Tina Fineberg/AP
Name the biggest and best rock band in the world.
Go ahead...we'll wait.
It's not as easy as it was 50 years ago when such a demand would spark a massive debate name-dropping legends like Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and The Who.
Are you willing to admit that Greta Van Fleet is as good at gets these days? How about Imagine Dragons?
The reality is the idea of a rock star isn't what it was in the 1970s, 1980s or 1990s. Times change, but being the biggest and baddest rock act in the land has always meant something.
Taking into account record sales, accomplishments, buzz, quality of music and overall awesomeness, here is a look at the best rock band of the year, every year since 1969.
1969: The Beatles
Monty Fresco
The Beatles began 1969 with what would be their final live performance on the rooftop of the Apple Records building. So how can a band that didn’t tour at all in 1969 be the greatest band in the world? Well, they were the friggin' Beatles. The band spent most of its time from 1966 on in the studio, recording its most ambitious albums. For some fans, that peaked in 1969 with the release of “Abbey Road,” which came less than a week after John Lennon left the band. The album sold 4 million copies before the end of the year.
Other contenders: Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Who
Even if the Beatles didn’t break up, they may have soon been supplanted as the best rock band in the world anyway. Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones were both embarking on the biggest creative periods of their respective careers. Meanwhile, Pete Townshend was wowing everyone with The Who’s groundbreaking rock opera “Tommy.”
1970: Led Zeppelin
Courtesy of Everett Collection
The Beatles were still ruling the charts in 1970 with “Let It Be” (both the single and album). But Led Zeppelin was conquering the world in every other way. The band spent the year on tour with two albums that would hit No. 1 on the charts.
Other contenders: Creedence Clearwater Revival, Santana, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
CCR’s “Cosmo’s Factory” was a force in the U.S., establishing the band as one of the biggest in North America. Meanwhile, Santana saw a commercial breakthrough with “Abraxas.” And while most important album released in 1970 may have been Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid,” mainstream fans were more drawn to supergroup Crosby, Stills, & Nash, which had added Neil Young.
1971: Led Zeppelin
Handout
There’s a reason Zeppelin earned the nickname “The Biggest Band in the World” during a large portion of the 1970s. No one could come close to what Zeppelin was doing in 1971 with the release of “Led Zeppelin IV” and its tour de force “Stairway to Heaven.” The band would go on to tour Europe, Australia, North America and Japan for the next two years.
Other contenders: The Rolling Stones, The Who
You have to feel for The Stones. They released, arguably, their best album in Sticky Fingers and scored one of the top singles in the world with “Brown Sugar.” It wasn’t enough to top Zeppelin. For what it’s worth, The Who also released its best album with “Who’s Next,” only to also be a runner-up.
1972: The Rolling Stones
The Plain Dealer Archives
It took a massive double album to earn The Stones the status of the biggest and best band in the world. As if releasing “Exile on Main Street” wasn’t enough, the band capped of 1971 with the compilation “Hot Rocks 1964-1971,” which landing in the top five in both the U.S. and U.K.
Other contenders: Deep Purple, Jethro Tull, Chicago
This was The Rolling Stones year by a mile. Still, Deep Purple made an impact with “Machine Head” and “Smoke on the Water.” Jethro Tull’s follow up to “Aqualung” sold well, while Chicago’s fourth studio album ruled the charts in the United States.
1973: Pink Floyd
Handout
“The Dark Side of the Moon” was the juggernaut of 1973. Even the members of the band boycotting the album’s press push (because mixing wasn’t done), didn’t slow its momentum. “Dark Side” would also serve as the centerpiece of the band’s 1973 U.S. tour.
Other contenders: Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, War
Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones were still, arguably, the two biggest bands in the world, releasing “Houses of the Holy” and “Goats Head Soup,” respectively. But the top-selling album of 1973 was War’s “The World Is A Ghetto.”
1974: The Band
Handout
The reunion between The Band and Bob Dylan was the musical event of 1974. It began with The Band backing Dylan on the album “Permanent Waves" and culminated with a 40-show tour, documented on the live album “Before the Flood.”
