The top 10 classic rock trios of all time feature musical acts that take the familiar term “Triple Threat” to a new level. When thinking about some of the best bands that had a core roster of three members, there are so many noteworthy trio acts that come to mind. Among Canadian music fans, Rush will most likely come to mind first and foremost. Rush was a trio that made history as one of the most successful rock bands coming from the Great White North. However, Rush wasn’t the only top trio that rocked the entire world. Bring up a popular trio in the UK and odds are The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and The Police will be remembered as among the greatest three-man acts of all time. Like a perfect triangle, recording artists such as Crosby Stills & Nash, The Police, and ZZ Top established proud legacies that have stood the test of time as one of the most popular acts in the world.
Top 10 Classic Rock Trios of All Time
#10 – The Police
Out of London, England, The Police was founded as a band in 1977. Gordon “Sting” Sumner, Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland were the infamous trio who achieved superstardom with its brand of rock that featured the influence of jazz, new wave, punk, and reggae. When The Police debuted in 1978 with Outlandos d’Amour, the trio captured a fan base that extended beyond the borders of the United Kingdom.
Two chart-hitting singles came from that album, “Roxanne” and “Can’t Stand Losing You.” This was followed in 1979 with Reggatta de Blanc. From it, “Message in a Bottle” and “Walking on the Moon” became The Police’s first number-one hits on the UK Singles Chart. In 1980, it was Zenyatta Mondatta, which also achieved great success, as did 1981’s Ghost in the Machine. “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” and “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic” were also big hits for the band that would keep Sting, Summers, and Copeland on top as world-class rock stars.
In 1983, Synchronicity kept The Police’s momentum going at an all-time high as it also became a top-selling album. In the United States alone, it sold over eight million copies and became an RIAA eight-time platinum seller. This one produced one of the biggest hits of The Police’s career, “Every Breath You Take.” Not only did it become a number-one hit in the UK but it was the first and only single The Police earned on the US Billboard Hot 100. The arrival of Sting’s three-man rock group came at a time when the second wave of British talent heavily influenced the North American music scene.
Also known as the “Second British Invasion,” The Police were among the leaders of the pack to capture both the American and the Canadian audiences by storm. However, Synchronicity would be the last studio album The Police recorded and released as a trio as it officially disbanded in 1986. The men did reunite in 2007 and embarked on a tour that lasted until 2008. Proving even after two decades they still had incredible star power, The Police were among the most popular touring musicians at the time who performed in one sold-out concert after another.
Between five studio albums, seven compilation albums, three live albums, and an EP, The Police has become one of the best-selling rock bands of all time. Every single album released was certified platinum among the nations of Australia, Canada, and the United States. With Zenyatta Mondatta, it became double-platinum with the RIAA while Ghost in the Machine became triple-platinum.
Following the success of the five studio albums, the 1986 release of Every Breath You Take: The Singles was The Police’s first compilation album, which was released by A&M Records. This one achieved platinum status in Canada and New Zealand while in the UK it became platinum four times and in the US, five times. While going strong as a recording artist, The Police won several music awards and accolades including six Grammies.
Among the six Grammy Awards, The Police’s first win was with “Regatta de Blanc,” the title track to the trio’s 1979 album. It was recognized as Best Rock Instrumental Performance. In 1982, the men won this award again for “Behind My Camel,” which came from 1980’s Zenyatta Mondatta.
In 1982, The Police’s “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” earned the Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal award. In 1984, this would happen again with Synchronicity. That year also witnessed “Every Breath You Take” earn the win for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. In 2023, the Library of Congress selected Synchronicity for preservation in the National Recording Registry. This came about twenty years after The Police was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
#9 – Nirvana
From 1987 until 1994, Nirvana was one of the most popular rock bands as this three-man act instrumentally turned alternative rock into a popular genre. Founded by Kurt Cobain and Krist Novselic, it took some time for these two men to find the right drummer. Chad Channing would be the first before Dave Grohl would be his replacement in 1990. Nirvana was founded in Aberdeen, Washington as a band that specialized in grunge rock. In 1989, it released its first studio album, Bleach, with an independent label known as Sub Pop.
What made the group’s music stand out was the contrast of sounds and Cobain’s unique approach as lead vocalist. In 1991, the trio signed up with DGC Records and released “Smells Like Teen Spirit” as a single. This came from the album, Nevermind. Little did these three men know this would serve as the big breakthrough that would win them a worldwide audience. What Nevermind did as an album was hurl grunge rock as a top competitor against hair metal bands and their brand of music. The success of Nirvana’s big label debut witnessed the album become certified diamond by the RIAA. This also occurred with Music Canada. Among several nations, the album was certified anywhere from platinum to multi-platinum.
