Thanks Scott! Soundalikes? What soundalikes? As far as the UA-cam bots know, I'm just doing random music that $ound nothing at all like the bands I'm talking about 😉💰.
Another killer video. There should be way, way more views on this video and the many others that you have done. This shows that UA-cam has a screwed up algorithm. I only found your channel because of a review you did on the Behringer Super Fuzz. That and the other reviews are excellent by the way. Hopefully things will change and your channel will grow big time- the quality is certainly there.
Yep! "Lists" videos are usually (1) "All time" distorted to the compiler's personal record collection, and (2) twice as long as the content deserves, but this one was both wide ranging and worth every minute.
I am late to the party, but this is the best “list” type rock video I have ever seen. A great idea to compare the band to itself rather than to others, while acknowledging without saying that The Rolling Stones should have stopped putting LPs after 1981
This is terrific, well researched, entertaining, informative and brilliantly presented; it's great to hear a real voice and not some AI creation, or a human voice that sounds like it's AI. Nice work mate.😊
RUSH needs to be on here, they were inducted into the R&R HoF in 2013 and in 2015 did a world tour to say good bye. Forty Years selling out stadiums as a headliner, the last 20 or so as a only act.
Rush is my favourite band of all time, and they did go out strong, but Geddy's voice was pretty bad at the end and they were mainly an arena band, not a stadium act. They did play occasional stadium shows but they weren't AC/DC or U2. It's not a knock on them in the slightest, but it's reality
@@smokesletsgo2374 I was thinking that after I posted, it was the weak link in that last bit of their career. But they still filled stadiums, and in a live setting it may not have been as bad as when you sit on a couch with a smoke actually listening. Cheers!
@@smokesletsgo2374 The topic of the video, yes they went out on top, they could have added a couple of hundred shows all over the world to that final tour, and thank god they're not AC/DC or U2 , and this idiot should have included them !
I was tempted to jump to #1, but didn't and I enjoyed every minute, and learned a lot about bands which I've admired from a distance but never really got into, eg. the Doors. Which made the joke at number 1 even more hilarious. He gave more time to nearly every other band than he did to the #1, and rightly so - nobody needs an explanation of why they were #1. "The biggest anti-climax in list history" (or similar), and "of course it's the bloody ..." 😂😂 New subscriber!
You missed The Band. When you have a going away party/ concert that gets turned into a fairly successful documentary movie, complete with a guest appearance on each and every song, from a HUGE artists of their day… id say you definitely went out on too of your game
The only trouble is, they didn't end there. They reformed to make three very average albums in the 1990s. But yes, had they ended with 'The Last Waltz' then they would have made this list for sure.
@@NewFalconerRecords didnt know they got back together. That is heartbreaking that a group of musicians that talented, with their combined abilities, tried to make a comeback and managed only to make mediocre music😪
@@NewFalconerRecords No, of the Band original members only pianist/singer Richard Manuel died before the 1990s albums, ("Jericho", "High On The Hog", and "Jubilation") With the death of bassist/singer Rick Danko in December 1999 effectively ending 'The Band', remaining original members essentially went their separate ways. Drummer/singer Levon Helm continued his solo career until his death from cancer in 2012, and organist extraordinaire Garth Hudson released a handful of solo albums. Meanwhile, guitarist and main Band songwriter Robbie Robertson was flourishing between solo albums and film scoring, until his death in 2023.
@@WordslingingStephen Thanks for correcting me. I had in my head that Rick Danko had died earlier for some reason. Only Garth left now. The quiet one, but what a talent. They were all extraordinary. All the best.
Great video! I love that you included The Smiths, one of the most spotless careers of all time! And The Hendrix Experience, I can't believe I didn't think of them when I made my vid.
Zeppelin skirts the line between “mention” and full honors for me. I’ve been a huge fan of Presence from day one and still listen to it all the way through. I get its reputation, though. Their next was a misguided soundtrack, and their last was middling at best-but had their first radio hits in years. So for me: seven solid releases out of eight. Extra points for not carrying on after Bonham. They knew what they had, and what they lost.
You're spot-on. They never bottomed out, and they called it quits when their drummer died, which was extremely admirable. I consulted quite a few friends before doing this video and they all felt the same as me though, that Led Zep definitely lost something in their last couple of years. But their worst was still pretty damn good -- the closest call of all the bands who missed out for sure. Thanks for watching!
You look at a band like Led Zeppelin and you have to be curious as to why, with as much success as they had prior to the death of drummer John Bonham they didn't make this list as #1.
I felt the same way for years and years. I’ve given ITTOD a new listen this last year. I have a new appreciation for it. Maybe it’s because I haven’t had any new Led Zeppelin for so long.😂 I don’t know. Give it a try maybe you’ll like it better than you did before.✌🏼
Really enjoyed the video. Especially enjoyed the little subtle references in the recounting of the break up of the number one band. Also, it's great to see Roxy Music included. I'm an American and I am always surprised by how unknown they are here.
I would have had Free (1968 - 1973) at no.1, now a semi- forgotten group, save from endless plays of "All Right Now". 6 magnificent studio albums and a live one, then stopped never to reform. The best band ever. (Really well put together video by the way, a great presentation)
@@NewFalconerRecords Absolutely. Phil Rudd said Simon Kirke was a major influence and Bon always highly rated Paul Rodgers. Free had so much variety in those albums - not just hard rock blues, but their songs could be funky, soulful, or with a haunting folk sound. There was also a country rock/ Americana vibe on albums like "Highway", where there's a big The Band influence. A truly wonderful group, and along with the likes of the awesome Little Feat, very rarely referenced now, more's the pity. Keep up the great work.
VERY well done video, I hope you do more like this. I would also like to nominate a future member, ACDC, their last album was as good as their first, their quality never drops.
What an incredible collection of musical biographies! Brilliantly folded into an appealing storyline, correctly and admittedly frustrated ending with the fab four instead of artifically leaving them off the list. May be a spot for Vanilla Fudge and Spooky Tooth, the Geman Virus and may be the 3 brilliant brothers from Australia? Hope to get a response on these issues! Thanx for your lovely work!
Thank you so much for your kind words! Really lovely. Vanilla Fudge are still active as a band, so they can't qualify. The three brilliant brothers from Australia? The Bee Gees perhaps? They weren't able to go out on top because the anti-disco movement ruined their career for a while. But only for a while, they were resilient. Spooky Tooth also reformed several times right into the 2000s. That's why this was such an interesting list to compile, just so many bands keep going even when you think they've split up. Anyway, thanks again for watching. Cheers.
An amazing list, and I couldn't agree more with your assessment based on your reasons. It's in-depth without having to make it an hour and a half long bag of hot air. Videos like this are why I subscribed not long ago. MUCH appreciated!
Brilliant presentation. Really enjoyed it. Yes, the Beatles had to be on the list. I thought it was a tribute to their greatness that you didn’t find it necessary to have to say much because it’s all been said. Thanks so much!
It’s a tricky list, but you nailed it man. Relevant and concise info well researched with great back stories. I also loved your “Nirvana in pyjamas” quote. Well done and thank you for posting.
I think you overlooked R.E.M. Their last album Collapse Into Now is great. And they agreed beautifully that continuing with the ban served them no purpose.
Agreed! Their last few albums flew under the radar, so I guess that's why people don't generally think of them as "going out on top," but they put out work that was better than their early albums for sure. I had stopped following them when the hits slowed down after "Monster," and I went back and listened to everything in chronological order, which I highly recommend.
@@mmsiphonevinyls1027 You also have to take into account that Bill Berry left the band and they continued. That disqualifies them from this list in my view. "Top of their game" means all key personnel in place.
Another vote for Rush... No 'farewell' tours or cruises. They just released their best album in many years, they rocked hard and were at their creative best with Clockwork Angels. Neil didn't want to be on the road and couldn't perform like he did in the last four decades so the band just called it a day.
Well said. I must admit that Rush are a bit of a blind spot for me as a band (we all have certain bands that are just not on our radar, The Grateful Dead are another one for me), so I never really followed their career, but I like the way that you argued their case. I appreciate that.
