NationStates Jolt Archive

Who do you think the most influential rock band/artist is the most influential of all time? Note that some of the bands may not be technically rock, but were pretty-darn influential, or may not have been that good, but were still pretty influential (of course, good-ness (is that a word? I'm tired from last night :p) is a matter of opinion).


Here is where I got the list from. (http://www.concertlivewire.com/top10in.htm) If you have issues with the list, direct them here.

Jimi Hendrix










nuff said.

Refused Party Program. By a mile.

Polls up!

*yay!*

Elvis!

Pink Floyd

The answer lies somewhere between Bob Dylan and David Bowie.

The answer lies somewhere between Bob Dylan and David Bowie.

Put David Bowie up, I was going to, if I had space for one more person.

It's got to be the package that evolved and centred around Elvis. That was the most influential rock movement of the 20th C. bar none - massive, hysterical popularity, mixing musical styles across races and cultures, experiments in promotion and getting-music-across-entertainingly, and of course incredible talent.

Refused Party Program. By a mile.

Is the refused party program not a song by Refused rather than being a band itself?

Is the refused party program not a song by Refused rather than being a band itself?

Yes, Refused (who, by the way, Are Fucking Dead) had a song called "Refused Party Program", however I was referring to the NS forum poster, not the song or that awesome, awesome band.

I'm so horrible when it comes to music. I choose...um.....ELVIS!

Beatles, with Jimi Hendrix and Queen coming close second

b0000mp

Can't rightfully vote for Jimi, because he was really somewhat of a one-hit-wonder who profitted widely from his death....much of his influence is posthumous.

Ergo I go with the Beatles.

Chuck Berry? Certianly he would have merited at the very least a place on the poll, perhaps in place of Dr. Dre (he'd be arguable on a rap poll-what you where perhaps looking for was Run-DMC for crossovers like Walk This Way or Public Enemy/Onyx for Bring the Noise which certainly infuenced the rap rock groups that momentarily flared up on thier way to the forgotten bin next to the swing revival...)

No one kares about Kraftwerk...

Never mind they practically created the electronic music genre, and that anyone who has ever used a synthesizer in their music since has, probably without their knowledge, been influenced by that German band. I say their importance is about as much as the Beatles, except for the fact that no one knows about them.

And just where the hell is Buddy Holly, huh? For shame!

And just where the hell is Buddy Holly, huh? For shame!

I don't care about your geezer music! Go away!

:)

Really though, he may have been a pioneer, but he didn't really leave much of a mark. His name isn't as well known as the others on the list.

I don't care about your geezer music! Go away!

:)

Really though, he may have been a pioneer, but he didn't really leave much of a mark. His name isn't as well known as the others on the list.
Oh, sure it is. But only because of Weezer. Y'know...."Oooweeeoooh I look just like Buddy Holly".

(Oh oh, and you're Mary Tyler Moore)

Simonist']Oh, sure it is. But only because of Weezer. Y'know...."Oooweeeoooh I look just like Buddy Holly".

(Oh oh, and you're Mary Tyler Moore)

Huh? What? Huzza?

I don't care about your geezer music! Go away!

:)

Really though, he may have been a pioneer, but he didn't really leave much of a mark. His name isn't as well known as the others on the list.
Dude, we're still using the same basic format as him (and Chuck Berry, who you also left off) of song and band structure. That's pioneering and infuence.

And if you don't know who Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry is, that's more a reflection on you and not on the infuence of those artists. What's key is we all still know who these cats are while in the same amount of time we might not know some of the others.

You can lay a pretty strong bet that the people on that list are damn sure who Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry are.

Dude, we're still using the same basic format as him (and Chuck Berry, who you also left off) of song and band structure. That's pioneering and infuence.

And if you don't know who Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry is, that's more a reflection on you and not on the infuence of those artists. What's key is we all still know who these cats are while in the same amount of time we might not know some of the others.

You can lay a pretty strong bet that the people on that list are damn sure who Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry are.

I know who they are, I just don't think they're as influential as the others on that list. Think of it this way;
'twas the Brits that laid the groundwork for the United States of America, but do they get the credit for it becoming a Superpower? No. They don't.

I know who they are, I just don't think they're as influential as the others on that list. Think of it this way;
'twas the Brits that laid the groundwork for the United States of America, but do they get the credit for it becoming a Superpower? No. They don't.
Great, you've made the case for not putting Robert Johnson, Cab Calloway, and Luis Jordan on the list, not for keeping Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly off of it.

I voted for Beatles, because they are the most influential band of all time, hands down, no doubt. But they weren't rock music, and if you had to say the most influential ROCK artist of all time, it would definately be the Rolling Stones.

:sniper:

Really though, he may have been a pioneer, but he didn't really leave much of a mark. His name isn't as well known as the others on the list.
Ha! There were early greats upon whose shoulders all those in your list had to stand in order to be seen by the rabble. Besides Buddy Holly, what about Bill Haley and the Comets, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Lewis Jordan, Trixie Smith, Jerry Lee Lewis? Jeeze!

Great, you've made the case for not putting Robert Johnson, Cab Calloway, and Luis Jordan on the list, not for keeping Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly off of it.

Um...er....uh....


LOOK OVER THERE!

*runs away*

In all seriousness, though, we could debate for hours and hours about who deserves to be on this list or not. The fact of the matter is, what's done is done, and I can't change the poll now, okay?