In 1992, Incesticide was released as a compilation album, along with the EP, Hormoaning. These were followed by 1993’s In Utero. At the time, Nirvana was at the top of the world as one of the most popular rockers in the music industry. The trio found itself busy with concert tours and public appearances, suggesting this was a band that had a long future in store for it that would last for years. Unfortunately, Kurt Cobain’s suicide in 1994 abruptly put an end to that. Dave Grohl and Krist Novselic, along with Cobain’s widow, Courtney Love, put an end to Nirvana as a trio act as they each tried to move forward. Despite the tragic loss of Cobain, Nirvana’s prowess as one of the most popular rock bands in existence continued. 1994’s live album, MTV Unplugged in New York became a 1996 Grammy Award winner for Best Alternative Music Performance.
While at the top of its game as a mainstream rocker, Nirvana scored five number-one hits on the US Billboard Alternative Airplay Songs chart, first with “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” The other four, in order of release dates, were “Come as You Are,” “Lithium,” and “Heart-Shaped Box.” The trio also earned MTV Video Music Awards, namely for “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “In Bloom,” and “Heart-Shaped Box.” In 2014, twenty years after Cobain’s death, Nirvana was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “All Apologies” and “Smells Like Teen Spirit” were also put on The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll’s list.
To this day, Nirvana continues to inspire fans and musicians all over the world as the band has established a legacy that will never die. This unconventional trio act paved the way for alternative rock to put the mainstream music industry on notice that it was a genre here to stay. With over seventy million records sold worldwide, Nirvana became one of the best-selling bands of all time. In 2023, Nirvana earned a Lifetime Achievement Award with the Grammy Awards as the latest feather to its cap.
#8 – Crosby, Stills & Nash
Before Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young joined in, Crosby, Stills & Nash was a three-man act. This began in 1968 in California after David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash realized they shared a musical chemistry that couldn’t be ignored. This came after all three men were no longer part of the bands they previously belonged to. Crosby was asked to leave the Byrds, which he did, and Nash left his group, the Hollies. Buffalo Springfield was the band Stills belonged to before it officially disbanded. As a trio, the men signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records in 1969 before releasing Crosby, Stills & Nash as their first album that same year. It released two hit singles, first with “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” then “Marrakesh Express.” Both singles became hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 with the first peaking at number twenty-one and the second peaking as high as number twenty-eight.
Young’s involvement with Crosby, Stills & Nash began when the men were prepping to go on a concert tour. It would be at this time the three-man act increased its full-time roster to four. While at the infamous Woodstock Festival, it was strictly Crosby, Stills & Nash performing the first six songs before Young would join in for the rest. Crosby, Stills & Nash were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 as a trio act. In addition to this achievement, Crosby was inducted as a member of the Byrds while Nash experienced the same for the Hollies. Stills, along with Young, were inducted as Buffalo Springfield the same year Crosby, Stills & Nash were. Stills had the good fortune to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice in one year.
The union of Crosby, Stills & Nash as a recording artist came about while Stills was still signed to Atlantic Records as a member of Buffalo Springfield. At the same time, Nash was still signed to Epic Records even though he was no longer part of the Hollies’ lineup. There was a deal arranged with Clive Davis to trade Nash to Atlantic in exchange for Richie Furay. Furay was once part of the Buffalo Springfield lineup before moving on with another band, Poco. Going into May 1969, Crosby, Stills & Nash released the trio’s self-titled album and it became a big hit on the US Billboard 200 as it peaked as high as number six. It went on to become certified four times with the RIAA. Also in the lineup at the time was a drummer named Dallas Taylor. For the most part, the debut album featured Stills performing the lead guitar, bass, and keyboards while Crosby and Nash handled the rhythm and acoustics.
What Crosby, Stills & Nash became was a cultural icon that served as one of the biggest influencers of American culture as the end of the 1960s gave way to the start of the 1970s. Even after the roster grew to four men after Neil Young joined in, the act was still widely recognized as Crosby, Stills & Nash. Also a key influencer was another Canadian singer-songwriter, Joni Mitchell. At one time, she was involved with David Crosby and it was she who introduced Crosby and Young to each other.
When she met Graham Nash, these two formed a relationship in 1968 that would last for two years. Although the romance was short and sweet, this was a time when Mitchell and Nash produced some of their best work as musicians. As a result, Crosby, Stills & Nash also benefited and this showed in the trio’s first album. “Lady of the Island” was a song Graham Nash wrote that had Joni Mitchell as the source of his inspiration.
