100 Greatest Rock Musicians & Their Hits (20 > 1)

By David Barwinski

Let’s get into the final 20 entries (20 > 1) of 100 Greatest Musicians & Their Hits. 

Introduction and entries for 100 through 21 on the list. 

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20. Black Sabbath – More than any other group, Black Sabbath are the godfathers of heavy metal and still the exemplar of the genre, with only Metallica coming close. Their tempo is slower than the bands they inspired and yet nobody is heavier (doom metal), courtesy of bassist Geezer Butler, premier guitarist Tony “Riff Master” Iommi, and drummer Bill Ward, while Ozzy Osbourne is an appropriately insane frontman delivering fervent vocals. Paranoid is easily the greatest metal album.  Hit songs: “Black Sabbath,” “Changes,” “Children of the Grave,” “Electric Funeral,” “Fairies Wear Boots,” “Hand of Doom,” “Into the Void,” “Iron Man,” “A National Acrobat,” “N.I.B.,” “Paranoid,” “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath,” “Snowblind,” “Spiral Architect,” “Supernaut,” “Sweet Leaf,” “Symptom of the Universe,” “Under the Sun,” “War Pigs,” “The Wizard”  Best song: “War Pigs”  Runner-up: “Black Sabbath”  Second runner-up: “Iron Man”

19. Neil Young – Los Angeles by way of Toronto songwriter/singer/guitarist Neil Young has enjoyed an illustrious solo career while also having played in two of the best groups ever (CSNY, Buffalo Springfield), placing him in the same rarefied category as Eric Clapton. He is one of the great songwriters, as exhibited by such affecting folk rock ballads as “Old Man” and “The Needle and the Damage Done.” He also lets his guitar do the talking on hard rock jams like “Cortez the Killer” and “Cowgirl in the Sand.” Young’s influence is vast as he is honored as a godfather of alternative (esp. grunge). Hit songs: “After the Gold Rush,” “Cinnamon Girl,” “Cortez the Killer,” “Cowgirl in the Sand,” “Down by the River,” “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere,” “Harvest Moon,” “Heart of Gold,” “Hey Hey My My (Into the Black),” “Hey Hey My My (Out of the Blue),” “Like a Hurricane,” “The Needle and the Damage Done,” “Old Man,” “Only Love Can Break Your Heart,” “Powderfinger,” “Rockin’ in the Free World,” “Southern Man,” “Sugar Mountain,” “Tell Me Why,” “Tonight’s the Night” Best song: “Old Man” Runner-up: “Heart of Gold”  Second runner-up: “Cortez the Killer”

18. Simon & Garfunkel – The only serious rival to Bob Dylan in the Greenwich Village folk rock scene, Simon & Garfunkel produced hit after hit thanks to Paul Simon’s poetic songwriting and Art Garfunkel’s haunting vocals (Simon has a beautiful voice, too). Objectively, Dylan will always be the #1 folk rocker, but it’s easy to see why some prefer this celebrated duo. Hit songs: “The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy),” “America,” “April Come She Will,” “The Boxer,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Cecilia,” “El Cóndor Pasa (If I Could),” “For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her,” “A Hazy Shade of Winter,” “Homeward Bound,” “I Am a Rock,” “Kathy’s Song,” “Leaves That Are Green,” “Mrs. Robinson,” “My Little Town,” “Old Friends,” “The Only Living Boy in New York,” “Scarborough Fair,” “Song for the Asking,” “The Sound of Silence” Best song: “The Sound of Silence” Runner-up: “Bridge Over Troubled Water” Second runner-up: “The Boxer”

