The Greatest American Rock Band Bracket!
Sweet Sixteen, Punk/Hard Rock Division
The Ramones (1) vs. Van Halen (4)
New York punk progenitors versus the guitar god and company
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The Ramones:
"The Ramones may or may not have invented punk rock, but they were inarguably the most important band in punk history. They were informed by the thunder and flash of the Who and the MC5, the speed and primitivism of Iggy and the Stooges, and the alternately sullen and goofy musings of '60s garage rock, but the Ramones synthesized their influences into something raw and revolutionary, a fury of pounding rhythms and downstroked guitars married to rudimentary melodies and comically absurd lyrics that both mocked and celebrated popular culture and teenage life. The Ramones were tuneful, aggressive, and challenging in their embrace of minimalist fury, and it's impossible punk as we know it without the Ramones' guiding example. " --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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