Best Rock Bands of the '60s and '70s

The Top Ten
1 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.

At 62 I still haven't heard anyone near to the Beatles yes number 1, then I would put Pink Floyd at #2, Led Zeppelin at #3, the Doors at #4, the Cream #5, Creedence Clear Water at # 6, Ten Years After #7, and Iron Butterfly at #8. The rest could go any were under this. Surprise though is this little New Zealand Girl Lorde, if she can maintain her uniqueness she could equal the Beatles

To the 62 year old who left the inane comment about Lorde possibly equaling the Beatles, what were you smoking. In the almost 4 years Lorde has been around, she has made exactly one album that was passably decent, while in that same time period, the Beatles put out 5 of the 10 greatest albums ever created. Next.

Without The Beatles, the rest of these bands might not exist... John, Paul, George, and Ringo--best ever and I'm a Deadhead... Haha!

The best band ever! Who is better? Nobody, cry everybody. ;)
Being honest, they are the best. Great songs, great concerts, eternal influence and legacy. Respect only, ok?

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.

Best musician all round drummer guitarist lead vocals ever!

Their talent and innovation was incomparable.

Best band of all time not even close

Great on vinyl rubbish live band

3 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.

QUEEN is the best of the best Ever! If you only Queen from their hits, then you don't know Queen at all. They're So much more!
Their hidden gems are a treasure trove of sheer ecstasy! An excursion into auditory bliss!
Queen is still new, fresh, and ever so relevant; not like most fr that era: dull, old, stale, and dated.
Queen is totally timeless! Their songs could be hits today, they're so ageless. Also the most eclectic band w/over 40 genres of music, from the frenetic Stone Cold Crazy and Dead On Time to the gorgeous Love Of My Life and Save Me. There's something for everyone.
With Freddie's stunning range and his electrifying passion, Queen put on the greatest show on Earth! (Move over Ringling Bros., lol)

Queen can't be explained because their music was pure genius.

It is very annoying, that the Beatles is number one in every list.

4 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.

Just consider Meddle, Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here and Animals alone most bands would kill to have recorded any one of these albums. Then if you add the Wall and Atom Heart Mother, Obscurred By Clouds, Saucer Full of Secrets. Also they have one of the greatest rock guitarist ever. And can play live! What can I say!

How can anyone leave Pink Floyd out of the top 10. For their creation and innovation they deserve a seat in the pantheon.

Greatest live band in history you just didn't want the gig to end

The Beatles couldn't touch them. Its like putting a Mopar against a Ford, the Mopar always wins.

5 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 ...read more.

Why are the Grateful Dead even mentioned in the same breath as The Who?
in my opinion, I just don't see what's the deal with the Grateful Dead. The only real musician in the band is Jerry Garcia. There are only a few songs by them that I like, and as for their live performances, I'm sorry, but most of them bore the hell out of me! Honestly, I've seen more complexity in a McDonald's cheeseburger!
The Who, however, are in my Top 10 favourite bands of all time, and maybe in my Top 5 favourite rock bands of all time! Wider diversity of songs and albums, more exciting live performances, and an overall better band!
We're Not Gonna Take It/See Me, Feel Me/Listening To You as performed at Woodstock beats anything by the Grateful Dead, no contest. The Grateful Dead don't have Keith Moon or John Entwistle in the band.

Saw them just last week. For being in their seventies now, they sounded pretty dam good!

Saw The Who live at Indiana University Assembly Hall in 1975... One word "Magic"

Saw them perform at Charton City football ground in 1975(? ). The best live performance I've ever seen. For me rock music is defined in the main by power and energy and The Who had it in spades.

6 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). ...read more.

The greatest show on earth!

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 to front the band. Commonly referred to as a hard rock or blues rock band.

It's the best music I've ever hear in my life

Pure rock n roll. Just it!

8 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, ...read more.

The most talented, creative, innovative, technical and advanced = THE BEST.
Ritchie Blackmore alone is a whole music universe.

9 The Doors The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore.

The doors were a lot better than the Beatles The Beatles took 20 years to get where they're at nowThe doors only Took 3 years The Doors had over 3 riots How many did the Beatles have Jim Morrison He wasn't afraid to show his Audience a good time. The Doors gave a reason to remember about the 60'

The Beatles caused a Riot everywhere they played... One of the reasons they quit touring... And they kept their pants zipped up...

They are just amazing more better than the Beatles or many others ; they got the real stuff

Morrison was the most intelligent and dangerous lead singer in rock history.

10 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.