17. Bruce Springsteen – Bruce “The Boss” Springsteen is the preeminent heartland rocker and entertainer, and one of the all-time great songwriters. “Born in the U.S.A.,” an indictment of the American power elite, was ironically co-opted by the same leaders the song condemns.  Is there a greater hero to the forgotten working class? See “Atlantic City,” “Youngstown.” Or to restless youth dreaming of a better life?  “Born to Run” is “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” for a new generation.  Indeed, Springsteen was heavily influenced by The Animals and, obviously, Bob Dylan. Hit songs: “Atlantic City,” “Backstreets,” “Badlands,” “Born in the U.S.A.,” “Born to Run,” “Dancing in the Dark,” “Darkness on the Edge of Town,” “Glory Days,” “Hungry Heart,” “I’m on Fire,” “Jungleland,” “The Promised Land,” “Prove It All Night,” “Racing in the Street,” “The River,” “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight),” “Spirit in the Night,” “Streets of Philadelphia,” “Thunder Road,” “Youngstown” Best song: “Born to Run” Runner-up: “Thunder Road” Second runner-up: “Born in the U.S.A.

16. Jethro Tull – Hard/progressive rockers Jethro Tull were as big as their English compatriots The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and The Who in their prime (1969 to 1972), and had a series of hits to match. They may be the most musically complex and lyrically intellectual group ever, playing an eclectic mix of folk, classical, blues, jazz, hard and electronic rock. Led by eccentric genius songwriter, singer, acoustic guitarist and flautist Ian Anderson, formidable lead guitarist Martin Barre, and a semi-rotating roster of exceptionally talented musicians, Jethro Tull’s concept albums Aqualung and Thick as a Brick and their animated live act are highly revered. Hit songs: “Aqualung,” “Baker St. Muse,” “Bourée,” “Cross-Eyed Mary,” “Heavy Horses,” “Hymn 43,” “Life Is a Long Song,” “Living in the Past,” “Locomotive Breath,” “Minstrel in the Gallery,” “My God,” “A New Day Yesterday,” “Nothing Is Easy,” “Skating Away on the Thin Ice of a New Day,” “A Song for Jeffrey,” “Songs from the Wood,” “Sweet Dream,” “Teacher,” “Thick as a Brick,” “To Cry You a Song,” “We Used to Know,” “With You There to Help Me” Best song: “Thick as a Brick” Runner-up: “Aqualung” Second runner-up: “Locomotive Breath”

15. David Bowie – In a career spanning over 50 years, English musician David Bowie proved his versatility in a variety of genres. His avant-garde, otherworldly sound is rock coalesced with folk, blues, pop, psychedelia, electronic, glam (which he co-founded), soul, and funk. His existential lyrics and melancholic voice reveal a vulnerability which speaks to all of the misfits out there (that is to say, everyone). The personages Bowie created — Major Tom, Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, The Thin White Duke — and his theatrical live shows were groundbreaking. He was a major influence. Hit songs: “Ashes to Ashes,” “Changes,” “Fame,” “Five Years,” “Heroes,” “The Jean Genie,” “Life on Mars?,” “The Man Who Sold the World,” “Moonage Daydream,” “Queen Bitch,” “Rebel Rebel,” “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide,” “Sound and Vision,” “Space Oddity,” “Starman,” “Station to Station,” “Suffragette City,” “TVC 15,” “Under Pressure,” “Young Americans,” “Ziggy Stardust” Best song: “Life on Mars?” Runner-up: “Space Oddity” Second runner-up: “Changes”

14. Queen – Opera and rock?? Why not? In addition to opera, English group Queen mixed rock with pop and helped develop hard, metal, and glam rock. Freddie Mercury has perhaps the most magnificent voice of any rock singer, Brian May is an accomplished guitarist with a distinct sound, and they were an electric live act (see esp. 1985’s Live Aid). Their best song is one of the greatest ever, a revolutionary, complex mishmash of styles never before or since executed so well. If not for a relatively weak 1980s output, Queen is easily a top 10 band. Hit songs: “Another One Bites the Dust,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Brighton Rock,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Fat Bottomed Girls,” “I Want It All,” “Keep Yourself Alive,” “Killer Queen,” “The March of the Black Queen,” “The Millionaire Waltz,” “Now I’m Here,” “The Prophet’s Song,” “Seven Seas of Rhye,” “Somebody to Love,” “Stone Cold Crazy,” “Tie Your Mother Down,” “Under Pressure,” “We Are the Champions,” “We Will Rock You,” “You’re My Best Friend” Best song: “Bohemian Rhapsody” Runner-up: “We Will Rock You” Second runner-up: “Under Pressure”

