The American Band Championship Belt (1964-Present)

[GeorgeSteele]

Fun read about the best American bands from the past 50 years.  The author gives GNR the title for 1987-1990.  And he labels those GNR years to be "the best period for American bands in the last 50 years." Not bad!!

Enjoy:  http://grantland.com/features/the-american-band-championship-belt/   

[D-GenerationX]

Good read, I thought.

But Velvet Underground over The Doors for 1967-68?  Come on now.

[14 Yrs Of Silence]

interesting concept

I'd prefer keeping this open to all bands and or solo artists in the rock genre, regardless of their roots, and make it the band that really carryied the torch forward in a big way.  For instance, he had R.E.M from 82-84, and while those are great records, they weren't commerical big at the time. 

I'll think about doing my list from the same time period.

[LIGuns]

I guess GNR were the Mike Tyson of Champions...They did and said what they wanted..They were brutal, controversial, feared by all and revolutionized their field like no one before or since..As far as the time period goes: Sorry Nirvana, but in 1991 GNR were just getting started with their overall world conquest. January 1991 GNR headlined Rock in Rio 2 June followed with YCBM appearing in T2 (later accompanied with a kick ass video) September 1991 saw the twin chart topping UYI albums, soon a trilogy of groundbreaking videos were released along with several other successful singles along with a world wide sold out tour of over 190 shows that lasted though July of 1993..Sure Nirvana were great and in the headlines, but what kind of crowds were they playing to? How many concerts did they play?
                                         GNR Music CHAMPIONS 1987-1993! End of Story!

[westcoast_junkie]

LIguns: Word!

Don't agree with much of it, but good read! Fun that he includes the Replacements.

[LIGuns]

I know it's not strictly a rock list but VH were huge in 1984, no mention of KiSS in the mid-late 70's and not a word on Aerosmith or Metallica...

[Tyson]

Um, Guns N Roses were ALSO the biggest band during the 1990-1993 period.  Sorry, folks.  To not at least label them as the biggest challenger during the supposed Nirvana era is inaccurate. 

[Bodhi]

It was an interesting read, although i would say GNR's  time frame would more accurately be 89-92 early 93, it took a while for Appetite to catch on , most people didn't even know who they were in 1987 yet. Also contrary to popular belief the world didn't just stop when "Nevermind" came out.  Guns N Roses were still playing stadiums into 1993.  Not sure how this guy says Nirvana was the biggest band in 1992 when they were offered an OPENING slot on the GNR Metallica tour.  Nirvana I would give from 93-94 or maybe Pearl Jam somewhere in there i guess? Metallica probably gets it in the mid to late 90's somewhere, not Outkast..     Also like it or not if you want this thing to be accurate, blink 182 would have the title in 1999, Limp Bizkit would have the title in 2000 and Creed would have it in 2001 .   Limp Bizkit and Creed sold more records that Nirvana,  and blink 182's "Enema of the State" was the biggest rock album of 1999 hands down.  i don't think people realize how massively popular those bands were, albeit for a short amount of time, although blink is still very popular.  Also no mention of Green Day in 1994 or 2004? 

Also besides The White Stripes, he has listed nothing but complete shit for the past 14 years.  The last 14 years are my favorite as far as rock music goes, i can literally list 50 bands that formed after 2000 who I listen to on a regular basis and none of them are on this list.  Grant it bands do not get played on  radio anymore unless they sound like Maroon 5 or Nickelback, so most of those bands are under the radar so to speak.  He calls the last 6 years the weakest for American rock music, I couldn't disagree more.  Although judging from his list he doesn't really know a lot of American rock music from the past 6 years.

[rebelhipi]

It was an interesting read, although i would say GNR's  time frame would more accurately be 89-92 early 93, it took a while for Appetite to catch on , most people didn't even know who they were in 1987 yet. Also contrary to popular belief the world didn't just stop when "Nevermind" came out.  Guns N Roses were still playing stadiums into 1993.  Not sure how this guy says Nirvana was the biggest band in 1992 when they were offered an OPENING slot on the GNR Metallica tour.  Nirvana I would give from 93-94 or maybe Pearl Jam somewhere in there i guess? Metallica probably gets it in the mid to late 90's somewhere, not Outkast..     Also like it or not if you want this thing to be accurate, blink 182 would have the title in 1999, Limp Bizkit would have the title in 2000 and Creed would have it in 2001 .   Limp Bizkit and Creed sold more records that Nirvana,  and blink 182's "Enema of the State" was the biggest rock album of 1999 hands down.  i don't think people realize how massively popular those bands were, albeit for a short amount of time, although blink is still very popular.  Also no mention of Green Day in 1994 or 2004? 

Also besides The White Stripes, he has listed nothing but complete shit for the past 14 years.  The last 14 years are my favorite as far as rock music goes, i can literally list 50 bands that formed after 2000 who I listen to on a regular basis and none of them are on this list.  Grant it bands do not get played on  radio anymore unless they sound like Maroon 5 or Nickelback, so most of those bands are under the radar so to speak.  He calls the last 6 years the weakest for American rock music, I couldn't disagree more.  Although judging from his list he doesn't really know a lot of American rock music from the past 6 years.

Agreed. I would give GNR 1989-1992 (93 is a tie with GNR, Metallica, Pearl Jam and Nirvana) even tho im born in 1995 .

can you share a few post 2000- band favorites of yours?

