Top 10 Best Hard Rock Bands of All Time
This is bad-to-the-bone hard rock, no emo-screamo, or happy joy joy, so you can take your pansy little flute and go home.Not much question here. Zep is unsurpassed as a heavy rock band, but, as any fan knows, there's far greater variation in their songs than people would think. This is one thing that sets them apart. That, and the sheer quality of the musicianship.
I ain't that much of a Zeppelin guy, but they kick Guns N' Roses. Axl Rose is such a douchebag. Hate their music, no wonder why Slash left. Zeppelin made Stairway to Heaven, which is by far one of the greatest songs of all time. (My favorite song of all time is definitely One by Metallica). Gonna play Stairway at my dad's funeral. Also, Zeppelin is one of the founding members of hard rock and very early heavy metal. So without them, I don't know if I would listen to many rock bands.
Led Zeppelin are undoubtedly the best rock band, with so many classics such as Whole Lotta Love, Kashmir, Immigrant Song, Black Dog, Rock and Roll, and let's not forget the best song ever written, Stairway to Heaven. All their albums are masterpieces, but Led Zeppelin 4 is my personal favorite and is definitely one of the best rock albums, if not the best rock album ever written.
I am a huge fan of AC/DC because of their guitar riff and how they sing. I think they should win a hard rock band concert, and no one else should win.
If they are not the best rock band of all time, then why do so many TV shows, commercials, and movies play their music? Why? Because they draw attention with their riffs, and the lead singer's raspy voice. Oh, by the way, what other rock band in history has lost their lead singer and produced as many hits as AC/DC? They were becoming the most popular rock band with Bon Scott, then he passed away. Guess what? They carried on, never seeming to lose any kind of magic. All you naysayers, please recognize the best band to ever take the stage. Oh, by the way, my 5 and 7-year-old boys are hardcore AC/DC fanatics.
I met Brian Johnson before the first show of the Ballbreaker tour in 1996. I ran into him in the hotel elevator as he was going to the show. The band was staying in the same hotel. He was the nicest, most humble guy. I gave him his space and was respectful, and he didn't mind chatting at all at the hotel bar.
A few other people came up and were respectful as well. If he came from another planet, he would never stick out in a crowd - just an awesome guy and rock star, as is the rest of the band.
Guns N' Roses is by far one of the greatest collections of musicians who have ever lived. Slash, Izzy, Duff, Steven, Gilby, Matt, Dizzy, and Axl have so much chemistry that even their bad songs have immense depth and playability. It doesn't matter how easy it is to play one of Slash's solos or how much you critique their work, they came up with some of the most influential and interesting music to date, and I have no doubts in my mind that no one would be able to compose a piece that is as good as a Guns N' Roses song. Eddie Van Halen may be a great guitarist, but his music doesn't even come close to having the amount of soul that even the worst Guns N' Roses song does.
I know a lot of people will be upset to see that Guns N' Roses is voted #1, because over the past 20 years, Guns N' Roses has gotten a bad rap because of everyone's hatred for Axl. But in their heyday, they were, in my humble opinion, the greatest band ever formed. Songs like Sweet Child, November Rain, Civil War, Welcome to the Jungle, Patience, Nightrain, One in a Million, etc., are better and have more depth than any songs released by any other band ever. Obviously, this is purely subjective, but I absolutely agree with the ranking.
Line Up:
Palash Noor (vocal)
Ibrahim Ahmed Kamal (Lead guitar),
Sheikh Monirul Alam Tipu (drums and percussion)
Samir Hafiz (Guitar),
Shams Mansoor Ghani (keyboards and vocals)
Naim Haque Roger (bass) .
Multiple changes have taken place in membership since its founding in 1984 . Since their inception, the band has released eight... read more
Warfaze was phenomenal back in their prime time in the 90s and 00s with Sunjoy, Babna, Komol, Russel, Tipu in their lineup. Mizan and Oni were great later additions. Their talent was unparalleled, their quality unmatched, their feat monumental. If they were in any Western nations such as the U.S. or U.K., I have no doubt they could have achieved global fame and glory as some of the other all-time greats in this list. Unfortunately, many will be surprised to find them in this list because they are from Bangladesh and have never been heard of.
