When Bill Haley and the Comets helped launch the rock and roll era with their hit “Rock Around the Clock” in the mid-1950s, few people imagined the profound effect that the raucous music would have on world culture, or that it would endure into the 21st century.

Rock and roll, more than any other music, is the genre of rebellion and change. And in the 1960s and 1970s, when the music form was at its zenith in popularity, bands such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin that tapped into the issues upending the culture — from drugs to love to war — remain the most popular groups of all time.

Using a number of different metrics, 24/7 Wall St. has identified the 100 most popular rock bands of all time. The selection of these artists is based on measures such as record sales, Billboard performance, Wikipedia page views, Facebook “likes,” and popularity on the online streaming platform Spotify. While there are many great rock performers who are better known as solo artists – such as Prince, David Bowie, and Elvis Presley – 24/7 Wall St. included only bands for this article.

Click here to see the 100 most popular rock bands of all time.
Click here to read our detailed findings and methodology.

100. The Strokes
> Spotify followers: 2.4 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 1.5 million
> Most popular album: Is This It

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99. Steve Miller Band
> Spotify followers: 0.8 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 25.5 million
> Most popular album: Fly Like an Eagle

98. Nine Inch Nails
> Spotify followers: 1.0 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 10.5 million
> Most popular album: The Downward Spiral

97. Foster the People
> Spotify followers: 2.3 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 1 million
> Most popular album: Torches

96. The Cars
> Spotify followers: 0.5 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 23.5 million
> Most popular album: The Cars

95. 30 Seconds to Mars
> Spotify followers: 1.9 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 1.5 million
> Most popular album: A Beautiful Lie

94. Creed
> Spotify followers: 1.2 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 25 million
> Most popular album: Human Clay

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93. Scorpions
> Spotify followers: 1.7 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 10.5 million
> Most popular album: Love at First Sting

92. The Monkees
> Spotify followers: 0.4 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 18 million
> Most popular album: The Monkees

91. Ramones
> Spotify followers: 1.3 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 1 million
> Most popular album: Ramones

90. Jefferson Airplane
> Spotify followers: 0.6 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 14 million
> Most popular album: Surrealistic Pillow

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89. Grateful Dead
> Spotify followers: 0.6 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 18.5 million
> Most popular album: In the Dark

88. The Black Keys
> Spotify followers: 2.6 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 5 million
> Most popular album: El Camino

87. Judas Priest
> Spotify followers: 1.2 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 9.5 million
> Most popular album: Screaming for Vengeance

86. Electric Light Orchestra
> Spotify followers: 1.1 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 10 million
> Most popular album: Discovery

85. Papa Roach
> Spotify followers: 2.3 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 4.5 million
> Most popular album: Infest

84. The Offspring
> Spotify followers: 2.5 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 14.5 million
> Most popular album: Smash

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83. 3 Doors Down
> Spotify followers: 1.8 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 12 million
> Most popular album: The Better Life

82. Motörhead
> Spotify followers: 1.4 million
> All time U.S. album sales: N/A
> Most popular album: Ace of Spades

81. Foreigner
> Spotify followers: 0.9 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 37.5 million
> Most popular album: Double Vision

80. Queens of the Stone Age
> Spotify followers: 1.6 million
> All time U.S. album sales: N/A
> Most popular album: …Like Clockwork

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79. Megadeth
> Spotify followers: 1.7 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 6.5 million
> Most popular album: Countdown to Extinction

78. The Cure
> Spotify followers: 1.6 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 8.5 million
> Most popular album: Disintegration

77. Soundgarden
> Spotify followers: 1.5 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 9 million
> Most popular album: Superunknown

76. Rush
> Spotify followers: 0.9 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 25 million
> Most popular album: Moving Pictures

75. Disturbed
> Spotify followers: 2.3 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 11.5 million
> Most popular album: The Sickness

74. Three Days Grace
> Spotify followers: 2.4 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 6 million
> Most popular album: One-X

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73. Pantera
> Spotify followers: 1.7 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 7 million
> Most popular album: Vulgar Display of Power

72. Five Finger Death Punch
> Spotify followers: 2.5 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 4.5 million
> Most popular album: The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 1

71. Oasis
> Spotify followers: 3.1 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 6 million
> Most popular album: What’s the Story Morning Glory?

