# Favorite of these Rock bands



## mahlernerd (Jan 19, 2020)

I personally choose Queen. The reason I love them so much is because, well, I love Freddie Mercury. He is without a doubt my pick for the best vocalist in all of modern music. I also love how much variety they have in their music. They are very well known for including many different styles in their songs. While they would be considered a rock band, they include elements of Gospel, 50s, funk, and of course, opera. My family doesn’t really care for Queen because they say that they are too “out there,” but that is perhaps the reason why I love them so much!


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Queen > Beatles > Stones > Led Zep for me.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Beatles > Led Zeppelin > Stones >>>>>>> Queen.


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## En Passant (Aug 1, 2020)

Hard to pick between Zeppelin and Queen but I voted for Zeppelin. I think both are fantastic musically especially if you look beyond Queen’s singles.


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## En Passant (Aug 1, 2020)

Art Rock said:


> Queen > Beatles > Stones > Led Zep for me.


I could have guessed this was your answer although it hurts to see Zep dead last.


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

The Beatles > Led Zeppelin > Queen >>> The Rolling Stones

I've never been a big fan of The Rolling Stones


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I own no Queen albums. I listen to the other three occasionally. Classic Rock is not something I want to spend too much time with in my remaining years.


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## Mifek (Jul 28, 2018)

Beatles > Led Zeppelin > Stones = Queen


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## Room2201974 (Jan 23, 2018)

Beatles, Stones, Queen.

LZ* disqualified as always.


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

Zeppelin. The overall level of musicianship.


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## Fat Bob (Sep 25, 2015)

A dead heat between Beatles and Stones, Queen third, LZ comfortably last for me.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Difficult to split Zep, Stones and Beatles. Queen would be last. I genuinely respect Queen for their all-round capabilities but as I largely prefer their earlier hard rock style I only really like the first three albums, half of _A Night at the Opera_ and a handful of tracks after that.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

I voted for The Beatles - but I wavered considering Led Zeppelin 

Interesting that the Stones have no votes, seeing that they are probably the best classic rock group, ever.

I never listened to Queen.


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## RogerWaters (Feb 13, 2017)

Zeppelin were giants of the earth. 

Beatles were special, but when Zeus comes, you make room.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

I voted Led Zep but now I wish I voted for the Stones. Zero votes!


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## Littlephrase (Nov 28, 2018)

Beatles > Led Zeppelin > The Rolling Stones >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Queen


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I vote for Deep Purple.


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## Room2201974 (Jan 23, 2018)

I'm pretty sure that when you have to settle out of court this many times it's no longer just copyright infringement......it's a pattern of behavior. They would have been more original.....if.....if.....if....if they had only been more original. Now some of these examples don't work as well as others. But if I'm on a jury, and you presented me with THIS much evidence and the out of court settlements....then I'm forced to net grade downward and award them a Roger Maris *.











BTW, point of reference. I am the holder of dozens of copyrights. I have commercial products out there for which I am paid royalties. I have great empathy for any songwriter like Willie Dixon, whose intellectual property rights were obviously stolen, and who had to resort to legal action for justice. Justice delayed is justice denied.

Now, LZ*? Great musicians, you'll get no argument from me on that score. Their *original* material is wonderful and there are songs that I love. But they spent way, way too much time being a cover band for other songwriter's ideas.....when instead they could have come up with more wonderful original material. And of course, the out of court settlements (plural) are an admission of guilt. 

One of the many jobs of a producer is to use his set of ears to make sure that what is being produced is not so derivative as to violate copyright law. Every producer I've worked with has been in the studio at every recording session listening to the quality of the product while its been recorded, punched or mixed. So for the gynormous intellectual property thefts on _ LZ*I _, I'd also blame the producer. But I suppose that when you're that high on whatever, your adoring fans are plaster castering you, and the woman on your arm looks like a Playboy model, well then, any means justifies the ends.

It's an earned *!