With the release of their debut album in 1991, Warfaze introduced rock and heavy metal music in the Bengali language in Bangladesh. Warfaze has released songs with many variations, enriched with twin guitar harmony, keyboards, bass solos, and melodious and wide-range vocals. They have created many hit songs and adventurous music as well.
Though not in the English language, Warfaze captured the hearts of rock music lovers with their brilliant compositions in the universal language of music. Their lyrics are always exceptional, talking about reality, social problems, and human emotions. Warfaze is a pride of Bangladesh and the Bengali-speaking community of the Indian subcontinent. Thanks.
How in the name of God is Van Halen this low? Many people have deemed them the successors of Led Zeppelin, and if you listen to songs like "Panama," "Hot for Teacher," and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love," you will see that they are well-deserving of that title. Plus, their songs are so catchy, and all instruments are always in sync with each other.
Van Halen is simply a monster of rock, especially hard rock, with Eddie's guitar riffs, Alex's thundering drumming beats, Michael's thudding bass lines, and Diamond Dave's wide and enthusiastic vocals. Van Halen should be in the top 5 at least because they are simply awesome, and I will never stop loving them.
Sure, all the other bands on here are good, but some, like Iron Maiden, should not be above Van Halen because they are heavy metal, not hard rock. Van Halen also ruled the airwaves in the 1980s, because of their awesomeness. Also, on their most recent album "A Different Kind of Truth" from 2012, Van Halen has not lost their legendary sound one bit, even after a long break from releasing albums and material to the public. Long live Van Halen!
Queen are just brilliant, from their feel-good Dirty Hammer to Fall all the way to their beautiful slow moods and melodies demonstrated in songs like Love of My Life. Freddie Mercury's divine voice is the best rock has ever seen.
AC/DC should never be placed ahead of Queen. Queen were so much more talented, and their singer had a much more beautiful voice than the screaming, shouting singer of AC/DC.
The most harmonic hard rock band ever! All band members are very talented in musicality. Freddie's vocal is so hypnotizing!
I really like the sharp and quick guitar work, as well as the crisp drums. The lead singer also has a great voice. There is just something about Metallica that is just outright awesome, something I don't see in other bands like AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, and Iron Maiden. By the way, Of Wolf And Man is my favorite song.
I agree that technically it isn't now a metal band, but since it was classified as such, I think it should stay. Metallica has amazing solos. James Hetfield sang great. Kirk Hammett is one of the greatest guitarists ever. Metallica for life.
Although they get points in hard rock, they are in fact thrash metal. And in my eyes, the greatest thrash metal band of all time and probably of all time...
Most people hear Cryin', Miss a Thing, and Sweet Emotion, then say they suck. But they have so much more that truly makes them America's greatest rock and roll band! Toys in the Attic, Rocks, and Get Your Wings are some of the best albums ever, topped only by Appetite for Destruction.
Kidding? Aerosmith is called "The best hard rock band of all time," and they're not without a reason. Steven Tyler is the most awesome singer in hard rock history! They've been awesome since the '70s, and they still fill awesome concerts. Guns N' Roses doesn't, Van Halen doesn't... But Aerosmith really does!
Aerosmith are self-proclaimed Greatest Rock Band! I mean, Aerosmith are amazing.
Deep Purple is undoubtedly the best hard rock band ever. Listen to the huge number of hits they have delivered: Smoke on the Water, Black Night, Child in Time, Highway Star, Hush, Fireball... the list is endless. There is no one on earth who has not heard Smoke on the Water. They gave rock music to the world.
Deep Purple cannot be taken away from the Top 3 Godfathers of Rock & Metal. It's just sad that a lot of people these days don't even know who they are, except for the song "Smoke On The Water". These guys have greatly contributed to hard rock everywhere!
In fact, Deep Purple have always been one of the top 3 best and most influential bands in both hard rock and metal. They were pioneers of both genres. And they were damn good! Finding them always so low on these lists means that they are terribly underrated.
