Top Ten Artists That Define Rock Music

The Top Ten
1 Queen Queen are an English rock band formed in London in 1970. The original lineup was Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals), Roger Taylor (drums, vocals), and John Deacon (bass guitar, vocals). Before forming into Queen, Brian May and Roger Taylor had played together in a band ...read more.

Rock Opera, Rock Pop, whatever ROCK you could find, Queen had a song of that. They were all around and they basically scoped the whole MUSIC scene. They had the greatest rock songs of all time too and the had the greatest rock performer as well, Freddie Mercury. Nothing can compare to what great Rock Artist these guys are and what great ARTISTS they R. In fact, they should be number one on this list.

I am so sick of hearing Queen was so popular. The truth is that they were a mid-level late 70's ban, and were not even the most popular band of their era, and are far from the best of all time. The Beatles [by a mile], Zep, Floyd, the Stones, Eric Clapton's bands, and even The Doors were much better and far more popular.

Far less important than Elvis, the Beatles, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and numerous others. They were just another very good late 1970's band, and were not even the best of their own time, much less all time.

For all 1970s and Classic Rock Fans, and Queen, listen to Queen II, Sheer Heart Attack and A Night at the Opera and then add all their achievments together.

2 Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin was an English hard rock band formed in London in 1968 as the New Yardbirds. The group consisted of Robert Plant (Vocal), Jimmy Page (Guitar), John Paul Jones (Bass, Keyboard) and John Bonham (Drums) and was very much the child of Jimmy Page who even financed their first tour. He had tasted some previous success with The [original] Yardbirds and was friendly with some big names in rock. Page states it was Keith Moon of The Who that claimed the band could only go down, like a lead balloon -- thus prompting the iconic name of Led Zeppelin. The band's heavy, guitar-driven sound, rooted in blues and psychedelia on their early albums, has earned them recognition as one of the progenitors ...read more.

They've got the riffs, the solos, the soul, the groove, the heavy stuff, the ballads, the epics and a huge catalogue that has enormous variety. Great guitar, drums, bass, singing and musicianship. Isn't that what rock n' roll is all about?

PS. Why is slayer in the top 10s? They're good but they don't define rock at all.

I only like one journey song. Zepplin however, makes godly songs (and I'm looking at their legendary "stairway". ) Journey is very overrated, queen is awesome, van hallen is great, despite being at the bottom of the list. But, this is rock n roll right there.

if you have never heard of zeppelin, you have been living under a rock since the 60's!

they are one of the most famouse bands ever!

Much more potent than Queen, and while not as strong at harmonizing, the musical chemistry is far superior.

3 The Beatles The Beatles were an English pop rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The members consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They were soon known as the foremost and most influential act of rock era. Rooted in skiffle, beat, and 1950s rock and roll, the Beatles later ...read more.

Why are Journey number 1? They have got to be the most overrated rock band of all time with the most overrated rock song of all time. Yes Steve Perry is okay, but he is extremely overrated. He sounds like every 80's singer. Any real music fan knows that Journey sucks. I expected The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Queen, The Rolling Stones, and Pink Floyd among others to be on the top of this list. But when I see that Journey is #1, then this list can't be taken seriously. Give me a break!

Saying that Rush defines rock n roll is a bit far fetched...actually a LOT far fetched! They are a good band, but The Beatles shaped and changed rock forever. If you ask anyone who The Beatles are, they would know, but I can't say the same for Rush.

Journey is above The Beatles? Unbelievable! The Beatles marked the coming of an entirely new age of music. As far as impact and influence goes, The Beatles deserve Number 2 at least.

Oh come on the Beatles ARE rock. They are rocks entire existence. John, Paul, George, and ringo nearly made rock and roll!

4 Journey Journey is an American arena rock band that formed in San Francisco in 1973, composed of former members of Santana and Frumious Bandersnatch.

I'm a huge fan of Journey! They are my favoriteband, except for maybe AC/DC. I'm just not sure of they define rock as much as Elvis or Led Zeppelin.

Amazing band definitely defines rock

My favorite band from the 80s

5 Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century. His energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style, combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines during a transformative era in race relations, led him to both great success and initial controversy. ...read more.

You say it yourself, before there were tons of " black "... but none of Rhythm and Blues singers were white. Elvis said many times ( on interviews, on the 1968 T.V. come back show... ) that before him black artists were doing what he was doing back in 1954. He opened the doors to white audiences. Without him this list would not even exist!

The King. He didn't really father rock n roll but he just did it so well.

As John Lennon said, "Before Elvis, there was nothing".

6 Rush

One of my favourite bands of all time. They take hard rock to the next level.

Rush is amazing and is the best band of all time I don't no why its not number 1

I loved Rush! Although they are more progressive.

The most talented band of all time

7 AC/DC AC/DC are a Australian hard rock band, formed in November 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young, who continued as members until Malcolm's illness and departure in 2014 . They were fronted by Bon Scott until his untimely death due to alcohol poisoning in 1979, after which they hired Brian Johnson ...read more.