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Room2201974 said:


> I'm pretty sure that when you have to settle out of court this many times it's no long copyright infringement - it's cultural appropriation. They would have been more original.....if.....if.....if....if they had only been more original. Now some of these examples don't work as well as others. But if I'm on a jury, and you presented me with THIS much evidence and the out of court settlements....then I'm forced to net grade downward and award them a Roger Maris *.


I think Zeppelin was the best rock band, but yes they should have given more credit to others in some cases for some of their music. They were not perfect.

The majority of their best work is original. The Stairway case was thrown out, Achilles Last Stand, Ten Years Gone, The Song Remains the Same etc etc. All original! You can't asterisk that, you can't touch their best work, and it is untainted by any copyright nonsense. Face the facts.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Beatles, Rolling Stones, Queen, then Zeppelin if I base on the original stuff of Zeppelin only. My Fave Zeppelin Songs are Stairway, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, Whole Lotta Love, When the Levee Breaks, all which have the main material taken from other songs before. They are a great band, just not great songwriters to me. I'd skip Kashmir, Immigrant Song, and the rest. Zeppelin fans will find this abominable, but D'yer Mak'er is probably one of my favourite original Zeppelin songs. Oh forgot, Black Dog and Misty Mountain Hop is up there too, but then it's more the jamming than the songwriting itself.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Phil loves classical said:


> Beatles, Rolling Stones, Queen, then Zeppelin if I base on the original stuff of Zeppelin only. My Fave Zeppelin Songs are Stairway, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, Whole Lotta Love, When the Levee Breaks, all which have the main material taken from other songs before. They are a great band, just not great songwriters to me. I'd skip Kashmir, Immigrant Song, and the rest. Zeppelin fans will find this abominable, but D'yer Mak'er is probably one of my favourite original Zeppelin songs. Oh forgot, Black Dog and Misty Mountain Hop is up there too, but then it's more the jamming than the songwriting itself.


If you say Stairway has its 'main material' taken from somewhere else then we would have to take a close look at the majority of famous songs for these kinds of vague similarities. We could then likely make the same statement about over 90% of them. Its is a ridiculous claim, and legally speaking you are objectively wrong. The relationship between Spirit's track and Stairway is so vague, not to mention that the primary element of a song are the lyrics and melody, both of which are original in Stairway.

Zeppelin's other songs that feature borrowed material also end up _sounding_ very original. If the songwriting credits were changed on the songs where they borrowed, it wouldn't change my opinion of them as a band. Elvis fame rests solely on unoriginal music. Most of Clapton's hits were covers. The majority of Zeppelin's best songs (I agree BIGLY and Levee Breaks are exceptions) are completely original. They are one of the most original sounding bands of all time. The same goes for all the bands listed in this poll except for The Rolling Stones.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

tdc said:


> If you say Stairway has its 'main material' taken from somewhere else then we would have to take a close look at the majority of famous songs for these kinds of vague similarities. We could then likely make the same statement about over 90% of them. Its is a ridiculous claim, and legally speaking you are objectively wrong. The relationship between Spirit's track and Stairway is so vague, not to mention that the primary element of a song are the lyrics and melody, both of which are original in Stairway.
> 
> Zeppelin's other songs that feature borrowed material also end up _sounding_ very original. If the songwriting credits were changed on the songs where they borrowed, it wouldn't change my opinion of them as a band. Elvis fame rests solely on unoriginal music. Most of Clapton's hits were covers. The majority of Zeppelin's best songs (I agree BIGLY and Levee Breaks are exceptions) are completely original. They are one of the most original sounding bands of all time. The same goes for all the bands listed in this poll except for The Rolling Stones.


I believe there is a clear relationship between Spirit's song and Stairway with the same progression in the riff, and guitar picking. The melody was improvised around the riff by Zeppelin I agree, and the variation on it, so they aren't without talent, but the riff serves as the clear backbone which everything else is derived to me. The legal system is limited, so I don't look at that as the end all. If Zeppelin had lots of other great songs with great songwriting as those they copied or built on top of, then I'd rated them accordingly, but other than those songs with important elements borrowed, I feel they are pretty limited in their songwriting ability.

