They're only doing this 10 at a time, so here's the first 10.

I have to say, it's a very interesting list and far better and more realistic than Rolling Stone! And I am thrilled The Strokes are in here-one of the best bands ever. Some very nice choices so far.

Here's #50-41...

From Gibson.com:

We’ve nearly arrived again at that most American of holidays: the Fourth of July. In celebration of the country’s independence, and legacy of amazing bands, Gibson.com is counting down the Top 50 American Rock Bands of All Time.

That’s right, we’re celebrating the good, old U.S. of A. with some pre-holiday musical fireworks , sure to ignite a fiery debate over who owns the title of the best American rock band – ever! We enlisted the talents of Gibson.com’s editorial and writing staff, along with you, the readers, to weigh in on this most patriotic of subjects.

Today, we’re thrilled to announce #50-41 on the list. Check back to Gibson.com each day, as we reveal 10 more American greats, with the Top 10 coming on Friday.

50. Green Day



Green Day are an American band who make ambitious music out of, well, questioning America. The music of their 2004 album, American Idiot, expresses the fear in the U.S. the days after 9/11, as well as the band’s disillusion with the government of the era. All politically charged lyrics aside, Green Day are a rare bunch who have sold millions of albums (at 15 million, 1994’s “Dookie” is the world’s best-selling punk rock album ever), launched a Broadway musical and earned generations of punkster fans. – Anne Erickson



49. Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention



Frank Zappa was undeniably a creative genius, and part of this genius was expressed in his ability to surround himself with unique musicians. The original Mothers of Invention encapsulated the dirtier side of the ’60s, yet were equally capable of off-key darkness (“Who are the Brain Police”) and note-perfect pop (“You Didn’t Try to Call Me”). Frank eventually found more musically able Mothers, but the original lineup had an almost naive charm that couldn’t be replaced. – Peter Hodgson



48. Yo La Tengo



The Onion once ran a spot-on mock news story in which 37 record-shop assistants were lost, feared dead, when a roof caved in at a Yo La Tengo concert – the New Jersey outfit being beloved of indie-elitists and alt-rock aficionados the world over. Ira Kaplan and Co.’s 27-year catalog is strong and deep, from 2006’s guitar-heavy I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass to their subtle soundtrack work and backing-band efforts for The Kinks’ Ray Davies. Zig-zagging genres like an iPod Shuffle, Yo La Tengo remain an American guitar treasure. – Michael Leonard



47. Elvis Presley and the Blue Moon Boys



Any band that includes Elvis Presley among its ranks would have to be blessed with true rock and roll cool. But the Blue Moon Boys also counted guitar legend Scotty Moore, a startlingly original fingerpicking innovator who practically invented the concept of rock and roll lead guitar. As if that wasn’t enough, the Blue Moon Boys’ fusion of rock and country meant they played a crucial role in the history of rockabilly, too. The group was rounded out by Bill Black on bass and D.J. Fontana on drums. – Peter Hodgson



46. Kings of Leon



Hailing from the Nashville suburb of Mt. Juliet, this band of three sons of a Pentecostal preacher and their cousin have taken the world by storm with their unique blend of indie-bluesy-southern-arena rock. Their initial success happened in the U.K. and Australia, where their first two albums racked up crazy sales and awards. Today, with 56 worldwide platinum certifications, including success in the good ol’ U. S. of A., Kings of Leon are now bona-fide rock stars. Amen! – Sean Patrick Dooley



45. The Lovin’ Spoonful



One of the most important progressions in 20th Century popular music was the influx of folk into rock and roll. The importance of lyrics and multi-part harmonies played a major role in turning “rock ’n’ roll music” into “rock music.” Near the center of that movement was a Greenwich Village-based band called The Lovin' Spoonful, whose pop sensibilities and sterling vocals made for several Top 10 hits (including “Summer in the City” and “Do You Believe in Magic?”) and made a star out of frontman John Sebastian. The group were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. – Michael Wright



44. Alice Cooper



In the beginning, Alice Cooper was a full band led by vocalist Vincent Damon Furnier. Under that moniker, Furnier and his clan brought a highly theatrical and vicious brand of ghoulish music designed to shock and rock to the metal mainstream. Gallons of fake blood (it is fake, right?), electric chairs and huge syringes were the antics of the band’s one-of-a-kind live shows. After the group splintered, Furnier began a solo career as Alice Cooper – a name that would follow him to today. With Coop (and the band’s) recent induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, this one’s a no-brainer. – Anne Erickson



43. The Strokes



If the music biz had a machine to manufacture millennial boho NYC guitar hipsters, it would undoubtedly spit out The Strokes. Yet the quintet are definitely for real: Fab Moretti has played drums since he was five, Albert Hammond Jr.’s father was a songwriter of note, Nick Valensi can be a dazzling soloist. Their debut Is This It (2001) is the must-have album, but The Strokes’ new wave smarts and intricate guitar interplay still seduce – with the eclectic brew of 2011’s Angles hitting dizzy heights. – Michael Leonard



