Rank The "Big Six" Classic Rock Bands

1. The Beatles (by a lightyear)
2. Pink Floyd
3. Led Zeppelin
4. The Rolling Stones
5. Queen
6. The Who

 

Ah.....That would explain why a full length feature film about Queen is being released almost 30 years after Mercury’s death. It would also explain why more people stream Queen music than nearly every other classic rock group. Thank you for alerting us to this fake news.

 

Their most popular albums were in the '70s, true (if we're ignoring Tommy, Between the Buttons, Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, Zeppelin II...hardly slouches) ~ but they all made their initial splash & were already famous during the 60s.

 

Anytime .

 

For what it's worth, The Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Who belong together, the other three are separate, not only from the first three but from each other - but you can't go on subdividing endlessly so why not just stick them all together, where's the harm in that?

 

I would rank these six groups exactly as they appear on the list, with the proviso that I would put a lot of groups between Led Zep and Queen. The Kinks and the Beachboys absolutely belong on any short list of classic rock bands.

 

1. Beatles
2. Rolling Stones
3. The Who
4. Led Zeppelin
5. Pink Floyd

Unfortunately, I don't consider Queen quite in the same category as the others.

 

Queen does seem to be over-represented among all these bands when you take streaming into account. They are also played more on what passes for Classic Rock Radio these days. But how much of this is due to "Bohemian Rhapsody", "We are the Champions" ( a perennial at many sporting events) and "Under Pressure" ( their collaboration with Bowie)? Freddie Mercury is also a gay icon--a major reason why a film of his life (not Queen's) is being released. So they would seem to have more "juice" among a younger generation than those other bands.
But that still doesn't mean they belong on that list among those trailblazers . They would--it seems to me--be more appropriate on a list of , say "Most Popular Rock Bands of '70's" along with Aerosmith and KISS.

 

As usual, so much hate for Queen coming from a lot of SHF members (not picking on you DPK, just used your quote as an example).

I find it fascinating that most of the Queen haters out there worship a band well known for the sentiment "All You Need Is Love."

I suppose I'm gonna hear it for this comment but that's how I feel.

 

I lot of us don't "hate" Queen. But to many , they just don't seem to belong on that list with those other bands--and for a whole host of reasons, only one of which is related to the quality of the music.

 

Beatles top by a long way, then Who and Stones in joint second. Stones more consistent but tge Who hit higher heights and Moon was the only world class intrumentalist out of my top 3.

For whatever reason, I’ve never managed to properly listen to Led Zep or Pink Floyd though I’ve liked most and some, respectively, of what I have heard. Zep take fourth spot because Percy seems like a thoroughly decent chap, whereas at least one of Floyd doesn’t. Never been able to abide Queen so they’re stuck in 6th.

 

I respect your opinion JoeF. I simply disagree with it. But we can all live peacefully regardless.

 

For me, it goes:

Beatles
Floyd
Stones
Who
Zep
Queen

But I like them all. I would also question whether Queen belongs here. If you bring them in, why not U2, The Kinks, AC/DC, Eagles, Beach Boys, etc?

 

Haha, nice! Well, I'm a dad not a grandad.

 

Aerosmith should be on the list. No, I'm not a fan.

Edit. All your choices are from the UK!

 

I think the poll is based on popularity.

 

Zep and the Stones are almost a dead heat for me.

I listen to:
Beatles and Floyd - often
Zep and Stones - occasionally
Queen and Who - rarely

 

Neither am I Although I am a grand-uncle at 47. My sister is 66!

 

In decending order...

Beatles - I can listen to the Beatles anytime...I don't necessarily have to be in the mood to do so
.
Zeppelin - My childhood/teenage favorite. The first geuine rock band that I ever idolized.

The Who - I love most of what they did up until "By Numbers", though I like very little of what they did post-Moon.

Floyd - Even though I found Waters' cranky cynicism annoying at times (ironically, as scathing as it can be, Animals is probably my favorite PF album), I've had little interest in what the band produced after his departure. To me it sounds like one big Gilmore solo project.

Stones - I paid good money to watch a show from their 1983 (?) "farewell" tour on cable TV. I never really forgave them for that bit of false advertising. That said, I still consider "Gimme Shelter" to be one of the greatest rock songs ever.

Qieen - Maybe it's a cultural thing, but I dunno whether most Americans would put Queen in a hypothetical Big Six. I wouldn't, even though I loved them around the time of "Opera" and "News".

 

The Beatles were pop

The Doors > Queen

 

Personal ranking ( it's odd but I don't personally know any Beatles fans)

The Who
Led Zep
Pink Floyd
Queen
Stones
The Beatles

 

Listen to the compilation "Rock 'n' Roll Music" if you think The Beatles were simply pop.

 

I based my estimate of popularity on how the acts draw on tour. Eagles still do stadiums - even without Frey, which shocks me - while FM stays in arenas.

Honestly not sure what - if any - difference that absence of Buckingham has had on FM's current tour, but they've not been a stadium-level draw...

 

I'm not limiting them to pop, I'm pretty damn familiar with the Beatles!

But I think they touched more genres than the other bands here, and in a straight 'rock' contest I don't think it's a straight comparison. Indeed, you can claim the Beatles did rock; but I'll be surprised if anyone disavows their roots in pop.

 

I personally love all those bands ... for the sake of it I voted Floyd and Led Zep