Most influential musicians/bands of all time, Poll Added

[strike wolf]

Funny cause in my area of white suburbia I knew very few people who listened to rap before Eminem...

I may not like the guy but I do think he deserves some credit.

That is weird. I'll put it this way - in my graduating class of 230 students (1997), there was one black kid and he was adopted by white parents. A bunch of us listened to rap.

It may be where we grew up. WHere were you born?

[Genghis Khant]

Ultramagnetic MCs featured a young rapper called Kool Keith who later recorded as Dr. Octagon, Del The Funky Homosapien, Deltron 3030 and other aliases.

[thegreekdog]

Funny cause in my area of white suburbia I knew very few people who listened to rap before Eminem...

I may not like the guy but I do think he deserves some credit.

That is weird. I'll put it this way - in my graduating class of 230 students (1997), there was one black kid and he was adopted by white parents. A bunch of us listened to rap.

It may be where we grew up. WHere were you born?

I was born and lived until I was about 10 in Camden, New Jersey (very large black population). However, I moved to Pennsyltucky (very small black population) at age 10. Not sure if that explains anything at all.

[thegreekdog]

Ultramagnetic MCs featured a young rapper called Kool Keith who later recorded as Dr. Octagon, Del The Funky Homosapien, Deltron 3030 and other aliases.

I love Doctor Octogan.

[PLAYER57832]

I'd say REM did more for music than U2.

If you are including all music, Pavarati (sp??) ought to be there. He did a lot for Opera from what I understand.

John MIchael Talbut has been mentioned as a phenomenal guitar player, though he is not well known outside of certain circles.

[xelabale]

The Beatles... Were just a band.
Led Zepplin... Just a band.
The Beach Boys... Just a band.
The Sex Pistols... Just a band.
The Clash... Just a band.
Crass... Just a band.
Minor Threat... Just a band.
The Cure... Just a band.
The Smiths... Just a band.
Nirvana... Just a band.
The Pixies... Just a band.
Oasis... Just a band.
Radiohead... Just a band.
Bloc Party... Just a band.
The Arctic Monkeys... Just a band.
The Next Big Thing.. JUST A BAND.

Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip

[PLAYER57832]

James Taylor (can't believe I forgot him!)

[strike wolf]

The Beatles... Were just a band.
Led Zepplin... Just a band.
The Beach Boys... Just a band.
The Sex Pistols... Just a band.
The Clash... Just a band.
Crass... Just a band.
Minor Threat... Just a band.
The Cure... Just a band.
The Smiths... Just a band.
Nirvana... Just a band.
The Pixies... Just a band.
Oasis... Just a band.
Radiohead... Just a band.
Bloc Party... Just a band.
The Arctic Monkeys... Just a band.
The Next Big Thing.. JUST A BAND.

Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip

I can see why you would say that about most of these. But here's something, while I am not a huge Nirvana fan they were one of the major bands that brought grunge into mainstream radio. So in that respect i think they can be considerred a fairly inspirational band.

[strike wolf]

Funny cause in my area of white suburbia I knew very few people who listened to rap before Eminem...

I may not like the guy but I do think he deserves some credit.

That is weird. I'll put it this way - in my graduating class of 230 students (1997), there was one black kid and he was adopted by white parents. A bunch of us listened to rap.

It may be where we grew up. WHere were you born?

I was born and lived until I was about 10 in Camden, New Jersey (very large black population). However, I moved to Pennsyltucky (very small black population) at age 10. Not sure if that explains anything at all.

I think it does. I don't know how big rap wass around "Pennsyltucky"or New Jersey when you were growing up but down here in the south, rap was and really still isn't very a big among the white population, especially in the suburbs.

[strike wolf]

I'd say REM did more for music than U2.

If you are including all music, Pavarati (sp??) ought to be there. He did a lot for Opera from what I understand.

John MIchael Talbut has been mentioned as a phenomenal guitar player, though he is not well known outside of certain circles.

I would agree I think you could make a strong case for REM being on this list.

[Neoteny]

Black Sabbath

This ffs.

