3 of the Greatest Bands in the World – REM, U2 and Dave Matthews
There are, however, in my opinion only a handful bands that could be labeled as the greatest in the world today. Yes, if we go through the cannons of Rock & Roll history, you will find a great number of bands deserving the label greatest, not just a few. Not the least of which are the Beatles.
But I’m talking about the present time here. Indeed the Beatles had revolutionized Rock & Roll as we know it. As Bono once said, “they (Beatles) discovered this country.” The country which he’s pertaining of course is Rock & Roll, creating the template by which all bands would forever be formed. But we will not include them in this list simply because we are essentially dealing with the modern age.
Unfortunately, this means that this list will not include other obvious choices such as Pink Floyd, Sex Pistols, and Rolling Stones. Yes, the Rolling Stones may still be around but when was the last time they ever released an album or went on tour?
For our purposes, we are looking for relevant bands. Bands that are omnipresent whether by touring or by regularity of album release. These are Rock & Roll’s flame-carriers, representing the ideals of the best and finest bands in the whole. We are also looking for highly influential bands – bands which had been in the limelight long enough to become templates themselves of other, newer emerging bands. That means some of today’s bands could not be included because, yes, they may be at the top right now but how long will they stay there? No. We need bands which passed the test of time. This makes the list rather short indeed.
So which bands then? Three comes to mind:
1) REM
Unlike most bands, the boys from Athens, Georgia was not what you’d call an overnight success. They were formed in January 1980 at the University of Georgia. Michael Stipe and Peter Buck were good friends who worked together when they met fellow music junkies Mike Mills and Bill Berry.
For the most part of the 80s, they had kept well below the pop music’s radar by producing work that doesn’t conform to mainstream formulas. But they weren’t worried. They knew pop music would eventually notice them. In the meanwhile they were content to just constantly create new, innovative music.
That all changed with the album Out of Time. While REM had some success in pop music with the previous two albums, Document and Green (with Green opening up the band to international recognition) Out of Time was the album that shot the band from underground infamy to mainstream notoriety – particularly the song “Losing My Religion.” It became the group’s biggest pop hit, reaching no. 4 in the United States. The album also produced another Top 10 hit with “Shiny Happy People” featuring the vocals of B-52’s Kate Pierson.
Many fans (including yours truly) believe their next album, Automatic for the People (1992) is REM’s finest. Powerful songs about death, suicide, depression dominate the album. Like its predecessor, Automatic was a quadruple-platinum success, generating the Top 40 hit singles like “Man on the Moon.”
REM drummer Bill Berry quit the band after two more albums, Monster and New Adventures in Hi-Fi, due to exhaustion and fatigue. At Berry’s wish, REM continued as a three-piece band despite saying in previous interviews that the departure of one member would trigger a band breakup.
Since then, they had gone off to release three new albums and a Best Of.
Why is REM part of this list? They epitomize uncompromising music. In 1987, Rolling Stones Magazine called them “America’s Best Band.” They are the band that never repeats itself. The band constantly toured and released records on an annual basis. As a result of their omnipresence, they had inspired countless bands including Nirvana.
Indeed REM had been the poster boys for alternative and/or progressive rock for over two decades.
REM had always been political whenever they need to be without making it the primary focus of their music. They are also known for the wit and playfulness their songs exude. Yes, their recent album Around the Sun had not been as well-received as their other efforts but America (and the rest of the world) love them. Their popularity is stronger than ever, selling out concert after concert.
My favorites from the REM catalogue: “Fall on Me,” “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight,” “Nightswimming,” “Photograph,” “Flowers of Guatemala,” “Perfect Circle.”
2) Dave Matthews Band
The Dave Matthews Band may not have been in the business for as long as REM has but it had certainly been around since 1991 when a guy by the name of Dave Matthews decided to put together a band in Charlottesville, Virginia. The DMB is comprised of, of course, vocalist and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, Leroi Moore, who plays a wide variety of instruments from the saxophone to the flute, classically trained violinist Boyd Tinsley, drummer Carter Beauford, and keyboardist Peter Griesar (who left the band in 1993).
What makes DMB the one of the greatest rock acts ever is their technical prowess. The band is a collection of some of the world’s finest musicians – virtuosos in their respective instruments. They are a rock band that, at least according to Futurama, doesn’t rock. While I’m not entirely sure whether this reference is positive or negative, I’d like to think this is positive. Yes, they don’t rock – not in the usual manner anyway. Someone once referred to DMB as the thinking man’s rock group. But really, they’re more than a rock act, not by a long stretch.
The band is not your typical 4-piece ensemble. Horn is a signature of the band, so are strings. Their trippy sound combined with Matthews’ powerful grainy voice and poignant lyrics create some of today’s most evocative and emotionally fulfilling music. Some people would label them as a jam band, others would disagree.
By their third studio album, Before These Crowded Streets, the band had gained a very solid and very loyal fanbase. By regularly releasing live albums such as 1999’s Listener Supported, the band had been able to keep their fans happy and the bootleg market in dismay.
Just how do you define their music? At the end of the day, you can’t. Not without stumbling through several genres – part jazz, part blues, part rock and part funk. Whatever they may be, no one can dispute that in terms of technical prowess, no one in the world is better.
Dave Matthews Band favorites: “Ants Marching,” “Space Between,” “Satellite,” “Grace is Gone,” “Crash into Me,” “Lover Lay Down”
And last but certainly not the least:
3) U2
For those who had just recently crawled out from under a rock, an introduction is in order. U2 is an Irish rock band comprising of Bono (Paul David Hewson) on vocals, The Edge (David Howell Evans) on guitar, Adam Clayton on bass, and Larry Mullen, Jr. on drums formed in Dublin in 1976.
Someone had to be the greatest rock band in the world and U2 is only too glad to take the job. With over 50 million albums sold in the US, 150 million elsewhere, 6 no.1 albums in the US, 9 #1 albums in the UK, U2 has become one of the most successful acts of all time. Is it anymore obvious why they’re in this list?
Their amazing catalogue of songs ranges from powerful ballads (“With or Without You,” “One,” “Stay (Faraway, So Close)”) to the politically-charged (“Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “Walk On,” “Bullet the Blue Sky”). They’re constantly changing, reinventing themselves to remain fresh and relevant. Achtung Baby was a reinvention and so was All That You Can’t Leave Behind. This is not to say they hadn’t stumbled along the way. Their Pop album tested the tolerance of even the most loyal U2 fan. But it does prove the point: Just when you think you’ve nailed what U2 is about, they turn a full 180 decree on you. At this year’s Grammy Awards, U2 has proven that they are still a vital part of pop music. Winning 5 out of 5 nominations including the prestigious Album of the Year, U2 has shown that they’re not yet done.
Aside from the regular influx of music and tours, U2 is not your typical Rock & Roll band. They are a band that matters, perhaps the only band that matters. Of all the bands, they had carried their passion like a badge. Bono has always been outspoken about his faith with such geekiness that other less charismatic lead vocalists wouldn’t have been able to pull it off. The band is also known for its humanitarian efforts. But unlike most celebrities with their weekend charities, Bono and U2 are dedicated to changing the world.
For 30 years they’ve stuck together, with all original members still intact. How many other bands can claim that?
Faves: “Heartland,” “Walk On,” “Bad,” “With or Without You,” “A Sort of Homecoming,” “Mothers of the Disappeared”
