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How many predictions have there been about the demise of rock music? Every time a rock and roll music legend dies by murder, suicide or an infamous drug overdose, rock music limps1) while fans grieve and predict the end of it all. The truth is that rock and roll can’t die.
人们曾多少次预言摇滚音乐终将灰飞烟灭？每当有摇滚乐传奇人物死于谋杀、自杀抑或是人所不齿的过量吸毒时，摇滚乐便陷入停滞不前的低迷困境，而摇滚乐迷们亦伤心不已，料想摇滚乐不日将走到尽头。但事实证明，摇滚乐是不会覆灭的。
Rock and roll has been revived and has survived by young rock bands and a reissuing and resampling of the old. Ever wondered why old rock bands still have compilations of their greatest works and their CDs on your local music stand2)? Rock music aficionados3) know the importance of having massive music collections that showcase the most influential bands of all time.
摇滚乐得以振兴并幸存至今，得益于年轻一代摇滚乐队的努力以及经典摇滚老歌的重新发行和人们对这些歌曲的重新体验。你是否曾感到奇怪，为何老一辈摇滚乐队的经典专辑和CD还会在你们当地的唱片店里出现？那是因为摇滚乐“发烧友”们深知，海量收藏那些能够展示史上最具影响力乐队风采的音乐作品有着举足轻重的意义。
It’s tough to put together a top ten list of the most amazing rock bands of all time, but arrange and rearrange the following and you still have the best of the best. Our top ten pick of the most amazing rock bands of all time are as follows:
若要选出有史以来最为传奇的十大摇滚乐队，可不是件容易的事。不过，对于以下列出的这些乐队，无论你怎样安排以及重排它们的名次，你得到的都是王者中的王者。下面就是我们遴选出的十大最为传奇的摇滚乐队。
The Beatles
披头士乐队
You can’t say “rock music”, or just “music” for that matter without remembering the Beatles. They are, without a doubt, the most influential and one of the best bands to have ever walked this earth. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr are some of the most revered rock legends today.
抛开披头士乐队，关于“摇滚音乐”乃至“音乐”本身的一切都无从谈起。毋庸置疑，披头士乐队是迄今为止全球最有影响力的乐队，也是最出色的乐队之一。约翰·列侬、保罗·麦卡特尼、乔治·哈里森和林戈·斯塔尔这些摇滚传奇人物直至今天仍然备受尊崇。
These British lads led the “British Invasion” and caused Beatlemania in different countries around the world. They wrote brilliant songs that ranged from pop to rock, experimenting along the way. To this day, they are still credited for their massive influence on musicians that came after them.
这些英国青年引领了“英国(音乐文化)入侵”的浪潮，在全世界多个国家引发了“披头士狂热”。他们谱写的歌曲卓尔不群，曲风从流行到摇滚无所不包，在音乐之路上不断尝试和探索。直到今天，他们依然因其带给后辈音乐人的巨大影响而备受称赞。
Led Zeppelin
齐柏林飞艇乐队
Led Zeppelin is the epitome of rock and roll. Their main career lasted for just over ten years, from 1969 to 1979; however, during that period, they were known as the most popular rock band in the world.
齐柏林飞艇乐队堪称摇滚音乐之典范。他们音乐生涯的重要时期也不过十来年(1969~1979)；然而，他们却是这一时期全球最受欢迎的摇滚乐队。
They sold more than 200 million records worldwide. Today, the band continues to captivate the hearts and minds of rockers with their rock-ladened interpretation of folk-rock and blues-rock with an infusion of rockabilly, soul, reggae4), jazz, funk5), pop and other music genres.
他们在全球的唱片销售量超过两亿张。这支乐队将山区乡村摇滚、灵歌、雷盖、爵士、乡土、流行音乐以及其他音乐流派兼收并蓄，融进自己的音乐中，用充满摇滚意味的方式对民谣摇滚和布鲁斯摇滚予以了阐释。正因为如此，这支乐队直至今天仍然令摇滚乐迷心动神迷。
Although the band’s music is heavy on guitars, there’s no denying the impact created by Robert Plant’s unique and powerful vocals. Jimmy Page weaves magic with his wailing guitar solos, while John Paul Jones creates heart-pounding music with his bass and excellent keyboard skills. Their drummer John Bonham was surely one magnificent sight as he blisteringly6) pounded through the music with his fast and skillful drumming.
