Ten British bands that changed the music world
June 11, 2009 by Dave Musson
For a small island, we Brits are awfully creative. We’ve also given the world some hugely influential artists, especially when it comes to popular music. We’ve come up with 10 British bands that, quite simply, changed music the world over. So, in no particular order, here they are…
Led Zeppelin
Arguably the greatest rock band ever to have graced the planet, there is something undoubtedly special even today about the incredible drumming of the late John Bonham, the pounding bass of John-Paul Jones, the mesmeric guitar playing of Jimmy Page and the unmistakeable voice of Robert Plant. They were the biggest band in the world in the 1970s and, through refusing to release singles, they pioneered the concept of album-orientated rock – despite writing some great songs such as “Whole Lotta Love”, “Kashmir” and “Stairway to Heaven”. They’ve sold an estimated 200 million records worldwide, and if you doubted their importance today then just look at the reception they got when Jason Bonham joined them behind the drum kit for a reunion at the O2 Arena in 2007.
The Beatles
The Fab Four from Liverpool were probably the first British band to achieve global domination, and with over a billion international record sales they are clearly one of the most commercially and critically successful groups ever. Their music and fashion sense were both worldwide trend setters, and the ‘Beatlemania’ that followed them around propelled John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr to the status of everlasting international megastars. Despite half of them no longer being with us, they are still a huge draw, and still pull a huge influence on pop culture. Last year they topped Billboard magazine’s list of top-selling artists released to celebrate the chart’s 50th anniversary. Part of the British Invasion and one of the most important bands of all time.
The Rolling Stones
You couldn’t have one without the other could you? The Stones were the other part of the 1960s Brit invasion of America along with The Beatles, and again were immensely successful. They also feature perhaps the best and most consistent songwriting team in the form of singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards, a combination that still works today. Thanks to the fact that not too many of their number has passed away, the Stones still tour with a schedule that puts many younger bands to shame and, if they ever do die, they will be immortalised with great songs like “Brown Sugar” “Satisfaction” and “It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll”. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, they were voted the fourth Greatest Artist of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2004.
The Sex Pistols
If ever a band spoke for a disillusioned generation, then it was The Sex Pistols, who shot to fame during the depressing years of the mid 1970s, and went on to be one of the most influential acts ever to play music, as well as almost single-handedly creating the genre of punk rock. It’s incredible to think of their legacy considering they only ever released one album, the superb ‘Never Mind the Bollocks: Here’s the Sex Pistols’, but it is a timeless masterpiece that will continue to influence musicians for many years to come. Dangerous bassist Sid Vicious may have hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons, but they key to their success was the simple, fast melodies of guitarist Steve Jones coupled with the pure, wretched aggression of vocalist Johnny Rotten. While infamous, they did write some superb singles such as the anthemic “Anarchy in the UK”, and their spirit will always hit a chord with someone somewhere.
Oasis
The mid 1990s was a great time to be a British music fan, because Brit-pop had infected the world headed by its two leading lights – Blur and Oasis – and it is the latter who get to represent that time period here. While the critics may pick Damon Alburn’s Blur every time, Oasis are without doubt the bigger draw, and the more interesting band, mainly due to testosterone-fuelled Gallagher brothers Liam and Noel. If you look past the tabloid stories, you realise what superb songwriters they are, and with hits like “Wonderwall”, “Champagne Supernova” and “Live Forver” it is no surprise that they have sold over 60 million records globally. Their third release “Be Here Now” is the fastest-selling album in British music history, and they still draw a huge following – underlined by their most recent album “Dig Out Your Soul” being certified platinum.
Black Sabbath
For heavy metal fans, Black Sabbath is simply the most important band to have ever existed, because without them the genre would not have been invented, From the moment guitarist Tony Iommi struck the first de-tuned, doom-laden chord and eccentric vocalist Ozzy Osbourne wailed over it, these four Brummies – completed by bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward – became the ultimate purveyors of metal. Their self-titled debut is haunting but brilliant, while second album “Paranoid” has some great singles on it and some of the best riffs ever in “War Pigs”, “Iron Man” and the title track. While Ozzy left to achieve reality TV fame, Sabbath battled on, and were rejuvenated by pint-sized frontman Ronnie James Dio in the 1980s, and it is with Dio that they still play and record today, but under the moniker of Heaven and Hell. Criminally underappreciated, Sabbath are one of the greatest bands in history.
Pink Floyd
Progressive rock may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the reception that greeted Pink Floyd’s famous reunion performance at Live 8 in 2005 underlined in no uncertain terms just how important this band is. They pioneered prog and psychedelic music, and with “Dark Side of the Moon” produced an album so engaging and influential that some would argue it has never been beaten. They are very much an acquired taste, but once you have it you really appreciate just how brilliant they are. David Gilmour is superb both at singing and playing guitar, while Roger Waters is also brilliant – just a shame they don’t get on! Floyd were also hugely innovative in creating album art that is worthy of being blown up huge and put in a frame, mainly due to the wonderful creations of Storm Thorgeson.
Cream
Any band that, on news of their splitting up, makes Jimi Hendrix stop playing during a live TV performance, declare his own music rubbish, before launching into a cover of one of said band’s songs and holding up the 6 o’clock news deserves a place here. That band was bluesy threesome Cream. They were the first ever supergroup, and the combined talents of singer/guitarist Eric Clapton, singer/bassist Jack Bruce and drummer supreme Ginger Baker made for one hell of a lineup. It’s little wonder that they were able to create such great songs as “Crossroads”, “Badge” and “Sunshine of Your Love”. Their blues-rock style paved the way for bands like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple to follow through and take it to the masses, while their live, jammed performances influenced bands like Rush, Grateful Dead and Black Sabbath.