[PLAYER57832]

Cat Stevens
The Carpenters.
Woodie Guthrie
Patti Page
Ethel Mermen
Marian Anderson ***
Irvin Berlin
Bing Crosby
Duke Ellington
Billie Holiday
Benny Goodman
George Gerschwin

[snufkin]

Bach
Beethoven
Elvis
Michael Jackson
Madonna
Louis Armstrong
John Lennon
Mozart
Nirvana
Pink Floyd
Jim Morrison
The Sex Pistols
Bob Marley
Led Zeppelin
The Rolling Stones
Eminem
Jimi Hendrix
Ella Fitzgerald
The Grateful Dead
Bob Dylan
Billie Holiday
Chuck Berry


While I don't find Eminem influnetial in my taste in music, he brought mainstream rap to white suburban kids.

oh FFS come on.. the Beastie boys did that and uh.. isn´t the thread about being influential to mainstream music? How many of those white suburban kids are really big atm?

there are many artists I did not include on the original list I happen to very much appreciate, including: Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Stevie Wonder

you should not have left those out - they influenced a lot of music outside of their own genre.. and you must include robert johnson and muddy waters or you can just forget about rock completely.
sex pistols were just a really crappy version of the Ramones.. you shouldn´t give credit to the English for something that was an excellent piece of American culture!

[L M S]

I just thought I would write and try and qualify my reasoning behind three particular artists on the list as it seems there is a lot of chatter about them in particular.

Feel free to agree or disagree with my reasoning.

Madonna- Ok, so she is on the list MOSTLY because she basically wrote (or rewrote) the book on marketing in the music industry.
Albums, Music Videos, Books (remember the coffee table ahem....book she had published), movie appearances, and merchandising..... While she didn't necessarily pave the way for female artists ( i.e Stevie Nicks, Diana Ross, Carly Simon, Pat Benetar...and MANY others......you get the idea) she made it very cool to be a young female singer and had BILLIONS of adoring fans who hung on her every word. It is thanks to her brilliant marketing strategy she became who she did. She also managed to put out a few decent pieces of music at the same time.

The 1980's were a strange time period musically speaking, while I would never presume to know everything on the subject however, I think there was a lot of people trying to find the next big thing and many failed miserably.

U2 is on the list because they, IMHO, are responsible for giving/promoting a worldwide conscience if you will, better than anyone before or since. No matter your politics, they are working to help make the world a better place by using their influence on it. While some may not agree with the causes they choose to align with, nor the method they have chosen to do it with, U2 is a hugely recognizable and respected group of men who are truly trying to give back.
Not only that, the Joshua Tree kicks ass.

Eminem- This one I actually struggled to put on the original list. After consideration I added him because, as stated in earlier posts, he more than anyone else brought rap music into the mainstream with unequaled success. Ask any 80 year old who Dr. Dre is (BTW I think he should be on the list) and you will get...huh? who's that? Ask the same 80 year old who Eminem is and they will definitely have an opinion on the subject.......He was so big at one time Congress was investigating/witch hunting him.
Quick, think of any other white rapper.............now name a song by that rapper.
That is a short list.
Granted, NWA, Biggie, Tupac, Snoop, et al. are all great in heir own right and had a huge impact on the genre, and will continue to do so, but in Anytown, USA you wont hear NWA blaring out of a car as often (or at all) as you will Eminem...simply because he found a way to speak to a general audience better than anyone in his medium had done before he came along.

To Be Continued, I'm sure.

[jnd94]

I think if we were ever to make a definitive list (which imo will never be done just because no 2 opinions are the same), we should go genre by genre. I don't think that T-Bone Walker and 2Pac belong on the same list. While both artist may be influential, they are totally different.

Since I know rock, this is my rock List

Pioneers
Muddy Waters
Robert Johnson
Chuck Berry
Albert King
BB King
T-Bone Walker

u]
60s and 70's hard Rock[/u]
Led Zeppelin
Deep Purple
Black Sabbath
AC/DC
Aerosmith
Thin Lizzy
Ted Nugent
The Guess Who
Queen
The Rolling Stones
The Who
ZZ Top
David Bowie

80s Hard Rock
Van Halen
Guns n Roses
Rush

80s were glam rock, and I think that Glam Rock was a horrible type of music Same with Thrash Metal. Sorry Metallica.

