Top 10 "Rock" Bands that are the Biggest Sellouts

The Top Ten
1 Imagine Dragons Imagine Dragons is an American pop rock band from Provo, Utah, and are now based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. Imagine Dragons' lineup consists of lead vocalist Dan Reynolds, guitarist Wayne Sermon, bassist Ben McKee, and drummer Daniel Platzman. The band first gained exposure with the release of their ...read more.

They watered down their sound and made it more soluble to appeal to more audiences and all their songs from origins onwards follow the same bloody structure What happened to songs like "Pantomime", "Tiptoe", "Summertime"? It's is truly saddening to see them go this low.

As much as they're one of my favorite bands, I must say that it is mostly their old music that's what makes it my favorite band. I do like some of the new stuff, but it is in another way. Sad that becoming one of the world's biggest bands compromises with the genre.

Were new and different when they first started out and then started getting more and more generic with each album. Their latest offering 'Origins' is nauseating garbage compared to their early EPs. They are the definition of 'The Sellout Band'

Went from alt. rock to mainstream, more music on commercials than radio, which is saying something considering that their music is ridiculously overplayed on the radio (*cough cough* believer)

2 Maroon 5 Maroon 5 is an American pop/pop rock band that originated in Los Angeles, California. Before the current group was established, the original four members, Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael Mickey Madden and Ryan Dusick, formed a band known as Kara's Flowers in 1994, while they were still in high school.

Even NickelbackLinkinPark4eva says he likes their older music.

3 Fall Out Boy Fall Out Boy is an American pop punk band formed in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 2001. The band consists of vocalist and guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley.

Everything after the hiatus is horrible.

Or as I like to call them Sell out Boy

4 Twenty One Pilots Twenty One Pilots is an American musical duo that is originally from Columbus, Ohio, who are best known for their songs "Stressed Out", "Heathens" and "Ride". Currently there are two members, Tyler Joseph (lead vocals, piano, keyboards, synthesizers, ukulele, bass and guitar) and Josh Dun (drums and ...read more.

To be honest, I don't really find their music bad. At least from the few songs I heard, they're pretty decent.

Is there a way to vote for something to be removed from a list? This is just nonsensical.

They didn't sell out, they became popular out of nowhere.

Also, they're not really rock.

5 Coldplay Coldplay are a British pop rock band formed in 1996. The band consists of Chris Martin (lead vocalist and pianist), Jonny Buckland (lead guitarist), Guy Berryman (bassist) and Will Champion (drummer and backing vocalist). Manager Phil Harvey is often considered an unofficial fifth member. The band renamed ...read more.
6 Panic! at the Disco Panic! at the Disco was an American pop rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada, formed in 2004 and featuring the current lineup of vocalist Brendon Urie, accompanied on tour by bassist Dallon Weekes, guitarist Kenneth Harris, and drummer Dan Pawlovich.

Once they where Rock, now they are pure, boring Pop.

As I've said, Meg & Dia is way better

7 The Chainsmokers The Chainsmokers are an American DJ and production duo consisting of Alex Pall and Andrew Taggart. The EDM-pop duo achieved a breakthrough with their 2014 song "#Selfie", which was a top twenty single in several countries.

Don't think they're a rock band, check again hun.

8 Poison Poison is an American glam and hard rock band that achieved great commercial success in the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s.
9 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

Being a fan of their first three albums, I also liked "A Thousand Suns". It was an experiment, it didn't sound like a sell out move and it wasn't very mainstream, they simply wanted to try out something new. Then "Living Things" was released. And yeah, that was pure mainstream house pop. So many pop artists sounded the same in the early 2010s, and now even a nu metal band like Linkin Park had that style. Then they went back to their roots with "The Hunting Party", and wow, what a relief that was. Everything that once made them awesome was on that album again. I thought they were back to full potential. And now, I hear the first single from their new album and... yeah, it's not as bad as Living Things, but still mediocre pop.

I just heard their new 2017 song - Heavy (with Kiiara). Oh god... It's not heavy, it's pop. And some people still call this band "metal"? Just to remind you, Metallica were called sellouts for The Black album because it wasn't thrash metal. But it was still metal, it was thrashy heavy metal.

