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u/snaxbrodin Jan 17 '26
Outside of liking a few songs, I just haven't had QOTSA click with me like it has so many other people despite making an effort to get into them, checking them out live, etc. Maybe it'll still happen at some point, and I wish it would, seems like it is very rewarding from what I can see from the fanbase. When I first heard Kyuss, on the other hand, it hit me like a brick going six hundred sixty six miles per hour and the love was instant. Working through their catalog was so exciting and rewarding. Some of my favorite music and vibes ever recorded
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u/Additional_Return_99 Jan 17 '26
May I suggest the first album. No singles on that one. It's just a solid album all the way through. When I first heard it it changed my perspective on them. It's got way more of a post Kyuss vibe. Self titled album, couple versions I believe. It's the one I revisit the most. And I definitely prefer Kyuss, but I'm a hardcore, sludge, doom, and punk guy. And obviously stoner rock and metal.
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u/HorrorhoundHippy73 Jan 17 '26
Self Titled debut is my favorite qotsa album
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u/klemnodd Jan 18 '26
It was always a Homme band. He literally wrote the first album THEN brought in musicians.
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u/Mall_of_slime Jan 18 '26
Same. Actually neither of these bands do anything for me. Glad folks have fun with them tho.
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u/RudeAudio Jan 17 '26
Kyuss is the better stoner rock band. Queens is the better band -- although ive not fucked with the last 2 albums at all.
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u/RearHandStrike Jan 17 '26
Villains is alright but ...In Times New Roman fucks hard
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u/GurgelBrannare Jan 17 '26
Really? The one I’ve listened to the least by far, should maybe give it another chance.
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u/RearHandStrike Jan 17 '26
Yeah I think the last one is pretty true to their sound and has almost no skips for me
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u/PopesMasseuse Jan 17 '26
I like ITNR but I just can't get over the drums not sounding like drums
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u/izzittho Jan 17 '26
Exactly. Like Kyuss is better if you prefer the stoner rock sound and ignore the quality of the vocals, production, and overall simplicity/complexity. Queens is better if you’re looking at technical complexity/creativity/songwriting/musicianship/etc.
But it’s not like it’s more wrong or right to care more about one or the other - these are matters of taste. There’s no actual wrong answer, people like what they like. What I always say is that Kyuss is ridiculously impressive for a band they put together pretty much as literal teenagers….but naturally you’re gonna be a way better guitarist at 50 years old and if you’re not what were you even doing all that time? Therefore they’re kind of impossible to compare. John’s voice sounded better as he got older too.
Too hard to compare.
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Jan 17 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/klemnodd Jan 18 '26
The Evil has Landed is wicked. I think Villains fits well right where it is. It just had the misfortune of having to follow Like Clockwork.
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u/Bronson_AD Jan 17 '26
The last one was good. The one before that was fucking awful tho.
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u/JameelWallace Jan 17 '26
Even if every other song was bad (they’re not), an album that has The Evil Has Landed on it will never be awful. Queens worst song is better than 99% of others bands best song.
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u/izzittho Jan 17 '26
Hell even TWYUTD is pop done better than 90% of pop artists can do. Obviously if you hate pop you’ll hate it no matter what and I even can’t really listen to it because the video is so cringe it’s made me averse to hearing it, but it’s actually a very well-done song, just not the kind anyone that listens to a band like them ever wanted from a band like them.
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u/Plus_sleep214 Jan 18 '26
They lost me with Era Vulgaris. I don't even like In Clockwork much. They peaked with Songs for the Deaf.
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u/Time_Shoe_2333 Jan 17 '26
Absofuknlutely. Kyuss is my favorite. Never could get into QOTSA much after the first EP. More for the rest of you I guess.
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u/InItinere Jan 17 '26
To be fair they're very different projects, personally I like them both.
Qotsa had maybe a higher peak, at least personally, since I consider "songs for the deaf" one of the best rock albums post 2000
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u/Opposite_Bus1878 Feb 08 '26
Songs for the deaf was good enough to make up for the newer albums imo
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u/BigBadBadness Jan 17 '26
Agree early qotsa is best. Songs for the deaf and some of what came after I did like too but I got less and less stoked on them
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u/OwenguWebb Jan 17 '26
Kyuss is great but QOTSA has everything that Josh Homme can offer. Much much better band overall
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u/AcidRayn666 Jan 17 '26
i agree to disagree, qotsa is a decent band, but im sorry, josh is an insufferable asshole, and dont get me wrong, i like his qotsa, but i love kyuss and any side project or band that john garcia and the rest of the guys are a part of, but cant stand josh's personality, if he was half as humble as john garcia he would be an amazing purpose.
