10 Worst classic rock bands

[Finnegans Wake]

So for shits and giggles I was listening to the local classic rock station while doing work around the house last weekend, and for a while I was enjoying myself either with a) trip down memory lane vibes or b) ironic/guilty pleasure stuff.  A couple of good songs, then a clunker, couple of good songs, then a clunker... until after a few hours of this I fell to the ground and thanked God for creating punk. 

As a side note, what constitutes "classic rock" has changed pretty damned drastically from when I was growing up till now, but no need to go opening up any time capsules.

The formula for worst classic rock bands is this:  degree of atrocity x incidence in rotation (how often they get played).  So while a band like (Jefferson) Starship should be napalmed from the face of the earth, they don't really break classic rock rotation, so the issue's moot.  Really, you should be happy to never hear another song from this band again as long as you live.  Gosh, I should never have nuked the Eagles from everyone's collective fucking memory, because for some weird reason I want to hear Witchy Woman or some distant such possibility.

AC/DC damn near made my list, because for whatever appeal Back in Black once held, it's been pretty well tortured the fuck out of existence by overplay.  How this band became central to the classic rock canon escapes me.  But I had 10 worse bands, so AC/DC's floating in the teens, most likely.  Dire Straits could have made the cut easily.  There are plenty of them.  But the ones I hear too fucking often, and for which I can find no redeeming fucking value whatsoever, are these.  They're in no particular order, because to order them would mean one has some redeeming quality over one of the others, which none of these do.

1.   Foreigner
2.   Bon Jovi
3.   Asia
4.   Styx (OK, I know people love their Renegade… get the fuck over it.  The song sucks, we can find a different tune.  Styx literally hurts my brain.)
5.   Tom Petty
6.   George Thorogood
7.   Journey
8.   REO Speedwagon
9.   Def Leppard
10.   Meat Loaf

Any alternate lists?

[aj_law]

AC/DC damn near made my list, because for whatever appeal Back in Black once held, it's been pretty well tortured the fuck out of existence by overplay.  How this band became central to the classic rock canon escapes me.  But I had 10 worse bands, so AC/DC's floating in the teens, most likely.

Communist.



Def Leppard too?

Shit, I'm not even that big a fan of rock either...

[pensodyssey]

AC/DC damn near made my list, because for whatever appeal Back in Black once held, it's been pretty well tortured the fuck out of existence by overplay.  How this band became central to the classic rock canon escapes me. 

Finny, AC/DC was a going concern way before Back in Black.  Most fans of the band (full disclosure: I am a fan of the band) would tell you that that album is pretty much when they started to suck.

If you need a refresher on AC/DC, look behind the Tim Couch for your old copy of Highway to Hell.

Dire Straits could have made the cut easily.

I like "Romeo and Juliet".  But, yeah.  I actually own more Brinsley Schwartz records than Dire Straits records.  I own one Brinsley Schwartz record.

1.   Foreigner

When Joe Strummer died, even the New York Post saw fit to mention it.  They gave him about ten lines, stuffed between sudoku and an ad for ladies' hair removal.  It was all good, though, because they ran a picture of him too.  Problem was, they fucked up and ran a picture of Mick Jones instead.

Mick Jones from Foreigner.  

True story.

6.   George Thorogood

My only real beef with your list.  His first album (the one with "One Bourbon") is excellent, if you listen to it from a pure blues perspective.

10.   Meat Loaf

I will always have a soft spot for "Two out of three".  

Any alternate lists?

If I had to start a list, I would start it with the Beatles.  Never need to hear another Beatles song, ever.  Pisses me off that they're given credit for man first discovering he could stand up to pee.

[pensodyssey]

And let me add Bob Marley as number two to my list.

[pensodyssey]

Third would be Queen.

1. The Beatles.
2. Bob Marley.
3. Queen.

[pensodyssey]

1. The Beatles.
2. Bob Marley.
3. Queen.
4. Chicago.

[jonzr]

I don't listen to that format any more but could  add to that list after 20 min of listening.  Top of my head, Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top.  Kind of pains me to say it, but fuck, it's true.  Used to love them both but radio has ruined them.   Stevie Ray, too.  (Sacrilege in these parts.)  His first album kills, though.  Petty ain't so bad but like with all the ones you mentioned, they overplay the fuck out of about 5 songs.  Why?  Penso is right about AC/DC, the Bon Scott stuff is terrific.  I don't mind the Dire Straights either.  Does Asia get overplayed? 