13. Elvis Presley – The “King of Rock and Roll,” Elvis Presley helped create rockabilly and was the face of rock in its formative years. His arrival was earth-shattering — he had the look, the attitude, the moves, and the voice. On the other hand, he was only a satisfactory guitar player and most of his songs were written by others. But Presley was a hitmaker extraordinaire (18 #1s!), so much so that even though he produced many pop and country songs, his rock output is sufficient to ensure his lofty position. He was also critical in blending rock with pop and country. Hit songs: “A Little Less Conversation,” “All Shook Up,” “Always on My Mind,” “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Burning Love,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Hound Dog,” “In the Ghetto,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Kentucky Rain,” “(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear,” “Little Sister,” “Mystery Train,” “Promised Land,” “Return to Sender,” “Stuck on You,” “Suspicious Minds,” “That’s All Right,” “Viva Las Vegas,” “(You’re the) Devil In Disguise” Best song: “Hound Dog” Runner-up: “Jailhouse Rock” Second runner-up: “Heartbreak Hotel”

12. Frank Zappa – By far the most bizarre and probably the most misunderstood musician on this list, iconoclast Frank Zappa was a true original and one of the very few geniuses in the business. He expanded the limits of popular music with his experimental/progressive sound, combining rock with classical, blues, jazz, doo-wop, pop, and comedy. A phenomenal composer and guitarist, his absurd and satirical lyrics elicit bemusement, admiration, and indignation. Zappa created the first concept album (Freak Out! with his Mothers of Invention — leading to Sgt. Pepper’s the following year) and was astoundingly prolific (releasing 62 records in a nearly 40-year career). He established the Laurel Canyon scene from which so many elite bands emerged and remains its greatest product. Hit songs: “Black Napkins,” “Bobby Brown (Goes Down),” “Brown Shoes Don’t Make It,” “Camarillo Brillo,” “Cosmik Debris,” “Dirty Love,” “Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow,” “I’m the Slime,” “Inca Roads,” “Joe’s Garage,” “Montana,” “Muffin Man,” “My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama,” “The Ocean Is the Ultimate Solution,” “Peaches en Regalia,” “Shut Up ‘n Play Yer Guitar,” “Tell Me You Love Me,” “Trouble Every Day,” “Watermelon in Easter Hay,” “Willie the Pimp,” “Zomby Woof.” Best song: “Joe’s Garage” Runner-up: “Montana”  Second runner-up: “Cosmik Debris”

11.  Chuck Berry – Fats Domino may have invented rock (as far as any one person can), Elvis Presley is nominally the “King of Rock and Roll,” but Chuck Berry is indeed the “Father of Rock and Roll.”  He shaped it into the sound (guitar-driven), storytelling (lyrics as narrative), and swagger (attitude and showmanship) that defines it, and impacted everyone to come after him. “Johnny B. Goode” is one of the greatest and most influential songs ever (1955’s “Maybellene” was even more pivotal), and it remains as brilliant now as when it was first released in 1958, the true mark of excellence. Hit songs: “Around and Around,” “Back in the U.S.A.,” “Brown Eyed Handsome Man,” “Carol,” “Down Bound Train,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Little Queenie,” “Maybellene,” Memphis, Tennessee,” “Nadine,” “No Particular Place to Go,” “Promised Land,” “Reelin’ and Rockin’,” “Rock and Roll Music,” “Roll Over Beethoven,” “School Days,” “Sweet Little Rock and Roller,” “Sweet Little Sixteen,” “Thirty Days,” “Too Much Monkey Business,” “You Never Can Tell” Best song: “Johnny B. Goode” Runner-up: “Maybellene” Second runner-up: “Roll Over Beethoven”