Great, you've made the case for not putting Robert Johnson, Cab Calloway, and Luis Jordan on the list, not for keeping Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly off of it.
Yeah! Sick 'em Cannot think of a name! TELL it, bro! :D

Ha! There were early greats upon whose shoulders all those in your list had to stand in order to be seen by the rabble. Besides Buddy Holly, what about Bill Haley and the Comets, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Lewis Jordan, Trixie Smith, Jerry Lee Lewis? Jeeze!

I don't think Kraftwerk had to stand upon their shoulders :D

I don't think Kraftwerk had to stand upon their shoulders :D
Horsecrap! They ALL had to stand on the shoulders of the early greats!

I don't think Kraftwerk had to stand upon their shoulders :D
Kraftwerk would really be more electronica or dance music than it would be rock. Further, thier influence flows through Afrika Bambata and hip hop more than rock. They only get to rock by way of the afore mentioned cross overs such as Run-DMC/Public Enemy (and Blondie) or perhaps New Wave, though I don't know that we see many elements of New Wave still leaving thier impressions (though I'd entertain arguements that we do...)

Not quite the same as the theme/chorus/flashy guitar solo that is the staple of rock and roll and brought to you by...Chuck Berry.

Horsecrap! They ALL had to stand on the shoulders of the early greats!
Kraftwerk is a German experimental electronic band, not really a rock group. They stand on shoulders, but the shoulders they stand on or the guys who tweaked out modifying early radio equipment more than rockers.

Elvis influenced damned near everyone who followed him. So did the Beatles, but Elvis influenced the Beatles.

And, of course, Elvis was influenced by countless black blues musicians. So I'll nominate John Lee Hooker to represent all of them.

:p

probably a mix of elvis, the beatles and hendrix
maybe zeppelin

but i'd like to say black sabbath

Kraftwerk would really be more electronica or dance music than it would be rock. Further, thier influence flows through Afrika Bambata and hip hop more than rock. They only get to rock by way of the afore mentioned cross overs such as Run-DMC/Public Enemy (and Blondie) or perhaps New Wave, though I don't know that we see many elements of New Wave still leaving thier impressions (though I'd entertain arguements that we do...)

Not quite the same as the theme/chorus/flashy guitar solo that is the staple of rock and roll and brought to you by...Chuck Berry.

To tell the truth, I just put Rock artist because of the fact that the majority of the artists were, well, rock artists. And although you may not notice it, all of the people on the list influence rock. Kraftwerk brought more electronic music, etc.

To tell the truth, I just put Rock artist because of the fact that the majority of the artists were, well, rock artists. And although you may not notice it, all of the people on the list influence rock. Kraftwerk brought more electronic music, etc.
Of course I noticed it, it was one of the many flaws in the list I pointed out (Dr. Dre vs. Run-DMC/Public Enemy). Before Kraftwerk Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock brought electronics, or for that matter Pink Floyd, or the Beach Boys with the Therimen.

I don't know that you are qualified to make a list. Your markers are all over the place and usually set too far in.

Of course I noticed it, it was one of the many flaws in the list I pointed out (Dr. Dre vs. Run-DMC/Public Enemy). Before Kraftwerk Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock brought electronics, or for that matter Pink Floyd, or the Beach Boys with the Therimen.

I don't know that you are qualified to make a list. Your markers are all over the place and usually set too far in.

I took another list I found on the internet. Lemme find it for yas.

Here it are (http://www.concertlivewire.com/top10in.htm)

I don't think I'm out of line here when I suggest that no one on a list of greatest rock influences of all time should have started performing less than 40 years ago. Hell, rock and roll as its own musical genre (instead of an outgrowth of rhythm and blues) can't be more than 55 years old, and that's pushing it, so if we're compiling an all-time influences list, why shouldn't we go back to the beginning?

I took another list I found on the internet. Lemme find it for yas.

Here it are (http://www.concertlivewire.com/top10in.htm)
The Livewire staff is fired then. I've read some of the justifications they have for their list and they don't really hold up, though they at least try and acknowledge why they ingnore the more logical choices of Run-DMC and Public Enemy, even if I don't buy it.

EDIT: And for shame, not crediting your sources and trying to pass something off as your own work...

The Livewire staff is fired then. I've read some of the justifications they have for their list and they don't really hold up, though they at least try and acknowledge why they ingnore the more logical choices of Run-DMC and Public Enemy, even if I don't buy it.

EDIT: And for shame, not crediting your sources and trying to pass something off as your own work...

I never said it was my own work. You put words in my mouth!

*rips out mouth so Cannot think of a name cannot put words in it*

I never said it was my own work. You put words in my mouth!

*rips out mouth so Cannot think of a name cannot put words in it*
If you don't openly credit them, how are we supposed to think anything BUT that you compiled it yourself?

Good thing you credited, though....I was thinking maybe you just had somewhat flawed tastes.....

You have to credit everyone with what they did. They all added their own thing, twanged this a bit, twisted that some. You can't measure how influental any one group was really; the Beatles, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd etc. etc. etc. were very different styles, and each of them perfected what they did. You can measure more easily how each group perfected their genre.

