The Greatest American Rock Band Bracket!
Sweet Sixteen, Classic Rock Division

The Eagles (2) vs. the Grateful Dead (3)

Country-rock hitmakers versus jam band pioneers
The Eagles:
"The Eagles were unquestionably the biggest mainstream American rock band to emerge in the 1970s. Not only did they sell more records and concert tickets than their peers, but they captured the shifting zeitgeist of the '70s, riding the country-rock hippie hangover at the end of the '60s until it reached the slick, expensive, and expansive pop/rock of Southern California in the late '70s. "
​--AllMusic.com

Popularity
  • Sold over 200 million records worldwide
  • Five number-one singles
  • Six number-one albums
  • Six Grammy Awards
  • Five American Music Awards

Influence:
  • Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 1998
  • #75 in Rolling Stone's "Greatest Artists of All Time"
  • Foundational influence on Country and Country Rock
  • Defined the Southern California rock sound
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 psychadelia 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
  • Over 24 million records sold worldwide
  • 13 top-40 singles
  • Four top-ten singles
  • Four Grammy Awards

Influence:
  • Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 2018
  • Best New Artist, 1978 Rolling Stone Readers' Poll

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