[GeorgeSteele]

I think Blondie deserved at least a mention as challenger in any year during late 70s, early 80s.  That's my biggest gripe (along with Velvet Underground over The Doors, as D-Generation X mentioned).  Otherwise, I'm mainly just happy to see GnR's legacy getting its due in the media.  While the list is nothing more than one music critic's opinion, this is the closest I've seen of something from a major media outlet acknowledging that GNR is the greatest American band ever (which they no doubt are). 

[D-GenerationX]

I guess GNR were the Mike Tyson of Champions...They did and said what they wanted..They were brutal, controversial, feared by all and revolutionized their field like no one before or since..As far as the time period goes: Sorry Nirvana, but in 1991 GNR were just getting started with their overall world conquest. January 1991 GNR headlined Rock in Rio 2 June followed with YCBM appearing in T2 (later accompanied with a kick ass video) September 1991 saw the twin chart topping UYI albums, soon a trilogy of groundbreaking videos were released along with several other successful singles along with a world wide sold out tour of over 190 shows that lasted though July of 1993..Sure Nirvana were great and in the headlines, but what kind of crowds were they playing to? How many concerts did they play?
                                         GNR Music CHAMPIONS 1987-1993! End of Story!

Mike is my favorite athlete of all time.  I make Tyson-GNR comparisons all the time.

But more in terms of failed promise.  If you asked people in 1988 stock in Mike Tyson was high as could be.  You'd never believe anyone that came from 20 years in the future and told you how it all went.

I see GNR the same way.  If someone told us in 1988, or hell, even 1991, how the next 20 years were going to go, would you believe them?

[Ginger King]

I guess GNR were the Mike Tyson of Champions...They did and said what they wanted..They were brutal, controversial, feared by all and revolutionized their field like no one before or since..As far as the time period goes: Sorry Nirvana, but in 1991 GNR were just getting started with their overall world conquest. January 1991 GNR headlined Rock in Rio 2 June followed with YCBM appearing in T2 (later accompanied with a kick ass video) September 1991 saw the twin chart topping UYI albums, soon a trilogy of groundbreaking videos were released along with several other successful singles along with a world wide sold out tour of over 190 shows that lasted though July of 1993..Sure Nirvana were great and in the headlines, but what kind of crowds were they playing to? How many concerts did they play?
                                         GNR Music CHAMPIONS 1987-1993! End of Story!

Mike is my favorite athlete of all time.  I make Tyson-GNR comparisons all the time.

But more in terms of failed promise.  If you asked people in 1988 stock in Mike Tyson was high as could be.  You'd never believe anyone that came from 20 years in the future and told you how it all went.

I see GNR the same way.  If someone told us in 1988, or hell, even 1991, how the next 20 years were going to go, would you believe them?

That's a really good comparison.  Both were unstoppable, and so far above their peers that you thought it would be impossible for anyone to catch them.  And then TSI and Desiree Washington happened...

[D-GenerationX]

That's a really good comparison.  Both were unstoppable, and so far above their peers that you thought it would be impossible for anyone to catch them.  And then TSI and Desiree Washington happened...

And know what kills me about Tyson? 

Young Mike is never talked about.  Most people's goto is the guy that bit Holyfield or told Lennox was going to eat his children.  More people remember sideshow Mike.  Don't give a fuck Mike.

But the Mike of his first 35 fights is awesome.  Incredible attention to his craft and not really like anything that was around at the time.

Same thing with GNR.  Don't give me 2002 VMA GNR.  Give me the 1988-1992 GNR and tell me that band wasn't freakin' awesome.  Yeah, it went to hell.  But in terms of their prime, pretty unbeatable, just like prime Mike Tyson.

[Bodhi]

Agreed. I would give GNR 1989-1992 (93 is a tie with GNR, Metallica, Pearl Jam and Nirvana) even tho im born in 1995 .

can you share a few post 2000- band favorites of yours?

Sure, well Avenged Sevenfold and My Chemical Romance  are right up there with Guns N Roses and Metallica for me, and if you talked to me in 2000 I never would have believed I would ever like a newer band as much as GNR or Metallica.  Along with Green Day those are my top five bands of all time.

As far as other bands some of them came from the 90's but really caught on big time in the 2000's like blink-182, Green Day and AFI.  Post 2000 I like Chiodos, Sum 41, Fall Out Boy, Paramore, A Day to Remember, Atreyu, Angels and Airwaves, Slipknot, Volbeat and Dashboard Confessional to name a few.  I was a big fan of that movement of music from around 2005 or 2006.  Pop punk/alt punk/screamo/emo/metalcore whatever you want to call it, I like it a lot.

Like I said none of those band except for Green Day would be championship belt contenders, while some of them are household names they never got as big as some of the bands on that list.    Avenged Sevenfolds last 2 records both debuted at number 1 on the billboard 200, (the real chart, not the bullshit rock or heat seeker chart) yet most people still have no idea who they are.

[overmatik]

Not a mention to the Alice Cooper band? This "article" isn't worth the space it's occupying on the website server... 

[GNR2014]

I guess GNR were the Mike Tyson of Champions...They did and said what they wanted..They were brutal, controversial, feared by all and revolutionized their field like no one before or since..As far as the time period goes: Sorry Nirvana, but in 1991 GNR were just getting started with their overall world conquest. January 1991 GNR headlined Rock in Rio 2 June followed with YCBM appearing in T2 (later accompanied with a kick ass video) September 1991 saw the twin chart topping UYI albums, soon a trilogy of groundbreaking videos were released along with several other successful singles along with a world wide sold out tour of over 190 shows that lasted though July of 1993..Sure Nirvana were great and in the headlines, but what kind of crowds were they playing to? How many concerts did they play?
                                         GNR Music CHAMPIONS 1987-1993! End of Story!

Well said!