13 greatest bands/artists ever

And Radiohead were absolutely brilliant live, one of the best concerts I have ever been to. Much better than I anticipated, they're a must see.

Agree with this, I thought they were amazing live. Gutted I missed Bruce Springsteen in Manchester, my brother got a spare ticket off his mate, said it's one of the best gigs he's been too, near enough three hour set. Also said Steven Van Zandt got a boss reception too!

Pink Floyd
The Beatles
The Doors
Queen
Genesis
The Smiths
Nirvana
REM
The Cure
Foo Fighters
The Prodigy
Sasha
Digweed

I was wondering... how many of your all time favorites have you ever seen live? And how were they? From my list, I have seen only those 3:

- Bob Dylan
- Bruce Springsteen
- Radiohead

In fact, I haven't seen Bruce yet, but got tickets today for a concert in September.

And I did see Paul McCartney three times already, but I guess it doesn't count as The Beatles

Bob Dylan live was a great experience (especially because I've never been so drunk, ever) but to be honest not a great show. He changes his own songs too much, I would prefer something less extravagant.

And Radiohead were absolutely brilliant live, one of the best concerts I have ever been to. Much better than I anticipated, they're a must see.

Radiohead are excellent mate I would imagine they'd be brilliant live. The last band I saw live were Kasabian, thoroughly recommended they really get the crowd jumpin.
Off the top of my head saw the Beatles many, many years ago at dinnertime session in the Cavern, seen AC/DC, REM, Little Feat, The Who, Alex Harvey, the Kinks, Long John Baldry, The Outlaws, Nils Lofgren, Thin Lizzy, The Moody Blues - many more but that's what comes to mind.

Oasis
The Jam
The Who
Kinks
Small Faces
Madness
Specials
Bob Marley and the Wailers
Drifters
Simon and Garfunkle
Everly Brothers
REM
The Beatles

My list would look considerably different to most.

Iron Maiden
Blind Guardian
Black Sabbath
Judas Priest
Rainbow
Rush
Deep Purple
Megadeth
Metallica
Led Zeppelin
Thin Lizzy
Accept
Riot

Off the top of my head saw the Beatles many, many years ago at dinnertime session in the Cavern

I envy you!

I've also seen R.E.M. twice and on another day they might have made my "13 greatest bands" list, great band and amazing live performances.

I also envy you for having watched The Kinks and Thin Lizzy!

Elvis Presley
Jimi Hendrix
Bob Marley
Bruce Springsteen
Michael Jackson
Prince
New Kids on the Block
Tupac Shakur
Jay Z
Oasis
Kings of Leon
Ben Howard
The Kooks

That's an unusual and really varied list!

I mean, Elvis Presley and New Kids on the Block! step by step... oooh baby

Off the top of my head saw the Beatles many, many years ago at dinnertime session in the Cavern

JEALOUS!

My dad actually saw The Beatles twice, in 1965 and 1966. Even though those US tours don't quite compare to the Cavern days, I'm jealous of him too

step by step... oooh baby

I much more preferred:

Whoooh ohh ohh ohh oh, just Hangin Tough Mr Donnie Wahlberg of Blue Bloods fame (Mark's Brother). Seriously though, that inclusion was inspired by BBB's inclusion of Sweet earlier in the thread.

Keep noticing your unconditional love for Blur though mate. I want to feel it so if you can, point me in the way of some songs that may turn me. I've never really gave them a chance due to the Oasis rivalry (immature I know) and mainstream songs like Country House, Song 2, etc although I really liked Coffee and TV.

Any b sides or album tracks that may sway me?

Also, can I swap New Kids on the Block for Stereophonics. Cannot believe they got forgotten by me yesterday when I posted. Yesterday, Tomorrow, Today is my favourite song of all time and has been since the first time I heard it. The lyrical performance gets me everytime still.

Theyre not on my list but there was a time blur and Stereophonics got regular air time.

Performance and Coctails - Great album

Keep noticing your unconditional love for Blur though mate. I want to feel it so if you can, point me in the way of some songs that may turn me. I've never really gave them a chance due to the Oasis rivalry (immature I know) and mainstream songs like Country House, Song 2, etc although I really liked Coffee and TV.

