For a country as small as Britain, we’ve got a hell of a lot of musical talent in our midst, churning out as many bands as we do cups of tea.
There’s something in the water here that produces really great bands (and great tea obvs). But today we’re not talking about great bands (or tea), we’re talking about the Greatest Band Of All Time.
Just what does it mean to be the G.O.A.T? Is it the bands who top the charts in terms of number of albums sold? Is it those who live and breathe that rock and roll lifestyle? Is it the band’s notoriety, their longevity, or a mix of the above?
It’s a question that certainly riled up a lot of people in our recent Twitter poll to find the G.O.A.T. British band. We pitted four of the hottest bands of their time - The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Oasis and Coldplay - against each other.
Even the voters in our poll weren’t sure what made a band the G.O.A.T. For some it was all about influence, with one user saying “Coldplay’s my favourite of the lot, but the Beatles definitely had the biggest impact culturally”, while for others it was simply a case of which music they liked best.
The Beatles defined an era, their impact on music is undeniable and is something that can still be felt today. Oasis, started by two brothers from Manchester, grew to become one of the most notorious rock and roll bands in the world.
Coldplay has received global adoration and their live shows are an absolute spectacle. And the Rolling Stones are the pinnacle of the swinging sixties, producing timeless classic after timeless classic.
Four totally different bands, hundreds of opinions. A poll like this was always going to wind people up. But the results are in and here’s what you, our LADbible audience, had to say.
It was tight at the top of the poll with two bands battling it out to be crowned the G.O.A.T. Oasis just grabbed the win with 41% of the vote compared to the Beatles’ 40%.
The Mancs just pipped the Scousers to the post with one user commenting, “There is no competition- oasis > best there ever was and will be.” The Gallagher brothers have certainly given us some huge tracks and we can’t imagine a world without Wonderwall, Champagne Supernova and Live Forever
But not everyone agreed with a lot of people saying that The Beatles’ enduring influence makes them the G.O.A.T. “There is only ONE band who spawned the music of [Britain]. THE BEATLES led the way for all the music artists in the world unquestionably. Enough said.”
The Rolling Stones followed in the poll with 10% of the vote, but it was a fierce 10% with some fans adamant they were the G.O.A.T.. “The Rolling Stones are the greatest band ever,” said one tweet.
Coldplay came in fourth with 9% of voters picking them as the G.O.A.T. This one definitely divided opinion, with some people questioning their inclusion in the first place and others staunchly defending them. One fan weighed in with a list of reasons why a Coldplay was in fact the G.O.A.T which included their 20 plus years of popularity, their eight top 10 charting songs and the most Grammys of any 2000s band.
Ok, so we’re never going to get to a point where everyone agrees on who is the G.O.A.T. British band but this round, Oasis, take a bow. And let’s just all thank our lucky stars that we get to have this debate, living in a country that has produced so many incredible bands.
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