Eagles Are The Greatest American Rock Band Ever

[TheWizardOfMudd]

Henley & Frey are the closest America has ever come to Lennon & McCartney.

[sir_captain]

1. I'll go with The Velvet Underground

awesome, awesome band

[TheWizardOfMudd]

2. Terrible songwriters

And terrible singers.

And terrible players.

No comparison.

[sir_captain]

5. I guess there's no accounting for taste

what was the point of starting a discussion if you're just going to flame everyone who mentions a different band?

[TheWizardOfMudd]

6. I'm not flaming you

I'm just saying that if you look at songwriting, musicianship and singing, that it is ludicrous to compare Velvet Underground to Eagles.

Velvet Underground has its rightful place in history as far as participating in the creation of a style. But in the grand scheme of the three aspects I mentioned, they don't even rate a mention in passing.

[sendero]

45. I'm afraid...

... that few who love and live for music would agree with you on your assessment of the Eagles or of VU.

The Eagles were ok. VU spawned a musical movement.

[SmileyBoy]

3. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Oh God, that is SOOOO funny!!!

Thank's for giving me that laugh!!! I needed it!!!:7:7:7:7:7:7

[TheWizardOfMudd]

4. Can you be more specific?

Thanks.

[SmileyBoy]

7. I'm sorry, but the EAGLES as the greatest American rock band???

Now don't get me wrong, I have no problem with The Eagles, I think they were a decent group. I honestly don't see how many people thought they sucked, but to put them at NUMBER ONE of all time among American rock groups is silly. I'd easily put them in my top-20 (maybe even top-10), but not number one. My personal top three (in no particular order) would be The Greatful Dead, REM, and The Jimi Hendrix Experience. But that's just my own personal opinion.

I was kind of reacting in the same way as when they announced that Seinfeld was voted number one sitcom of all time. Again, I feel it belonged in the top-20. It was a decent show. I didn't hate that show either. But NOT NUMBER ONE. COME ON...

[Guaranteed]

20. Ahh yes...the Greatful Dead.

LOL

Yeah...anyway, I can't stand them either.

[andino]

8. Sorry but I don't think that

the eagles are really rock. KISS and Aerosmith are rock bands.

[TheWizardOfMudd]

11. Then how would you characterize them?

If not "rock," then what?

[Bombtrack]

9. I think they maybe had 1 pretty good song

Sorry, I think they're mostly cheesy and uncool. And I'm a guy who digs classic rock

They shouldn't rank anywhere near the top 30. You think they're better than The Jimi Hendrix Experience? Pearl Jam? Lynyrd Skynyrd? The Doors?

[SmileyBoy]

10. I personally think they can compete in the top-20.

I just think it's silly to think they're the BEST.

[TheWizardOfMudd]

12. Yes

Eagles are a better band than any of those you mentioned. Hendrix was the greatest guitar player, Morrison was a compelling vocalist, Lynyrd Skynyrd was white trash with minimal skills and Pearl Jam are damn good.

But none of those are the best band.

[Bombtrack]

16. Uhh, and all of those bands had a bunch of great songs

which the Eagles didn't. Hotel California is just not the mostly agreed apon best song of a great band. It's the most thought of best song by them, but I beleive that says they wernen't that great.

And while I dislike the term "white trash" I do think Skynyrd were objectionable in their worldview but they still had great song after great song after great song.

13. Compared to the bands you mentioned?

Except for the JHE, Eagles were superior.

Skynyrd? Pearl Jam? Good bands, not great.

Doors? Ok, Morrison and Kreiger could write some nice songs, but 1/2 of what the Doors did was mediocre. Densmore was an average drummer at best, and Morrison had a limited singing talent.

I wouldn't put the Eagles at #1 either, but I'd rank them top ten for sure.

At their peak, the Stones were probably #1.

Aerosmith probably the best American rock band.

[Bombtrack]

21. Well, the Stones were British, But I agree Aerosmith is better, and not

only that I have a personal connection to Aerosmith from where I'm from. I've litterally run into the various members, specifically Steven Tyler over a dozen times around where I live. On the south shore of Massachusetts.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

36. I think they are hackneyed, formulific and mediocre

[TheWizardOfMudd]

14. Which band has the biggest selling album/CD of all time in the world?

At 28 million?

