| 100% | KANSAS | 6 | Rock band with the hit "Carry On Wayward Son" who share a name with Topeka's state |
| 95% | ACDC | 4 | Rock band whose name includes a slash in the middle |
| 93% | ACDC | 4 | Australian rock band with the song "Highway to Hell" whose name is an abbreviation referring to types of electricity |
| 88% | STEPPENWOLF | 11 | Rock band with the 1968 hit "Born to Be Wild" |
| 87% | MGMT | 4 | Rock band with the song "Kids" whose name is short for their original name, "The Management" |
| 85% | VANHALEN | 8 | "Jump" rock band whose backstage requests have included a bowl of M&Ms with all the brown ones removed: 2 wds. |
| 85% | OHIO | 4 | The ___ Express, pop band with the hit "Yummy Yummy Yummy" who share a name with Columbus' state |
| 84% | ACDC | 4 | Rock band whose name includes a slash |
| 84% | ALABAMA | 7 | Country music band with the hit "Mountain Music" who share a name with Montgomery's state |
| 83% | BOSTON | 6 | Geographically named band with the 1976 hit "More Than a Feeling" |
| 83% | VAST | 4 | Alternative rock band with the song "Touched" whose name is an abbreviation and also the title of their first album |
| 82% | DEEP | 4 | ___ Purple, a band considered to be among the pioneers of metal and hard rock with hits like "Smoke on the Water" |
| 82% | RADLEYS | 7 | The Boo ___, "Wake Up Boo!" band whose name is inspired by Harper Lee's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" |
| 82% | THIRDEYEBLIND | 13 | Band with the 1997 hit "Semi-Charmed Life" … or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 81% | HIP | 3 | The Tragically ___, Canadian rock band formed in Ontario with the hit "Ahead by a Century" |
| 81% | FOOFIGHTERS | 11 | Seattle grunge band with the 1999 rock hit "Learn to Fly": 2 wds. |
| 81% | BLUEOYSTERCULT | 14 | "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" rock band with a colorful name (3 wds.) |
| 80% | CHICAGO | 7 | "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" rock band with a city for a name |
| 80% | ACDC | 4 | Rock band with the hit 'Back in Black' |
| 80% | REM | 3 | Rock band with the hit "Losing My Religion" |
| 80% | KISS | 4 | Rock band whose name also forms the call letters for a rock radio station in San Antonio |
| 80% | NICKELBACK | 10 | Band with the 2001 #1 hit "How You Remind Me" … or a hint to entering 54-Across |
| 80% | TWEEZERS | 8 | Tool whose name is a rock band if you remove the first and last letters |
| 78% | VANHALEN | 8 | Rock band with the hits "Jump" and "Panama": 2 wds. |
| 78% | STYX | 4 | Rock band with the hits "Come Sail Away" and "Mr. Roboto" |
| 78% | ACDC | 4 | Australian rock band with the hit "Back in Black" |
| 78% | MODESTMOUSE | 11 | *Indie rock band with the hit single "Float On" |
| 78% | DAN | 3 | Steely ___, rock band with the hit "Two Against Nature" |
| 77% | LEDZEPPELIN | 11 | Rock band whose second studio album includes the Robert Plant/Jimmy Page song "Thank You" (2 wds.) |