The Most Famous Rock Band Formed Every Year Since 1960

The Newark, New Jersey-founded rock band, also known as Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, was most active in the 1960s and 1970s. Many of their hit songs — “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” and “Rag Doll” — “have become popular again thanks to the Tony award-winning musical “Jersey Boys,” which is based on Frankie Valli’s life and his time with the group.

American rock band The Beach Boys was formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. Almost four decades later, the band still holds the Billboard / Nielsen SoundScan’s record as the top-selling American band for albums and singles. The Beach Boys have the most Billboard Top 40 chart hits — a total of 36 — of all American bands.

The iconic English rock band — which was formed in London in 1962 and was still touring in 2019 — is one of the most famous bands ever. Sixteen of the band’s albums have gone platinum, meaning they have sold at least 1 million copies. In 2007, The Rolling Stones entered the Guinness Book of World Records, winning the record for the world’s most successful music tour with their recent “A Bigger Bang Tour,” which grossed $437 million.

Folk-rock duo Simon and Garfunkel was formed in New York City by Paul Simon Art Garfunkel. They were very popular in the 1960s, well-known for choirboy harmonies and ringing acoustic and electric guitars. “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” their most popular album, was also their last studio album, topping the charts for 10 weeks. The duo broke up by the mid-1970s and periodically reunited for various performances.

English rock band The Who was formed in London in 1964. Though none of their albums topped the Billboard 200 chart, the band had 26 singles on the Billboard 100. As one of the most popular and influential bands of the 1960s and 1970s, The Who are often credited with creating the rock opera genre. Their biggest album, “Tommy,” is a 1969 rock opera.

British band Pink Floyd was formed in London in 1965. They are one of the most successful and influential rock bands in music history and are best known as an avant-garde psychedelic band. The band is also well known for musical experimentation, frequent use of sound effects, extravagant live shows, as well as philosophical lyrics.

Santana is an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1966, becoming widely famous three years later after their Woodstock performance. Santana’s founder, Mexican-American guitarist and songwriter Carlos Santana, liked to mix salsa and percussion with rock music. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

Founded by guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood, and guitarist Jeremy Spencer, Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band formed in 1967 in London. The band went through several lineups and stylistic changes over the course of a decade. They relocated to California in the mid 1970s where Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined them. The band’s 1977 album “Rumours” is one of the biggest-selling albums of all time. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. (Their original name was New Yardbirds.) Though the band was active for only 12 years – they disbanded after the accidental death of drummer John Bonham — they became one of the most influential rock bands in history. Known for their blues rock and hard rock, Led Zeppelin are also cited for their influence on the development of the heavy metal genre.

Black Sabbath, formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, is largely known for pioneering heavy metal. Though radio stations did not play their songs, which were heavily panned by music critics, the band managed to become hugely popular thanks to constantly touring. Black Sabbath was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.

Queen, the British rock band formed in London, is one of the most innovative bands of the 1970s, according to music critics. The band is often associated just with legendary frontman Freddie Mercury, though Queen was actually the musical creation of guitarist Brian May years prior. The band is known for its combination of heavy metal, glam rock (musicians who wore flamboyant costumes, makeup, and hairstyles), and performance theatrics.

The Eagles, one of the most successful music bands of the 1970s, was formed in Los Angeles. They turned their style of music, often described as “country rock” and “laid back,” from alternative to mainstream. The band’s “Hotel California” is often regarded as their most critically acclaimed song. “Take It to the Limit” (1975) is one of their most beloved ballads. The Eagles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

American rock band Van Helen was formed in Pasadena, California, in 1974, and is credited with “restoring hard rock to the forefront of the music scene,” largely thanks to the exceptional guitar work by Eddie Van Halen (who died of cancer in October 2020). The band is also known for their energetic live shows. The band became superstars in the 1980s after the release of their album “1984” and their hit single “Jump.”

Australian rock outfit AC/DC were founded in Sydney in 1973 by brothers Angus and Malcolm Young. The group became popular with albums like “High Voltage,” “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” and “Let There Be Rock” in the 1970s. Following the accidental death of lead singer Bon Scott, the group added Brian Johnson as vocalist in 1980. Subsequently, AC/DC recorded “Back in Black,” which remains their best performing album of all time. The band has continued to release music, including their 17th studio album “Power Up,” which was released in November 2020.

