The Greatest Bands In The World

Jeff Buckley

The Smashing Pumpkins-To start out, this is the best band ever. Billy Corgan writes the most beautiful songs I've ever heard; from loud songs that can rip your head off to soft acoustic or piano songs that make me want to cry. No one even comes close in songwriting, lyrics, musicianship, great sounding recordings, everything. They are number 1, forever.

Nine Inch Nails- Formerly my favorite band in the world, now number two, NIN remains the pinnacle of what music needs to be. The music of Trent Reznor touches me in ways that other bands only begin to. Trent is a god, a genius, and a perfect musician all at once. God bless him.

Pink Floyd- This is the best band ever, except for the two I have listed above. If you have never heard their music, do so. Enough said.

Radiohead- This band is the best band in the world right now. They make perfect albums with perfect instrumentation and perfect vocals. What else is there to say but...perfect.

The Beatles- They're The Beatles, enough said. But really...they created everything. Without them, music would have nothing. They still remain unsurpassed in almost all areas today. Amazing.

Interpol- This band is ridiculous. They are still relatively new, and they only have two albums, but they are certainly two of the best albums I have ever heard. This is the new band I have been waiting for. Go see them live, it’s religious.

U2- This band is perfect in almost all respects. Bono is maybe the greatest singer ever; Edge is perhaps the most innovative guitarists ever; Adam Clayton is by far my favorite bass player, and Larry Mullen Jr. is an awesome drummer. What more could I ask for?

Jeff Buckley- Thinking about him being dead makes me so sad. I discovered his music after his passing, but that doesn't make it less important to me. He is my favorite singer ever. If I could be like any musician, I would be like him. Period.

The Cure-Who doesn't like The Cure? They started or influenced a lot of the music I love today. Robert Smith is so lyrically romantic and his bands music is dark in a way that no other band is. They capture the saddness I feel in music better than almost anyone, and they only get better. In addition to that, Robert still looks good.

Tori Amos- She is an angel on earth, not doubt about it. Her style is unsurpassed in greatness and unequaled in beauty. Wow.

That's the top ten.

If I had to do an 11-21, this would be the list. I couldn't narrow it down to 11-20, so its 21. The order of these doesn't matter quite as much either...

Pearl Jam- The former gods of grunge. This band still makes great albums, no matter what anyone says. I love everything they do and will probably continue to feel that way. I really think it's amazing that everyone in this band writes music that I love. If you don't like them, screw you.

Nick Drake- If Jeff Buckley is the musician I most want to be like, then Nick Drake is the musician I think I am most like in real life. He is phenomenal and like Buckley, died too early.

Depeche Mode- This band is something else. There is no other band that gets under my skin quite the same way this one does. Dave Gahan and Martin Gore are maybe the most perfect match music has/had, save Gilmour/Waters. They have a truly original and beautiful sound. P.S. Martin Gore sings a lot; listen out for his beautiful voice.

David Bowie- How does someone write songs that good? How does someone write songs and albums that can be that different from one another, but be equally as brilliant. He has done some bad stuff, but his good stuff more than makes up for it. "Low" and "Hunky Dory" are pretty much unrivaled in music. One of the best.

Peter Gabriel- I have always liked Peter Gabriel, but in recent years, I've gotten very heavily into his music. I feel that he is completely unique and forward thinking with nearly everything he has done. Nobody is really like him. His voice is one of my favorites. His first 4 records are an absolute must, if you have to decide that is.

Counting Crows- Even though this band has made me think twice recently about the direction they are going in, I love them. Every album they release is amazing, regardless of anything else that relates to the band or its members. Adam Duritz can sometimes sum up how I feel better than anyone.

Led Zeppelin- How is a band this good? It's really sick. They were so ahead of their time and they basically invented everything that followed. Every aspect of the music is perfect and played skillfully. There is nothing to say but they one of the greatest bands ever.

R.E.M- It's amazing how people are born knowing so many R.E.M. songs. I think they are great, even if I'm only really partial to their 90's world. They are an icon.

Placebo- There are times when Brian Molko's voice is the only thing that can make my heart feel better, even though most people hate the way he sings. I love this band. I love the way the guitars sound, I love the songs, I love it all. They can attract and hold my attention better than anyone else sometimes.

Mew- This is a new discovery for me. With really two ablums to their name to speak of, this band has completely blown me away. I can't believe how much I love everything about how they make music.

My Bloody Valentine- This band has many albums, but really only one that matters, that being "Loveless". This one album alone gives them the right to be on this list. It's one of the greatest musical achievements ever, in my opinion, and is brilliant and emotional beyond words. "Isn't Anything" has some good stuff too.

These are not the only bands I love, but the list has to stop somewhere. Check out my cd collection for other great music that moves me.