In recent times you would have to say Green Day. All up I would day the Beatles, as everyone wanted to be thr Beatles, starting the band revolution, unlike Elvis, who did not really influence the music world byhaving people copy him. Many bands copied the Beatles, forming the music world we have today.

It is a tie between The Beatles and Bob Dylan

In recent times you would have to say Green Day.

Not even close.

Green Day has inspired about ten thousand bands who all sound alike and range from mediocre to atrocious. There hasn't been a truly influential rock band since Nirvana.

In recent times you would have to say Green Day. All up I would day the Beatles, as everyone wanted to be thr Beatles, starting the band revolution, unlike Elvis, who did not really influence the music world byhaving people copy him. Many bands copied the Beatles, forming the music world we have today.
I remain unimpressed by Green Day. Humpfh!

Depends on where you start, really.

Hendrix laid the foundation for all those who followed his path.

I remain unimpressed by Green Day. Humpfh!
That's 'cos you're old. You don't get it.
Which means I guess you won't be getting your late Christmas present, which was going to be Bullet in a Bible..... :p

The Beatles. Not just their music, but their recording methods as well. They revolutionized the entire industry.

Simonist']That's 'cos you're old. You don't get it.
Which means I guess you won't be getting your late Christmas present, which was going to be Bullet in a Bible..... :p
Well, I get it, but I remain largely unimpressed by it as well. I remember the first song of theirs I ever listened to--it started with the line "Do you have the time / to listen to me whine?" I said "Nope." Don't get me wrong--some of their songs are interesting enough--I liked American Idiot, for instance--but they're certainly not groundbreaking in any meaningful way. They're certainly not the Clash, or the Ramones, or even the Sex Pistols.

Hendrix laid the foundation for all those who followed his path.

Hendrix was certainly an influential virtuoso of the guitar, but his music (while I enjoy it) was largely derivative and didn't do much to influence particular genres.

In recent times you would have to say Green Day. All up I would day the Beatles, as everyone wanted to be thr Beatles, starting the band revolution, unlike Elvis, who did not really influence the music world byhaving people copy him. Many bands copied the Beatles, forming the music world we have today.

I, sadly, have to agree with your statement about Green Day. No matter how horrible they are, they have spawned thousands of offspring that, hard to believe, are worse than they are.

One of the better new bands, in my opinion, are Franz Ferdinand.

It has got to be The Beatles. Their music or their recording techniques alone could set them as most influential, but that isn't what their real mark is. So many people seem to forget that The Beatles changed industry expectations. Before The Beatles some musicians wrote their own material, but pleanty of people just played what was put in front of them (Elvis comes to mind here). After The Beatles, only the most commerical of bands could get away without writing their own material and critical acclaim demanded original works.

Sure, you hear The Beatles in nearly every rock song written in the past 40 years. Sure, you recognize recording techniques that first came into use because of The Beatles (hell, where would modern metal be without densely layered recording?). But more importantly than either of those things, every time a local band decides they aren't ready for a live show because they don't have enough original material, there The Beatles are. Doesn't matter if it's black metal, rap, ukranian danceclub, emo, indie, whatever, The Beatles are there.

I remain unimpressed by Green Day. Humpfh!

I've been saying that since Basket Case was getting heavy rotation when I was in 6th or 7th grade. They've had a few good songs, but nothing revolutionary. I'd say their overall influence has been mostly negative, pushing punk music that much closer to corporate pop, smoothing out the edges of a genre that was designed to be rough, and generally opening the door for a legion of acts that will simply never make the cut.

Not even close.

Green Day has inspired about ten thousand bands who all sound alike and range from mediocre to atrocious. There hasn't been a truly influential rock band since Nirvana.

Nirvana has got to be the worst excuse for a rock band I have ever had the misfortunate to let through my ears.

THE KING.

"Well, since my baby left me,
I found a new place to dwell.
It’s down at the end of lonely street
At heartbreak hotel.

You make me so lonely baby,
I get so lonely,
I get so lonely I could die.

And although it’s always crowded,
You still can find some room.
Where broken hearted lovers
Do cry away their gloom.

You make me so lonely baby,
I get so lonely,
I get so lonely I could die.

Well, the bell hop’s tears keep flowin’,
And the desk clerk’s dressed in black.
Well they been so long on lonely street
They ain’t ever gonna look back.

You make me so lonely baby,
I get so lonely,
I get so lonely I could die.

Hey now, if your baby leaves you,
And you got a tale to tell.
Just take a walk down lonely street
To heartbreak hotel."

No one kares about Kraftwerk...

Never mind they practically created the electronic music genre, and that anyone who has ever used a synthesizer in their music since has, probably without their knowledge, been influenced by that German band. I say their importance is about as much as the Beatles, except for the fact that no one knows about them.
My choice. The other ones have been influencal but they haven't been the first ones. Kraftverk is the only one who has made something really original.

The Beatles, no doubt about that.

The Beatles.

Curious that Sabbath and Zeppelin aren't on the poll, but whatever.

Nirvana has got to be the worst excuse for a rock band I have ever had the misfortunate to let through my ears.

Uh-huh. Care to justify that? Do you just not like them, or do you have a legitimate claim against their classification as an "influential" band?

Dude. Why isn't WASP up there?

"Who?" some of you might be asking.

WASP.