尽管该乐队倚重吉他演奏的音乐体现出重金属音乐的高亢激昂，但罗伯特·普兰特那独树一帜、力道十足的演唱所产生的冲击力同样不容否认。吉米·佩吉如泣如诉般的吉他独奏出神入化，而约翰·保罗·琼斯用贝斯和卓越的键盘技巧打造出的音乐动人心魄。乐队鼓手约翰·伯纳姆击鼓之时手法迅疾、技巧娴熟，他的鼓声如迅雷般重击而下，贯穿音乐始终，这无疑让他成为乐队中一道壮观炫目的风景。
The Rolling Stones
滚石乐队
To be honest, it was actually a toss between Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones for second place. The Rolling Stones have, without a doubt, earned the title of “The World’s Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Band”. Their rise to popularity came after the Beatles said “adieu7)” to their band career and decided to work on solo projects.
说实话，齐柏林飞艇乐队和滚石乐队究竟谁该排在第二位，让人很是左右为难。毫无疑问，滚石乐队是当之无愧的“全世界最伟大的摇滚乐队”。在披头士们分道扬镳、各奔前程之后，滚石乐队一跃成名。
To this day, The Rolling Stones continue to entertain and speed up the beating hearts of old and young audiences as the legendary band performs their unique combo of rhythm-and-blues-infused rock music.
时至今日，人们无论年纪大小，一听到这一传奇乐队演奏的融合了节奏布鲁斯风格的独特摇滚乐曲，依然能感到愉悦无比、兴奋异常。
The Rolling Stones was formed in 1962 and has been playing ever since. Although they started out covering some R&B and American blues songs, they quickly established themselves as a formidable8) rock act with the release of their massive hit single (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.
滚石乐队成立于1962年，至今依然活跃于音乐舞台之上。刚出道那会儿，他们演唱过一些节奏布鲁斯和美国蓝调歌曲，但随着他们的单曲《(我不)满意》一炮打响，他们开始以摇滚形象示人，并迅速在摇滚乐坛确立了难以撼动的地位。
Queen
皇后乐队
One of the most diverse and highly talented bands ever, Queen lands in the well-deserved number four position. Freddie Mercury’s voice is just absolutely unforgettable, and who could dispute the incendiary quality of Brian May’s solos and riffs9)?
作为迄今为止最具多样风格且极富天分的乐队之一，皇后乐队排在榜单第四名，当属实至名归。弗雷迪·墨丘利的声音绝对让人永生难忘，而谁又能质疑布莱恩·梅的独奏和即兴重复段演奏那极具煽动性的感染力？
Their most popular song may be the smash hit Bohemian Rhapsody10), with its opera-rock-classical fusion, but their other songs mark their versatility as a rock band. You can also check out their diversity and their musical creativity with the intense and highly melodic vocal harmonies, the audience participation in live performances and their multi-layered arrangements11).
在他们的歌曲中，人们最喜欢的可能要数集歌剧、摇滚和古典于一体的《波希米亚狂想曲》了，这首歌在当时风靡一时。不过，他们的其他歌曲表明，作为一支摇滚乐队，他们是多才多艺的。无论是从他们那情感热烈、旋律动人的和声中，还是从他们现场演出时观众的参与热情上，抑或是从他们层层铺垫的编曲里，你同样可以看到他们在音乐上的不拘一格和创造精神。
The Ramones
雷蒙斯乐队
The first American band on the list, the Ramones are credited for being the first punk rock group. This American punk band has amazing energy, humor, attitude and fantastic noise to share as evidenced by their outstanding music and highly memorable songs. They helped breathe new life to rock and roll right when it was needed during the 1970s.
作为首支跻身十强的美国乐队，雷蒙斯乐队堪称最早树起朋克大旗的摇滚乐团。这支美国朋克乐队所展现的活力、诙谐和风姿令人叫绝，其喧嚣的噪音妙不可言，一如他们那些无出其右的音乐和令人萦怀的歌曲所表现的那样。在20世纪70年代，他们总能顺时而动，为摇滚音乐注入新的活力。
Their punk style has been copied by various younger bands in the past decades, which gives this band a well-deserved fifth place.
过去数十年来，形形色色的年轻乐队纷纷效仿他们的朋克风格，如此看来，这支乐队在榜单中位居第五，实乃理所应当。
Pink Floyd
平克·弗洛伊德乐队
Pink Floyd is, without the slightest doubt, one of the most experimental and eccentric bands in this list. This English rock band is highly recognized for its cinematic sound and unique psychedelic12) rock music. As the years went by, Pink Floyd’s sound became more progressive13) than psychedelic, earning them praise from various music critics during their time.