@@NewFalconerRecords Never too late to pick up old bands. For a Rush newby, the best place to start is Tom Sawyer, Spirit of Radio, Limelight, YYZ and from there progress to Xanadu (Live) and the epic 2112. From there you can pick your favourite eras Power/Prog, Synth Era, Alternative. You have over 24 Gold albums and 40 years to choose from.
This is the first of your videos I have seen, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I just wanted to say thank you. My musical playlist today will be awesome! I have subscribed and very much look forward to seeing more from you.
Really liked this video but not sure if you should include bands where one of their members died - it wasn't the bands choice to stop ( unless they killed said member !)
A fair point, but I think it's interesting that some bands choose to keep going after the death of a member, even a front person, in the case of the Doors. Also, a few people in the comments section have missed the point about The Jimi Hendrix Experience. They split up while Jimi was still alive. I've also copped a lot of flak by NOT including Led Zeppelin in the main list, so you can't win either way. But thanks for your nice words and glad that you liked the video. Cheers mate!
Thanks for another excellent piece of work, very informative and straight to the point as always. The only other band I can think of that might have qualified on creative grounds is Booker T & the MG's. I'm not sure they really meet your criteria because they were nearly always in the background. However, for soul music lovers in the 60's they were an indispensable component of the Memphis scene. They were composing with and recording with the some of the biggest names in soul music when Booker T Jones decided to leave in 1970 following disagreements with Stax management, not with the other group members. At that time, even though they never sold huge quantities of vinyl, they were also in great demand for live performances, for example an invite in '69 to perform at Woodstock that they declined because drummer Al Jackson refused to travel by helicopter.
Excellent video and list, although I was surprised you had to omit the VU on a technicality. Nobody really considers Squeeze to be a VU release, not even Doug Yule. Just a slight correction on the Nirvana section, six of the songs were cover versions, it's just that four of them are not well known.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. Yes, you're right about my wording during the Nirvana section, I'd forgotten about the Vaselines cover, and I always skipped the three Meat Puppets tunes when I listened to the album. And yes, the Velvet Underground was a tricky one 'cos if I hadn't ruled them out on a technicality then I'd have a whole lot of people calling me out by not mentioning 'Squeeze'. You can't really win either way. Still, the honourable mentions are there to highlight a few bands who had incredible careers but just dropped the ball at the very end. So whoever decided to put out that Doug Yule solo album under the name Velvet Underground certainly dropped the ball (even though it's a pretty neat album). It's all a bit of fun at the end of the day. The Velvets were awesome. Thanks for your interest. Cheers!
Lol... Exactly what I just posted (albeit a bit more 'wordy'). Another overlooked member : Jacob 'Killer' Miller. A Jamaican singer who, at some point in his career, rivaled Bob Marley in popularity in Jamaica. He sang with Inner Circle too.
Brian Johnson from the Rolling Stones is when they started noticing the ages of their deaths started the 27 Club everyone prior to Brian Jones what's added after the club was formed
When I read the title, I was wondering who my picks would've been. Immediately, "The Police" came to my mind, followed by "The Doors" and eventually by "The Beatles". Thanks for having provided this impressive list and, in particular, the honorable mentions and honorable near misses! I get your point on "The Doors", though I still can't consider the stuff they made as a three-piece as genuine Doors music.
The Jam had 4 number 1s. Honourly list addition should include The Clash, Small faces, The Faces, Bad finger, The Housemartins, Creation, the Animals etc
You make some fair points. I didn't include the Clash because of 'Cut the Crap'. They went downhill after 'London Calling'. The Small Faces certainly do qualify for an honorary mention. Good call. The Faces and Badfinger both continued to be bands into the 2000s, same with the Animals so they don't qualify. The Housemartins and Creation didn't fulfil my three album rule.
@@NewFalconerRecords Clash fans don't count Cut the Crap as part of their discography, but fair enough. But, hey! They hardly went downhill after London Calling. Also NINE albums in 5 years (to include the double London Calling, the triple Sandinista!, and the overlooked Black Market Clash) and their "last" - Combat Rock - being their most commercially successful and I agree - definitely an honorable mention. Also: Daft Punk went out on top. Loved the video!
@@lawrence6622 You're right, really bad wording on my part in saying that the Clash went downhill after 'London Calling'. They were incredibly prolific and always innovative. Daft Punk -- great call!
Even though a few years later they carried on the split of waters and Gilmore has to be near the top also Gabriel leaving genesis after the masterpiece album the lamb lies down on broadway is possibly my biggest breakup
Zeppelin’s In Through The Out Door was …great… really progressive ….and bold. Tip top album. I loved that whistle and Latino beat. They were about to embark on a North American tour. Starting in Montreal….. and I was going to buy a ticket and go see the concert. The energy in my high school and the entire city was electric. It’s easy to forget how anticipated this tour was. However, I turned on the radio one morning and…. Disaster struck. And they disbanded….. That group definitely belongs on the list.
They were the most borderline band on this list. I knew that by leaving them out there'd be some who would disagree, but that's all part of the fun I think. Thanks for sharing your story though. You really painted a picture with words there, I can only imagine your disappointment. All the best mate.
I like your video a lot, but I'm surprised that Hall and Oates isn't on your list. They had a number of successful albums and quit right after performing at the Apollo Theater in NYC, right at their peak. Other than that omission I think you were spot on.
@@NewFalconerRecords Absolutely! I’ve been a fan since 1980 & studied in London in fall ‘82. I got to see their 2nd last concert ever in Dec ‘82 at Wembley Arena. Love their b-sides: Tales From the Riverbank is one of my favorite songs, Butterfly Collector has a moody brilliance & even See-Saw is a fun listen!
Great video! You're on the mark with bands who called it a day at the height of their Powers. Although I always thought of Synchronicity as being more of a Sting album, after seeing them at Shea Stadium in '83 - Stewart & Andy *made* it The Police.
I'd include XTC on this list. The last track on 2000's 'Wasp Star' ,"The Wheel & The Mapole', is a glorious track to go out on, capping a long recording career. (1977-2000). Keep in mind some of the bands included on this list didn't sell millions of album either.
Of course it’s the Beatles, it couldn’t have been anyone else as soon as I saw the headlines to watch this that was my first choice anyway, thank you so much 👏👏👏 Mike, Manchester, UK
I saw the Talking Heads and The Police in 1977,78 in CA. I forgot that CCR had so many good songs. I regret never seeing Led Zeppelin. Stairway and Whole Lotta Love remain in my top 10 of all time. That's the only group that leaves a hole in my heart - I wanted more from them! Sadly, so many artists and groups litteraly beat the horse to death. For example: KC and the Sunshine Band was barely ok in 2001, and 10 years later, was so bad it started to ruin my memories! When you have accomplished greatness, please don't ruin it if you can't live up to the original! My opinion. I have great memories of Queen, ELP, and even Madonna in 1992. Her later work and personna just spoil what was a great thing. I wish YES had done more like earlier stuff. Owner of a Lonely Heart seemed like dumbed-down pop to me. I am also sad about Lynyrd Skynyrd - I loved FreeBird..
Regional bias being what it is and you being on the other side of the planet, you may not have been aware of the Canadian treasure that was the Tragically Hip. These guys from Kingston, Ontario captivated an entire country with their music and as a nation, we were devastated when lead singer Gord Downie was lost to cancer. 13 studio albums (9 of which reached #1 in Canada), a live album and an EP over a 33 year career. Fourth all time best selling Canadian artist in Canada. The final concert of their farewell tour was televised nation wide.
Out of this list there is only 4 bands I had time for and that is The Jam whose best work was in the 70s, Led Zeppelin whose best work was up to and including Physical Graffiti. Velvet Underground, wow what a band, they made a sound like nobody else, so unique, Sister Ray was a "everything louder than everything else" track. For me it was Nirvana that had so much more to offer but was cut short by Cobain's suicide/murder (thats another story). Cobain was my favourite singer/guitarist of all time.
You make a very good point about The Jam's work in the 70's. You don't hear much of their music played on the radio, but when you do it's mostly from Going Underground onwards. Whenever they used to do programmes on TV about music from the 70's The Jam never get a mention. Interestingly they had 9 top 40 singles in the 70's & 9 in the 80's.