Iron Maiden
Chances are, wherever you are in the world, at some point in your life you’ll have seen someone wearing an Iron Maiden t-shirt, which is testament to the London bands worldwide appeal. Maiden have sold over 70 million records worldwide, have released a monumental 35 albums, and still tour relentlessly today – a massive achievement given they’ve never had the support of mainstream radio. They were pioneers of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal in the 1980s, which invaded America and led to the formation of great metal bands such as Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth, and their 1982 album “Number of the Beast” is still something to behold. Not only that, their singer Bruce Dickinson is also a qualified pilot, a top fencer, a radio DJ, historian and TV presenter. They still send metal fans across the world crazy today, and recently released “Flight 666” a movie of their 2008 world tour, which saw denim-clad fans of all ages flock to cinemas across the UK for a one-night-only special big-screen viewing.
The Specials
Formed in Coventry in the late 1970s, The Specials are one of the most important bands ever, not just in the development of ska music, but also having huge influence of modern, political-orientated acts like Lily Allen. Their achievements are often overlooked, perhaps because their story is not as easy to hear as that of peers Madness, or perhaps because they are from Coventry, but their success is astonishing; 7 consecutive UK top 10 singles between 1979 and 1981, including the huge hit “Ghost Town”. They reformed, minus original keyboardist Jerry Dammers, this April for a 30th anniversary tour and the performances were superb, and proved that their music is still hugely relevant today, as well as proving that they are still a great live band.
Have we missed out your favourite band? Are there others more influential than those listed here? Let us know in the comments below
UPDATE BY THE EDITOR: By reading the comments, The Cure should have made the cut, we’ll add them to the hall of fame but won’t remove Oasis, to omit a band that sold the fastest selling Album in British music history would be wrong.
UPDATE 2 – Comment above should have read Radiohead not The Cure..was written in error, The Cure would not make it into the hall of fame, Radiohead would, sorry.
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you have missed out UB40 who not only brought reggae into mainstream music but they also have very strong political songs. Not only that but they are still going strong with no break after over 30 years, unlike a lot of big bands which split up and now cos money has run out making big comeback tours
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The Clash? You left off The Clash?
My all time favs and legends, Beatles “Hey Jude…”, Led Zeppelin “You don’t have to go…”, Rolling Stones “I can’t get no satisfaction…”, Oasis “Don’t look back in anger…” etc. I agree with the UB40 mention, my fav is “red red wine”.
Great article!!
I think Depeche Mode deserves to be on this list. More for bringing electronic music and synthesizers into the mainstream. Here in America bands would get thrown off the stage if they pulled out a keyboard before Depeche Mode. Should DM be mentioned with the Beatles, Led Zeppelin? Probably not. The Specials, Oasis? Yes.
What about The Human League? They pioneered electronic music in the UK.
You have totally missed The Clash. They definitely top Oasis, whom should not have been on the list at all.
Depeche Mode?
popurls.com // popular today…
story has entered the popular today section on popurls.com…
The Clash? Really?
No Radiohead ?
How can you miss this…
Enjoy them or not, they surprise everyone album after album with different styles.
What about Radiohead?
This list is completely invalidated without them.
RADIOHEAD!???
Agreed. all mind blowingly, life changingly awesome.
led zeppelin…made me want to learn guitar. my first was a cheap replica sunburst les paul (see song remains the same movie to see what it looks like)
ahh…ub40 ? hmm, commercially successful, but they were part of a large spawning…the specials, bad manners, madness….and then the clash saw it for all it’s goodness.
i think cold weather breeds creativity – america is too warm. and most major american “pioneering” bands will probably list some brit bands (from above perhaps) as their influences.
No The Who = Ultimate fail
I can’t believe it – QUEEN! Where is QUEEN????
Where is King Crimson? Get rid of Oasis at all costs!
Why is Queen not on this list??? Take out Oasis and put Queen in their place please!
No queen?
Queen? We can’t be missing out Freddie Mercury, can we?
Not only have you left out the pivotal and highly influential bands Radiohead and Joy Division, but insisted on “Oasis” and “the Specials”
If one declares themselves the Beatles and one lays down a little trumpet…
does that automatically make them influential? Ska has been dead for years.
As for Oasis, “Cocky” seems to be influential these days… maybe I will give you that.
The glaring hole in this list is Radiohead. They will be remember as being more important than Oasis (and one could easily make an argument that they already are). Furthermore, Oasis may have been more interesting band in the tabloids, but Blur were always more musically interesting. Okay, enough nitpicking.
The Kinks
The Stone Roses
The Clash
Judas Priest is probably as big and influential as Iron Maiden.
No Coldplay? I think its safe to say they’re the Brits biggest music export of the 00’s.
And even though not that many people have heard of them, I think Porcupine Tree should be on this list.
No Radiohead? What?
? Queen? The world of classic rock and music redefined………..
Sorry, but the Sex Pistols were more a production of Malcolm McLaren than they were a legitimate punk band. Were they influential? Of course. But many punks would put bands like The Toy Dolls and The Ramones (who both pre-dated the Sex Pistols) higher up on the list of influences. Saying that the Pistols “almost single-handedly creat[ed] the genre of punk rock” is sort of an insult to the bands I’ve just mentioned. But hey, that’s just my opinion and I still enjoyed the article.