Here's a playlist (about 24 hrs worth) from my local classic rock station that I quit listening to about 15 yrs ago.  Lots of the stuff you mentioned and a buttload Zep, but they'll never get old.  Neither will Floyd.

10:06 PM      ROLLING STONES      Jumpin' Jack Flash   London
10:02 PM      ZZ TOP      Sharp Dressed Man   Warner Bros.
9:58 PM      CARS      Just What I Needed   Elektra
9:54 PM      JOHN C MELLENCAMP      Jack & Diane   Riva/PG
9:49 PM      BOSTON      Feelin' Satisfied   Epic
9:37 PM      PINK FLOYD      Money   Harvest
9:32 PM      ELTON JOHN      Bennie And The Jets   MCA
9:29 PM      VAN HALEN      Why Can't This Be Love   Warner Bros.
9:25 PM      FLEETWOOD MAC      Rhiannon (Will You Ever Win)   Reprise
9:21 PM      PAUL MCCARTNEY      Maybe I'm Amazed   Capitol
9:09 PM      LED ZEPPELIN      Rover   Swan Song
9:04 PM      LED ZEPPELIN      D'Yer Mak'er   Atlantic
9:01 PM      LED ZEPPELIN      Hot Dog   Swan Song
8:57 PM      EAGLES      Take It Easy   Asylum
8:54 PM      STEVE MILLER      The Joker   Capitol
8:50 PM      SCORPIONS      Rock You Like A Hurricane   Mercury
8:40 PM      STEPPENWOLF      Magic Carpet Ride   Dunhill
8:34 PM      KANSAS      Carry On Wayward Son   Kirshner
8:30 PM      CHARLIE DANIELS BAND      The Devil Went Down To Georgia   Epic
8:25 PM      WHO      Baba O'Riley   MCA
8:20 PM      HEART      Magic Man   Mushroom
8:10 PM      JOURNEY      Faithfully   Columbia
8:05 PM      FOREIGNER      Hot Blooded   Atlantic
8:01 PM      AEROSMITH      Sweet Emotion   Columbia
7:57 PM      ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA      Evil Woman   United Artists
7:52 PM      BON JOVI      Wanted Dead Or Alive   Mercury
7:30 PM      PETER FRAMPTON      Do You Feel Like We Do (Live)   A&M
7:27 PM      BEATLES      Here Comes The Sun   Capitol
7:22 PM      PINK FLOYD      Have A Cigar   Columbia
7:19 PM      BILLY JOEL      It's Still Rock And Roll...   Columbia
7:17 PM      ZZ TOP      Tush   Warner Bros.
7:05 PM      U2      With Or Without You   Poly./PLG
6:59 PM      BOSTON      Don't Look Back   Epic
6:51 PM      LED ZEPPELIN      Stairway To Heaven   Atlantic
6:39 PM      STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN      Crossfire   Epic
6:35 PM      ELTON JOHN      Goodbye Yellow Brick Road   MCA
6:33 PM      TOM PETTY/HEARTBREAKERS      Don't Do Me Like That   MCA
6:26 PM      GERRY RAFFERTY      Baker Street   United Artists
6:21 PM      PHIL COLLINS      In The Air Tonight   Atlantic
6:09 PM      AC/DC      Highway To Hell   Atlantic
6:05 PM      PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE      Fallin' In & Out Of Love/Amie   RCA
6:00 PM      ROLLING STONES      Miss You   Rolling S.
5:58 PM      BEATLES      Got To Get You Into My Life   Capitol
5:55 PM      WAR      Low Rider   United Artists
5:52 PM      STEVE MILLER      Rock'n Me   Capitol
5:47 PM      DEF LEPPARD      Pour Some Sugar On Me   Mercury
5:34 PM      MARSHALL TUCKER BAND      Can't You See   Capricorn
5:30 PM      FOREIGNER      Juke Box Hero   Atlantic
5:27 PM      DOOBIE BROTHERS      Long Train Runnin'   Warner Bros.
5:23 PM      PAUL MCCARTNEY      Live And Let Die   Apple
5:21 PM      VAN HALEN      You Really Got Me   Warner Bros.
5:19 PM      VAN HALEN      Eruption   Warner Bros.
5:07 PM      J. GEILS BAND      Centerfold   EMI/ERG
5:03 PM      LED ZEPPELIN      Hey Hey What Can I Do   Atlantic