Take a wild guess. ;)

http://www.riaa.com/gp/bestsellers/topalbums.asp

[XNASA]

26. IOW - "Since McDonalds has served more people than anyone.....

then it's obvious that McDonalds most also be the best restaurant?"

Is that what you saying?

Sorry, but in my opinion, The Eagles are one of the worst bands I've ever heard. Just my opinion, though records sales don't back me up, I'll admit.

[Burma Jones]

31. Means Nothing

In their day, Bach and Mozart were definitely not the most popular guys making music.

Perhaps we can look at this in another perspective, how many bands emulate the Eagles?

[charlie]

38. Not in the world

Domestic sales only:

http://www.riaa.com/gp/certification/criteria.asp

[mitchum]

48. Well, that means that Kenny Rogers is a better singer/songwriter than...

Richard Thompson, Nick Drake and Leonard Cohen combined.

[KG]

15. being the best is debateable, but no band did more drugs.

:smoke:

[mitchum]

49. I've always been astounded that they could do so much blow...

and still sound so enervated. Same for their hot tub buddies Fleetwood Mac

[tkmorris]

17. Don't agree

First of all they are a "pop" band, no real rock there. Their real claim to fame is longevity; their sound maintained popularity and they built a rather impressive body of work. But that work is just bland pop ballads in the main, no real innovation or talent neccessary.

So who is better? In their own category of bland radio pop I believe Fleetwood Mac was better. If you go back far enough with them you'll even find some actual rock music. Lynyrd Skynyrd was better, though they tended towards the formulaic at times themselves, albeit a different formula. That comment that Lynyrd Skynyrd was "white trash with minimal skills" is just silly. There was a LOT of talent in that band, though a good deal of it ended up in a swamp. Staying in the southern rock category The Allman Brothers Band was FAR FAR superior to the Eagles. So was Little Feat for that matter.

Who else? Well, the JH Experience was already mentioned and I agree. REM is arguable; I think they were about as good but didn't last as long. Santana is better, though you will likely get an argument over whether thay are "American" or not. Cream was better, CSNY was better, The Band was WAY better, hell I even think CCR was better. Simon and Garfunkel didn't do rock, but then neither did the Eagles, so they were better on songwriting talent alone.

You know what's funny? I can think of a lot of bands I prefer to the Eagles but none that emerged in the last decade. I know that the music industry is tending more and more towards pre-packaged crap but I think it's likely a sign of age as well. Damnit all to hell.

One thing I can tell you for certain. If you want to find musical talent and innovation you need to turn the bloody radio OFF. It aint on there, trust me. When's the last time you heard Taj Majal on your radio? Nanci Griffith? Iris DeMent? Leo Kottke? Lucinda Williams? NOFX, Govt Mule? You don't and you won't. They make money off newly "discovered" talent that isn't talent at all, though it does have a contract which grants almost all the profits to the recording industry. Radio is about marketing, not about music.

BTW, just so you know I aint talking outta my hat here, the first album I ever purchased in my life was "Hotel California". I wore the damned grooves out. To this day I know the side, track number, and exact length of every song on it. As well as every note of every song. FWIW, the last track on it is my favorite from the Eagles, The Last Resort. It was a crappy pop ballad like most of their stuff but it was very liberal and it spoke volumes to the 12 year old me.

[JCMach1]

18. Sorry, had to clean my monitor after reading this post

:puke:


the eagles... YUCK!!!

[Guaranteed]

19. I don't think so.

The Doors, CSNY, even Creedence are better than the Eagles.

Henley has some awesome songs, with and without the band. But the Eagles also have some absolutely awful stuff, too, on par with Steve Miller.

[sendero]

47. Definitely Creedence...

... head and shoulders better than the Eagles on their worst day.

[jpgray]

22. Definitely cannot agree with this (nt)

[blindpig]

23. are you kidding?

strictly commercial!

[dbt]

24. Blasphemers! Heretics! Philistines! The whole LOT of yez!

Repent or face the very Fires of Hell! There is yet time to embrace the One True Faith:

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers!

:evilgrin:
dbt

PS:
EARL SCRUGGS IS GOD.

[LTR]

25. I'll go with The Beatles

Even their worst album (Let It Be) wasn't that bad.

I've always liked the Eagles as well, even though they're insufferable pricks who overcharge for concert tickets.

Joe Walsh brings the band up a level. He balances out Glen Frey's lack of talent and Don Henley's lack of humility.

