Best "Modern" Rock Band

[Easy Mac]

So we saw that the Best Rock Band of All Time poll pretty much went all classic rock. So instead of a poll, lets just see who people say are the best "modern" rock band. You don't have to be beholden to the current understanding of "modern" rock as defined by Billboard, but rather the best band that was formed more or less 20-25 years ago...

Think early 90's era or later. Maybe you think Nirvana's Terrell Davis-like run cements them as the top. Perhaps you think Mastadon was the hardest band. Perhaps you just like to have fun and dance hipster style to Phoenix. Maybe Three Doors Down really is the best butt rock out there.

For me, I'd say Spoon takes my top spot. They've never had the highest highs like some other bands (like My Morning Jacket's Z) or the lowest lows (like My Morning Jacket's Evil Urges), but as far as indie rock goes, they've been consistent very good to pretty great for the last 20 years.

[Butter]

Radiohead.

[JPhillips]

Gogol Bordello

[QuikSand]

I think it's definitely Radiohead as the "greatest," but I'm also a very big fan of Spoon and Arcade Fire, who fit in well here, too.

[MizzouRah]

Chevelle is one of my favorite bands of all time.

[PilotMan]

Radiohead, hands down.

[dawgfan]

Based on your definition of "modern" rock band, I'd go with Radiohead and Tool, with honorable mentions for Queens of the Stone Age, P.J. Harvey and Bjork.

[thesloppy]

[albionmoonlight]

Radiohead.

I'd throw in Beck for the discussion of second place. I'm not the hugest fan, but he's been very influential on a lot of people.

[Hammer]

Oasis. Not even close. Such a wide variety of music. Shame they wern't motivated to gain a name for themselves in the U.S. Oasis' B sides would beat anything any other modern rock band could put together IMO.

[korme]

Arcade Fire is the best band mentioned here, so far.

[ntndeacon]

Radiohead is great. I've enjoyed Five Finger Death Punch quite a bit and the Pretty Reckless is pretty good too!

[lungs]

Cannibal Corpse. Hands down.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I usually talk about this in terms of "modern era rock Mt. Rushmore"

Five Finger Death Punch, Avenged Sevenfold (tho lately they have me questioning that), Volbeat, and ... well, then I get a little stuck.

I thought Trivium might make a run at it soon enough but seems to be slipping back just a bit. And perhaps the 4th slot should go to one of the "post-grunge" building blocks that opened the door for rock to be revived after it's long dreary winter.

If you took only high points, honestly, Nickleback probably deserves the 4th spot,but those low points are awfully low. Shinedown gets kicked for the same reason really. Seether maybe? Alter Bridge is probably the most talented but hasn't managed to parlay that well enough into U.S. success to feel right.

And, yes, the fact that alternative bands are prominent in the discussion here pretty much highlights what I find so completely wrong with rock today. Like what you like, but I do retain the right to shake my head pretty sadly at some of it.

[EagleFan]

This can change but currently I would say. Disturbed, Volbeat, Alter Bridge as the current top of the list. Shinedown is close. Five Finger Death Punch is close but not as close.

For me I would give consideration to Ghost and Within Temptation.

Halestorm would have some consideration as well.

[Maple Leafs]

Of the bands not yet mentioned, Nine Inch Nails deserves some consideration, although I guess they/he just miss the early-90s cutoff.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

This can change but currently I would say. Disturbed, Volbeat, Alter Bridge as the current top of the list. Shinedown is close. Five Finger Death Punch is close but not as close.

For me I would give consideration to Ghost and Within Temptation.

Halestorm would have some consideration as well.

Is the body of work big enough / strong enough for Ghost though?
And Halestorm is yet another case where I dismiss based on the last album. (The past 12-18 months haven't been kind to a lot of bands really)

[korme]

How The National Made the Best Rock Album of 2017

Mixed emotions about my favorite band getting this kind of recognition some 16 years after forming.

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

And, yes, the fact that alternative bands are prominent in the discussion here pretty much highlights what I find so completely wrong with rock today. Like what you like, but I do retain the right to shake my head pretty sadly at some of it.

That's one of the things that is odd about the internet. It seems as though the love for alternative/indie is way higher on the internet than it is in the real world. If I turn on the radio, there's 1 station around that might play anything remotely new in the indie world. There's still 2-3 that play what would be considered hard/real rock a la Jon.

