[redbrian]

Gblowfish is quite correct that you are comparing apples and oranges.

Are we judging these bands strictly on the music produced by the band or on artistic endeavors by all the members of the group or on a specific genre within music?

From my point, based on an the pure American Rock genre (read heavy blues influenced), the clear winner would be the Stones.

The Stones stayed truer the form, while movinging the genre forward (the Blues Based American rock song) far more than the Beatles.

I would also take the Who and the Kinks over the Beatles, in this genre.