The Cars. Best American "Pop" band?

[daddyo]

The Beach Boys. I don't see how there could be any other choice.

[French Fry]

Apples, Oranges, Bananas, Melons, Grapes ... all very different fruits, and yet, all so delicious.

The Cars were a great band. ( i never saw them live.)
CCR was a great band too.

I never would have thought to compare CCR to the Cars.

Huey Lews & the News was a terrific band.

It's all good. Why measure?

[whitehall]

I guess if you grew up with them. But to me they were just another MTV band. Loved the chick - Paulina- in the videos.

[Cornbread]

Originally Posted by BMF Effects

Two words...

Cheap. Trick.

I would pick Cheap Trick over the Cars every day.

[MBreinin]

The Cars were New Wave, technically. I have always loved them and Elliot Easton is a killer guitar player.

Mike

[art_z]

Originally Posted by Cornbread

I would pick Cheap Trick over the Cars every day.

so would I. but I would also never describe Cheap Trick as a "pop" band.

To whomever mentioned the Beach Boys, very good call. They were a little before my time which is probably why I never even thought to bring them up.

[Scott Auld]

Brian Wilson FTW

[Alister]

Originally Posted by flume

no need to joust penile swords over it..

You know, sometimes I come to TGP, just get annoyed, and leave.
Other times, like this, I have a truly fabulous chuckle.

My daddy's tougher than your daddy. My (favorite hero) band is better than your favorite hero band.

But seriously, what Eliot did for me, during this period, was remind me that there was still a LOT of pleasing, sophisticated-yet-usable, "lead" guitar playing to be invented. My view (just mine) during this time, since I was already near my 40's, was that "lead guitar" playing was getting very close to excruciating self-indulgent and wanky. I was not a fan of metal, not a fan of arena rock, not a fan of SRV particularly, and not a fan of so-called college rock. Nowadays, there are a LOT of nostalgic "80's" cover bands around where I live now, and they almost never play anything that doesn't sound cheesy to me, at best.
So, whether or not the Cars were "pop" is of very little interest to me. With them, at least "catchy" meant competent, at least in their studio work, and I'm fine with that.

[Guy from Idaho]

Originally Posted by flume

no need to joust penile swords over it...

Never bring a sword to a joust, always bring a lance. Just sayin'

Anyway, Beach Boys is probably a much better answer, and I'm not even a fan... GFI

[bdegrande]

Fountains of Wayne

[jiml]

Monkees?

[OldSchool]

Originally Posted by art_z

They sort of defined the 80s, had tons of great hits. Can't think of anyone that comes close, maybe CCR.

I don't see CCR as Pop at all. I would say the best POP band to me during that time would be either Blondie or Cheap trick. Love them.

[OldSchool]

Originally Posted by art_z

so would I. but I would also never describe Cheap Trick as a "pop" band.

.

Pop is what is popular at the time. So I wou definitely place them in that catagory as opposed to Led Zepplin who was popular buy obviously a Rock act. I also think its unfair to compare differnt bands from different eras. Can't compare the Monkees to the Cars. Two different sets of audiences.

[art_z]

Originally Posted by jiml

Monkees?

Not American

[OldSchool]

Originally Posted by art_z

Not American

Just one member........created and recorded in California.