90s Rock
REM
Nirvana
Pearl Jam
RHCP


Obviously Im missing others, and people will ask for bands I don't agree with, and that is why there will be an answer for ths question.

[PLAYER57832]

It seems like you are mostly looking at bands/people that influence particular types of music today, rather than impact overall. That makes a big differance.

Many of the people who truly influenced our music the greatest are not necessarily well known outside of certain circles.

[PLAYER57832]

I think if we were ever to make a definitive list (which imo will never be done just because no 2 opinions are the same), we should go genre by genre. I don't think that T-Bone Walker and 2Pac belong on the same list. While both artist may be influential, they are totally different.

Since I know rock, this is my rock List

Pioneers
Muddy Waters
Robert Johnson
Chuck Berry
Albert King
BB King
T-Bone Walker

u]
60s and 70's hard Rock[/u]
Led Zeppelin
Deep Purple
Black Sabbath
AC/DC
Aerosmith
Thin Lizzy
Ted Nugent
The Guess Who
Queen
The Rolling Stones
The Who
ZZ Top
David Bowie

80s Hard Rock
Van Halen
Guns n Roses
Rush

80s were glam rock, and I think that Glam Rock was a horrible type of music Same with Thrash Metal. Sorry Metallica.

90s Rock
REM
Nirvana
Pearl Jam
RHCP


Obviously Im missing others, and people will ask for bands I don't agree with, and that is why there will be an answer for ths question.

For pioneers, you need to add Elvis. But, you probably also ought to add Buddy Holly.

[LYR]

The Guess Who

Why?

Sorry Metallica.

Go to hell.

[djt5483]

i think coolio, mc hammer and vanilla ice should be on the list

[F1fth]

i think coolio, mc hammer and vanilla ice should be on the list

Ripping off Rick James or ripping off Queen does not make a musician influential. Also, you should all be ashamed that Black Sabbath was only mentioned by 3 people.

[DAZMCFC]

While I don't find Eminem influnetial in my taste in music, he brought mainstream rap to white suburban kids.

oh FFS come on.. the Beastie boys did that and uh.. isn´t the thread about being influential to mainstream music? How many of those white suburban kids are really big atm?
[quote]

i have to agree with snufkin here. i understand where you are coming from LMS, but if you asked 80 year olds in the 80's and 90's then they would know who the Beastie Boys were. especially if they owned a VW.

how many bands can start a craze where thousands of kids were stealing car badges. VW's, Mercedes, Audi, ant badge that looked good would be snapped off. "fight for your right"

also Public Enemy
Grand Master Flash
Sugarhill gang.


another genre:

The Smiths/Morrissey
The Stone Roses/Ian Brown
Joy Division/Ian Curtiss
The Pixies
R E M


these were all highly instrumental to all Indie bands of the 80's 90's and today.

[strike wolf]

I think if we were ever to make a definitive list (which imo will never be done just because no 2 opinions are the same), we should go genre by genre. I don't think that T-Bone Walker and 2Pac belong on the same list. While both artist may be influential, they are totally different.

Since I know rock, this is my rock List

Pioneers
Muddy Waters
Robert Johnson
Chuck Berry
Albert King
BB King
T-Bone Walker

u]
60s and 70's hard Rock[/u]
Led Zeppelin
Deep Purple
Black Sabbath
AC/DC
Aerosmith
Thin Lizzy
Ted Nugent
The Guess Who
Queen
The Rolling Stones
The Who
ZZ Top
David Bowie

80s Hard Rock
Van Halen
Guns n Roses
Rush

80s were glam rock, and I think that Glam Rock was a horrible type of music Same with Thrash Metal. Sorry Metallica.

90s Rock
REM
Nirvana
Pearl Jam
RHCP


Obviously Im missing others, and people will ask for bands I don't agree with, and that is why there will be an answer for ths question.

