In an article on Salon.com, Peter Tork stated that the Monkees' songbook was perhaps the third greatest, after the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. I'd say Tork can be forgiven for feeling that way, but otherwise, I think the claim is laughable.
Just off the top of my head, I would consider The Doors, Creedence Clearwater, The Who, the Beach Boys, Jefferson Airplane, the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield/CSNY, and the Kinks to have written and performed a much better, and more important 'songbook' than the Monkees. And that's if you're limiting the list to just groups - otherwise you'd certainly have to include Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, and Aretha Franklin; among others. If you can include the 70s, there's Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, the Grateful Dead,and more.
Other opinions?
Just off the top of my head, I would consider The Doors, Creedence Clearwater, The Who, the Beach Boys, Jefferson Airplane, the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield/CSNY, and the Kinks to have written and performed a much better, and more important 'songbook' than the Monkees. And that's if you're limiting the list to just groups - otherwise you'd certainly have to include Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, and Aretha Franklin; among others. If you can include the 70s, there's Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, the Grateful Dead,and more.
Other opinions?
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