#7 – Grand Funk Railroad
Grand Funk Railroad got its start as a three-man band in 1969 when Don Brewer, Mark Farner, and Mel Schacher teamed up in Flint, Michigan. The trio reached the height of its success with a collection of popular singles that played key roles in achieving superstardom before it disbanded for the first time in 1976. The group’s signature hit, “We’re an American Band” marked the beginning of a career that catapulted Grand Funk Railroad as one of the most popular acts in the music industry at the time. Whenever performing in concert during the height of its popularity, Grand Funk Railroad would have the arenas jam-packed with fans. The band’s name was actually a play on words for Michigan’s Grand Trunk Western Railroad and this was the label the men were going to go with but the railroad company objected. So as a result, Trunk Western was swapped out in favor of Funk.
The first time Grand Funk Railroad won the attention of record labels was at the 1969 Atlanta International Pop Festival. The popularity of the group’s performance issued a request for it to come back in 1970 to do it again. The hard rock inspiration that fueled the Grand Funk Railroad can be attributed to power trios such as Cream. However, Don Brewer, Mark Farner, and Mel Schacher established their own sound, thanks to the expertise of the Capitol Records marketing team.
After the release of 1969’s On Time, Grand Funk Railroad experienced its first taste of success with over one million copies sold. It was enough to become certified gold by the RIAA. This was followed by February 1970’s Grand Funk. Otherwise known as The Red Album, became a gold seller in less than two months after it was released. It proved the voices of the fans speak louder than music critics and finicky radio stations. This would be a pattern that would continue with the next five studio albums, as well as Grand Funk Railroad’s live album.
Also released in 1970 was Closer to Home, the same album that produced the hit single “I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home).” Thanks to Terry Knight’s marketing campaign once again promoting Grand Funk Railroad where it counted, this album went on to achieve multi-platinum success. It was enough to trigger another album in 1970, this time the double-disc Live Album. This one also became certified gold. In 1971, Grand Funk Railroad set a new ticket sales record when a concert that was scheduled at Shea Stadium sold out within seventy-two hours.
In 1971, Survival was released as the fourth studio album while E Pluribus Funk became the fifth. These two also met with success where the second of these two featured Shea Stadium on it. However, as successful as the three men were, by the time 1971 was over there was a growing concern about Knight’s role as the band’s manager. After he was fired in 1972, Knight sued for breach of contract where he had the band’s musical equipment seized just before they were to perform at Madison Square Garden. This was a legal battle that ensued for two years before it was settled out of court with Knight emerging victorious. He won the copyrights and publisher royalties for every recording Grand Funk Railroad made between 1969 and March 1972. He also won a sizeable payout. The only thing Don Brewer, Mark Farner, and Mel Schacher were allowed to keep was the band’s name.
The first manager Grand Frunk Railroad recruited to replace Knight was Craig Frost, a former bandmate from the days of Fabulous Pack. His musical tastes favored R&B and pop instead of the garage rock roots that made the three-man act famous, to begin with. Phoenix would be the album’s sixth album, which was released in September 1972 and it showed the shift in style with Grand Funk’s music. In an effort to further enhance the quality of sound of this trio act, Todd Rundgren was brought in as producer.
It would be at this time Grand Funk Railroad recorded and released some of its biggest singles. The first was 1973’s title track to We’re an American Band while the second was “The Loco-Motion” from the 1974 album, Shinin’ On. “We’re an American Band” became number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was followed by “Walk Like a Man,” which became a number nineteen hit on the same chart. In 1974, “The Loco-Motion” also became a number-one hit before its follow-up single, “Shinin’ On” charted as high as number eleven. It was actually with these two albums, the trio was credited as Grand Funk instead of Grand Funk Railroad.
It wouldn’t be until 1974 had Jimmy Lenner became the producer that the band went back to using its full name upon the release of All the Girls in the World Beware!!! This one featured two more big hits for the group, first with “Some Kind of Wonderful,” then “Bad Time.” After this, it was 1975’s Caught in the Act and 1976’s Born to Die. By this time, fatigue and creative issues between Don Brewer, Mark Farner, and Mel Schacher were approaching the boiling point. However, in order to avoid similar legal issues with Capitol as they had with Knight, the men endured until their recording contract with the label concluded.
When Born to Die failed to produce big hits, the disappointment led to a further rift between the men that suggested a breakup of Grand Funk Railroad was imminent. However, the promise of Frank Zappa as its new producer, along with signing with MCA Records gave the trio act a glimmer of hope that maybe they’re not through just yet. After 1976’s Good Singin’, Good Playin’ was released and met with commercial disappointment, Grand Funk Railroad decided it was the end of the road. This album experienced the opposite effect of the group’s previous recordings where the critics seemed to love it but the fans didn’t really seem to care for it.
After Grand Funk Railroad broke up as a band, each man went his own way with his own projects. There were reunions but the chemistry was never quite the same. There were two additional albums credited to the group that were released. 1983’s Grand Funk Lives and 1986’s What’s Funk? were recorded and released without Schacher in the lineup as Dennis Bellinger was in his place on both occasions. Mel Schacher didn’t officially return until 1996.
