10 Best American Classic Rock Bands Of All Time
2. Van Halen
By the late 70's, rock and roll had a pretty healthy foundation. After bands like Cream and Led Zeppelin set the opening scene, bands were popping up left and right trying to write the catchiest riffs they could. All eyes may have still been on British rock, but Van Halen brought rock's focus back to the Sunset Strip.
From their debut record on, Van Halen upped the ante for every rock band that followed, with every member being their own separate virtuoso. The magnetic stage presence of David Lee Roth brought a zany fun to each record while Alex Van Halen's jungle like rhythms tripped your brain out every time you turned on the stereo.
Each member is fantastic, but let's face it: Eddie Van Halen is the reason rock progressed the way it did. Eddie's approach to guitar playing flipped the entire genre on its head, with leads that incorporated effects, tapping, and classical modes that made each song feel like a locomotive about to hit you. More than just a guitar hero, Eddie Van Halen's guitar playing made the six-string the main voice of any hard rock act. The 80's were not short on great rock stars, but no single star shined as bright as Van Halen.