Top 20 Greatest British Rock Bands

Anyway, here’s Oasis. The recent announcement of the group’s reunion and impending tour has gone a long way in forgiving the Gallagher siblings’ past reputation for bad behavior. Nostalgia can be a brightly colored beast, after all, and time has been kind to Oasis songs like “Don’t Look Back in Anger” and, yes, “Wonderwall.” The latter, in particular, has lived beyond meme status to become one of the most fondly-remembered tunes of the ‘90s. This was no accident, either, since that song remains wonderfully composed and artfully executed. Sure, Oasis have…let’s say “borrowed” wholesale from The Beatles’ musical playbook over the years, but it’s a darned good trick that bears repeating for legions of misty-eyed fans.

It’s unfair to label Britain’s Def Leppard solely as a creative voice for the lighter side of heavy metal from the 1980s. The origins of this Sheffield group actually date back to the late ‘70s, and Def Leppard’s early material helped solidify the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Records like “High ‘n’ Dry” were detailed and textured affairs, while 1983’s “Pyromania” successfully combined heavy metal with a somewhat more “pop” sensibility. This was melodic and accessible metal that nevertheless retained aggression in certain places. Songs like “Billy’s Got a Gun,” “Die Hard the Hunter” and “Stagefright” proved that heavy music could break through into the mainstream while also sounding righteous as hell.

Opinions differ with regards to which group was first out of the gate to bring punk rock to the masses. What isn’t usually up for debate, however, is the importance of The Clash to this movement. These Londoners brought everything to the table with regards to influences, ushering in musical moves from reggae, dub and ska and making them into a sound that was percolating with aggression. The Clash was one of those few early punk bands that transcended the musical limitations of that genre to become a worldwide influence. This was no mean feat, but instead spoke to just how much fans of The Clash felt that they were “The Only Band That Matters.”

The world of electronic music can take on many forms and embody multiple faces. Depeche Mode, from Essex, frankly defies characterization, yet varying words often come to mind when describing their sound. “Dark” is one, while “erotic” is another. Yes, frontman Dave Gahan always seemed to radiate sexuality whenever he took the stage with Depeche Mode. Meanwhile, bandmate Martin Gore’s songwriting skill always ensured that a certain, almost transgressive malevolence bubbled just below the surface. It’s honestly remarkable that Depeche Mode’s music, as thick and viscous as it is, has also managed to become so melodic and captivating. It speaks volumes to how the pioneering group was able to mold electronica to their will.

There isn’t a lot of bravado when it comes to the humble, yet transfixing music of London’s Dire Straits. The group managed to take a pub rock style that’s intrinsically very modest, and bring it to arenas all over the world. This was thanks primarily to the songwriting and guitar playing of frontman Mark Knopfler. The man’s fingerpicking style vacillates from bluesy and raw to intimate and free-flowing, like the gentlest of rivers. There’s also a lot of emotion to Knopfler’s playing that allowed the music of Dire Straits to touch a lot of different music fans. Their albums are textured, melodic affairs that always service the SONG first, while still allowing moments for Knopfler’s guitar to cry and sing.

They remain one of the foremost names in British heavy metal, a rock institution that’s still going strong today. Judas Priest emerged from the halcyon days of classic rock in the ‘70s to become a pioneering force for riff-laden metallic might. Their ‘80s heyday saw Priest embody the twin-guitar aesthetic, while the ‘90s saw their “Painkiller” LP embrace thrash sounds of the day. Priest was also the home of Rob Halford, a defining voice for heavy metal whose insane range and immense power served as an inspiration for legions of singers in his wake. The spirit of Birmingham’s metallic pedigree lives on through artists like Judas Priest, and their contributions to musical heaviness will never be forgotten.

There are a number of artists that usually come up in conversation when it comes to claiming which was the first heavy metal band. Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Judas Priest are chief among these names, together with the magnificent Deep Purple. These Londoners have endured multiple lineup and stylistic shifts over the years, from the Mark I era from the ‘60s pioneering heavy psychedelia. Meanwhile, it would be Purple’s Mark II and Mark III lineups that would focus more upon guitarist Ritchie Blackmore’s dizzying riffs, Jon Lord’s heavy organ and Ian Paice’s frenetic drumming. This musical trinity would play faster and louder than ever before, while singers like Ian Gillan and David Coverdale brought The Howl and The Blues to an international audience.

2022 may have brought an end to the progressive rock journey of Genesis, but their legacy remains etched in musical stone. It was back in the late sixties when Surrey schoolyard friendships transitioned into musical experimentation. Genesis achieved prog rock dominance during the following decade, thanks to lineups that included legends Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins alongside guitarist Mike Rutherford and keyboardist Tony Banks. Genesis would become more commercially successful upon the departure of Gabriel, but their progressive spirit remains, with albums like “Invisible Touch” and their self-titled effort always retaining compositional complexity. Simply stated: Genesis was one of the best to ever do it, and helped prove that “prog” wasn’t a dirty word.

Time has been incredibly kind to the music of The Smiths. This Manchester group tended to write short songs, yet their focus upon compelling arrangements and memorable hooks proved that “poppy” didn’t necessarily need to mean “disposable.” Guitarist Johnny Marr’s licks jingled and jangled atop Andy Rourke’s precision bass work, while Morrissey’s inimitable croon was impossible to resist. The latter’s lyrics were also known for their biting wit and almost sartorial manner of dressing up Smiths’ songs in coats of elegant malevolence. Then, there’s “How Soon Is Now?” the outlier dance-hit that helped underline the group’s influence upon the goth, post-punk and alternative rock subgenres. It was all truly great stuff that’s stood the test of time.

