who's the biggest band to ever play?

[sang_xcx]

if you mean most popular, this isn't even matter of opinion. it is bob dylan. pretty sure he has sold more records than anyone else on the list.

[buscrash]

In terms of legends, you guys are forgetting a huge one....JAMES BROWN!!! His influence on rock, soul, and even hip-hop is immeasurable. So if you're judging by that...James or Dylan has to win...by straight ticket sales...it'd be The Dead...there's pretty much no way Radiohead enters the picture unless you add a qualifier like "biggest of the last 15 years."

[danbird]

chandler said:

danbird said:

If Dylan is the biggest, why hasn't he headlined? I don't think he could headline, unless it was a Dylan/Dead combo type deal. That's why my vote goes to Radiohead.

Given that logic, then Widespread Panic are bigger than Bob Dylan. lol

Well Dylan is hardly ever selling out shows anymore. I agree that Dylan is the most influential. But that doesn't make him the biggest.......if these guys played Roo my vote would go to them

[branham]

Radiohead was big, I never thought they would get back together but the Police will rock

[spindlest]

Radiohead wins because they were the biggest at the time they played bonnaroo. Dylan, The Dead, Neil, and ABB all have had bigger influence, but with the exception of the Dead, it's not a huge deal when they play a big show anymore. With Radiohead it is.

[branham]

yea the Dead are good but I saw the Grateful Dead so many times that when they play all I can think about is how much I miss Jerry

[Moe Train]

danbird said:

if these guys played Roo my vote would go to them

RIP HUMAN BEAT BOX.

[steveternal]

oatmealschnappz said:

As things stand now, WSP is bigger than Dylan.
I'm not saying that they are better or (by no means) more influential but, they are a bigger band.

I'm not seeing how you come to that conclusion. Sure, it's a fact that they play to bigger crowds, but that's a poor gauge for overall popularity or "bigness". After all, Dylan, even today, sells way more records than WSP. I think that's at least as valid a gauge as concert attendance, if not more.

[sparklybecca]

if you ask the random person on the street - more are going to know who dylan is than WSP i can promise you that

[bryanaroo]

thefrp said:

While The Dead, Dylan, and Neil Young are my 3 favorites bands/musicians of all time, I have to vote for other because I think based on recognition alone, James Brown is probably the biggest to ever perform at Bonnaroo.

my bad, i meant to put James Brown up there. guess i just forgot...

[ncbst3]

juggernaut said:

sparklybecca said:

if you ask the random person on the street - more are going to know who dylan is than WSP i can promise you that

And more would know Kelly Clarkson than Bob Dylan...what's the point here?

Unless there is a concrete definition of what is meant by "biggest" (i.e. most popular right now, greatest historical impact, etc) than this argument really can't go anywhere.

Yea I cant really vote.....the whole "biggest" definition is a matter of preception

[augustwest]

I would say the police. This year I can mention them when people ask who is playing, and i can say with total confidence, no matter how music naive they are, that they would know who The Police were. There are people my parents age who have never heard of Radiohead, and there are others who may not even know that Bob Dylan is still alive.

[the3penguins]

chandler said:

I honestly dont see how Radiohead is winning this. In comparing who the "biggest" artist at Bonnaroo has been, how can it NOT be Bob Dylan (one of the "biggest" musicians of the 20th century, eclipsed only by The Beatles, Elvis and maybe Zeppelin) or The Dead, whom are basically the sole reason there IS a Bonnaroo? I mean, yeah....no Garcia, but come on. Half of those guys are "bigger" than Radiohead. Tom Petty, Neil Young, Allman Brothers Band, I would say are all head-and-shoulders more popular than Radiohead.

Very well-put.

And saying WSP is bigger than Dylan is absolutely ridiculous, now and ever.

[the3penguins]

mangopositive said:

I think the concept of "average ticket price for tour at time of Bonnaroo performance" is a good qualifier on this one. Suddenly, the answer is simple.

Absolutely not That is greed on the band's part, the amount of shows they have, the size of the venues, and the fanciness of their set-up. Bob Dylan's shows are probably cheaper than a lot of these, but does that make him less of a "big deal" (however we're defining that)? Of course not. He just has been touring constantly since 1988, so it's not a big deal to see him. The Police, on the other hand, can charge more since this tour is bigger.

[roolacksreality]

I have to say the Police. I could be wrong, but they seem to be the most popular group out of all those artists.

[weatherbill]

alyroo said:

As far as social impact, fan loyalty, number of recordings (not record sales), technological breakthroughs, and groundbreaking musicianship...



The Dead

Very Well said! The Grateful Dead

[the3penguins]

weatherbill said:

alyroo said:

The Dead

Very Well said! The Grateful Dead

There you might have an argument, but it's not the Grateful Dead, it's the Dead. BIG difference.

[melikecheese]

you can tell where the listening habits of most on this board follow with the voting. Not that its a bad thing.

[augustwest]

"The Grateful Dead" and the band that called themselves "The Dead" are not the same band. Jerry contributed too much to the whole band to consider them the same band, and that is just the biggest reason.

[alyroo]

^^^very true

[weatherbill]

overall, the same improve vibe, whether it be the dead or the grateful dead......If anyone caN BE CALLED THE fATHER OF jAM bAND, it would be the grateful dead