SPIN MAGAZINE'S
TOP 50 BANDS OF ALL TIME

1. The Beatles (the Fab Four)
2. The Ramones (the Fast Four)
3. Led Zeppelin
4. Bob Marley & The Wailers
5. Nirvana
6. Parliament/Funkadelic
7. The Clash
8. Public Enemy
9. Rolling Stones
10. Beastie Boys

Just when we thought that nothing could top the honor of being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, another vote places the Fast Four one notch below the Fab Four.

In a decision that is sure to creat a lot of debate, Spin magazine gave Ramones fans the pleasure of saying "we knew it all along."

Here's what Spin had to say when they chose the Ramones as the #2 band of all time. (We particularly like the first sentence.)


Punk exists because of the false assumption that the Ramones can be imitated. "1-2-3-4!" Three chords. "Second verse, same as the first." Technically speaking, it's simple. Legend has it that in every city where the Ramones played in support of their 1976 debut, a handful of punk kids started up bands, thinking that they could do it, too. But the Ramones' loud, fast style masked a pop genius. Slow their tempos, and you have got Beach Boys melodies. Replace lyrics about sniffing glue and eating refried beans, and you have got the Ronettes. Give everyone matching leather jackets, and you have got the punk rock Beatles. Just four lads from Queens who birthed thousands of bands, then blew each one away. Like sharks, they didn't evolve. They didn't need to. -Marc Spitz

INFLUENCED: Green Day, Blink 182, Sum-41, U2, The Offspring, Sleater-Kinney, the Donnas, Black Flag, the Clash, the Sex Pistols, oh, forget it: everyone!

CLASSIC ALBUM: Ramones (Sire, 1976)

"The Ramones' genius is that they could say in two minutes what it taks most bands five minutes to say. You hear any of their songs once, and you'll walk away knowing it. I also wanna say that if Joey Ramone and Jeff Spicoli had a baby, it'd be Sum-41." - Deryck Whibley, Sum-41


We don't know who at Spin is behind this, but we know a lot of people are bound to disagree. So we want you to support Spin's decision by letting them know how you feel about it. Write to them at feedback@spin.com or Feedback, Spin, 205 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10016.