Can You Name the Classic Rock Bands From Their Members?

About This Quiz

People often think classic rock is a definitive genre of music similar to jazz, pop, R&B and such. But in reality, classic rock is more of a thematic radio format which radio stations used to classify their chosen "playlist," so to speak.

It started back in the early '80s in the U.S. when a radio station wanted to attract older listeners by playing older songs with their newer ones. That's why classic rock has this feel of "music you grew up with" or "music you grew up listening to" because that was the original point of its creation. And since it started in the '80s, the era covered has included the '60s and '70s. 

By the time the '90s and the 2000s rolled out, classic rock as a radio format soon morphed into an umbrella category that acted as an overall genre which encompassed rock-related musical permutations of past decades with the '60s still serving as the starting mark. That's why the beginnings of rock 'n' roll sounds are here plus sounds that vary in tempo, arrangement or style like rockabilly, psychedelic rock, folk rock, progressive rock, Southern rock, even funk and pop rock plus other permutations and intersections of these styles.

Soon, "harder" kinds of rock got considered with the proliferation of hard rock and the emerging heavy metal rock sound of the '70s. As the decades passed by, even some genres influenced by these classic rock genres got included in the umbrella term, too, like punk rock.

So much rock stuff, so little time! So come on and let's riff that guitar, bang that drum and tinkle those keyboards as we go through this quiz. Rock on!