Spin magazine top 'THE 50 GREATEST BANDS OF ALL TIME' opinions?

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dunno if this has been covered but check this rubbish out... 1. THE BEATLES 2. RAMONES 3. LED ZEPPELIN 4. BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS 5. NIRVANA 6. PARLIAMENT/FUNKADELIC 7. THE CLASH 8. PUBLIC ENEMY 9. THE ROLLING STONES 10. BEASTIE BOYS 11. THE VELVET UNDERGROUND 12. SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE 13. U2 14. RUN-D.M.C. 15. RADIOHEAD 16. THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE 17. SONIC YOUTH 18. AC/DC 19. THE STOOGES 20. METALLICA 21. THE SMITHS 22. PATTI SMITH GROUP 23. N.W.A. 24. KRAFTWERK 25. THE SEX PISTOLS 26. PEARL JAM 27. GRATEFUL DEAD 28. R.E.M. 29. BLACK SABBATH 30. PAVEMENT 31. FUGAZI 32. KISS 33. PRETENDERS 34. RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE 35. FELA KUTI & AFRIKA 70/EGYPT 80 36. DAVID BOWIE AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS 37. BLONDIE 38. BAD BRAINS 39. THE WHO 40. GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS FIVE 41. NEW ORDER 42. HUSKER DU 43. GUNS N' ROSES 44. OUTKAST 45. THE BEACH BOYS 46. MASSIVE ATTACK 47. LYNYRD SKYNYRD 48. KORN 49. PINK FLOYD 50. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS

― el wanko, Wednesday, 30 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What is one to say about a list like this? Irrefutable pabulum! That's what it is! (Did I get that right?)
If they'd have put Sly & the Family at #1 I wouldn't even complain about Korn making it over Talking Heads.

― Keiko, Wednesday, 30 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I saw it, and it's bullshit...putting the Beatles first means you're obviously ranking them, but to have the Ramones at #2 and the Rolling Stones at #9??!! That's just stupid.. so NYC punk is 'cool' or whatever this year, and RIP Joey and all that, but come on... Pavement above the Who? I think they write these just so we'll bicker...

― Andy, Wednesday, 30 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Obv. some good choices of bands that people will remember, but I seriously doubt that Pavement, Outkast, Massive Attack or Korn will be on that list in another 10 or 20 years. Hell, Korn shouldn't even be on it *now* for whatever my dumb opinion is worth. If you're getting into that sort of thing, Primus is worth far more (and I don't even like them all that much). BTW, nice trick, including Fela, so that they won't seem hopelessly xenophobic...apart from Marley and Fela, everything else is from the UK or USA, or are bunches of white males. WHERE'S ABBA?

― Sean Carruthers, Wednesday, 30 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Pretty dull. No surprises (please).

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 30 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hüsker Dü seem to be Spin's favorite postpunk band surprised they didnt rank them 3.

NYC punk is fairing just as good as SoCal. About the only redeeming factor on this list is the exclusion of Green Day which is a bit of a shocker considering the source.

― Mr Noodles, Wednesday, 30 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Just absurd. Yes, the Korn pick is beyond the pale (love that phrase), Radiohead at #15, my gripes (and yours) just go on and on. Most of the bands are at least "good", for what that's worth.

― Sean, Wednesday, 30 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The Byrds? Abba? Cocteau Twins? The Beatles were pretty good I admit.

― Justin Case, Wednesday, 30 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Where's Zappa and the Mothers? hee hee hee ... I am so predictable.

(that the Kinks, Prince and the Revolution, and the Cure aren't on this list [yet Korn, Skynyrd, and the Dead are] is also troublesome.)

― Tadeusz Suchodolski, Wednesday, 30 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Wait, *Prince* wasn't on this list? *rechecks* Dear heavens, I am confused.

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 30 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What a terrible selection. Could they have been more obvious? Most importantly, what kind of drooling mentalist would put the Clash above the Sex Pistols? I mean, the Clash, for goodness sake...

― DG, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yes, the Korn pick is beyond the pale (love that phrase)

Great album, too! (Not Korn.)

― Clarke B., Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

James Brown (and his various outfits) is also conspicuously absent from this list.

This list is total shit, pure and simple.