The story of The Cure is similar to that of The Smiths, with regards to their wide net of international fandom. This group from West Sussex also emerged from the 1970s post-punk era, but soon developed their own, insanely influential style of darkness. The Cure brought goth rock out of the black and into the light with some startling commercial appeal. This was a band that wrote deep and marvelously interesting records, yet each one also had songs that could be played on the radio. This ebb and flow could’ve only been achieved by a group as talented as The Cure, one with true songwriting chops. Meanwhile, Robert Smith’s intense and arresting personal style helped codify a gothic image that still stands to this day.

Some of our younger Mojoholics may not correlate the recent version of Sting with punk rock; however back in 1978, he and his fellow Londoners of The Police burst onto the scene with an eclectic debut album. Working both as the lead vocalist and primary songwriter, Sting touched on his literary influences as the band proceeded to deliver four more innovative productions within a five-year span leading up their most famous hit, “Every Breath You Take.” In essence, The Police could rock out with the best of their fellow post-punk artists, however their cultured aesthetics ultimately produced a universal appeal.

A staple of the 90s alternative sound, this band actually formed in the mid-80s while attending a boarding school in Abingdon. Originally known as “On a Friday,” the crew looked to a Talking Heads song for their new name, and when “Creep” hit the radio in 1992, Thom Yorke and company solidified themselves as one of the most promising bands around. Of course, transformative albums like “The Bends” and “OK Computer” would cement Radiohead as international stars, while the lyrical proficiency and melancholic sound touched a nerve with Generation X. And perhaps to everyone’s surprise, they managed to not only stay together but deliver another decade of iconic indie albums through the 2000s and beyond.

Here’s a bunch of “New Wave” Brits, albeit of a slightly different order than the pop sounds of the early '80s. Born and bred in Leyton, England, Iron Maiden took their name from the iconic Alexandre Dumas novel “The Man in the Iron Mask” and dropped their self-titled debut in April of 1980. Decades and dozens of albums later, Iron Maiden has become the most influential band of the heavy metal genre, and their mascot remains an unmistakable fixture of the musical culture. They set the standard for a new era of musicians and never stopped thrashing.

Before there was Maiden, there was Black Sabbath. Based in Birmingham, England, this group joined forces in the late '60s and fused together a blend of classic rock with something a bit more heavy. In fact, Ozzy Osbourne and his bandmates innovated the Heavy Metal genre and kicked off the 70s with a string of albums that would provide an alternative to the more pop-friendly sounds of the time. Back in the day, it wasn’t necessarily the “cool kids” that were listening to Sabbath, but as it turns out, that’s exactly who they were. Independent and anti-establishment, this wrecking crew changed the game for aspiring metalhead musicians everywhere.

It’s somewhat of a rock cliché to destroy a guitar on stage, but it was this band that first embraced the form of “auto-destructive art.” Undoubtedly one of the most influential rock bands ever formed, The Who emerged during the British invasion, and their outlaw antics stood them apart from other musicians exhibiting more, um, appropriate behavior. They closed off the 60s with the groundbreaking rock opera “Tommy,” and they later established themselves as one of the quintessential rock bands with a full decade’s worth of personal anthems for the more album-oriented rock fans of the early Rolling Stone era.

Today, “American Idol” runner-up Adam Lambert fronts this operatic fraternity; however the late Freddie Mercury is the undeniable face of Queen, and one of the most recognizable faces of rock music. With a plethora of popular British rock to draw their sound from, this band ultimately found a niche through the personality exhibited in both their lyrics and the deeply dramatic aesthetics of their evolving stage shows. Beginning with their self-titled debut in 1973, Queen remained the grandmasters of musical opera all the way to 1995’s “Made in Heaven,” the final studio release upon the untimely death of their legendary front man.

Like many other progressive bands of the late '60s and '70s, it would be a crime to simply label these Londoners as “acid rockers,” but whaddya expect when you make albums that make listeners drift away into their dreams. The average music fan will immediately associate Pink Floyd with “The Wall” or “The Dark Side of the Moon” – and with good reason, but truth be told, the multifaceted band released four late '60s classics that set the tone for the equally mind-blowing productions of the '70s. Pink Floyd created an atmospheric experience to be enjoyed with no moderation necessary - well, musically speaking that is.

No one here gets out alive, except Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. The American blues originally influenced this band of rockers, and when the British invasion occurred during the early '60s, you know they were at the forefront. As the most enduring British rock band of the last 50 years, the Rolling Stones were arguably most popular from 1965 to 1980, delivering hard-hitting rock and roll licks that highlighted the band’s personality. And while their musical output has been rather tame since the 1990s, it doesn’t really matter given they continue to inspire by touring the world year after year.

Yet another classic rock band influenced by American blues music, this London group applied a heavy dose of psychedelia to their sound in order to mystify fellow musicians and certainly their fans. In other words, they could wail, and there wasn’t a weak spot in the group. With each member coming from other notable projects, Led Zeppelin was a fine-tuned machine when they formed in 1968, and within just three years, they released four explosive albums that firmly took a hold over the younger demographic. In a time when rock fans pledged their allegiance to one particular band, everybody loved them some Led Zeppelin, even if they claimed otherwise. Unfortunately, the music ended with the 1980 death of drummer John Bonham.

Ok, ok – you all expected these guys to be our #1 choice, and there’s a good reason for that: it’s because they’re freaking awesome. Unless you actually lived through The Beatles’ music of the 1960s, you should forget about what pop culture tells you to believe and simply experience the music for yourself. Album by album. Track by track. There’s no other band that influenced rock and roll like these lads from Liverpool, and they were already a well-rehearsed act when they first arrived in America. John. Paul. Ringo. George. For eight momentous years, The Beatles functioned on a higher level than most and changed the world as we know it.


Did we miss your favorite British rock act? Let us know in the comments!