The Most Important Bands of the last Quarter Century

Many hang their head in shame when they discuss the music of the last quarter century. With the birth of the MTV generation and countless other movements forcing music into a cultural decline we have seen music go from true artistic self expression to a mass media vehicle that craves a quick fix and a quick buck.

Gone are the days when artists were celebrated for finding divinity in music. Gone are the days when artists were celebrated for challenging their audiences. Gone are the days when bands strived for perfection, for innovation and for a love for the music itself.

While we have seen a decline in the general fabric of modern music there have also been bands that do not fit this mold. Bands that have continued the tradition of searching for something meaningful in music, bands that have identified the beauty in music and have shared it with the world for the very great pleasure of doing so.

I ask ATS members to share their thoughts on the most important and influential bands or artists of the last quarter century. Could you please list your bands and also the reasons why you think they are the most important bands of the last quarter century?

I will start you off with what I think:

Nirvana

Nirvana were one of the most influential and important bands of the 90's, pioneering the 'grunge' sound coming out of Seattle and capitalizing on the beginnings of indie-friendly college radio stations around the US. While they popularized grunge music and turned teen angst into a household necessity they also produced some of the finest music of the period, which was admired the world over. Although Nirvana were very much part of the MTV boom and the hype surrounding it in the early-mid nineties their music surpasses most of that era. Nirvana have become timeless.

The White Stripes

The only modern band that contains a modern day certified rock god. The white stripes reminded people of the pleasures of simplicity, the charm of nothing more than a loud guitar and cave man drums. After six albums we're not complaining and Jack White has continually proven his worth in an industry devoid of passion for the classics of yesteryear. They made the blues cool again and they also made some great albums, definitely one of the most important bands of the last couple of decades.

Radiohead

Dubbed 'Nirvana-Lite' when they first arrived, one could have been forgiven for underestimating this band. As they progressed throughout the nineties they evolved and in 97 arrived with OK COMPUTER which has become a modern classic. They are constantly morphing and have kept audiences hooked from the moment the opening chords of 'creep' first rang out. What is refreshing about radiohead is that on top of producing amazingly innovative and beautiful music they do not compromise. They are probably THE most influential modern band in my opinion, constantly innovative.

Jeff Buckley

With his angelic voice and sonic brilliance he captivated a generation. There are currently more people trying to sound like Jeff Buckley than there are drummers. Buckley exploded onto the scene with his groundbreaking LP 'Grace' in 1995 and died within a couple of years. If he were still alive, there would be no telling how famous this man would be.

Oasis

Oasis combined a rich history of British rock royalty to produce music that moved many. If you were alive when it happened then you remember it, you were either offended by the Gallagher brothers swaggering Mancunian bravado or raising a fist to a brighter day. Either way, Oasis wrote some of the most uplifting and genuinely inspiring rock music to come out of England in the last 20 years, like it or not they were incredible.

The Black Keys

Taking a more hands on approach to the two piece Rock/Blues format the Black Keys emerged as a band with a mission. Since their debut 'the big come up' they have advanced into a truly original force. Theirs is a sound that has developed over the years into a truly unique and progressive take on the blues and all of its buddies. They get garage, they get swampy, they get bluesy and they get rocky, they truly are one of the most important bands of the last quarter century.

The Brianjonestown massacre

While most would be familiar with their film 'dig' what is important about this band is the impact they've had on modern music, maybe not whats getting thrashed in the charts, but the jonestown massacre started off a whole movement of underground bands. Black Mountain, the Dandy warhols and many others owe a lot to the jonestown massacre and it is my opinion that they're one of the most important/influential bands to have existed in the last quarter century.

It's a little hard giving band bio's, but how about people just share their thoughts on the most important/influential bands/artists of the last quarter century. That was mine. Thanks guys.

Aw man... this is too hard! I mean... theres so many good bands of the last quarter... I cant do them all justice. Even if I named them ALL there would always be one or two I would forget...

If I had to make a top 3... maybe nirvana, queen and guns n roses

But its still too hard... I mean the last quarter goes back to 1986, the best music comes from the 80's 90's, so thats a lot of bands to go through hehe... for instance The Clash ended in 86, so its still part of the last quarter right? hehe

Its too hard...

arcade fire
marilyn manson
muse
sonic youth
rage against the machine,
pj harvey
bjork
nick cave and the bad seeds
tool

tons of others where do you stop??

reply to post by FraternitasSaturni


I guess I'm talking about bands formed after that date, they wouldn't be eligible if they had something out in 1986. It is tough, mainly because there haven't been that many important bands emerging during this period. Not many anyway.....

reply to post by questcequecest


Nice one with the Cave, very good point. They should have been in my list...DAMN!

You see while a lot of those bands mentioned are good, great even, I don't personally think that Bjork cuts it, or PJ harvey, RATM certainly do as they've influenced thousands of bands but this is what I'm talking about, our era is lacking man.

I think these guys don't get the credit they deserve.. IMO a heavy influence for the whole of the brit pop scene in the 90's.. and often cited by Noel Gallagher (Oasis) as one of his major inluences..

