Earlier this week the music world mourned the passing of long time Rolling Stones drummer Charley Watts, who died at age 80. His passing not only permanently breaks up one of the greatest band of all time, it also reminds us all that the legendary rockers of yesteryear are not, in fact, immortal.
While many will choose a more appropriate way to honor the legendary drummers career, we decided to turn it into an opportunity for a petty argument.
What are the best bands of all time? Which musical group's playlist produces the fewest skips? Which band has withstood the test of time?
Inspired by the passing of a true legend, here is this week's Top5Thurs:
Top 5 Best Bands of All Time
5. Red Hot Chili Peppers
- The biggest argument against the RHCP is there's A LOT of fluff on most of their albums. Every RHCP album has at least 3-4 songs that you are unlikely to ever listen to more than once. On the other hand, the biggest argument for them is they've been producing monster hits and incredible work since the early 90's. The only modern band that has shown the dexterity and longevity by my count, sneaks onto our list.
4. U2
- I'm not the biggest U2 fan. I enjoy people who make fun of Bono and The Edge more than the actual versions of Bono and The Edge. I also can't deny their mega career or the fact that I would absolutely not skip a playlist of the 15 best U2 songs. I once turned down free tickets to their concert but thats more because I don't like leaving my house.
3. The Rolling Stones
- The ideal front man, the incredible rock star guitarist, the hits, the longevity, the influence, the acclaim, the unicorn nature of their whole presentation, The Rolling Stones have it all. The only reason they aren't #1 on this list is because I feel like I've heard every Rolling Stones hit song 7 billion times on a variety of commercials and they just rarely hit like they should.
2. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
- This is MY list so there's plenty of personal bias baked into it but even an objective analysis would put Lil Stevie, Clarence, Max, The Professor, etc on this list. Maybe not as high as me but definitely on the list. While Bruce has carved out an incredibly successful career without his bandmates, the whole gang has put out some of the most legendary albums and live performances on Planet Earth.
1. Led Zeppelin
- The awesomeness of Led Zeppelin is not something I fully understand. Their greatest hits compilation is two CD's worth of non-stop genius and we all know many of the best songs by a great band never make their way onto a greatest hits album. There's a reason the world has clamored for a reunion of Robert Plant and Jimmy Page for literally decades. Across ages, demographics and eras, Led Zeppelin still produces pure rock magic.
Other receiving votes: Pink Floyd, Muse, Foo Fighters,