4:58 PM      BOSTON      Peace Of Mind   Epic
4:54 PM      JIMI HENDRIX      Foxey Lady   Reprise
4:50 PM      FLEETWOOD MAC      The Chain   Warner Bros.
4:40 PM      CARS      Let's Go   Elektra
4:36 PM      BILLY SQUIER      The Stroke   Capitol
4:31 PM      EAGLES      One Of These Nights   Asylum
4:27 PM      STYX      Renegade   A&M
4:21 PM      ROLLING STONES      Sympathy For The Devil   London
4:08 PM      TOM PETTY      Free Fallin'   MCA
4:06 PM      RUSH      Closer To The Heart   Mercury
4:01 PM      HEART      Crazy On You   Mushroom
3:57 PM      KANSAS      Dust In The Wind   Kirshner
3:53 PM      DEF LEPPARD      Photograph   Mercury
3:49 PM      ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA      Don't Bring Me Down   Jet
3:37 PM      FOREIGNER      Feels Like The First Time   Atlantic
3:32 PM      BLUE OYSTER CULT      Don't Fear The Reaper   Columbia
3:29 PM      JOURNEY      Lights   Columbia
3:26 PM      STEVE MILLER      Take The Money And Run   Capitol
3:21 PM      LED ZEPPELIN      Over The Hills And Far Away   Atlantic
3:10 PM      REO SPEEDWAGON      Keep On Loving You   Epic
3:01 PM      JOE WALSH      Life's Been Good   Asylum
2:56 PM      SUPERTRAMP      Goodbye Stranger   A&M
2:53 PM      BLONDIE      Call Me   Polygram
2:49 PM      BOSTON      Rock & Roll Band   Epic
2:36 PM      DEREK & THE DOMINOS      Layla   Atco
2:32 PM      DOOBIE BROTHERS      Black Water   Warner Bros.
2:28 PM      VAN HALEN      Dancing In The Street   Warner Bros.
2:25 PM      BAD COMPANY      Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy   Swan Song
2:20 PM      GEORGE HARRISON      My Sweet Lord   Apple
2:12 PM      ZZ TOP      Legs (Dance Mix)   Rhino/Warner Bros.
2:09 PM      ZZ TOP      Legs   Warner Bros.
2:05 PM      EDDIE MONEY      Two Tickets To Paradise   Columbia
2:00 PM      AEROSMITH      Dream On   Columbia
1:57 PM      BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD      For What It's Worth (Stop,...)   Atco
1:53 PM      PINK FLOYD      Hey You   Columbia
1:48 PM      PETER FRAMPTON      Show Me The Way (Live)   A&M
1:35 PM      LED ZEPPELIN      Heartbreaker   Atlantic
1:30 PM      EAGLES      Already Gone   Asylum
1:27 PM      LYNYRD SKYNYRD      What's Your Name   MCA
1:23 PM      ROLLING STONES      Gimme Shelter   London
1:18 PM      FLEETWOOD MAC      Gypsy   Warner Bros.
1:07 PM      CARS      Good Times Roll   Elektra
1:05 PM      STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN      The House Is Rockin'   Epic
1:01 PM      BEATLES      Let It Be   Apple
12:58 PM      KISS      Rock And Roll All Nite   Casablanca
12:53 PM      KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD      Blue On Black   Revolution
12:49 PM      JOURNEY      Any Way You Want It   Columbia
12:34 PM      DON MCLEAN      American Pie   United Artists
12:30 PM      ZZ TOP      Got Me Under Pressure   Warner Bros.
12:26 PM      BOSTON      More Than A Feeling   Epic
12:22 PM      PAT BENATAR      Heartbreaker   Chrys./ERG
12:18 PM      CHEAP TRICK      I Want You To Want Me (Live)   Epic
12:07 PM      NORMAN GREENBAUM      Spirit In The Sky   Reprise
12:00 PM      LED ZEPPELIN      Fool In The Rain   Swan Song
11:54 AM      BAD COMPANY      Shooting Star   Swan Song
11:51 AM      ERIC CLAPTON      Wonderful Tonight   RSO
11:47 AM      38 SPECIAL      Hold On Loosely   A&M
11:36 AM      VAN HALEN      Jamie's Cryin'   Warner Bros.
