconstruction, 1986 - Life's Rich Pageant, 1987 - Document, 1992 - Automatic for the PeopleU2's classics: 1983 - War, 1984 - Unforgettable Fire, 1987 - The Joshua Tree, 1991 - Achtung Baby, 1993 - Zooropa Then grunge exploded onto the scene. The Pixies were huge influences on the grunge movement, but never could be considered "the greatest band" though Doolittle remains one of the greatest albums of all time. After R.E.M. and U2 began to fade, it was Nirvana that replaced them very briefly. From 1991 to 1994 (cobain's death) Nirvana was the biggest band in the world. Nirvana: 1991 - Nevermind released1993 - In Utero released1994 - Cobain shoots himself. then comes Radiohead in 1995 with the release of The Bends and they would keep the top spot until 2000's Kid A. 1995 - The Bends released1997 - OK Computer2000 - Kid A after this I can't really think of a band that is good enough to crown "best band in the world" Radiohead is no longer that band, but no one has really stepped up and taken the top spot in my opinion. did I miss anyone? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
boywiththorninside Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 Just bands, right? No solo artists? Maybe it's my own personal bias or lack of historical perspective, but Pink Floyd? I know they were big, but I never think of them in the same manner as The Beatles, Stones, or even Zeppelin. Again, this is probably my own personal bias. How about The Clash? Do they fit into this at all? Late 70's and early 80's, they were the only band that mattered - or something like that. The Smiths? They occupied the same period as R.E.M and U2's early dominance (83 - 87) and were just as good (in my opinion, better). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
froggie Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 that looks more like a discography than a time-line. time-lines should involve the juicy bits in a bands career. eg:beatles - more popular than jesus comment or rooftop concertzeppelin - mudsharks or the death of a certain drummerfloyd - final cut between waters/gilmour (excuse the pun) people with enough knowledge of any particular band can do a good time-line of the band without having to refer to other bands... just my 2 cents Quote Link to post Share on other sites
giraffo Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 what about The Beach Boys? Ionno, I always thought that the Beach Boys impact is still being felt whereas a Beatles reference doesn't hold up to time. Were the Beatles in actuality the best band, though? I always thought it was because Brian Wilson went crazy, Bob Dylan attempted suicide, and Jimi Hendrix was virtuoso. The Rolling Stones were more kitschy than anything for that time period, I thought. Everyone else just said "zomg The Beatles are pretty much the best ever" instead of trying to stand up for themselves like The Beach Boys. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 I'll make this easy: 1965- Grateful Dead formed.1995- Garcia dies. GD disband. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stooka Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 I'll make it difficult Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 I'll make it difficult Now you are talking..... Beach Boys...not the greatest band of all time...that would still be the Beatles... LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
miss jayne Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 I'll make this easy: 1965- Grateful Dead formed.1995- Garcia dies. GD disband. Well there is that.....what about X, Black Flag or The Minutemen for late 70,s early 80's DIY culture holding the door open for freedom like Jerry G was doing? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 I'll make this easy: 1965- Grateful Dead formed.1995- Garcia dies. GD disband.I heartily concur with the distinguished gentleman from Colorado. No surprise there. I assume we're working in the pop/rock field only - I can think of any number of jazz lineups that would certainly qualify for the status of 'best band'. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 Everyone else just said "zomg The Beatles are pretty much the best ever" instead of trying to stand up for themselves like The Beach Boys. I dont even know what you mean here, but I know I disagree with you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
giraffo Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 I dont even know what you mean here, but I know I disagree with you. I never said The Beach Boys were the best, but I think everyone during that time period just adopted a defeatist attitude toward The Beatles instead of trying to claim the same ground as them. Aren't the bands that really lasting from that time period the ones who didn't bend over for The Beatles? The Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, The Rollng Stones...All of them acknowledged The Beatles as being great but never stopped trying to stay in step with them. There were probably a bunch of just as talented bands, they just let The Beatles push them over. but don't get me wrong, there are a zillion other reasons why they (The Beatles) were and are the greatest band ever. personally, I think The Beach Boys have had more of an impact and Brian Wilson was in a gazillion ways more talented, but that's just my tastes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Griddles Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 I'll make it difficult I do not even know what this means! Bob Dylan was/ is better than The Beatles, but alas is not a band so he does not count. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jc4prez Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 ummm somebody was doing amazing stuff in the 80's THE TALKING HEADS! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
boywiththorninside Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 For this band-only timeline I did not define Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tongue-tied Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 Dawn of Civilization ------> The Shaggs -------> Apocolypse Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TCP Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 The Beatles were only the best band till 68? Have you even heard Abbey Road?! This list feels more like "the most popular band". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 Well there is that.....what about X, Black Flag or The Minutemen for late 70,s early 80's DIY culture holding the door open for freedom like Jerry G was doing?My post was partially jest, of course. I'd submit that it's the other way around, though, and that the GD opened doors for a lot of the bands you've mentioned. The Dead were a DIY group from the get-go, fiercely non-mainstream (at least for the majority of their tenure), could give a shit about their image, played what they wanted with disregard to radio-friendly formats, and actually influenced a lot of the post-Punk bands (certainly Black Flag and the Minutemen). A lot of those post-punkers were into the GD: Meat Puppets, Jane's Addiction, Black Flag ( and Greg Ginn was a big deadhead, as was Henry Rollins to a lesser extent), etc. For this I say the GD were the original "Punk" outfit. ed. miss jayne, I may have mis-interpreted your point.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Szabo Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 I think you're dead on with Beatles > Stones > Floyd, then Radiohead in the 90's. However, the 80's did produce some great music but it is hard to choose just one band that was "the best". The Cure, Talking Heads, Michael Jackson(not rock), The Smiths, GUNS N' ROSES, etc. all kinda have their spot in there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
boywiththorninside Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 The Beatles were only the best band till 68? Have you even heard Abbey Road?! This list feels more like "the most popular band". What is this Abbey Road that you speak of? In my attempt at a timeline, I wasn't trying to find the band that was literally the best. That would be way too difficult, and would probably involve too much subjectivity. Were The Beatles better than The Velvet Underground in 1967? I don't think so, but The Beatles commerical success and cultural impact far surpassed VU's at that time. Thus, The Beatles get the nod. What I was trying to do was find the band that in some way defined/had the greatest impact on a certain time period - at that time. Popularity definitely factors into that. Like I said, I used an "unscientific amalgamation of critical acclaim, commercial success, and the band Quote Link to post Share on other sites
the_fliz1 Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 This list feels more like "the most popular band". I was thinking the same thing. There are so many variations and styles of music that it is impossible to say who is the best. Personally the only band that I would include out of the original list is the Beatles. I can't stand the Stones and Pink Floyd is OK. Also Radiohead is ok but not anywhere near a hundred or so other bands of the same time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
froggie Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 > The Beatles were only the best band till 68? Have you even heard Abbey Road?! the 68-70 beatles is my favourite era. i dont know if i like abbey road or let it be more Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubs101 Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 Not my cup of tea but I think globally the torch has passed to Coldplay Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tongue-tied Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 Until Coldplay was surrounded by Wilco, who extinguished the torch because it had gone too far down the wrong path since the eighties. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 Not my cup of tea but I think globally the torch has passed to ColdplayHonestly, I don't think I've ever even heard a Coldplay song before. I'm not saying they aren't "big" or anything, but I don't think their impact will be more than a pimple on the music scale five years from now. Bands like that come and go all the time and are mere ibids in a footnote. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
solace Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 Doves >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Coldplay Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.