When we think of the music genre known as classic rock, we tend to think of it as being focused on the time period between the ‘60s and ‘80s. Yet many of the leading classic rock bands have held it together and are still very much living, breathing entities here in the 21st century. In some cases, they go out on the road with regularity. Others are still active in recording and releasing new material. Some do a little of both. Here is a list of five bands that refuse to go gently into that good night, and their fans are utterly grateful and all the better for it.
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1. The Rolling Stones
Come on, now, who else did you think would top this list? In terms of reputation and popularity, only their old British Invasion buddies The Beatles can hang with the Stones on top of the classic rock mountain. And the Fab Four, occasional special projects aside, haven’t been active since 1970.
The Stones keep on fighting the good fight as they’ve passed the 60-year mark since they first formed. For most of the 21st century, they’ve been a touring outfit only. But then they surprised us all with the release in 2023 of Hackney Diamonds, their first album of new, original material in 18 years. Even the death of beloved drummer Charlie Watts in 2021 hasn’t stopped them. If anything, it seems to have steeled the resolve of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards to keep the band alive as long as possible, as they seem to realize it’s bigger than any one individual member.
2. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
The Boss and company had to cancel some tour stops because of his health issues in 2023, but they quickly announced rescheduled dates for ’24. That’s a testament to the dedication of rock and roll’s ultimate road warrior and his longtime cohorts in the E Street Band.
The massive 1975 album Born to Run solidified the lineup of the E Street Band that has since enchanted audiences the world over. They’ve soldiered on through the deaths of Clarence Clemons and Danny Federici. Springsteen’s prolific writing tendencies also means there’s usually new material to which the band can contribute. The 2020 album of new, original material, Letter to You, found Springsteen and his gang in fine form.
3. Eagles
This is one that comes with a caveat, as the Eagles are in the midst of their “Long Goodbye” tour as of this writing. The tour began in September 2023, but the announcement came without a closing date—meaning we wouldn’t be surprised if you’re reading this several years from now and Don Henley and the boys are still going strong.
[RELATED: Eagles Announce New Dates for The Long Goodbye Final Tour]
When Glenn Frey died in 2016, the band decided they’d continue playing live, adding Frey’s son Deacon and country legend Vince Gill to their touring lineup. As far as recording new material, that’s probably not in the cards—it’s hard to see them going in that direction without Glenn Frey. But they’re still one of the biggest touring acts on the planet, in larger part because of continued public demand for their still-pristine live renderings of their huge ‘70s smashes.
4. The Who
It probably seems like The Who are always saying goodbye. There have been many times when Pete Townshend, the band’s creative driving force, has indicated that the band’s days were numbered. And yet they toured in 2022 and put out a well-received album in 2019, simply and aptly titled Who.
Technically, the only current members of the group are Townshend and original lead singer Roger Daltrey. Legendary drummer Keith Moon passed away all the way back in 1978, and bassist John Entwistle died in 2002. But Townshend and Daltrey have employed some outstanding session men for their tours and albums (most notably Ringo Starr’s son Zak Starkey on drums), and have even incorporated family members into the mix: Pete’s son Simon has been touring with the band since the ‘90s.
5. Cheap Trick
There are many other bands from the arena rock era of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s who are still going strong as live outfits. (Styx, Journey, Foreigner, etc. certainly could have made this list.) But many of these bands have replaced key members who are associated with their biggest successes. (Dennis DeYoung, Steve Perry, Lou Gramm, etc.)
Cheap Trick, however, has retained three of the original four members. Only original drummer Bun E. Carlos is no longer in the band, and his iconic presence is certainly missed by many fans. Still, three out of four for a band that’s been around 50 years now ain’t bad, especially when you consider that Cheap Trick isn’t just touring on the strength of its many ‘70s and ‘80s classics. They’re also one of the most active classic rock bands around in terms of recording, having released seven studio albums in the 21st century.
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