10 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.

Well I don't think they sold out.The latter songs made by them are infuenced mostly by the songs played in clubs that Freddie used to go to.Also Freddie was never much into Hard Rock and Metal.

The Contenders
11 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.

One of the Most Overrated rock bands ever alomg with Nirvana Led Zeppelin and The Beatles

12 Hinder Hinder is an American post-grunge/hard rock band from Oklahoma. The band was formed in 2001 by drummer Cody Hanson, lead singer Austin Winkler, and guitarist Joe "Blower" Garvey.

No this is where nickleback should be hinder at least has a good song

13 P!nk Alecia Beth Moore known professionally as P!NK, is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress.

Sure, she never made "real" Punk, but at least more alternative Music and ROCK, now she just sings Ballads mixed with 2010-Today Pop.

14 Nickelback Nickelback is a Canadian post-grunge band formed in 1995 in Hanna, Alberta, Canada. The band is composed of guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist Ryan Peake, bassist Mike Kroeger, and drummer Daniel Adair.

They aren't even that big of a sellout because they never made all of one album just pop songs like Maroon 5 Coldplay and Sell Out Boy did every album they make has at least one heavy song.

15 3 Doors Down 3 Doors Down is an American post-grunge band from Escatawpa, Mississippi that formed in 1996. The band originally consisted of Brad Arnold (vocals/drums), Todd Harrell (bass guitar) and Matt Roberts (guitar). They were soon joined by guitarist Chris Henderson, and later by drummer Richard Liles.
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.

May I say that their sound matured extremely much in the 2000s? Sure, it's not punk anymore, but the overall composition, the production and the emotions became way more varied on albums like "American Idiot" and "21st Century Breakdown". But hey, that's just me who's not a regular listener. Actually, I think I know nothing by them from the 2010s... wait a sec.
*listens to a few more recent songs by them*
Now tell me where is that anywhere near bad? Actually, that's not even very mainstream.

17 Megadeth Megadeth is an American thrash metal band from Los Angeles, California. Megadeth was formed in 1983 by guitarist Dave Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson, shortly after Mustaine was fired from Metallica. They have released 15 studio albums to date, and have gone through many lineup changes, with Dave Mustaine being the sole constant member.

They released their debut album “Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good!” in 1985, but became successful after the release of “Peace Sells...But Who’s Buying?” in 1986. ...read more.
18 Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne was born on December 3, 1948. He is also known as ''The Prince of Darkness''. Ozzy is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist of the band Black Sabbath. Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath in 1979 and has since had a successful solo career, releasing 11 studio albums.

He did it many times in many different ways. To me he's been a sellout all the time during his solo career - poppy songs, songs on MTV, etc.
Also, the reality show “The Osbournes", featuring Ozzy's domestic life, had 52 episodes and was on MTV and national TVs for 4 seasons (2002-2005). It's like a metal version of The Kardashians... But it's even worse when a metal musician takes part in such things for popularity and money.
The best part: theme song for the show was a silly jazz-swing cover of Ozzy song "Crazy Train", made in a style reminiscent of Pat Boone. This can make every metal fan throw up.

For those saying he never sold out Listen to Shot In the Dark and Mama I'm Coming Home those songs sound like Pop songs mixed with rock riffs

19 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.
20 Judas Priest Judas Priest are a British heavy metal band that formed in Birmingham, England, in 1969. They are often referred to as one of the greatest metal bands of all time, and are even commonly called “The Metal Gods”, after one of the songs on their 1980 album “British Steel”. ...read more.
21 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 experimented with several genres, ranging from pop ballads and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock, often incorporating classical elements in innovative ways. ...read more.

If you can call it Sellout. They invented Soft-Pop-Rock, so they sold out the whole Rock Genre. John Lennon was the first Whiny Pop singer. Nowadays almost every male Pop singer sounds like him back then.

22 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.
23 Self
24 Def Leppard Def Leppard are an English hard rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement.
25 Chicago Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois, calling themselves the Chicago Transit Authority in 1968 before shortening the name in 1969. The self-described “rock and roll band with horns” began writing politically charged rock music, and later moved to a softer sound, generating ...read more.
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