The Greatest American Rock Band Bracket!
Championship Round: Match 29 - March 31, 2023
The Grateful Dead (3) vs. Van Halen (4)
Jam Band pioneers versus Hard Rock pyrotechnicians
The Top Two Greatest American Rock Bands have been chosen!
The Final Four Round was very competitive, with margins of less than 10 percent separating the winners and losers of both semi-final matches. However, the final two bands left standing have long been rumored to be facing each other for the title of Greatest American Rock Band: Jam band pioneers the Grateful Dead versus the Hard Rock pyrotechnics of Van Halen.
Both contenders are uniquely American Bands. The Grateful Dead drew on Blues, Folk, Jazz, Bluegrass, and Country Music to create an entirely new genre of American rock and roll based on improvisation and extended jamming. No music like it had ever exited, and the Dead have left a legacy that continues to inspire musicians to this day. Van Halen, meanwhile, featured perhaps the greatest American guitar player since Hendrix, a player inspired by British players such as Clapton and Page but crafting a sound and technique uniquely American.
While any of our Final Four bands would have been worthy contenders for the crown, we couldn't think of two bands more suited to vie for the title of Greatest American Rock Band. To choose the winner, look for the matchup below to vote!
The Final Four Round was very competitive, with margins of less than 10 percent separating the winners and losers of both semi-final matches. However, the final two bands left standing have long been rumored to be facing each other for the title of Greatest American Rock Band: Jam band pioneers the Grateful Dead versus the Hard Rock pyrotechnics of Van Halen.
Both contenders are uniquely American Bands. The Grateful Dead drew on Blues, Folk, Jazz, Bluegrass, and Country Music to create an entirely new genre of American rock and roll based on improvisation and extended jamming. No music like it had ever exited, and the Dead have left a legacy that continues to inspire musicians to this day. Van Halen, meanwhile, featured perhaps the greatest American guitar player since Hendrix, a player inspired by British players such as Clapton and Page but crafting a sound and technique uniquely American.
While any of our Final Four bands would have been worthy contenders for the crown, we couldn't think of two bands more suited to vie for the title of Greatest American Rock Band. To choose the winner, look for the matchup below to vote!
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The Grateful Dead:
"The Grateful Dead was... known for its eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, country, jazz, bluegrass, blues, rock & roll, gospel, reggae, world music, and psychedelia for live performances of lengthy instrumental jams; and for its devoted fans base, known as "Deadheads." These various influences were distilled into a diverse and psychedelic whole that made the Grateful Dead the pioneering godfathers of the jam band world." --Allmusic.com Popularity
Influence:
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Van Halen:
"Van Halen simultaneously rewrote the rules of rock guitar and hard rock in general. Guitarist Eddie Van Halen redefined what the electric guitar could do, developing a blindingly fast technique with a variety of self-taught two-handed tapping, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and effects that mimicked the sounds of machines and animals. It was wildly inventive and over the top, equaled only by vocalist David Lee Roth, who brought the role of a metal singer to near-performance art standards with a flair for showmanship derived as much from lounge performers as Robert Plant. Together, they made Van Halen set the template for 80s hard rock and heavy metal." --AllMusic.com Popularity
Influence:
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