After 1998, Farner was officially done, leaving Don Brewer and Mel Schacher to carry on without him. Going into 2018, there was a lawsuit filed by Don Brewer and Mel Schacher against Farner over trademark issues where the band’s name was concerned. As for the legacy of Grand Funk Railroad, it carries on as one of the true classic rockers that made the 1970s so great. In 2005, the trio was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.
#6 – ZZ Top
There are few bands that can be instantly recognized by fans without having to say a single word. ZZ Top is one of them. Aside from the long beards sported by Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill, this was a rock group that deservedly earned its place as legend. Completing the three-man lineup was Frank Beard. Straight out of Houston, Texas, ZZ Top got its start in 1969 after Gibbons’ old group, Moving Sidewalks, disbanded. What made him stand out was his bluesy guitar-playing technique. It was enough to put him in the record books as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Meanwhile, Beard and Hill became the masters of rhythm.
ZZ Top made a name for itself with witty lyrics, lively concert performances, and the matching appearances sported by Gibbons and Hill. Aside from the beards, both men consistently donned hats and sunglasses in order to complete the look. However, this wasn’t the men’s first image when they first gained fame as a rock band from Houston. This was a style that would develop about a decade later.
As soon as ZZ Top was assembled as a trio act, the men signed up with London Records and had ZZ Top’s First Album released in 1971. This was followed by 1973’s Tres Hombres and 1975’s Fandango! albums. It would be from the latest of these three recordings that featured two classic rock hits, “La Grange” and “Tush.” “La Grange” went on to become BPI-certified silver, despite the fact it never made an appearance on the UK Singles Chart. When the trio embarked on its 1976 Worldwide Texas Tour, it was met with great success as both the fans and the critics were in agreement this was a world-class act. It also marked the year Tejas would be released as the trio’s fifth studio album. Once the tour was over, ZZ Top took a bit of a breather.
Their break came at a time before Gibbons and Hill began to gear up as this familiar image didn’t come into play until 1979. This was the year when ZZ Top made its return with a new look and new musical style. 1981’s El Loco would become the first recording to show off the fusion of drum machines and synthesizers into this three-man act. After 1983’s Eliminator and 1985’s Afterburner were released as recordings, the addition of new musical styles threw ZZ Top at the peak of its career as a recording artist.
Iconic songs and music videos of “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” and “Legs” came from these albums and it turned ZZ Top into so much more than just radio superheroes. These men became music video icons that heavily influenced pop culture as the world knew it. While “Gimme All Your Lovin'” and “Sharp Dressed Man” became BPI-certified silver, just like “La Grange” did, “Legs” earned an MTV Video Music Award win for Best Group Video. “Sharp Dressed Man” was recognized by MTV for Best Direction while “Rough Boy” won Best Art Direction.
1983’s Eliminator became ZZ Top’s best-selling album as it achieved diamond status with the RIAA after selling over ten million copies in the US nation alone. It also achieved diamond certification in Canada after selling over one million copies there. In Australia and the UK, it became platinum four times over, and in France twice. It also became platinum in Finland. Right behind it was 1985’s Afterburner. This became the trio’s second best-selling album, sitting right behind Eliminator as it achieved multi-platinum status in the US, Australia, and Germany. “Rough Boy” was the award-winning single from this album with the MTV Video Music Awards.
In 1990, Recycler was released as ZZ Top’s tenth studio album as the group continued to toy with new musical ideas. It also met with success as it became certified platinum in Canada, Finland, Germany, Switzerland, the UK, and in the US. This was followed by 1994’s Antenna, and it would also become certified platinum with the US’s RIAA. 1996’s Rhythmeen, 1999’s XXX, and 2003’s Mescalero. After these, it was 2012’s La Futura before 2019’s Goin’ 50 was released to commemorate ZZ Top’s fifty years as one of the world’s most iconic rock groups of all time. Although the trio lost Dusty Hill in 2021 as he passed away, ZZ Top continues to rock on as Elwood Francis has stepped in to keep the band running.
Francis was a guitar tech who had been working closely with ZZ Top for many years before he stepped up to keep the ZZ Top going as a trio act. With or without Hill present, the legacy of ZZ Top is nothing short of legendary. The group released fifteen studio albums that collectively sold over fifty million copies worldwide. In 2004, Beard, Gibbons, and Hill were inducted as ZZ Top into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Ten years before this, the trio was inducted into Hollywood’s RockWalk. With the Texas House of Representatives, all three members of ZZ Top’s core lineup were awarded Official Heroes for the State of Texas in 1991.