― Tadeusz Suchodolski, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

C'mon, what are they thinking? The Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth, Kraftwerk, David Bowie, Massive Attack and the Smiths don't belong in the top 50.

― A Nairn, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Where is Joy Division? Where are The Cure and The Fall? A list without them is not the paper worth it is printed on.

― alex in mainhattan, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Forget unified field theory, let's put the best minds on earth to work on THIS question:

How can anyone have the awareness to include Husker Du in a list like this, and then rank them below KISS?

I'm surprised they didn't go ahead and include the bloody Strokes...

― Justyn Dillingham, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i'd rather be stabbed in the eye than listen massive attack. at least they had the decency to rank beach boys above them although 45?!?

― ddd, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Casey Kasem: "Down eleven spots from the last time we did a TOP GREATEST BANDS OF ALL TIME list, at number twenty-seven, is the Grateful Dead. But UP two spots from the last time we did a TOP GREATEST BANDS OF ALL TIME list, holding steady at number twenty-six, are Seattle rockers Pearl Jam...And now...it's time for our special dedication..."

― Joe, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Casey Kasem [reads]: "'Dear Casey, I love your show, especially the part where you keep reading lists over and over again, week upon week, year upon year. The music magazines only do it year after year. They don't have your stamina! Can you please play "Infinity symbol", by Aphrodite's Child? Yours, Jerry Bruckheimer. Well, Jerry, this one's for you. Here's..."Infinity symbol" by Aphrodite's Child...."

― Joe, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Most overrated that made the list: Massive Attack, Korn, the Chilli Peppers, Rage against the Machine, P-Funk (number 6?), Pearl Jam

Should have been higher up on the list: Pink Floyd, Fugazi

Relatively unknown bands that should have been on the list: The Chameleons, The Residents

Relatively well known bands that should have been on the list: Nine Inch Nails, Black Sabbath, The Byrds, The Kinks, Cream, Jefferson Airplane (the 60's really got shafted, only 8 bands - Led Zeppelin doesn't really count)

Not too many women on that list either. (I count four: Kim, Patti, Chrissi, and Debbie)

― Nick Coleman, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Nice to see P-Funk in the top 10, although they should've put them at Number One and left 25 blank spaces after them. (Nick...like, what the hell!? Jefferson Airplane? Nine Inch Nails!? Agreed on Black Sabbath tho.)

― dave q, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Run DMC at number 14 is an utter travesty.

― jacob, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Looks like the country rock fans were out of the office (probably taking the kids shopping) on the quiet day when someone proposed 'Hey! Let's fill up this issue with a superfluous list of bands, which will save us the trouble of doing any proper work thru the holiday season, and spark pointless debates among the naive who take this sort of idiotic spacefiller seriously.' No Byrds true, but at least the fucking Eagles aren't there. And the Clash should have been higher- even those who detest them must surely bow to their unique ability to play many unrelated styles clumsily. Someone should compile a list of The Fifty Bands who must be blamed for inspiring shit music (which might not be very different from this, to be fair, though Nirvana would be higher)

― Snotty Moore, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Where's the token jazz acts? Or are they just not trying to appeal to the jazz-loving demographic this season?

― Michael Daddino, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

If Bowie and the Spiders count, surely James Brown and the Famous Flames, Dylan and the Band, and Prince and the Revolution do as well.

I'm surprised they would leave off Television and Springsteen/E-Street Band.

To the other big objections above, I'd add Wire and the Pixies.

The Beastie Boys at No. 10 is just silly, but you gotta sell magazines.

― scott p., Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yet another list made by terminally unhip, fading cracker pseudo-yuppies with delusions of competence. (Hey, is this the kinda stuff people talk about when they say 'Rockist?')

― Lord Custos, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Where's the token jazz acts? Or are they just not trying to appeal to the jazz-loving demographic this season?

Good point. You'd think they'd trot out some random blues artist to hold up so they can say "Hey, we aren't utterly in the pocket of whichever corporate record label owns Korn."; But I guess they said to themselves "Well, we put in Fela Kuti...thats means we're still hip, right?....Right?!....C'mon, somebody say I'm hip....pleeeeease!"