11:31 AM      ELTON JOHN      Rocket Man   MCA
11:26 AM      GUESS WHO      American Woman   RCA
11:22 AM      HEART      Barracuda   Portrait
11:18 AM      JIMI HENDRIX      Red House   Reprise
11:08 AM      QUEEN      You're My Best Friend   Elektra
11:04 AM      EAGLES      Desperado   Asylum
11:00 AM      LED ZEPPELIN      Ramble On   Atlantic
10:54 AM      DIRE STRAITS      Sultans Of Swing   Warner Bros.
10:50 AM      HARRY CHAPIN      Cat's In The Cradle   Elektra
10:37 AM      WHO      Who Are You   MCA
10:32 AM      BAD COMPANY      Feel Like Makin' Love   Swan Song
10:29 AM      R.E.M.      The One I Love   I.R.S.
10:24 AM      BEATLES      While My Guitar Gently Weeps   Apple
10:20 AM      PINK FLOYD      Run Like Hell   Columbia
10:09 AM      DOOBIE BROTHERS      Listen To The Music   Warner Bros.
10:06 AM      FOREIGNER      Double Vision   Atlantic
10:01 AM      GENESIS      That's All   Atlantic
9:44 AM      BOSTON      Foreplay   Epic
9:39 AM      STEVIE NICKS      Edge Of Seventeen   Atlantic
9:35 AM      STEVE MILLER      Fly Like An Eagle   Capitol
9:31 AM      KANSAS      Point Of Know Return   Kirshner
9:17 AM      ROBERT PALMER      Bad Case Of Loving You...   Island
9:12 AM      JOE WALSH      Rocky Mountain Way   ABC-Dunhil
9:09 AM      BACHMAN-TURNER OVERDRIVE      You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet   Mercury
9:05 AM      SIMPLE MINDS      Don't You (Forget About Me)   A&M
8:47 AM      ZZ TOP      La Grange   Warner Bros.
8:43 AM      STEVE MILLER      Swingtown   Capitol
8:39 AM      JOURNEY      Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'   Columbia
8:17 AM      AEROSMITH      Sweet Emotion   Columbia
8:07 AM      TOM PETTY      I Won't Back Down   MCA
7:49 AM      EDDIE MONEY      Baby Hold On   Columbia
7:37 AM      EAGLES      In The City   Asylum
7:16 AM      FLEETWOOD MAC      Dreams   Warner Bros.
7:05 AM      VAN HALEN      (Oh) Pretty Woman   Warner Bros.
7:01 AM      CARS      Just What I Needed   Elektra
6:43 AM      QUEEN      Killer Queen   Elektra
6:39 AM      ROLLING STONES      Under My Thumb   London
6:27 AM      STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN      Pride And Joy   Epic
6:09 AM      FOREIGNER      Cold As Ice   Atlantic
6:04 AM      BOB SEGER      Turn The Page   Capitol
6:00 AM      DEF LEPPARD      Bringin' On The Heartbreak   Mercury
5:56 AM      BEATLES      Come Together   Capitol
5:52 AM      JOURNEY      Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'   Columbia
5:48 AM      POLICE      Every Breath You Take   A&M
5:34 AM      WHO      Won't Get Fooled Again   MCA
5:30 AM      AC/DC      Back In Black   Atlantic
5:27 AM      STEPPENWOLF      Born To Be Wild   Dunhill
5:20 AM      ZZ TOP      Tush   Warner Bros.
5:15 AM      ELTON JOHN      Bennie And The Jets   MCA
5:05 AM      38 SPECIAL      Caught Up In You   A&M
4:58 AM      EAGLES      Hotel California   Asylum
4:55 AM      RUSH      Closer To The Heart   Mercury
4:52 AM      VAN HALEN      Runnin' With The Devil   Warner Bros.
4:50 AM      DOORS      People Are Strange   Elektra
4:43 AM      EDDIE MONEY      Two Tickets To Paradise   Columbia
4:34 AM      LYNYRD SKYNYRD      Free Bird   MCA
4:29 AM      JACKSON BROWNE      Running On Empty   Asylum
4:25 AM      QUEEN      Fat Bottomed Girls   Elektra
4:20 AM      LED ZEPPELIN      D'Yer Mak'er   Atlantic
4:13 AM      DEREK & THE DOMINOS      Layla   Atco
