Deciding on the best American hard rock bands is certainly not easy. Of course, when looking only at American bands, you do at least cut out a lot of great bands from other nations such as Deep Purple and AC/DC. Still, you are left with a huge number of great bands to choose from.
The top of the list almost certainly belongs to KISS. Paul and Gene’s theatrical troupe of glam metal rockers are still going strong today, leaving behind a trail of classics hits. San Francisco Bay area thrashers Metallica changed the face of heavy metal with their groundbreaking sound. Aerosmith, despite some ups and downs caused mainly by substance abuse, came back stronger than ever to become one of the 90′s biggest bands.
Other great bands include Alice Cooper, whose over-the-top stage show paved the way for KISS. Gene Simmon’s played a part in Van Halen’s rise to glory. Guns N’ Roses solidified Los Angeles’ reputation as a rock mecca when they hit the scene. Of course it was Motley Crue that first made America take notice of the Sunset Strip. Finally, Pantera gets a nod for showing the world that Texas knew a bit about speed metal.