Name That Band: Classic Rock Edition

[B] The Black Crowes | Chris Robinson wrote this haunting acoustic ballad about a mysterious woman he met at an Atlanta nightclub.

[B] The Temptations | Smokey Robinson and Ronald White's masterpiece features David Ruffin's lead vocals over that immortal bassline everyone instantly recognizes.

[A] The Pretenders | Chrissie Hynde's jangly confession about romantic uncertainty perfectly captured mid-80s new wave sophistication with timeless pop sensibility.

[C] The Jackson 5 | Berry Gordy's educational bubblegum formula taught America's children spelling while Michael's voice taught them soul.

[C] The Monkees | Neil Diamond's composition became the prefab four's biggest hit, outselling the Beatles during 1967's psychedelic revolution.

[D] The Doobie Brothers | Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins co-wrote this yacht rock pinnacle about delusional romantic nostalgia and self-deception.

[C] The Cranberries | Dolores O'Riordan combined her distinctive yodeling technique with lush strings, creating Ireland's most successful international breakthrough of the 90s.

[C] The Who | Pete Townshend wrote this Tommy highlight specifically to impress influential rock critic Nik Cohn, who loved pinball machines.

[D] The Kinks | Ray Davies nostalgically recalled his sister's courtship at local dance halls before suburbanization changed British social life forever.

[D] The Go-Go's | Charlotte Caffey's surf-punk drumbeat powered America's first all-female band writing their own material to chart supremacy.

[B] The Alan Parsons Project | Alan Parsons channeled casino surveillance cameras and Orwellian themes into soft rock's smoothest paranoia anthem ever recorded.

[B] The Beach Boys | Their first number-one hit without Brian Wilson, this Caribbean fantasy sparked renewed popularity via Tom Cruise's Cocktail soundtrack.

[C] The Tokens | This doo-wop adaptation of Solomon Linda's "Mbube" became embroiled in decades of copyright disputes over African musical heritage.

[A] The Wallflowers | Jakob Dylan's metaphor for death and loss earned him a Grammy, proving he could escape his father's shadow.

[A] The Rolling Stones | Keith Richards dreamed the iconic fuzz-guitar riff, recorded it half-asleep, then forgot until hearing the tape next morning.

[A] The Cars | Ric Ocasek's new wave earworm featured groundbreaking computer animation starring a miniaturized version of himself pursuing model Susan Gallagher.

[C] The B-52's | Kate Pierson sang about a real Georgia cabin near Athens where the band partied before fame struck.

[B] The Mighty Mighty Bosstones | Dicky Barrett pondered untested courage while plaid-clad horn sections brought third-wave ska to mainstream American radio.

[D] The Smashing Pumpkins | Billy Corgan's existential rage spawned alternative rock's most quotable line about rats in cages and perceived powerlessness.

[B] The Strokes | Julian Casablancas' staccato vocals race against dueling guitars, epitomizing Lower East Side's early-2000s rock revival in three tense minutes.

[A] The Velvet Underground | Lou Reed's deceptively simple three-chord progression masks complex observations about conformity, rebellion, and rock's redemptive power.

[C] The Proclaimers | Scottish twins Craig and Charlie Reid's devotional march became an unexpected American hit through Benny & Joon's soundtrack placement.

[D] The Beatles | Written by McCartney to comfort young Julian during his parents' divorce, this seven-minute masterpiece became the band's longest-running chart-topper.

[A] The Band | Robbie Robertson's biblical Americana tells interconnected tales of small-town characters, creating rock's most mysterious yet universally beloved story-song.

[A] The Fray | Isaac Slade drew from his mentoring experience with troubled teens, crafting an emotional piano ballad about intervention and regret.

[D] The Verve Pipe | Brian Vander Ark explored collegiate guilt and abortion's emotional aftermath, creating 90s alternative radio's most controversial slow-burn hit.

[D] The Police | Named after a poster in a Parisian red-light district, Sting's vocal acrobatics transform a tale of forbidden love.

[D] The Donnas | Brett Anderson's power-chord party starter proved that female garage rockers could match any male band's rebellious energy.

[A] The Everly Brothers | Don and Phil's harmony masterpiece about innocent oversleeping was banned by Boston radio for suggesting teenage impropriety.

[C] The White Stripes | Jack White's pitch-shifted guitar mimics a bass, creating soccer stadiums' favorite chant from Detroit garage rock minimalism.

[B] The Presidents of the United States of America | Chris Ballew's absurdist two-string bassline drove this nonsensical tale about mysterious swamp creatures to platinum success.

[A] The Clash | Mick Jones sang backup vocals in Spanish with Joe Ely's band, creating punk's most indecisive yet infectious anthem.

[D] The Allman Brothers Band | Dickey Betts wrote this highway hymn after seeing a road sign for Ramblin' Road while touring through Georgia.

[D] The Killers | Brandon Flowers channeled romantic jealousy into indie rock's most enduring anthem, still charting in Britain years after release.

[C] The Offspring | Dexter Holland's satirical take on suburban cultural appropriation includes a German counting intro borrowed from Def Leppard's "Rock of Ages."

[B] The Smiths | Morrissey's metaphorical thorn represents music industry rejection, wrapped in Johnny Marr's shimmering guitar work and melancholic beauty.

[B] The Doors | Robby Krieger penned this psychedelic classic featuring Ray Manzarek's swirling organ solo that Jim Morrison initially doubted would succeed.

[B] The Cure | Robert Smith penned this uncharacteristically optimistic love letter as a wedding gift to his wife Mary Poole.