Then you look at the arena here, there's still a couple shows a year where rock bands play either with a headliner or more of a collective and it sells out, but its extremely rare that an alternative band plays here. I remember being quite confused when Modern Baseball headlined a show at the arena. I thought, there's no chance they could come close to selling out. But I'm not even sure how many times I've seen Five Finger Death Punch and the like flash on the "coming soon" screen outside.

[murrayyyyy]

I must be too popish as I thought it was the Foo Fighters.

[Chief Rum]

I am going to go off of the spirit of the question, and assume some bands that actually formed late 80s are still eligible, as long as they'rer not pre-90s rock (classic, 80s hair band, 80s metal, alt rock 80s, new wave 80s, etc.)

Given that, the following bands are among my favorites and would be on any list of my personal best bands:

NIN-- Trent Reznor is a genius
Weezer-- They try so many things with their music, but it generally works.
Arcade Fire-- I have a quote from a song by them in my signature. They're terrific.
System Of A Down--I have always been able to rock out to SoaD
Radiohead-- Sometimes they get too whiny, but great lyrics and an amazing ear for musical sound.

There might be others, but these are the ones off the top of my head.

Three to watch but they're probably too new:

Mumford & Sons-- Their early fans didn't like the move away from the folk rock on their last album, but I thought it was a mature direction for the band to go.
Imagine Dragons-- Prolific and consistent. They rarely wow me at the start but then as I listen more I come to realize how great they are at putting.together music.
Twenty-One Pilots-- Right from the start they have taken gone in odd directions with their sound and turned it into great songs.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

That's one of the things that is odd about the internet. It seems as though the love for alternative/indie is way higher on the internet than it is in the real world. If I turn on the radio, there's 1 station around that might play anything remotely new in the indie world. There's still 2-3 that play what would be considered hard/real rock a la Jon.

I wish you were right but, sadly ...

Only 1800-2000 spins (on stations with monitored airplay) are needed to top the Active Rock chart. It takes 2600-3100 spins to get a #1 on the Alternative chart. On the bottom end of the chart (i.e. #50) it takes roughly 2x alt spins as active rock spins to get onto the published list each week.

Compounding the disparity is that alt has horribly infected Active playlists whereas virtually nothing aside from 2-3 bands cross over in the other direction.

[ISiddiqui]

Spoon is a very good choice. As is Arcade Fire, who is one of my favorite bands ever (though their last album was a bit of a misstep). I'll also through into the fray The White Stripes, who are the equal of any one else named.

[Ryche]

Just thinking more in the last 10 years, Avenged Sevenfold, All That Remains, Chevelle, Shinedown and, even though i can't stand them, Five Finger Death Punch.

And an honorable mention for Nightwish and Lacuna Coil as my favorites.

[Umbrella]

This might be too pop, but Green Day should be mentioned. Pop punk was huge, and they were one of the originals, and one of the best. Pearl Jam fits the early 90's era well. I personally love Rage Against the Machine. And I would give OK Go an honorable mention for being one of the first bands to take advantage of the YouTube era, which is certainly a modern way of thinking.

[thesloppy]

According to quantifying my big playlist o' crap, my Mt. Rushmore of modern rock would go Melvins, Pavement, Mogwai & Om. Real chart burners, there.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Spoon is a very good choice. As is Arcade Fire, who is one of my favorite bands ever (though their last album was a bit of a misstep). I'll also through into the fray The White Stripes, who are the equal of any one else named.

The last album, as in the one which came out a month ago? Or Reflektor? Reflektor was touch and go for me. I haven't gotten a chance to listen to the new album yet although I like the single they released.

[ISiddiqui]

The one that came out a month ago. Reflektor was pretty good.

[General Mike]

Paramore, but I don't really think they are rock anymore. Great music for a broken soul though.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

The one that came out a month ago. Reflektor was pretty good.

I'll have to look into that some more. I felt Reflektor was a step away from their strong early work. Still good but more hit and miss, while the early albums were all uniformly excellent IMO. So if the new album is even more off, that's not a great direction to go.

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

The one that came out a month ago. Reflektor was pretty good.

I really liked Funeral, liked Neon Bible, but after that I've been out.