#5 – Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
Fans of the late Stevie Ray Vaughan fondly remember this Dallas-born-and-raised Texan as one of the finest blues rock musicians who ever lived. Whether as a solo act or with Double Trouble, the impact the man had made as a musician was a legendary one, to say the least. Unfortunately, he only had seven years to pull it off but in that short time frame, he established himself as one of the greatest guitarists of all time.
Fans of Stevie Ray Vaughan are likely to remember him as the younger brother of another legendary guitarist, Jimmie Vaughan. It was older brother Jimmie who inspired younger brother Stevie to pick up the guitar and learn the instrument while he was still just a kid. At sixteen years old, Stevie dropped out of high school and moved to Austin so he could start fulfilling his dream as a musician. He started out playing gigs on the club circuit that would lead him to drummer Chris Layton and bass guitarist Tommy Shannon. This was the infamous Double Trouble team that would join forces with Stevie Ray Vaughan as a trio act in 1978.
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble became one of the most popular acts in Texas that would capture the attention of David Bowie at the 1982 Montreux Jazz Festival. After Bowie and Vaughan made contact, it was Vaughan’s bluesy guitar performance featured on Bowie’s best-selling album, Let’s Dance. That 1983 release served as a sign of great things to come for Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble. After this, John Hammond and Epic Records had the trio signed up which would lead to the trio’s debut album, Texas Flood.
Between the promotional concert tour following it and the favorable reviews by critics and fans alike, Vaughan and his bandmates were pegged as leading figures for the bluesy rock revival that took place in the 1980s. As a guitarist, Vaughan learned how to perform the way his own guitar hero, Jimi Hendrix, did. Vaughan wound up becoming a guitar hero for upcoming greats such as Robert Cray, Robben Ford, Jeff Healey, and Walter Trout, just to name a few.
Although success seemed to come easily enough for Vaughan, it was the management of fame and fortune that served as his nemesis. Between alcoholism and substance abuse, Vaughan underwent rehab treatment in an effort to put his personal and professional lives back in order. He accomplished this in time to go on tour with Double Trouble in 1986. Together, they recorded In Step in 1989 and it became one of Vaughan’s best. It was also his last.
“Crossfire” was a number one hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 and it shot Vaughan’s popularity through the roof as 1989 made way for 1990. Up until August 27, 1990, Vaughan was on top of the world as one of the most popular artists in the music industry. Unfortunately, he and four other people perished in a helicopter crash in East Troy, Wisconsin. This occurred after he performed at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre with Double Trouble. After learning the crash was caused by pilot error, a wrongful death suit was filed by Vaughan’s family against Omniflight Helicopters. It was a case that was settled out of court.
Vaughan’s legacy continues to live on as his music continues to influence and inspire so many people around the world. With over fifteen million albums sold in the United States alone, Vaughan rightfully earned his place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, along with Double Trouble’s Chris Layton, Tommy Shannon, and Reese Wynans.
#4 – Cream
Before Cream, it was the Yardbirds where Eric Clapton established himself as one of Britain’s finest blues guitarists. He was also with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. It would be in 1966 that he would meet with Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce who shared the same desire to find a musical direction that best suited them. This resulted in the desire to form a band together. It wasn’t an easy union as Baker and Bruce already had a few clashes but it was the hope the formation of a new band in a new environment would help ease the tension that already existed between them.
As for the band’s name, it came from “cream of the crop” among British musicians who were capitalizing on the explosive popularity of blues and jazz. Baker, Bruce, and Clapton were among the elite few who mastered the art of blues and jazz music, and the trio was supposed to be referred to as Cream. However, sometimes the band’s name was called “The Cream” instead.
In July 1966, Cream made its debut with a collection of new and original songs, as well as reworked blues. In October of the same year, the trio met with Jimi Hendrix and had a jam session with him while he was in London, England. Hendrix was a fan of Clapton and sought the opportunity to play with him onstage. Originally as a trio act, Jack Bruce was the lead vocalist as Eric Clapton wasn’t nearly as confident about his singing abilities at the time. Although he did perform as lead singer for some of Cream’s songs, he seemed content as the trio’s guitarist. Ginger Baker served as the drummer while Jack Bruce mostly handled the lead and bass guitar. He was also the primary songwriter but it was usually a collaborative effort by all three members to put the songs together.
While Cream was only together as a trio act for three years, the men produced four studio albums. The recording debut came from 1966’s Fresh Cream and it was followed by 1967’s Disraeli Gears. Starting with the trio’s second album production, Felix Pappalardi joined in. The multi-instrumentalist’s contribution added more flair to Cream’s musical style that featured the influence of psychedelia and rock. This became especially evident with 1968’s Wheels of Fire as it was the first to become certified platinum. This occurred in the US with RIAA and in Australia with ARIA. In the UK, the album was BPI-certified silver. Fresh Cream became certified gold with ARIA, BPI, and RIAA while Disraeli Gears did the same in the UK. It did manage to achieve platinum status with Australia and the US, but only after Wheels of Fire did it first. What made Cream’s third album so popular was its two hit singles, “Sunshine of Your Love” and “White Room.”