Other contenders: Paul McCartney & Wings, Deep Purple, Bad Company
Led Zeppelin took the year off from touring, clearing the way for Paul McCartney’s band to score the top-selling album and single in the world. Deep Purple remained a huge band in the U.K., while supergroup Bad Company’s debut album was a hit in the U.S.
1975: Led Zeppelin
Zeppelin capped the greatest run of its career with its biggest album and biggest tour. “Physical Graffiti” was also the first release on the band’s newly formed record label Swan Song.
Other contenders: Pink Floyd, The Eagles, Earth, Wind & Fire
Pink Floyd had the top-selling album worldwide with “Wish You Were Here,” while The Eagles scored three top-10 singles with “One of These Nights,” “Take It to the Limit” and “Lyin’ Eyes.” But the biggest surprise of the year was “Earth, Wind & Fire” releasing the top-selling album of its career up until that point with “That’s the Way of the World.”
1976: Queen
Releasing “A Night at the Opera” at the end of 1975 elevated Queen to superstar status and gave the band its first platinum selling release. “Bohemian Rhapsody” also became a worldwide smash.
Other contenders: Eagles
This was an extremely close race between the Eagles and Queen, considering the former released its greatest hits compilation (You know, the greatest selling “album” of all time) and followed that up with “Hotel California.”
1977: Fleetwood Mac
Warner/Reprise
The combination of real-life drama and brilliant music made Fleetwood Mac’s landmark “Rumours” the best-selling album of 1977 by a wide margin. The album would spawn four hit singles and cement Fleetwood Mac as one of the biggest bands in world.
Other contenders: Sex Pistols, Pink Floyd, Eagles
Big albums from the Eagles and Pink Floyd would continue to perform well. But it was the Sex Pistols explosive debut, “Never Mind the Bollocks…” that would shake the UK at its core. Still, the album failed to made an immediate dent in the U.S.
1978: The Rolling Stones
Promotional Photo
Just in case you forgot how great the Rolling Stones were, the band took a few years off from being the world’s “it” band, only to return with its best-selling album “Some Girls. Led by “Beast of Burden,” the album would propel the next phase in the Stones' career.
Other contenders: Van Halen, Boston
Disco ruled 1978, making it hard for any rock band to gain traction. Still Van Halen turned heads with its debut, while Boston continued its successful run on the charts with “Don’t Look Back.
1979: The Eagles
George Rose
The Eagles closed out 1979 with “The Long Run,” an album that, from a sales standpoint, would make releases by Led Zeppelin, KISS and The Knack secondary. "The Long Run" marked the Eagles third straight No.1 album in the U.S. and finally helped the band crossover to the U.K.
Other contenders: Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin
We’ll get to Pink Floyd’s massive year in a minute. But one could argue that maybe “In Through the Out Door” was the last time Led Zeppelin could be considered one of the biggest bands in the world.
1980: Pink Floyd
Gerald Scarfe
Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” was the top selling album in the world in 1979. But it didn’t take hold of the U.S. until 1980. The album was an odd tour de force, accompanied by a tour in 1980 and 1981 that was small in terms of the number cities but massive in production scale. It also spawned the top single of 1980 with “Another Brick in the Wall.”
Other contenders: AC/DC, Queen, The Rolling Stones
The Stones could basically do anything at this point, releasing “Emotional Rescue." AC/DC, meanwhile, made a stunning return with the top album in the world, “Back in Black,” just months after its lead singer died. Queen was also dead set on proving it had staying power, releasing one of its grittiest albums with “The Game.”
1981: The Rolling Stones
The Stones were passed their prime. But the world still couldn’t get enough of them. “Tattoo You” was a sales juggernaut (eventually going on to sell 8.5 million copies), while “Start Me Up” served as one of the year’s biggest singles.
Other contenders: The Police
As we ushered in the 1980s, bands like REO Speedwagon, Foreigner and Journey were becoming pop-rock forces. But it was The Police who were emerging as the most intriguing band. Sting and company’s “Ghost in The Machine” was second only to “Tattoo You” in terms of worldwide sales.