I need a few more spins of their new album before I see how high I'd put LCD Soundsytem. Their s/t album was them still figuring out how to turn James Murphy's producing into a band, but the next two were absolutely brilliant.

If The War on Drugs put out 2-3 more excellent albums, I could see them be up there for me. So far their albums have all been outstanding.

[Scarecrow]

Just some others not named so far (more pop, but then again, so were the beatles):

Cake
Coldplay
Creed
Linkin Park
Maroon 5
Nickelback

[BYU 14]

Foo Fighters, Nickelback, Volbeat, Alter Bridge and if they can churn out a few more solid efforts I can see Greta Van Fleet joining the list.

[CrescentMoonie]

Not a big fan of the entire grunge scene, but I feel like there's been some good stuff recently. I'll say:

Green Day
Paramore
Arcade Fire
The National

Honorable mention to the Avett Brothers whose live shows definitely have a more rock vibe than their recorded work.

[Ksyrup]

I want to join in the conversation here, and I listen to a ton of new music, but man, I haven't listened to 90% of the bands mentioned in this thread. And that's including Cannibal Corpse in the 10%. Ha!

I don't listen to a ton of pure rock (mostly either metal or pop, not much in between), but I'd throw Clutch and Big Wreck out as best rock bands of the past 20 years. Not that they sound "modern." If I expand this to prog rock artists, I'd most definitely include Steven Wilson. But he's not a band (and he's more than his former band Porcupine Tree).

[mckerney]

I don't listen to nearly enough to say who the best is, but Ike Reilly and the Ike Reilly Assassination have been my favorite for years.

[CU Tiger]

Velvet Revolver deserves a mention I think.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

Velvet Revolver deserves a mention I think.

That's kinda tough I think. Only 2 albums & 6 years really, out of a nearly 30 year range. and really only 3 songs total that had much impact.

[Qwikshot]

The correct answer is Queens of the Stone Age. Radiohead isn't rock, not anymore at least.

[tarcone]

Does Katy Perry count?

I dont really know any of these bands you guys have mentioned.

I thought Radiohead was a band from the 80s to be honest.

[Grammaticus]

Nirvana
White Stripes
The Black Keys
Alice in Chains

[Toddzilla]

QOTSA

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Grammaticus

Nirvana
White Stripes
The Black Keys
Alice in Chains

These may be the only bands in this thread I've remotely listened to.

[Ksyrup]

Surprised Pearl Jam has only been mentioned in passing. Figured they would get a lot of love. They certainly have the longevity but they also aren't really "modern."

Never really got into QOTSA, but that's probably because I still get depressed thinking about the demise of Kyuss.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

I think it's definitely Radiohead as the "greatest," but I'm also a very big fan of Spoon and Arcade Fire, who fit in well here, too.

You have heard the last 2 Arcade Fire albums, right?

[Schmidty]

Pavement. My musical tastes haven't changed since like '99.

I've actually stopped listening to music at all anymore. I find most things that came out after the turn of the century to be tedious and irritating now. No idea why.

[Kodos]

Foo Fighters, Green Day, Maroon 5, and Imagine Dragons are the only groups mentioned in this thread that I have any use for.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

You have heard the last 2 Arcade Fire albums, right?

Reflektor was good. Everything Now is the only one where I'll agree that it was more meh than not. But Creature Comfort and Put Your Money on Me are pretty great.

[Qwikshot]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

So we saw that the Best Rock Band of All Time poll pretty much went all classic rock. So instead of a poll, lets just see who people say are the best "modern" rock band. You don't have to be beholden to the current understanding of "modern" rock as defined by Billboard, but rather the best band that was formed more or less 20-25 years ago...

Think early 90's era or later. Maybe you think Nirvana's Terrell Davis-like run cements them as the top. Perhaps you think Mastadon was the hardest band. Perhaps you just like to have fun and dance hipster style to Phoenix. Maybe Three Doors Down really is the best butt rock out there.

For me, I'd say Spoon takes my top spot. They've never had the highest highs like some other bands (like My Morning Jacket's Z) or the lowest lows (like My Morning Jacket's Evil Urges), but as far as indie rock goes, they've been consistent very good to pretty great for the last 20 years.

I think it's a fair point. But for clarity...are we saying current bands or bands in the last 20-25 years but some are no longer existing.