You know, the band that released that single Animal (F*ck Like A Beast) in the 80's that ended up helping to create the PMRC and help to further censor our music because of Parental Advisory Stickers? Yeah. Them. What about them?

Dude. Why isn't WASP up there?

"Who?" some of you might be asking.

WASP.

You know, the band that released that single Animal (F*ck Like A Beast) in the 80's that ended up helping to create the PMRC and help to further censor our music because of Parental Advisory Stickers? Yeah. Them. What about them?
Just read the first post and check the link.

Elvis Presley

Chuck Berry.

You forgot Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath.
You-:( :gundge: -Me

I voted for Beatles, because they are the most influential band of all time, hands down, no doubt. But they weren't rock music, and if you had to say the most influential ROCK artist of all time, it would definately be the Rolling Stones.

:sniper:


The Beatles "rocked" by any definition of the word, every bit as hard, and even harder at times, than the Rolling Stones.
The only difference, is the Stones were much more blues orientated, and stayed a bit closer to that, than the Beatles did.

Both, were most assuredly "Rock", and/or "Rock N' Roll".

However, as great as The Stones are, no band has, or ever likely will, be as influential as the Beatles.
The Beatles revolutionized the way bands perform, tour, record, and sell thier music.

No other band has ever made such an impact.

Elvis comes close, as do the the Stones, but no where near.

You forgot Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath.
You-:( :gundge: -Me


I feel as though Black Sabbath are the Beatles of Heavy Metal.

You forgot Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath.
You-:( :gundge: -Me go Ozzy The Prince of Darkness

My choice. The other ones have been influencal but they haven't been the first ones. Kraftverk is the only one who has made something really original.

My Sentiments exactly.

Frank Zappa:Without Him There would be no Sgt Peppers Loneyheartclub band (It is said hat his debut album Freak Out was Paul McCartnrys Inspirstion for Sgt Peppers)

Simonist']Can't rightfully vote for Jimi, because he was really somewhat of a one-hit-wonder who profitted widely from his death....much of his influence is posthumous.

Ergo I go with the Beatles.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!!?!??!

HAVE YOU EVER LISTENED TO SOMETHING BESIDES PURPLE HAZE?!!?!?

try power of soul, anything from South Saturn Delta (mainly great guitar), plus Manic Depression/Crosstown Traffic


BLASPHEMER!!

No one kares about Kraftwerk...

Never mind they practically created the electronic music genre, and that anyone who has ever used a synthesizer in their music since has, probably without their knowledge, been influenced by that German band. I say their importance is about as much as the Beatles, except for the fact that no one knows about them.
Laughable at best, downright sad at worst.

The first band to ever use a synth in a pop song was the Who with their 1971 release Who's Next--specifically on the songs "Baba O'Reily" and "Won't Get Fooled Again." Peter Townshend created the electronic music genre, not Kraftwerk.

In recent times you would have to say Green Day.

I hope to hell not. They're just ripping off the sound of hundreds of punk bands who came before them and sounded better. Worse than that, they're hypocrites whose best work came long before they came into the public eye (and even that wasn't all that good when compared to real punk bands who really meant what they said, rather than doing it for money.)

Besides which, who the hell have they influenced? Their sound is nothing new, their message is nothing new, their "style" is nothing new. Hell, they still use the same prefabricated forms of music that we've been using as long as there has been music!

Now... What type of rock are we talking about? Depending on the genre, the influences are different.

I hope to hell not. They're just ripping off the sound of hundreds of punk bands who came before them and sounded better. Worse than that, they're hypocrites whose best work came long before they came into the public eye (and even that wasn't all that good when compared to real punk bands who really meant what they said, rather than doing it for money.)

Besides which, who the hell have they influenced? Their sound is nothing new, their message is nothing new, their "style" is nothing new. Hell, they still use the same prefabricated forms of music that we've been using as long as there has been music!

Now... What type of rock are we talking about? Depending on the genre, the influences are different.

Now I must say that all this is a bit of an overstatement. Your claims are only true if all you care about is the breaking shit punk. To me, Green Day even further epitomized the punk revolution to the point where you don't even care about stereotyping your music to the message, which was something all these 'great' punk bands, as you call them, did. But in the eyes of influential bands of the past 20 years, Green Day's influence can be heard in about 50% of most popular music nowadays (something i ain't too proud of)

Now I must say that all this is a bit of an overstatement. Your claims are only true if all you care about is the breaking shit punk. To me, Green Day even further epitomized the punk revolution to the point where you don't even care about stereotyping your music to the message, which was something all these 'great' punk bands, as you call them, did. But in the eyes of influential bands of the past 20 years, Green Day's influence can be heard in about 50% of most popular music nowadays (something i ain't too proud of)

Where? Name one distinctly "Green Day" attribute. There isn't one. They're generic, manufactured musicians who can't even claim to be true punkers, because they are hypocrites (guess what: Anyone who sings out against conservativism in America and goes on a tour funded by one of the largest financial supporters of American Conservatives, is a hypocrite.)

I think it's hard to deny that breaking shit is a part of punk (although I admit to being loath to say that "Breaking Shit" is necessary by any means). After all, the first punkers were mostly poor kids living out of abandoned buildings or cheap apartments who had no problem at all breaking things ("I want to hit passers-by", "Beat on the brat with a baseball bat"). Moving on from that, Hardcore itself was characterized by violence by and against cops and eachother (The D.C. scene picked up the label of "Muscleheads" from the snobier New York Scene. Black Flag concerts often ended in riots. The list goes on and on.). While it isn't necessary to "Break Shit" to be punk, the people you steryotype as breaking shit were the real punkers (and, contrary to what I've just said, many had no interest in "Breaking Shit").