70. Rammstein
> Spotify followers: 2.1 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 1 million
> Most popular album: Sehnsucht

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69. Limp Bizkit
> Spotify followers: 2.1 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 16.5 million
> Most popular album: Significant Other

68. Rage Against the Machine
> Spotify followers: 2.3 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 9 million
> Most popular album: Evil Empire

67. Alice in Chains
> Spotify followers: 1.7 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 12.5 million
> Most popular album: Dirt

66. The Animals
> Spotify followers: 0.9 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 0.5 million
> Most popular album: The Animals

65. R.E.M.
> Spotify followers: 1.4 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 20 million
> Most popular album: Monster

64. The Cranberries
> Spotify followers: 1.3 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 14.5 million
> Most popular album: No Need to Argue

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63. Depeche Mode
> Spotify followers: 1.7 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 10.5 million
> Most popular album: Violator

62. Heart
> Spotify followers: 0.7 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 22.5 million
> Most popular album: Heart

61. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
> Spotify followers: 0.7 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 31.5 million
> Most popular album: Full Moon Fever

60. Dire Straits
> Spotify followers: 1.6 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 15.5 million
> Most popular album: Brothers in Arms

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59. Simon and Garfunkel
> Spotify followers: 1.4 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 38.5 million
> Most popular album: Bridge Over Troubled Water

58. ZZ Top
> Spotify followers: 1.6 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 25 million
> Most popular album: Eliminator

57. The Beach Boys
> Spotify followers: 1.5 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 22.5 million
> Most popular album: Pet Sounds

56. Kings of Leon
> Spotify followers: 3.5 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 2.5 million
> Most popular album: Only by the Night

55. The Police
> Spotify followers: 2.0 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 22 million
> Most popular album: Synchronicity

54. Deep Purple
> Spotify followers: 1.9 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 7.5 million
> Most popular album: Machine Head

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53. Santana
> Spotify followers: 0.9 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 43.5 million
> Most popular album: Supernatural

52. Journey
> Spotify followers: 1.6 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 48 million
> Most popular album: Escape

51. Slipknot
> Spotify followers: 3.7 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 6 million
> Most popular album: Slipknot

50. The Jimi Hendrix Experience
> Spotify followers: 2.6 million
> All time U.S. album sales: N/A
> Most popular album: Are You Experienced

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49. Kiss
> Spotify followers: 2.8 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 21 million
> Most popular album: Destroyer

48. Boston
> Spotify followers: 0.8 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 31 million
> Most popular album: Boston

47. Def Leppard
> Spotify followers: 1.4 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 35.5 million
> Most popular album: Hysteria

46. The Script
> Spotify followers: 4.1 million
> All time U.S. album sales: . million
> Most popular album: Science & Faith

45. The Killers
> Spotify followers: 3.9 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 4.5 million
> Most popular album: Hot Fuss

44. Korn
> Spotify followers: 2.5 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 16.5 million
> Most popular album: Follow the Leader

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43. Avenged Sevenfold
> Spotify followers: 2.5 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 3 million
> Most popular album: City of Evil

42. Muse
> Spotify followers: 4.1 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 3.5 million
> Most popular album: The Resistance

41. Evanescence
> Spotify followers: 2.0 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 9.5 million
> Most popular album: Fallen

40. Marilyn Manson
> Spotify followers: 1.7 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 4.5 million
> Most popular album: Mechanical Animals

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39. Radiohead
> Spotify followers: 3.5 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 6.5 million
> Most popular album: OK Computer

38. Fall Out Boy
> Spotify followers: 5.2 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 6 million
> Most popular album: From Under the Cork Tree

37. Panic! at the Disco
> Spotify followers: 5.0 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 4.5 million
> Most popular album: A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out

36. OneRepublic
> Spotify followers: 5.7 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 2 million
> Most popular album: Native

35. Nickelback
> Spotify followers: 3.1 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 24 million
> Most popular album: All the Right Reasons

34. Blink-182
> Spotify followers: 4.4 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 10 million
> Most popular album: Enema of the State

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33. Arctic Monkeys
> Spotify followers: 6.6 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 1.5 million
> Most popular album: AM

32. The Who
> Spotify followers: 2.0 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 21 million
> Most popular album: Who’s Next

31. Creedence Clearwater Revival
> Spotify followers: 2.1 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 28 million
> Most popular album: Cosmo’s Factory

30. Iron Maiden
> Spotify followers: 3.5 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 6.5 million
> Most popular album: Somewhere in Time

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29. Gorillaz
> Spotify followers: 3.4 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 3 million
> Most popular album: Demon Days

28. System of a Down
> Spotify followers: 4.2 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 7 million
> Most popular album: Toxicity

27. Van Halen
> Spotify followers: 1.9 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 56.5 million
> Most popular album: 1984

26. Lynyrd Skynyrd
> Spotify followers: 1.6 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 28.5 million
> Most popular album: Street Survivors

25. Paramore
> Spotify followers: 3.5 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 4.5 million
> Most popular album: Riot!

