What are the greatest rock bands in the history of popular music that featured trios?

With my latest music blog message, I will be counting down what I consider to be the ten best rock band trios from the 20^th century from 1965 through 1985.

Before I share the countdown of the ten bands that I have selected for this topic, I need to state what constitutes a rock trio band.

Basically, a rock trio band features all three members playing instruments: normally an electric guitar, an electric bass guitar and drums. In some other trios, keyboards are substituted for either a guitar or a drum set.

At the same time that instruments are being played by all members, one or more of those same individuals will provide singing on songs that have vocals. These bands tend to have a full, rich sound with just three members.

The fresh electric sounds of British Invasion bands in the mid 60s such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Who, gave inspiration to those wanting to play that type of music with just 3 musicians. Soon thereafter, many new rock trio bands started forming in the United States and Great Britain.

As I did research for the topic of rock trio bands, I realized there were other types of musical groups with just 3 members.  I classify these artists as vocal pop groups, that featured 3 singers that didn’t play musical instruments.

Below are some outstanding 3-person vocal groups from the 60s and 70s. These trios performed in a variety of musical genres from pop, rock, folk and soul.

• The Supremes
• Three Dog Night
• The Bee Gees

• Peter Paul and Mary
• The Isley Brothers
• Martha and the Vandellas

While all of the above 3-person vocal groups produced excellent music, they are not power trio rock bands and have been excluded from consideration on my countdown. Maybe I will write and publish a separate article on outstanding 60s and 70s trio vocal groups in the future?  Stay tuned.

Here are the criteria I used in compiling my countdown of best rock trio bands:

• Majority of album chart success between the years of 1965 and 1985.

• Since my home country is in America, my rankings are based solely on what bands achieved in the United States.

• In researching historical musical data for this article, I used Billboard and Cash Box magazines for documentation.

• I also gathered artist information from the liner notes of vinyl albums that I still own in 2024.

• Bands received significant airplay on Top 40 and Album Oriented Rock (AOR) radio in the U.S. from mid 60s through to the mid 80s.

• Some groups listed in countdown may have had more than 3 members at some point but stayed as a trio during a majority of the band’s existence.

• I will document main members of trio bands and may leave out part time personnel and/or people in a band whom stayed for short periods of time.

Please note that my ranking of albums and songs within the countdown of best rock trio bands is entirely based on my own opinion. My rating system reflects directly upon music that I deem to be culturally, historically, aesthetically significant, meaningful or relevant.

Without further ado, my countdown of the ten best trio rock bands begins:

10. James Gang

Main Lineup: Joe Walsh (guitars, lead vocals), Dale Peters (bass) and Jim Fox (drums).  Widely acclaimed album: “James Gang Rides Again.”  My #1 top-rated song: “Walk Away.”   Second favorite track: “Funk #49.”

Active years as a trio: 1968-1974. The front man & lead singer for American band James Gang was Joe Walsh. He left the classic rock trio in 1971 for a solo career. Walsh later joined Eagles band during late 1975 and still is a member in 2024. He and his Eagles group were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

9.   Emerson Lake & Palmer

Main Lineup: Keith Emerson (keyboards), Greg Lake (Vocals and guitar) and Carl Palmer (drums and percussion).  Widely acclaimed album: “Pictures at an Exhibition.”  My #1 top-rated song: “Nut Rocker.”  Second favorite track: “Lucky Man.”

Active years as a trio: 1970-1979, 1991-1999.  Emerson Lake & Palmer (ELP) were an English progressive rock juggernaut. The band mixed genres of jazz, classical, along with pop-rock sounds together and became one of the leading bands for experimental music during the 70s.

8.    Grand Funk Railroad

Main Lineup:  Mark Farner (lead vocals, guitarist, keyboards), Mel Schacher (bassist) and Don Brewer (drummer and vocalist).  Widely acclaimed album: “Closer to Home.”  My #1 top-rated song: “We’re an American Band.”  Second favorite track: “I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home).”

Active years as trio: 1969-1976.  Grand Funk Railroad (GFR) was founded in Flint, Michigan during 1969. Labeled as arena rock, the group toured intensively and the band’s live shows were popular among concert attendees. (GFR) was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2015.

7.   Rush

 Main Lineup: Geddy Lee (bass guitar, keyboards, vocalist), Alex Lifeson (guitar) and Neil Peart (drums, percussion and songwriter). Widely acclaimed album: “Moving Pictures.” My #1 top-rated song: “Tom Sawyer.” Second Favorite track: “New World Man.”