After meeting at Rhode Island School of Design, David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, and Chris Frantz decided to move to New York and make music in 1974 as Talking Heads. The band’s biggest commercial success came in 1983. Talking Heads released their album “Speaking in Tongues,” which featured “Burning Down the House,” the band’s only Top 10 hit. Unlike most other bands on this list, the most popular Talking Heads album was a live album, titled “Stop Making Sense,” released in 1984. Talking Heads was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

The American rock band Boston was formed in 1975 in Boston, Massachusetts. Though they are still active, the group, known for their mix of heavy metal and pop, was most famous in the later 1970s and 1980s. One of their first singles, “More Than a Feeling” (1976) is also their most famous song. Their first album, also released in 1976, became one of the biggest-selling debut albums in rock history.

With dozens of American Music, Billboard, and Grammy nominations and wins, Irish rock band U2, formed in Dublin in 1976, is one of the most famous musical acts in history. Over the course of the band’s existence, which is still making new music and touring, U2 has won more than 20 Grammy awards, including album of the year for both “The Joshua Tree” and “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.” The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.

English rock band Def Leppard was formed in 1977 in Sheffield, England. The group reached mainstream success with their first two albums, but it wasn’t until their third album, “Pyromania” (1983), which contained classics such as “Rock of Ages,” that the band became a worldwide success. “Hysteria,” released in 1987, remains Def Leppard’s top-performing album, selling more than 14 million copies. The band has continued to tour, occasionally releasing new music. Their latest album came out in 2015.

Huey Lewis & the News is a Bay Area band that formed in 1978. The band broke through to mainstream success in 1983 with their third album “Sports.” The album went multi-platinum and produced top 10 hits like “Heart and Soul,” “I Want a New Drug,” and “The Heart of Rock & Roll.”

In February 2020, the band released what Lewis said may be their final album, as he had been diagnosed with a condition that has made it difficult for him to hear and sing.

Australian rock band Men at Work was originally formed as an acoustic duo by Colin Hay and Ron Strykert, but the duo later expanded into a full band. Men at Work peaked in the early 1980s, with 1982’s “Business as Usual” going six times platinum, and 1983’s “Cargo” going triple platinum.

R.E.M., which stands for rapid eye movement (the sleep stage during which people can dream), was an American alternative rock band from Athens, Georgia. The band was active between 1980 and 2011 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. R.E.M. have been praised for releasing only critically acclaimed albums, six of which went platinum.

With 13 platinum and multi-platinum albums, Metallica is one of the most popular bands of all time. The band, formed in 1981, was such a favorite among metal music fans that their 1988’s “… and Justice for All” was a top 10 album with no radio play. In 1991, however, Metallica released their self-titled album, which helped metal music gain mainstream acceptance. The album featured the notable single “Enter Sandman,” which has become a staple at sporting events and the group’s most popular song.

American heavy metal band Pantera was formed in Arlington, Texas, in 1982. Though the band was unsuccessful in the 1980s, it reached mainstream success after adding vocalist Phil Anselmo and releasing their second major-label album, “Vulgar Display of Power” (1992). Seven of Pantera’s albums made the Billboard 200.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers combined elements rock, funk, and pop to become one of the most popular bands of all time, selling 24 million albums and charting 13 different albums on the Billboard 200. The group began gaining momentum in the mid-to-late ’80s, but several members battled drug addiction, and founding member Hillel Slovak died of a drug overdose in 1988. Soon after, John Frusciante and Chad Smith joined the band, and they found commercial success with 1989’s “Mother’s Milk,” which eventually went platinum. Red Hot Chili Peppers have consistently sold well, with albums like “Stadium Arcadium,” “By the Way,” and “Californication” all going platinum as well.

American boy band New Kids on the Block was formed in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1984 — the beginning of the boy band era in the music business. The group enjoyed success in the late 1980s and early 1990s and have sold more than 16 million albums in the U.S. alone. They had 11 songs making the Billboard 100 chart.

Guns N’ Roses was the quintessential 1980s band, with gritty and bluesy guitar riffs and screeching vocals. The band had eight albums make the Billboard 200 and spent a total of seven weeks at the top of the chart. Guns N’ Roses’ best performing album to date is “November Rain,” which spent 20 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart and peaked at No. 3.

No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California, formed in 1986. The band has sold over 15 million albums. No Doubt songs spent 104 weeks on the Billboard 100 chart and their albums had been at the top of the Billboard 200 chart nine weeks. Their top performing album, “Tragic Kingdom,” was released in 1995 and was diamond-certified. Though No Doubt has not performed or released new music in a while, the group has not disbanded. They are on a long hiatus, with members currently concentrating on different projects.

