You wouldn’t think Poison and U2 would have much in common, but guess what? They are the only two major classic rock bands who are currently using their most famous lineups.
Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr. have been together since 1976. When ZZ Top‘s Dusty Hill died in 2021 after 52 years alongside bandmates Billy Gibbons and Frank Beard, U2 became rock’s longest-lasting classic lineup.
Apart from a five-year stretch of rotating replacement guitarists that ended in 1996, Bret Michaels, Rikki Rockett, Bobby Dall and C.C. DeVille have been together in Poison since 1983. And that’s it, that’s the whole list.
Read More: Our 10 Favorite Dusty Hill Stories
Obviously for most of rock’s most famous bands, the death of various key band members – such as Charlie Watts and Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones or John Lennon and George Harrison of the Beatles – makes classic lineup reunions impossible.
Sometimes it’s also hard to choose a band’s most famous lineup. Many Stones fans may prefer the Mick Taylor or Ron Wood eras, and with ever-evolving groups such as the Doobie Brothers and Jethro Tull, it may be impossible to narrow it down to one lineup.
Identifying the famous lineups that can still technically reform is also a long way from actually making any of these reunions happen. As you can see below, many of these artists are quite determined to never work with or even speak to each other again.
Without making any judgment calls on health or compatibility, here are the only 20 major classic rock bands whose most famous lineups can (but most likely won’t) still reunite:
These Are The Only 20 Classic Rock Lineups That Can Still Reunite
Only two bands – U2 and Poison – are currently using their most famous lineups. These 20 acts could join them, but don’t hold your breath.
Gallery Credit: Matthew Wilkening