Although Cream seemed to be on top of the world after three internationally successful albums, tensions between Baker and Bruce never did calm down and it became the catalyst behind the May 1968 breakup. They were, along with Clapton, persuaded to produce one final album. In 1969, Goodbye was released which became platinum in the UK and gold in Australia and the United States. Upon completion of the album, the trio performed two farewell concerts that were filmed and shown in theaters. In 1977, the home video version of this was released as Farewell Concert. Although Cream was short-lived as a band, the impression it made was enough to become inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. Cream still sits as the “cream of the crop” when it comes to recognizing the greatest rock bands of all time.
#3 – Jimi Hendrix Experience
Already on his own, Jimi Hendrix is a legend. However, before he became one of the greatest guitarists ever to grace the music industry, he struggled to earn the recognition he deserved at first. In 1966, he was barely able to make a living while performing R&B music so he teamed up with Curtis Knight and the Squires to perform at the Cheetah Club in New York City. While there, he was discovered by Linda Keith. At the time, she was the girlfriend of guitarist Keith Richards of Rolling Stones fame.
After Hendrix and Mrs. Keith met, the two became friends and this would pave the way for Hendrix to become the superstar the world knows today. This was a meeting that eventually led to Chas Chandler who was leaving his band, the Animals as he expressed interest in managing and producing recording artists. After the two met, Chandler brought Hendrix to London, England in September 1966. Once Hendrix reached London, Chandler first recruited Noel Redding and then Mitch Mitchell to team up with Hendrix to form the Jimi Hendrix Experience. It was actually during this time Jimmy Hendrix changed his first name to Jimi at Chandler’s suggestion as it seemed more exotic.
While in London, Hendrix met Eric Clapton as the British guitarist was about to take the stage with his Cream bandmates to perform. Hendrix was a fan of Clapton’s so the opportunity to jam with him was too tempting to pass up. By the time the session was over, Clapton became a fan of Hendrix’s as well. Before 1966 was over, the Jimi Hendrix Experience was well on the way to achieving global stardom as a world-class trio act. The managers of the Who at the time, Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp, signed the trio to their brand new label, Track Records.
“Hey Joe” was the first recording the Jimi Hendrix Experience produced, which was followed by “Stone Free.” “Stone Free” was Hendrix’s first songwriting attempt on British soil. While the Jimi Hendrix Experience was technically a trio act, Hendrix stood out head over shoulders with his unique brand of guitar playing and stage performance. The momentum of the Jimi Hendrix Experience continued to grow as the trio continually came up with new ways to stun the crowd. One such incident was Hendrix setting his guitar on fire at the end of one concert performance that had the media label him as “Black Elvis” and “Wild Man of Borneo.”
As soon as the popularity of the Jimi Hendrix Experience was at its peak in the UK and the rest of Europe, the trio released Are You Experienced as an album that included “Red House” and “Remember” as part of a tracklist that featured a variety of different musical styles. “Third Stone from the Sun” was another highlight, as was the title track. “I Don’t Live Today” featured Hendrix his guitar feedback improv performance while “Fire” highlighted Mitchell’s dominance as a drummer.
“Hey Joe” was immensely popular across Europe but failed to make an impression in the US until the Beatles’ Paul McCartney made a suggestion to have the Jimi Hendrix Experience perform at the 1967 edition of the Monterey Pop Festival. 1967 became the trio’s big year that would launch Hendrix, Mitchell, and Redding into stardom among the North American fan base. Between the trio’s performances and Are You Experienced, the Jimi Hendrix Experience brought the music industry to a whole new level that many agree changed everything.
Released in 1967, Axis: Bold as Love was the second studio album the Jimi Hendrix Experience released. This one featured musical experimentation that highlighted Hendrix’s fondness for science fiction. This was a recording that almost became a delayed release as Hendrix somehow lost the master tape of one side of the album. He, along with Chandler and an engineer named Eddie Kramper, remixed what they could but it was agreed it didn’t match the quality of what was lost, especially for the song “If 6 was 9.”
Nevertheless, the song met with critical and fan approval even though Hendrix felt it could have been better if more time had been allowed to bring it to a quality level he preferred. This was Hendrix’s trademark as he was a perfectionist when it came to music. Quite often, this frustrated music executives, including Chandler, but it was Hendrix’s strive for perfectionism that made the Jimi Hendrix Experience so great.
