r/ClassicRock

I work at a small AM radio station in Chicago, WSBC 1240 AM, as the Sunday morning DJ from 8am-1pm, and despite everything going on, I still want to celebrate America and it's cultural impact for the last 250 years. For my broadcast, I've picked my 25 favorite American bands, and I'm going to introduce each one and say a few things about their impact and play a few songs by them. I'm well aware that my list skews towards classic rock and the 20th century, but again, this list is purely subjective. What do you think of my selections?

25.) Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen

24.) Run-DMC

23.) Blondie

22.) Ramones

21.) Buffalo Springfield

20.) Phish

19.) Jackson 5

18.) Santana

17.) Crosby, Stills, and Nash

16.) The Temptations

15.) Outkast

14.) Sly and the Family Stone

13.) The Byrds

12.) The Staples Singers

11.) Beastie Boys

10.) Booker T and the MGs

9.) Mothers of Invention

8.) Little Feat

7.) Talking Heads

6.) Steely Dan

5.) The Allman Brothers Band

4.) Parliament-Funkadelic

3.) The Beach Boys

2.) Creedence Clearwater Revival

1.) The Grateful Dead

Love this from Ian's excellent Stand Up album from 1969.

These vocals are just so damn good

I can't get past The Talking Heads in this song saying "If you've said something once, why say it again " RIGHT before going into the chorus. Help me!

The top 100 of each decade, 1981 is right now. https://www.iheart.com/live/classic-american-top-40-6545 Web site

For those who have never noticed, in 38 Special's, "If I'd Been the One", the lead vocalist, who I think is brilliant musically, steals the lead-in to the Scandal chorus for their hit, "Goodbye to You", with the words "Goodbye... goodbye" in HIS chorus.