AC/DC should be way higher at least ahead of Journey. Classic! When you think of rock you think of AC/DC, The Beatles, Queen, Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, KISS, and Metallica

The Best Rock band ever! How are they not #1 or at least in the top 5? Seriously, Highway to Hell is like an Anthem for all things Rock.

Angus Young and Malcolm Young... one of the most iconic guitar partnerships. They definitely scream out "rock".

AC/DC defines rock plain and simple
Who put's journey up everywhere

8 Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American alternative rock band formed in Agoura Hills, California, in 1996. The current members include Mike Shinoda (vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar), Brad Delson (guitar), Dave "Phoenix" Farrell (bass), Joe Hahn (DJ), and Rob Bourdon (drums). Linkin Park is associated with a mixture of alternative rock, hip hop, and techno. Some of their influences include Nine Inch Nails, Deftones,... read more

The death of anyone is a sad thing, and Chester Bennington is no exception.
But I'm not sorry for him. He left behind his wife and children and that was cowardly thing to do. Yeah, it must be SO hard having tens of millions of dollars. Link in Park sucked anyway.

Absolutely no way should Linkin Park even be on this list. They never did anything to define rock. If they didn't exist, the world would be no different.

They have ease, soul every song. Lp is the best number 1

9 The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. The first settled line-up consisted of Brian Jones (guitar, harmonica), Ian Stewart (piano), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar), Bill Wyman (bass) and Charlie Watts (drums). Their best works include songs like Paint it Black, Sympathy for the Devil, Satisfication (Which ranked no. 2 in The Rolling Stones Magazine’s best songs of all time list). The Rolling Stones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2004. In 2012, the band celebrated its 50th anniversary.

They really defined rock they were the first bad influence rock band and began an age of rebellion they should easily be number one

I was listening to the Stones back when everyone else I knew listened to the Beatles.

The logo. You see it on every shirt.

Rolling stones is a legend

10 Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English progressive rock band formed in 1965 in London, England. They achieved international acclaim with their progressive and psychedelic music. The band consisted of 5 members - David Gilmour (Vocals and Guitar), Syd Barrett (Vocals and Guitar), Nick Mason (Drums), Roger Waters (Vocals and Bass), and Richard Wright (Vocals and Keyboard). Barrett was replaced by Gilmour in 1968. ...read more.

Why is this below Linkin Park? Linkin Park created nothing new, they just made good songs that sounded like other good songs. PF, however, did things no one else had done before.

They certainly did better than the Beatles, that's for sure

Why is this below Linkin Park?

The Contenders
11 KISS Kiss, often styled as KISS, was an American rock band formed in New York City in 1973. The original members were Paul Stanley (vocals, rhythm guitar), Gene Simmons (vocals, bass guitar), Ace Frehley (lead guitar, vocals), and Peter Criss (drums, vocals).

Known for their face paint and stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid-1970s. Their shock rock-style live performances featured... read more

KISS Should be number one in this list, Because The Music, Make-Up, and the Stage Performance that they had since day 1, KISS Is the greatest rock band in the history of rock n roll

I don't necessarily listen to Kiss at ALL, but when I grew up, I always thought "Man, those are THE guys" when thinking of rock music.

12 Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. He died on 18 March 2017.

Father of Rock N' Roll. There wouldn't be any rock music without him. Both Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry did for rock music. But if its about rock solos, riffs, then Chuck Berry deserves the credit. He should be on top 20 at least.

Hows does Green Day and Linkin Park define rock? Seriously people, IF YOU don't KNOW ABOUT WHAT YOUR VOTING FOR THEN don't VOTE

Only Millennials could have Chuck Berry down at #12 on a list like this, since they imagine that the world began the day they were born.

The embodiment of rock n roll. No Chuck = wasteland

13 U2 U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music. Throughout the group's musical pursuits, they have maintained a sound built on melodic instrumentals. Their lyrics, often embellished with spiritual imagery, focus on personal themes and sociopolitical concerns.

U2 barely qualifies as rock. They suck

14 Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical approach changed over the years. Originally formed as a progressive rock band, the band shifted to a heavier sound in 1970. Deep Purple, together with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, have been referred to as the "unholy trinity of British hard rock and heavy metal in the early to mid-seventies". They were listed in the 1975 Guinness Book of World Records as "the globe's loudest band" for a 1972 concert at London's Rainbow Theatre, and have sold over 100 million albums worldwide. ...read more.

My favorite band of all time. (Well, except during the mid-70's when guys started leaving the band or dying.)

Smoke On The Water is often the most heard riff in guitar stores, I reckon they should be higher.

How is this possible? A product of the un-initiated voting!

