The Greatest American Rock Band Bracket!
First Round, Classic Rock Division
Steely Dan (7) vs. the Doors (10)
Dad Rock progenitors versus psychadelic art-rockers
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Steely Dan:
"As the vehicle for the songwriting of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, Steely Dan defied all rock & roll conventions. With their ironic humor and cryptic lyrics, their eclectic body of work [owes a] debt to... jazz, traditional pop, blues, and R&B. Steely Dan created a sophisticated, distinctive sound with accessible melodic hooks, complex harmonies and time signatures, and a devotion to the recording studio... Steely Dan's popularity continued to grow throughout the '70s as their albums became critical favorites and their singles became staples of AOR and pop radio stations." --AllMusic.com Popularity
Influence:
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The Doors:
"The Doors mark the moment when the American rock underground of the 1960s came crashing into the mainstream. The group's massive influence on the course of rock music may have been overshadowed by decades of lionization of their late lead singer Jim Morrison, whose early death wound up being a pivotal part of their legacy. Morrison's heated poetry and hedonism were genuinely new at the time... as were the droning guitars of Robby Krieger and cascading organ lines of Ray Manzarek. The blend of muscle and mysticism helped shape the parameters of punk and art-rock." --AllMusic.com Popularity
Influence:
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