Best modern rock to me seems to speak of a current active band and not one on the nostalgia circuit, they need to be producing new music and it has to have some critical/commercial success that is driving other bands to follow their trends/style or they are so set apart that no other band can imitate them.

That second part to me is a biggie.

I would exclude bands like Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots or any band that is no longer delving to create new music. Alice in Chains may make new music but its to keep its current listeners happy, it's not driving new trends. Not one of those bands did what AC/DC did after Bon Scott kicked off (though one could argue Foo Fighters comes close).

Pearl Jam and Foo Fighters...man I loved Pearl Jam, still do, but I can't say they are relevant. They are a nostalgia circuit, they may get a late hit ala Rolling Stones, but I don't think anyone expects Pearl Jam to be transcendent anymore.

They're also a band notorious for trying not to be a rock and roll band (myth-wise) and I do think you need something edgy to your band.

Foo Fighters, I love the first album...that was an important one for Dave Grohl. But he's delved further into pop than rock. Though I think "Stacked Actors" is a great FU to Courtney Love...angry Dave Grohl is good music.

I discount NIN because Trent can rock but he's atmospheric...you gotta sometimes have a happy tune or at least a sense of humor...Trent is just darkness...hell his latest is called "Add Violence", I don't think they'll be anything happy about it.

Same goes for Nick Cave who can rock but is more of a brooder. Some of his stuff is damn good though.

Red Hot Chili Peppers can rock and nothing sounds like them but they really haven't evolved (not that I want to hear acoustic RHCP).

I would say bands like the Strokes (though they've gone 70's to the 80s), the National, Wilco, Phoenix, Interpol, My Morning Jacket, Vampire Weekend, Elbow are vibe bands that have great followings but not large ones.

Radiohead is a statement band...they have rockish songs but they are also atmospheric.

Rage against the Machine was one note political and burnt out. Oasis burnt out due to in-fighting and drugs (Stone Roses).

U2 are dinosaurs that haven't wowed us in long time. REM was folky.

Blur is too British. Gorillaz fits the alternative moniker but not as a definitive rocker band...Weezer is pop.

Marilyn Manson is Alice Cooper for Gen X. Monster Magnet is sex and drugs but "Space Lord" was their peak and they don't really push out of stoner rock.

I don't know Spoon that well. I'm not knocking them for that, but I've heard the name just not much of their music.

Metal bands are always metal bands, they aren't rock bands...they would scoff at being called rock. Punk bands the same...

So that's why I go with Queens of the Stone Age...Josh Homme has created a pretty straighforward rock group that mixes mainly aspects of other rock. Very little delves into statement, sentimentality, or political. Hell, he just backed Iggy Pop (great concert) got his seal of approval and he's gotten Dave Grohl and others to be members in the band from time to time (Elton John?!?). Songs for the Deaf is an amazing quasi concept album. Rated R has "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" which is simply "Nicotine, Vailum, Vicoden, Marijuana, Ecstasy and Alcohol" repeated over until it explodes. Plus the bassist who was kicked out of the band had been arrested once by a SWAT team which is pretty impressive. There has been force evolution due to kicking out Oliveri and Homme nearly dying from an infection.

Could one argue Radiohead is a rock band...sure...but I think Thom Yorke would take issue with that.

I would argue Foo Fighters ride the nostalgia circuit pretty hard with a built in set of Nirvana followers because it came from the same band (ignoring Bush, Seven Mary Three, Sponge and all the bands that followed Nirvana).

QOTSA had Kyuss but that was not a large following.

So in summation, for now, QOTSA simply because it's always evolving, not a statement band, not a nostalgia circuit band and has rock and roll street cred (Hell playing in the desert to prove your worth is pretty hardcore).

[Ksyrup]

I left metal bands out of my comments, but I note that in the original best rock band of all time poll there were a number of metal bands included. If I was to include one, for me it would be Opeth as best (and now, they are basically a prog rock band anyway, so they could fit either way). In terms of influential, I'd say Meshuggah.

I don't get discounting a band because they don't do happy tunes or have a sense of humor. For me, dark, angry and/or depressing music is the absolute height of what makes music so special. It's those dark areas that allow music to be at its expressive best. The more depressing, the better.