POLL: Best US singles band (non-R&B)

This is a revision of the earlier poll since so many good rock bands were left out. R&B will be the subject of another poll.

If you're not happy I revised it, I apologize in advance.

Oh, and there's room for one more band if someone suggests a good one right away. Three choices again. (And yes, I know CCR will win this one too.)

 

I went with Beach Boys, Creedence, and Three Dog Night (but could have put either the Monkees or the Turtles there, as well).

That said, I'd put Petty up with with the very best - his run of singles from '76-'89 was pretty astounding.

 

Do you differentiate between Petty on the one hand, and Springsteen and Seger on the other? Because if they're all in the same category I won't include Petty (whom I love, btw).

 

The Byrds & Creedence Clearwater Revival for sure... my third is a really tough choice between The Lovin Spoonful & The Beach Boys...

...and for the record, plenty I wouldn't have included...and many potential better choices missing in action...

 

CCR

4 Seasons

Tommy James

 

All three of mine are mentioned in your post.

 

Appropriately for someone British.

I voted for the BBC (Beach Boys, The Byrds & CCR).

 

Honestly, I'm not really well-versed in Seeger enough to know what were singles and what were album tracks (in the context of what gets played on classic rock radio nowadays). Bruce... I always thought of him as an album artist even though he had the massive Top 40 run in the mid-to-late '80s.

Ultimately, most of my favorite Petty songs are the ones he released as singles, so that colors my opinion as well, whereas most of my favorite Bruce tracks are album cuts.

 

I agree on your points about Petty and Springsteen. Unfortunately, it's too late now to edit the list. But thanks.

 

Monkees
Beach Boys
Blondie

Mostly because of the sheer number of great singles these bands put out

Many of the bands had one or two singles (maybe more) that I love but there's not much depth. Such as Chicago -"Saturday In The Park",Lovin' Spoonful - "Daydream",Rascals - "Groovin",Turtles - "Happy Together".

 

I don't think this will last, but right now The Beach Boys are ahead of CCR by 5 votes!

 

The stat that blows me away for Three Dog Night is 21 top 40 singles in a row. Nobody else ever did it. Not just nobody on THIS list, but nobody on a British list, an R&B list. Maybe on a list for some obscure dictatorship where the only records for sale are all by the Beloved Leader or something...but otherwise, the closest anybody else got that I've found was The Beach Boys with 18.

This brings up the old conundrum between "best" and "most popular," but I do indeed have Three Dog Night at #1, followed by Chicago, and Creedence by a length over The Monkees. They're the only ones on my list of "best" singles bands. Echoing AFOS, after those four for me, the rest are just bands with a couple of good singles (or less), and not in the race for me at all.

 

Bill Haleys run of 50s singles feels unrivalled for me until The Supremes golden era.

 

So what you're saying is I should start a new poll that includes both?

 

Paul Revere & The Raiders

 

Now you tell me!

 

Noooooo!

 

Very tough picking only three. I picked Three Dog Night, Creedence, & Chicago.

Chicago & TDN singles especially varied far more than most popular bands.

 

Cars
Creedence
Steve Miller Band

 

Beach Boys
Doobie Brothers
Three Dog Night

but could have voted for Creedence, Chicago, Byrds, Four Seasons, Rascals, Lovin Spoonful, Turtles or the Monkees

Too bad Steve Miller didn't have more successful singles between '68 and '72 since
that is his best period for me

 

I don't know how you can have multiple "Best". Merriam-Webster "better than all others in quality or value"

* Beach Boys

 

All right, that other thread is gone and this is the only U.S. singles poll left. (Thanks, Gorts! )

And tomorrow I'll be starting a thread on U.S. R&B bands.

 

Creedence!

 

I voted for The Turtles, Creedence, and The Monkees. As much as I love The Byrd's singles, it is those deep LP cuts that place them in my top 5 bands. Similarly for The Beach Boys, many great 45s but they really hit their stride starting with Today! where Brian moved past surfing and cars and pointed the way towards Pet Sounds.

A case could be made for various albums by my three choices but IMO they all excelled at the art of the AM radio-friendly 45rpm single.

 

I went for the 3 getting less votes...for the record my fave singles material from all of these choices would be The Byrds, followed by CCR, then I went with The Lovin' Spoonful...technically The Beach Boys were easily as great, & had longevity going for them, but being that The Lovin Spoonful's amazing run was being so under-recognized here, I decided to go ahead with giving them my final vote instead.

And yeah, whoever suggested Petty & Springsteen...great choices, but it would have my voting even harder...