After this, it was the 1968 release of Electric Ladyland. The recording began just before the Christmas season of 1967 and it was during this time Chandler’s frustration with Hendrix’s perfectionism met its peak. It didn’t help that it felt too chaotic for Chandler as Hendrix invited several guest musicians to team up with him, Mitchell, and Redding. It was this recording that featured the iconic “Voodoo Chile,” “All Along the Watchtower,” “and “Burning of the Midnight Lamp.” These became some of Hendrix’s signature songs as part of what fans and critics agreed was a musical masterpiece. Electric Ladyland has become legendary as one of the greatest rock albums of all time. This was made possible by the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Starting in 1969, Hendrix moved back to London and later recorded “Voodoo Child” and it became a hit after he performed it on BBC’s Happening for Lulu. Although the Jimi Hendrix Experience established itself as the “it” trio act, Hendrix’s perfectionism and unpredictability rubbed Noel Redding the wrong way. Furthermore, Mitchell and Redding may have been bandmates but they were definitely not friends. The two tolerated each other, at best, so as tensions continued to mount, it was clear the days of the Jimi Hendrix Experience were numbered. As soon as Redding had enough and parted ways from Hendrix and Mitchell, the Jimi Hendrix Experience the world knew and loved as a trio act was officially over.
Even though Redding was replaced by Billy Cox, it was short-lived as the final performance the Jimi Hendrix Experience did was at the Denver Pop Festival on June 29, 1969. This was an event that encountered a clash between the audience and the police where Hendrix and his bandmates were barely able to flee from the scene unscathed. After this, Jimi Hendrix ventured on his own as a solo artist which would lead to his iconic performance at the August 1969 Woodstock Festival.
#2 – Emerson, Lake & Palmer
It started in 1969 when the Nice’s Keith Emerson, King Crimson’s Greg Lake, and Atomic Rooster’s Carl Palmer teamed up as a trio to form Emerson, Lake & Palmer. This was a progressive rock supergroup hailing from England that produced nine albums that became RIAA-certified gold in the US. Overall, almost fifty million records were sold worldwide, making this trio one of the most popular and successful progressive rock groups that dominated the 1970s.
The style of music Emerson, Lake & Palmer were known for fused together classical, jazz, and rock sounds that relied heavily on Emerson’s talent with organs, pianos, and synthesizers. Not long after these three formed as a trio, the men became popular after their performance at the August 1970 Isle of Wight Festival.
This led to the recording and release of 1970’s Emerson, Lake & Palmer as an album, then 1971’s Tarkus. Both of them were highly successful in the UK, as were 1971’s Pictures at an Exhibition, 1972’s Trilogy, and 1973’s Brain Salad Surgery. After the success of these recordings, Emerson, Lake, and Palmer took a three-year break before releasing two albums in 1977. The first was Works Volume 1 and the second was Works Volume 2. After this, 1978’s Love Beach was the trio’s final album before deciding to disband in 1979.
Although there was a partial reunion in 1980, it wasn’t the same as Palmer was out and Cozy Powell took his place to form Emerson, Lake & Powell. The lineup would change again when Palmer returned and Robert Berry replaced Greg Lake. It wouldn’t be until 1991 that the original trio of Emerson, Lake & Palmer would resurrect again. This led to two more studio albums, 1992’s Black Moon and 1994’s In the Hot Seat. Between 1992 and 1998, the trio occasionally toured together, then again for one last time in 2010 at the High Voltage Festival in London as Emerson, Lake & Palmer celebrated its fortieth anniversary as a band. In 2016, Emerson and Lake passed away, leaving Palmer the last man standing.
What made Emerson, Lake & Palmer stand out was the embracing of several musical styles that consistently worked in their favor. Much of the music included rock-style versions of classical numbers such as “The Barbarian” and “Blue Rondo ala Turk.” There were also reworked covers such as Nice’s “Nut Rocker” and Lake’s “Take a Pebble.” The trio’s debut album featured the acoustic ballad “Lucky Man,” a song Lake wrote when he was twelve years old. This became a number eighteen hit on the UK Singles Chart and a number forty-eight hit on the US Billboard Hot 100.
After this, Tarkus was released as an album and was the top seller in the UK while peaking as high as number nine on the US Billboard 200. It would be Pictures at an Exhibition, the trio’s second album to be released in 1971, that would feature “Nut Rocker.” At first, Atlantic Records refused to release the recording in the United States as it thought it wouldn’t appeal to its audience. As it turned out, they were wrong. It became popular enough to peak as high as number ten on its album chart.
After Trilogy was released in 1972, Emerson, Lake & Palmer became even more popular at an international level. “From the Beginning” was an acoustic ballad that featured an extended synthesizer solo. On the US Billboard Hot 100, it became a number thirty-nine hit. Since its release, this song has been regarded as a classic favorite. In 1973, Brain Salad Surgery offered “Jerusalem” as a song that made good use of a prototype polyphonic synthesizer.