1982: The Clash
Handout
The Clash’s first four albums earned the band praise from critics and diehard fans. But “Combat Rock,” released in 1982, became The Clash’s mainstream breakthrough, led by the singles “Rock the Casbah” and “Should I Stay or Should I Go.”
Other contenders: Duran Duran, Roxy Music, Iron Maiden
Duran Duran was merging new wave and rock, and driving MTV fans crazy. Roxy Music was saying goodbye with “Avalon.” Elsewhere, Iron Maiden was reaching massive heights in the metal world with its epic album, “The Number of the Beast.”
1983: The Police
Handout
“Synchronicity” was the top-selling album in the world in 1983. No band was bigger than The Police, whose hit “Every Breath You Take” was on the verge of becoming one of the biggest songs of all time.
Other contenders: Culture Club, ZZ Top, Genesis
With Phil Collins as its lead singer, Genesis was pushing towards its commercial peak. Culture Club was making its case as one of the best new acts in the world on the strength of its debut “Kissing to Be Clever.” Perhaps the biggest surprise of 1983 came from blues rockers ZZ Top, who released a mainstream monster “Eliminator,” which would go on to sell more than 10 million copies.
1984: Talking Heads
A year after releasing its commercial breakthrough “Speaking in Tongues,” Talking Heads embarked on its “Stop Making Sense” tour, regarded as one of the best concert tours in history, which was documented by a Jonathan Demme film.
Other contenders: Van Halen
This was close. Van Halen’s embracing of synths would elevate the band to a higher status commercially on “1984,” which featured the singles “Jump,” “Panama” and “Hot for Teacher.”
1985: The Cure
The Cure’s move from Gothic rock to a more varied style of alternative-rock and pop helped introduce the band to a new audience. It helps that “The Head on the Door” was, from top to bottom, The Cure’s catchiest album to date.
Other contenders: Dire Straits, Tears for Fears
Two monster albums – “Brothers In Arms” and “Songs From Big Chair,” respectively – would make Dire Straits and Tears For Fears two of the biggest successes of the year.
1986: R.E.M.
Jose Galvez
With its first three albums, R.E.M. conquered the college rock world. But on 1986’s “Life’s Rich Pageant,” the band proved it was one of the most well-rounded rock bands we’d seen in quite some time.
Other contenders: Bon Jovi, The Smiths
The Smiths’ “The Queen Is Dead” is considered by some to be the best British rock album post-Beatles. But the band didn’t make much of a dent in the U.S. Bon Jovi was as big as any rock band in the States, thanks to the massive success of “Slippery When Wet,” even if critics weren’t jumping on the bandwagon.
1987: U2
Handout
Even in a year that featured Michael Jackson’s “Bad” and George Michael’s “Faith,” nothing could stop U2. The band’s landmark “The Joshua Tree” would cement Bono and company as the biggest rock band in the world.
Other contenders: Guns N' Roses, Def Leppard, R.E.M.
Def Leppard’s monster album “Hysteria” couldn’t be ignored, while R.E.M. continued its brilliant creative run with “Document.” But it was Guns N’ Roses hard-hitting debut, “Appetite for Destruction” that would shake up the rock world for the next few years.
1988: Guns N’ Roses
Ke.Mazur
Welcome to the jungle, indeed. On the heels of “Appetite for Destruction,” no band was featured on more magazine covers or buzzed about on TV more than Guns N’ Roses. They were the "it" band of the moment that embodied everything fans wanted, from sex, drugs and rock and roll to fantastic music.
Other contenders: U2, Bon Jovi, The Traveling Wilburys
The Traveling Wilburys – a supergroup featuring George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty – intrigued every music fan around. Bon Jovi remained a mainstream juggernaut with “New Jersey.” U2 decided to go the rockumentary route with “Rattle and Hum,” a release that was larger than life even if not all that great.