― Lord Custos, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think it's a pretty good list. Everyone will always be upset that their favourite bands aren't included but I think most of the bands listed are pretty accomplished artists with a substantial body of work. They covered a relatively diverse spectrum of interesting popular music from the past 35 years. I like most of the ones I'm familiar with.

― sundar subramanian, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Egregious omissions: The Doors, Love, X, Boredoms, Can, Faust, Credence Clearwater Revival, and the Pixies.

― Nate-o, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i'm just really happy the wailers are at #4--where they belong.

― cybele, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

these lists are stupid. Everyone knows the Ohio Express are the #1 band of all time

― g, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

to dave q: P-Funk definitely deserves to be on the list, but above The Rolling Stones, the Velvets, even Public Enemy?

I'll agree Jefferson Airplane was a stretch, but I'm sticking by Nine Inch Nails - as a live band they are incredible, even though the lyrics are on the level of bad high school poetry.

I'll second the Pixies and Joy Division too. And hey, what about the Jackson 5?

― Nick Coleman, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I don't think you're giving high school students enough credit.

― sundar subramanian, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think it's funny how they don't say "David Bowie" but rather "DAVID BOWIE AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS"...

― Adam Bruneau, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

They should have only done bands without the word AND in their names. More interesting, more criteria-based that way.

― Sterling Clover, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

this is utter twollocks

where the fuck is T.REX????

― Loop Dandy, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm with Loop Dandy there, actually...

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

There was something in the local newspaper bitching about how Korn was on the list but CCR was never mentioned. I completely agree. If Korn is on the list Linkin Park might as well be. I'd add CCR and The Pixies. Of course I've always hated SPIN. I'd rather read Cosmogirl

― Lindsey B, Thursday, 31 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Nick - yes, P-Funk deserves to be above the Velvets, the same way the Beatles should be above Silver Convention. Who I also loved, but y'know. (Actually, P-Funk should be ahead of the Beatles, the the world isn't perfect yet. Someday.)

And where is the fucking Fall? I mean, New Order and not the Fall?

― dave q, Friday, 1 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a band as: a group of musicians organized for ensemble playing. This would therefore eliminate any Rap/Hip-hop.

― Gweg, Friday, 1 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yes, of course T. Rex is a glaring omission. And I believe it's Bowie/Spiders from Mars to refer specifically to this one band. As opposed to Bowie and earlier/later bands. The Ronson-led Spiders were indeed ace.

― Sean, Friday, 1 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a band as: a group of musicians organized for ensemble playing. This would therefore eliminate any Rap/Hip-hop.

That's quite possibly the wrongest thing I've ever heard. Honestly, it just makes no sense. It is like saying "A fruit is a seed-bearing food source" and then "Therefore an apple is not a fruit."

― |\|!+5uh, Friday, 1 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I would love to live on a planet with 44 bands better than The Beach Boys. I do not wish to live on Planet Spin.

― Michael Jones, Friday, 1 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

two months pass...

Whats with you people? I say NIRVANA should be 4th if not 3rd

DOnt you people agree?

― Dave, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Also Killing Joke should be #1, 2, 5, 9, and 12.

HTF!!!

― John Darnielle, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

two weeks pass...

my top 5, 1. the beatles 2. U2 3. Led zeppelin 4.Nirvana 5.Pink floyd The Ramones shouldnt be in the top ten, and outkast and korn shouldnt be in the top 50

― Will Lawn, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

T. Rex and the Kinks are indeed ludicrous omissions, and it's full of crap, and I think the Faces are one of the great rock 'n' roll bands and should have been in there. And Pulp and the Buzzcocks. Having said that, it's already so, so rock - where are Chic, Booker T & the MGs, Culture, the Wu-Tang Clan, the Four Tops, the Shangri-Las, Sam & Dave, TLC, De La Soul, the Temptations, Inner City, the Miracles, Gang Starr, the Impressions? That's just off the top of my head. To make room, we can lose U2, Radiohead, the Jimi Hendrix Experience (another solo star masquerading as a band), Metallica, the Smiths, the Patti Smith Group (see Jimi), Pearl Jam, the Grateful Dead, REM, Pavement, Fugazi, Kiss, the Pretenders, Rage Against The Machine, David Bowie (see Jimi), Bad Brains, Guns 'n' Roses, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and, most of all, the joke inclusion, Korn. That must leave me with about 50 still...

