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Pennsylvania’s Top 10 Favorite Rock Bands. Did Your’s Make the Cut?

Author Steve Vassalotti

Have you ever wondered if people in Pennsylvania’s top 10 bands matched yours? If someone asked you for your Mt. Rushmore of top rock bands, the first thing you do is check the calendar to see if it’s February. Why? Because from my time in sports radio I learned February is Mt. Rushmore month. Again, why? Honestly it’s because there is nothing exciting to talk about in February that’s why!

When you list your Mt. Rushmore, there is always the inner debate over the last 2 spots. How often would your 4 remain the same? Most of the time we have our top 2 (maybe top 3) locked in, but three or four artists could interchangeably fill that final slot. Sometimes it depends on your mood. Have you heard a band too often and need a break, are you in a groove and really enjoying a certain band at the moment you’re supposed to give your completely official Mt. Rushmore? All of these things could play into your decisions.

In August, the folks at PennStakes.com needed to know who Pennsylvania’s top 10 favorite rock bands are. A Mt. Rushmore of sorts, if you will. For the study information from Parade Magazine’s Best Rock Bands of All Time list was used. Along with Google Trends data of the most searched for artists in PA. This went on for a period of 1 year, August 2022 – August 2023. Over that time they were able to find the most sought after band or artist in Pennsylvania.  Residents from PA handed nine of the top 10 spots to classic rock bands.

Pink Floyd rounded out the list of Pennsylvania’s top 10. David Bowie and Queen finished tied for 8th. That tie is fitting since they worked together on their hit Under Pressure. Another Classic Rock tie for 6th place between The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac. As we begin the top 5 with a tie for 4th between the Grateful Dead and Blink 182, our first and only non-classic rock band in the top 10.

The final three of Pennsylvania’s top 10 bands is as follows, Metallica at #3. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band make sense to be number 2 since they’re basically our neighbors in New Jersey and holding onto the #1 spot after changing rock and roll forever in the 1960’s, it’s the Beatles. Of course it is. Credit to Paul, John, George and Ringo for their ability to create music that people still love so many years after it’s creation.

Check out their article here.

Strong Opinions On The List Of 25 Most Overrated Bands of All Time

We just stumbled upon this list. A website called NewArena.com rated the 25 most overrated bands of all time.

It piqued our interest and we were shocked at what we found. It seems that the author of the list created it based entirely upon their own opinion. The bands listed are allegedly glorified wrongly.

They include a reason why they’ve landed that spot on the list with each band they rank. The list starts out with bands like Imagine Dragons and Maroon 5 citing their lack of diversity in terms of sound. Okay, fair, maybe.

The list proceeds to get more and more insane as the thing goes on. They make mention of legendary rock bands that revolutionized music and pop culture. For example, one band they list is The Eagles. Yes. The Eagles. The author cites that their sound “isn’t anything to write home about.” They literally wrote Hotel California, but okay.

It’s one thing to say you don’t personally like these groups, but to go on record and formally deem them “overrated?” That’s crazy talk. While it is an opinion piece and can be disregarded as such, we have opinions on the opinions.

We feel passionately about these opinions, too. As a station that regularly plays and enjoys music by some of the bands listed here, we feel the need to go on record in their defense. There are reasons as to why these bands are regarded as “the greats.” How can they be valued too highly when their contributions are so vital to the musical landscape?

In any case, the list was written and posted and we found it. Now we can dissect it for your entertainment.

Here are the top 7 most outrageous picks on the list of the 25 most overrated bands of all time…in our opinion, of course.

  • 22. The Rolling Stones

    The writer of the list claims that The Rolling Stones “didn’t reinvent or redefine anything.” Hello? Earth to this guy. These dudes are above 70 years old and still performing. Is that not redefining something? They are pushing the boundaries of how long a band can tour. Not only that, but they have an enormous catalog of great songs and a distinctive image. They were the “bad boys” before there were bad boys. They experimented with all kinds of different instruments and are fronted by the king of showmanship. Maybe this person is just bitter that they possess less cool than Mick Jagger’s left pinky.

  • 21. Red Hot Chili Peppers

    RHCP?! Really? The author of the list cited that they’re fun to listen to, but that’s all there is to it. Meanwhile, this is a band who have seamlessly blended everything from punk, and hard rock to rap and jazz fusion. Their longevity has proven that being “fun to listen to” pays off. Their sound has evolved with the times, without them losing their core identity. RHCP find themselves at the top of a long list of really exciting bands to watch, as well. Their energy is and always has been infectious.

  • 15. Nirvana

    Oh, come on. This is a direct quote from newarena.com: “Nirvana is one of those bands that needs to stay in the ’90’s. The music didn’t age well — primarily because you know exactly which decade it came from. There wasn’t a sense of invention or creativity.” Nirvana are one of the biggest and most influential bands in music history. They pretty much single-handedly catapulted alternative music into the mainstream when their second album, Nevermind, turned popular culture on its head. They brought grunge into the mainstream and redefined how people make and listen to music. But sure, no sense of invention…makes sense (NOT).

  • 9. Green Day

    Imagine calling the flagship band of a prolific subgenre of music “overrated.” Green Day is largely the head of pop punk, showing the world that punk can be palatable for all. Not to mention, they are one of the best-selling groups on the planet. The author calls the type of music Green Day performs watered-down punk. A better way to look at it would be to say that they are “starter punk” or “gateway punk.” Straight-up punk music is sometimes intimidating to jump right into. Green Day serves as a perfect buffer. Plus, they literally just rock, as in they make good music.

  • 3. The Doors

    Why did The Doors make this list, you ask? For the most part, Jim Morrison. This writer for newarena.com really doesn’t like him, it seems. They cite both Morrison’s voice and lyrics in why the band is overrated. Jim Morrison’s lounge-y, smooth voice is what gives the band their unique sound, though. Paired with Ray Manzarek on the keys, his voice made magic. As for his lyrics, they are poetry. They were written by a poet. Does that make them corny? No. If anything it makes the band that much more unique.

  • 2. Mötley Crüe

    “The fact is, Mötley Crüe had a few good songs. The rest were nothing but fillers,” says the author of this list on newarena.com. In truth, they were one of many hair bands at the time. But while there were many acts like Mötley Crüe in L.A. at the time, what made them stand out was their way of presenting themselves and entertaining the audience. The combination of glam and hard rock was innovative. Plus, one could say that exact line about them having only a few good songs about any band. The fact is, they were innovators with many hits. And, they got a biopic made about them.

  • 1. Guns N' Roses

    You can call Guns N’ Roses many things. They are edgy and authentic. They are over the top. Brash. Brazen. Experimental, bombastic. But you cannot sit here and call them “overrated.” They feature an epic guitarist in Slash and a legendary vocalist in Axl Rose. They were the first sign of evolution away from hair metal. They foreshadowed grunge, but still appealed to hair metal fans. They are a kickass rock band. Period.

Steve Vassalotti is co-host of “The Matt Cord Show with Steve Vassalotti” weekday mornings 6a-10a on 102.9 WMGK. He has been with the station since 2015. For WMGK he writes about inane nonsense that surrounds our daily lives, sports, food and other various topics. Steve writes about Philadelphia lifestyle content, the Philadelphia Eagles culture and trending topics.

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