1989: Guns N’ Roses
Promo photo
Mainstream audiences followed Guns N’ Roses every move. The band’s “G N’ R Lies,” released in 1988, had everyone anticipating what would come next, while the band spent the year touring the world (opening for but over shadowing the likes of Aerosmith and Iron Maiden) and gracing the cover of “Rolling Stone.”
Other contenders: Aerosmith, Pixies
In truth, no band came close to Guns N’ Roses during this period. Still, Aerosmith scored well on the charts with “Pump,” while the Pixies were redefining alternative rock on “Doolittle.”
1990: Pixies
Andrew Catlin
The Pixies capped an amazing three year run of albums with 1990’s “Bossanova,” which made more of a dent in the U.K. than the U.S. Still, the band’s music would prove highly influential in terms of where rock music would go in the 1990s.
Other contenders: Heart
Hip-hop and pop were taking hold of the mainstream, which benefited Heart. The band was in the midst of releasing its most accessible run of albums, including 1990’s “Brigade,” which would go double platinum.
1991: Metallica
Danny Clinch
Metallica’s self-titled 1991 effort, aka The Black Album, saw the band ditching its thrash sound for monstrous rock that would see them conquer the world. The Black Album came with five well received singles and stands today as one of the greatest selling albums of all time.
Other contenders: U2, R.E.M., Guns N' Roses
Metallica had stiff competition in 1991. Guns N’ Roses dropped “Use Your Illusion I” and “Use Your Illusion II,” which had fans lining up outside of record stores. R.E.M.’s “Out of Time” pushed the indie rock faves to new mainstream heights. U2 delivered what many consider its comeback album, embracing electronic music on “Achtung Baby.”
1992: Nirvana
And so grunge was upon us. “Nevermind” actually arrived in 1991 with the music video for “Smells Like Teen Spirit” arriving the fall. Things skyrocketed from there, as Nirvana became, maybe reluctantly, the biggest band in the world for 1992 and beyond.
Other contenders: R.E.M., Pearl Jam
The year 1992 saw R.E.M. make its full evolution from college rockers to one of the biggest bands of all time thanks to “Automatic For The People.” Pearl Jam was also coming off of “Ten” and challenging Nirvana for grunge supremacy.
1993: Pearl Jam
Epic Records
Nirvana may be recognized historically as the greater band. But Pearl Jam was just as big, if not bigger. Eddie Vedder’s outfit released “Vs.” the follow up to “Ten,” in 1993. The album stayed on top of the charts for over a month.
Other contenders: Nirvana, U2
Nirvana and Pearl Jam were essentially going back and forth when it came to who was the biggest band in the world. Kurt Cobain snapped out of drug phase just long enough to record “In Utero.” Elsewhere, U2 was doing wild and crazy things on its Zoo TV Tour.
1994: Green Day
Handout
Green Day became the new rock stars of the moment, establishing the blueprint for pop punk on “Dookie.”
Other contenders: Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, R.E.M.
R.E.M. continued its stretch of commercial and critical success with “Monster,” while Soundgarden became grunge’s third titan with “Superunknown.” But Pearl Jam going strong with “Vitalogy.”
1995: Oasis
Jill Furmanovsky
So maybe Oasis wasn’t the second coming of the Beatles. But, to some extent, it felt that way back in the mid-1990s. The Gallagher brothers’ bravado, coupled with the back-to-back releases of “Definitely Maybe” and “(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?” made Oasis, unquestionably, the biggest band in the world.
Other contenders: Smashing Pumpkins, Alice in Chains
Smashing Pumpkins “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” arrived in epic fashion, while Alice in Chains inserted itself in the discussion of great grunge bands.
1996: Smashing Pumpkins
Lisa Johnson
If you thought Billy Corgan had peaked with “Siamese Dream,” you were wrong. “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness,” released in 1995, set the band up as one of the biggest rock bands in the world and one of the leading acts coming out of the grunge period.
Other contenders: Rage Against the Machine, Pearl Jam, Tool
Pearl Jam was the biggest band to come out of grunge and continue its massive run. Though, critics weren’t quite as receptive to “No Code.” And while Rage Against the Machine was as politically charged as you could get, it managed to translate to the mainstream charts worldwide. And don't forget Tool, whose album “Aenima” sold 3 million copies.
