Best Rock Band of all Time

That was the last Grammys that I watched.

I'm also noting that you said "greatest" instead of "best" -- if the question is greatest, by many measurements I'd go with Zeppelin.

Oooh...interesting distinction.

"Best"... maybe Rush, maybe Tool, maybe Smashing Pumpkins???
 
Here's a good example of that: I agree with AF that Led Zeppelin is the best on the basis of the criteria he mentioned, while I said AC/DC is the best on the basis that they are closest to the "Platonic ideal" of a rock band - they are the distilled essence of the look, the sound, and the feel of what I think of when someone asks "what is a rock band?". (I like AC/DC a lot, but there are others I like better - such as ZZ Top and, of course, Led Zeppelin.)

Zep and AC/DC are pretty much the definition of blues based rock. And maybe that is what we mean by the term "rock". (Although one might say that Zep is the master, and AC/DC the student.) ;)

But when we start evolving away from pure blues based rock, then Black Sabbath was the master. They influenced everything that would be considered metal.

Maybe one way to judge bands would be their influence. How many bands were influenced by, or clones of some other band? Once again, Zep may have spawned more than any other rock band.
 
"Best" can be defined a lot of different ways. My favorite is Roth-era Van Halen.

An excellent choice. And as far as influence, EVH inspired as many guitarists as Jimi Hendrix. Speaking of which, no mentions of Jimi?!
 
https://twitter.com/TheBabylonBee/status/1657808020850475008
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Out in the country
Hear the people singing
Singing about their growing
Knowing where they're going
Yeah, yeah

Oh, oh, the people turned away, yeah
Oh, the people turned away

Sing loud for the sunshine
Pray hard for the rain
And show your love for Lady Nature
And she will come back again
Yeah, yes, she will

 
An excellent choice. And as far as influence, EVH inspired as many guitarists as Jimi Hendrix. Speaking of which, no mentions of Jimi?!

Jimi stands out more as an individual guitar hero like Clapton or Eric Johnson or Stevie Ray Vaughn, who we could easily make another thread for.

He did have some outstanding studio guys backing him.

Mitch Mitchell is one of the best drummers I've heard. His chops come from the same jazz roots as Bonham's and he plays with a similar power, speed and technical proficiency that Bonham did.

You can hear it clearly in this song, one of my favs.

 
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There is nothing bad on Physical Graffiti.

Every single track is a masterpiece.
...

Almost nothing bad on any of their releases through Presence. LZ III had a couple of throwaway tracks (final song on both sides), IMHO.

In Through the Out Door wasn't quite up to par. Plant's voice had started to change, Page was on heroin, Bonham was on alcohol and coke, and some guitar/key/voice effects that did not age well.
 
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