(Audio) Who is the Greatest American Rock Band? Plus Taylor Swift's Billie Jean?

The Album of Record

Summary

In this episode, Craig Lyndall and Andrew Schnitkey discuss the greatest American rock bands of all time. They start by talking about Taylor Swift and her impact as a pop phenomenon. They then dive into the question of whether a song like Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean' could happen today, given the changes in the music industry and how people consume music. They then move on to the main topic of the episode, ranking the top American rock bands. They discuss bands like Rage Against the Machine, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Aerosmith, Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers, REM, and Foo Fighters. In this conversation, Craig and his guest discuss the top American rock bands. They cover bands like Foo Fighters, Beach Boys, Bruce Springsteen, Nine Inch Nails, Nirvana, Guns N' Roses, Metallica, and Pearl Jam. They discuss the peak, longevity, and cultural impact of each band, sharing personal preferences and experiences. They also mention the omission of Green Day and acknowledge that there may be other bands that should have been included.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Taylor Swift 09:50 Ranking the Greatest American Rock Bands 23:25 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 26:45 Aerosmith 29:09 Prince 32:47 Red Hot Chili Peppers 38:52 REM 43:33 Foo Fighters 44:03 Foo Fighters: Consistently Good or Nebulous Mesh? 47:46 The Beach Boys: More Than Surf Songs 52:00 Bruce Springsteen: The Coolest September 23 Birthday 56:26 Nine Inch Nails: Iconic Imagery and Cultural Impact 01:00:16 Nirvana: The Explosive Impact of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' 01:06:49 Guns N' Roses: The Most Dangerous Band in the World 01:12:04 Metallica: The Last Great Rock Band 01:20:46 Green Day: The Omission That Should Have Been Included