1997: Radiohead
Tom Sheehan
“OK Computer” was not only a game changer from a musical standpoint, it was also quite the force in terms of popularity worldwide, outselling every other rock album of 1997.
Other contenders: No Doubt, The Verve, Oasis
Led by surefire rock star Gwen Stefani, No Doubt’s “Tragic Kingdom” continued to sell well during the first half of 1997. Overseas, Oasis continued to be huge, but The Verve was gaining ground.
1998: Beastie Boys
Ryan Murphy
They were already cemented at one of hip hop's greatest acts. But make no mistake – the Beastie Boys were as much rock stars as any band around thanks to 1998’s “Hello Nasty,” which fans and MTV ate up. The album stayed on top of the charts in the U.S. for three weeks.
Other contenders: Korn, The Smashing Pumpkins
Billy Corgan and company weren’t done, delivering “Adore” as the follow-up to “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.” With rap-metal in full swing, Korn delivered its mainstream breakthrough “Follow the Leader,” which all but took over MTV.
1999: Rage Against the Machine
Handout
No band was hotter in 1999 than Rage Against the Machine, who released “The Battle of Los Angeles,” an album that separated the band from every other act on the rap-metal scene. The songs from "The Battle of Los Angeles" made it into “The Matrix Trilogy,” and major video games like “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2” and “Madden NFL 10.”
Other contenders: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nine Inch Nails, Foo Fighters
The Red Hot Chili Peppers were back, firing on all cylinders with “Californication,” while Foo Fighters’ status continued to rise in the mainstream with the single “Learn to Fly.” Trent Reznor was still in ambitious mode, releasing the No. 1 album “The Fragile.”
2000: Radiohead
AP
Radiohead ushered in the Pitchfork era of indie-rock with its stunning album “Kid A.” Even today, the album is regarded as, arguably, the best of the 21st century.
Other contenders: U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Californication” and its successful singles put the Red Hot Chili Peppers on top of the world. Then there was U2, experiencing yet another massive comeback with “All That You Can’t Leave Behind,” which would earn the band seven Grammys.
2001: Linkin Park
T.J. Hamilton
Linkin Park (and rap metal as a whole, for that matter) was no critical darling. But there was no denying the massive run of “Hybrid Theory,” an album that sold and sold and sold to the tune of 27 million copies.
Other contenders: The Strokes, Dave Matthews Band
Known as a non-stop touring act, Dave Matthews Band was making quite a dent on the charts and radio as well with “Everyday.” Meanwhile, The Strokes were everyone’s “it” band, leading the post-punk revival with the critically acclaimed “Is This It.”
2002: System of a Down
Handout
With bands like Nickelback and Creed ruling the charts, fans gravitated towards something edgier and darker in 2002. Enter System of a Down. The band’s album “Toxicity,” released in the fall of 2005, was an unlikely hit that spawned two hit singles and music videos in the title track and “Aerials."
Other contenders: Linkin Park, Coldplay
Linkin Park’s “Hybrid Theory” kept selling, while Coldplay was making a push at being dubbed the next U2.
2003: The White Stripes
The White Stripes were already critical darlings, but “Elephant” and its big single “Seven Nation Army” gave the band a mainstream breakthrough. Jack White was rock’s new genius.
Other contenders: Linkin Park, Muse
Muse was one of the biggest bands in the U.K. during the 2000s. Linkin Park released yet another one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century with “Meteora.”
2004: Green Day
Tina Fineberg
The members of Green Day were no longer pop punks in 2004. They were musicians with serious ambition. The result was “American Idiot,” the band’s biggest album and a force on the charts, spawning a series of hit singles that would run all the way through 2005 as well.
Other contenders: Maroon 5, Blink-182
Maroon 5’s debut album made Adam Levine a sex symbol. And while Blink-182 had bigger albums than its 2003 self-titled effort, none were more critically acclaimed or, perhaps, beloved.