Fact of the matter is, most real punk bands won't sign to major labels (not because it's "Selling Out", in every case, but because many protest the RIAA and "Big-Music" and because most punkers are seen as "Too Wild" or "Too Violent" or "Bad For Corporate Image" by major labels). Greed Day is signed to a subsidiary of Warner.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!!?!??!

HAVE YOU EVER LISTENED TO SOMETHING BESIDES PURPLE HAZE?!!?!?

try power of soul, anything from South Saturn Delta (mainly great guitar), plus Manic Depression/Crosstown Traffic


BLASPHEMER!!
Actually, yes. I have. I'm actually quite a Jimi fan, and you show your intolerance and ignorance by ASSUMING otherwise....after all, everybody is entitled to their own opinion, whether or not they've only had a smathering of the music (which isn't the case with me). But you have to acknowledge the fact that AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH he was not nearly as big as he became AFTER the death itself rocketed him to even higher levels of stardom.

So get off my case and chill the hell out.

Laughable at best, downright sad at worst.

The first band to ever use a synth in a pop song was the Who with their 1971 release Who's Next--specifically on the songs "Baba O'Reily" and "Won't Get Fooled Again." Peter Townshend created the electronic music genre, not Kraftwerk.

They weren't the first, but they did make the first electronic pop song (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autobahn_%28album%29).

Laughable at best, downright sad at worst.

The first band to ever use a synth in a pop song was the Who with their 1971 release Who's Next--specifically on the songs "Baba O'Reily" and "Won't Get Fooled Again." Peter Townshend created the electronic music genre, not Kraftwerk.


...excepting the fact that The Monkees were recording and releasing songs using Moogs at least 4 years before that came out, and The Beatles were doing the same thing on Abbey Road at least 2 years before Who's Next...

Where? Name one distinctly "Green Day" attribute. There isn't one. They're generic, manufactured musicians who can't even claim to be true punkers, because they are hypocrites (guess what: Anyone who sings out against conservativism in America and goes on a tour funded by one of the largest financial supporters of American Conservatives, is a hypocrite.)

Answer me this: manufactured by whom?

Simonist']Actually, yes. I have. I'm actually quite a Jimi fan, and you show your intolerance and ignorance by ASSUMING otherwise....after all, everybody is entitled to their own opinion, whether or not they've only had a smathering of the music (which isn't the case with me). But you have to acknowledge the fact that AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH he was not nearly as big as he became AFTER the death itself rocketed him to even higher levels of stardom.

So get off my case and chill the hell out.

sarcasm can be overrated apparantly. :rolleyes:
just kidding

granted, TOD he was pretty much unknown. people found all kinds of his music after his death




Sorry, that's my reaction to people who shut the man down in favor of some crap today like Green Day, Good Charlotte, Nickelback, etc.,etc. I hate all these new noise bands. All you hear is a combination of noises and crappy singing.

(BTW, i'm a teen in the u.s. I love when my friends say X is great at their concert. Everyone I listen to is dead. Well most of them. The Who are partially alive.)

Answer me this: manufactured by whom?
Please don't defend Greenday... they're not worth it...

______MACHINE
_____MACHINE
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MACHINE

KRAFTWERK is the only right answer

I feel as though Black Sabbath are the Beatles of Heavy Metal.

They are. As much as I love Sabbath, though, their influence has been rather specific. I'm a huge fan of metal, so a good deal of my record collection has their finger[rints on it, but once you move outside of metal the inluence of a band like Sabbath wanes. Sure, they created one of the more vibrant and long-lasting of the rock subgenres, but they haven't had the global influence of The Beatles, The Who, The Stones, or Dylan. Its unfortunate but undeniable.

Simonist']Actually, yes. I have. I'm actually quite a Jimi fan, and you show your intolerance and ignorance by ASSUMING otherwise....after all, everybody is entitled to their own opinion, whether or not they've only had a smathering of the music (which isn't the case with me). But you have to acknowledge the fact that AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH he was not nearly as big as he became AFTER the death itself rocketed him to even higher levels of stardom.

So get off my case and chill the hell out.

That doesn't really diminish his influence. Sure, he died before his influence was heard, but EVERY guitarist I have ever known has a few Hendrix albums sitting around. Every new sound you could make a guitar make, every guitarist who makes extensive use of effects, they all owe Hendrix a great debt.

People seem to forget that the reason an electric guitar sounds like an electric guitar is because Les Paul saw past what a guitar was and to what it could be and Jimi Hendrix took that vision and dragged it out of Jazz and into Rock. Without those two men, music would sound very different. Hell, the case could be made that old Les had more of an influence than even Jimi by inventing the damned instrument (not to mention his pioneering work on multi-track recording).

Answer me this: manufactured by whom?


Good point. I'm sure that all the cell-phone tie-ins, corporate sponsorship, and massive media blitz for a band that hadn't had much in the way of radio play for the better part of a decade were all just a lucky coincedence. Warner couldn't have planned that, they couldn't have engineered Greenday's comeback. I'm sure it was all the fans that earned Greenday that push.