10. Bob Dylan – Bob Dylan pushed the boundaries of rock with his insightful, discontented, often lengthy songs about relationships and society, and as a result forever changed popular music.  It may seem odd that a musician with a nasally voice, merely adequate guitar skills, and a dearth of hooks is the voice of a generation, not to mention that some of his most well-known works were rendered better by other artists. But Dylan is probably the greatest lyricist ever. Even disregarding his earliest folk work, there remains an abundance of folk-rock masterpieces, while he also merged rock with blues, jazz, country, and pop. His best song is possibly the greatest of all time (Frank Zappa wanted to quit after hearing it, thinking there is nothing more to be said) and he influenced basically everyone who followed. Hit songs: “All Along the Watchtower,” “Ballad of a Thin Man,” “Blind Willie McTell,” “Desolation Row,” “Forever Young,” “Highway 61 Revisited,” “Hurricane,” “I Shall Be Released,” “I Want You,” “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,” “It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding),” “Just Like a Woman,” “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door,” “Like a Rolling Stone,” “Maggie’s Farm,” “Mississippi,” “Positively 4th Street,” “Simple Twist of Fate,” “Subterranean Homesick Blues,” “Tangled Up in Blue,” “Visions of Johanna,” “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” Best song: “Like a Rolling Stone” Runner-up: “Tangled Up in Blue”  Second runner-up: “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” Honorable mention: “All Along the Watchtower”

9. Cream – Before Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath, there was Cream. The first supergroup: Eric Clapton on guitar (top five), Ginger Baker on drums (top three), and Jack Bruce on bass (maybe top five). Not only that, but Bruce’s lyrics and vocals were first-rate, as well. They were the cream of the crop and they knew it, thus the name. Cream was at the forefront of a number of burgeoning genres, including blues rock, psychedelic rock, and hard rock. Unfortunately, it was a short-lived affair (Baker and Bruce despised each other), lasting merely two years. But it was a very productive two years and their innovative sound changed rock from that moment on. Hit songs: “As You Said,” “Badge,” “Born Under a Bad Sign,” “Crossroads,” “Dance the Night Away,” “Deserted Cities of the Heart,” “I Feel Free,” “I’m So Glad,” “N.S.U.,” “Politician,” “Rollin’ and Tumblin’,” “Sitting on Top of the World,” “Spoonful,” “Strange Brew,” “Sunshine of Your Love,” “Sweet Wine,” “SWLABR,” “Tales of Brave Ulysses,” “Toad,” “We’re Going Wrong,” “What a Bringdown,” “White Room,” “World of Pain.” Best song: “Sunshine of Your Love.”  Runner-up: “White Room”  Second runner-up: “Crossroads” Honorable mention: “Tales of Brave Ulysses”

8. The Kinks – What might have been? The Kinks were a British Invasion band whose invasion faltered, failing to establish themselves like their contemporaries The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Who. (They were banned from touring in the U.S. from 1965 to 1969 because of constantly fighting with each other and everyone else.)  You know their hits but may not know the name of the group behind them.  “You Really Got Me” was a turning point in rock, Ray Davies is one of the all-time great songwriters, and brother Dave is an underappreciated guitarist. The Kinks are one of the most influential musicians who never quite got their due. Their adherents include nearly every major act to follow, as they left their mark on rock in nearly all its subsequent forms — garage, psychedelic, hard, metal, glam, punk, new wave, and alternative. Hit songs: “All Day and All of the Night,” “Apeman,” “Autumn Almanac,” “Celluloid Heroes,” “Come Dancing,” “Days,” “Dead End Street,” “Destroyer,” “Do It Again,” “Do You Remember Walter?,” “Juke Box Music,” “Living on a Thin Line,” “Lola,” “Picture Book,” “A Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy,” “See My Friends,” “Shangri-La,” “Sunny Afternoon,” “Tired of Waiting for You,” “Victoria,” “The Village Green Preservation Society,” “Waterloo Sunset,” “A Well Respected Man,” “Wonderboy,” “You Really Got Me” Best song: “You Really Got Me” Runner-up: “Waterloo Sunset”  Second runner-up: “Lola” Honorable mention: “All Day and All of the Night”