2005: The Killers
Jim Cooper
Green Day’s “American Idiot” continued to rule 2005. But matching the punk rock titans in terms of worldwide sales and hit singles were upstarts The Killers, whose album “Hot Fuss” was unavoidable.
Other contenders: Green Day, Coldplay, Gorillaz
Coldplay continued to sell a ton of records, but it was a cartoon band that gave music fans a surprise treat. The Gorillaz’s second album “Demon Days” cemented Damon Albarn’s latest project as a force to be reckoned with.
2006: Fall Out Boy
Handout
Fall Out Boy’s “From Under a Cork Tree” and its massive single “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” ushered in the pop-punk era. It’s impact on MTV, rock radio and the Warped Tour can’t be understated.
Other contenders: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Panic! at the Disco
“Stadium Arcadium” gave the Chili Peppers yet another hit album. Fall Out Boy wasn’t alone in bringing pop punk to the forefront. Panic! at the Disco’s debut “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out” marked the arrival of yet another formidable act.
2007: Foo Fighters
Handout
The top-selling rock albums of 2007 came from Daughtry and Nickelback. Thus, as fans looked around, Foo Fighters simply felt like the last great rock band standing. “Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace” was a big release for Dave Grohl and compnay, getting back to their harder roots and earning a Grammy for Best Rock Album.
Other contenders: My Chemical Romance, Fall out Boy
Both MCR and FOB proved they were more than just young pop-punk acts and could rock hard by releasing the best albums of their careers – “The Black Parade” and “Infinity On High,” respectively.
2008: Coldplay
Handout
Coldplay may still have been a punchline to some. But the band’s fourth album “Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends” was no joke. It was nominated for several Grammys, while topping the chart in the both the U.S. and U.K.
Other contenders: Radiohead, Kings of Leon
After being an indie-rock band that only sold well in the U.S., Kings of Leon exploded in the States with “Only by the Night.” Radiohead fueled the debate on how people consume music by offering its latest stellar album “In Rainbows” in a pay-what-you-want format.
2009: Paramore
Albums by Green Day, Kings of Leon and U2 sold a heck of a lot more. But Paramore proved it was more than just its debut album “Riot!” pushing the follow up “Brand New Eyes” to No.2 on the charts. Helping the band capture the hearts of teens even more was “Decode,” the lead single from the chart-topping soundtrack to “Twilight.”
Other contenders: Green Day, Florence + The Machine
Green Day copied the same formula that worked with “American Idiot” on “21st Century Breakdown.” Then there was Florence Welch, a new rock star who captivated many with her band’s debut.
2010: Arcade Fire
Eric Kayne
Arcade Fires’ “The Suburbs” was a game-changer for the band, debuting at No. 1 in three countries, including the U.S. The album’s historic status was cemented when it shockingly won Album of the Year at the 2011 Grammy Awards.
Other contenders: Vampire Weekend, The Black Keys
Vampire Weekend’s “Contra” proved the band was no one hit wonder, while The Black Keys’ “Brothers” marked a turning point for the Akron band’s mainstream status.
2011: Foo Fighters
Credit: John Soeder
As 2011 belonged to female pop stars like Adele, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga, there stood Foo Fighters with another solid album in “Wasting Light,” carrying the torch for rock music at a time when the genre was fading.
Other contenders: No one
With all due respect to Evanescence and Red Hot Chili Peppers, who both released successful album, no other rock band really made a dent in 2011.
2012: The Black Keys
Promo Photo
2012 was The Black Keys’ moment. The band’s album “El Camino” was one of the top-10 sellers of the year, which platinum status and a near-sweep of the Grammys’ rock category.
Other contenders: Mumford & Sons
Love them or hate them, Mumford & Sons were as big as anyone in 2012. The rest of the year’s best rock releases belonged to indie bands.
2013: Vampire Weekend
Jack Plunkett
Vampire Weekend’s “Modern Vampire of the Cities” was the best reviewed album of 2013 and proved the band was as artistically capable as any other indie act on its level.