They are the best because of always releasing new songs and successful hits, showing respect to their fans, and staying almost 30 years with the same lineup.
I think this is one of the greatest bands in history because they have been active for a long time. Hope Richie comes back.
Amazing, like kings of melodic rock. Enough said.
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 is easily top ten - there is no Stairway to Heaven or Won't Get Fooled Again in their catalogue, but no band has produced as many good hard rock songs as KISS. They could play an entirely different set list for seven straight days, and all would be good.
What! KISS is the best band ever! How can Rise Against be 10th and KISS 14th! Rise Against is not even a hard rock band! They are melodic hardcore... KISS ARMY forever!
The make-up is why they're on here. Music-wise, they are not so good, but they sure put on a show!
Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan (Drums), their most notable drummer, passed away in 2009, being temporarily replaced by Mike Portnoy, who was replaced... read more
They are awesome! Shadows has an amazing voice, Syn shreds like a pro, Zacky's unique because he's a left-handed guitarist, and the guitar duels they perform are amazing. Johnny's sexy as hell with his bass, and Arin's just an amazing drummer. RIP Jimmy 'The Rev' because he's the greatest drummer for me! Their new album Hail to the King has amazing tracks worth hearing!
You guys are the best. I love your hard rock music. Keep making more, please. My name is Justus Crum, and I am 15 years old. My height is 6'2. I love basketball, but the best motivation for hard rock is your music. That's right, I'm talking to you, Avenged Sevenfold, you're one of the best hard rock bands I listen to.
Avenged Sevenfold, in my opinion, is one of the best bands ever, alongside Falling in Reverse and Black Veil Brides.
The best band of the 2nd British Invasion, or the 1980s as Americans like to call it! They never split and still thrive! I wish Steve Clark was still alive!
I'm not familiar with six of the bands ranked ahead, but Def Leppard and Motley Crue should both be rated higher.
On here because of the one-armed drummer, and, I guess it was cool to be successful even without two arms.
Iron Maiden is unique and a trendsetter. Not to mention "Empire of the Clouds" from these days and the first 9 albums. They are musically extremely rich, and only after researching a song can you really judge the superiority of their music. And the double harmonies on guitar. Fan for 35 years. They are Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal...everything. But not pop.
They should be ahead of Queen, Metallica, and Warfaze. At least top 5. Listen to their songs such as Hallowed Be Thy Name, Number of the Beast, Run to the Hills, and 2 Minutes to Midnight, and you will fall in love with this band.
The reason Metallica appears here is because a lot of their music is hard rock. The reason Iron Maiden appears here is because it's AWESOME.
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... read more
You've got to be kidding me! How are they not top 3? Songs like War Pigs, Iron Man, Paranoid, and Hand of Doom will be forever remembered. Ozzy is classic, and don't forget Ronnie James Dio took over after him. R.I.P. Dio.
It's hard to define Sabbath... Some people think hard rock, some think metal. I think Zep is by far #1 in hard rock, and Sabbath is #1 in metal. Period. Both are great bands!
Black Sabbath invented the genre. Who votes for some of these so-called bands?
Though primarily they are a psychedelic rock band, they have done a bunch of hard rock stuff. They are considered the pioneer of psychedelic rock in Bangladesh. Bandleader James is an awesome lead guitar player, composer, lyricist, and vocalist. In its golden days, he was accompanied by the legendary Funty on drums and percussions, Babu on bass guitar, and Asad on keyboards. The lineup has changed so many times over its almost 40-year journey, but the power is still the same. Especially live, they are still the best in Bangladesh.
There are other bands like AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith – the list goes on and on. Then why Nogor Baul? The answer is simple. Nogor Baul started it all. I wasn't into rock music. This is the band that got me into rock music, inspired me to pick up the guitar. Joy guru joy.
Nogor Baul, an evergreen rock band in Bangladesh since 1980. James, who's often called "Guru," means he is a master of rock band and song. Nogor Baul's vocalist, James, is the legendary and most popular musician in Bangladesh and India. God bless him...