I believe the Stones are more creative than Zeppelin on their all-original stuff. I feel how the melody line harmonizes with the riff in Jumpin' Jack Flash, Gimme Shelter, Jigsaw Puzzle and Wild Horses is more inspired and original than anything Zeppelin wrote or copied, except for Whole Lotta Love (from Muddy Waters). But I do think Zeppelin is more skilled as musicians than any of the others in the list for their playing and jamming ability.

Compare the rhythmic variety and harmonizations with the melody lines in this:





With say this (considered by some to be their best song):


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Phil loves classical said:


> I believe there is a clear relationship between Spirit's song and Stairway with the same progression in the riff, and guitar picking. The melody was improvised around the riff by Zeppelin I agree, and the variation on it, so they aren't without talent, but the riff serves as the clear backbone which everything else is derived to me. The legal system is limited, so I don't look at that as the end all. If Zeppelin had lots of other great songs with great songwriting as those they copied or built on top of, then I'd rated them accordingly, but other than those songs with important elements borrowed, I feel they are pretty limited in their songwriting ability.
> 
> I believe the Stones are more creative than Zeppelin on their all-original stuff. I feel how the melody line harmonizes with the riff in Jumpin' Jack Flash, Gimme Shelter and Wild Horses is more inspired and original than anything Zeppelin wrote or copied, except for Whole Lotta Love (from Muddy Waters). But I do think Zeppelin is more skilled as musicians than any of the others in the list for their playing and jamming ability.


Can't agree with this at all. Your logic is if someone sits around and plays a banal descending guitar riff in A minor then it is just an easy hop skip and jump away for someone else to run with that idea and create Stairway to Heaven. C'mon, really?

It would take me a while to list all of Zeppelin's great and original songs, and the accolades they've received for them. Stairway is widely considered the greatest rock song of all time, yet you claim they are 'limited in their songwriting ability'. To list those elements of those Stones tracks as inspired while ignoring the range and myriad of techniques Zeppelin utilized live and in studio (while the Stones never really did anything experimental in the studio or live for that matter) then saying harmonizing a melody line is somehow more inspired and original than anything in Zeppelin? I mean you are free to your opinion, but I think you should separate what your tastes are from more objective aspects of the music.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

tdc said:


> Can't agree with this at all. Your logic is if someone sits around and plays a banal descending guitar riff in A minor then it is just an easy hop skip and jump away for someone else to run with that idea and create Stairway to Heaven. C'mon, really?
> 
> It would take me a while to list all of Zeppelin's great and original songs, and the accolades they've received for them. Stairway is widely considered the greatest rock song of all time, yet you claim they are 'limited in their songwriting ability'. To list those elements of those Stones tracks as inspired while ignoring the range and myriad of techniques Zeppelin utilized live and in studio (while the Stones never really did anything experimental in the studio or live for that matter) then saying harmonizing a melody line is somehow more inspired and original than anything in Zeppelin? I mean you are free to your opinion, but I think you should separate what your tastes are from more objective aspects of the music.


What Zeppelin did with the riff is not that impressive to me. It sounds pleasant, and that is what listeners like. It's just like how Satisfaction is not the Stones' greatest song, even though it could be their most popular and some may say it is. What the general consensus says in the Rock world is not objective in my view. There is a lot of music with more depth and ingenuity than Stairway to Heaven, I believe objectively. But fans like pleasantness over ingenuity.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Phil loves classical said:


> What Zeppelin did with the riff is not that impressive to me. It sounds pleasant, and that is what listeners like. It's just like how Satisfaction is not the Stones' greatest song, even though it could be their most popular and some may say it is. What the general consensus says in the Rock world is not objective in my view. There is a lot of music with more depth and ingenuity than Stairway to Heaven, I believe objectively. But fans like pleasantness over ingenuity.


You are comparing two completely different kinds of songs (Satisfaction vs. Stairway). You are comparing a more simplistic track with something more intricate and dynamic. Satisfaction could be compared to something like Zeppelin's Rock n Roll stylistically, with Stairway it is apples and oranges.