42. Cheap Trick



Although they first made it big in Japan, these preeminent purveyors of power pop are a uniquely American force. Fans have been surrendering to Cheap Trick’s sizzling brand of super-melodic rock for more than 30 years. Why? Because few songwriters exist that are as strange, clever and enthralling as Rick Nielsen, few groups can claim a “Man of 1,000 Voices” like Robin Zander and no band – ever! – has worked as hard on stage to be so consistently entertaining. – Bryan Wawzenek



41. NRBQ



Few bands have ever been as wildly eclectic as NRBQ was. Especially during their ’70s heyday, the group incorporated everything from British Invasion pop to free-form jazz into a sound that seemed wholly natural and meant to be. Often called “the world’s greatest bar band,” the group counted Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan among their most avid fans. Chart success eluded NRBQ, but the band’s exalted status was assured when writers for The Simpsons made them the show’s unofficial “house band” for three seasons. – Russell Hall

Votes for the Top 50 Covers of All Time were included from Michael Wright, Bryan Wawzenek, Andrew Vaughan, Sean Patrick Dooley, Cesar Acevedo, Paul Burch, Arlen Roth, Ted Drozdowski, Russell Hall, Peter Hodgson, Anne Erickson, Michael Leonard, Paolo Bassotti and the Gibson.com Readers Poll.

Of course, no list will please everybody, and even the ranking order will be offensive (Kings Of Leon are OK, but above Zappa? NO!).
But, it is interesting so far I'll say that.

Zappa/Mothers should be in the top 10.

Absolutely. Alice should be higher, too.

Alan

Without any insult intended towards whom they chose so far, this list already looks strange.

I just went to the site and saw 31-40.
(I'll leave it to IP to post since it's his thread)

I like almost all the choices in this grouping......particularly #33.
One of my favorites!!!!

I can't believe they put Sid Fernandez at #33.

These list are usually fugazy because they're forced to add newer bands which excludes one of the classic rock bands. Which big American act will get cut? I get the feeling that Grand Funk Railroad won't make the list.

IMO Zappa/Mothers should be # 1 or higher

Elvis with his Sun mates should also have been higher.

Glad to see NRBQ and Lovin Spoonful there - both often overlooked NRBQ's new release is in my top 10 of the year - so far)

Ramones better be in the Top 10.

All I know is our Beatles are better than England's Rolling Stones.

Thanks for waiting Charles, and you were right about #33! But man, they put nothing but awesomeness in there although I hate The Pixies, I understand them being there.

Here we go (I do respect the taste of the voters-I love each and every act here aside from The Pixies and worship X)...

Having unveiled #50-41, we’re thrilled to announce #40-31 today. Check back to Gibson.com each day, as we reveal 10 more American greats, with the Top 10 coming on Friday.

40. Buffalo Springfield



The original, and probably best Americana (if they’d called it that, back then) band of all time, Buffalo Springfield were both a launching pad for rock legends Neil Young and Stephen Stills as well as a bona fide, seminal band in their own right. They only made three albums, Buffalo Springfield, Buffalo Springfield Again and Last Time Around, but their ability to seamlessly blend folk, country and rock grooves, spiced with satire and political commentary, remains unparalleled. – Andrew Vaughan



39. The J. Geils Band



One of America’s all-time fun “party” bands, The J. Geils Band have always rocked hard, and stayed true to their deep, early R&B roots. Great grooves, remakes, and also some wonderful originals, such as “Freeze Frame,” “Angel in Blue” and “Centerfold,” helped turn them into an international platinum-selling success. Here’s to the great “Magic Dick” on harp, the charismatic frontman Peter Wolf, the mysterious J. Geils himself on guitar and the high-powered Seth Justman on keys. “Rock ’n’ Soul” at its best! – Arlen Roth



38. Mountain



Few bands have brandished as powerful a hard rock sound as Mountain did in their glory years. Stepping into the mold cast by Cream, the power trio of Leslie West, Corky Laing and Felix Pappalardi (who had been Cream’s producer) specialized in sledgehammer-style, blues-based riff rock, while tossing in the occasional ballad as well. Forty-plus years after its release, the band’s anthem, “Mississippi Queen,” still packs the wallop of a volcano in full eruption. – Russell Hall



37. The Flaming Lips



Perhaps the giant hamster ball and the omnipresent white suit are the first things to come to mind when folks think about The Flaming Lips, but beyond the barrage of rock’s most entertaining stage show is one of the most creative musical entities anywhere. From the indie bounce of “She Don’t Use Jelly” to the trippy soundscapes of The Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi to the Prince-meets-Pink Floyd genius of At War with the Mystics, the Lips have proven time and time again to be the most fearless band in the world. – Michael Wright