― Martin Skidmore, Sunday, 28 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

three weeks pass...

This list is total bullshit man. A lot of awesome bands who are on this list aren't nearly as high as they should be (ex- Pink Floyd @ #49). And why the hell isn't Bon Jovi on this list!? That band has atleast 2-4 of the best songs ever written/played. That just pisses me off that they're not on the list. Also, the Rolling Stones are behind Nirvana???? Nirvana sucked ass even if they did revolutionize the rock scene, thats all I got to say about that.

― Kyle Whitesell, Saturday, 25 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

And why the hell isn't Bon Jovi on this list!?

Dan? Did you transmogrify while I wasn't watching?

― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 25 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I can't trust any publication (or person) which doesn't include either Slayer, Fleetwood Mac or No New York.

― cuba libre (nathalie), Saturday, 25 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Skipping 18 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Why are people so unkind? It seems incomprehensible to me that Massive Attack could be left out of the top 50 considering their powerful influence on artists/culture post 1990. Their place is well justified and deserved. But Korn???!!?

― chunky vessel, Thursday, 6 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I think the Pixies should be in!!! as well as Queen and the Doors!!! and what the hell Massive Attack and Korn are doing there!?! But I agree that the Beatles are in the no. 1 spot. Give credit where it is due. Most people and musicians love the Beatles.

― Bong, Saturday, 8 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

To be a worthy critic of popular music, you must - before all else - allow yourself to see that the Beatles were awful, and, by consequence, overrated. It's really that simple. Wherefore, a meaningful objection to SPIN's list should focus on the #1 placing, undoubtedly treated as a given before the any of others received consideration.

'Pop critic', BTW, doesn't comprise simply professional critics, 'zine writers and frequent posters to this forum. If you make regular attempts to think productively about what you hear, you qualify as one.

― b. megale, Saturday, 15 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

http://www.ironchef.com/img/korn.gif
Well I am certainly glad to see that Japanese rap star Korn is finally getting his day in the sun.

― Kate Spiren, Saturday, 15 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

KORN!

korn is a fucking badass. (he's been on iron chef a few times.)

― jess, Saturday, 15 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

ahh, didn't finish. as i was blabing, higher: Sonic Youth, Fugazi, Husker Du, The Who, the Beach Boys, Black sabbath lower: New Order, Nirvana, U2, and no way should Radiohead be that high. these bands are good, but not better than most they were put above people like Pavement and Rage should be on there, but of course korn shouldn't be. ok, i'm about done blabbing

― doxxman, Monday, 17 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

b. megale: Heh...nice try.

― Daniel_Rf, Monday, 17 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Sure, everyone makes a good argument with which bands should and shouldn't have been on the top 50 list. there were some good artists that were on there, yet weren't as influential or what have you as some other bands that could have been on there. My point is this: where the hell is Weezer on this list?? Have we forgotten about this awesome group? Any band that has been on tour with Weezer agrees that they are an awesome band...and you cant say that you havnt listened to at least one of their songs, whether it be buddy holly or hash pipe. This is an amazing band who isnt getting the credit that they truly deserve. e mail me with any responses.

― matt, Monday, 1 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

There should be a formula for these lists to make them somewhat consistent and undisputed.

For these kind of lists, it appears to be somewhat like:
Amount of Status points = (US sales + 10 x UK sales) x (2 x number of articles in NME + number of articles in Rolling Stone) x (country of origin factor) x (PC factor).

with:
country of origin factor: IF NativeLanguage = English THEN (10) ELSE (1)
PC factor: Difficult to quantify, but being black and/or homosexual is good, being female is somewhat bad, and being politically outspoken in a somewhat liberal/leftist direction is good.

And there's somewhat of a "musical heritage" factor involved too, in the direction of "pentatonic/rock 'n' roll/blues based = good, jazz/metal/classical/drone-soundscape/folk/latin/percussive/ = bad". Not sure how to quantify this...perhaps some sort of "syncopation penalty", and "pentatonics bonus"?

And by the way, where the hell is Motorhead?