As far other great bands, the Stones and the Who were for a minute, but are from great now. Talent wise, I'll go with Cream or the Jimi Hendrix experience. U2 is probably the greatest band today, IMO.

[wyldwolf]

27. American?

[LTR]

33. Sorry

It's too early. Didn't see the 'American' part.

[OneBlueSky]

28. if you've ever seen the E Street Band perform . . .

you'll know who the best American band is . . .

[The empressof all]

29. Ramones & Bruce & E Street Band

Rock On........

[Burma Jones]

30. Pah, phooey

I think Bob Dylan has it all over Henley and Frey. Not to mention Brian Wilson. Oh, there's Springsteen too. Uh, Lou Reed, let's not forget him. There's also Nirvana, the Ramones, almost all of Motown, The Grateful Dead, Paul Simon, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jim Morrison. There's also Jello Biafra and the Dead Kennedys, Butthole Surfers, The Dixie Chicks, John Prine. I think I would rather hear Madonna than the Eagles. I do think the Eagles are better than Britney Spears.

In short, the musicians superior to the Eagles are Legion, but they sure were marketed very well......

[Enraged_Ape]

32. No way, man!! America's greatest rock group is KISS!!

Frehley and Simmons are the closest America has ever come to Rimsky-Korsakov!!

Please tell me you're not serious. I'm not.

[DAGDA56]

34. The BYRDS did it first...

...but the Eagles just took it to the bank. (quote from a friend of mine who may be quoting someone else.)

[Forkboy]

35. Yikes

:scared:

[jmowreader]

37. The Eagles aren't even a rock band!

The Eagles are a country band. They're an excellent band, just not a rock band.

Don't believe me? Find someone who's not a big Eagles fan and play "I Can't Tell You Why" from The Long Run. That's fairly representative of the Eagles' work, and it's not so famous that someone will know "oh, that's an Eagles song." Then ask them, is that a country band or a rock band? Ask ten people and nine will tell you it's a country band. (Playing "Hotel California" will get you a different reaction--everyone who listens to modern music knows it's an Eagles song, and we've all been brought up under the impression that the Eagles are a rock band, which they are not.)

"Southern Rock." What a bunch of bull. Southern Rock is country without the country dress code--IOW, you don't have to wear the Stetson and Tony Lamas.

Best American rock band? Eastern rock: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Western rock: Van Halen.

[EstimatedProphet]

39. Is there a reason you said that?

The Eagles? Really, the EAGLES?

[qwertyMike]

40. Songs for lonely women

duck

[Elidor]

41. Tom Waits said listening to the Eagles

Is as exciting as watching paint dry. Then again, I think Waits' stuff is terrible, though sometimes inspired.

Someone said the Eagles are commercial? *Gasp!* Certainly, none of the other bands mentioned on this thread are commercial... :eyes:

They created some excellent music. As to how good they were, who knows? They will always be a lightning rod for those who hate slicked up formulaic music. I think their ticket prices are unconscionable.

Not sure if they'd make my top 20, but I still like some of their stuff.

Greatest American band is probably Little Feat.

[Servo300]

42. The Eagles???

I mean, they're OK, but the best ever?

I saw them perform live at Arrohead Stadium in K.C. once, with Joe Walsh and Jackson Brown joining them onstage -- they put on a pretty good show, but I've seen far better.

[St. Jarvitude]

43. Best American rock band is a tough one.

The Eagles are a great group - I would hardly call them the best, however, and I don't even consider them pure-blood rock: more like country-rock.

As far as the "classic" American bands go, there's Aerosmith (yuck), KISS, Styx (they're Americanos, right?), all of the rest of the hair bands of the 80s (double yuck), Pearl Jam, etc.

I'm not sure if other people consider them "rock" (I'd call them "prog rock", in the style of Pink Floyd), but I would nominate The Flaming Lips as the greatest American rock band. Twenty-five years of recording genius can't go wrong - it's a damn shame they still haven't caught on with the American majority.

[bobthedrummer]

44. Bob Dylan INFLUENCED Lennon and McCartney

The Beatles were a better band as a result of having been INFLUENCED by Dylan.

OTOH, Muddy Waters surpasses them all.

So, I disagree with your statements about The Eagles based on Muddy Waters and Bob Dylan.

[mitchum]

46. Bernie Leadon was the coolest Eagle...

he quit when he realised that they wanted to be The Doobie Brothers rather than The Flying Burrito Brothers :)