This was also the album that featured “Karn Evil 9,” a song that lasted twenty-nine minutes long. This album was among the seven studio recordings between 1970 and 1978 that at least became certified gold with the RIAA in the United States. In the UK, Trilogy also became gold, as did the trio’s debut album, Tarkus, Trilogy, and Works Volume 1. Emerson, Lake & Palmer were among the elite recording artists who shaped the course of rock and roll music clean through the 1970s and into the 1980s. The trio’s influence continues to make its mark today as musicians draw on the variety of musical styles the men used as sources of inspiration for their material.
#1 – Rush
In 1968, Alex Lifeson originally teamed up with drummer John Rutsey and bass guitarist Jeff Jones. Jones was immediately replaced by Geddy Lee, who was also a vocalist like he was. In 1974, Neil Peart replaced Rutsey four months after Rush released its debut album. With Peart on board, this became a three-man powerhouse that would take the world by storm with its brand of rock music.
Rush officially got its start in Toronto, Ontario, but didn’t achieve commercial success until 1975’s Fly by Night. This came about after Peart joined the lineup and became the trio’s primary songwriter. What 1975 did was mark the beginning of a new era as Rush shifted its focus from writing singles to progressive rock albums. Prior to Peart’s arrival, Rush dabbled in bluesy hard rock before taking a leap of faith into musical territory that seemed unheard of at the time.
After 1975, it was 1976’s 2112, then 1977’s A Farewell to Kings, and 1978’s Hemispheres. One after the other, these albums produced some of the best rock music that would influence the course of music history as the world knew it. These albums were recorded right behind the other with next to no break time in between. Rush wasn’t just a band name but the pace Lee, Lifeson, and Peart kept until the trio realized they needed to slow down a bit. This didn’t hurt the trio’s global popularity one bit as fans were too busy enjoying 2112, A Farewell to Kings, and Hemispheres.
In 1980, Rush was back at it again, first with Permanent Waves. This was followed by 1981’s Moving Pictures. After these two, it was 1982’s Signals and 1984’s Grace Under Pressure. Clean through the 1980s, Rush simply kept rocking with one fantastic album after another. Upon going into the 1990s, the momentum continued. Up until 1993’s Counterparts, Rush consistently recorded and released albums that became certified platinum with Music Canada. Going into 1994, Rush was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. In 2013, the trio would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Up until the end of 2015, Rush maintained a busy schedule between recording and touring. It was announced in 2018 that Rush’s run was done. On January 7, 2020, Neil Peart’s battle with brain cancer claimed his life at the age of sixty-seven years old. Without Peart’s charisma and influence, Rush was no longer the same. However, the legacy continues in the music this amazing trio brought forth to a fan base that can never seem to get enough of Rush .
The brand of music these three men blessed the world with were musical compositions that were complex and weren’t afraid to explore new territories. Much of the musical influence that inspired Rush, especially Peart as a songwriter, came from the genres of fantasy and science fiction. These musicians also excelled at dabbling into social issues without becoming too political about them.
Of the nineteen studio albums Rush recorded and released, fourteen of them became certified platinum. There were also three multi-platinum albums, namely for 2112, Moving Pictures, as well as the compilation album, Chronicles. That one was released in 1990. Overall, Rush released eleven live albums and eleven compilation albums. With the Juno Awards (Canada’s equivalent to the Grammies), Rush won its first award in 1975 as Most Promising Group of the Year.
In 1978 and 1979, it was for Group of the Year. In 1990, Rush was awarded Artist of the Decade. In 1991, Rush was awarded Best Hard Rock/Metal Album for Presto. Keeping the hard rock momentum going, Rush’s Roll the Bones won a 1992 Juno for Hard Rock Album of the Year. After this, three more Junos were added to Rush’s collection, first with 2004’s Music DVD of the Year for Rush in Rio. This would be an award the trio earned again in 2011 for Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage. Then in 2012, Rush’s nineteenth and final studio album, Clockwork Angels, won Rock Album of the Year.
There are few trio acts, let alone bands with a larger membership roster, that have achieved the kind of legacy Rush has. For five decades, Rush has entertained fans and influenced new rockers to follow in their footsteps. This was a team of three men who performed music according to how they saw fit, regardless if the music industry bigwigs cared for it or not. Rush served as an inspiration for new musicians to explore music according to what they feel works for them instead of always trying to please commercial expectations. It was a formula that worked for Rush very well as these three men were visionaries who excelled at expressing themselves with one incredible album after another.
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Top 10 Classic Rock Trios Of All Time article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2024
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