As the fireworks go off outside, I figured the best way to celebrate an AM 4th of July is to start a new thread on the top 10 Best American bands/artists. I'll start it off with:

Bob Dylan
Jimi Hendrix
Marvin Gaye
Bruce Springsteen
The Beach Boys
R.E.M.
Stevie Wonder
Aretha Franklin
Prince
Michael Jackson

Honorable mentions: Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, The Stooges, The Replacements, Beck, The White Stripes, (artists not really near the top, but that are both really good and distinctly American to my ears)

And only 10 days 'til Bastille DaY!

The Beatles are clearly superior to Bob Dylan when it comes to American bands.

While it's true that The Beatles gave us our pride back (dylan), they shouldn't be discussed among american artists. How about this for a T10

Bob Dylan
Jimi Hendrix
Elvis Presley
The Velvet Underground
The Beach Boys
Bruce Springsteen
Stevie Wonder
Marvin Gaye
R.E.M
Prince

Those musicians and musical stylings are as diverse as our country it's self. Great too.

I was kidding. Bringing back some old ghosts.

hahaha i figured you were just instigating something.

Wow. This is harder than I thought.

The Beach Boys
Chuck Berry
Bob Dylan
Jimi Hendrix
Prince
Ramones
R.E.M.
The Velvet Underground
Hank Williams
Stevie Wonder

I decided to leave out Miles Davis, partly because I had to leave out somebody deserving and partly because opening my list to jazz makes the job even hairier.

There are some artists who would clearly get in if this was a list of Most Iconic Artists: Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen. But it isn’t, so they don’t…although I can find something I like in all of those folks.

Other hon. mention: Bo Diddley, Marvin Gaye, Little Richard, Nirvana, Pixies, Public Enemy, Otis Redding, Sonic Youth, Replacements, Talking Heads.