Top 10 Most Rebellious Rock and Metal Bands
Rock is all about rebellion. The Beatles and the Rolling Stones started it as a revolution. Punk bands brought a DIY ethic to the scene and laid down rules - rules you didn't even have to follow.Thrash metal proved that bands didn't need big hair and leather pants to be successful. Grunge gave disenfranchised youth a voice. Metalcore offered angsty hardcore kids something to satisfy their desire for the extreme.
Here are the bands that embrace the true purpose of rock: to go against the grain!
Nirvana was an American grunge band that was formed in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987. Nirvana disbanded after Kurt Cobain committed suicide in 1994. The drummer of the band, David Grohl, went on to start the Foo-Fighters, an alternative rock band... read more Kurt Cobain made it sternly clear he was not going to kiss the music industry's butt several times. He was one of many bands in the 1980s and 1990s to do so. Nowadays, not one mainstream rock band has the courage to do the same, and as a result, we get electrified rock, autotuned rock, and lip-synced songs.
They started the grunge movement, which was, in its own way, a revolution. Rest In Peace, Kurt Cobain.
Rage Against the Machine is a rap metal band formed in Los Angeles, California. The band consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk. Practically every song they did was a protest of some sort. Plus, Tom Morello is a genius.
Almost every song is a protest of anything that the US government does.
Attila is an American metalcore band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2005. Frontman Chris Fronzak started the band in high school and, not wanting to use typical death metal terms, adopted the name from Attila the Hun, which he came across in a book. These guys truly don't give a care about any haters, posers, and anyone else that pisses them off. Chris Fronzak is the epitome of fed-up frontmen. To be a rebel is basically their entire message, and they really know how to stir up controversy.
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. Initially called Panic, the band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter, and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band. They are widely considered to be one of... read more People were so sick of punk giving in to mainstream nonsense, so Black Flag invented hardcore punk. A refresher for a genre that needed it.
'Most Rebellious' - that's Black Flag!
Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California, formed in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. They rose to fame with their 1986 album Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the big four of thrash metal bands, the others being Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax... read more It's like this: all you hair metallers can wear your girly hair and makeup, tight leather pants, and other ridiculous things. We're going to go underground and get successful because we're talented, not because of our image. Oh, and while we're at it, let's make brutal Satanic music to agitate those butthurt conservative Christians. Love: Tom, Kerry, Jeff, and Dave
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... read more Green Day have never done what people wanted them to do, and they have never tried to be what people wanted them to be. They've always done things their own way. If anybody ever criticized them for it, their response was always F You!
American Idiot. That album made a statement that everyone else was too afraid to say. Criticize the Bush administration. Put those middle fingers high!
You gotta hand it to their song American Idiot. Hopefully, that song woke up many ignorant people.
Pantera was an American heavy metal band formed in 1981 by guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul. The band started out as a glam metal act in the 1980s with little success. After discarding their original lead vocalist and enlisting Phil Anselmo, the band signed a major record deal with... read more They were so rebellious, they opposed other rebels! Meaning, they defended underground metal during the grunge movement.
Rise Against is an American hardcore punk band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. The band's current line-up comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist Tim McIlrath, lead guitarist Zach Blair, bassist Joe Principe, and drummer Brandon Barnes. They are known for popularizing punk. Some of their most well-known... read more Very similar to Rage Against the Machine, just in punk form. Politically, they're liberals and proud of it!
The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, comprising vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most influential and controversial rock acts of the 1960s, primarily due to Morrison's lyrics and voice,... read moreThe Newcomers
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The members are Matt Bellamy (lead vocal, lead guitar, piano, keyboard), Dom Howard (drums, percussion) and Chris Wolstenholme (bass, backing vocals). They've won several awards including 5 MTV Awards, 8 NME Awards, 2... read more
Anal C*** was an American grindcore band founded by vocalist Seth Putnam in 1988 in Newton, Massachusetts. The band is known for their highly offensive lyrics which included themes of misogyny, homophobia, racism, Nazism, antisemitism, and schadenfreude (ridicule of the unfortunate). Their music has... read more
Marilyn Manson is an American rock band from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Formed in 1989 by frontman Marilyn Manson and Daisy Berkowitz, the group was originally named Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids with their theatrical performances gathering a local cult following in the early 1990s... read more
Misfits are an American Horror Punk band often recognized as the progenitors of the horror punk subgenre, blending punk rock and other musical influences with horror film themes and imagery. They presented an image that, at the time, no one else would dare display.
The Who is an English rock band formed in London, England, in 1964. The most recognizable lineup consisted of 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... read more They're pretty much the band that invented the concept of destroying their instruments after a hyped performance.
It really cut me deep down in the heart to see Green Day ranked higher on the list. The Dead Kennedys are very passionate about their far-left beliefs, which is reflected in their music.
I don't know about the number one spot, but they certainly need to be higher. They are a left-leaning punk rock band not afraid to voice their political opinions in their music.
They are the most political band.
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)... read more
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"... read more
Iron Maiden are an English Heavy Metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. The most critically acclaimed period for the band was from 1983-1989. With vocalist Bruce Dickinson, bassist Steve Harris, lead guitarist Dave Murray, rhythm guitarist Adrian... read more
Rammstein is a German Neue Deutsche Härte and Industrial Metal band consisting of Till Lindemann (vocals), Richard Kruspe (guitar), Paul Landers (guitar), Oliver Riedel (electric bass), Christoph Schneider (drums) and Christian Lorenz (keyboard), that formed in 1994 in Berlin ... read more
System of a Down, formed in 1994, is an Armenian-American alternative metal group from Glendale, California. The band name is sometimes shortened to System or SOAD. They've always been a very political band since their inception. Often being against genocide and war most notably in songs like: Pluck,... read more
Suicide Silence is an American deathcore band from Riverside, California. Formed in 2002, the band has released four full-length studio albums, one EP and eleven music videos.
Bathory was a Swedish Black/Viking Metal band formed in 1983 by Quorthon and Jonas Åkerlund. Bathory's first 4 albums layed the blueprint for Scandinavian Black Metal. Quorthon is often credited with creating the "shrieking" vocal style of Black Metal. Their 5th album, Hammerheart (1990) displayed... read more
Alice in Chains is an American grunge/alternative metal band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The band's most notable hits include "Man in the Box," "Down in a Hole," "Heaven Beside You," "No Excuses," "What the... read more
Ghost is a Swedish heavy metal band that was formed in Linköping in 2008. The band consists of five masked instrumentalists known as the Nameless Ghouls, and a demonic anti-pope known as Papa Emeritus. They have released four studio albums, one live album, and two EPs. Each album introduces a new version... read more
Anthrax is an American thrash metal band from New York City, formed in 1981 by guitarist Scott Ian and bassist Dan Lilker.
Bad Religion is an American punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1979. The band makes extensive use of soaring three-part vocal harmonies, guitar solos and lyrics that often contain religious and political commentary.