2nd Most Famous Band Of All Time?

[dangull]

U2 ? The recent '360' tour was the highest grossing tour by any artist in the history of music.

 

[Scampi]

Queen never particularly cracked America though, which is a major acid test for any band's global appeal, whereas the Stones did and remain popular there now.

Apart from two number one singles and a number one album and numerous other hit singles and albums they were virtually ignored.

 

[brakespear]

U2 ? The recent '360' tour was the highest grossing tour by any artist in the history of music.

One assumes because it cost so much to get a ticket - not sure the prices are comparable to gigs in the 60s and 70s.

 

[joeinbrighton]

Apart from two number one singles and a number one album and numerous other hit singles and albums they were virtually ignored.

Watched a documentary on them last year and it was pretty much said in the documentary that their experimentation with disco type music in the early 80s meant they were never quite as huge in the US afterwards as they were elsewhere.

 

[joeinbrighton]

One assumes because it cost so much to get a ticket - not sure the prices are comparable to gigs in the 60s and 70s.

And all of the venues were sold out, which is a feat when you are talking about them playing a tour of stadiums.

 

[Scampi]

Watched a documentary on them last year and it was pretty much said in the documentary that their experimentation with disco type music in the early 80s meant they were never quite as huge in the US afterwards as they were elsewhere.

yeah i saw that, and the chart positions support that, but to claim they never cracked the states is patently wrong.

 

[Superphil]

If you consider most album sales as the barometer then the all time biggest sales are

1. The Beattles
2. Led Zep
3. Pink Floyd

Followed by AC/DC, Queen, The Stones, ABBA.

If you like, then it's Eagles, U2 (making them 9th), Aerosmith, Genesis, Bee Gees, Dire Straits.

 

[drew]

Tough one, are we talking about record sales or just bands people have heard off. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_music_artists

Depends who has cracked the Chinese market, far east as well as America and Europe.

Not sure if the bands from the 60s-70s-80s had much coverage over there.

Think you need to do a bit more research! The Stones played both China and Japan on their last tour.

U2 ? The recent '360' tour was the highest grossing tour by any artist in the history of music.

Fine but that would be due to the fact they toured more recently and therefore had the higher prices. Also, out of the top 15 highest grossing tours, Rolling Stones have 4.

I went for the Rolling Stones. I would have thought Queen would be closer had Freddie Mercury lived and they had carried on touring. Equally, had Led Zep not lost Bonham then they may well have got the runners up slot.

 

[Prince Monolulu]

Voted for The Style Council, since no. 1 I assume to be The Jam?

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

One Direction, Shirley.

Oh all right then, the Stones. They are still going after 50 years. The others mentioned were merely fleeting occurences in the great scan of time that Jagger, Richards et al have achieved.

The fact that they haven't done much (in my view) to write home about since the early 1970's is neither here nor there.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Talking of U2, look what Mr Cumberbatch got up to last night.

 

[joeinbrighton]

Voted for The Style Council, since no. 1 I assume to be The Jam?

Paul Weller was number 2 on Midnight Rendezvous' list. ;-)

 

[The Modfather]

Its gotta be The Stones surely

 

[beorhthelm]

Beatles.

Stones more famous by virtue of still going with larger population today.

 

[Mowgli37]

Bar America, I'd say Queen were huge globally and remain so. They had nice touches for their foreign support as well, Freddie sang Hungarian folk songs in Budapest, Las Palabras de Amor for the Spanish and Teo Torriatte (手をとりあって) for their Japanese fans.

 

[Icy Gull]

Queen, easily.

Doubt many younger people have even heard of Led Zeppelin, or know any Rolling Stones songs.

Also Queen will have a truly global following, unlike the other two.

The fact that you suggest that anyone with an interest in rock music, even young people, don't know any Stones songs defies believe

Can this be true?...

Pink Floyd have got to be in with a shout of 2nd most famous IMO but would probably be pipped by the Stones but not Led Zep.

 

[Boys 9d]

Glenn Miller and his Orchestra?

 

[Don Quixote]

Beatles.

Stones more famous by virtue of still going with larger population today.

That means nothing. I would say that more people know songs by the Beatles than by the Stones.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Surprised no mention for Little Mix yet...?

 

[algie]

I would say Abba