10 Best British Classic Rock Bands Of All Time

The sounds of classic rock always had more international ties than you would expect. Though many people immediately focus on America when it comes to the rock genre, the greatest forms of rock and roll always felt like a dialogue between the States and the UK.

Rock may have started in the States, but there's a reason why the British Invasion caused the rock world to stand up and take notice. Ever since, the rock world as a whole seems to have been shaped by the British acts in one way or another. Whether bands were influenced by them or went in another direction, it all comes back to the glorious sounds of these rock acts.

Ironically enough, all of these bands have their own distinctive sound that set them apart from their contemporaries. With the societal norms expanding around them, these bands knew it was no use resting on your laurels when you could reach deep down into your soul and pull out something that no one had ever thought possible. These are the artists that laid the groundwork for rock going forward. Rock's birthplace may be the States, but the streets of Britain is where rock and roll officially grew up.

Electric Light Orchestra was a real anomaly when they arrived in the collective consciousness. When most bands were getting by on a few unstoppable riffs, ELO had a much broader scope in musical direction. Riffs were one facet, but what would it be like to think more operatically.

With The Beatles' "I Am The Walrus" as their model, most of the songs from ELO took the typical rock song and brought it into the classical realm with the greatest of ease. It's not a mistake that they have the term orchestra in their name, with most of the band's catalog featuring a dominant use of strings, brass, and other assorted instrumentation.

That didn't mean their songs got lost in pretentious arranging, with mastermind Jeff Lynne using every sound to its fullest effect. Whether the song called for a straight ahead rock guitar or a 30-person choir, the results on songs like "Telephone Line" are absolutely gorgeous. Even when not in the confines of his band, Lynne brought his signature production to revive other rock giants from Tom Petty to Roy Orbison.

There were many dark corners of rock that were being uncovered in the 70's, but everything that came out of ELO's catalog seemed to radiate like a sonic ray of sunshine.