I really liked this. Clearly some thought went into it; supporting evidence and cogent argument reveals the effort. So, kudos!! Given that you didn't view a subsequent reunion as necessarily disqualifying, what do you say to the Pixies? Comparisons to The V.U. are entirely valid, I'd submit, and those first four-and-a-half records are pretty jolly good aren't they?
Thanks for your kind words. And as flawless as the Pixies' initial career was, I couldn't possibly include them because they are still very much an active band, both recording and performing. In fact, they were just here in Australia last month to promote their latest album and are coming back next year.
My honourable mentions. The Pink Floyd, all great albums until The Final Cut and fairly successful albums by the trio whereas Waters solo efforts sank and he had to return to the Wall to get noticed again. REM, brilliant IRS albums a great crossover to WB with Green, major success with the following 2 albums and in my view a long slide down from Monster onwards. Queen, brilliant upto News of the World and then a steady decline from Jazz.
I find that any band who lasts longer than a decade will inevitably decline creatively to some degree. They can bounce back for the odd good album or two, but the best work is usually behind them. Thanks for commenting!
I remember listening to The Final Cut on a local AOR station two times. The first time was on a cold, rainy day, and I didn't like it. The second time was on a nice day, and I had a much higher opinion of it. It is definitely not an album to put on when you are feeling down.
REM is one of my favorite bands, but they lasted beyond their "Sell By" Date. I think you're right that Monster was probably their last good album. That probably would be the moment for them to have gone out on with the illness plagued Monster tour behind them and an underrated album.
A list such this can become subjective. This especially true for artists such as Queen and David Bowie who regularly changed their styles. David Bowie’s album sales is interesting,one album would be a massive hit and next album would not sell nearly as well. If you look at his album sales on a graph it would constantly be up and down. Obviously part of it is because of his change in style. Queen also changed their style a few times. In the 70’s they appealed to rock fans and the 80’s they more to pop fans, these are different fanbases. They were 4th best selling artist of the 70’s and 5th best selling artists of the 80’s. Queen is actually one of the most consistent album sellers of all time. It is only Michael Jackson and Madonna who managed to sell music so consistently in two different decades.
Very well done video my friend, and thanks for the nod to Johnny Marr also.. I always liked his guitar playing and his work ethic bordered on insanity lol Absolutely Strangeways Here We Come.. Also, the Jam Sound Effects is most certainly a killer album by the Jam, my favorite by the band. Also, the Talking Heads Naked isn't really that bad, it's just one of those albums that just doesn't seem to get enough attention. 👍👍 on this video!😉🥁👨🏻
Rush? Rush never “broke up” they stopped playing and took a hiatus after Neil Peart’s tragedies, the loss of his daughter AND his wife less than a year apart. And then reconvened after Neil’s soul searching years and continued to play together until they were all very old men. They finally “retired” when Neil’s health problems worsened and then of course…he passed. Rush belongs nowhere near this list, the 3 principal musicians were the best of friends, family even…they played together for the better part of 50 years and “retired”. Now - you tell me why they belong on this list.
Being the crotchety old curmudgeon that I am, I never ever say this about this type of video. I think you pretty much nailed it. The top bands and the runner ups were well chosen, with valid points on each one as to why they are there. Congratulations, and great job.
I love REM but do feel that they tailed off quite a bit after Bill left the band. 11 great albums as a 4 piece, one solid album (Up) as a 3 piece then 4 albums that I can take or leave.
You would think a band that quit because of their success and the logistics of doing unending sold out stadium concerts would rate some mention. Kids these days.
One of the very best shows I ever saw was the White stripes at a free outside radio event near Atlanta where everything except for the stage was in absolute darkness. 99x could afford to pay for the band but no lights no security no parking attendants it was awesome.
# 1.) RUSH!!!! Rush needs to be on this list. Their last release "Clockwork Angels" was amazing and Neil wrote a novel to go along with this concept album. Every band should retire the way they did and go out with respect while being at their best. I saw Rush 16 times live on 13 tours and never once did they suck live. They were always excellent live and never phoned it in the way many older bands do. There isn't a bad Rush release either. While I may not be the biggest fan of one or two releases in the 1980s there still is no such thing as a bad Rush album. In the 1990s and 2000s Rush proved they were one of the best with their release and tours. # 2.) I'm glad you at least mentioned Led Zeppelin but I feel they should actually be on that list as well. "In Through The Out Door"and "Presence" were great releases. Just because they aren't as big commercially as their previous releases doesn't make them bad albums. "In Through The Out Door" has plenty of excellent songs on it. "In The Evening" "Fool In The Rain" "South Bound Suarez" "All My Love" "Carosalembra" "I'm Gonna Crawl" etc... I mean, what a great way to go out. Also their "Real" final release titled Coda" was pretty damn good for being a release of all outtakes. "Poor Tom" "Darlene" "Ozone Baby" "Wearing And Tearing" etc... ain't to shabby for just being outtakes that weren't meant to be released. #3.) Jeff Beck His last release titled "Loud Hailer" was awesome! Not only was it excellent from a technical guitar player viewpoint, it was also socially relevant and he chose a young British band to back him up named "Bones"featuring two sisters with the last name of "Bones" I know he is mostly relevant to guitar players and musicians and he died suddenly that doesn't minimize his contributions to the music world. He influenced many great guitar players over several decades. #4.) Utopia, Todd Rundgren's Band. The first two releases were titled "Todd Rundgren's Utopia" and it was in the progressive Rock category. After that they scaled down to a 4 piece band and just called it "Utopia" All four members wrote and sang the music together. Their harmonies are epic. Their final release was in 1985 and it was titled "POV" "POV" is an excellent release and was an awesome way to go out. Todd continues on as a solo artist as he did before and during their run as a band. The member "Kasim Sulton" has remained with Todd through most of his solo career and is an excellent song writer and musician himself. I understand not everyone knows who Todd Rundgren is or who Utopia is but they have an extremely loyal following and deserve a spot on this list.
I keep group CCR and Doors in my head even though widely different in style and content. they were of the same time, and impacted the same cultural zeitgeist. nice seeing them together on this list.
John, Paul, George and Ringo...they just DID WHAT they DID... It was all BRILLIANT , and NOW it's ALL THIS.... I've never heard ANYONE say it better, and sum it all up, in just a few words!!! Thanks SO MUCH for this video... BRILLIANT JOB!!!!!
Three Dog Night are still gong (with Danny Hutton being the only original member) so they don't qualify. Looking at their career though, you're right about their chart success in the USA, eleven top 10 hits with three #1s. Pretty impressive. Interesting how they only had two charting singles in the UK with 'Mama Told Me Not to Come' making #3 and 'Joy to the World' only making #24. They were pretty popular here in Australia back in the day.
Nice video. I'll add a few groups: Queen with Innuendo, Penguin Cafe Orchestra with Union Cafe, T. Rex with Dandy In The Underworld, XTC (sort of) with Wasp Star, and Oingo Boingo with DATEOTT... No, I don't count the 1994 album. Naked was a strong album, and I consider it underrated. I think Talking Heads might have continued as a strong nineties band without Chris and Tina, had Kirsty MacColl joined David and Jerry in a new lineup, but we'll never know. However, Kirsty's involvement on Naked and Rei Momo is not something to overlook... She also went out on top with Tropical Brainstorm before her early passing.
The Beatles only wrote the Bible of Rock n Roll. They are gods. Their music is sacred. They opened the door. Everything we hear today is because they existed.
I've always thought there were two templates of Rock bands; The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. The former had loose rules, ie multiple lead singers and interchangeable guitarists. The latter almost always using a Front man who sings all leads, all the time. Can you detect my bias?
@@Larrymh07 The Beatles opened the door for the "bad boy" Stones to be accepted. It didn't matter who sang, it was (for the first time) about the content.
@@RhinoTheTerrible You are correct! I just find multiple vocal and multiple lead guitar bands much more interesting. Of course, the song quality has to be present in either case.
@@Semprini537 As much as I love the Specials, they didn't quit at the top of their game. The second album couldn't compare to the first, and after their US tour, almost half the band quit, but the band itself moved on. And although "Free Nelson Mandela" was pretty successful, "In The Studio" pretty much flopped.
