Dave Grohl once picked “the most important rock band of all time”
Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Guns N’ Roses, Nirvana, AC/DC, there are countless bands throughout music history who have vied for the title of “most important rock band of all time”. A solid case could be made for many of them – Led Zeppelin pioneered stadium rock, Nirvana brought grunge into the mainstream, and Pink Floyd launched prog-rock. Despite their best efforts, there remains one band who will almost always beat them to the title.
According to Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters founder Dave Grohl, The Beatles remain the “most important rock band of all time”. As one of the biggest names in the genre himself, Grohl seems more than qualified to make this assessment, and it’s an opinion few would disagree with. The band have also taken the title of the highest-selling music artist of all time and have influenced every generation of artists that followed them.
Grohl explained his love for the 1960s rockers in a note to accompany the release of Tomorrow Never Knows compilation on iTunes. He noted their influence on his own musicianship, stating, “If it weren’t for The Beatles, I would not be a musician. It’s as simple as that. From a very young age, I became fascinated with their songs, and over the years have drowned myself in the depth of their catalogue. Their groove and their swagger. Their grace and their beauty. Their dark and their light.”
To Grohl, their artistry appeared unlimited: “The Beatles seemed to be capable of doing anything. They knew no boundaries, and in that freedom, they seemed to define what we now know today as ‘Rock and Roll.’” Grohl also introduced his daughter Violet, who was six at the time, to the band via the 1968 film Yellow Submarine.
Like Grohl, she “instantly shared the same fascination I felt when I was her age discovering The Beatles for the first time,” he explained. “She wanted to know their names, which instruments they played, who sang what song, etc etc etc… it made me so incredibly happy (and proud!). Within days, she knew the verses and choruses to every song on the album.”
The Foo Fighters frontman noted her love for ‘Hey Bulldog’ in particular, which he acknowledges is a “deep cut” while maintaining that it is also a “quintessential Beatles rocker”. He gushes: “The rolling bass line, the trademark Ringo drum fills, the gritty distorted guitar, and that sound that only the back of Lennon’s throat could produce. It stomps. It grooves. It makes your head bob. It makes your hips shake. When Lennon sings, ‘If you’re lonely you can talk to me!’ it soothes your heart, like you’ve finally found something to believe in. It’s so raw and real. It is 100% timeless Rock and Roll…”
Between the influence of The Beatles on both himself and his daughter, Grohl concludes: “From one generation to the next, The Beatles will remain the most important rock band of all time. Just ask Violet.”
The Beatles’ influence extends far beyond the Grohl family and outside of the rock genre – it can be heard throughout the music that followed their reign. Through their widespread and never-ending impact on music as a whole, as well as their personal impact on Grohl, it’s understandable that he named them the most important rock band of all time.
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