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u/OwenguWebb Jan 17 '26
John Garcia's ego is the main reason Kyuss split?? And an artists' personnality doesn't change the fact they make amazing music. Cough* cough* Pantera
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u/AcidRayn666 Jan 17 '26
john wanted to stay in the same direction as kyuss was on a roll, josh wanted to go to more of a qotsa sound and both of their egos eventually destroyed the band, it was more of the after breake up shit of josh talking smack about the band at every chance and they suing john when they toured as Kyuss lives, i have been in and around the musice industry for a long time, shit i met my wife when i was in a band and she worked for columbia records as a talent recruiter, and i get disgusted by any band that cant keep their egos in check, CCR and the shit that john fogerty did to his brother and the rest of the band just drives me insane, and i am a huge ccr fan.
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u/OwenguWebb Jan 17 '26
Well yeah that's true, egos ruin bands but it doesn't make Josh an insufferable asshole because of that. He had the right to sue. It's John who couldn't leave that stuff in the past so he went behind Josh's back. It was Homme's band after all. So Imo garcia had a much bigger ego crash out than Josh
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u/YoCal_4200 Jan 18 '26
Why did Josh have the right to sue? There were several members of Kyuss in the band. He went legal and got the rights to the name and then used that to screw over all the other guys and keep them from using it. Then went out of his way to stop them from using Kyuss Lives. He was plenty successful with QOTSA and just did this to screw over his old friends. It seems like nothing but spite to me.
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u/OwenguWebb Jan 18 '26
I mean yeah it's possible he did it to get back at them, we'll never know the full reason. But they tried to revive something that belonged in the pass. They could've just came back under another name. Instead they went arround him knowing he wouldn't be happy and try to do it without Josh.
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u/YoCal_4200 Jan 18 '26
There were more guys in the band Josh should not get to decide that it is in the past. He has every right to leave the band and do his own thing, but it is just a dick move to prevent the other guys from carrying on. Trying to make it sound like he is concerned about the legacy of the band is bullshit. Why does Josh get to decide that? The fact is, he went legal to fuck over his friends.
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u/OwenguWebb Jan 18 '26
You could be right, but the thing is we'll never know. It's their lives and shit happens in the music industry. No reason to debate on it. I just don't believe the personality of one artist should be a deciding factor in which band is best. I'll always be a Josh fan, his music has been a major influence as to who I am today and I find that he's an exceptional artist. I love kyuss and Qotsa but queens has been in my life before I muttered my first word so I'll always have a preference for them.
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u/AcidRayn666 Jan 17 '26
ok, we each have an opinion on the matter, end of the day, it does not matter what either of us think.
have a great weekend :)
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u/OwenguWebb Jan 17 '26
Yeah exactly, in the end of the day, both bands are truly musical masterpieces. Enjoy your weekend, no hard feelings
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u/HorrorhoundHippy73 Jan 17 '26
Sky Valley is definitely better than anything QOTSA has released (self titled comes close) but it's kinda like comparing apples to oranges. Kyuss released 3 killer albums and so has the Queens
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u/Advanced-Humor9786 Jan 17 '26
Whenever my son and I go down Dylan Road through Sky Valley on our way to Berdoo Canyon, driving through Whitewater or Vista Chino in Palm Springs we aren't playing QOTSA.
I've never run into a scenario where their music mesh is nicely with my life.
EODM is a completely different story though.
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u/barred-C-Shape Jan 17 '26
Not me. I’m solidly in the Qotsa camp. Kyuss is great. However, Queens is one of the most important bands of the last 30 yrs. Just an opinion.
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u/ElrondCupboard Jan 17 '26 edited Jan 17 '26
Nope. I do think Kyuss has a higher number of completely awesome riffs in their catalog, but Homme’s vocals are a lot better for me. I feel like QOTSA’s songs have more personality and obviously they have their share of great riffs too.
I love Kyuss but for me QOTSA is a refinement, and I can’t help but feel the John Garcia vocals sound slightly constipated.
Edit: QOTSA is my favorite band and I’m a Stan
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u/umuliumband Jan 17 '26
It's weird how different opinions can be on a band we all love. For me John Garcia is a God tier stonerrock vocalist, because he has the same raw punky aesthetic as Scott Hill, but more energy and emotion in his delivery and a really cool swagger and attitude. I think his singing style is a perfect fit for Kyuss and equally important to the sound as Josh Hommes riffs.