What about The Prodigy???
Really… No Radiohead…
Agreed on UB40!
What about The Clash? They’ve been called “the only band that matters”?
I assume that the omission of Radiohead was because they have not so much “changed” the music world as they have changed and still continue to change the music world. Honestly, as much as I love Oasis, i’d cut them from this roster without hesitation in favor of Radiohead.
That said, this list is pretty solid all around. It’s good to see that not everyone is blind to the massive historical presence of Maiden. The Specials were a bit risky, but I can respect a risky choice and I can certainly appreciate their music. Still, where’s the Radiohead?
YOU FORGOT ME!
RADIOHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
queen?! where is queen?
The Sex Pistols are in here but no word about The Clash??? Wow.
What the shit!? Where’s Queen??
oasis…. ?!?
ok… never mind that bit of bollocks!!
how about deep purple, motorhead, ub40, steel pulse, the animals, band of gypsies, the english beat, the jam, elvis costello, and so many more who will influence the musicians of tomorrow?
I never heard a kid pick up a guitar and play an oasis tune, ever.
smoke on the water, perhaps, never wonderwall.
oasis was all hype and bullshit combined with ripped off licks from really talented bands and a lot of help from the tabloids. they will certainly never stand the true test of time. certainly no more than any other few-hit wonders.
oh, and the police???
Sorry, love ‘em as we may, Oasis does not belong here.
The headline says “changed the music world”. They have not done that. Yes, they sell shed loads of records, but they can not be said to have changed the music world in the same way as all others on your list. For instance, all the others have bred whole music “scenes” around the world. Can we say the same for Oasis? (Or perhaps a sub-ed appended the incorrect headline to a list intended as something else?)
The sex pistols are great and all, but punk rock was born in new york city.
Joy Division much?
Are you kidding?! THE CLASH…..Hailed as “The Only Band That Matters”.
i wouldve guessed radiohead would’ve been up there since you know, embraced downloading music off the internet
OK, you have The Beatles and The Stones, but you left out the third part of the holy trinity of British Rock: The Who.
you left out Radiohead which makes this list absolutely ridiculous….
Where’s Joy Division????????? I also think that while influential The Sex Pistols influence didn’t linger as much as The Clash or The Cure.
THE CLASH!
Umm, The Who didn’t make the cut? They did, after all, perfect the rock opera, introduce synthesizers into popular music, play live better than any of their contemporaries, and create or at least inspire most of the cliches associated with rock music since the 60’s. Disappointing…
The pistols were late 70’s and not early 70’s as you stated. Also what about Deep Purple surely they should have had a mention?
No radiohead?
strange, very strange
How can you possibly leave off Radiohead? They have been going for nearly 20 years strong and are arguably the best and most influential band of the modern era.
In the Iron Maiden section, “the London bands worldwide appeal” should be:
“the London band’s worldwide appeal”.
Oasis ? Are you kidding me ?
Beatles, Sabbath, Floyd, Zeppelin, Stones, oh yea Oasis.
What kinda clown compiled this list ?
I can give you a dozen bands that are better to come out of the 90’s…
Radiohead should be up here, if only for their popularity, though they’re music merits a spot near the top.
Radiohead should take Oasis’ place on this list.
the Who; Moody Blues; Jethro Tull; Yes; Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Its not you dont have to go its “D’yer Mak’er”
YES! the Kinks how could you miss the kinks!
Sorry but Oasis didn’t change shit. All their music is the one of the Stone Roses but way worse !
Cheers
what about the Moody Blues- still going strong after how many years?!
Could care less what the rest of your list has to offer. You left out The Clash. Fail.
Ten British bands that have changed the music world…
No music or videos, but a great article about how the monsters of rock have come out of England. Oh yes, and as a tribute to all my friends over at Fark.com, Duke sucks……
I have to agree with everyone that has mentioned replacements for Oasis. In addition to The Class and The Cure, what about The Smiths.
About your comment on the Sex Pistols:
“as well as almost single-handedly creating the genre of punk rock.”
Saying that any band is single-handedly responsible for any genre is ignorant as “new” genres of music are just different variations and/or combinations of those existing.
They may have been responsible for the rise in popularity of punk music in the United Kingdom, but the roots of punk were laid down by American bands in the mid to late 60’s.
Also not mentioning Radiohead is sacrilegious! You’re better than that!
RADIOHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! COME ON!
i agree about Queen and The Clash, but THE CURE have also left an undeniable mark on alternative music.
Just want to reiterate. How could you possibly have this list without Radiohead? They are still going strong. You sight Iron Maiden’s popularity as a reason for them being on this list. Have you seen the following of Radiohead. More importantly, especially starting with OK Computer they have pushed the limits of what others are doing currently. Prior to In Rainbows had you heard anything similar to it at all?
The Smiths / The Cure / Joy Division / New Order
awful list
Well, your excuse for including Oasis makes you seem even more stupid than putting them on there in the first place. Especially when omitting The Smiths and Radiohead, both of whom – whatever you might personally think of them – have had ten times more impact each year of their existence than knuckleheaded cliché-loving Oasis have throughout their entire career.
They…didn’t…put…THE WHO!!!!
I would add Def Leppard.
You are right, Radiohead should totally be in the hall of fame, and am glad The Editor changed it – see latest update.
