100 Greatest Hard Rock Artists of All-Time

Casey Fisher · Post by **Casey Fisher** » Thu May 03, 2007 1:23 pm

In honor of the recent music posts talking about great rock bands, I am putting this list back on here. These are the 100 Greatest Hard Rock Artists of All-Time as voted on and ranked by VH1. I know we will all agree and disagree with some rankings, but this is a good start for a discussion.

100 - Quiet Riot
99 - Bad Brains
98 - Mountain
97 - Primus
96 - Meat Loaf
95 - Fugazi
94 - Yes
93 - Lenny Kravitz
92 - The Black Crowes
91 - The Misfits
90 - Rainbow
89 - Lita Ford
88 - Tool
87 - King Crimson
86 - Foreigner
85 - Whitesnake
84 - UFO
83 - King's X
82 - Queensryche
81 - The Pixies
80 - Green Day
79 - Ratt
78 - Marilyn Manson
77 - Hole
76 - Bon Jovi
75 - Spinal Tap
74 - Pat Benatar
73 - Twisted Sister
72 - Foo Fighters
71 - Lynyrd Skynyrd
70 - Living Colour
69- Megadeth
68- Hüsker Dü
67 - The Rolling Stones
66 - Joan Jett
65 - The Cult
64 - Steppenwolf
63 - Boston
62 - Ministry
61 - Jethro Tull
60 - The New York Dolls
59 - Bad Company
58 - Anthrax
57 - Heart
56 - White Zombie
55 - Blue Öyster Cult
54 - Sonic Youth
53 - Korn
52 - Faith No More
51 - Thin Lizzy
50 - Slayer
49 - The Smashing Pumpkins
48 - Janis Joplin
47 - Rollins Band
46 - Scorpions
45 - Pantera
44 - ZZ Top
43 - Nine Inch Nails
42 - The Kinks
41 - Ted Nugent
40 - Stone Temple Pilots
39 - Crazy Horse
38 - MC5
37 - The Yardbirds
36 - Frank Zappa
35 - Jane's Addiction
34 - Alice in Chains
33 - Rage Against the Machine
32 - The Doors
31 - Def Leppard
30 - The Red Hot Chili Peppers
29 - Mötley Crüe
28 - Rush
27 - Iggy Pop
26 - Motörhead
25 - Cheap Trick
24 - Iron Maiden
23 - Judas Priest
22 - Deep Purple
21 - Pearl Jam
20 - Alice Cooper
19 - The Clash
18 - Ozzy Osbourne
17 - The Ramones
16 - Cream
15 - Pink Floyd
14 - Soundgarden
13 - Queen
12 - The Sex Pistols
11 - Aerosmith
10 - Kiss
9 - Guns N' Roses
8 - The Who
7 - Van Halen
6 - Nirvana
5 - Metallica
4 - AC/DC
3 - Jimi Hendrix
2 - Black Sabbath
1 - Led Zeppelin

Mike Nordin · Post by **Mike Nordin** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 11:55 am

OK, Fish...I've been working on this but haven't finished. I keep adding and changing my list, and I haven't decided if 100 is too long a list or not long enough. I started out rearranging the list but then saw that there are some major ommisions.

Greatest Rock Artists...???...I guess I always come back to that question, how are we defining ROCK. This looks more like a Hard Rock list, wouldn't you agree?
Anyway, I think Elvis, The Beattles, and Janice Joplin should be on the list if not even very high on the list. Heck, the Beattles could be #!
And the Rolling stones, for as many albums and hit songs that our pop culture demands replay just about everywhere, deserves top 20 consideration at the very least. I'm halfway done with my list. So I'll either post a top 50 soon or I'll post the finished product, or at least my humble submission.

Casey Fisher · Post by **Casey Fisher** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 1:59 pm

Great work Nords... This list is specifically "Hard" rock artists. 100 to me is awful long. I think a Top 50 list would be great unless you want to go longer...

Mike Nordin · Post by **Mike Nordin** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 9:40 am

This is probably the hardest topic. Here's 25, by personal opinion, and I could be flexible by 1 or 2 positions but this is pretty much how I see it.

25- Judas Priest
24-Rush
23-Cream
22-Johnny Cash
21-SuperTramp
20-Queen
19-The Eagles
18-The Doors
17-The Kinks
16-The Ramones
15-The Sex Pistols
14-Metallica
13-Nirvana
12-Kiss
11-Black Sabbath/Ozzy Osbourne, Dio ect.
10-Jimi Hendrix
9-Guns N’ Roses
8-Van Halen
7-The Rolling Stones
6.The Who
5-Aerosmith
4-Pink Floyd
3-Led Zeppelin
2-AC/DC
1-Beattles,
Elvis, Bob Dylan (all rock bands, whether Hard rock or not, have to recognize these two).

