10 Greatest Classic Rock Bands Of All Time

While it is impossible to understate just how influential The Beatles have been in music history, they fall just behind two English cohorts on this list for best ever classic rock band. That is not to downplay the monumental impact the band had on the Rock genre, most notably their experimentation with recording techniques (e.g looping), various instruments (e.g. Sitar) and variation in song structure (e.g. A Day in the Life). But their greatest accomplishment of all was their ability to completely reinvent and update their image, and more importantly their music.

References in films such as Goldfinger referencing how bad The Beatles are extremely amusing nowadays, but serves as a reminder that they very much started out as a boy band. Their move to a genuine rock band begun with the album A Hard Day's Night, with the titular track and Can't Buy Me Love displaying their musical progression. Help! signified the band's transition to fully fledged rock, You've Got To Hide Your Love Away an indication of the deeper themes and musical experimentation being explored by McCartney and Lennon, and eventually Harrison.

The band went from strength to strength from there, Sgt. Peppers and the White Album producing their greatest tracks. While my Guitar Gently Weeps, the George Harrison penned collaboration with Eric Clapton was The Beatles at their rock peak, but their willingness to experiment with various musical styles is what makes one of the best bands ever, if not quite the best rock band.