Thank you for saying this… frak radiohead, frak the rest of these people saying things, I would change the top ten to top eleven and add The Who. That’s it, and that’s all. Add The Who…
Without The Kinks, this simply is not a list of British bands of any sort. Anyone who ever picked up a guitar after Dave Davies owes that man a debt.
No Clash?
Fail List.
Queen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and
T.Rex
You seem to have forgotten Def Leppard. Their album Hysteria had ten songs out of the twelve on the disk playing on radio at one time. Def Leppard should definitely be on the list.
This list is really really ambitious and i believe it is really incomplete
1. the who
2. radiohead
3. the kinks
4. clash
I wouldnt have oasis and i really dont agree with the sex pistols
Agreed! Porcupine Tree should be on that list for sure.
Back in the early ’80’s Duran Duran pioneered the use of setting music to film, hence the music video that changed the way we look at music. Personally, I’m not a fan of their music anymore, but there is no question they influenced music in that way.
Yeah man they also INVENTED THE HALFSTACK! I mean of all the iconic Rock images, a band that fucking invented the half stack to not be on this list!?
Camel!????
oasis?? WTF man… they only made it cool to be a whiney beatles rip-off bunch of cnuts ffs. i agree with all the rest though (even though i hate punk with a passion, the sex pistols did change the face of music, though i believe it was in a negative way)
What about The Jimi Hendrix Experience?
Wow, I wasn’t expecting my article to be this popular! I’ve been very interested to hear what you all have to say, and yes, I agree that Radiohead should have been on my list, but believe me trying to get it down to ten was difficult, and Radiohead was a tough one to leave off as I am a big fan of them myself. Same goes for The Clash and Queen – they all made my original long list. I couldn’t agree more that they are all worthy of a place here, but again I only had 10 spots and went with my gut. Of course, a lot of you probably think that choice has lead to this article being a “fail” but that’s your opinion, just as this list is mine and I think it only shows the strength of the British music industry that it is so difficult to only pick 10 hugely influential British bands.
To be honest, there are a lot of others bands I would have liked to have included here, most of whom have been mentioned in this comments section – bands like The Who, Joy Division, Depeche Mode, Deep Purple, UB40, Coldplay etc…perhaps this article should be followed up by another article “10 more British bands that have changed the music world”, which I would be happy to write!
I don’t think the comments calling me stupid because of either what I’ve written or for not including a certain band are entirely fair, but I do appreciate people letting me know what they think about the piece so thanks for getting involved!
I’m still laughing at the guy who said Coldplay should be on the list.
Oasis should definately (maybe?!) not be on this list. Nothing against Oasis but they just don’t come close to the impact of The Clash or Radiohead. You’ll meet people living in the deserts of africa or the jungles of asia listening to London Calling but you won’t find many who have even heard of Oasis (even in the desert!)
The Shadows!
I have lived in the desert and I have heard Queen more often than Radiohead, Clash and Oasis combined!
Dear god not Queen! Next they”ll be calling for *shiver* Elton John….
QUEEN! Seriously, Live Aid and Wembly 86 were awesome. Queen’s songs are classics and used all the time!
Head banging to Bohemian Rhapsody will never get old!!!
Oy, an American here. Thanks for giving us The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Chas Chandler (Animals) had to bring the greatest guitar player ever to England meld him in with two incredible Brits to change the world, don’t be to humble here. I remember riding a train out to Devon from London and far across a field on a fence was “Elvis” and I saw it on a wall in London as well. Where else in the world? When I got to a farm in Devon the Grand mother was in watching the telly all a twitter about these new lads.. The Police (another ex-pat yank on the drums). Music runs deep, bythe way thanks for exposing Bob Marley to the world as well. Cheers (and I mean that in the strongest sense).
Two things:
The Clash deserve a place on this list WAY more than the Sex Pistols.
The Pistols inventing punk rock? Try the Ramones, Television, etc., over in NYC.
I have to concur! The Who are a glaring omission from this list. Without the amazing musicianship of Pete Townshend, John Enwistle’s innovations on the bass guitar, Roger Daltry’s unique voice and Keith Moon’s crazy drum style there would be no Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and especially the Sex Pistols. The Who were one of the inspirations for the Punk Movement of the mid-late 70’s.
P.S. What about the Kinks? Just sayin’
A band everyone seems to have forgotten is The Hollies. In the sixties they were the most prolific band after The Beatles with over 20 Top 40 hits. Plus when Graham Nash joined Crosby and Stills (and Young later) they helped create a new American sound. Fairly important i think.
Agreed….Oasis before the Who????
I have to agree with the many many omissions mentioned – Radiohead, THE CLASH, the Kinks, the Who, the Cure (but prob not Depeche sorry…though I do love them…)
What about the Stone Roses, or Joy Division or New Order? The Smiths anyone?
And if you want to include Oasis for having the fastest selling album you are an idiot. That goes no distance in whether the band is a good band. That just tells you the public’s opinion and desire to throw their money away. If you want sellouts what about Coldplay? They certainly have made a lot of money with mediocre albums too. Spice Girls??
By the end of this list I half expected to see the Arctic Monkeys on your list.
I’d have thought the kinks could have done with going on here.Whittling a list down to ten though is just impossible!
It is incredible when you think about it, for such a small nation, we’ve produced some amazing musical talent. And I think we always will.
what!!!! New Order/Joy Division ?????
QUEEN, where’s QUEEN? dude, I don’t know any current band/player that doesn’t have them as influence
How can you leave out THE CLASH?
Erm, no Bowie ?
As well as The Clash, The Smiths and The Who as has already been said.
