Top 29 Classic Rock Bands
by mason-pipes | created - 25 Sep 2012 | updated - 23 Oct 2013 | Public
1. Led Zeppelin
Soundtrack | The Song Remains the Same
Led Zeppelin are a popular British band best known for their iconic "Stairway to Heaven" as well as for co-creating the music genre of heavy metal. Since their nine albums were recorded between 1968 and 1979, Led Zeppelin has been one of the most popular bands of all time, having sold more than 300...
2. KISS
Soundtrack | The Nice Guys
KISS is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973 by Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss, and Ace Frehley. Well known for its members' face paint and stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid-to-late 1970s with their elaborate live performances, which featured ...
3. Rush
Soundtrack | Small Soldiers
Rush is known for Small Soldiers (1998), The Infiltrator (2016) and The Lords of Salem (2012).
4. Queen
Soundtrack | Flash Gordon
Queen were one of the longest-lasting and most commercially successful bands to emerge from the British heavy rock scene of the early 1970s, but unlike their contemporaries such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, they soon became just as popular with pop fans as fans of hard rock and ...
5. Black Sabbath
Soundtrack | Iron Man
Black Sabbath were an English rock band, formed in Birmingham in 1968, by guitarist and main songwriter Tony Iommi, bassist and main lyricist Geezer Butler, drummer Bill Ward and singer Ozzy Osbourne. Black Sabbath are often cited as pioneers of heavy metal music. The band helped define the genre ...
6. AC/DC
Soundtrack | Iron Man
AC/DC is a legendary rock band from Australia, formed in Sydney in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. AC/DC have sold more than 200 million records worldwide, including 71.5 million albums in the United States, adding them to the list of highest-certified music artists in the United States ...
7. Mötley Crüe
Soundtrack | Hellboy
Mötley Crüe was an American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, on January 17, 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, lead singer Vince Neil and lead guitarist Mick Mars. Mötley Crüe has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, including 25 ...
8. The Who
Soundtrack | The Who : The Kids Are Alright
Roger Daltrey formed the Detours in 1962, with several member changes and role swaps abound, John Entwistle joined. Sometime later, on John's recommendation, Pete Townshend was added to the line up. In the meantime, The Detours had become a four-piece band; the drummer was changed with Keith Moon ...
9. Aerosmith
Soundtrack | Armageddon
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "the Bad Boys from Boston" since they were formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1970. Aerosmith is the best-selling American hard rock band of all time, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide, including over 70 million records ...
10. Van Halen
Soundtrack | Spaceballs
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band went on to become major stars, and by the early 1980s they were one of the most successful rock acts of the time. 1984 was their most successful album. The lead single, "Jump", became an international hit and ...
11. Journey
Soundtrack | Tron
Journey is known for Tron (1982), Armageddon (1998) and The Losers (2010).
12. Foreigner
Soundtrack | Eternals
Foreigner is an English-American rock band, originally formed in New York City in 1976 by veteran English musician Mick Jones ex-Spooky Tooth and fellow Briton and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm. Jones came up with the band's name as he, McDonald and ...
13. Creedence Clearwater Revival
Soundtrack | Battleship
Creedence Clearwater Revival, also referred to as Creedence and CCR, was an American rock band formed in El Cerrito, California. The band initially consisted of lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter John Fogerty; his brother, rhythm guitarist Tom Fogerty; bassist Stu Cook; and ...
14. Pink Floyd
Soundtrack | Tang shan da xiong
Syd Barrett: vocals, guitar (born: Roger Keith Barrett; 6 January, 1946; Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, UK). In 1968, Syd Barrett left the band. Syd died in July, 2006 at aged 60 from pancreatic cancer.
David Gilmour: vocals, guitar (born: David John Gilmour; 6 March, 1946; Cambridge, ...
15. Eagles
Soundtrack | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
The Eagles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971. With five number-one singles and six number-one albums, six Grammy Awards and five American Music Awards, the Eagles were one of the most successful musical acts of the 1970s in North America.
Founding members-were recruited by ...
16. Boston
Soundtrack | The Adam Project
Boston is known for The Adam Project (2022), Boss Level (2020) and Spenser Confidential (2020).
17. The Doors
Soundtrack | 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 John Densmore on drums. The band got its name, at Morrison's suggestion from the title of Aldous Huxley's book The Doors of Perception. They were ...
18. Lynyrd Skynyrd
Soundtrack | Kingsman: The Secret Service
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida. The group originally formed as My Backyard in 1964 and comprised Ronnie Van Zant (lead vocalist), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Junstrom (bass guitar) and Bob Burns (drums). The band spent five years ...
19. Styx
Soundtrack | Stuber
Styx is an American rock band from Chicago that formed in 1972 and became famous for its albums released in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They are best known for melding hard rock guitar balanced with acoustic guitar, synthesizers mixed with acoustic piano, upbeat tracks with power ballads, and ...
20. Def Leppard
Soundtrack | Last Action Hero
Def Leppard is an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Rick Allen (drums, backing vocals), Phil Collen (guitars, backing vocals), ...
21. Fleetwood Mac
Soundtrack | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band, formed in London in 1967. The band has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the world's best-selling bands. In 1998, select members of Fleetwood Mac were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and received the Brit ...
22. Cream
Soundtrack | Snowpiercer
British rock band Cream formed in 1966. Its members had come from other bands and had backgrounds in blues. Drummer Ginger Baker and bass guitarist Jack Bruce had both played with The Graham Bond Organization, an early British blues band, while lead guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton had come from The...
23. Jefferson Airplane
Soundtrack | Four Brothers
Jefferson Airplane, a rock band based in San Francisco, California, was one of the pioneering bands of psychedelic rock. Formed in 1965, the group defined the San Francisco Sound and was the first from the Bay Area to achieve international commercial success. They were headliners at the three most ...
24. Yes
Soundtrack | Sounds for Saturday
Yes are an English progressive rock band formed in London in 1968 by singer Jon Anderson and bassist Chris Squire. The band has undergone numerous personnel changes throughout its history; twenty musicians have been full-time members. Yes have explored several musical styles over the years, and are...
25. The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Soundtrack | Forrest Gump
The Jimi Hendrix Experience is known for Forrest Gump (1994), Hit and Run (2012) and Apollo 13 (1995).
26. Iron Maiden
Soundtrack | Fighting with My Family
Studio Albums: Iron Maiden (1980) Killers (1981) The Number of the Beast (1982) Piece of Mind (1983) Powerslave (1984) Somewhere in Time (1986) Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) No Prayer for the Dying (1990) Fear of the Dark (1992) The X Factor (1995) Virtual XI (1998) Brave New World (2000) ...
27. Judas Priest
Soundtrack | Godzilla vs. Kong
Judas Priest is an English heavy metal band formed in West Bromwich in 1969. The band have sold over 50 million copies of their albums to date. They are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Despite an innovative and pioneering body of work in the latter half of the ...
28. Kansas
Soundtrack | The Suicide Squad
Formed in 1970, the band Kansas, originally called Reasons Why, did not start to gain in popularity until 1973 and really did not have a hit until the release of their 4th album, "Leftoverture" in October 1976, which produced a hit single, "Carry on my Wayward Son". Some of their songs have been ...
29. Bon Jovi
Soundtrack | Spaceballs
Bon Jovi is an American rock band formed in 1983 in Sayreville, New Jersey. It consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarist Phil X, and bassist Hugh McDonald. Original bassist Alec John Such quit the band in 1994, and longtime guitarist and co-songwriter ...
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