― Siegbran Hetteson, Monday, 1 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

five months pass...

that goob Jon Davis over us? Tool is at least #50. TOOL! TOOL! TOOL! you dumbasses!

― James Maynard Keenan, Monday, 16 December 2002 08:12 (twenty-three years ago)

maybe if you put a Tasmanian Devil human beatbox break on a track they would have.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 17 December 2002 00:04 (twenty-three years ago)

1. Beatles are overrated.
2. Spin has a real hard-on for punk.

― David Allen, Tuesday, 17 December 2002 00:22 (twenty-three years ago)

two months pass...

Ramones do not belong at slot number 2. They are good, but what is so amazing about a simple cord progression? Nirvana is good, but no number 5, instead put in Jethro Tull. I mean, the band has been aroud for quite a while, and will be celebrating their 40 year mark in 2008. These guys HAVE all the ideals of musical talent. Im very upset that they werent even on the list at all. They beat out Korn any day, and certainly every punk band on that list. Though, im guessing that this list is based on the POPULARITY of bands, not the bands musical talent. If it were, Grateful Dead, and Jethro Tull would be in the top 5. It kind of says something about our popular culture. That people would prefer a 3 cord distorted song, than an elaborate flute solo coupled with amazing guitar riffs and a colourful history.

― George S, Friday, 7 March 2003 00:18 (twenty-three years ago)

The #1 is true. The rest is plain madness (sure, I mean, several of the bands belong in the list, but the order is just crazy. Ramones at #2? Gimme a break!)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 7 March 2003 00:21 (twenty-three years ago)

Now that I have actually read what other people wrote, the one that got me angry was what Martin Skidmore wrote. He names a lot of contemporary bands that really arent a band. Like TLC. The comment that realy pissed me off what booting out Grateful Dead. Unlike TLC, these guys played INSTRUMENTS, you know the things that MAKE music? They knew how to play music, and they did it well. I agree that the Doors are missing. If im not mistaken, they achieved CULT status among their fans. Cream is a great band that should be in there too. I mean they created Sunshine of your love (the most addictive song on earth). Need I say more about that? The who DEFINETLY needed to be higher. TULL PEOPLE< I MEAND COME ON!!!!! HAVE YOU EVER LISTENED TO THEM? Ian Anderson has more musical talent in his pinky than most of the bands up there. Beatles produced a couple of good songs. Though, they arent a number one. I have verry little respect for contemporary bands. This is because they are missing talent, and how music WORKS. There are a couple of contemporary bands i like though. Like Rusted Root, and Nickel Creek, both of which have more talent than Korn. Well i think im done venting on this list, that was obviously strung together during a period of heavy drinking and LSD consumption. (thought the LSD should have revealed a higher spot for Grateful Dead)

― George S, Friday, 7 March 2003 00:53 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm surprised SPIN is pathetic enough to consider their opinion on anything important to anyone.

― My life with the BurmaKitty (My life with the BurmaKitty), Friday, 7 March 2003 05:27 (twenty-three years ago)

WHERE. ARE. THE. FUCKING. REPLACEMENTS.

are the Mats on the list and am I just missing them? It must be...

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Friday, 7 March 2003 05:59 (twenty-three years ago)

Limit the list to 10 and the fighting will really start!

1. Ramones 2. Kiss 3. AC/DC 4. Joy Division 5. The Clash 5. Jimi Hendrix 6. Led Zeppelin 7. Bob Marley 8. Queen 9. Minor Threat 10. Prince

― chili, Friday, 7 March 2003 06:21 (twenty-three years ago)

Kiss?? surely you're joking.

You can't make lists like this - my favorite bands are Royal Trux, Dead Moon, The Fall, etc...but 'all time greatest' is a ridiculous question to pose in the first place. How subjective can you really be? who in their right mind would leave out any of the staples? Certainly not me.

That said, of the great guild of rock, i've always leaned more toward the Iggy / Replacemnets / VU / Sonic Youth / Kinks / Big Star / Zombies / Ramones / Nirvana / Bad Brains / Black Flag side of things. FUCKING MOTHERFUCK the talentless Beastie Boys, the overrated Husker Du, and garbage-ass Kiss.