The song structure of Stairway is unique, the blend of acoustic medieval elements with blues, the build up of the song with distinct sections, the fine mixture of acoustic and electric sonorities, the outstanding production, the way the instruments are mic'd, the guitar harmonies, the entrance of the drums delayed until about halfway through the song, the intricate, poetic nature of the lyrics. (Stairway is a much deeper song lyrically than Satisfaction, if you don't understand that you are either ignorant, or willfully obtuse).

It sounds to me like you don't even know that much about the song Stairway to Heaven, you just seem to assume it is highly popular, so therefore it must be simply pleasant, and lacking substance. People also like to hate on things that get over played on the radio, which I acknowledge STH is, however one should not let things like this blind them to the quality aspects of a song that may have led to that popularity, no, it is not always because it is simple and pleasant. Sometimes bands with high artistic merit and creativity become very popular, The Beatles and Zeppelin are great examples of this.

Saying its 'just not that impressive to me' is fine, but it is an opinion, one that many would disagree with you on, and it is one that you haven't backed up with much of substance. I could say, the Mona Lisa, is just not that impressive to me, there are plenty of other art works with more depth etc. But criticism of this nature is pretty cheap.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

tdc said:


> You are comparing two completely different kinds of songs (Satisfaction vs. Stairway). You are comparing a more simplistic track with something more intricate and dynamic. Satisfaction could be compared to something like Zeppelin's Rock n Roll stylistically, with Stairway it is apples and oranges.
> 
> The song structure of Stairway is unique, the blend of acoustic medieval elements with blues, the build up of the song with distinct sections, the fine mixture of acoustic and electric sonorities, the outstanding production, the way the instruments are mic'd, the guitar harmonies, the entrance of the drums delayed until about halfway through the song, the intricate, poetic nature of the lyrics. (Stairway is a much deeper song lyrically than Satisfaction, if you don't understand that you are either ignorant, or willfully obtuse).
> 
> ...


I was comparing Satisfaction to other Stones' songs, saying it's not the greatest Stones' song even though it could be their most popular as an illustration. Not sure where I compared it to Stairway (I didn't). But I think I know Stairway quite a bit better than the casual fan does. Stairway is really just a 2 variations (including the 'metal' part) on the progression with an improvised melody. it's just a rock version of a simple progression and variations. The arrangement is clever (clever enough that it appears more deep and complex than it actually is) but the actual guts of the piece is not really that impressive compared to a lot of other music less popular.

Yesterday is the Beatles most popular song, and most covered, but doesn't have the depth, ingenuity, etc. in any way as Strawberry Fields. By the way, Strawberry Fields is multiple times more deep and layered, etc. than Stairway to Heaven, but is not nearly as popular.


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## TwoFlutesOneTrumpet (Aug 31, 2011)

Zeppelin
Beatles


Queen











Most overrated rock band ever.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Phil loves classical said:


> I was comparing Satisfaction to other Stones' songs, saying it's not the greatest Stones' song even though it could be their most popular as an illustration. Not sure where I compared it to Stairway (I didn't). But I think I know Stairway quite a bit better than the casual fan does. Stairway is really just a 2 variations (including the 'metal' part) on the progression with an improvised melody. it's just a rock version of a simple progression and variations. The arrangement is clever (clever enough that it appears more deep and complex than it actually is) but the actual guts of the piece is not really that impressive compared to a lot of other music less popular.
> 
> Yesterday is the Beatles most popular song, and most covered, but doesn't have the depth, ingenuity, etc. in any way as Strawberry Fields. By the way, Strawberry Fields is multiple times more deep and layered, etc. than Stairway to Heaven, but is not nearly as popular.


I am also quite familiar with the structure of Stairway, there are multiple sections (about 4 or 5 I think, certainly more than 2, though I don't know what you mean here by 'variations' I don't think about this song in that way) each flowing into the other seamlessly, and in each I find it impressive how adept Page was at selecting just the right voicings for each chord in different sections, and adding interesting vertical harmonic spice where necessary. I think you are over looking a lot of simple, yet subtle touches of genius on the track.

