Rush - hardest working band in rock and roll history?

Hardest working?

Black Flag. I'm sorry, they toured the country in a broken down van, playing in small towns for crowds that some times were counted in the single digits. They recorded their albums between midnight and 6 AM because the rates were cheaper. They wrote their own music, designed the cover art, recorded the music, and then distributed it themselves, all without any support from a label or any authority. The chain of clubs across the country which support smaller indie acts was essentially created by Black Flag on their own, before they were even clubs. They would play abandoned warehouses or VFW halls. They had to make their own tickets, press, and advertising. And they did it all on an average income below $5 a day while also being legally outlawed as a gang in several states.

Black Flag's work ethic was off the charts. They played 7 days a week, 365 days a year, for almost no money or attention for over a decade. They practically invented American punk rock in the process.

I'm going with Rush or Iron Maiden.

the greatful dead toured every year from 1965 to 1995, except for 1975. they played 2400 shows plus or minus as an entity. in addition to that, JG played nearly constantly outside the dead tours, with his own bands including the JGB, legion of mary, reconstruction, old and in the way, and garcia/saunders, garcia/wales.

in addition to that, JG and sometimes mickey hart played with the new riders as their own opening act from 69- 71

in addition to that, bob weir played with kingfish, bobby & the midnights and ratdog

by any reasonable measure, from 1965 to 1995, the members of the grateful dead together and solo were the hardest working band in rock and roll history

AC/DC has been going at it hard for a long time too