Any b sides or album tracks that may sway me?

I like pretty much everything they've done mate, including their mainstream songs (especially Country House), though Song 2 isn't really a typical Blur song and I'm quite tired of it.

I understand the thing with the Oasis rivalry, I was the other way round, for a while I wouldn't listen to Oasis because of that, but then I decided to give them a chance and realized both bands are great.

I really don't know which Blur album to suggest, I could take some favorite tracks from them all, so I'll just post a few songs that I like and maybe you can see if you like them:

- From "Leisure" (1991)
Blur - Fool (with lyrics)

Not a very well known song but I quite like it. Sounds a bit like The Stone Roses this one.

- From "Modern Life Is Rubbish" (1993)
Blur - Villa Rosie (Subtitulado en español)

I'm assuming you know this album's singles so I tried a different one. Not the best on the album but I like it.

- From "Parklife" (1994)
Blur - Tracy Jacks - Parklive [Live at Hyde Park 2012]
Blur-End Of A Century

Lots of great stuff on this album, 'End of a Century' was their first song I fell in love with. Good morning tv, you're looking so healthy.

- From "The Great Escape" (1995)
Blur - He Thought of Cars
Blur - The Universal

'The Universal' is one of their best songs IMO. You've probably listened to it before though.

- From "Blur" (1997)
Blur - You're so great

Classic Graham Coxon.

- From "13" (1999)
Blur - Tender

My first reaction when I listened to this song was of estrangement, but with time I grew to love it and it's still one of my favorites.

- From "Think Tank" (2003)
Blur - Sweet Song

I understand the criticism to this album but I actually think it's an underrated record. And "Sweet Song" is indeed a very sweet song. Beautiful.


In the end, what I like the most about is their versatility... they can make you want to dance and want to cry in the same album; they can do ghospel (like in 'Tender'), they've experimented with eletronic elements, and so on.

I love Oasis and Stereophonics too but in terms of musical variety they don't compare to Blur IMO.

And if I was forced to suggest one single album, I would say Parklife. Perhaps due to emotional attachment, as it was their first album I ever bought.

(Don't worry if you like none of it, I enjoyed writing that post )

No Distance Left To Run is my favourite Blur song.

I really don't know which Blur album to suggest, I could take some favorite tracks from them all, so I'll just post a few songs that I like and maybe you can see if you like them:

Cheers for that. I actually forgot about Tender, The Universal and End of a Century - all excellent songs and I gave them all a listen.

From the ones you posted that I hadn't heard before I liked He Thought of Cars but I really, really liked Sweet Song of which I've listened to a few times now and You're So Great which I've just looked up is all down to Coxon.

That's a few Blur songs that I like there when altogether so on that note I might download myself a little Blur playlist.

Thanks for posting.

No Distance Left To Run is my favourite Blur song.

I gave that a whirl too Si and thought that was a great song also. Seems I like their 'nice songs. Can't get into any of their higher tempo songs but love their slower stuff.

Cheers for that. I actually forgot about Tender, The Universal and End of a Century - all excellent songs and I gave them all a listen.

From the ones you posted that I hadn't heard before I liked He Thought of Cars but I really, really liked Sweet Song of which I've listened to a few times now and You're So Great which I've just looked up is all down to Coxon.

That's a few Blur songs that I like there when altogether so on that note I might download myself a little Blur playlist.

Thanks for posting.

I gave that a whirl too Si and thought that was a great song also. Seems I like their 'nice songs. Can't get into any of their higher tempo songs but love their slower stuff.

Im a bit the same when it comes to Blur.. Prefer their slower stuff to their attempted quick heavy stuff..
But as an album Parklife there are some great "lesser" tunes on it..
Tracy Jacks
End of a Century
Bank Holiday
To the End
LOndon Loves
Magic America

Oh memories of my youth..

No distance left to run is a great song, if i remember right it was written about Justine Frishman (think that was her name) who was lead singer in Elastica who he went out with for a while and *allegedly alot of the bad blood between Blur and Oasis started because Liam shagged her

I loved Oasis when i was younger, could go on about them forever, some of the B side stuff still gets the hairs on the back of my neck lifting now.. Noel Gallagher is an utter legend of our era

I love Oasis, but those two tunes are in my opinion the most overrated Oasis songs of all time, along with Wonderwall. The only massive massive Oasis tune that deserves the hype is Don't Look Back In Anger in my opinion.