...excepting the fact that The Monkees were recording and releasing songs using Moogs at least 4 years before that came out, and The Beatles were doing the same thing on Abbey Road at least 2 years before Who's Next...
Uhhh... no? I've listened to Abbey Road many times and I don't ever recall having heard a synth. Care to name the song?

Please don't defend Greenday... they're not worth it...

I'll defend Green Day from bullshit like this: they have their myriad faults, and I have no time for them now, but they did originate in the DIY punk scene and are a prime example of how an unmanufactured band can still be successful. Their signing to a major I don't agree with: bands such as New Order have shown that major commercial accomplishments are not limited to the major labels alone.

Not that they struck me as anything particularly amazing when I saw them in '92 or '93 though, but then the pop-punk end of the spectrum was never really my thing.

Elgesh']It's got to be the package that evolved and centred around Elvis. That was the most influential rock movement of the 20th C. bar none - massive, hysterical popularity, mixing musical styles across races and cultures, experiments in promotion and getting-music-across-entertainingly, and of course incredible talent.

strongly disagree, elvis's stlye has very little influence on modern music, perhaps a classic in his own right but little more, if we're talking influence then somewhere near the top of the list is surely, led zeppelin and pink floyd, these two bands have shaped the world of modern rock and are without a doubt the two best artists of all time.

Uhhh... no? I've listened to Abbey Road many times and I don't ever recall having heard a synth. Care to name the song?

Because (2:12-2:45)
Maxwell's Silver Hammer (0:52-1:28 and 2:11-2:45)
I Want You (She's So Heavy) ....
Here Comes The Sun

Because (2:12-2:45)
Maxwell's Silver Hammer (0:52-1:28 and 2:11-2:45)
I Want You (She's So Heavy) ....
Never noticed that before, perhaps because Maxwell's Silver Hammer sucks and I always skip it; I'll have to give these a listen though. Still, I'm not sure I'd count a 30 second sample as being a meaningful use of a synth in a rock song ;)

Perhaps I should have clarified that the Who were the first to feature the synth extensively.

That doesn't really diminish his influence. Sure, he died before his influence was heard, but EVERY guitarist I have ever known has a few Hendrix albums sitting around. Every new sound you could make a guitar make, every guitarist who makes extensive use of effects, they all owe Hendrix a great debt.

People seem to forget that the reason an electric guitar sounds like an electric guitar is because Les Paul saw past what a guitar was and to what it could be and Jimi Hendrix took that vision and dragged it out of Jazz and into Rock. Without those two men, music would sound very different. Hell, the case could be made that old Les had more of an influence than even Jimi by inventing the damned instrument (not to mention his pioneering work on multi-track recording).
I never said that this fact would lessen his influence at all. I just said that that's the main determining factor between me voting the Beatles over Hendrix.

elvis presley, who else is known as the king of rock and roll

The Smiths.

People seem to forget that the reason an electric guitar sounds like an electric guitar is because Les Paul saw past what a guitar was and to what it could be and Jimi Hendrix took that vision and dragged it out of Jazz and into Rock. Without those two men, music would sound very different. Hell, the case could be made that old Les had more of an influence than even Jimi by inventing the damned instrument (not to mention his pioneering work on multi-track recording).

Lets not get into the argument of who invented the electric guitar: we all know that it is going to get bogged down on whether you consider a hollow bodied guitar to be electric (in which case it goes to George Beauchamp) or whether you consider only a solid body to be a real electric guitar.

Many of the poll options aren't rock artists, but I'll say Bob Dylan anyway.

The Smiths.

Oh yes! The Smiths...

They were an amazing band.
I would also mention bands like Bauhaus and Joy Division.

Probably the Beatles :gundge: have been very influential... but all they did is to influence lots of bands to sound like sh*t. They are so... argh... hateful.

Many of the poll options aren't rock artists, but I'll say Bob Dylan anyway.

'Many'? Kraftwerk and Dr. Dre are the only two who haven't at some stage been operating in conventional rock mode.

I'm gonna say the Backstreet Boys.

The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band

1. Beatles
2. Led Zeppelin
3. Jimi Hendrix
4. Black Sabbath

______MACHINE
_____MACHINE
____MACHINE
___MACHINE
__MACHINE
_MACHINE
MACHINE

KRAFTWERK is the only right answer

Exactly.

I've finally checked out the source list and I can safely say it's utterly ridiculous: it's obvious that a lot of concertlivewire's staff are techno/hip-hop fans: if they weren't, Kraftwerk and Dr. Dre would have been shuffled back to about top-25 status, where they belong.

Seeing as the strongest point they can summon in Kraftwerk's defense is that artists draw on their influence "without knowing it," I'm forced to conclude their presence on this list at all--especially the ridiculous claim that they were more influential than Elvis-- is something of an absurd pretense of favoritism. Kraftwerk may have created something of an institution that other artists drew upon, but if we're going to go by those standards, we'd be horribly remiss in not including composers like Bach and Mozart; or at the very least earlier performers like Bo Diddley, Les Paul and Chuck Berry, whose influences will be drawn upon without the performer's knowledge for decades to come. The span of these artists influence exceeds Kraftwerk's by two decades, making any case for the latter difficult at best and downright impossible at worst. This list is objectionable on several counts, but Kraftwerk is definately the most egregious entry, especially ahead of Elvis and David Bowie. Why Dr. Dre is there is also somewhat puzzling, as he [and every rap artist before and since] has owed everything they had to the Sugar Hill Gang in the first place.

