r/musicsuggestions • u/RRE4EVR • 4d ago

Best American rock band of all time

This is obviously a subjective post. As post suggest “all time” so feel free to go back to to the 50’s and please consider that bands from this millennium may not hold up in a couple decades. Also genre blending bands welcome.

Greatful Dead my answer

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u/hankbobbypeggy 4d ago edited 4d ago

Can't believe nobody has suggested "The Band" yet. Rock and roll steeped in Americana. Hell, they were even Dylan's backing band when he went electric. They might actually be the perfect rock band.

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u/JustJack70 4d ago

That depends if OP means North America or USA by “American”

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u/hankbobbypeggy 4d ago

Yes, some were from Canada, but they were based in upstate NY and Levon Helm, arguably the "front man" even though he was also the drummer, is a born and bred southerner

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u/zxvasd 4d ago

The only American in the band

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u/TheRealJalil 3d ago

It’s hard for me to say this one is the best “American Rock Band Of All Time” considering Levon is the only American.

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u/Defiant_West6287 2d ago

By some of them, you mean all of them except for Levon. They are considered a Canadian band and are in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

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u/Defiant_West6287 2d ago

Levon was not the front man. Robbie Robertson was the front man. All members were singers.

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u/hankbobbypeggy 2d ago

I disagree on that. Sure, it was a little nebulous and they all did sing, but Levon was the best and most frequent lead vocalist. I also think you can be an American band without all members being from the US, originally. They played distinctly American music and lived/practiced/threw famous house shows in NY. I live in Chicago, if a band lives and plays here, but the members themselves are transplants, they're still a Chicago band. Either way, it's not a big deal.

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u/Defiant_West6287 2d ago

It was more than a little nebulous. Rick Danko, Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson and Levon all sang lead vocals, mostly Manuel, Danko and Helm. But you're clearly overstating things by calling them an American band. Not even close. They're in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame for a reason, obviously.

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u/Defiant_West6287 2d ago

Again with the American nonsense. They were Canadians playing Canadian music, because everyone except Levon was Canadian. They were born Canadians, raised in Canada, and cut their teeth as musicians in Toronto, CANADA. And again, as a result they're in the CANADIAN Music Hall of Fame. Americans may think they're entitled to everything, as usual, but you're not.

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u/hankbobbypeggy 2d ago

Lol wow didn't mean to offend. I hate trump as much as anyone, but the xenophobia from Canadian redditors has been pretty wild. Fine, they're Canadian. I really don't care, the music still sounds the same.

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u/Defiant_West6287 2d ago

Xenophobia because America is entitled and you get called on it? Got it.

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u/hankbobbypeggy 2d ago

Xenophobia because you don't know anything about me, but think that because of where I was born, I'm lesser than you.

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u/Defiant_West6287 23h ago

What are you even babbling about? lol

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u/Sorries_In_A_Sack 2d ago

And yet I bet you have no problem with AC/DC being accepted as and considered to be an Australian band. You’re just butthurt. They spent their career before The Band playing for American musicians, and the entity known as The Band formed and existed in the US. You could’ve just said they’re a Canadian-American band, but you have some sort of inferiority complex going on. The fact that you think people are trying to diminish Canada or whatever by saying The Band could be considered American is hilarious and telling.

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u/Defiant_West6287 1d ago

I'll refer you to my previous comment.