7. The Beach Boys – The Beach Boys are the American Beatles, or are The Beatles the British Beach Boys? Notorious rivals with somewhat similar sounds, they influenced each other and as a result took popular music to new heights. Rubber Soul led to their Pet Sounds, which in turn led to Sgt. Pepper’s – the latter two of which are two of the five greatest albums. The Beach Boys didn’t invent surf rock/California sound but they made it their own, and also impacted the development of pop, psychedelic, baroque, progressive, electronic, punk, new wave, and alternative rock. Brian Wilson, the long-suffering prodigy, was the group’s primary lyricist/composer/arranger/producer and so largely responsible for their success, with Mike Love helping write some of their classics. Their irresistible melodies, impeccable vocal harmonies, buoyant and poignant lyrics, early innovation, and wide-ranging influence make them the greatest American rock band ever. Hit songs: “409,” “All I Wanna Do,” “All Summer Long,” “Barbara Ann,” “Do It Again,” “Don’t Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder),” “Cabinessence,” “California Girls,” “Caroline, No,” “Don’t Worry Baby,” “Forever,” “Fun Fun Fun,” “God Only Knows,” “Good Vibrations,” “Help Me Rhonda,” “Here Today,” “Heroes and Villains,” “I Get Around,” “I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times,” “I’m Waiting for the Day,” “Little Deuce Coupe,” “Sloop John B,” “Surf’s Up,” “Surfin’ Safari,” “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” “‘Til I Die,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “You Still Believe in Me.”  Best song: “Good Vibrations” Runner-up: “God Only Knows” Second runner-up: “California Girls.” Honorable mention: “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”

6. Jimi Hendrix – The Beach Boys are the greatest American rock band, but Jimi Hendrix is the greatest American rock solo artist and rock solo artist period. Hendrix is, by all accounts, the best guitarist ever. The way that Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Jeff Beck tell it, he was in a class by himself. “You never told me he was that good!” Clapton said when first seeing him play. Rooted in the blues, Hendrix showed the world what was possible with rock’s signature instrument, taking previous experiments with distortion, feedback, the whammy bar, and the wah-wah pedal to another level. He was also an adept songwriter and soulful vocalist, betraying his youth. He put on phenomenal shows at Monterey (pictured), Woodstock (where he played a transcendent version of “The Star-Spangled Banner”), and Isle of Wight (just weeks before his death). Churning out an uncanny number of hits in a mere 3-year period, Hendrix inspired a legion of rockers to follow. Hit songs: “1983…(A Merman I Should Turn to Be),” “All Along the Watchtower,” “Are You Experienced?,” “Bold as Love,” “Burning of the Midnight Lamp,” “Castles Made of Sand,” “Come On,” “Crosstown Traffic,” “Dolly Dagger,” “Fire,” “Foxy Lady,” “Freedom,” “Gypsy Eyes,” “Hear My Train A Comin’,” “Hey Baby (New Rising Sun),” “Hey Joe,” “Highway Chile,” “If 6 Was 9,” “Little Wing,” “Love or Confusion,” “Machine Gun,” “Manic Depression,” “May This Be Love,” “Night Bird Flying,” “One Rainy Wish,” “Pali Gap,” “Purple Haze,” “Somewhere,” “Spanish Castle Magic,” “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “Stone Free,” “Voodoo Chile,” “Voodoo Child (Slight Return),” “The Wind Cries Mary” Best song: “All Along the Watchtower.” Runner-up: “Purple Haze” Second runner-up: “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” Honorable mention: “Little Wing”