All of the members of the band - Keith Moon, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle, and Roger Daltrey - are on Rolling Stone's list of greatest drummers, guitarists, bassists, and singers. John Entwistle was voted the greatest bassist of all time, Pete Townshend was voted the 10th greatest guitarist, Keith Moon was voted the 2nd greatest drummer of all time, and Roger Daltrey was voted the 62nd greatest singer of all time. Come on.
I prefer AC/DC, but it's a travesty The Who is this low! Better than Guns N' Roses up there at number 1! Seriously. Remove Appetite from Guns N' Roses's repertoire, and they're an average rock band at best!
You must be joking. The Who are better than Avenged Sevenfold for certain, and probably most of the other Top Ten bands (excluding Zeppelin) and should be top 5 at least!
The band was comprised of Kurt Cobain (Vocals, Guitar), Dave Grohl (Drums) and Krist Novoselic (Bass).
Nirvana is most well-known for their... read more
Nirvana should be in the top 5 at least. Kurt Cobain was a legend, and they created many outstanding tracks in such a short period of time. Whenever I feel lonely, I always listen to Nirvana songs. It's like my best friend.
If only Kurt hadn't killed himself. I wish he could see the imprint that he left on the music world. Nevermind is a top 3 album of the 90s without a shadow of a doubt.
Nirvana is boss! They are one of the best bands ever, and Kurt is a legend.
I love this band so much! Three Days Grace are lifesavers because their songs saved me from ending my life. They also explain ways I have felt before, and it helped me deal with the pain and all these other feelings I have felt in the past. I really recommend this band for people who are going through a rough time. Three Days Grace is and always will be my favorite band!
Come on! I know these guys are newer, but their sound is just amazing, and no other band has a sound like this. Respect!
Only Three Days Grace has a point in their songs. And the music is good too. They deserve top 10.
Scorpions should be in the top ten, if not top 5, in this list... Metallica and A7X shouldn't even be here, not that I'm not a fan.
The Scorpions behind Nirvana has got to be a joke, this band is top 5 for sure.
Great vocals, great guitarist, great songs, everything is great!
I am 49 now, and I consider Dio as a Hard and Heavy Rock band because they are unique, from the legendary vocalist Ronnie James Dio to the great other members! They should be on the top of the list. Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Rainbow, Led Zeppelin, Journey, AC/DC, Iron Maiden (Heavy but Melodic), Kiss, Aerosmith, etc., should be on the top also!
Ronnie James Dio has THE greatest singing voice rock has ever known. Nothing compares.
Rush should be #2 or #3! They have the greatest musicianship out of all these bands, other than Zeppelin. Remember, there are only 3 guys in Rush, with the sickest, oddest time signatures known to man! If you haven't seen these guys live and you call yourself a musician or music lover, then you should be ashamed of yourself! They could outplay the whole list of bands! I promise!
I agree with the comment below. Their musical talent at their respective instruments is unmatched! I have seen them live many times, and each time they're better than before! They should be WAY further up on this list!
Remember, Rush is only behind The Beatles and The Stones for consecutive gold and platinum albums. Impressive musicians. They are missed! Nothing compares to seeing this trio live!
The band is one of the most well-known bands of its genre and is associated with its electronic sounds in... read more
I agree they should be at least top 20. However, not top 10. They are not as aggressive as other bands, and their overall sound is a little too rounded, so to speak. But 43? Come on.
Seriously, Breaking Benjamin is ranked lower than Skillet! This is ridiculous. They should be way up on the list.
Breaking Benjamin is a great band to listen to when you're bored.
I don't understand this ranking. It's mostly Metal & hardcore bands who took the places other bands deserve, like The Jimi Hendrix Experience or Lordi. They deserve a higher place for sure!
Jimi taught us how to play through those strings...
Without Jimi Hendrix, hard rock would not exist.
They are the blueprint of a commercial hard rock band, and that's not a bad thing. They are one of my favorite bands of all time. You can hear the Pantera influence in their riffs. Those who know a bit about them would know they are huge Pantera fans.
This should be number 1! It's the best band ever, and I think I am not the only one who thinks this band is one of the greatest.
They are the second-best hard rock band behind Guns and Roses. They have some amazing guitar solos.