Best Rockband Since 1981?

[jimmy olsen]

I ask this, because as I was Wikipedia diving, I came across the Mainstream Rock Chart.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mainstream_Rock_(chart)

Mainstream Rock is a music chart in Billboard magazine that ranks the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations in the United States, a category that combines the formats of active rock and heritage rock. The chart was launched in March 1981, as Rock Albums and Top Tracks, after which the name changed first to Top Rock Tracks, then to Album Rock Tracks, and finally to its present title in 1996.

I was rather surprised at what I saw in the list of top performers, some were expected, some pleasant surprises, others were missing entirely. For example, I was shocked that Guns & Roses is not on any of these lists.

Artists with the most number one songs
Artists with the most cumulative weeks at number one
Artists with the most top 10 songs

I love Shinedown, but I would never have expected them to top list 1 and 3 and come in second for 2.

Who would you say is the best Rock Band to put out a new album since 1981?

[Eddie Teach]

Either the Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin.

As for Shinedown, there's far less competition on the rock charts nowadays.

[jimmy olsen]

Either the Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin.

As for Shinedown, there's far less competition on the rock charts nowadays.

Rolling Stones did put out a highly rated album in 1981, but didn't Led Zeppelin break up in 1980?

No actual bands that had their heyday in the 80s or later pass muster for you?

As for the issue of competition, that's a fair comment.

[Liep]

We're #8! We're #8!

Surprising though, I think I've only heard 2 Volbeat songs but maybe it's because they all sound the same to me.

[Eddie Teach]

Ok, strike LZ.

The Stones had an album in the 90s. Not a great album, but that's not the question you asked.

If you wish to limit the question to post-81 content, then I'd go with Soundgarden.

[Admiral Yi]

REM

[PRC]

Monster Magnet, evidence: Dopes to Infinity.

[Barrister]

Muse

[celedhring]

U2

[jimmy olsen]

Ok, strike LZ.

The Stones had an album in the 90s. Not a great album, but that's not the question you asked.

If you wish to limit the question to post-81 content, then I'd go with Soundgarden.

Their '81 album was pretty great, I'd say it counts. Was just surprised you named them since the band was already 19 years old at that point.

[Josquius]

As much as they were a flash in the pan Guns and Roses have to stand out. Also to be considered but with key flaws White Stripes, Oasis, Nirvana, Radiohead, Greenday....

Longevity included perhaps Foo Fighters?

[The Larch]

Longevity included perhaps Foo Fighters?

They were the first ones to come to my mind, actually.

Weird chart, I haven't even heard of most of the bands on it, yet the ones I know are world famous. American particularity?

[jimmy olsen]

Longevity included perhaps Foo Fighters?

They were the first ones to come to my mind, actually.

Weird chart, I haven't even heard of most of the bands on it, yet the ones I know are world famous. American particularity?

Yeah, it's the U.S. rock chart. It's measured by what plays on US stations. So, most of the bands on it are American. Those that aren't are British or Canadian.

I assume if I looked at the Spanish charts they'd all be Spanish or Latin American acts. No?

[Duque de Bragança]

Best Mainstream rock band is pretty damning for the true metalhead crowd so they might go for Metallica actually.

[The Larch]

Longevity included perhaps Foo Fighters?

They were the first ones to come to my mind, actually.

Weird chart, I haven't even heard of most of the bands on it, yet the ones I know are world famous. American particularity?

Yeah, it's the U.S. rock chart. It's measured by what plays on US stations. So, most of the bands on it are American. Those that aren't are British or Canadian.

I assume if I looked at the Spanish charts they'd all be Spanish or Latin American acts. No?

But there's some rather big disparity in those charts, it seems that it's either a massive global band (Van Halen, Aerosmith, Metallica amongst the classics, Linkin Park or Foo Fighters amongst the more recent ones) or bands that, sincerely, I've never even heard of, and checking the international performance of the two top ones (Shinedown and Three Days Grace, never heard of either before) it seems that their massive impact in the US and Canada doesn't really track internationally, they have gold and platinum records in both the US and Canada, but barely anything outside of them.