I've finally checked out the source list and I can safely say it's utterly ridiculous: it's obvious that a lot of concertlivewire's staff are techno/hip-hop fans: if they weren't, Kraftwerk and Dr. Dre would have been shuffled back to about top-25 status, where they belong.

Seeing as the strongest point they can summon in Kraftwerk's defense is that artists draw on their influence "without knowing it," I'm forced to conclude their presence on this list at all--especially the ridiculous claim that they were more influential than Elvis-- is something of an absurd pretense of favoritism. Kraftwerk may have created something of an institution that other artists drew upon, but if we're going to go by those standards, we'd be horribly remiss in not including composers like Bach and Mozart; or at the very least earlier performers like Bo Diddley, Les Paul and Chuck Berry, whose influences will be drawn upon without the performer's knowledge for decades to come. The span of these artists influence exceeds Kraftwerk's by two decades, making any case for the latter difficult at best and downright impossible at worst. This list is objectionable on several counts, but Kraftwerk is definately the most egregious entry, especially ahead of Elvis and David Bowie. Why Dr. Dre is there is also somewhat puzzling, as he [and every rap artist before and since] has owed everything they had to the Sugar Hill Gang in the first place.

Meh.

I mean, it's just music. There is still the all-important other category.

*drum roll*

The cave painters of the Lascaux caverns in France!!

*band swells as crowd roars*

Come on down and get your trophy guys...

It's between The Doors and Queen. Or maybe it's just that I like them best.

Lets not get into the argument of who invented the electric guitar: we all know that it is going to get bogged down on whether you consider a hollow bodied guitar to be electric (in which case it goes to George Beauchamp) or whether you consider only a solid body to be a real electric guitar.

Eh, there were electrict guitars before Les, I won't deny that. I definately see you point and agree that it is a pointless argument. Fender's Telecaster came out before Gibson came to Les.

Still, Les Paul perfected the idea. His design for a solid body electric guitar would become the standard for what the instrument was supposed to sound like. As an instrument, there are other electric guitars, but there is only one Les Paul. Just as a 335 sounds like the Blues a Les Paul sounds like Rock. The point I was trying to make was that Les Paul revolutionized the insturment. He saw what it could be, he saw what a pickup on a solid body could do, he saw how looping tracks and effects could be used, and he built an instrument that took full advantage of those things. When a genre came along that needed those aspects, the Les Paul was sitting there waiting. Its kinda like the fretless bass. Sure, other people had no doubt pulled their frets out, and anyone with a standup had been playing fretless all along, but no one ever really played a fretless bass before Jaco Pastorius.

Still, Les Paul perfected the idea. His design for a solid body electric guitar would become the standard for what the instrument was supposed to sound like.

I agree with you here, but think there should be inverted commas around the word 'supposed'. Aside from that no complaints.

Why hasn't anybody said "ALAN PARSONS"?

Darkside wouldn't have sounded half so good without Alan Parsons as a sound engineer, and he later went on to record the first song done entirely with computer sequencers (Mammagamma).

Whether or not Alan Parsons has been the biggest influence or not, I can't say, but I think he has been the biggest influence on GOOD rock (and most any) genre of music in the latter half of the 20th century and the 21st so far.

By the way, I don't think the Beatles were very good. I think they sucked.

But I'm just a nerd who listens to the Alan Parsons Project, Pink Floyd, and weird shit like that. Don't listen to me or anything. :rolleyes:

I say the Beatles primarily, just because before them, recording artists were forced to perform songs by writers contracted to that particular record company that they signed with. This often resulted in little or no innovation in lyrical content, and everything kinda sounding the same, and stale. The Beatles were the first group/artist to change all that. They insisted on doing their own songs. And in their case, rightly so.

Jimi Hendrix was an innovator as well. He revolutionized rock guitar, with his explorations into the uses of feedback, and became to be one of the first to mix styles within the rock medium, indirectly helpng to keep the medium alive and vibrant.

You could make a case for many others. Robert Fripp. Brian Eno. Kurt Cobain, even. The Beach Boys, for vocal innovation. I could go on and on.

Ummmm ... Link Wray ....

He invented the power chord, he influenced everyone from Pete Townsend to Jeff Beck, Bruce Springsteen to Elvis, the Beatles to Nirvana. He was the original Man in Black and the original King of Rock and Roll. He even influenced Berry as well as other godfathers of rock and roll. His style was translated into rockabilly, surf, metal, punk, and grunge.

No Wray = No Rock

Duh.

Ummmm ... Link Wray ....

He invented the power chord, he influenced everyone from Pete Townsend to Jeff Beck, Bruce Springsteen to Elvis, the Beatles to Nirvana. He was the original Man in Black and the original King of Rock and Roll. He even influenced Berry as well as other godfathers of rock and roll. His style was translated into rockabilly, surf, metal, punk, and grunge.

No Wray = No Rock

Duh.

Very, very few people know about him. A very highly underrated musician. You make a good point. Unfortunately most don't understand just how vital his contribution was. But if you are a serious musician, or music historian, you'd have to have been living in a cave to have not heard of him.