Talking Heads was the first band I thought of to be in the top 10 list...I'd probably move them over and Naked was an album I loved, even though they did record it a la PF Animals...all apart sections....and i cant argue with your 8 down to 1, great video and list
Magnificent. Before I even started I thought "The Jam should be there but they won't". In the end three of my life definers were there, plus the Beatles, every ones reference point.
@peterbayliss1484 Thanks. Yes, ABBA certainly had some tracks that could be considered rock, but I think they peaked in the 1970s. That's just my opinion though.
My favorite band is 🎸Rush,they had a remarkable career spanning 4 decades.After many hardships & tragedies they went out with a 💥bang!The last show I saw was R-40 in 2015.I'm glad😃 I got to see that tour knowing that it could be the last,it was. R.I.P. 🪦Neil Peart🥁.Greatest drummer ever.
Apart from Rush, which someone else has mentioned, I'll nominate Colosseum. They began as a powerhouse jazz-rock fusion band, were an instant success and then kept getting better. Adding Chris Farlowe to the line up as lead singer in 1970 for their third album just propelled them to greater heights and their 1971 live album contained mostly tracks not featured on the previous 3 albums thus making it a kind of 4th unofficial studio album and is regarded by Colosseum fans as their best. Then, suddenly, they broke up. Fast forward to the 1990s and they regroup to record a couple more good albums but as a live band they were even better than they were in the late 60s and early 70s. Although they didn't record many new albums, as a live band they were must see, never losing their musical prowess until the deaths of founders Dick Heckstall-Smith and Jon Hiseman led to the band's end.
Apologies for coming late to this great video. I love your list. But I was wondering about the USA band “Soul Coughing”. With three killer LPs: Ruby Vroom (1994), Irresistible Bliss (1996) and El Oso (1998). Maybe I misunderstood the criteria, but I thought they came in and went out on top. Thanks again for your time!!
Soul Coughing definitely tick all the boxes and qualify for sure. Their final album was their most successful and they went out on top. The reason I never mentioned them is because I'd never actually heard of them here in Australia when I did the initial video, but yeah. A perfect example of a band who went out on top. Oh, and don't apologise for coming late to the party for this video. Hardly anybody watched it for two years and suddenly in the last week it's taken off! So you're discovering it along with everyone else. Thanks for your interest and your suggestion. Cheers!
Great video! Tears for Fears referenced Paul Weller of the Jam in their song 'Sowing the Seeds of Love', when they sang "kick out the style, bring back the jam!" Paul Weller's band after the Jam broke up was called The Style Council, and was nothing like the music from the Jam.
I never knew about that Tears for Fears lyric. That's great! I wouldn't say that the Style Council were nothing at all like the Jam. By the end of their career, the Jam were using brass and getting a bit funky ('Precious' from The Gift for example). 'Beat Surrender' sounds more like Style Council than the Jam to my ears. You can see where Weller was heading. Thanks for your interest. Cheers.
I’m quite flummoxed how THE D00RS are not at the top of this list, because their final album L.A. Woman was a smash hit, as were the singles from it, “Love Her Madly”, “L.A. Woman” and “Riders On The Storm” - going out with a smash hit album and 3 hit singles constitutes going out on top unquestionably. It seems this list is more U.K. focused.
Synchronicity was recorded at Le Studio, in Quebec (where Rush recorded Permanent Waves), and not Montserrat. Speaking of Rush, how is ending on arguably their best album not going out strong? A personal favourite that wouldn't make this list (because of minimal commercial and chart success) was Scottish band Fingerprintz, two members of which would reunite as The Silencers. That doesn't mean the songs weren't good. Listen to their three records ("The Very Dab" 1979, "Distinguishing Marks" 1980, and "Bête noir" in 1981), and you'll ask "Why weren't they huge?"
Regarding The Doors, not only did they do Other Voices and Full Circle, they also briefly made some strange attempt at reforming in the 2000s, if I'm not mistaken with Ian Astbury of The Cult on vocals. And although only quite briefly, they were in fact labeled with some variation of the name "The Doors". I don't care if people want to go on, that's their choice, but it definitely means they didn't quit on top of their game. That being said, it does make me sad that LA Woman never got to be done live by the original group even once. What a treasure that would have been.
True. I saw the Doors 21 Century (or whatever they were called -- John Densmore, who wasn't involved, thankfully prevented them from using the name the Doors) live in Australia, and I've gotta say, Ian Astbury was surprisingly good as the vocalist. He looked and sounded the part and had some stage presence about him. But the real treat was seeing Robbie Krieger. His guitar playing was better than ever. Ray Manzarek, on the other hand, had lost a bit of his dexterity on the keys. They were supporting Blondie, which was even more bizarre. Fortunately, I'd scored free tickets for the show which is probably why my memories are mainly positive.
Great stuff. One of your best ever. Brilliant idea to space out the honourable mentions. The soundalikes are really on the money too. Well done!
Thanks Scott! Soundalikes? What soundalikes? As far as the UA-cam bots know, I'm just doing random music that $ound nothing at all like the bands I'm talking about 😉💰.
Another killer video. There should be way, way more views on this video and the many others that you have done. This shows that UA-cam has a screwed up algorithm. I only found your channel because of a review you did on the Behringer Super Fuzz. That and the other reviews are excellent by the way. Hopefully things will change and your channel will grow big time- the quality is certainly there.
Thanks Peter. I really appreciate that. Cheers.
This is probably one of the best "list" type videos I have seen. And I learned a few facts about bands I have listened to for years.
Thanks so much, I really appreciate that!
Yep! "Lists" videos are usually (1) "All time" distorted to the compiler's personal record collection, and (2) twice as long as the content deserves, but this one was both wide ranging and worth every minute.
Ditto!
have to agree even over here across the pond
I am late to the party, but this is the best “list” type rock video I have ever seen. A great idea to compare the band to itself rather than to others, while acknowledging without saying that The Rolling Stones should have stopped putting LPs after 1981
This is terrific, well researched, entertaining, informative and brilliantly presented; it's great to hear a real voice and not some AI creation, or a human voice that sounds like it's AI. Nice work mate.😊
this is one of the most accurate videos about finishing at the top that I’ve seen… spot on my friend!
RUSH needs to be on here, they were inducted into the R&R HoF in 2013 and in 2015 did a world tour to say good bye. Forty Years selling out stadiums as a headliner, the last 20 or so as a only act.
Rush is my favourite band of all time, and they did go out strong, but Geddy's voice was pretty bad at the end and they were mainly an arena band, not a stadium act. They did play occasional stadium shows but they weren't AC/DC or U2. It's not a knock on them in the slightest, but it's reality
@@smokesletsgo2374 I was thinking that after I posted, it was the weak link in that last bit of their career. But they still filled stadiums, and in a live setting it may not have been as bad as when you sit on a couch with a smoke actually listening. Cheers!
@@smokesletsgo2374 The topic of the video, yes they went out on top, they could have added a couple of hundred shows all over the world to that final tour, and thank god they're not AC/DC or U2 , and this idiot should have included them !
@@smokesletsgo2374Are you familiar with Rush in Rio?
Absolutely ❤
Excellent #1 choice and summary. Also, good mention on PJ's Get Back documentary.
Beautifully narrated. There is definitely a slot somewhere for you on mainstream media. Cheers. 👌
Aww.. thanks for that. Glad you liked it. Mainstream media hey? Well, I could certainly do with the money 😆Cheers!
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Usually I cut this kind of list short but I hung in to the end on this one. Nice job.
I was tempted to jump to #1, but didn't and I enjoyed every minute, and learned a lot about bands which I've admired from a distance but never really got into, eg. the Doors.
Which made the joke at number 1 even more hilarious. He gave more time to nearly every other band than he did to the #1, and rightly so - nobody needs an explanation of why they were #1. "The biggest anti-climax in list history" (or similar), and "of course it's the bloody ..." 😂😂
New subscriber!
You missed The Band. When you have a going away party/ concert that gets turned into a fairly successful documentary movie, complete with a guest appearance on each and every song, from a HUGE artists of their day… id say you definitely went out on too of your game
The only trouble is, they didn't end there. They reformed to make three very average albums in the 1990s. But yes, had they ended with 'The Last Waltz' then they would have made this list for sure.
