We know we are implying quite the opinion in the title, but are we wrong? To some, certainly, to others not at all. Quite frankly, it’s difficult to take The Beatles out of contention when it comes to discussing who the greatest band of all time is. After all, during their relatively short time together, they garnered 20 No. 1 hits, 19 No. 1 albums, eight competitive Grammy awards, and most importantly, changed modern music and touched generations separated from them. In other words, they have a lot of points in their favor.
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Given The Beatles’ overarching success in pop culture and the music industry, a plethora of bands have stood in their shadow for quite some time. However, if The Beatles never existed, these three bands just might be considered the greatest of all time.
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones and The Beatles sat in stark contrast to one another. At the start, The Rolling Stones were for a certain kind of fan, while The Beatles were seemingly for everyone. Consequently, The Rolling Stones were often placed in second place to the Fab Four. Although, that would seemingly not be the case if Paul McCartney had never picked up a guitar.
To this day, Mick Jagger and The Stones are not only alive, but thriving. As of now, The Rolling Stones have procured four Grammy Awards, eight No. 1 hits, and nine No. 1 albums. More importantly, they defined the rock ‘n’ roll movement of the 60s and 70s, and as a result, they gave The Beatles a run for their money.
Queen
Queen picked up where The Beatles left off, and what they went on to achieve is entirely unique to them. They blended 60s influence with new wave styles and sounds, and consequently, they introduced a whole new aesthetic and style of music to the mainstream.
Freddie Mercury and Queen have generated six No. 1 hits and 10 No. 1 albums in the United Kingdom. While they never won a Grammy, Queen proved that commercial success and musical exploration didn’t have to have a bad romance. Like The Beatles changed the game, so did Queen, and that is exactly why they are on this list.
Led Zeppelin
Some may argue that Led Zeppelin is, in fact, better than The Beatles. However, if The Beatles had never made it big, Led Zeppelin’s musical platform would likely be a lot smaller. Regardless, Led Zeppelin certainly carries their own weight in this conversation, and they do so through a plethora of different reasons, both tangible and intangible.
Concerning the intangibles, Led Zeppelin pioneered the album-oriented rock genre and changed the booking structure of the music industry with their contributions to stadium rock. Other than The Beatles, Zeppelin could very easily be considered the most innovative rock band of all time. Though, that is ultimately up for you to decide.
Photo by David Redfern/Redferns
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