That's the thing about rock/pop is complexity and layers can help to a point, but at a certain point it can lose its own nature and become something else. The genius lies in the innovation yet retaining the essential nature of the style. Actually this is true about any kind of music, otherwise what is most complex or original would automatically be the best. This to me is where much complex rock/prog/fusion fails. I think Zeppelin was excellent at being layered and interesting, yet retaining a balance and not losing the power of simplicity. The Beatles were great too but did have some outside help with arrangers/producers, where Jimmy Page produced all of Zeppelin.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

I certainly thinking hard like now, will be back.


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## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)

well Derek and and the Dominos and the Allman Bros Band and a few more


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

The textural complexity of the background of Plant's vocals in Led Zeppelin's _oeuvre_ is unmatched in rock. Everybody else, every other band, (well, almost everybody else) is providing essentially a rhythm track in which to embed the vocals, interleaved with some guitar work--much quite beautiful, no argument. And there can be inspired instrumental noodling _a la_ Genesis or similar bands--again, all very fine. But Zeppelin is different. Just put on the headphones and listen. No contest.


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## Judas Priest Fan (Apr 27, 2018)

None of the 4 

I like rock and (quality) Metal, but those bands just don´t do anything for me.


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## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

1) The Beatles
2) Led Zeppelin
3) Queen
4) The Rolling Stones

For me there's quite small difference between the first 3, after which come The Rolling Stones, as decidedly bellow them.

The Beatles are first because the size of their output, in terms of sheer number of high quality songs is unmatched. And yet some of these songs are near perfect.

Led Zeppelin has approached sheer genius in some songs and they were extremely important in the development of hard rock and heavy metal.

Queen is almost equal to Led Zeppelin... very, very, very tiny margin between them.

The Rolling Stones, well they are a great rock band, one of the greatest for sure, but I don't see anything that makes them that special, except for the period when they were rivals with The Beatles, so they are often put in the same comparison with The Beatles... otherwise... I see them always coming quite close to the very top with many songs, but not quite...


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

It's a tie between Queen and The Beatles for me, and I chose the former because it had less votes. I never connected with the music of the Rolling Stones.


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## Chilham (Jun 18, 2020)

...................


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## Paul Roberts (Oct 10, 2020)

The Beatles by a long shot.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

The Beatles
Led Zeppelin
Kinks
The Beach Boys


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## Skakner (Oct 8, 2020)

None of them is truly my favorite band.
I voted for Led Zeppelin because they come closer to the term ''favorite". I like a lot of their songs.
I would pick just a couple of songs from Beatles (Let it be, Yesterday), one from Queen (Bohemian Rhapsody), none from Rolling Stones...


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## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

Skakner said:


> None of them is truly my favorite band.
> I voted for Led Zeppelin because they come closer to the term ''favorite". I like a lot of their songs.
> I would pick just a couple of songs from Beatles (Let it be, Yesterday), one from Queen (Bohemian Rhapsody), none from Rolling Stones...


If you like Let it Be and Yesterday, you'll probably also like the following songs:

The Beatles - Norwegian Wood
The Beatles - Michelle
The Beatles - In My Life
The Beatles - Eleanor Rigby
The Beatles - Across the Universe
The Beatles - She's Leaving Home

The Rolling Stones - Ruby Tuesday
The Rolling Stones - Paint It Black


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## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

SanAntone said:


> The Beatles
> Led Zeppelin
> Kinks
> The Beach Boys


I like seeing The Kinks mentioned... great band!


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## Skakner (Oct 8, 2020)

ZJovicic said:


> If you like Let it Be and Yesterday, you'll probably also like the following songs:
> 
> The Beatles - Norwegian Wood
> The Beatles - Michelle
> ...


I used to play these two songs at the piano, that's why I, kind of, like(d) them.
I know it isn't but Beatles music sounds "childish" to my ears. I generally don't like _song_ as a musical form.


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## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

It kind of does sound a bit more cute/childish than most of the other bands from that period.
Still they produced some excellent songs.


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