The Seattle heavy-grunge quartet, founded in 1987, have been nominated for nine Grammy awards, the latest one being for best rock album for “Rainier Fog” in 2018. A total of 13 of the band’s albums made the Billboard 200 chart. Their best-performing album “Dirt” (1992) went platinum four times. The band’s original lead singer and co-songwriter Layne Staley died of an overdose in 2002. On Dec. 1, 2020, they will receive the Museum of Pop Culture Founders Award.

The American grunge and alternative rock band formed in Aberdeen, Washington, was among the most celebrated bands between 1988 and 1994. Nirvana disbanded after frontman Kurt Cobain’s suicide in 1994. The band was nominated for a Grammy six times, winning once. Nirvana’s top album “Nevermind” is considered by music critics as the cornerstone of the grunge subgenre. Their best-performing song, “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” was inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2017, three years after the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

American punk rock band Green Day became famous beyond California after releasing their major-label debut album “Dookie” in 1994. The album earned the band their first Grammy Award for best alternative music performance. The band’s career peak came in 2004, when Green Day released “American Idiot,” which won a Grammy for best rock album. In 2015, Green Day were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

American rock band Pearl Jam was formed in 1990 in Seattle, Washington. Their debut album, “Ten,” which was released in 1991, remains their best-performing album. With three hit singles — “Alive,” “Even Flow,” and “Jeremy” — “Ten” launched the band into superstardom. Pearl Jam have been nominated for 12 Grammy awards, winning once, in 1995, for best hard rock performance for “Spin the Black Circle.” The band has won several American Music Awards, and was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.

Dave Matthews Band, also known by the initials DMB, was formed in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1991. Twenty-six of the band’s albums made the Billboard 200 chart, spending a total of eight weeks at the top of the chart. Their best-performing album, “Crash,” was nominated for a Grammy award in 1996. The band has sold over 33 million albums, making them one of the 30 best-selling rock bands of all time.

The punk-rock group’s best-performing album, “Enema Of The State,” peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard 200, led by the “All The Small Things” single. The album, which was released in 1999, has since been certified five-times platinum by the RIAA. Blink-182 have only one Grammy nomination — for their “California” album in 2016. The band has numerous other awards, including for outstanding rock album, best rock, and favorite artist.

American metal band Korn was formed in Bakersfield, California, in 1993. The band is credited with helping to create and popularize a new subgenre of music called “Nu metal.” Korn’s self-titled debut album reached No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Album Chart, and 16 of Korn’s albums made the Billboard 200 chart.

American rock band Foo Fighters was formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1994 by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. He started the band as a one-man project after the dissolution of Nirvana following Kurt Cobain’s suicide. Grohl played nearly all the instruments on the band’s self-titled debut album and sang all the vocals. Several musicians joined Grohl over the next few years. Foo Fighters have been nominated for 27 Grammys, winning 11, including four for best rock album.

Canadian post-grunge rock band Nickelback was formed in 1995. Their chart-topping “All the Right Reasons” album (2005) is the group’s most popular to date. The album remained in the Billboard Top 30 for over two years and sold over 7 million copies in the U.S. alone. Nickleback became really famous after releasing the single “How You Remind Me” in 2001. Earning the band a Grammy nomination, the song is still the band’s best-performing single. Ten of the band’s albums made the Billboard 200 chart.

The British rock band, formed in London in 1996, has been nominated for a Grammy 30 times, including for best album in 2020, winning seven times. “Viva la Vida,” released in 2008, is still the band’s top-performing single. It topped the charts in the U.S. and the U.K. The song won big during the 2009 Grammy Awards ceremony. The band won for song of the year, best rock album, and best pop performance by a group. Thirteen Coldplay albums made the Billboard 200 chart and have spent a total of eight weeks at the top of the album chart.

American rock duo The White Stripes was formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1997 by one-time married couple Meg and Jack White and remained active until 2011. In their 14-year history, they have won four Grammy awards, including three for best alternative music album. The band took a break in 2007 due to Meg White’s performance-related anxiety issues. They returned just once in 2009, officially announcing in 2011 that they would no longer record music together as The White Stripes.

New York-based indie rock band The Strokes have had all six albums make it on the Billboard 200 chart. The group, founded in 1998, found breakthrough success with their 2001 debut album “Is This It,” which went platinum and was named by Rolling Stone as the second best album of the 2000s.The band has been on the Billboard 100 chart for a total of 100 weeks since their founding. They earned their first Grammy nomination in 2020, for best rock album for their latest offering “The New Abnormal”.

American rock band Linkin Park was formed in Agoura Hills, California. They rose to stardom a few years later with their debut album, “Hybrid Theory,” which rose to No. 2 on the Billboard 200. It included the hit single “In the End,” which is still their best-performing single. The band took a hiatus in 2017 after the suicide of frontman Chester Bennington but was working on new music in 2020.