The Fall
The Kinks!!!!!!!
NO THE WHO? Are you retarded?
Are you kidding me? Oasis practically spawned the whole next generation of bands that followed out of England. Coldplay, Travis, Snow Patrol, Stereophonics and many more all came about in the wake of Oasis. They are still a big draw and selling albums almost 20 years after they were formed. They are one of the few 90’s UK bands that haven’t gone on hiatus or broken up while still remaining relevant. Their volatility and longevity is actually quite remarkable.
With that said this is an impossible list to boil down to 10. You could have made it the top 20 and still had people bitching about such and such band didn’t make the cut.
Without a doubt, Radiohead should be on this list. and if i may be so bold… Gorillaz?
I couldn’t agree with you more.
Ian Dury and the Blockheads; members and former members of all these groups mentioned, Beatles, Stones, Led Zepplin, Cream, etc. would flock to the Blockhead concerts. Paul M. and Eric Clapton were often spotted in the audience. The Blockheads are responsible for changing the music world in the British Isles, which in turn influenced the artists mentioned in this article, thus changing the music world. Ian Dury was a genius composer and performer.
But I guess you’d have to be from Essex to understand!
The Who originated the punk ethos. The originated pretentious prog rock concept albums. The Who ruled and led the way in how to do live performance. The Who embodied the trash the hotel room mania of rock and roll. The Who have been a primary inspiration to hundreds of musicians who found their own way to the top of the charts.
Epic fail!
The Clash is the only band that matters. I’d argue that a list, by definition, has to be incomplete, but to see Oasis on there and the Clash not seems a glaring error.
Not even Radiohead matters as much as the Clash did, despite the Update By The Editor.
Radiohead… dur… this list is bunk
where is Queen?? Update3 should come soon i think
While I may not be a fan of all the genres represented here, there are three bands listed here that hardly qualify as “changing the face of rock”. Oasis, the Specials, and the Rolling Stones. Who cares how popular or successful the Stone may be, they are not anything special. The other two I mentioned, they are musical jokes on a good day.
Great picks but I would have also included Radiohead, easpecially if Oasis made the list, which we all know is just a dumbed down, less appealing version of Radiohead.
From one American who has always listened to more Brit music than anything else: Pink Floyd definitely deserves to beon the list on its own merits. In terms of change, I have to give you the Beatles, since they made it possible to hear other Brit bands.
But — the Cure, Radiohead, the Clash, Joy Division, New Order, Roxy Music — in terms of pure merit and influence on other music the other bands you mentioned are not in the same league.
How can you leave out Queen and The Who? Rethink your list pal!
Oasis?! Get real, man.
Take out Oasis and put in The Who, take out the Pistols (who are great) and put in The Clash and iron Maiden….hmmm I don’t know there’s probably someone a little more deserving.
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Oasis changed the world? I think not. Where the hell is David Bowie? Forty years in, and his influence is still clearly felt.
weak.
here’s the real list (from an american perspective):
1) led zep
black sabbath
2) rolling stones
3) beatles
4) the clash
5) the who
6) pink floyd
7) the smiths
9) radiohead
10) my bloody valentine
*no sex pistols because mcclaren ripped off stooges/new york dolls/ramones
The Who should really be on the list. Also the Sex Pistols were to The Clash what the Monkeys were to the Beatles. They are the prefab four of Punk.
Wow, I can’t believe T. Rex/Marc Bolan was left off this list….Marc Bolan’s guitar riffs have been copied endlessly (Oasis, etc.), and even bands like Souxsie & The Banshees and New York Dolls agreed he was one of the godfathers of punk…..!
LOL!!!! You and me both, my friend!
The Clash!!
@darren
“Too warm” to be creative? It sure as shit wasn’t the British that invented rock and roll! It came from American music traditions–the blues and “hillbilly” music, primarily, as well as jazz, gospel, and country.
Hop over to Google Earth and check your geography. Significant parts of the USA get very cold, and if you don’t believe that, I defy you to survive a Detroit winter. You’re also ignoring that fact that blues and “hillbilly” music arose from some of the geographically warmest areas of the USA.
As for your remark that “most major american ‘pioneering’bands will probably list some brit bands “: hogwash. You either forgot or never knew that the British arrived very late to the rock scene–the genre was a decade old or more before the Beatles ever met each other.
In terms of bands changing the music world, just from the top of my head there’s Ike Turner and the Kings of Rhythm, Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Bill Haley and the Comets, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, the Coasters, the Drifters, the Platters, the Beach Boys, the Everly Brothers–all of whom were major rick ‘n roll stars before the British entered the genre. You could list several more highly influential rock ‘n roll acts (esp. the solo acts, like Chuck Berry and Elvis) before you eventually worked your way ’round to a British band.
The sad reality is that for a long time, the UK was simply far too ethnically _white_ to have the kind of creativity that produced rock. And they knew it. There’s a reason the Beatles covered “Twist and Shout” by the Isley Brothers, the Rolling Stones named themselves after a Muddy Waters song, and Led Zepplin’s first big record deal was with blues label Atlantic Records . The Brits borrowed shamelessly from us Americans for ages before you started producing your own genuinely original rock.
Back to the topic at hand: I love the Sex Pistols, but even they would tell you that The Who laid the groundwork for punk, and that the first truly punk acts (punk as we know the genre today) were American: The Stooges (as in “Iggy Pop and The…”) and MC5, both from Michigan, USA.
Well, the Clash called THEMSELVES “The Only Band That Matters”. It was a marketing slogan that CBS records came up with for them.