4:06 AM      STEVE MILLER      Jungle Love   Capitol
4:03 AM      BEATLES      Hello Goodbye   Capitol
4:00 AM      TOM PETTY/HEARTBREAKERS      Refugee   MCA
3:54 AM      REO SPEEDWAGON      Roll With The Changes   Epic
3:47 AM      PINK FLOYD      Time   Harvest
3:42 AM      HEART      Crazy On You   Mushroom
3:40 AM      CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL      Fortunate Son   Fantasy
3:34 AM      BACHMAN-TURNER OVERDRIVE      Takin' Care Of Business   Mercury
3:29 AM      BOSTON      Peace Of Mind   Epic
3:25 AM      KANSAS      Dust In The Wind   Kirshner
3:22 AM      BRYAN ADAMS      Summer Of '69   A&M
3:18 AM      ALICE COOPER      School's Out   Warner Bros.
3:14 AM      JOURNEY      Wheel In The Sky   Columbia
3:08 AM      AC/DC      Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap   Atlantic
3:04 AM      EAGLES      In The City   Asylum
3:01 AM      BON JOVI      Livin' On A Prayer   Mercury
2:55 AM      BOB SEGER      Turn The Page   Capitol
2:51 AM      FOREIGNER      Juke Box Hero   Atlantic
2:47 AM      SUPERTRAMP      Give A Little Bit   A&M
2:41 AM      BILLY SQUIER      My Kinda Lover   Capitol
2:34 AM      LED ZEPPELIN      Heartbreaker   Atlantic
2:30 AM      KINKS      Lola   Warner Bros.
2:26 AM      THIN LIZZY      The Boys Are Back In Town   Mercury
2:21 AM      U2      I Still Haven't Found What...   Poly./PLG
2:17 AM      AEROSMITH      Sweet Emotion   Columbia
2:11 AM      ZZ TOP      La Grange   Warner Bros.
2:06 AM      PETER FRAMPTON      Baby, I Love Your Way (Live)   A&M
2:02 AM      VAN HALEN      Jump   Warner Bros.
1:56 AM      MARSHALL TUCKER BAND      Can't You See   Capricorn
1:51 AM      WHITESNAKE      Here I Go Again   Geffen
1:47 AM      PINK FLOYD      Hey You   Columbia
1:44 AM      ROLLING STONES      Paint It, Black   London
1:38 AM      STEVIE NICKS/TOM PETTY      Stop Draggin' My Heart Around   Atlantic
1:34 AM      QUEEN/DAVID BOWIE      Under Pressure   Elektra
1:31 AM      ELTON JOHN      Goodbye Yellow Brick Road   MCA
1:26 AM      WHO      Baba O'Riley   MCA
1:20 AM      STEVE MILLER      Jet Airliner   Capitol
1:16 AM      GUNS N' ROSES      Welcome To The Jungle   Geffen
1:08 AM      LYNYRD SKYNYRD      Simple Man   MCA
1:03 AM      JIMMY BUFFETT      Margaritaville   ABC
1:00 AM      GUESS WHO      American Woman   RCA
12:54 AM      JOURNEY      Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)   Columbia
12:50 AM      LED ZEPPELIN      Ramble On   Atlantic
12:46 AM      EAGLES      The Long Run   Asylum
12:40 AM      DOORS      Roadhouse Blues   Elektra
12:35 AM      BLUE OYSTER CULT      Don't Fear The Reaper   Columbia
12:28 AM      BEATLES      Hey Jude   Apple
12:24 AM      BOSTON      More Than A Feeling   Epic
12:20 AM      STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN      Pride And Joy   Epic
12:16 AM      AC/DC      Highway To Hell   Atlantic
12:10 AM      JIMI HENDRIX      Hey Joe   Reprise
12:06 AM      BILLY JOEL      Only The Good Die Young   Columbia
12:02 AM      KISS      Rock And Roll All Nite (Live)   Casablanca

[pensodyssey]

Neither will Floyd.

1. The Beatles.
2. Bob Marley.
3. Queen.
4. Chicago.
5. Pink Floyd.

[pensodyssey]

1. The Beatles.
2. Bob Marley.
3. Queen.
4. Chicago.
5. Pink Floyd.
6. Aerosmith.

[pensodyssey]

1. The Beatles.
2. Bob Marley.
3. Queen.
4. Chicago.
5. Pink Floyd.
6. Aerosmith.
7. Eddie Money.