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Friday, 7 March 2003 06:31 (twenty-three years ago)

All opinions are subjective. I'll argue KISS has written more great rock songs than your pathetic Sonic Youth any day.
Royal Trux are indeed great but not among the greatest. The same goes for the Replacements, Velvet Underground, Kinks, Nirvana and Bad Brains. I have Bad Brains at 11 but the list was limited to 10. The Beastie Boys are not great at all but they have better songs than your pathetic Sonic Youth. If your pathetic Sonic Youth concentrated on writing songs instead of putting out "cool shit" then they probably wouldn't be despised as much. Husker Du, is, in fact quite overrated but not as much as your pathetic Sonic Youth. Big Star and the Zombies? They don't even rate in Jefferson Airplane's league! However, both of those bands have written many more good songs than your pathetic Sonic Youth.

― chili, Friday, 7 March 2003 06:48 (twenty-three years ago)

Hater! SY are the reason a lot of people's precious picks exist. They have committed to tape some of the most beautiful guitar music of the century, and are still relevant and generally down to earth people.

Big Star and the Zombies, interesting you picked out those two - those are two bands that actually overwhelm me with emotion - and i'm not talking about the ballads - Big Star's El Goodoo and most of Odyssey and Oracle can bring me very close to tears. I can't really explain it.

To say Velvet Underground are "not among the greatest" and to say the same of the Mats and Nirvana is ludicrous. You can't possibly be this much of an iconoclast.

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Friday, 7 March 2003 06:55 (twenty-three years ago)

Did I say that about VU? I meant to say they weren't in my top 10! I do like them alot.
Am I that much of an iconoclast? Probably. I've been called worse, believe me.
Sonic Youth down to earth people? I know they like eating ribs and they've got no fashion sense but down to earth? Come on. They are about as down to earth as Bootsy Collins but with less talent or vision.
I can say what you say about Big Star and the Zombies when referencing Nirvana (especially songs like All Apologies and Sliver) but I still can't find a spot for them in my top 10.

― chili, Friday, 7 March 2003 07:08 (twenty-three years ago)

fair enough. For the record I know Thurston and he has always gone out of his way to support tiny little noise bands and seems always willing to make a friend. I admire that from a man who basically introduced the world to Kurt Cobain.

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Friday, 7 March 2003 07:24 (twenty-three years ago)

Great of them to include Sonic Youth and Massive Attack and all that.
Whats that? NO FALL?? grrrrrrrrrr

― rex jr., Friday, 7 March 2003 08:18 (twenty-three years ago)

and the Clash with no BUZZCOCKS???

― rex jr., Friday, 7 March 2003 08:21 (twenty-three years ago)

i second the buzzcocks

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Friday, 7 March 2003 08:29 (twenty-three years ago)

I still don't get whats everybodys Problem with SY being on the list?

― rex jr., Friday, 7 March 2003 08:31 (twenty-three years ago)

oh, fuck the haters - SY have more a right to be on the list than a lot of those other bands - and that's not even including two of my least favorite bands of all time (if not THE two worst bands, in my opinion) Kiss and BBoys. Run DMC better than SY? Pretenders? Come on!

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Friday, 7 March 2003 08:33 (twenty-three years ago)

pavement's in there. that's good.

but the pixies are absent. odd.

― kyle, Friday, 7 March 2003 08:58 (twenty-three years ago)

The Smiths onluy at 21!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Massive Attack at 46?!?!?!!?

Pile of old bollocks, that list.

― russ t, Friday, 7 March 2003 10:49 (twenty-three years ago)

i think being in there at all is a compliment, russ. i wouldn't say massive attack should be offended to be called the 46th best band of all time.

i'm just disappointed to see korn and rhcp in there. both responsible for two of my all time least favourite recs.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 7 March 2003 10:54 (twenty-three years ago)

No list that does not have Beatles at #1 could possibly be taken seriously as even remotely an attempt to be objective.

That being said, having Beatles at #1 obviously isn't enough for a list to necessarily be taken seriously either.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 7 March 2003 11:32 (twenty-three years ago)

I still don't get whats everybodys Problem with SY being on the list?

Because anybody that's heard Goodbye 20th Century knows that Sonic Youth are officially the worst, most overrated band of all time.

― Evan (Evan), Friday, 7 March 2003 12:04 (twenty-three years ago)

No Evan, i still don't get it.