15 Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles formed in 1985. The classic lineup, as signed to Geffen Records in 1986, consisted of vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan, and drummer Steven Adler. Apart from hard rock they are also associated with heavy metal. ...read more.
16 Green Day Green Day are an American pop punk/punk rock band formed in East Bay, California in 1987. The members include Billie Joe Armstrong (vocals and guitar), Mike Dirnt (bass), Tré Cool (drums) and Jason White (guitar). Green Day are associated with punk rock, pop punk and alternative rock. Some of their influences include The Ramones, Sex Pistols, NOFX, and Bad Religion. They are best known for their songs like ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’, ‘Basket Case’ and their ‘American Idiot’ & ‘Dookie’ albums. American Idiot sold 6 million copies in the U.S. and won a Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album". Green Day have sold over 75 million records worldwide and have won 5 Grammy Awards. They ...read more.

Why other stupid rock posers are above them? Green Day is so much better than those posers. They should be in the top 10.

Oh damn Green Day can't be in 31'st position.. Guys vote for Green Day they are so epic...

17 The Who The Who is an English rock band formed in London, England in 1964. The most recognizable lineup was Roger Daltrey (lead vocals), Pete Townshend (guitar), John Entwistle (bass guitar), and Keith Moon (drums). They are best known for their live performances and hit songs Baba O'Riley, My Generation, and Won't Get Fooled Again. Some noted achievements were their rock operas, Tommy (album), Quadrophenia (album), and A Quick One, While He's Away (song). ...read more.

This disappoints me. Sometimes I wonder if they were the last band that knew what rock 'n roll is about.

Played punk rock before the punks came along.

the who must be on the top 5

18 Metallica Metallica is an American Heavy/Thrash Metal band formed in 1981. The original lineup was James Hetfield (Vocalist and Rhythm guitarist), Dave Mustaine (Lead Guitar), Lars Ulrich (Drums), Ron McGovney (Bassist). The group came into mainstream from their Self-Titled album and the hit single "Enter Sandman".

With their first two albums, Kill 'Em All and Ride The Lightning reaching underground success, their third effort, Master of Puppets has since become one of the most important heavy metal albums ever, as it became the first thrash metal album to be certified platinum. The title track has since become the band's most played song live. ...read more.
19 Bon Jovi Bon Jovi is a hard rock/pop rock band formed in 1983, which had a streak of successful albums in the late 1980s. The band originally consisted of lead vocalist Jon Bon Jovi, guitarist Ritchie Sambora (left in 2013), bassist Alec John Such (left in 1994), keyboard David Bryan, and drummer Tico Torres. ...read more.
20 Black Sabbath Black Sabbath were a Heavy Metal band formed in Birmingham, England in 1968 by guitarist and songwriter Tony Iommi, singer John "Ozzy" Osbourne, bassist and main lyricist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward.

The band became mainstream after improving after their debut album got panned. In 1978, Osbourne was fired and replaced with former Rainbow vocalist Ronnie James Dio. Who went to release 2 albums before leaving in 1983, only for Osbourne to return in 1992. ...read more.

These guys have a unique sound to their music and are one of the bands that practically started rock/metal. Sabbath is a legend!

These guys defined everything in heavy metal, including hard rock, glam rock, grunge, and Iron Man is in Beavis and Butthead.

Sabbath at 36? That's enough internet for today...

21 Nine Inch Nails Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock band, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio.

They define industrial rock.

22 Creedence Clearwater Revival Creedence Clearwater Revival, often shortened to Creedence and abbreviated as CCR, was an American rock band active in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
23 Boston Boston is an American rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, that achieved their most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s.

One of the biggest debut albums ever.

24 David Bowie David Robert Jones, known professionally as David Bowie (January 8, 1947 - January 10, 2016) was an English singer born in London, the son of a fundraiser and a waitress. He is credited for his experimental and creative musical discography which has won praise and accolades for many critics and fans. The man who the world knew as David Bowie was an actor, a painter, a philosopher, and many other things. But first and foremost, and what he was known for most, he was a rock star, covering every genre from psychedelic folk to industrial. His influence on fashion, music, and pop culture in general remains as his legacy--along, of course, with his unforgettable music.

I decided to vote for someone on the list that I consider extremely influential and talented but underrated less obvious and currently low ranked. Tough choice between him and Kelly Clarkson, though.

Hale the the thin white duke

25 Van Halen Van Halen was an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. From 1974 until 1985, the band consisted of guitarist Eddie Van Halen, vocalist David Lee Roth, drummer Alex Van Halen, and bassist Michael Anthony.

Van Halen number 15!?!? Nickelback number 9. Van Halen is one of the most original Rock Bands ever. Nickelback is number two on watcmojo.com's most hated musical artist partly because of their lack of originaly. Van Halen have the Greatest and most inovative guitarist after Jimmi Hendrix, Michael Anthony is a hell of a bass player and is one of the best backup vocalist in hard rock. Then their is the unique Alex van halen with his unique double kick style drumming and helped put Ludwig Drums on the map with an awesome snare drum tone and lastly there is David lee roth one of rocks greatest frontman of altime, the band survived his departure from Van Halen and enjoyed success with Sammy Hagar... a success bigger than Nickelback.

Eddie van halen was voted the greatest guitarist of all time by guitar magazine. He has one of the most famous and legendary tones of all time. He is one of the guitarist who can shred melodically. He worked with the greatest musician in history Michael ...more

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