Help decide the best American rock band of all-time

Earlier this week, a friend of mine Tweeted out an update that really got me thinking.

Is Nick right? When you take into account their albums and impressive list of singles, it's hard to argue against them. "Take It Easy", "Peaceful Easy Feeling" and "Already Gone" just to name a few. I'll also say that "Hotel California" is the American equivalent to "Stairway to Heaven".

As we dig farther into my friend's tweet, a lot of people either love or hate Aerosmith. Very rarely do you see any middle ground as far as opinions are concerned, but when you factor in their longevity and ability to crank out hits decade after decade, they do belong somewhere near the top of the list. "Dream On", "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion" are just a few of their 70s standouts. "(Dude) Looks Like A Lady" and "Janie's Got a Gun" in the 80s. "Livin' On The Edge", "Cryin'" and the hit from the Armageddon soundtrack, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" kept the band going through the 90s. Even "Jaded" reached number one on the US rock chart in 2001. But is this enough to crown Aerosmith the best American rock band ever?

I find this debate fascinating because of the amount of historic bands the parameters of the argument exclude. The Beatles, Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin all have to take a seat here, as do half of Fleetwood Mac! The argument also opens itself up to bands from more recent years. Think about how influential bands like The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana and Pearl Jam are in the current landscape of rock music.

What is your choice for the best American rock band? It can be from any era or any sub-genre. That includes anything from emo and punk to metal and anything in between.

For the sake of argument, solo artists and music acts that include "and the" are not eligible. That excludes the likes of Bob Dylan, Elvis or Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Here are some bands I would consider worthy of discussion in the best American bands of all-time debate:

Creedence Clearwater Revival
Unlike the multi-decade spanning Aerosmith, CCR wasn't around for long at all. That could hurt their candidacy, but it could also help. In their four years together (1968-1972), they cranked out seven studio albums and ten top five singles, including "Bad Moon Rising", "Who'll Stop The Rain" and "Fortunate Son". To put out a body of work like this in such an abbreviated amount of time is truly incredible.

My personal favorite Creedence Clearwater Revival song is "Up Around The Bend".

The Doors
Perhaps the number one band I wish I was alive to see when they were in their prime. The Doors have reunited several times since Jim Morrison's death, but it's hard to imagine their live performance capturing anything close to what he was able to deliver. Each of their first six albums reached the top ten, with 1968's Waiting for the Sun reaching number one. Hits like "Light My Fire", "Hello, I Love You" and "Touch Me" maintain popularity today.

My personal favorite Doors song is "LA Woman".

The Allman Brothers
The Allman Brothers are synonymous with Southern rock. The band, who performed what they called their final show ever back in October of 2014, combined elements of country, rock, R&B over the better part of 46 years. Some of their most notable songs include "Jessica", "Whipping Post" and "Ramblin' Man".

My personal favorite Allman Brothers song is 1994's "Soulshine".

My pick for best American rock band is Creedence Clearwater Revival. What is your choice? Let me know what you think in the comment section below.

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