Don't look back in anger used to get played to death by my sister which is why I used to dislike it the same as Guns n Roses and Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

Champagne Supernova used to be my walking to school song. Funny how its always sunny in hindsight.

Started off listening to Blur for the same reason I started following Liverpool
Everyone else listened to Oasis and supported United.
As it worked out United are cu*ts. Liam is a c**t.

Noel on the other hand is a musical genius.

Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Noel Gallagher & Paul Weller - Tender - Teenage Cancer Trust RAH

"You're so great" sounds 100% like Guided By Voices, a great American band I also considered putting on my list. For those of you that don't know them...

Guided By Voices - I Am A Scientist
Guided By Voices - My Valuable Hunting Knife

Not sure how I forgot Dire Staits. Knopfler is one of my favorite guitarists. I could probably kick someone off my list for Dire Straits.

Not sure how I forgot Dire Staits. Knopfler is one of my favorite guitarists. I could probably kick someone off my list for Dire Straits.

The chasms in musical taste are a source of unbounding bewilderment to me, after earlier dismissing Fleetwood Mac you extoll the virtues of probably the most over hyped, repetitive,  uninspiring band for many a year.
Like U2 their initial offerings broke the mould but they then sank into a sea of complacency.
Wouldn't criticise anyone's preference musically but the comparisons and comments made of other bands sometimes appears hollow when that that preference is declared and held up for scrutiny.
Lyndsay Buckingham for example could play Mark Knopfler off the stage   

The chasms in musical taste are a source of unbounding bewilderment to me, after earlier dismissing Fleetwood Mac you extoll the virtues of probably the most over hyped, repetitive,  uninspiring band for many a year.
Like U2 their initial offerings broke the mould but they then sank into a sea of complacency.
Wouldn't criticise anyone's preference musically but the comparisons and comments made of other bands sometimes appears hollow when that that preference is declared and held up for scrutiny.
Lyndsay Buckingham for example could play Mark Knopfler off the stage   

Don't know about playing him off a stage. Either way, Brothers in Arms is in my top 3 favorite songs of all time with room to spare.

Liam is a c**t.

Noel on the other hand is a musical genius.

I like Oasis, but they're both incredibly annoying to me. Liam acts like he's some sort of tough guy (but he's not). And Noel to me is so full of sh*t in all his interviews and stuff. I can see why they can't stand each other Good band though.

Lyndsay Buckingham for example could play Mark Knopfler off the stage   

Stuey we typically have pretty similar musical tastes here, but absolutely not. Mark Knopfler is one of the all-time great guitarists. He plays so much differently than anyone else does: no pick, no effects, etc., plus musically, he's a different animal in the parts he constructs. A really really good guitar player that goes under-appreciated a lot.

Agree on Mark Knopfler.

Great guitarist.

Stuey we typically have pretty similar musical tastes here, but absolutely not. Mark Knopfler is one of the all-time great guitarists. He plays so much differently than anyone else does: no pick, no effects, etc., plus musically, he's a different animal in the parts he constructs. A really really good guitar player that goes under-appreciated a lot.

There is no arguement whatever mate in Mark Knopfler's genius as a musician and as I said though to some their music can be seen as repetitive, Dire Straits are a band up there with the all time greats.
He does have an entirely different style than the more colourful exponents of the genre and Lyndsey Buckingham is one such guitarist.
A similar comparison could be made with the likes of say Jimi Hendrix and Ry Cooder; both outrageously good at what they do and equally appreciated and liked by a good many, Cooder is a master of the slide style of playing and has dabbled and mastered blue grass, TexMex, jazz and Cuban traditional styles of guitar, banjo and mandolin playing over the decades - Jimi Hendrix is Jimi Hendrix, his tragically short career snuffed out in it's prime.
Knopfler's basic, honest skills while faultless do lack some sparkle and excitement which is why I use the word repetitive, a trifle harsh but just a personal take on it.