Top 10 Greatest Decades for Rock Music
Rock music is one of the most popular forms of music of the 20th and 21st century. Many great and inspirational artists/bands have came and gone, shaping the world of rock music as we know it. Question is, what decade gave birth to the greatest artists?
The '60s had some great bands and albums, but the '70s was definitely the best decade. Pink Floyd, The Who, and Fleetwood Mac all put out their best work then. We get bands like Queen, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath come along. Last but not least, the former members of The Beatles, the best band of the '60s, all had some wonderful solo work.
I was split between the 1970s and 1980s. I do think classic rock was at a peak through both decades, but the 1980s also brought with it a lot of rap and synth-pop crap. Some notable songs from this era include:
- Stairway to Heaven
- We Will Rock You
- Dream On
- Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way
- Highwayman
- Man On the Silver Mountain
- Don't Fear the Reaper
Need I list more? Because it only goes on...
The 1980s! It was a crazy, fun ride! Tons of great rock, hard rock, and metal! The decade when melody ruled! It was colorful, figuratively and literally! I mean, look at all of the exclamation points!
By far the #1 decade! Go hairbands!
U2, Bon Jovi, Guns N' Roses, you get the idea. Older bands like The Rolling Stones still put out top-tier rock music ("Start Me Up"). Although Led Zeppelin wasn't around, you still have great rock with U2 leading the way.
It was by far the most versatile decade of rock, and people with different tastes can all relate to it. That being said, the amount of great bands was tremendous. Also, in today's generation, many young people and older generations know '90s bands pretty well.
USA:
Some alternative rock bands like Soundgarden, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, and all the grunge era. Bush, Live, Collective Soul from the post-grunge era, but also The Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Weezer, Rage Against the Machine, or pop-punk bands like Green Day, blink-182, The Offspring...
GB:
Some pop/rock bands like Oasis, Blur, The Cranberries, U2, The Verve...
About half the bands listed as '70s bands are actually '60s bands. As the title line says, the '60s "gave birth to" Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, etc., etc., and they were extremely popular then. But they were all overshadowed by the Beatles, and no other band was going to be "biggest in the world" as long as they were together. The '60s ruled by far.
The Sixties will always be the best decade for rock and roll. Nothing before or after it can ever compare. So far, the entire 21st Century is less than zero compared to the Sixties.
My Chemical Romance, Panic! at the Disco, Coheed and Cambria, Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Green Day, and a ton of other bands made this one of the best decades for rock music.
Come on, this should be higher. The '50s is the decade where rock started and exploded worldwide. It was when rock was rebellious, dangerous, etc.