36. Booker T. and the MG’s



Ostensibly the house band for Stax Records, Booker T. and the M.G.’s were the heart of the Memphis soul scene. Playing and writing with the likes of Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave and other legends, the quartet of keyboardist Booker T. Jones, guitarist Steve Cropper, bassist Lewie Steinberg (later Donald “Duck” Dunn) and drummer Alan Jackson Jr. created a groove like nothing ever committed to wax. Don’t believe me? Listen to “Green Onions” and just try to stop your head from bobbing. – Michael Wright



35. Talking Heads



No band rising from the ’70s new wave movement was better than Talking Heads was at couching themes of alienation and paranoia in hip-shake pop grooves and twitchy humor. Frontman David Byrne’s geeky countenance belied an art-rock sophistication that blossomed spectacularly, especially on the group’s 1980 avant-funk masterpiece, Remain in Light. Even at their most brainy, Talking Heads never allowed intellect to trump danceability. – Russell Hall



34. Pixies



If all the Pixies had done was make great music that was well-received by audiences, they'd already deserve a place on this list. Songs like “Here Comes Your Man,” “Monkey Gone to Heaven,” “Where is My Mind?,” “Cactus” and “Debaser” will forever hold a place in the rock Pantheon. But they deserve further kudos for influencing the quiet verse/loud chorus dynamic of later bands such as Nirvana, who were unashamed of their direct referencing of Pixies song structures. – Peter Hodgson



33. X



X formed in 1977 during the first wave of punk, and later diversified their sound in more rock-based directions. The band is known for their powerful live shows, and was officially recognized by the City of Los Angeles for their contributions to L.A. music and culture. Despite a number of break-ups and reunions, the band is still going strong, although talk of songwriting sessions by vocalist Exene Cervenka and vocalist/bassist John Doe in 2008 has not yet translated into a new album. – Peter Hodgson



32. Los Lobos



They might tell you that they’re “just another band from East L.A.,” but the guys in Los Lobos are just being modest. No band from anywhere has ever sounded like this. Look beyond their justifiably famous cover of “La Bamba,” to discover a wholly original mix of rock, Tex-Mex, blues, Spanish folk, rockabilly, pop, country and a whole lot more. Plus, after more than 30 years of playing together, Los Lobos remain an astoundingly powerful live act, fueled by the twin guitar prowess of Cesar Rosas and David Hidalgo. – Bryan Wawzenek



31. Sonic Youth



Much as The Velvet Underground had done before them, Sonic Youth employed the twin tools of abrasion and melody to hammer out something beautifully sublime. Centered on the dual-guitar tangle of Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo, the band combined the urgency of punk rock with the open-ended experimentalism of the avant-garde to create a wholly new sound. At their best, as on 1988’s Daydream Nation, the group conjured up exhilarating art-rock from seeming chaos. – Russell Hall

Votes for the Top 50 Covers of All Time were included from Michael Wright, Bryan Wawzenek, Andrew Vaughan, Sean Patrick Dooley, Cesar Acevedo, Paul Burch, Arlen Roth, Ted Drozdowski, Russell Hall, Peter Hodgson, Anne Erickson, Michael Leonard, Paolo Bassotti and the Gibson.com Readers Poll.

Just saw 21-30
Not as good a group as 31-40

One of my long time favorites is there (saw them over 260 times)
Linda will be really happy with one of the choices.

(I only like 21, 23, 25 & 27)

I wonder if Bruce/E-Street Band will be #1.

If Rolling Stone was doing this poll, it would have been a lock.

+1

I can't argue with any of these, and I like them all except for #23 and I'm not a fan of #21 but they absolutely both belong. Again, these lists are basically stupid, but this one is at least trying.

Having unveiled #50-41 and #40-31, we’re thrilled to announce #30-21 today. Check back to Gibson.com each day, as we reveal 10 more American greats, with the Top 10 coming on Friday.

30. ZZ Top



Known affectionately for years now as that “Little ol’ Band from Texas,” Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard and Dusty Hill have proved themselves one of the greatest American bands of all time. From their bar-room blues beginnings to arenas, stadiums and conquering the MTV world with slick and witty videos, ZZ Top have never stopped rocking. They’re America’s answer to The Rolling Stones, but with better beards. – Andrew Vaughan



29. Foo Fighters



Who knew? Who knew that it was actually the drummer for Nirvana who was probably the most prodigious singer-songwriter-musician in that band – naturally, this can (and will) be debated for years to come. Dave Grohl’s remarkable musical gifts were a revelation, and he has continued to up his game over the years. Easily one of the biggest rock acts in the world now, Foo Fighters have planted their flag deeply into the bedrock of all-time great American bands. – Sean Patrick Dooley