24. Pearl Jam
> Spotify followers: 3.9 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 31.5 million
> Most popular album: Ten

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23. Foo Fighters
> Spotify followers: 5.3 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 7 million
> Most popular album: Wasting Light

22. Black Sabbath
> Spotify followers: 3.0 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 15 million
> Most popular album: Paranoid

21. Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
> Spotify followers: 0.4 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 44.5 million
> Most popular album: Stranger in Town

20. U2
> Spotify followers: 3.5 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 52 million
> Most popular album: The Joshua Tree

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19. The Doors
> Spotify followers: 3.2 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 33 million
> Most popular album: The Doors

18. Fleetwood Mac
> Spotify followers: 2.4 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 49.5 million
> Most popular album: Rumours

17. Eagles
> Spotify followers: 2.0 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 120 million
> Most popular album: Hotel California

16. Bon Jovi
> Spotify followers: 4.2 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 34.5 million
> Most popular album: Slippery When Wet

15. Aerosmith
> Spotify followers: 5.2 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 66.5 million
> Most popular album: Toys in the Attic

14. Nirvana
> Spotify followers: 7.3 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 25 million
> Most popular album: Nevermind

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13. Green Day
> Spotify followers: 7.4 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 24 million
> Most popular album: Dookie

12. Red Hot Chili Peppers
> Spotify followers: 8.5 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 25 million
> Most popular album: Blood Sugar Sex Magik

11. Maroon 5
> Spotify followers: 13.2 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 12.5 million
> Most popular album: Songs About Jane

10. The Rolling Stones
> Spotify followers: 5.5 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 66.5 million
> Most popular album: Hot Rocks

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9. Guns N’ Roses
> Spotify followers: 8.9 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 44.5 million
> Most popular album: Appetite for Destruction

8. Coldplay
> Spotify followers: 14.8 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 14.5 million
> Most popular album: A Rush of Blood to the Head

7. Metallica
> Spotify followers: 8.2 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 63 million
> Most popular album: Metallica

6. Queen
> Spotify followers: 9.5 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 34.5 million
> Most popular album: The Game

5. AC/DC
> Spotify followers: 8.6 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 72 million
> Most popular album: Back in Black

4. Linkin Park
> Spotify followers: 10.1 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 27 million
> Most popular album: Hybrid Theory

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3. Pink Floyd
> Spotify followers: 7.0 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 75 million
> Most popular album: The Wall

2. Led Zeppelin
> Spotify followers: 5.8 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 111.5 million
> Most popular album: Led Zeppelin IV

1. The Beatles
> Spotify followers: 9.5 million
> All time U.S. album sales: 178 million
> Most popular album: The Beatles

Detailed findings:

The popularity of rock and roll — which owes its roots to musical genres such as rhythm and blues, jazz, blues, gospel, country, and folk — coincided with a time of post-World War II prosperity in America. The nation’s youth enjoyed unprecedented freedom and mobility. When young people took to the newly built highways and roads in the 1950s, rock and roll was their soundtrack. It was, in a sense, their own quiet rebellion against social norms.

Another emerging medium, television, grasped the appeal of rock and roll, and variety programs such as “The Ed Sullivan Show” booked performers such as Chubby Checker, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley.

Across the Atlantic, the British were embracing the music of American acts like Little Richard and Chuck Berry and forming their own bands. American audiences responded to the cheeky, and often irreverent, personas of groups like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

Rock and roll mined the turbulence of the 1960s — racial unrest, labor disputes, and of course the Vietnam War — to produce thoughtful and provocative music.

In the next decade, rock and roll acts went on the road to play large arenas and stadiums, augmenting the money they made through record sales. Heavy metal groups such as AC/DC from Australia built a strong following on American shores by touring. The band has sold more than 72 million records in the U.S. alone, according to The Recording Industry Association of America.

Rock dialed back issues of politics in the 1970s, with singer-songwriters such as Carole King, Jim Croce, and Elton John, and more mellow bands such as the Eagles.

Groups like Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Yes pushed the boundaries of rock and roll into a more progressive direction. Punk bands like the Sex Pistols and the Clash were a reaction against that movement.

Like other music forms, rock and roll faces the challenges from technology that allows listeners to access music at a fraction of its cost. More recent rock bands such as OneRepublic that was formed earlier this century, use the internet to gain popularity. That band has only sold 2 million records, but it is hugely popular online, with more than 1.5 million annual Wikipedia page views and over 4.2 million followers on Spotify. Generally, newer artists have significantly better internet presence. The three bands with the most Spotify followers are Coldplay, Maroon 5, and Linkin Park, which were all formed in the late 1990s.

As rock and roll — and rock and rollers have aged — other genres such as rap and hip-hop have become more relevant. In 2017, for the first time, R&B and hip-hop became the most dominant genre in the U.S., according to Nielsen Music, surpassing rock music. Yet while rock and roll no longer holds a prominent place in the music industry, our list contains relatively fewer recent acts compared with the more established, classic rock bands. As British rockers The Who once sang, “Long live rock.”

Methodology:

To determine the most popular rock bands of all time, 24/7 Wall St. generated an index based on album sales, popularity of a band’s Wikipedia page, popularity on Spotify, popularity on Facebook, and user votes. Each component of the index was given equal weight.

A band’s total certified U.S. album sales came from the Recording Industry Association of America. The RIAA tracks album sales released in the American market with a threshold of 500,000 units sold. Wikipedia page views were calculated for the past two years. Popularity on Spotify was based on Spotify’s popularity index. User votes came from a list on Ranker.com that ranked the best rock bands of all time.

A band’s most popular album is based on RIAA data for U.S. album sales. In cases where a band had multiple albums that sold the same number of copies, the album that performed best on the Billboard 200 chart was selected.

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