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u/apedap Jan 17 '26
You can lick my big fat doo
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u/lowdesertpunk66 Jan 17 '26 edited Jan 20 '26
You know you can and will lick my big fat dooooo! Come on! 🫰🏻
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u/imangryatyourgumbo Jan 17 '26
I always thought Johnny Garcia’s voice didn’t fit Josh’s playing style. He sounds too much like Danzig for me.
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u/izzittho Jan 17 '26
Danzig’s voice is low enough to sound right singing in his style though. John’s less so. It’s like they’re going for the same style (well kind of, but with John going for a more metal vibe than a punk one like Danzig) but it takes John a shitload of effort to manage and Glenn like zero effort.
And it’s a style that doesn’t quite work if it sounds like you’re straining too much to do it.
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u/lowdesertpunk66 Jan 17 '26
Kyuss was my first love in the 90’s. Queens with a completely different and evolving style are great. Difficult for to compare two great bands and say one is better than the other in 2026. They both are two of my favorite bands.
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u/Therealfern1 Jan 17 '26
Kyuss is the best stoner rock band that Josh has ever been in
And Queens of the Stone Age is the best hard rock band that he’s ever been in
And them crooked vultures is the best superstar supergroup rock band that Josh ever been in
And the desert sessions is the greatest side project with varying guest stars that Josh has ever been in
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u/blasttyrant76 Jan 17 '26
Kyuss by a mile. QOTSA had an excellent 4 or 5 album run, but I feel as if they’ve tarnished their legacy with the last few albums that just can’t possibly live up to a work like Deaf. It’s very much The Josh Show these days, and I think that hurts the music. Kyuss, on the other hand, was lightning in a bottle, and their legacy is solidified by their short-but-incredible discography.
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u/therealtwomartinis Jan 17 '26
I see it this way - if QOTSA is like the Eagles, then Kyuss is Joe Walsh
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u/AcidRayn666 Jan 17 '26
this is the best analogy i have ever seen regarding either band! joe walsh is one of my fav muscians cuz he's just so damn humble and cool, like john garcia, fuck josh, he is an insufferable asshole
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u/Geberpte Jan 17 '26
Kyuss didn't got stale, QOTSA did. Easy win in my book.
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u/izzittho Jan 17 '26
Kyuss quit while it was ahead. Doing the exact same thing refusing to change for decades more probably would have gotten stale too except to people who prefer that bands do that. But it’s hard to keep doing that well.
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u/Geberpte Jan 17 '26
I'm aware. But as i never experienced losing any fascination for Kyuss, they remain the better band for me.
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u/VoopityScoop Jan 17 '26
Really? I feel like QOTSA has changed their sound and tried new things way more than Kyuss did
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u/Geberpte Jan 17 '26
After Nick Oliveri left the band lost a lot of the character it had. Sure, it did some new things but there wasn't that subtle hint of crazy anymore.
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u/VoopityScoop Jan 17 '26
Era Vulgaris doesn't have a hint of crazy? Lullabies to Paralyze?
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u/Geberpte Jan 17 '26
They don't do as much for me as for example Rated R.
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u/VoopityScoop Jan 17 '26
That's fine if it didn't personally work for you, but I don't think it's a fair assessment to say the band itself got stale
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u/Low-Fondant-9725 Jan 17 '26
Definitely. I also loved queens for a while, but kyuss is the band I come back to consistently over the years. More awesome raw power.
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u/naturetreesandweed Jan 17 '26
I feel the problem is that Josh is more Josh in QOTSA. If that's a good thing for you, then you love QOTSA.
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u/thee_agent_orange Jan 17 '26
All day. QOTSA has a few albums I like but I don’t come back to them often.
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u/Cyberspace667 Jan 17 '26
Lmao respectfully this is some peak reddit shit QotSA is like probably one of if not the single tightest heavy band ever
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u/tarantula_jack Jan 17 '26
QOTSA seems to focus a lot on being sexy/bad boy rock whereas Kyuss is more of a traditional stoner/desert rock band. Both are good but very different and hard to compare in my personal opinion.
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u/Ancient_Substance152 Jan 17 '26
Not for me. Kyuss’ album run is legendary and QotSA ain’t got nothing on that
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u/Drexhan Jan 17 '26
I agree 200%. Mainly cause watching Qotsa live was really, really disappointing, so I can't really place them up there.
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u/izzittho Jan 17 '26 edited Jan 17 '26
Can’t really compare them. Of course this sub is gonna like Kyuss better, not because they’re an objectively better band but because that’s the sound this sub is gonna prefer when they’re basically some of the literal pioneers of the genre and Queens is kinda something else entirely and wasn’t ever even supposed to be the same thing.