Active years as trio: 1974-2015.  Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. Canadian band formed in Toronto, Ontario. Musically, group is considered progressive rock. Band also is known for synthesizer pop and hard rock blues. Rush produced excellent musicianship and top-notch lyrical compositions during the 20^th century.

6.   Genesis

Main Lineup: Tony Banks (keyboards, acoustic guitar), Mike Rutherford (electric guitar, bass) and Phil Collins (Drums, percussion and vocalist). Widely acclaimed album: “Abacab.”  My #1 top-rated song: “Abacab” Second favorite track: “No Reply at All.”

Active years as a trio: 1977-1996.  Genesis is considered as a pioneer progressive rock band. This English group actually started with 5 members but paired down to just 3 fellows in 1977. All 3 guys recorded side projects in the 80s, with Collins having the most success, followed by Rutherford (Mike + The Mechanics).  Band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

5.   ZZ Top

Main Lineup: Billy Gibbons (guitarist and vocalist), Frank Beard (drums) and Dusty Hill (bassist and vocalist).  Widely acclaimed album: “Tres Hombres.”  My #1 top-rated song: “La Grange.” Second favorite track: “Sharp Dressed Man.”

Active years as a trio: 1969 to 2021. The 2004 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees started in Houston, Texas. During the 70s, this southern rock band played a combination of hard rock and blues. During the MTV 80s, ZZ Top switched into a synthesizer pop-rock sound which brought the band much success.  The band still performed as a trio until Hill’s death in 2021.

4.   The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Main Lineup:  Jimi Hendrix (guitarist and vocalist), Noel Redding (bass guitar) and Mitch Mitchell (drums).  Widely acclaimed album: “Are You Experienced.”  My #1 top-rated song: “All Along the Watchtower.”  Second favorite track: “Purple Haze.”

Active Years as a trio: 1966-1970: Jimi Hendrix was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall in 1992, along with the other members of his Experience trio, drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding.  Although his mainstream music career was only 4 years long, many music critics consider Hendrix to be the greatest guitarist of all-time.

3.   Crosby Stills & Nash

Main Lineup:  David Crosby (guitarist, singer-songwriter), Graham Nash (singer-songwriter, keyboardist and guitarist) and Stephen Stills (lead guitarist, bass guitar, percussion, singer-songwriter).  Widely acclaimed album: “Crosby Stills & Nash.”  My #1 top-rated song: “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes.”  Second favorite track: “Marrakesh Express.”

Active years as a trio: 1969-1970, 1973-1974, 1976-2015:  Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) were a superb folk-rock supergroup and in 1997 became members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.  During 1970-1971 and occasionally at other select times, Neil Young joined CSN to form a quartet.  The CSN trio contributed outstanding vocal harmonies and all were first-rate singer-songwriters.

2.   The Police

Main Lineup: Sting (singer-songwriter, bass guitarist, main vocalist), Stewart Copeland (drums, percussion) and Andy Summers (guitarist). Widely acclaimed album: “Synchronicity.”  My #1 top-rated song: “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic.”  Second favorite track: “Roxanne.”

Active years as a trio: 1977-1984: English band formed in London during 1977.  This trio combined rock, pop, reggae, jazz and punk together. Considered a new wave band in the late 70s. The Police became one of the biggest bands during the 80s and got into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.

1.   Cream

Main Lineup: Jack Bruce (bassist chief vocalist and songwriter), Eric Clapton (guitarist, songwriter) and Ginger Baker (drums). Widely acclaimed album: “Disraeli Gears.”  My #1 top-rated song: “Sunshine of Your Love.” Second favorite track: “White Room.”

Active years as a trio: 1966–1969:   Cream is among the first supergroups in rock music history.  Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce were pioneers musically mixing blues and hard rock sounds for trios. This British band reformed temporarily in 1993 when the group were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.  Without a doubt, Cream is my number one best power rock trio of all-time.

That wraps up what I consider to be my favorite and best top trio rock bands.  I completely understand that my listing of songs and albums in this category was written from my point of view and is subjective.

If you were creating a similar register of excellent trio rock bands, your tabulation may be totally different. What do you consider to be the best rock groups with just 3 members from the years 1965 through 1985?  I hope you will comment below.

I still love listening rock trio bands on the radio or at home on my home stereo system. Music from the groups in my countdown will always have a special place in my heart. Long live the outstanding music of classic rock trio bands.  Rock on!

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