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British Invasion - Who's Number Four?

This thread really peaked my interest and caused me to rediscover the 60s. I had almost all the Beatles and Stones but my collection was very thin for the other groups mentioned.

I read many reviews of the various groups and got some ideas which CDs to look for.

I got kinda obsessed with rounding up as many Hollies, Kinks, Yardbirds, Zombies etc and transitions like Yardbirds to Jeff Beck or Zepplin, Zombies to Argent, Hollies to CSN/CSNY and back, etc. Also discovered The Pretty Things who I had never heard of. A great time nosing around record stores.

I really enjoy the harmonies of Hollies and Zombies. On the other hand I got the Hollies What Goes Around and don't like the disco sound or whatever it is. Argent doesn't do it for me which is a surprise.

One thing I really enjoy is all the BBC recordings. There are several artists available (unfortunately no Zombies). I recommend any BBC recording you can find for any of these groups.

It has been fun deciding that I can't decide.
 
Sorry mistake - I have Zombies Live at BBC which is great. Its the Hollies I wish had BBC CD. For the Hollies I would recommend Epic Anthology which is surprisingly inexpensive. I just got Zombies Singles Collection 1964-1969 in mailbox - got to go.
 
I'd vote for the Kinks as well. Actually a very misunderstood and even ignored band at times. Ray Davies is one of the great lyric writers of rock and roll. A few of their albums were very ambitous as far as social commentary and the like. Plus the Kinks were still releasing pretty good stuff well into the 1980s.
 
Gotta love any group that calls itself "The Swinging Blue Jeans". :D

Tom Jones should get a favorable mention. But not for the usual big hits, such as "What's New Pussycat" or "It's Not Unusual".

Instead, IMO he could do soul as well as any of the greats, such as Otis Redding; "Hard to Handle" on his Live in Las Vegas album is amazing.
 
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Only two bands left at least John watching his back, and that was the Beach Boys (American of course) and the DC5.

I didn't finish all the posts, but honestly I'm not sure I understand the ranking. The OP simply put forth a ranking without regard to the criteria. For music, lyrical content, etc. it's hard to challenge the Beatles or Stones. Is the ranking dollars, popularity (other than dollors?), longevity, order in which they made their mark?

I see where some people have based it on their own taste, others by referencing Billboard. So, if your going to rank them, do so, but explain why or what's your source if not for personal reasons.

1. The Beatles
2. Stones
3. The Bee Gees
4. The Animals
4. The Who (tie?)

My choices are based on overall content and something I can listen to over and over, but not necessarilly back to back. For me it has to be tollerable. Many of the other bands had music I could listen to at a party like situation but not something I can put on at home, kick back and listen to. I love Hocus Pocus by Focus, but one can only listen to the screaming so long before it tires on you. On a separate note, if you have heard Hocus Pocus and thought "wow their fingers were bleeding after that", then you need to give a listen to the fast version. Yes there was a faster version.
 
If this "survey" were based on actual record sales or some other metric, wonder how it would change. Would Herman's Hermits and the Dave Clark 5 squeeze themselves into the top few? Light-weight pap to be sure, but they were very popular. I am thinking that after The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, the "official" ranking could be quite fluid.
 
Bill Ashton said:
If this "survey" were based on actual record sales or some other metric, wonder how it would change. Would Herman's Hermits and the Dave Clark 5 squeeze themselves into the top few? Light-weight pap to be sure, but they were very popular. I am thinking that after The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, the "official" ranking could be quite fluid.
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Heck, HH singles might have outsold those of TRS in 'Merica during The Invasion.
 
^^PS: But The Big Four remains the same:

The Beatles
The Rolling Stones
The Kinks
The Who

This grouping is unassailable.
 
The Small Faces / Faces would be right behind the Big Four, IMHO. Steve Marriot was a force to be reckoned with - a fantastic, soulful singer (as well as a great guitarist) and the rhythm section of Jones/Lane. And with McLagan on keyboards, the group was special. And, the late lineup with Rod Stewart and Ron Wood wasn't too shabby either.

They did not have the popularity (record sales) of some of the others on the list, but in terms of musicianship, they were right there.
 
Genov said:
The Small Faces / Faces would be right behind the Big Four, IMHO. Steve Marriot was a force to be reckoned with - a fantastic, soulful singer (as well as a great guitarist) and the rhythm section of Jones/Lane. And with McLagan on keyboards, the group was special. And, the late lineup with Rod Stewart and Ron Wood wasn't too shabby either.

They did not have the popularity (record sales) of some of the others on the list, but in terms of musicianship, they were right there.
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Marriot was a force with Humble Pie.
 
The Beatles
The Rolling Stones
The Who
The Kinks

Like The Who better than The Kinks. Although I also like The Who better than The Rolling Stones, but let's be real.
 
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