I know I'll catch flack for this list but here it is.

Mike Nordin · Post by **Mike Nordin** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 1:52 pm

By the way, I do like the Crue quite a bit but I just couldn't make the room. I had about a dozen other bands that I thought about. Fishrock knows I've been struggling on this one, but not everyone could make the list. Oh, Mili Vanili was close too.

Casey Fisher · Post by **Casey Fisher** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 2:02 pm

Mike Nordin wrote:By the way, I do like the Crue quite a bit but I just couldn't make the room. I had about a dozen other bands that I thought about. Fishrock knows I've been struggling on this one, but not everyone could make the list. Oh, Mili Vanili was close too.

LOL plu. The Crue would definitely fit in your Top 25 of "Hard" Rock artists as I see you put some normal rock and roll artists and even Johnny Cash on your list, which made it even better. The Crue is definitely a Top 20 Hard Rock Artist.

Ken Lagerquist · Post by **Ken Lagerquist** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:21 pm

Korn should be much higher on that list!

Mike Dye · Post by **Mike Dye** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:29 am

The Scorpions would have to be on mine, saw them last year and they still kick ass.

I'm gonna have to sit and really think on this one...I will post my 25 at a later date....

Mike Nordin · Post by **Mike Nordin** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:58 am

It's tough and takes awhile. I really like the scorps too, but you can't have everyone. I know the topic is greatest "hard" rock artists, but I went more of a "who made an impact" type list. I've already caught flack also from a friend of mine not signed up on the sight from Lakeland. He wanted Smashing Pumpkins and Pixies. He couldn't believe I didn't include them. He also thought ELO and the clash should have got on there. But you know, it's hard enough just trying to remember ALL the great bands, let alone putting them in some kind of order.

Gentry Woolman · Post by **Gentry Woolman** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 1:59 pm

1-TheBeatles
2-Led Zeppelin
3-The Rolling Stones
4-The Doors
5-Black Sabbath/Ozzy
6-AC/DC
7-Scorpions
8-Kiss
9-Motley Crue
10-Van Halen
11-Tesla
12-Metallica
13-Slaughter
14-Alice Cooper
15-Guns ‘N Roses
16-Aerosmith
17-Autograph
18-Poison
19-Ratt
20-Faster Pussycat
21-Twisted Sister
22-Quiet Riot
23-Cinderella
24-Axe
25-W.A.S.P.

Here's my top 25 favorites. Yep - I pretty much stopped at the end of the 80's. My love for rock doesn't stop there, though. Love the new stuff by Kid Rock, Alice in Chains, Marilyn Manson, Puddle of Mudd, P.O.D., The Offspring (I could go on and on) and I'm really diggin Daughtry.

Mike Dye · Post by **Mike Dye** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 4:13 pm

Depending on your taste and mood for music there could be several lists. I like Gentry's even though I'm not a big Beatles or Stones fan, they still get my respect.

And I haven't heard someone mention Axe in years, brought back some flashbacks there....Nice call

Hank Rauenhorst · Post by **Hank Rauenhorst** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:45 pm

Any list that doesn't end with the letters AC/DC ain't no list. I like all those other ones too. But come on. One word....Squealer.

Mike Nordin · Post by **Mike Nordin** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 11:01 pm

I love the fact that one of the sib's is back, you know the one called Hank. And yes AC/DC is on the list, in fact on MY LIST IT IS #2, ok my dad made me put Beatles #1

(I'm a fan but not that big a fan), anyway, it's good to hear from you.

Gentry Woolman · Post by **Gentry Woolman** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 6:31 pm

Beattles lover or not, you just have to pay them tribute in the "Greatest Rock Artist List". Without them, we'd have never heard the Crue's version of "Helter Skelter", and that's just a great tune! The Beatles helped get started the music we love today. Gotta love 'em for that!!

Ken Lagerquist · Post by **Ken Lagerquist** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 8:24 am

Well, we saw Def Leppard last night at Cheyenne Frontier Days!. I have to say that was probably the best concert i have ever been too.. The know how to put on a show and they absolutely ROCK!!!! If the VH1 list is for rock bands as a whole, then i might agree with Def Leppard at #31, but if you are talking flat performance, i would have to say that they rank even higher than that. They may be old, but their show was top notch and i recommend you guys go to them if you get a chance.