28. Red Hot Chili Peppers



The Red Hot Chili Peppers debuted in the mid-’80s, drawing out their funk-metal hybrid successfully through a meld of clear guitars, slapping bass and bold lyrics. Fashioned in the wake of the L.A. punk scene, the cast of players gelled perfectly – largely because of each member’s originality. The Peppers have experienced their share of tragedy (guitarist Hillel Slovak died of a heroin overdose in 1988), but they’ve fought to come back and lead the pack with high-octane, funk-punk. – Anne Erickson



27. Big Star



Alternative music would likely have charted a radically different course were it not for the pioneering ways of Big Star. Along with his main songwriting partner, Chris Bell, former Box Tops frontman Alex Chilton crafted exhilarating, riff-based power pop that drew from the best aspects of the ’60s British Invasion. R.E.M and The Replacements are among the countless bands spawned in the ’80s who acknowledged a profound debt to the music Big Star made a decade before. – Russell Hall



26. KISS



“You wanted the best, you got the best! The hottest band in the world… KISS!” And for a while there, they actually were the hottest band in the world – if not through record sales but sheer touring spectacle. KISS’ remarkable, bombastic – outrageous – live shows forever upped the ante, and to this day, they have yet to meet their equal. America’s Fab Four – Paul, Gene, Ace and Peter – created a new paradigm for live concert theatrics, and they changed the game forever. – Sean Patrick Dooley



25. The Replacements



Formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1979, The Replacements, led by singer-songwriter-guitarist Paul Westerberg, shot to underground-alternative superstardom thanks to a slew of critically acclaimed (if not commercially successful) albums and a notoriously unpredictable and rowdy live show, where the band’s very presence and inebriation level were anyone’s best-guess from night to night. Said Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong after seeing The Replacements for the first time: “It changed my whole life. If it wasn’t for that, I might’ve spent my whole time playing in bad speed-metal bands.” – Sean Patrick Dooley



24. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers



As members of one of only a handful of leader/band combos whose “and” is as iconic as its proper noun, Heartbreakers Mike Campbell (guitar), Benmont Tench (keys) and Ron Blair (bass) have been just as integral to tracks like “American Girl,” “Breakdown,” and “Refugee” as Mr. Petty. Their most recent album together is 2010’s Mojo, but even when Petty went solo on 1989’s Full Moon Fever, Campbell played on every track and Tench even contributed to a few songs. – Peter Hodgson



23. Sly and the Family Stone



Multi-racial and multi-gendered, Sly and the Family Stone were a “rainbow coalition” long before that phrase entered the American lexicon. The band’s music was rainbow-like as well. Distilling funk, pop and psychedelia into a thrilling mix with universal appeal, frontman Sly Stone embodied the notion that music could bring together people of all colors, classes and inclinations. No less an artist than Prince owes Sly and his band an incalculable stylistic debt. –Russell Hall



22. The White Stripes



The duo’s image led to cynical cries of “gimmickry,” but Jack White’s real reverence for the blues is beyond question. In an era when the likes of John Lee Hooker and Gatemouth Brown passed away, The White Stripes kept raw blues alive with ragged riffs, primitive backbeat and hoary howling. Add a Detroit punk sensibility and genuinely affecting country diversions, and The White Stripes were the best new “old” band of 20 years. “Jack White shook me, The White Stripes in full flood, it was like Zeppelin,” marveled collaborator Jeff Beck. Is that a good enough recommendation? – Michael Leonard



21. The Grateful Dead



The ultimate outsiders’ band, The Dead could never have been born anywhere but San Francisco. Psychedelia, blues, jam-band wig-outs, drugs, death and banjos… the Dead seemed to live in their own universe. Underpinning it all was the supreme guitarmanship of Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir, the former never truly getting his due because he was in such a unique band. With over 130 albums released, it’s tough for newbies to know where to start but 1970’s mellow American Beauty is just that. What a long strange trip it was… – Michael Leonard

Happy is too much (I don't care what these self-appointed experts think about music), but I'm honestly surprised that Big Star showed up in a list like this at all. It's a victory of cultural penetration ... or something.

Cultural Penetration better be in the top 20.

Great name for a band, have to write that one down.

The top 10 bands could all be Zappa bands - in this order

1. The Only Monry/Ruben in the Jets Band
2, The Uncle Meat band once they added Lowell George and Buzz Gardner
3. The 74 Roxy Band
4. the 88 Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life
5. The December 76 Zappa in NY band with the Sat, Night Live horn section
6. the Petite Wazoo band 1972
7. the Bongo Fury Band
8. the Flo and Eddie band (june thru Dec 71)
9. the 73 band with Jean Luc Ponty
10. the 81 band with Steve Vai

Glad to see KISS makes it at #26. Better than I thought they'd do.

Man, why are the White Stripes always so highly rated? I think they're incredibly boring.