No Elvis? No Pink Floyd? No Buddy Holly? I know there are a few more that I'm forgetting about...

Thanks for mentioning Black Sabbath though. I can't believe I didn't remember nominating them.

[xelabale]

The Beatles... Were just a band.
Led Zepplin... Just a band.
The Beach Boys... Just a band.
The Sex Pistols... Just a band.
The Clash... Just a band.
Crass... Just a band.
Minor Threat... Just a band.
The Cure... Just a band.
The Smiths... Just a band.
Nirvana... Just a band.
The Pixies... Just a band.
Oasis... Just a band.
Radiohead... Just a band.
Bloc Party... Just a band.
The Arctic Monkeys... Just a band.
The Next Big Thing.. JUST A BAND.

Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip

I can see why you would say that about most of these. But here's something, while I am not a huge Nirvana fan they were one of the major bands that brought grunge into mainstream radio. So in that respect i think they can be considerred a fairly inspirational band.

It's the lyrics from a song called Thou shalt always kill by Dan Le Sac and Scroobius Pip - check it out, it's good

[snufkin]

Since I know rock, this is my rock List

u]
60s and 70's hard Rock[/u]
Led Zeppelin
Deep Purple
Black Sabbath
AC/DC
Aerosmith
Thin Lizzy
Ted Nugent
The Guess Who
Queen
The Rolling Stones
The Who
ZZ Top
David Bowie


Obviously Im missing others, and people will ask for bands I don't agree with, and that is why there will be an answer for ths question.

wow seriously? jimi hendrix is a lot more important to hard rock than most of those bands.
in fact a lot of them have admitted in interviews that he was the one who made them switch to a more aggressive musical style.

you are also forgetting Cream they played harder and louder than anyone else in the late sixties. Three guys all playing solo at once while still selling 35 million records.

thin lizzy? they didn´t bring anything new to the table at all..

bowie? the only real hard rock album he made sounds very much like sabbath and cream did the year before.. i love bowie but his genious and influence on others is mainly that he made it ok to jump on any and all bandwagons and make it your own.

[jnd94]

Since I know rock, this is my rock List

u]
60s and 70's hard Rock[/u]
Led Zeppelin
Deep Purple
Black Sabbath
AC/DC
Aerosmith
Thin Lizzy
Ted Nugent
The Guess Who
Queen
The Rolling Stones
The Who
ZZ Top
David Bowie


Obviously Im missing others, and people will ask for bands I don't agree with, and that is why there will be an answer for ths question.

wow seriously? jimi hendrix is a lot more important to hard rock than most of those bands.
in fact a lot of them have admitted in interviews that he was the one who made them switch to a more aggressive musical style.

you are also forgetting Cream they played harder and louder than anyone else in the late sixties. Three guys all playing solo at once while still selling 35 million records.

thin lizzy? they didn´t bring anything new to the table at all..

bowie? the only real hard rock album he made sounds very much like sabbath and cream did the year before.. i love bowie but his genious and influence on others is mainly that he made it ok to jump on any and all bandwagons and make it your own.

I know that I missed a group of artists, like Hendrix, Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jeff Beck.

I don't think Cream was a big influence as a band. Yes, the individual members were and still are, but as a a group they weren't. Same with the Yardbirds.

Thin Lizzy was a huge hard rock band that did alot for rock. Phil Lynott is probably the 2nd most famous black rocker (After Jimi), that doesn't include straight blues-players. They came at a time where hard rock/heavy metal first started to become big, and they helped shape it.

Maybe I'm approaching "Influential" from the wrong way. I don't think influential means only that said person made lots of other people start to play. I know that this is a part of what influential means, but not all of it. Another part of influential is longevity. While Soulja Boy may be popular now, his music will never last. Same with almost all mainstream rap. They fizz out after a few weeks or months. Then a new one comes along. If you need an example, 50 Cent's "Candy Shop" was huge. Where is it now?

Meanwhile, bands like Sabbath and Thin Lizzy are still listened to. It's still relevant music. People still enjoy listening to it even though it is 30 or 40 or 50 years old.