Some years ago (1980 to be exact) I was given a book called something like "The history of Rock 'n' Roll)

I loved the book and although I no longer have it I remember it well. Basically it listed in yearsish order the 30 most important acts in the history of Rock 'n' Roll.

What fascinates me is how that book would look now given Rock 'n' Roll is now 60 not 30 years old and who would be added and who would be removed.

So as a starter I will list the bands and artist who were in it who I suspect we will all pretty much agree should stay. I will also name some of the acts who were in it but IMHO no longer would be.

So the IMHO the must have starting 17 - Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, The Who, The Kinks, Marvin Gay, Stevie Wonder, The Doors, Hendrix, Led Zeplin, Bowie, Sex Pistols. The Pistols is interesting because the book was published in 1978 so they must have just snook in

That leaves 13, but to make it a bit more realistic due to the timespan we'll make it 40 which leaves 23.

Some that were in the book that probably no longer hit the mark - great though many of them were are. Gene Vincent, Fats Domino, The Lovin Spoonful, Crosby Stlls and Nash, The Hollies, Jetro Tull, Donovan, Velvet Underground, Slade, Otis Redding, Rick Wakeman and ELP.

Not sure I have all the bands correct or the numbers but you get the idea, so keeping the starting 17 please ad another 23 and make your list.

The Smiths, U2, Madonna, Oasis, Blur, Simple Minds, Michael Jackson, Duran Duran, Spice Girls, Coldplay, Radiohead, George Michael ( Can't stand him but he would have to be included ) Queen, ELO, Phil Collins or Genesis, Rod Stewart, Elton John, Bryan Adams, Abba, Slade ( I would include for their 70's impact )Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty and Roy Orbison.
It's difficult to name just 23 so I've tried to pick a mixture of impact artists, enduring artists and a few of my personal favourites.

Well I disagree with some of those in the 'we all agree on' category. I'd have Muddy Waters, BB King, or Howlin Wolf in there before Buddy Holy, I think a case could also be made for James Brown or Little Richard to be included.
I'd say Cream, Black Sabbath or Iggy and the Stooges should be in before The Kinks or the Beach Boys. I love Marvin Gaye but I'd argue Sly and the Family Stone or Funkadelic were more important, and I also pretty certain the Velvet Underground would be in most people's list too.
Finally, the Ramones or The Clash should be included over the Sex Pistols IMO.

My other 23 would be:
Kraftwerk, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Van Halen, Slayer, Guns and Roses, Run DMC, Public Enemy, Metalica, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, Eric B & Rakim, Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, Pantera, 2pac, Oasis, Radiohead, Tool, NIN, The Libertines, Eminem

I based my list on acts whom broke new ground or influenced bands to start bands. Which is why I included the Ramones and the Clash above the Pistols. I included The Stooges based on the fact that they're probably the first punk band.
I'm not a massive fan of the velvet underground but he the amount of bands that site them as a huge inspiration is very significant.

Black Sabbath pretty much invented the heavy metal, I'd bet almost every rock band since has been influenced by them. They've sold 80 million albums to if you want to brink sales into it. Also, it could be argued that every (heavy) rock band in the last 45 years has either followed the Led Zepp model of HM or the Sabbath model

I included Stone Roses and Oasis in the list, and The Libertines in the list because they were incredibly important for rock music here even though they never cracked the US.

Tool and Nine Inch Nails are extremely popular, granted you won't see them in the singles chart but both have sold 20 million albums and I'm petty sure Nine inch nails had a number 1 album her in the last year or 2.

Black Sabbath are a must have - they gave birth to metal. I would also put The Eagles, Guns N Roses and Mettalica in there.

I have a similar book I picked up cheap, problem for me and many of a similar age is that we cringe at what is termed " Rock and Roll ". It really only relates to music from the early fifties 'till about 1962. We can't figure how the phrase was hijacked by all kinds of hairy tattooed musicians in since, (Bit like RU folk claiming the word Rugby) I wait for the bottles to be thrown!!!

No bottles being thrown from me. I agree entirely. I think of rock and roll as the stuff my dad grew up with in the 50s and early 60s. Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Eddie Cochran and the like. Some of the bands mentioned in previous replies are certainly not rock and roll. Kraftwerk?????

I would take Metallica out, i would also add Iron Maiden, Motorhead & Grateful Dead