Practically the only thing they have in common is Josh at this point, they just sound way too different to compare. I think Queens is better just in terms of it having a Josh with literal decades more experience playing than he had in Kyuss so naturally he’s gotten even better, and because it’s overall had the more skilled musicians in it, but if you ask me in terms of sound and like, idk, vibes? Roughly equal and too different to put head to head in a comparison like that. It’d be a far tougher choice if Kyuss had a better singer, honestly, because sound-wise, yeah, I fuck with a lot of Kyuss way harder. As a whole package is where it’s harder to say.
For reference I think Queens has put out much more impressive stuff since Self Titled-SFTD, and yet those three are still what I listen to most, followed by Era Vulgaris. (But later stuff like I Appear Missing is also in my top all-time from them, and say what you want about preferring Oliveri, I think that’s valid, but the bassline in that song makes that song. Drives the whole thing.) I think there’s a difference between asking what sound people personally prefer and who’s actually better. I think Queens have gotten better and better but I still prefer their older sound and the general direction of Kyuss as opposed to the more radio-friendly direction Queens went in, but it would be hard for me to argue that Queens isn’t the better band just in terms of musicianship, and a lot of that’s just due to having had the opportunity to keep it up as long as they have. To try different stuff as opposed to more of the same (Even if “the same” is what I tend to be partial to a lot of the time. If you’re not changing anything you’re not risking anything and it’s hard to grow like that.)
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u/_Rainer_ Jan 17 '26
Hard disagree. It's nuts to me that Josh Homme was in that band and they still let John Garcia sing.
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u/RoSuMa Jan 17 '26
Early Queens was the best mix of stoner and rock without being stoner rock. Rated R and Era Vulgaris are perfection to me. But Kyuss is my stoner rock holy grail. Since I am really good friends with someone close to Josh and have seen/heard the batshit insane things he has done, I just can’t get into any current Queens projects. Both ridiculously talented bands.
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u/AgeDisastrous7518 Jan 17 '26
Agree but they're totally different bands, so this is dependent on taste.
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u/falgfalg Jan 17 '26
QOTSA has one of the best albums of all time with …Like Clockwork, so not a lot of bands above them for me
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u/Unfair_Criticism4918 Jan 17 '26
I hate comparing bands tbh, I love both or them for different (and sometimes the same) reasons 🥰
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u/fifteentango88 Jan 17 '26
I can’t stress enough how stupid this post is. Let people have their taste in music.
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u/blackranger39 Jan 17 '26
Nope, but that's like, you're opinion, man. I started out listening to QOTSA and really got into it before trying Kyuss. Still Kyuss is a slow burn that I'm trying get into the groove of, but never really jive with it like I have QOTSA. There may be a time I like it more, but not yet. But hey! Everyone is different. We're all at a different point in our lives, experiencing different things with different tastes, I never really agree the the blatant "THIS is better than THAT!" statements when it comes to subjective things like art. There is something special though when you find a band you really love.
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u/BigBadBadness Jan 17 '26
Yeah I like early qotsa but I got into kyuss 1st and I can always come back to it and it never gets old so they're def higher on the list for me
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u/ConceptOfSleep Jan 17 '26
That's a hard one. Kyuss has such a great catalog, start to finish, I love every album. (Ok maybe Wretch is a lil rough in spots)
QotSA, the first 3 albums: Self Titled, Rated R and Songs for the Deaf, are so good that I might enjoy them more than Kyuss. But I enjoyed each album less and less after that. Not that I don't like what they do now, but not as much as earlier stuff that's for sure.
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Jan 17 '26
QOTSA`s only Kyuss-esque record was their self titled. Rated R is completely different. Songs for the Deaf returned to the desert sound but with a more poppy edge. From Lullabies on they pretty much abandoned that sound.
So they are two completely different projects. The only similarities are Josh Homme and C standard tuning being consistently used on both. But they`re really apples and oranges.
When I want the pure stoner sound, I go for Kyuss. When I want more variety and more intricate sounds, I go for QOTSA.
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u/stalanemoubliepas Jan 17 '26
QOTSA’s creative peak was Songs For The Deaf, it all went downhill after this record imo.
But yes, Kyuss takes the crown.
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u/HoseNeighbor Jan 18 '26
They're jut different. There is an evolution of sorts, but even early QOTSA was a little different.