― rex jr., Friday, 7 March 2003 12:15 (twenty-three years ago)

here, here, Evan- I'm in total agreement. Alongwith the Fall, Sonic Youth are the most bafflingly overrated band I can remember.

― russ t, Friday, 7 March 2003 12:21 (twenty-three years ago)

THE FALL???? now thats just silly.

― rex jr., Friday, 7 March 2003 12:23 (twenty-three years ago)

just cuz ya don't "get" the Fall doesn't mean Overated!
Overated is the most inacurrate way to describe them.

― rex jr., Friday, 7 March 2003 12:57 (twenty-three years ago)

rex - not at all.... over-rated, to me, is when a distinctly average group are lauded by people like John Peel and the NME and God knows who else, then jumped upon by the shoe gazing greasy haired student trendies who buy anything Mr Peel says should be heard. Throughout the 80s, the Fall were continually over-rated by virtually EVERYONE. Even people whose opinions I respected and would normally have faith in.
Quite why a pub rock band with possibly the least interesting vocalist I can ever recall, who wrote shoddy, badly produced albums went on to be remembered as something rather wonderful never ceases to amaze me.
And they wrote Mr Pharmacist, possibly the naffest single I've ever heard. Enough.

(p.s. I think Brix Smith had the right idea.... who needs Mark E Smith when you can have....err.... Nigel Kennedy...?!)

― russ t, Friday, 7 March 2003 15:29 (twenty-three years ago)

a pub rock band with possibly the least interesting vocalist I can ever recall, who wrote shoddy, badly produced albums went on to be remembered as something rather wonderful never ceases to amaze me.
And they wrote Mr Pharmacist, possibly the naffest single I've ever heard. Enough.
Oh stop it stop it, you're killing me HAHAHAHA. thats so funny!

― rex jr., Friday, 7 March 2003 15:34 (twenty-three years ago)

Suddenly this thread feels like No Man's Land in World War I.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 7 March 2003 17:00 (twenty-three years ago)

True said. lets stop the nonsens ;)

― rex jr., Friday, 7 March 2003 17:32 (twenty-three years ago)

Holy shit, who's this other "Nick Coleman" that's stolen my name and is disparaging the paramount musical establishment that is The Funk!?!

People Posting On Message Boards Before You Find Them Who Has The EXACT Same Name As You But Doesn't Hold P-Funk Sacred...Classic or Dud or Really Fuckin' Freaky!?!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 7 March 2003 17:54 (twenty-three years ago)

three years pass...

where's misfits?

― Aditya (dan138zig), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 14:38 (nineteen years ago)

patti smith group is overrated on that list. and i like patti smith.

― M@tt He1geson, Rendolent Ding-Dong (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 15:07 (nineteen years ago)

Out of all the threads I've read on ILM (and even though I don't post too much, I'm a near-constant lurker, which I know is somewhat creepy), this one has perhaps the most individual flat-out retarded responses. By "individual" I mean not one person saying something stupid over and over again, but different people chiming in.

That said, I thought the "No New York" suggestion was kind of funny at least.

― Zachary Scott (Zach S), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 15:11 (nineteen years ago)

i was so happy to be reminded of the japanese KORN. thank you, ancient thread.

― Bea Arthur - Lost COmic GEnius ? (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 15:15 (nineteen years ago)

I want to write the ultimate list that will piss ILX off. You know, putting the Beatles at #6, right behind Bon Jovi and Klaus Nomi.

Maybe I should make a thread.

― js (honestengine), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 17:04 (nineteen years ago)

Isn't it true that George Harrison once referred to The Band as "the best band in the history of the universe"? If so, that's high praise indeed from the main guitar player of the band that so many people consider to hold the de facto top spot.

― shorty (shorty), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 18:29 (nineteen years ago)

God that still creeps me out. If you're going to steal my actual name, at least respect the P-Funk, "Nick Coleman".

― mummy wrapped in bacon (nickalicious), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 18:51 (nineteen years ago)

I'm shocked anyone would have a problem with the Beatles being No. 1.

They are like the ur-band!

― Whiney G. Weingarten (whineyg), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 19:19 (nineteen years ago)

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