Other contenders: Arcade Fire, Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age’s “…Like Clockwork” was ranked among the best rock albums of the year. Arcade Fire’s “Reflektor” wasn’t as highly regarded as some of the band’s previous work, but still proved better than 90 percent of what other artists were putting out.
2014: Arctic Monkeys
David Grunfeld
It took five albums, but Arctic Monkeys finally broke through in America with “AM.” The album sold nearly 3 million worldwide with the single “Do I Wanna Know?” becoming the band’s first to chart on the Billboard Hot 100.
Other contenders: Against Me!, The Black Keys, Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters remained in the spotlight with its HBO docu-series and album “Sonic Highways.” The Black Keys turned in another Grammy favorite with “Turn Blue.” Most groundbreaking, however, was Against Me!’s “Transgender Dysphoria Blues,” which centered on frontwoman Laura Jane Grace’s gender transition.
2015: Alabama Shakes
Rich Fury
Alabama Shakes “Sound & Color” wasn’t the biggest seller of the year, but it was hailed by many as 2015’s best rock album. The band earned a collection of high-profile Grammy nominations at the 2016 ceremony.
Other contenders: Fall Out Boy, Twenty One Pilots
Fall Out Boy proved it wasn’t going anywhere with yet another solid album in “American Beauty/American Psycho.” Columbus band Twenty One Pilots debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with “Blurryface.”
2016: The 1975
"I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It" is a long album title. But fans hung on every word. The 1975 seemingly came out of nowhere in 2016, scoring a No. 1 album on the U.K. and U.S. charts, while becoming the most buzzed about band in indie rock.
Other contenders: Radiohead, Twenty One Pilots
Radiohead returned in strong fashion with “A Moon Shaped Pool,” its best album in years. Twenty One Pilots’ 2015 album “Blurryface” performed even better in 2016 with “Ride” becoming a success on the singles charts.
2017: Twenty One Pilots
Alex Driehaus
Twenty One Pilots has essentially ruled the rock world for the past three years. 2015's "Blurryface" was a monster. The singles "Ride," "Stressed Out" and "Heathens" still get radio play. Yet, if anyone still doubted the band's mainstream cred, 2017 cemented that when the band took home the Grammy for best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
Other contenders: Paramore, Panic! at the Disco
Paramore reinvented itself with 2017’s “After Laughter,” ditching any traces of alt-rock and embracing 1980s synth pop. Meanwhile, Panic! scored its first No. 1 album with “Death of a Bachelor.”
2018: Panic! at the Disco
Fueled by Ramen
Not only did Panic! at the Disco have the second highest charting rock album of 2018, but the band's "Pray for the Wicked" was the highest charting new album when it came to vinyl sales that year. That means all the hip kids felt they were totally the coolest.
Other contenders: Greta Van Fleet, Imagine Dragons
In retrospect, Greta Van Fleet feels like a throwback band (or Led Zeppelin knockoff) whose time in the spotlight came and went rather quickly. Imagine Dragons has been a sales juggernaut for years but feels like more of a faceless band, especially when compared to Panic! which has a rock star in Brendon Urie.
2019: Queen
Marco Arndt
For the record, we're not talking about Queen with Adam Lambert, though they certainly benefitted from 2019. So how is it a band whose iconic lead singer has been dead for 30 years was the biggest thing going in 2019? "Bohemian Rhapsody" became the highest grossing music biopic of all time, earning more than $900 million at the worldwide box office. The film's massive success pushed Queen's record sales through the roof, dwarfing those of just about any current rock band in 2019.
Other contenders: Imagine Dragons, Twenty One Pilots
Paramore reinvented itself with 2017’s “After Laughter,” ditching any traces of alt-rock and embracing 1980s synth pop. Meanwhile, Panic! scored its first No. 1 album with “Death of a Bachelor.”
Imagine Dragons and Twenty One Pilots both finished in the top 10 on the year-end rock charts. Imagine Dragons even had two albums in the top 10. But Queen had three! The truth is, they just don't make rock bands like they used to, allowing Freddie Mercury's legacy to decimate all.
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