@@NewFalconerRecords didnt know they got back together. That is heartbreaking that a group of musicians that talented, with their combined abilities, tried to make a comeback and managed only to make mediocre music😪
@@michaelmaltzer And two of them (Rick Danko and Richard Manuel) had died by then, so it wasn't even the original lineup.
@@NewFalconerRecords No, of the Band original members only pianist/singer Richard Manuel died before the 1990s albums, ("Jericho", "High On The Hog", and "Jubilation") With the death of bassist/singer Rick Danko in December 1999 effectively ending 'The Band', remaining original members essentially went their separate ways. Drummer/singer Levon Helm continued his solo career until his death from cancer in 2012, and organist extraordinaire Garth Hudson released a handful of solo albums. Meanwhile, guitarist and main Band songwriter Robbie Robertson was flourishing between solo albums and film scoring, until his death in 2023.
@@WordslingingStephen Thanks for correcting me. I had in my head that Rick Danko had died earlier for some reason. Only Garth left now. The quiet one, but what a talent. They were all extraordinary. All the best.
“Of course it was the Beatles”. Amen brother
Great video! I love that you included The Smiths, one of the most spotless careers of all time! And The Hendrix Experience, I can't believe I didn't think of them when I made my vid.
Zeppelin skirts the line between “mention” and full honors for me. I’ve been a huge fan of Presence from day one and still listen to it all the way through. I get its reputation, though. Their next was a misguided soundtrack, and their last was middling at best-but had their first radio hits in years. So for me: seven solid releases out of eight. Extra points for not carrying on after Bonham. They knew what they had, and what they lost.
You're spot-on. They never bottomed out, and they called it quits when their drummer died, which was extremely admirable. I consulted quite a few friends before doing this video and they all felt the same as me though, that Led Zep definitely lost something in their last couple of years. But their worst was still pretty damn good -- the closest call of all the bands who missed out for sure. Thanks for watching!
You look at a band like Led Zeppelin and you have to be curious as to why, with as much success as they had prior to the death of drummer John Bonham they didn't make this list as #1.
I felt the same way for years and years. I’ve given ITTOD a new listen this last year. I have a new appreciation for it. Maybe it’s because I haven’t had any new Led Zeppelin for so long.😂 I don’t know. Give it a try maybe you’ll like it better than you did before.✌🏼
A lot of ppl don't like Presence, I thinks it's there best album.
What was that one after Presence?
Really enjoyed the video. Especially enjoyed the little subtle references in the recounting of the break up of the number one band.
Also, it's great to see Roxy Music included. I'm an American and I am always surprised by how unknown they are here.
I would have had Free (1968 - 1973) at no.1, now a semi- forgotten group, save from endless plays of "All Right Now". 6 magnificent studio albums and a live one, then stopped never to reform. The best band ever.
(Really well put together video by the way, a great presentation)
Great call. There'd be no AC/DC without Free, Angus Young was a massive fan, and you can see what he did with that influence.
@@NewFalconerRecords Absolutely. Phil Rudd said Simon Kirke was a major influence and Bon always highly rated Paul Rodgers. Free had so much variety in those albums - not just hard rock blues, but their songs could be funky, soulful, or with a haunting folk sound. There was also a country rock/ Americana vibe on albums like "Highway", where there's a big The Band influence. A truly wonderful group, and along with the likes of the awesome Little Feat, very rarely referenced now, more's the pity.
Keep up the great work.
@@NewFalconerRecords Also there would be no Lynyrd Skynyrd without Free. Free were THE influence on them.
The Beatles are the best band ever.
Second to none.
Hardly at the top of their game when they finally called it quits though. Koss could barely play live or on the last album and Andy left a big hole.
VERY well done video, I hope you do more like this. I would also like to nominate a future member, ACDC, their last album was as good as their first, their quality never drops.
Total agreement with this list and honorable mentions.
An excellent video!!!
Excellent video. Very good idea to include the honorable mentions.
Thanks for your positive comment. Cheers!
What an incredible collection of musical biographies! Brilliantly folded into an appealing storyline, correctly and admittedly frustrated ending with the fab four instead of artifically leaving them off the list. May be a spot for Vanilla Fudge and Spooky Tooth, the Geman Virus and may be the 3 brilliant brothers from Australia? Hope to get a response on these issues! Thanx for your lovely work!
Thank you so much for your kind words! Really lovely. Vanilla Fudge are still active as a band, so they can't qualify. The three brilliant brothers from Australia? The Bee Gees perhaps? They weren't able to go out on top because the anti-disco movement ruined their career for a while. But only for a while, they were resilient. Spooky Tooth also reformed several times right into the 2000s. That's why this was such an interesting list to compile, just so many bands keep going even when you think they've split up. Anyway, thanks again for watching. Cheers.
An amazing list, and I couldn't agree more with your assessment based on your reasons. It's in-depth without having to make it an hour and a half long bag of hot air. Videos like this are why I subscribed not long ago. MUCH appreciated!
Thank you so much. Cheers mate!
This list/video should receive some sort of award....excellent!👏🏾Informative, fun, and just....well made.
Brilliant presentation. Really enjoyed it. Yes, the Beatles had to be on the list. I thought it was a tribute to their greatness that you didn’t find it necessary to have to say much because it’s all been said. Thanks so much!
It’s a tricky list, but you nailed it man. Relevant and concise info well researched with great back stories. I also loved your “Nirvana in pyjamas” quote. Well done and thank you for posting.
Great video. I like the way you gave a comprehensive rundown of why each band was on the list except for #1, because we all know why :-)
I think you overlooked R.E.M. Their last album Collapse Into Now is great. And they agreed beautifully that continuing with the ban served them no purpose.
I thought of R.E.M. - maybe they should have been an honourable mention?
Agreed! Their last few albums flew under the radar, so I guess that's why people don't generally think of them as "going out on top," but they put out work that was better than their early albums for sure. I had stopped following them when the hits slowed down after "Monster," and I went back and listened to everything in chronological order, which I highly recommend.
Not really.
Their last 2 albums were a return to form, but maybe not to the very top of their game
@@mmsiphonevinyls1027 You also have to take into account that Bill Berry left the band and they continued. That disqualifies them from this list in my view. "Top of their game" means all key personnel in place.
I really enjoyed watching the entire video. Very intriguing and well put together 😅
Another vote for Rush... No 'farewell' tours or cruises. They just released their best album in many years, they rocked hard and were at their creative best with Clockwork Angels. Neil didn't want to be on the road and couldn't perform like he did in the last four decades so the band just called it a day.
Well said. I must admit that Rush are a bit of a blind spot for me as a band (we all have certain bands that are just not on our radar, The Grateful Dead are another one for me), so I never really followed their career, but I like the way that you argued their case. I appreciate that.
@@NewFalconerRecords Never too late to pick up old bands. For a Rush newby, the best place to start is Tom Sawyer, Spirit of Radio, Limelight, YYZ and from there progress to Xanadu (Live) and the epic 2112. From there you can pick your favourite eras Power/Prog, Synth Era, Alternative. You have over 24 Gold albums and 40 years to choose from.
Clockwork Angels is also a book, the author Kevin Anderson and Peart were friends
Silver who ?
And the White what? I had to do a websearch for them, and they're really nothing special.
@mzmadmike that makes me sad. I loved them
Good list. A lot of these are my favourite bands. Quitting at or near your peak is a good thing.
This is the first of your videos I have seen, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I just wanted to say thank you. My musical playlist today will be awesome! I have subscribed and very much look forward to seeing more from you.
Thank you!
Really liked this video but not sure if you should include bands where one of their members died - it wasn't the bands choice to stop ( unless they killed said member !)
A fair point, but I think it's interesting that some bands choose to keep going after the death of a member, even a front person, in the case of the Doors. Also, a few people in the comments section have missed the point about The Jimi Hendrix Experience. They split up while Jimi was still alive. I've also copped a lot of flak by NOT including Led Zeppelin in the main list, so you can't win either way. But thanks for your nice words and glad that you liked the video. Cheers mate!
