Let's have some fun!

Who would you consider 1st tier and 2nd tier rock bands from the 70's. All responses are welcome!


Led Zep
The Who
Genesis
Yes
Rolling Stones
Pink Floyd

All of the artists you listed are first-tier.

I'd add Deep Purple as first tier.

First tier:

Led Zeppelin
Deep Purple
The Who
Rolling Stones
Black Sabbath
Aerosmith


Second tier:

Thin Lizzy
Free
Nazareth

See? I would put Yes and Genesis as 2nd tier. Their impact just was not as great as those others. Talent? Sure. Of course! But cultural impact? Musical impact?

Yeah, but you're looking at from the United States point of view, those bands were much bigger in Europe and the rest of the world and have inspired legions of musicians since. We're talking about a form of music that was never really mainstream in the U.S., so they're not going to have the record sales of the more meat & potatoes stuff, but they are held in the highest regard by the more artistic leaning crowd.

The whole popularity part of the equation throws everything off as well, especially in regard to musical impact or inspiration. Look at a band like King Crimson. In musician circles they are widely considered to be the first true progressive rock band and an influence on everyone that has come since. But as far as mainstream success? They've never had it and their music is far too difficult to ever achieve it. In record sales King Crimson wouldn't even be second tier...but in musical terms they are most definitely first tier.

Always agree with your historical knowledge, De. But If I was Icelandic, I would have put Bjork and the Sugercubes on the list.

Too difficult for me I think, my favorite decade and so many bands have massively influenced what came after, the most important of which I would say.

Rolling Stones
Led Zep
Pink Floyd
The Who
Abba
Black Sabbath
Kraftwerk
Sex Pistols
King Cimson
Yes
Genesis
Joy Division

I'll just leave it as I don't judge first-tier/second-tier on popularity or record sales alone, in my mind it's based more on artistic merit and depth of influence.  

Based on record sales Sonny & Cher, The Carpenters and Bread would be first tier.  

As for additions to first-tier, I'll also add Steely Dan and Electric Light Orchestra, both artists with tons of artistic merit and also lots of hit singles and album sales.

More just trying to keep it more "Heart of Metal" forum focused. Otherwise, obviously, Abba would have taken 1st tier, as well. These are my posts that I will never ever get quite right.

If we're supposed to be talking 70s, technically all these bands put out their first music in the 60s. correct?

Led Zep
The Who
Genesis
Yes
Rolling Stones
Pink Floyd

No love for Queen? I'd put them as first tier.

I'll take Bay City Rollers for the win, Alex! S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT!!

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

If we're supposed to be talking 70s, technically all these bands put out their first music in the 60s. correct?

Led Zep
The Who
Genesis
Yes
Rolling Stones
Pink Floyd

Most of the posts seem to be leaning towards most influential bands creating music in the 70s. I'm not sure it matters if they put out a couple (or a few) records in the 60s first. And LZ and PF I would put squarely in the blanket "70s rock" category, for sure. The Who and The Stones are as much 60s rock to me as they are 70s. I don't know anything about Yes or Genesis, so.

KISS would be a first tier band for sure.

THE DOORS.

Queen and The Doors would be 1st tier also. I would put early Blue Oyster Cult as second tier.

Queen & The Doors were glaring omissions from my list (although The Doors really did a lot in the late '60s, probably their best known stuff, so if you include them then you probably have to include Hendrix and Dylan)

[Peeks in door]

VAN HALEN.

[exits]

Looking at my record collection, I think bands like Uriah Heep, Nazareth and UFO are 2nd tier. I love them all, and they are awesome, but they weren't exactly stars. They were very successful, but not household names. Blue Öyster Cult, too. And Thin Lizzy. And Rainbow. Probably 70's Scorpions, too.

Of those I'd put Yes and Genesis in the 2nd tier.

While I appreciate the talent and impact of both bands, I don't really like either one.  And I think album sales would back me up.  I bet those bands have sold fewer albums than the rest.

I think that some bands that were probably 2nd tier in the '70s became 1st tier in the '80s like

AC/DC
Judas Priest
Queen
Scorpions

tohostudios wrote:

Of those I'd put Yes and Genesis in the 2nd tier.

While I appreciate the talent and impact of both bands, I don't really like either one.  And I think album sales would back me up.  I bet those bands have sold fewer albums than the rest.

Genesis has sold over 130 million albums worldwide, which should land them firmly in the top tier (not to mention the overall influence and two huge solo careers that spun off from the band; Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins).

Of course, one caveat is Genesis sold most of their records in the States in the 1980s. Which yet again goes to prove that if you want to make money in the US market...keep it simple.

S.D. wrote:

tohostudios wrote:

Of those I'd put Yes and Genesis in the 2nd tier.

While I appreciate the talent and impact of both bands, I don't really like either one.  And I think album sales would back me up.  I bet those bands have sold fewer albums than the rest.

Genesis has sold over 130 million albums worldwide, which should land them firmly in the top tier (not to mention the overall influence and two huge solo careers that spun off from the band; Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins).

Of course, one caveat is Genesis sold most of their records in the States in the 1980s.  Which yet again goes to prove that if you want to make money in the US market...keep it simple.  

So does that 130 million eclipse everyone else in this poll?

I'm tired, if you want to see the sales figures, research it yourself.

I'm only asking because my point was I think the other bands in this poll sold more albums. I'm not saying Genesis didn't sell a lot but I don't think they or Yes sold as many as the other bands in the poll. I thought you were challenging that assertion.