The Greatest American Rock Band Bracket!
Elite Eight, Punk/Hard Rock Division
Aerosmith (3) vs. Van Halen (4)
The American Stones versus the guitar god and company
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Aerosmith:
"Aerosmith were one of the most popular hard rock bands of the '70s, setting the style and sound of hard rock and heavy metal for the next two decades with their raunchy, bluesy swagger. The Boston-based quintet found the middle ground between the menace of the Rolling Stones and the campy, sleazy flamboyance of the New York Dolls, developing a lean, dirty riff-oriented boogie that was loose and swinging and as hard as a diamond. Aerosmith's ability to pull off both ballads and rock & roll made them extremely popular during the mid-'70s, when they had a string of gold and platinum albums." --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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