…by CBS Records’ marketing department!
I would have to say none of these bands changed music, they just did what everyone else was doing and sold it better.
Blur would be a better choice than Gorillaz if we’re talking about Damon Albarn. I love Blur but I’m not sure they would be in the top ten.
And listing Oasis is a crime when these bands have been overlooked:
The Who
The Kinks
The Clash
The Smiths
Radiohead
Joy Division
The Cure
MBV is Irish.
Coldplay is widely panned as a band in the UK, as being a pale imitation of radiohead with much less skill. I would try and argue muse, but they havent changed that much as no one tries to imitate their sound, as its near impossible to.
Things I would want on the list: The who, Judas Priest, The smiths, Joy Division, you could say some of the early indie bands which formed this new trend, but its not worth it.
Radiohead SUCKS
This is an interesting article. Unfortunately the article and all the replies so far show a lack of historical perspective.
If you follow the influences back through the groups you find that the band who most influenced the big bands of the sixties, who then influenced the future groups was Lonnie Donegan. His records spent more time in charts than even the Beatles. All the groups of the early sixties have spoken of his influence.
Just because only people of my certain age remember him now, is no reason to forget the huge influence he had in the late fifties and early sixties!
Look, the small fact that most of you are missing is the part in the title that says CHANGED the music world. It doesn’t say Best British bands or Your Favorite British Bands. It doesn’t even say Top Ten British Bands.
It says: Ten British bands that changed the music world
That said– Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones are on the list for what should be obvious reasons. I don’t care what your reasons may be for not “liking” them. They changed the music world. You can argue all you want over what ‘changed’ means, but basically it means that after and because of them, a new standard had been set invalidating the old standard.
With this in mind, the Sex Pistols CHANGED the music world. The Clash, although a better band that has held up better in the long run, did not make the list. But that is OK because this is not an ultimate list. The author would not dispute the fact that they, too, CHANGED THE MUSIC WORLD! See the last sentence of the paragraph above if you need to have this concept explained to you again.
Black Sabbath changed the music world. Pink Floyd changed the music world. Cream changed the music world. Iron Maiden changed the music world. And yes, the Specials changed the music world. I won’t go into it here, but there probably is a nice, concise Wikipedia article that would be willing to explain the 20+ years of fall-out that came from mixing really catchy ska with really hooky punk.
Ok, here’s the big one: OASIS CHANGED THE FUCKING MUSIC WORLD!!! So did My Bloody Valentine and Blur and Radiohead and the Smiths and Joy Division and Gang of Four—all of these bands in big and small ways did. Oasis was huge and for quite a few years and had the near entirety of British youth tracking their every move. So much so that a recording of a Gallagher brothers argument — http://tinyurl.com/lrbtl5 — made the British charts. This was during the era of Brit-pop and Cool Britannia. Google it you morons. Or better yet, pay attention and participate in the next seismic shift in music and culture. This of course would require you to realize that you don’t know everything and that there is a whole world out there that doesn’t consist of ranking and arguing over minutia.
Now, for the most part, this article is barely interesting, very glossy, and nearly a waste of time. The Sex Pistols did not shoot “to fame during the depressing years of the early 1970s” They played their first show on November 6, 1975. The rest of the story you should already know. In fact, you should know all of these stories. This article shouldn’t exist.
I’m surprised nobody has mentioned Muse.
I personally think they are overrated but a lot of people seem to like them and they are more creative/experimental than Radiohead.
Excuse me? No Coldplay. I know they’re a newer band, and all the ones on this list are old, but Coldplay is amazing. I guess they haven’t done to much influencing though. More like they have been influenced.
Also, would U2 count as British, or are they Irish or whatever, because where would the world be without U2?
what the bloody hell, does everyone here have amensia?!?!?! what about the SPICE GIRLS!!!!!
Motörhead
wrong. half the members were born in the UK, the band was formed in/lives in London = British. On the other hand, KS was born in the US, so we’d be happy to consider MBV American…
::cough::QUEEN::cough::
No, seriously. Where the hell is Queen?
the who, ANYONE?!
The Priest!!! The term heavy metal was coined because of them and they led the way for the NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) . This list is ridiculous, Oasis, the Specials??? No Queen or the Who? Arghhh!!!!!
[...] por rivv en Junio 14, 2009 En el artículo de The Daily Dust, Ten British bands that changed the music world, se realiza un repaso de las bandas británicas que mas influencia tuvieron para el resto del [...]
I am so glad you mentioned the specials!!! They deserve way more credit then was ever given them!!
Sadly, i think you are giving way too much credit to oasis. Besides the album [what's the story] morning glory, does anyone know the words to any songs on any other album? Unless you are living in England, the answer is no. They compared themselves to the beatles… no go on that one.
The list is almost perfect my friend.
and alihyerwifa is totally right. You left off the Who… with out the who, Led Zep would not have their name! And also the fact that Who’s Next is the greatest album in existance.
As a top 10 list bands who influenced world music you would have to include a Depeche Mode or Human League.There are a lot of artists in the states who site Depeche as a major influence in either their music or them becoming a musician.
No Priest? That is criminal. Some other grievous omissions – Queen, The Who, Diamond Head, Motorhead, Deep Purple, The Blues Breakers (Yes, I know, Clapton is already on the list, blah blah), also the Jimi Hendrix Experience formed in Britain (2/3 of the band were Brits – the band formed in London), Jethro Tull, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Venom – oh, that’s another biggie: no Venom, no Thrash metal, esp. Slayer – also, no Depeche Mode, Duran Duran. And then you forgot the greatest British band of all time: Spinal Tap.