One last one. Les Paul. The inventor of the electric guitar. Without whom, none of any of this discussion would be possible.

______MACHINE
_____MACHINE
____MACHINE
___MACHINE
__MACHINE
_MACHINE
MACHINE

KRAFTWERK is the only right answer

Wow, that's so clever! I never realised if you aligned the letters of "Machine", you can form the same word....only DOWN...made from like...the letters...of other machines! Dude, thats a bold artistic statement. So it's like a machine made from like....seven other machines! DUDE.

I would like to add Ricky Nelson. He made what is probably the first music video ever when he did Travelin' Man.

Y'know, theres a pretty glaring problem in this discussion that goes all the way back to Livewire's list. You see it whenever people talk about rock music, and it is especially bad when you're talking to rock critics or "musicologists." How do you define "rock?" It seems to be something of an overly-broad category. Take

Kraftwerk. Kraftwerk deserves credit, but not as a rock band and definately not as an influential rock band. Kraftwerk represented the beginning of electronic music and they influenced the whole genre, but it wasn't really "rock." There is no line you can draw between Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Barry, Elvis and Kraftwerk. Its apples and oranges.

The same goes for Dr. Dre. Sure, he did alot, he was influential, but he was so in the rap genre. Tracing Dre's influences back you don;t see rock bands. You see early Rap, you see R&B, you see Funk, but there isn't exactly a connection between NWA and distorted 12 bar blues colored blended American country.

This isn't meant to diminish the legacies of these musicians at all, but if we are going to talk about genres we need to define them. I don't really consider Johnny Cash or Miles Davis "rock" musicians either. It seems to me that critic's lists always define rock as "anything that has been popular with the under 30 crowd since 1950, especially whatever I admit to listening to in highschool."

I haven't read every post in this thread, so someone may have already memtioned Buddy Holly. Even John Lennon (the Beatles) said Buddy Holly was the most influential artist he admired and tried to be like. Buddy Holly had a band called the Crickets, which influenced the name, the Beatles.

The song, "Bye Bye Miss American Pie", was written about Holly after he was killed in a place crash. The airplane was named, Miss American Pie.

One of his songs was, "Peggy Sue", another was "Think it over"

I haven't read all the way through, but I didn't see any mention of Bill Haley & His Comets (http://www.history-of-rock.com/haley.htm) (first ever rock record to make the pop charts). A list of the most influential rock artists ought to include at least some of the originators....

(And the authors of that web site are just plain ignorant for not having done so.)

beatles. think about it, good rock these days is judged in terms of the beatles success.

i do howevever feel that no single artist is the most important or anything like that. every band has had a purpose and role in the creation of modern rock/r+b/jazz/metal/emo/pop/indie/otherstuff

Bill Haley with the cute little curl of hair on his forehead, sure had an influence on rock and roll. But I can only remember one song he did, "Rock around the Clock" One Two Three O'clock, Four O'clock, Rock, Five Six Seven O'clock, Eight O'clock Rock.. etc.. funny to hear that song running through my brain now.

The biggest non-artist, never had a hit song, was Dick Clark. How much influence he had on rock and roll is hard to measure.

Bill Haley with the cute little curl of hair on his forehead, sure had an influence on rock and roll. But I can only remember one song he did, "Rock around the Clock" One Two Three O'clock, Four O'clock, Rock, Five Six Seven O'clock, Eight O'clock Rock.. etc.. funny to hear that song running through my brain now.

The biggest non-artist, never had a hit song, was Dick Clark. How much influence he had on rock and roll is hard to measure.

Nope. The biggest non-artist would be Alan Freed, who showed there was a "white" market for rock music.

beatles. think about it, good rock these days is judged in terms of the beatles success.

i do howevever feel that no single artist is the most important or anything like that. every band has had a purpose and role in the creation of modern rock/r+b/jazz/metal/emo/pop/indie/otherstuffSo is bad music, sadly enough. I read something this morning that gave me douche chills--Mariah Carey now sits in second place behind the Beatles for most number one hits, and it's conceivable that she could top them.

Think about that. Mariah fucking Carey.

The airplane was named, Miss American Pie.

No it wasn't. The plane had no name, just a number: N3794N.

No it wasn't. The plane had no name, just a number: N3794N.

I found this on a website about the song. "American Pie is rumored to be based on the name of the plane (A Beechcraft Bonanza, Number N3794P) in which Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens were killed."

If I can find any proof that the rumor is true or false, I will report back. I was writing from memory about Buddy Holly, and that was a long time ago, but the name of the plane stuck in my mind for some reason. Never knew until today that is was just a rumor.

If I can find any proof that the rumor is true or false, I will report back. I was writing from memory about Buddy Holly, and that was a long time ago, but the name of the plane stuck in my mind for some reason. Never knew until today that is was just a rumor.

From the horse's mouth:

"the growing urban legend that "American Pie" was the name of Buddy Holly’s plane the night it crashed, killing him, Ritchie Valens and the Big Boppper, is untrue. I created the term." - Don McLean, 1999

http://www.don-mclean.com/americanpie.asp

Very, very few people know about him.

Yes, well ... the truly great are never in the forefront.

The Kinks definately the kinks

Far far greater than the Beatles (I am from Liverpool originally)

Robert Johnson.