在这一榜单中，平克·弗洛伊德无疑是开拓创新和离经叛道精神均臻极致的乐队之一。这支英国摇滚乐队凭借其极具影院效果的歌声和独特的迷幻摇滚音乐而受到听众的高度认可。随着岁月的流逝，平克·弗洛伊德的歌声逐渐由迷幻走向前卫，也由此赢得了当时许多音乐批评家的称赞。
Each of their songs has highly philosophical and almost poetic lyrics. The cover art for their albums was innovative and artistic, and their live shows were known to be amazing and elaborate. Their sonic experimentation has also earned them the label of one of the greatest rock bands during the peak of their music career.
他们每一首歌曲的歌词都富含哲理，有着近乎诗歌般的意味。他们专辑的封面设计匠心独具，充满浓厚的艺术气息。他们的现场演唱会堪称无与伦比，精妙绝伦。在其音乐生涯的巅峰时期，他们因在声音方面的大胆尝试而被看成是最杰出的摇滚乐队之一。
They’ve sold around 74.5 million albums in the US alone, and were a huge success in the London underground music scene during the late 1960s. Their music has influenced great rock artists like Genesis14), Yes15), David Bowie16), Radiohead17), Tool18) and Dream Theater19).
他们的专辑仅在美国就创出了约7450万张的销量。在20世纪60年代末期，他们曾一度叱咤伦敦地下乐坛。他们的音乐影响了诸多杰出的摇滚艺术家，其中包括大卫·博维、创世纪乐队、Yes乐队、电台司令乐队、工具乐队和梦剧场乐队。
The Doors
大门乐队
If there’s one thing that should be remembered about this amazing band, it’s that they had a sound that was all their own. They infused jazz and blues with rock to create their own unique rock and roll sound.
对于这支神奇的乐队，人们最应该铭记在心的就是他们那特有的歌声。他们将爵士乐和布鲁斯音乐与摇滚合而为一，造就了别具一格的摇滚音乐。
You probably remember The Doors as Jim Morrison’s band, but aside from his powerful and strangely hypnotic20) vocals, another interesting fact about the band is that all the other members were talented enough to create excellent music sans bass guitar.
在你的印象中，大门乐队或许就是吉姆·莫里森的乐队，他的音质铿锵有力，给人一种奇异的引人入迷的感觉。不过，除此之外，这支乐队还有一点值得关注，那就是乐队其他成员个个都有十足的天分，没有低音吉他照样可以创作出美妙绝伦的音乐。
What they lacked on bass, they made up with great keyboards, drums and guitars. Since Morrison’s untimely death in 1971, the band has sold more than 76 million albums worldwide.
他们利用出色的键盘操作、击鼓和吉他弹奏技巧弥补了低音缺憾。自1971年莫里森英年早逝以来，这支乐队的全球唱片销量已逾7600万张。
The Sex Pistols
性手枪
With lyrics like “I am an Antichrist! I am an anarchist!” the Sex Pistols scream “punk” loud and clear. They may not have been the first punk band in history, but they’re certainly one of the most popular punk rock bands to have walked this planet.
嘶吼着“我是无政府主义者！我是无政府主义者！”这样的歌词，性手枪乐队用高亢而清晰的尖叫般的演唱诠释着“朋克之风”。他们也许不是史上第一支朋克乐队，但他们无疑是全球最受青睐的朋克摇滚乐队之一。
The English punk band was formed in 1975. Originally, the members were Johnny Rotten (vocals), Paul Cook (drums), Steve Jones (guitars) and Glen Matlock (bass).
这支英国朋克乐队组建于1975年，最初的成员包括约翰尼·罗登(主唱)、保罗·库克(鼓手)、史蒂夫·琼斯(吉他手)和格伦·马特洛克(贝司手)。
The band may have lasted for a mere three years, but their music has no doubt initiated and influenced the punk movement in the United Kingdom.
这支乐队大概仅仅维持了三年时间，但他们的音乐无疑开创了英国朋克运动的先河，并对其产生了深远影响。
U2
U2乐队
Aside from their unique sound, what makes this band absolutely worthy of being called one of the greatest bands in history is their consistency in providing the world with rockin’ great sound.
这支乐队绝对称得上是有史以来最杰出的乐队之一，之所以这么说，除了因为他们那独具特色的声音外，还在于他们能够一以贯之地为全世界奉上出色的摇滚音乐。
U2 was formed in 1976, in Dublin, Ireland. The members were, and still are, Bono (vocals and guitar), Adam Clayton (bass), The Edge (guitar, vocals and keyboards) and Larry Mullen Jr. (percussion21)/drums). They are considered one of the most popular rock bands in the world, having sold over 170 million albums and winning a whopping22) total of 22 Grammy Awards in the process.