5. The Rolling Stones – Critically speaking, The Rolling Stones are the only serious rival to The Beatles. They released four consecutive albums which are considered among the top 50 or so greatest ever (Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, and Exile on Main Street), a feat which not even The Fab Four can claim. The Rolling Stones mainly play straightforward blues and hard rock (occasionally folk, psychedelic and country rock), but it’s a style they perfected, producing hit after hit from the mid-1960s to the early-1980s. The classic lineup had bad boy Mick Jagger as the songwriter and singer, bad boy Keith Richards as songwriter and lead guitarist, Bill Wyman on bass, and Charlie Watts on drums.  Founder and lead guitarist Brian Jones was the most creative of the group but by 1969 he was out. Jones was replaced by Mick Taylor, the best guitarist of the group, but by 1974 he was out, too. Guitarist Ronnie Wood (of the Jeff Beck Group and Faces) joined in 1975 and is still with the band, while Wyman is not. In 2021, Watts passed away. Despite these shakeups, The Rolling Stones are still rolling 60 years later. Hit songs: “19th Nervous Breakdown,” “2000 Light Years from Home,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Angie,” “As Tears Go By,” “Beast of Burden,” “Bitch,” “Brown Sugar,” “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking,” “Dead Flowers,” “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker),” “Emotional Rescue,” “Get Off of My Cloud,” “Gimme Shelter,” “Have You Seen Your Mother Baby Standing in the Shadow?,” “Honky Tonk Women,” “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” “It’s All Over Now,” “It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It),” “I’m Free,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” “The Last Time,” “Let It Bleed,” “Let’s Spend the Night Together,” “Loving Cup,” “Memory Motel,” “Midnight Rambler,” “Miss You,” “Monkey Man,” “Moonlight Mile,” “Mother’s Little Helper,” “Paint It Black,” “Play with Fire,” “Rocks Off,” “Ruby Tuesday,” “Salt of the Earth,” “Shattered,” “She’s a Rainbow,” “She’s So Cold,” “Shine a Light,” “Start Me Up,” “Street Fighting Man,” “Sway,” “Sympathy for the Devil,” “Time Is on My Side,” “Tumbling Dice,” “Under My Thumb,” “Waiting on a Friend,” “Wild Horses,” “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” Best song: “Gimme Shelter”  Runner-up: “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” Second runner-up: “Sympathy for the Devil” Honorable mention: “Paint It Black”

4. Pink Floyd – Psychedelic and progressive rockers Pink Floyd are one of the few acts who can legitimately be compared to The Beatles in terms of creativity. They helped develop a multitude of genres (psychedelic, progressive, hard, metal, electronic rock), experimented extensively with studio technology (ambient music, sound effects, tape splicing), and put on extravagant live shows, all of which inspired a generation of musicians to rethink what was possible with rock. Songwriter, singer and bassist Roger Waters is a brilliant lyricist, responsible for the quintessential concept album The Wall. And it’s not even Pink Floyd’s finest work. That would be The Dark Side of the Moon, which was much more of a group effort.  Both are among the very best records ever, as is Wish You Were Here.  David Gilmour is a top 10 guitarist and smooth vocalist, while Richard Wright on keyboards and Nick Mason on drums round out this legendary group. Co-founder Syd Barrett didn’t last long, but he haunted the band for years afterwards — the entire album Wish You Were Here is effectively dedicated to him. Hit songs: “Another Brick in the Wall Part 1,” “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2,” “Arnold Layne,” “Astronomy Domine,” “Atom Heart Mother,” “Bike,” “Brain Damage,” “Breathe,” “Careful with That Axe, Eugene,” “Childhood’s End,” “Comfortably Numb,” “Cymbaline,” “Dogs,” “Echoes,” “Eclipse,” “Fearless,” “Free Four,” “Goodbye Blue Sky,” “The Great Gig in the Sky,” “The Happiest Days of Our Lives,” “Have a Cigar,” “Hey You,” “High Hopes,” “In the Flesh,” “In the Flesh?,” “Interstellar Overdrive,” “Is There Anybody Out There?,” “Learning to Fly,” “Lucifer Sam,” “Money,” “Mother,” “The Nile Song,” “Nobody Home,” “One of My Turns,” “One of These Days,” “Pigs,” “Run Like Hell,” “A Saucerful of Secrets,” “See Emily Play,” “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun,” “Sheep,” “Shine on You Crazy Diamond Parts I-V,” “Shine on You Crazy Diamond Parts VI-IX,” “Time,” “The Trial,” “Us and Them,” “Welcome to the Machine,” “Wish You Were Here,” “Wot’s…Uh the Deal?,” “Young Lust.”  Best song: “Wish You Were Here”  Runner-up: “Comfortably Numb”  Second runner-up: “Time”  Honorable mention: “Shine on You Crazy Diamond Parts I-V”