I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS!!!!!!!
WHERE IS THE WHO??!!!!!
THE WHO
THE WHO
THE WHO WHERE IS????
ONE OF THE MOOST INFLUENTIAL BANDS OF THE WORLD!!!!!
WHERE IS?
WHERE IS THE WHO????
I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS
THIS LIST IS A SHIT!!!!
EXCEPT FOR THE BEATLES,ROLLING STONES,IRON MAIDEN,LED ZEPPELIN AND PINK FLOYD AND BLACK SABBATH
THE WHO IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST BANDS IN THE WORLD
AND THIS LIST IS A SHIT!
Have to say it, for all the commenters out there – Radiohead is one of the most overhyped, overrated band in the world.
Just because the Hollywood folk fawn over them doesn’t mean they’re great.
I can appreciate their tendency to experiment musically, but they’re not some legendary band.
Enjoyable list!
You have missed out on the Greatest Influence on British Music has ever had a band called QUEEN …are you with it?….how stupid ?
No one’s going to take this list seriously. You’ve missed off Queen, The Police and The Clash, then edited the post to say that The Cure would never be on it, but Radiohead would. I think you’ll find just through simple research that Queen, The Clash and The Cure have influenced a billion more people. I hope you didn’t get paid for this tripe.
Perfect 10 for the list, I did listen to some songs mentioned here & was delighted. I only knew the bands of which I heard before. Now I know more of them. Hats off to these best ever great musicians.
Queen & Depeche Mode?!!!!
Where are these two massively influential bands that conquered the World?!
Still to this day, 30 years after their formation, Depeche Mode gigs sell out in hours around the planet! Almost 50 singles in the UK charts alone!
Queen have written more anthems than any other band, and are the most covered band ever! Their album sales around the World are phenomenal, and UK’s best selling album of all-time is Queen Greatest Hits 1!
Queen are also the only band where each member has written a number single! And, let’s face it Freddie Mercury was a genius.
That’s exactly what I thought! NO QUEEN???
You gotta be kidding me!
For god’s sake, what about THE WHO? Um….Queen, or The Jam?
[...] British bands that have changed the music world – Click Here [...]
My thoughts exactly! As a Yank, I can tell you that Oasis did not “change the world” from our perspective. They were a Beatle-based pop band that hit the charts a few times here. Now The Clash… they were true originals and helped to create a new musical genre.
Well, they might have made a difference in the UK, but the UK is not the world. Most non Brits would read that list (except for Coldplay, whom many have heard of but are considered shite here in the U.S.) and say “Who?” Oasis owes everything to the Beatles, and have done nothing to change the world’s music.
I should wear the clothing of Mr. Walter Mitty.
Oasis was barely a blip out of Britain, and The Clash were far more influential in the west than the Pistols.
As long as we are voting, I vote for The Clash, The WHO, and Queen in that order.
You can keep Oasis, Iron Maiden, and Black Sabbath unless you want to make the list longer. If you do want to make the list longer, you can throw in Radiohead. Hell, throw in Elvis Costello if you want.
Hello?!? Its known rock history that the Sex PIstols and the Clash both got going after The Ramones played in London. Iggy Pop and the Ramones invented punk rock big guy…
And David Bowie wasnt a band per se but he sure as hell changed music…
I’m surprised the main bands from the ‘70 are all but forgotten.
DEEP PURPLE ?
EMERSON, LAKE AND PALMER ?
THE NICE ?
THE WHO ?
I’m 49 and never heard of “The Specials” and would never have my son listen to Black Sabbath” but I dare anyone to object to the lyrics of Keith Emerson or Deep Purple…
The WHO made the only tetraphonic (quadriphonic) film, “QUADROPHENIA”
BEST all-time rock album = EAT THE PEACH by the led zepplein — bootleg version
darren you sure gotta bee in your bonnet or something mate,because no one hear would disagree with you that american bands invented rock and roll,but dont for one minute accuse british bands of stealing it from america..please!!
what the brits did was take your shitty rock and roll and turn it in to rock or concert rock to be more precise,there isnt a single british band who would claim to play rock and roll because they know its for simple people folk.
what the brits did was mutate your rock and roll and make it in to music for the thinking man to listen to,they gave it substance instead of singing about love all the time like most of that american rubbish of that time.
so in retrospect the article is correct,those british bands did change the face of music the world over,they changed rock n roll for the better,into something for the educated man to abide with.singing about many political themes and generally getting into the psyche of the listener enough to cause movement within the students by shear influence alone.
so you can keep your elvis and the drifters and ike n turner and the platters (who..?) and any other lame rock n roller group you care to mention and shut the hell up..please!!!!
I love the clash and most of all the artists mentioned in the list and replies, but insufficient thought and research has taken place. Most British “Rock Bands” owe more than a nodding assurance to the original British rock innovators such as Alexis Corners and John Mayall. To my mind John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers were nurtured, styled and allowed to develop further, becoming household names known throughout the world and influencing countless others. E.G. Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Peter Green, John McVie and Mick Taylor etc.
John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and its individual artists helped shape the British phenomenon into the sheer class that is modern rock and should at least be acknowledged.
Actually, rock and roll can trace it’s origins back to Africa.
You see, all the slaves that were brought to America by the white men were located in large communities primarily in the south, such as Louisiana and Mississippi. Traditional African music styles then became mixed with different genres in the great melting pot that was America, to create the Blues.