Fantastic collection and presentation. I really enjoyed this one. Thankyou
Thanks for another excellent piece of work, very informative and straight to the point as always. The only other band I can think of that might have qualified on creative grounds is Booker T & the MG's. I'm not sure they really meet your criteria because they were nearly always in the background. However, for soul music lovers in the 60's they were an indispensable component of the Memphis scene. They were composing with and recording with the some of the biggest names in soul music when Booker T Jones decided to leave in 1970 following disagreements with Stax management, not with the other group members. At that time, even though they never sold huge quantities of vinyl, they were also in great demand for live performances, for example an invite in '69 to perform at Woodstock that they declined because drummer Al Jackson refused to travel by helicopter.
Smashing...and really thoughtful...Well done that man
Excellent video and list, although I was surprised you had to omit the VU on a technicality. Nobody really considers Squeeze to be a VU release, not even Doug Yule. Just a slight correction on the Nirvana section, six of the songs were cover versions, it's just that four of them are not well known.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. Yes, you're right about my wording during the Nirvana section, I'd forgotten about the Vaselines cover, and I always skipped the three Meat Puppets tunes when I listened to the album.
And yes, the Velvet Underground was a tricky one 'cos if I hadn't ruled them out on a technicality then I'd have a whole lot of people calling me out by not mentioning 'Squeeze'. You can't really win either way.
Still, the honourable mentions are there to highlight a few bands who had incredible careers but just dropped the ball at the very end. So whoever decided to put out that Doug Yule solo album under the name Velvet Underground certainly dropped the ball (even though it's a pretty neat album). It's all a bit of fun at the end of the day. The Velvets were awesome. Thanks for your interest. Cheers!
"and now it's all this".
Priceless!! Good job, Man. I got it.
Cheers! I love that you got that joke. It shows some superior rock intellect.
ROBERT JOHNSON is the "founding member"of te 27 club!
I'm going to do a deep-dive video on the 27 Club at some stage.
I didn't know that. Cheers
Lol... Exactly what I just posted (albeit a bit more 'wordy').
Another overlooked member : Jacob 'Killer' Miller. A Jamaican singer who, at some point in his career, rivaled Bob Marley in popularity in Jamaica. He sang with Inner Circle too.
Brian Johnson from the Rolling Stones is when they started noticing the ages of their deaths started the 27 Club everyone prior to Brian Jones what's added after the club was formed
When I read the title, I was wondering who my picks would've been. Immediately, "The Police" came to my mind, followed by "The Doors" and eventually by "The Beatles". Thanks for having provided this impressive list and, in particular, the honorable mentions and honorable near misses!
I get your point on "The Doors", though I still can't consider the stuff they made as a three-piece as genuine Doors music.
The Jam had 4 number 1s. Honourly list addition should include The Clash, Small faces, The Faces, Bad finger, The Housemartins, Creation, the Animals etc
You make some fair points. I didn't include the Clash because of 'Cut the Crap'. They went downhill after 'London Calling'. The Small Faces certainly do qualify for an honorary mention. Good call. The Faces and Badfinger both continued to be bands into the 2000s, same with the Animals so they don't qualify. The Housemartins and Creation didn't fulfil my three album rule.
@@NewFalconerRecords
Clash fans don't count Cut the Crap as part of their discography, but fair enough. But, hey! They hardly went downhill after London Calling. Also NINE albums in 5 years (to include the double London Calling, the triple Sandinista!, and the overlooked Black Market Clash) and their "last" - Combat Rock - being their most commercially successful and I agree - definitely an honorable mention.
Also: Daft Punk went out on top.
Loved the video!
@@lawrence6622 You're right, really bad wording on my part in saying that the Clash went downhill after 'London Calling'. They were incredibly prolific and always innovative.
Daft Punk -- great call!
Even though a few years later they carried on the split of waters and Gilmore has to be near the top also Gabriel leaving genesis after the masterpiece album the lamb lies down on broadway is possibly my biggest breakup
Talk Talk
Excellent List. Probably the best I've watched
Combine the next best 5 bands in the world they still come a distant 2nd to the Beatles
Sorry but really well done and never got sick of listening and great extra bits added in…great work…
Thank you, an enjoyable romp thru my record collection, no Silverchair for me. Love from across ditch Aoteroa New Zealand
Outstanding list and presentation, well done 😸
Zeppelin’s In Through The Out Door was …great… really progressive ….and bold. Tip top album. I loved that whistle and Latino beat. They were about to embark on a North American tour. Starting in Montreal….. and I was going to buy a ticket and go see the concert. The energy in my high school and the entire city was electric. It’s easy to forget how anticipated this tour was. However, I turned on the radio one morning and…. Disaster struck. And they disbanded….. That group definitely belongs on the list.
They were the most borderline band on this list. I knew that by leaving them out there'd be some who would disagree, but that's all part of the fun I think. Thanks for sharing your story though. You really painted a picture with words there, I can only imagine your disappointment. All the best mate.
Can't hear Plant on a few tunes on there,,,Not Page's best production job
@@PaulFormentos I think Zep was heavily going down towards the end.Page was almost useless (being a junky),and Bonham was tired of touring.
That album was garbage compared to ther 1st 6
@@harristurner6836 no… they re-wrote the book, but you just couldn’t understand the language. The band …. matured. To the next level.
I like your video a lot, but I'm surprised that Hall and Oates isn't on your list. They had a number of successful albums and quit right after performing at the Apollo Theater in NYC, right at their peak. Other than that omission I think you were spot on.
The Jam! I was hoping you would mention them.
Sound Effects is a masterpiece.
Thats my favorite album of THE JAM
@@Semprini537i like All mod cons. That’s the album they found their sound
Love The Jam! They are sadly unknown in the US. All Mod Cons, Setting Sons & Sound Affects make an incredible trilogy.
@@MplsTodd Great non-album singles (and B-sides) in between as well.
@@NewFalconerRecords Absolutely! I’ve been a fan since 1980 & studied in London in fall ‘82. I got to see their 2nd last concert ever in Dec ‘82 at Wembley Arena. Love their b-sides: Tales From the Riverbank is one of my favorite songs, Butterfly Collector has a moody brilliance & even See-Saw is a fun listen!
Great video! You're on the mark with bands who called it a day at the height of their Powers. Although I always thought of Synchronicity as being more of a Sting album, after seeing them at Shea Stadium in '83 -
Stewart & Andy *made* it The Police.
I'd include XTC on this list. The last track on 2000's 'Wasp Star' ,"The Wheel & The Mapole', is a glorious track to go out on, capping a long recording career. (1977-2000). Keep in mind some of the bands included on this list didn't sell millions of album either.
That's a superb call! XTC were pure class from start to finish. Definitely an oversight on my part. I was always bound to forget someone.
Absolutely...
Greatest band ever.
Actually, Spiral & Say It were their final releases.
Has XTC broken up though
A great video, bang on for content.. this from a person that is old enough to have seen it all for real
Of course it’s the Beatles, it couldn’t have been anyone else as soon as I saw the headlines to watch this that was my first choice anyway, thank you so much 👏👏👏
Mike, Manchester, UK
Well done mate that was just faargen brilliant!
I saw the Talking Heads and The Police in 1977,78 in CA. I forgot that CCR had so many good songs. I regret never seeing Led Zeppelin. Stairway and Whole Lotta Love remain in my top 10 of all time. That's the only group that leaves a hole in my heart - I wanted more from them! Sadly, so many artists and groups litteraly beat the horse to death. For example: KC and the Sunshine Band was barely ok in 2001, and 10 years later, was so bad it started to ruin my memories! When you have accomplished greatness, please don't ruin it if you can't live up to the original! My opinion. I have great memories of Queen, ELP, and even Madonna in 1992. Her later work and personna just spoil what was a great thing. I wish YES had done more like earlier stuff. Owner of a Lonely Heart seemed like dumbed-down pop to me. I am also sad about Lynyrd Skynyrd - I loved FreeBird..
Love CCR!
Free Ride! Edger Winter
Regional bias being what it is and you being on the other side of the planet, you may not have been aware of the Canadian treasure that was the Tragically Hip. These guys from Kingston, Ontario captivated an entire country with their music and as a nation, we were devastated when lead singer Gord Downie was lost to cancer. 13 studio albums (9 of which reached #1 in Canada), a live album and an EP over a 33 year career. Fourth all time best selling Canadian artist in Canada. The final concert of their farewell tour was televised nation wide.