3. The Who – One of the godfathers of hard, metal, punk, new wave, and alternative rock, The Who are like a more innovative, harder, yet more introspective version of fellow British Invasion act The Rolling Stones. They produced some of the all-time great youth anthems (“My Generation,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” etc.), concept albums Tommy and Quadrophenia, and possibly the greatest hard rock album, Who’s Next. Few songwriters can compare to Pete “Windmill” Townshend and he plays (and destroys) a mean guitar, also contributing vocals. Keith “Moon the Loon” Moon was the craziest rock star ever (destroying everything) and perhaps the greatest drummer. Roger “Tommy” Daltrey is one of the great lead singers and microphone swingers. John “The Ox” Entwistle was perhaps the greatest bassist, showcasing the overlooked instrument to a wider audience. The Who may be the best live act ever, wowing audiences at Woodstock, Isle of Wight, and Leeds. Moon passed in 1978 and Entwistle in 2002, but Townshend and Daltrey continue on to this day. Hit songs: “5:15,” “The Acid Queen,” Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere,” “Baba O’Riley,” “Bargain,” “Behind Blue Eyes,” “Blue, Red and Grey,” “Christmas,” “Doctor Jimmy,” “Eminence Front,” “Getting in Tune,” “Going Mobile,” “Guitar and Pen,” “Happy Jack,” “Heaven and Hell,” “How Many Friends,” “I Can See for Miles,” “I Can’t Explain,” “I Can’t Reach You,” “I’m a Boy,” “I’m Free,” “I’m One,” “Join Together,” “The Kids Are Alright,” “A Legal Matter,” “Let’s See Action,” “Long Live Rock,” “Love Reign o’er Me,” “Magic Bus,” “My Generation,” “Pictures of Lily,” “Pinball Wizard,” “Pure and Easy,” “A Quick One While He’s Away,” “The Real Me,” “The Seeker,” “Slip Kid,” “So Sad About Us,” “The Song Is Over,” “Sparks,” “Squeeze Box,” “Substitute,” “Tattoo,” “We’re Not Gonna Take It/See Me Feel Me,” “Who Are You,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” “You Better You Bet” Best song: “My Generation”  Runner-up: “Won’t Get Fooled Again”  Second runner-up: “I Can See For Miles”  Honorable mention: “Baba O’Riley”

2. Led Zeppelin – What do you get when you take four of the top musicians in their respective roles for a period of 10 years?  No, not The Beatles. It’s Led Zeppelin and the second greatest rock band ever. They didn’t have the sublime songwriting of The Beatles, The Who, or Pink Floyd, but what they had was unparalleled musicianship. John Bonham on drums (maybe #1), Robert Plant on vocals (top three), founder, songwriter and guitarist Jimmy Page on lead guitar (top five), and John Paul Jones on bass (top five).  This was the supergroup to end all supergroups, and they weren’t even technically a supergroup as only Page was previously in a successful band (The Yardbirds). Led Zeppelin were characterized by their primarily blues, hard, and metal rock sound, the latter two of which they basically established the framework for, while they also experimented with folk, jazz, country, soul, funk, reggae, and electronic rock. “Stairway to Heaven” is the ultimate hard rock song and their first six albums are bona fide classics.  Bonham passed in 1980, but unlike The Who (who also lost their drummer around the same time), Led Zeppelin decided to end it there. Hit songs: “Achilles Last Stand,” “All My Love,” “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You,” “The Battle of Evermore,” “Black Dog,” “Bring It on Home,” “Communication Breakdown,” “Dancing Days,” “Dazed and Confused,” “D’yer Mak’er,” “Fool in the Rain,” “Four Sticks,” “Friends,” “Gallows Pole,” “The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair,” “Going to California,” “Good Times Bad Times,” “Heartbreaker,” “Hey, Hey, What Can I Do,” “Houses of the Holy,” “How Many More Times,” “I Can’t Quit You Baby,” “Immigrant Song,” “In My Time of Dying,” “In the Evening,” “In the Light,” “Kashmir,” “The Lemon Song,” “Living Loving Maid (She’s Just a Woman),” “Misty Mountain Hop,” “Moby Dick,” “No Quarter,” “Nobody’s Fault But Mine,” “The Ocean,” “Out on the Tiles,” “Over the Hills and Far Away,” “The Rain Song,” “Ramble On,” “Rock and Roll,” “The Rover,” “Since I’ve Been Loving You,” “The Song Remains the Same,” “Stairway to Heaven,” “Tangerine,” “Ten Years Gone,” “Thank You,” “That’s the Way,” “Trampled Under Foot,” “Travelling Riverside Blues,” “The Wanton Song,” “What Is and What Should Never Be,” “When the Levee Breaks,” “White Summer,” “Whole Lotta Love,” “You Shook Me,” “Your Time Is Gonna Come” Best song: “Stairway to Heaven” Runner-up: “Kashmir” Second runner-up: “Whole Lotta Love” Honorable mention: “Black Dog”