The All-American Rejects was founded in Stillwater, Oklahoma, in 2000. The American alternative rock band has been awarded several accolades, including MTV’s best group video for “Move Along.” Four of the band’s albums have made the Billboard 200 chart, and six of their singles have made the Billboard 100 chart. “Gives You Hell” is the band’s most successful single to date, peaking at No. 4 on the Hot 100 chart.

The American pop rock band was founded in Wilmette, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. Fall Out Boy has been nominated for two Grammy awards and has won several other prizes, including American Music Awards’ favorite alternative rock band. Their best-performing album to date is “Save Rock and Roll,” which was released in April 2013 and debuted at No. 1 on U.S. charts.

American pop rock band Maroon 5 was formed in Los Angeles in 2001. The band’s debut album, “Songs About Jane” (2002), reached No. 6 on the Billboard 200. The album remains the band’s most successful to date, spawning hits like “Harder To Breathe,” “She Will Be Loved,” and “Sunday Morning.” Maroon 5 has earned 13 Grammy nominations, winning three. The band has had a total of 11 albums make the Billboard 200 chart.

The Welsh metal band from Bridgend has had a total of six albums make the Billboard 200 chart. The band’s best-performing album to date is “Fever.” The album was released in 2010, debuting and peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 1 on Billboard ‘s Rock and Alternative charts.

The band’s fifth studio album, “Death of a Bachelor” (2016) is their most successful to date. The album was nominated for a Grammy in the best rock album category. The band’s debut album, “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out” (2005) reached No. 13 on the Billboard 200. As of 2020, Panic! at the Disco is a solo project, with frontman Brendon Urie the only official member.

American heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch was formed in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2005. A total of 10 of the band’s albums made the Billboard 200 chart. Their best-performing album, “War Is the Answer” (2009), debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. Seven of Five Finger Death Punch albums made the Top 10 Hit chart.

Daughtry is an American rock band formed and fronted by namesake Chris Daughtry, who was placed fourth in the fifth season of American Idol. Their self-titled debut album, also their best-performing to date, was released in November 2006 and reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in February 2007. Seven of the band’s albums made the Billboard 200 chart, with five of them making the Top 10.

British folk rock band Mumford & Sons has been nominated for nine Grammy awards, winning two, including for album of the year in 2012. Their debut studio album, “Sigh No More,” which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200, is still their best performing to date. In 2018, the band released their “Delta” album, which debuted on the Billboard 200 chart at No. 1, becoming their third album topping the chart.

Folk rock band The Lumineers tied in 2019 for the most No. 1 singles on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Songs chart in the last decade — with a total of five — after releasing their “Life in the City” single. The Lumineers’ first album to top the Billboard 200 chart was “Cleopatra” in 2016. A total of three of the band’s albums made the Billboard 200 chart.

The musical duo was formed as a band of three members in 2009 and has gone through several lineup changes since then. Twenty One Pilots have been nominated for three Grammy awards, winning one in 2016 for best pop performance of “Stressed Out” — their best performing song to date. The duo has had a total of four albums on the Billboard 200 chart. Their best performing album is “Blurryface.”

Icelandic indie rock band Of Monsters and Men has had two albums top the Billboard Top Rock Albums, first with “Me Head Is an Animal” in 2012, which remains their best performing album so far, and again in 2019 with “Fever Dream.” Four of the group’s albums have ranked in the Billboard 200 chart. Their best-performing song, “Little Talk” spent 48 weeks on the Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 20.

Australian pop rock band 5 Seconds of Summer, often shortened to 5SOS, has already made chart history. It is the only band (not vocal group) to have their first three full-length studio albums debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. A total of six of the band’s albums made the Billboard 200 chart.

In their relatively short musical career so far, American electronic DJ and production duo The Chainsmokers have been nominated for Grammy awards four times, winning one. The New York-based duo won in 2016 in the best dance recording category for “Don’t Let Me Down.” The Chainsmokers’ “#Selfie” (2014) reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart and No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. Their “Closer” hit single, released in 2016, was the longest-running No. 1 hit in the United States that year.

No rock bands were formed between 2012 and 2017 that made ranking website Ranker.com’s user-generated The Best Rock Bands of All Time list. In 2017, American heavy metal band Bad Wolves was formed in Los Angeles. The band has had four singles top the Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Songs chart. Their best-performing song is still the one that made them famous — their cover of The Cranberries’ “Zombie.”