Sabbath invented Heavy Metal!

The Contenders
11 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.

Best rock music in any galaxy!

Very original

12 Eagles The Eagles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971 by Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner.

The Eagles were a very creative group and their harmony was second to none!

13 Uriah Heep Uriah Heep are an English rock band formed in London in 1969 that was one of the top rock bands in the early 1970s. Twelve of the band's albums have made it to the UK Albums Chart (Return to Fantasy reached No. 7 in 1975). Uriah Heep's distinctive features include a massive keyboard sound, strong vocal harmonies and (in the early years) David Byron's quasi-operatic vocals. They have sold over 45 million albums worldwide with over 4 million sales in the U.S, where its best-known songs include "Easy Livin'", "The Wizard", "Sweet Lorraine", and "Stealin'".

Demons and Wizards...and the Magician Birthday are incredible albums. If you haven't heard the song "Rain" from Magician B-day! They might be considered a precursor to Queen.

14 Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "the Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band".
15 Status Quo Status Quo are an English rock band who play a brand of boogie rock. The group originated in The Spectres, founded by schoolboys Francis Rossi and Alan Lancaster in 1962. After a number of lineup changes, which included the introduction of Rick Parfitt in 1967, the band became The Status Quo in 1967 ...read more.

By far the best live band on this list like being on the Kop or Stretford End.

Quo live. A great act. Real and sincere hard boggie rock.

There are the best rock group statusquo

Status quo go as far as best in my eyes
Complete legends great music great guitarists
And great live shows.

Rock on Quo

16 Scorpions Scorpions are a German rock band formed in 1965 in Hanover by Rudolf Schenker. Since the band's inception, its musical style has ranged from hard rock to heavy metal.
17 The Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. Ranging from quintet to septet, the band is known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of country, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, rock, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, space rock, for live performances ...read more.
18 The Kinks The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, in 1964 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most important and influential rock bands of the 1960s.

Ask The Beatles, Who, Stones, Zeppelin, who should be in the top five with (or above) them and I bet they all say The Kinks.

19 Rush Rush was a Canadian progressive rock band that was formed in 1968. The band has had an iconic lineup since 1975, which included Neil Peart (Drums, Percussion), Geddy Lee (Vocals, Bass, Keyboards), and the guitarist, Alex Lifeson. Peart passed away after a 3 year battle with brain cancer in January of ...read more.
20 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

I love Crosby, Stills, and Nash. They have great songs, great guitars, and great harmonizing

Great individual creative talents at the quieter end of the Rock spectrum.

21 The Guess Who The Guess Who are a Canadian rock band formed in 1962. The band was formed in Winnipeg, Manitoba and is mostly known for their hit "American Woman".

One of the best bands ever

Great band!,great singer!

22 The Grave Eaters

Best rock band with dark lyrics of the 60s

23 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 was a great band of the 70's and rode the wave of Glam Rock but what they lacked musically they made up in there live shows. The first time I saw Kiss was in Indianapolis at the old convention center opening up for the James Gang when Tommy Bolin took over for Joe Walsh and Blue Oyster Cult. I doubt to many bands wanted Kiss as a opener!

Of the two decades, KISS was only active in the 70's. They were so great in that decade that they should be in the top 10, behind the Beatles and a handful of the groups that existed in both decades.

No way glam don't cover lack of talent

24 Yes Yes is an English progressive rock band formed in 1968 by bassist Chris Squire and singer Jon Anderson. They first achieved success in the 1970s with a progressive, art and symphonic style of rock music. Their best known song is their 1971 hit "Roundabout" off of their album Fragile.

Yes someone has messed up YES should be in the top ten! Come on! Fragile, Close to the Edge, Relayer, Topographic Oceans, Going for the One, Tormato, even had a huge comeback in the 80's. Jon Anderson has one of the most distinct voices in progressive rock and Chris Squire is one of the greatest bass players ever. RIP Chris Squire

I have seen Yes twice in early 70's excellent musicians, real deal. Coming in at # 40 someone is mistaken. I'm 64 my favorite Beatles, Pink Floyd, Yes, Zepplin, Doors, Cream saw all live Wow!

Much, much better than #29!

25 Supertramp Supertramp were an English progressive rock band that was founded in 1969 in London, United Kingdom with members Roger Hodgson, Frank Farrell, Rick Davies, Kevin Currie, and Dave Winthrop. The band reached their commercial peak with 1979's "Breakfast in America" which sold over 20,000,000 copies worldwide.

Were very huge in mid 70s and early 80s

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