Humans are social creatures, and the musical band is one of our most ingenious forms of social expression. As groups we try and fail to communicate, we stumble and we innovate, and with luck, we conjure up an invisible something — a chemistry, a presence, a ghost on the stage that doesn’t appear when we’re alone.
Previously, Consequence surveyed over two hundred artists and musicians to put together our list of the greatest individual performers of all time: the most iconic vocalists, guitarists, bassists, and drummers in modern music history. With this new list we celebrate the 100 best bands, with input from over 70 artists, including 16 Grammy winners and a couple of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. The final list was then rounded out and curated by the Consequence staff.
Our guideline for a “band” was a stable (at least for a little while) group that contributed original musical ideas, shared releases under their own name, and performed live. That rules out some pop outfits, but it keeps the arguments that matter. The Beatles or The Rolling Stones? Which Miles Davis group was best? How do you weigh the records, the live shows, and the influence of Nirvana and Radiohead, Public Enemy, and OutKast against The Velvet Underground, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath? Our list of the 100 Best Bands of All Time has the answers.
— Wren Graves
Managing Editor