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 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.

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)