10 Most Influential Rock Bands
8. Van Halen
The way that guitarists are rated in the hard rock community can be summed up in two categories: pre- and post-Van Halen. When the band burst onto the scene in the late 70's, their sound was incredibly unique. While the sound was still high-energy rock, namesake guitarist Eddie Van Halen shocked the music world with his soloing techniques.
From harmonic screeches to tapping solos, Eddie taught every guitar player how to truly shred. Alongside Eddie, his brother Alex turned into a drum hero with the way he pounded his kit with monstrous aggression. Right up front, David Lee Roth was everything you could have hoped for in a frontman, as he oozed charisma and kept the party moving through each song.
The band's sound was fresh at the time while also being the sound of the future. With Van Halen leading the charge, other bands started to emerge from the Sunset Strip brandishing fast guitar runs and over-the-top performers that turned into hair metal. Up until today, guitarists around the world are still trying to decipher Eddie's impeccable guitar breaks. By being a breath of fresh air at the time, Van Halen wrote the handbook on the rock lifestyle for all future generations of musicians.