Then Rock n Roll took off in the 50s in the US, which led to the British invasion with bands like Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Who, The Kinks, Pink Floyd and The Animals rooted in Blues music.
Don;t forget the session player on the Kinks hits- “little Jimmy Page” didn’t he start one of the top ten bands?
“Without The Kinks, this simply is not a list of British bands of any sort. Anyone who ever picked up a guitar after Dave Davies owes that man a debt.”
I agree with all of the listed bands except for Oasis and The Specials…actually The Specials probably deserve to be here if they were that influential in bringing ska into the mainstream (but I’ve never heard of them). Oasis, I’ve heard of at least, and they were enormously successful…but success doesn’t equate influence. There is nothing in that paragraph written above that illustrates their influence on other bands, or the music industry outside of selling units. Selling lots of albums is hardly a reason to be included here…but if it is, where’s The Who? 100 million records sold…27 hit singles over four decades…….performing at both Monterey Pop & Woodstock…My Generation…Tommy…Quadrophenia. That is a MASSIVELY influential band. The Sex Pistols deserve to be here, but what about The Clash? By far the most successful of the Punk Rock movement…hugely influential in the States. I’d also like to see the work of individuals like Eric Clapton & David Bowie represented as well, though known as singular acts, they rarely played without a band…and both were very influential in their own way. (I love that Sabbath & Maiden made the list, it’s nice to see metal get a nod, since they are largely overlooked by mainstream media). But if Oasis makes the list, than so should Def Leppard who was perhaps singularly responsible for the ‘hair metal’ movement which grew in the late 80’s…now that’s influence. Where are all the British groups that helped make MTV such a massive success in the 80’s? They influenced an entire generation of new rockers…Duran, Duran & George Michael, among others.
Don’t overlook that much of early rock-and-roll was influenced as much by country & boogie-woogie as it was from blues. Not to mention, folk-rock getting influence from European folk balads. I’d say with Jazz & Blues both tracing ancestry to Africa, I’d say Rock & Roll is maybe 2/3 African…but that’s not altogether accurate either. The Blues (in all forms) was a result of the African-American experience. Without the horrors of slavery and economic despair experienced by the immediate descendants of former slaves, the blues never would have evolved from African tribal traditions. Also instrumentation was largely borrowed from Euro-American sources, the guitar, the piano, the stand-up bass…those are European inventions (or at least improved-upon technologies).
Queen, too! I forgot about Queen. Actually, I kind of forgot they were a British Band. They were so successful around the world. Definitely deserves to be on the list.
I hate the Spice Girls, but you’re right, they were very, very influential group. Without them, would the Boy Bands that arrived in the mid-90’s have made it? Or would Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera or Jessica Simpson be household names…nope. As much as I hate to admit it…they should be listed…though, TECHNICALLY, are they really a band? Do they play instruments??
There’s not enough room to list EVERY NWOBHM or all early influencial metal bands. The fact that Sabbath (early) and Maiden (NW) made the list is enough. Diamond Head, Motorhead & Purple are (I agree) hugely influential in hard rock & heavy metal, but none of them experienced either the chart success or mainstream success/fame of Sabbath or Maiden.
Dang, another one I missed…The Police. DEFINITELY should be on the list. Hugely successful, influential, and they brought a new energy and style to Rock in the 80’s.
Ah, that’s interesting.
So what you’re saying is that rock and roll isn’t 100% of African origin. But at least 2/3 of it is.
Btw, this list needs changing, as specified by others.
Instead of Oasis, it should be The Clash.
Instead of Iron Maiden, it should be Queen.
And instead of The Specials it should be UB40. No one in the US or anywhere else will have heard of The Specials.
You are deluded, yes all the bands you mentioned were great, I love the Ramones and the Dolls..BUT the Sex Pistols were THE best Punk band, full stop.
Malcolm McLaren didn’t create them, its been written about and debated for years…sure he helped them out, but they were a creation of the working class youth of the mid 70s, bands as great as the Pistols only come along once in a generation, its a shame their reputation is tarnished by the McLaren propaganda and idiots that still think “oh, they can’t even play” as they were very good musicians in their own right, and people forget Glen Matlock was a great bass player and song writer, the Pistols themselves now admit that kicking him outta the band was their biggets mistake.
The biggest exclusion from this list is The Stone Roses, make no mistake about it, their influence on culture and music in the late 80s and early 90s was far, far greater than that of almost all the other bands, bar the Beatles, The Stones and The Pistols, put together! I remember the distinct shift in music, both guitar based and dance, that happened after The Stone Roses released their debut album…everybody wanted to be them and record companies went into overdrive to sign wannabe acts. AND most importantly Oasis only filled the void left by the implosion of the Roses, so maybe they should be dropped from this list and the Roses added instead.
they may not be original but for the rest of the world they defined the 90’s music and have not looked back. there first two albums definetly maybe and morning glory have been voted many times in top ten british album of all time. the clash were awesome but never sold more than 70 million records like oasis did. noel gallagher is a verysmart man.
100 million records sold.Biggest selling band never to have had a number 1 single.Why does Britain not respect Depeche Mode.
OMG no Queen?? you might as well leave the beatles out of the list then
Absolutely ! The first band with a conscience and 4 front men !
Fair point !
Re: Coldplay…………. I still don’t understand the appeal ????
I must be missing something ?
New York Dolls ?
where is radiohead?
Small Faces!!! The forgotten yet great.