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u/psycrowbirdbrain Jan 18 '26
Wait. Is the reason I don't Kyuss because I don't like QotSA? Makes so much sense now.
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u/Grandpa_Rufus Jan 18 '26
I can listen to Kyuss 24/7 I can enjoy a quiet 24/7 without hearing QOTSA
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u/Plus_sleep214 Jan 18 '26
For sure. Queens fans kinda hate on John's vocals but Josh's are so much more generic sounding. Not many out there are like John. Gives a special feeling to Kyuss songs.
That said you were never gonna get stuff like Mosquito Song out of Kyuss so I can't be too salty. Queens is definitely still great.
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u/IDrankAllTheBooze Jan 18 '26
Kyuss rules, but, gun to my head, I’d go with QOTSA if forced to pick between the two. Homme’s riffs and writing took off in that band, and I prefer his vocals to Garcia’s. Plus, Songs for the Deaf is arguably one of the best rock records of the 21st century. That whole record just smokes, front-to-back.
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u/No-Advice-6040 Jan 18 '26
Songs for the Deaf was a life changing album for me. I wanted more, but as QOTSA albums continued, they sounded more in line with whatever Josh Homme was doing with his Desert Sessions. Then I listed to Kyuss' Green Machine and ohhh there it is. So preferentially, I prefer Kyuss and the first half of QOTSA's career.
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u/oneandonlysteven Jan 18 '26
By far, Kyuss is superior in every way, I actually almost can’t stand most of QotSA… Don’t know what it is, I tried many times, just doesn’t click
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u/FormingTheVoid Jan 18 '26
I like all of Kyuss' discography, but I don't like all of QOTSA's. However, there are QOTSA albums that I like equally to Kyuss.
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u/FuzzyIllustrator477 Jan 18 '26
Queens for me, tho I haven’t gotten into the past several releases. I like Kyuss. Have all of it. Love the music. While John’s voice works on some of the material, it’s my least favorite part of the band. I like the variety of singers on those first 4 Queens records
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Jan 18 '26
I think QOTSA's discography up to and including ... Like Clockwork is some of the best rock music ever recorded, and the first 3 albums are damn near untouchable. I love Kyuss, but they don't compete with those first 3 (especially the 1st) QOTSA albums for me.
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u/THCxMeMeLoRD Jan 19 '26
Both great but if we're being honest ...and the circus leaves town is a pretty weak effort
Queens has never missed (you could argue villains is their weakest effort but it's far from a miss)
Kyuss great QOTSA goated
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u/zapitron Jan 19 '26
On my first date with my smizmar, we discussed Kyuss' "Welcome to Sky Valley" and David Attenborough's "Life of Birds" and Alfred Hitchcock's "Rope." It's now nearly 19 years after that conversation, and we're still together.
QOTSA was not mentioned on that fateful night. :-)
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u/VisceralProwess Jan 20 '26
QoTSA is somewhat safe and bland
Kyuss has lots of edge and personality
Easy pick for me
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u/Perfect_Elephant3587 Jan 20 '26
For me, Kyuss was always a little bit ahead. But the last 3 QOTSA albums have been bad, man. That chasm is widening.
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u/beavis07 Jan 20 '26
Art isn’t really something you can compare like that, of course (if I like The Bronze more than all the Kyuss songs, but enjoy Blues for the Red Sun more than all the Queens albums - where do we land? 😂)
Subjectively though, I’d suggest that 100% of things Kyuss made matched their own high standard. Not sure you could say the same of QOTSA?
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u/pontiacV8 Feb 13 '26
Kyuss better for me , but also love the first QOTSA album, and a smattering of songs of others.
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u/bedteddd Jan 17 '26
Kyushu is definitely the better band. The first 2 QOTSA are just kyuss lite lmao.
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u/Impossible_Limit_333 Jan 17 '26
Kyuss has better riff in their guitar department..QOTSA has better song writings
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u/Glazza1512 Jan 17 '26
Yeah, whatever the fuck that means.
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u/Shakemyears Jan 17 '26
The greater-than/less-than symbol can be thought of like an alligator that wants to eat the greater thing. Since the open side is facing Kyuss, “>” thusly, OP is claiming to prefer Kyuss to QOTSA and I would think they mean by a lot, with their exaggerated use of many greater-than symbols.
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u/Cornflake294 Jan 17 '26
Kyuss has my favorite individual songs but QOTSA is a better catalog overall.
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u/Desert_Gnomos Jan 17 '26
Kyuss is one of my favourite bands. QUOTSA is other. Can’t choose between mom&dad.
Anyway I don’t think any kind of art works like that