U2乐队于1976年在爱尔兰的都柏林成立，当时的成员波诺(主唱兼吉他手)、亚当·克莱顿(贝斯手)、“刀刃”(原名戴维·埃文斯，吉他手、主唱兼键盘手)和小拉里·穆伦(打击乐/鼓手)至今仍在一起。他们被认为是全球最受欢迎的摇滚乐队之一，迄今专辑销量已超过1.7亿张，曾先后22次斩获格莱美奖。
The band still continues to produce great music for their millions upon millions of fans around the world.
直至今日，这支乐队还在不断地向全世界广大歌迷奉献音乐杰作。
Nirvana
涅乐队
You can’t think of grunge23) without remembering Nirvana. This American rock band shot to fame with their raw and catchy single Smells Like Teen Spirit. Kurt Cobain, the talented and doomed vocalist of Nirvana, started the band with Krist Novoselic. Although they had a string of drummers, the drummer that stayed with the band longest was Dave Grohl, now the front man24) of another super rock band, the Foo Fighters.
说到垃圾摇滚，就不能不提涅槃乐队。这支美国摇滚乐队当年凭借一首略显稚嫩但朗朗上口的单曲《少年心气》一举成名。涅槃乐队是由他们那位才华横溢、命中注定的主唱柯特·科本与奎斯·诺沃瑟里克一起创立的。他们曾频频更换鼓手，其中与乐队共事最久的鼓手是戴夫·格罗尔，他现在在另一支超级摇滚乐队——喷火战机乐队担任主唱。
The band had a very short but extremely successful run in the music industry, producing hit after hit and penetrating the mainstream to introduce the grunge sound. Cobain, who was unable to come to terms25) with the pressure brought by the fame, committed suicide in April 1994. Even today, Nirvana’s music is still played by hundreds of radio stations around the world, proving that beyond Cobain’s death, Nirvana’s music lives on.
涅槃乐队曾经一度蜚声乐坛，不但接二连三地推出轰动一时的作品，而且成功引领“垃圾摇滚”渗入主流乐坛。然而，这支乐队终归是昙花一现。1994年4月，科本因不堪忍受成名带来的压力自杀身亡。时至今日，全世界许许多多的广播电台仍然在播放涅槃乐队的音乐，这也表明：虽然科本已逝，但涅槃音乐依然不朽。
1. limp [lɪmp] vi. 进展缓慢，停滞不前
2. music stand：原意为“乐谱架”，在文中此处指“唱片店”或“CD专卖店”。
3. aficionado [əˌfɪʃiəˈnɑːdəʊ] n. 狂热爱好者
4. reggae [ˈreɡeɪ] n. 雷盖，源于牙买加的流行音乐，含有民间音乐、黑人布鲁斯音乐、摇滚乐的成分。
5. funk [fʌŋk] n. 乡土音乐，一种综合了爵士乐、布鲁斯歌曲和爵士灵歌特性的流行音乐
6. blisteringly [ˈblɪst(ə)rɪŋli] adv. 极快地
7. adieu [əˈdjuː] n. 再见，再会
8. formidable [ˈfɔː(r)mɪdəb(ə)l] adj. 强大的，不可思议的
9. riff [rɪf] n. [音]连复段，尤指即兴演奏中不断重复的句子
10. rhapsody [ræpsədi] n. 狂想曲
11. arrangement [əˈreɪndʒmənt] n. [音] (乐曲的)改编，改编曲
12. psychedelic [ˌsaɪkəˈdelɪk] adj. 起幻觉的，迷幻的
13. progressive [prəʊˈɡresɪv] adj. [音] (摇滚乐)前卫的
14. Genesis：创世纪乐队，英国20世纪70年代崛起的一支卓越的前卫摇滚乐队
15. Yes：Yes乐队，成立于1968年的前卫摇滚团体
16. David Bowie：大卫·博维，英国代表性的音乐家，有“摇滚音乐变色龙”之称。
17. Radiohead：电台司令乐队，一支来自英国牛津的摇滚乐队
18. Tool：工具乐队，成立于1990年的美国前卫摇滚乐队
19. Dream Theater：梦剧场乐队，成立于1985年的美国前卫金属乐团
20. hypnotic [hɪpˈnɒtɪk] adj. 催眠的
21. percussion [pə(r)ˈkʌʃ(ə)n] n. [音]打击乐器组
22. whopping [ˈwɒpɪŋ] adj. 巨大的，庞大的
23. grunge [ɡrʌndʒ] n. 垃圾摇滚或油渍摇滚，是一种隶属于独立摇滚的音乐流派，它由硬核朋克、重金属和独立音乐发展演变而来。
24. front man：主唱
25. come to terms：学会接受(困难或令人不快的事情)