This list is selected as a combination of fame, technical ability, innovation, and of course the 'coolness' factor. Naturally there will be a lot of disagreement on who really are the top 100 bands. I'm also taking a very subjective approach here. There are some bands i just feel, while great bands, may not be at the top of the list. This list does include solo artists who had great influence. So here it goes!
- Pink Floyd
- The Beatles
- Led Zeppelin
- The Rolling Stones
- Michael Jackson
- The Who
- Queen
- U2
- The Beach Boys
- Elvis Presley
- Grateful Dead
- The Doors
- The Jimi Hendrix Experience
- Bob Dylan
- Eagles
- Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
- Metallica
- Bob Marley and the Wailers
- Steely Dan
- Rush
- Pixies
- Moody Blues
- Jefferson Airplane
- Fleetwood Mac
- Aerosmith
- The Police
- Foreigner
- Stone Temple Pilots
- The Bee Gees
- The Allman Brothers
- The Cure
- Eric Clapton
- Santana
- Van Halen
- Cream
- Judas Priest
- ZZ Top
- Earth Wind and Fire
- Yes
- The Byrds
- AC/DC
- Def Leppard
- Journey
- Frank Zappa
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Depeche Mode
- James Brown
- Guns & Roses
- Bruce Springsteen
- Sex Pistols
- Dire Straits
- Bon Jovi
- Willie Nelson
- Deep Purple
- Pearl Jam
- King Crimson
- Creedence Clear Water Revival
- Iron Maiden
- The band
- Rod Stewart
- David Bowie
- Nirvana
- Duran Duran
- Alice Cooper
- Blondie
- The Carpenters
- The Clash
- Sly and the Family Stone
- Jethro Tull
- Black Sabbath
- Peter Gabriel
- Traffic
- The Kinks
- Styx
- Blue Oyster Cult
- Steve Miller Band
- Chicago
- The Doobie Brothers
- Janis Joplin
- ColdPlay
- R.E.M.
- The Pretenders
- Alice In Chains
- No Doubt
- Tool
- Blind Melon
- Joe Cocker
- Motley Crue
- Grand Funk Railroad
- KISS
- System of a Down
- Green Day
- Steppenwolf
- Derek and the Dominoes
- Living Colour
- Buffalo Springfield
- Issac Hayes and the Movement
- Eminem
- James Taylor
- Quiet Riot