Okay, first, we need to define rock. Does some pop music count? Is The Beatles “Yesterday” a “rock” song? What about surf music (ala The Beach Boys, et al?) What about Motown?
No, Tom Petty wouldn’t even make the list, no matter HOW you define rock.
A realistic top 25 MIGHT include: (Note: I don’t EVEN put a Beatles song in here!)
Kashmir by Led Zeppelin
Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones
All Along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix
Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan
Layla by Cream
Born to be Wild by Steppenwolf
Won’t Get Fooled Again by The Who
Hotel California by The Eagles
November Rain by Guns n’ Roses
Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
L.A. Woman by The Doors
Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Come Sail Away by Styx
Carry on Wayward Son by Kansas
Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple
… and that’s without considering other “rock-ish” genres:
Surfin’ USA by The Beach Boys
Tears of a Clown by Smokey Robinson
You Keep Me Hangin' On by various artists
Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers
Turn the Page by Bob Seger
Imagine by John Lennon
And on and on… What about Aerosmith, Van Halen, or Metallica? What about Elvis or Cliff Richard?
What about punk rock and alternative rock, say, Sex Pistols, The Clash, or REM?
Pearl Jam? Green Day?
I could go on forever, but I won’t.
Meanwhile, in my OWN mind, Petty had ONE good song, “Rebels.” The rest of his oeuvre was crap. IMHO.
Okay, first, we need to define rock. Does some pop music count? Is The Beatles “Yesterday” a “rock” song? What about surf music (ala The Beach Boys, et al?) What about Motown?
No, Tom Petty wouldn’t even make the list, no matter HOW you define rock.
A realistic top 25 MIGHT include: (Note: I don’t EVEN put a Beatles song in here!)
Kashmir by Led Zeppelin
Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones
All Along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix
Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan
Layla by Cream
Born to be Wild by Steppenwolf
Won’t Get Fooled Again by The Who
Hotel California by The Eagles
November Rain by Guns n’ Roses
Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
L.A. Woman by The Doors
Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Come Sail Away by Styx
Carry on Wayward Son by Kansas
Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple
… and that’s without considering other “rock-ish” genres:
Surfin’ USA by The Beach Boys
Tears of a Clown by Smokey Robinson
You Keep Me Hangin' On by various artists
Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers
Turn the Page by Bob Seger
Imagine by John Lennon
And on and on… What about Aerosmith, Van Halen, or Metallica? What about Elvis or Cliff Richard?
What about punk rock and alternative rock, say, Sex Pistols, The Clash, or REM?
Pearl Jam? Green Day?
I could go on forever, but I won’t.
Meanwhile, in my OWN mind, Petty had ONE good song, “Rebels.” The rest of his oeuvre was crap. IMHO.