Quite a few have mentioned Tragically Hip. You make an excellent case. Cheers!
No Tragity Hip. Not really valid list.
Out of this list there is only 4 bands I had time for and that is The Jam whose best work was in the 70s, Led Zeppelin whose best work was up to and including Physical Graffiti. Velvet Underground, wow what a band, they made a sound like nobody else, so unique, Sister Ray was a "everything louder than everything else" track. For me it was Nirvana that had so much more to offer but was cut short by Cobain's suicide/murder (thats another story). Cobain was my favourite singer/guitarist of all time.
You make a very good point about The Jam's work in the 70's. You don't hear much of their music played on the radio, but when you do it's mostly from Going Underground onwards. Whenever they used to do programmes on TV about music from the 70's The Jam never get a mention. Interestingly they had 9 top 40 singles in the 70's & 9 in the 80's.
I really liked this. Clearly some thought went into it; supporting evidence and cogent argument reveals the effort. So, kudos!! Given that you didn't view a subsequent reunion as necessarily disqualifying, what do you say to the Pixies? Comparisons to The V.U. are entirely valid, I'd submit, and those first four-and-a-half records are pretty jolly good aren't they?
Thanks for your kind words. And as flawless as the Pixies' initial career was, I couldn't possibly include them because they are still very much an active band, both recording and performing. In fact, they were just here in Australia last month to promote their latest album and are coming back next year.
My honourable mentions. The Pink Floyd, all great albums until The Final Cut and fairly successful albums by the trio whereas Waters solo efforts sank and he had to return to the Wall to get noticed again. REM, brilliant IRS albums a great crossover to WB with Green, major success with the following 2 albums and in my view a long slide down from Monster onwards. Queen, brilliant upto News of the World and then a steady decline from Jazz.
I find that any band who lasts longer than a decade will inevitably decline creatively to some degree. They can bounce back for the odd good album or two, but the best work is usually behind them. Thanks for commenting!
I remember listening to The Final Cut on a local AOR station two times. The first time was on a cold, rainy day, and I didn't like it. The second time was on a nice day, and I had a much higher opinion of it. It is definitely not an album to put on when you are feeling down.
REM is one of my favorite bands, but they lasted beyond their "Sell By" Date. I think you're right that Monster was probably their last good album. That probably would be the moment for them to have gone out on with the illness plagued Monster tour behind them and an underrated album.
A list such this can become subjective. This especially true for artists such as Queen and David Bowie who regularly changed their styles. David Bowie’s album sales is interesting,one album would be a massive hit and next album would not sell nearly as well. If you look at his album sales on a graph it would constantly be up and down. Obviously part of it is because of his change in style. Queen also changed their style a few times. In the 70’s they appealed to rock fans and the 80’s they more to pop fans, these are different fanbases. They were 4th best selling artist of the 70’s and 5th best selling artists of the 80’s. Queen is actually one of the most consistent album sellers of all time. It is only Michael Jackson and Madonna who managed to sell music so consistently in two different decades.
I loved this video. Thanks for making it.
There are so many here that many have never heard of before.
Very well done video my friend, and thanks for the nod to Johnny Marr also..
I always liked his guitar playing and his work ethic bordered on insanity lol Absolutely Strangeways Here We Come..
Also, the Jam Sound Effects is most certainly a killer album by the Jam, my favorite by the band. Also, the Talking Heads Naked isn't really that bad, it's just one of those albums that just doesn't seem to get enough attention.
👍👍 on this video!😉🥁👨🏻
You forgot RUSH.
He's picking 10 bands not every band. He didn't forget anything he listed 10 bands just like he said he would
Rush? Rush never “broke up” they stopped playing and took a hiatus after Neil Peart’s tragedies, the loss of his daughter AND his wife less than a year apart. And then reconvened after Neil’s soul searching years and continued to play together until they were all very old men. They finally “retired” when Neil’s health problems worsened and then of course…he passed.
Rush belongs nowhere near this list, the 3 principal musicians were the best of friends, family even…they played together for the better part of 50 years and “retired”.
Now - you tell me why they belong on this list.
Being the crotchety old curmudgeon that I am, I never ever say this about this type of video.
I think you pretty much nailed it. The top bands and the runner ups were well chosen, with valid points on each one as to why they are there. Congratulations, and great job.
You missed one R.E.M.
I love REM but do feel that they tailed off quite a bit after Bill left the band. 11 great albums as a 4 piece, one solid album (Up) as a 3 piece then 4 albums that I can take or leave.
Excellent video, it kept my interest throughout.
Where is Queen?
Very enjoyable video! While some of the choices are debatable, the top two are definitely dead on the money!
Dire Straits
You would think a band that quit because of their success and the logistics of doing unending sold out stadium concerts would rate some mention. Kids these days.
Dire Straits 100% qualify here.
Six studio releases I think and an EP. Not a clunker in the mix!
One of the very best shows I ever saw was the White stripes at a free outside radio event near Atlanta where everything except for the stage was in absolute darkness. 99x could afford to pay for the band but no lights no security no parking attendants it was awesome.
# 1.)
RUSH!!!! Rush needs to be on this list. Their last release "Clockwork Angels" was amazing and Neil wrote a novel to go along with this concept album.
Every band should retire the way they did and go out with respect while being at their best. I saw Rush 16 times live on 13 tours and never once did they suck live. They were always excellent live and never phoned it in the way many older bands do. There isn't a bad Rush release either. While I may not be the biggest fan of one or two releases in the 1980s there still is no such thing as a bad Rush album. In the 1990s and 2000s Rush proved they were one of the best with their release and tours.
# 2.)
I'm glad you at least mentioned Led Zeppelin but I feel they should actually be on that list as well.
"In Through The Out Door"and "Presence" were great releases. Just because they aren't as big commercially as their previous releases doesn't make them bad albums.
"In Through The Out Door" has plenty of excellent songs on it. "In The Evening" "Fool In The Rain" "South Bound Suarez" "All My Love" "Carosalembra" "I'm Gonna Crawl" etc... I mean, what a great way to go out. Also their "Real" final release titled Coda" was pretty damn good for being a release of all outtakes. "Poor Tom" "Darlene" "Ozone Baby"
"Wearing And Tearing" etc... ain't to shabby for just being outtakes that weren't meant to be released.
#3.)
Jeff Beck
His last release titled "Loud Hailer" was awesome! Not only was it excellent from a technical guitar player viewpoint, it was also socially relevant and he chose a young British band to back him up named "Bones"featuring two sisters with the last name of "Bones"
I know he is mostly relevant to guitar players and musicians and he died suddenly that doesn't minimize his contributions to the music world. He influenced many great guitar players over several decades.
#4.)
Utopia, Todd Rundgren's Band. The first two releases were titled "Todd Rundgren's Utopia" and it was in the progressive Rock category. After that they scaled down to a 4 piece band and just called it "Utopia" All four members wrote and sang the music together. Their harmonies are epic. Their final release was in 1985 and it was titled "POV"
"POV" is an excellent release and was an awesome way to go out. Todd continues on as a solo artist as he did before and during their run as a band. The member "Kasim Sulton" has remained with Todd through most of his solo career and is an excellent song writer and musician himself.
I understand not everyone knows who Todd Rundgren is or who Utopia is but they have an extremely loyal following and deserve a spot on this list.
I keep group CCR and Doors in my head even though widely different in style and content. they were of the same time, and impacted the same cultural zeitgeist. nice seeing them together on this list.
John, Paul, George and Ringo...they just DID WHAT they DID... It was all BRILLIANT , and NOW it's ALL THIS.... I've never heard ANYONE say it better, and sum it all up, in just a few words!!! Thanks SO MUCH for this video... BRILLIANT JOB!!!!!
What are your thoughts on Three Dog Night. They never had a single released in the US that didn't make the top 40
Three Dog Night are still gong (with Danny Hutton being the only original member) so they don't qualify. Looking at their career though, you're right about their chart success in the USA, eleven top 10 hits with three #1s. Pretty impressive. Interesting how they only had two charting singles in the UK with 'Mama Told Me Not to Come' making #3 and 'Joy to the World' only making #24. They were pretty popular here in Australia back in the day.