1. The Beatles – Well, no surprise here and it’s not even close. It’s not hyperbole to say The Beatles are in a league of their own, as evidenced by the wide gap between the #1 and #2 spots — 76 hits vs. 56 hits.  Indeed, they were an absolute hit machine during the core members’ seven years together. Pink Floyd, The Beach Boys, Frank Zappa, and The Velvet Underground were at least as creative; Bob Dylan was the more sagacious lyricist; Led Zeppelin, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, and Cream had more talented instrumentalists; The Beach Boys had superior vocalists; and many bands were greater live, while they stopped touring entirely about midway through their career.  But no group brought all of these components together like The Beatles. They were greater than the sum of their parts — John Lennon (songwriter, singer, and rhythm guitar), Paul McCartney (songwriter, singer, and bass guitar), George Harrison (lead guitar), and Ringo Starr (drums). Starting out playing beat rock (thus the name), The Beatles helped forge pop, folk, country, psychedelic, baroque, progressive, hard, metal, and electronic rock, nearly all of their 13 albums are masterpieces, and they revolutionized music with their advancements in studio technology (credit must also be given to their producer George Martin).  In short, their innovative sound and constant evolution, incredible melodies, (later) profound lyrics, and massive influence are more than sufficient to forever secure their legacy as the greatest rock group ever. Hit songs: “Abbey Road Medley,” “Across the Universe,” “All You Need Is Love,” “All My Loving,” “Back in the U.S.S.R.,” “Blackbird,” “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Come Together,” “A Day in the Life,” “Day Tripper,” “Dear Prudence,” “Don’t Let Me Down,” “Drive My Car,” “Eight Days a Week,” “Eleanor Rigby,” “For No One,” “Get Back,” “Girl,” “Good Day Sunshine,” “Got to Get You into My Life,” “Happiness Is a Warm Gun,” “A Hard Day’s Night,” “Hello, Goodbye,” “Help!,” “Helter Skelter,” “Here Comes the Sun,” “Here, There and Everywhere,” “Hey Bulldog,” “Hey Jude,” “I Am the Walrus,” “I Feel Fine,” “I Me Mine,” “I Saw Her Standing There,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “I Want You (She’s So Heavy),” “If I Fell,” “If I Needed Someone,” “In My Life,” “I’m a Loser,” “I’m Looking Through You,” “I’m Only Sleeping,” “I’ve Got a Feeling,” “I’ve Just Seen a Face,” “Lady Madonna,” “Let It Be,” “The Long and Winding Road,” “Love Me Do,” “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” “Money (That’s What I Want),” “No Reply,” “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown),” “Nowhere Man,” “Oh! Darling,” “Paperback Writer,” “Penny Lane,” “Please Please Me,” “Rain,” “Revolution,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “She Loves You,” “She Said She Said,” “She’s Leaving Home,” “Something,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “Taxman,” “Things We Said Today,” “Ticket to Ride,” “Tomorrow Never Knows,” “Twist and Shout,” “Two of Us,” “We Can Work It Out,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “With a Little Help from My Friends,” “Yer Blues,” “Yesterday,” “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away” Best song: “A Day in the Life” Runner-up: “Strawberry Fields Forever”  Second runner-up: “In My Life” Honorable mention: “Yesterday”

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