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/6abd8d318191.jpg[/atsimg]

The Stone Roses were an English alternative rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. They were one of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement that was active during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The band's most successful lineup consisted of vocalist Ian Brown, guitarist John Squire, bassist Gary "Mani" Mounfield, and drummer Alan "Reni" Wren. The band released their début album, The Stone Roses, in 1989. The album was a breakthrough success for the band. At this time the Stone Roses decided to capitalise on their success by signing to a major label; their current record label Silvertone would not let them out of their contract, which led to a long legal battle that culminated with the band signing with Geffen Records in 1991, and then releasing their second album Second Coming in 1994. The group soon disbanded after several lineup changes throughout the supporting tour, which began with Reni first departing, followed by Squire.

en.wikipedia.org...

"November the 23rd, 1989, and possibly the most influential British guitar band of the last twenty years were making their debut on Top of the Pops. The group were Manchester's the Stone Roses. Having just released one of the most acclaimed debut albums of all time, they had the world at their feet. But then it all went horribly wrong. Within a few short years, the Stone Roses had split."

link

just want to add they formed in 83 but didnt find fame in the mainstream until the release of their debut album in 1989 with their second album in 1994..

Important is a matter of context, if you had never heard any of these bands, they would cease to be important.
To believe any band is important as of itself is naive, music's importance is different for everyone.
If you go somewhere quiet enough, for long enough, the music you will hear in your head will have far more importance than anything you've ever heard with your ears.
Sorry to naysay

It simply gets no better or more influential than Tool
Other notables include: Rage Against the Machine, Deftones, Weezer and A Perfect Circle to name a few.

But Obviously the godfathers of grunge must be included in THE MOST IMPORTANT.
Mother Love Bone / Temple of the Dog / Soundgarden / Pearl Jam
And of course Nirvana and Alice in Chains and Jane's Addiction and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Oh, and Faith No More, (How could I forget Mike Paton)

reply to post by Misterlondon

Cheers for that!

Stone Roses were great, MAJOR influence on the britpop movement, I personally love their stuff and get a real kick out of watching them play that iconic gig at Blackpool. Only thing is that their output was lacking, and they finished rather early and seemed to let a lot of people down. GREAT point, but for me they don;t make it, they fumbled the ball a bit.

reply to post by regularbonj


True, should probably clarify that. By important I am referring to the overall impact on the face of music, how much they influenced and changed the way we look at music and what it can be. A truly important band is one that changes music to come.....

reply to post by sir_slide


try and think of anything that can beat the thing that came first...

only thing i can think of is chicken.
i hate eggs.

i think people once we lose the whole timeline thing will put bands together its just we're stuck inbetween
originality and influence...

pink floyd + radiohead
cant really think of any other locks like them two tho..

Originally posted by sir_slide
reply to post by Misterlondon

 

Cheers for that!

Stone Roses were great, MAJOR influence on the britpop movement, I personally love their stuff and get a real kick out of watching them play that iconic gig at Blackpool. Only thing is that their output was lacking, and they finished rather early and seemed to let a lot of people down. GREAT point, but for me they don;t make it, they fumbled the ball a bit.

The reason their output was lacking was because they basically got screwed over by their record company, they had a dispute about it. they were tied to this contract for years so they couldnt release any material for anyone else for many years.. eventually the band just fell apart and they split..

although they just had 2 albums, they did inspire many bands which went on to be at the height of brit pop in the 90's and early 2000's..

reply to post by Misterlondon


True man, and to be totally fair, Oasis only really had two albums, bloody great ones, but there were only two albums that really mattered, although they mattered a lot. My favorite roses song would have to be 'waterfall', its just so west coast....

reply to post by questcequecest


I think the stones are better than chuck berry, not more important but better, I guess the rest is opinion...

Great thread OP!

For me two of the most important bands have been...

Nine Inch Nails:



The Prodigy:



Both are really the product of an individual as opposed to a group of musicians, but they have been the biggest musical influences on me personally over the years, and on alot of their peers.

To each their own, although your list includes more of my favourites.

i can heavily agree with 2 of the bands in your list as not so much important but influential and even inspirational to a generation..

those being nirvana, who were pioneers of the whole grunge scene which was massive.. influencing many other bands and inspirational to a whole generation in the 90's.

and oasis.. love them or loathe them, they were massive in the whole brit pop scene in the uk... they influenced a whole generation of bands, even now alot current bands were influenced by them. they also captured the mood in britain in the 2000's.. which was good times here... even tony blair associated himself with them in the hope of being seen as part of cool Britannia...

i have to add though IMO opinion radiohead did produce 2 of the best albums released in the 90's..as did nirvana with nevermind.. and oasis later in the noughties with definitely maybe and whats the story morning glory..

for the prodigy...
2nd

Have to add the cheers for PEARL JAM
Never sold out - not afraid to sing or say it
For TWENTY plus years-----

Please don't forget The Smashing pumpkins!
They were in direct competition with Nirvana and were my preference growing up through the 90s.
Mellon Collie was an awesome album and at least one song found it's way onto the soundtrack of my friends and my own teenage angst ridden existences.
Corgan has said that Mellon Collie was based on "the human condition of mortal sorrow".

If compared to the important bands initiated in the previous quarter century, I can't think of one. If you include individual singers, people like Sinead O'Connor stand out, but your question concerns bands.