Cort Freeman

Cort Freeman

Cort Freeman

Rock and roll, baby! (Photo by Getty Images)

Detroit is Rock City. Hey, that’s not simply my opinion. Just ask the guys in Kiss. I think it’s safe to assume they know a thing or two about rock and roll and can be considered experts. With Detroit being Rock City (sorry, Cleveland), are these really Michigan’s favorite rock bands?

You’d think it would be some of our many homegrown bands. Icons like Alice Cooper, Bob Seger, Jack White, Kid Rock, and more all are from Detroit. Certainly, our taste in rock leans local, right?

Alice Cooper

Alice Cooper on stage for the Freaks on Parade tour. (Photo Courtesy: Jason Anthony)

Michigan’s Favorite Rock Bands

According to a new report from BetMichigan.com, the answer is: no. That took me by surprise. I’ve long felt that we had a greater appreciation for all things Detroit and Michigan Made. Unfortunately, I’m wrong. As far as the Top 10 goes, there are no Detroit bands. That means no Seger, no Kid, no MC5. I Prevail? Nope. They didn’t make the list, either. What about Greta Van Fleet? They sold out Little Caesars Arena! Nope, not them, either.

So, if all of these local bands didn’t make the cut…who did? How did they create this list? Turns out, it’s legit. It’s not just the opinion of one author, or anything like that. Real data and analytics were involved, to my dismay.

How Did They Get The Data?

To find Michigan’s favorite rock band, BetMichigan.com utilized Parade’s Best Rock Bands Of All Time list to create a field of 100 rock bands. Then, they used Google Trends to determine what bands have been searched for the most over the past 12 months.

When all was said and done, here’s what they determined were the favorite rock bands in the state of Michigan. As I previously mentioned, that makes this based in science. It’s not opinion. However, I’d like to find a way to maybe bring social media into the equation, because I simply can’t agree with the results. Perhaps if we also examined social media mentions, follows, or likes we’d see more local bands, like I suspected. In the meantime, I accept the results. I don’t want to spoil anything but, if you’re expecting to see some local bands at the top…prepare to be disappointed.

Josh Kiszka and Jake Kiszka of Greta Van Fleet

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 16: (L-R) Josh Kiszka and Jake Kiszka of Greta Van Fleet perform onstage during Metallica Presents: “The Helping Hands Concert” at Microsoft Theater on December 16, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

The Top 10 List

  • 1. The Beatles

    Okay, I get why The Beatles would be number one. They’re largely considered the greatest band of all-time.

  • 2. Metallica

    They’re probably the biggest name in active rock right now. While they aren’t local, they do have two shows in November at Ford Field. That could definitely be driving the Google Trends.

  • 3. Fleetwood Mac

    They’re making a huge resurgence, thanks in large part to TikTok. A lot of younger people are probably Google’ing them now and learning more about them, which is great to see. I support this.

  • 4. Queen

    Not a surprise. I’m sure the movie is driving a fair amount of the Google searches, or at least helping. I’m still surprised there’s no Detroit bands so far.

  • 5. Blink-182

    Great to see! One of my favorite bands of all-time. They’re getting ready to drop a new album and it should be a gem.

  • 6. Bruce Springsteen

    Who doesn’t love Bruce? I can’t complain about him making the top ten. Still waiting on a Detroit band, though. However, I must say he has one of the best Christmas songs of all-time.

  • 7. David Bowie

    His music and legacy will live on forever. Still making the top ten list is a big statement given his passing roughly seven years ago. I enjoy his music, but I loved him in Extras with Ricky Gervais. One of the greatest cameos of all-time and worth checking out. Watch Ricky talk about the experience below.

  • 8. Pink Floyd

    I love Pink Floyd. They remain a timeless treasure. Note: still no Detroit bands.

  • 9. The Rolling Stones

    They remain as relevant as ever. I don’t know if I’m more surprised that they made the list or are only number 9?

  • 10. AC/DC

    AC/DC closes out the top ten list of Michigan’s favorite rock bands, according to BetMichigan.com.

    No Detroit bands made the top 10, as you just saw. Maybe it’s because we don’t need to Google them? We already know enough about our hometown heroes? I’ll go with that.

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