I do wish The Clash mark I I never released Cut The Crap
Nice video. I'll add a few groups: Queen with Innuendo, Penguin Cafe Orchestra with Union Cafe, T. Rex with Dandy In The Underworld, XTC (sort of) with Wasp Star, and Oingo Boingo with DATEOTT... No, I don't count the 1994 album.
Naked was a strong album, and I consider it underrated. I think Talking Heads might have continued as a strong nineties band without Chris and Tina, had Kirsty MacColl joined David and Jerry in a new lineup, but we'll never know. However, Kirsty's involvement on Naked and Rei Momo is not something to overlook... She also went out on top with Tropical Brainstorm before her early passing.
The Beatles only wrote the Bible of Rock n Roll. They are gods. Their music is sacred. They opened the door. Everything we hear today is because they existed.
I've always thought there were two templates of Rock bands; The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. The former had loose rules, ie multiple lead singers and interchangeable guitarists. The latter almost always using a Front man who sings all leads, all the time.
Can you detect my bias?
@@Larrymh07 The Beatles opened the door for the "bad boy" Stones to be accepted. It didn't matter who sang, it was (for the first time) about the content.
@@RhinoTheTerrible You are correct! I just find multiple vocal and multiple lead guitar bands much more interesting. Of course, the song quality has to be present in either case.
Seriously great list, well done.
I was expecting to see Rush on this list, based on their discography, longevity and fan base. Easily one of the greatest rock bands of all time.
Thank you for including the Jam on this list!
The. Beatles will always be number one.
Meh, for people that grew up with them. Too pop for me.
@@garys1266 Spoken like someone with a surface knowledge of their music....
You are correct, Kim.
@@garys1266Tell me you know nothing about the Beatles without telling me you know nothing about the Beatles. 😂
@@garys1266I forgive you, for you know not what you speak.
Excellent video!!! Liked all your vids so far! Gonna watch em all!!! Rock on brother🏆🎸✝️👏
Thank you! I really appreciate that. Cheers.
The Jam....
THE SPECIALS
I like The Jam!!!
@@Semprini537 As much as I love the Specials, they didn't quit at the top of their game. The second album couldn't compare to the first, and after their US tour, almost half the band quit, but the band itself moved on.
And although "Free Nelson Mandela" was pretty successful, "In The Studio" pretty much flopped.
First band to come into my mind.Obvious.No?
The Jam!
Talking Heads was the first band I thought of to be in the top 10 list...I'd probably move them over and Naked was an album I loved, even though they did record it a la PF Animals...all apart sections....and i cant argue with your 8 down to 1, great video and list
Excellent! No disagreement. You know your stuff brother. I still don't get the White Stripes, though.
Magnificent. Before I even started I thought "The Jam should be there but they won't". In the end three of my life definers were there, plus the Beatles, every ones reference point.
Great compilation, funny and interesting too, nice one 👍
Awesome job, great video!
The Beatles weren't a band, they were a miracle.
Excellent video 😎. Should ABBA be in this list or aren’t they regarded as a rock band?
@peterbayliss1484 Thanks. Yes, ABBA certainly had some tracks that could be considered rock, but I think they peaked in the 1970s. That's just my opinion though.
I totally enjoyed this video. I was captivated.
Loved your nod to John's response to "the Beatles are bigger than Jesus" scandal. Well done.
Many of this list I’ve never heard of or never listened to !
My favorite band is 🎸Rush,they had a remarkable career spanning 4 decades.After many hardships & tragedies they went out with a 💥bang!The last show I saw was R-40 in 2015.I'm glad😃 I got to see that tour knowing that it could be the last,it was. R.I.P. 🪦Neil Peart🥁.Greatest drummer ever.
Apart from Rush, which someone else has mentioned, I'll nominate Colosseum. They began as a powerhouse jazz-rock fusion band, were an instant success and then kept getting better. Adding Chris Farlowe to the line up as lead singer in 1970 for their third album just propelled them to greater heights and their 1971 live album contained mostly tracks not featured on the previous 3 albums thus making it a kind of 4th unofficial studio album and is regarded by Colosseum fans as their best. Then, suddenly, they broke up. Fast forward to the 1990s and they regroup to record a couple more good albums but as a live band they were even better than they were in the late 60s and early 70s. Although they didn't record many new albums, as a live band they were must see, never losing their musical prowess until the deaths of founders Dick Heckstall-Smith and Jon Hiseman led to the band's end.
Apologies for coming late to this great video. I love your list. But I was wondering about the USA band “Soul Coughing”. With three killer LPs: Ruby Vroom (1994), Irresistible Bliss (1996) and El Oso (1998). Maybe I misunderstood the criteria, but I thought they came in and went out on top. Thanks again for your time!!
Soul Coughing definitely tick all the boxes and qualify for sure. Their final album was their most successful and they went out on top. The reason I never mentioned them is because I'd never actually heard of them here in Australia when I did the initial video, but yeah. A perfect example of a band who went out on top. Oh, and don't apologise for coming late to the party for this video. Hardly anybody watched it for two years and suddenly in the last week it's taken off! So you're discovering it along with everyone else. Thanks for your interest and your suggestion. Cheers!
Great video!
Tears for Fears referenced Paul Weller of the Jam in their song 'Sowing the Seeds of Love', when they sang "kick out the style, bring back the jam!" Paul Weller's band after the Jam broke up was called The Style Council, and was nothing like the music from the Jam.
I never knew about that Tears for Fears lyric. That's great! I wouldn't say that the Style Council were nothing at all like the Jam. By the end of their career, the Jam were using brass and getting a bit funky ('Precious' from The Gift for example). 'Beat Surrender' sounds more like Style Council than the Jam to my ears. You can see where Weller was heading. Thanks for your interest. Cheers.
Really enjoy the show thank you great stuff Spot On for a change a lot get it wrong you got it right brilliant thank you❤😅😊
I’m quite flummoxed how THE D00RS are not at the top of this list, because their final album L.A. Woman was a smash hit, as were the singles from it, “Love Her Madly”, “L.A. Woman” and “Riders On The Storm” - going out with a smash hit album and 3 hit singles constitutes going out on top unquestionably. It seems this list is more U.K. focused.
The Doors aren't on top of this list because 'LA Woman' wasn't their final album.
@@NewFalconerRecords I had forgotten completely the Doors' post-Morrison output. You are correct.
To me there is a difference between a band or group calling it quits and someone in the band dying therefore causing the band to end.
You clearly didn’t pay attention to the video. He explained perfectly why they aren’t on the list. They flopped at the end without Jim Morrison.
Synchronicity was recorded at Le Studio, in Quebec (where Rush recorded Permanent Waves), and not Montserrat. Speaking of Rush, how is ending on arguably their best album not going out strong?
A personal favourite that wouldn't make this list (because of minimal commercial and chart success) was Scottish band Fingerprintz, two members of which would reunite as The Silencers. That doesn't mean the songs weren't good. Listen to their three records ("The Very Dab" 1979, "Distinguishing Marks" 1980, and "Bête noir" in 1981), and you'll ask "Why weren't they huge?"
7:20 - Just to correct you, 'Beat Surrender' was their fourth UK number one, not their third.
Regarding The Doors, not only did they do Other Voices and Full Circle, they also briefly made some strange attempt at reforming in the 2000s, if I'm not mistaken with Ian Astbury of The Cult on vocals. And although only quite briefly, they were in fact labeled with some variation of the name "The Doors". I don't care if people want to go on, that's their choice, but it definitely means they didn't quit on top of their game.
That being said, it does make me sad that LA Woman never got to be done live by the original group even once. What a treasure that would have been.
True. I saw the Doors 21 Century (or whatever they were called -- John Densmore, who wasn't involved, thankfully prevented them from using the name the Doors) live in Australia, and I've gotta say, Ian Astbury was surprisingly good as the vocalist. He looked and sounded the part and had some stage presence about him. But the real treat was seeing Robbie Krieger. His guitar playing was better than ever. Ray Manzarek, on the other hand, had lost a bit of his dexterity on the keys. They were supporting Blondie, which was even more bizarre. Fortunately, I'd scored free tickets for the show which is probably why my memories are mainly positive.