Top 10 most influential contemporary musicians over the last 50 years

[nick1181]

[the doors] no way, like 'em, but they influenced who exactly

The Stranglers and Echo and the Bunnymen - both of whom were fairly influential in their way.

Jim Morrison has had is fair share of copyists as well - Ian Astbury from the Cult - I always thought there was more than a passing similarity with Michael Hutchence as well, although that was probably more of a graphics department thing than a conscious effort on his part.

 

[nick1181]

None of those bands were amongst the biggest selling album acts of the 80s...

Have you ever seen a biggest selling album act list?

There was one floating round a couple of years ago - quite interesting. It had some real curve-balls in it - eg: ACDC were up with The Rolling Stones, Jackson Browne was absolutely massive etc. I'll try to find it.

 

[N_igma]

girl power was a tabloid fad

No it wasn't.

 

[smokedout]

particularly bon jovi and metallica were absolutely amongst the biggest selling acts of the late 80's

hysteria by def leppard was also one of the biggest selling albums ever at its time

van halen were the biggest selling ameircian act of all time in the mid-80's

appetite for destruction (gnr) was i think the biggest ever selling debut (at the time) beating whitney by whitney houston

when nevermind was launched big hair rock was at its height, within six months kids had swapperd their kiss t-shirts for mudhoney

the only big hair bands that really survived were the heavier edged ones like metallica, but even they lost a lot of popularity

and justice for all was one of the biggest selling albums (as in top three) in 1987

 

[Iam]

Have you ever seen a biggest selling album act list?

There was one floating round a couple of years ago - quite interesting. It had some real curve-balls in it - eg: ACDC were up with The Rolling Stones, Jackson Browne was absolutely massive etc. I'll try to find it.

Sure have and I've just been looking around some on the net again and Slippery When Wet is listed as #1 US album in 1988, but that's it of those. I'm not saying metal wasn't big at the time, but I think the the idea that Nirvana slew metal is a little on the mythical side. It went through a period of popularity, and then it moved out of the mainstream again. It was back around 2001 (albeit not in its hair-metal form) for a bit.

Awww, the circle of life.

 

[smokedout]

No it wasn't.

yes it was

who are you mel b?

 

[Dr. Furface]

Elvis
Beatles
Hendrix
Sly Stone
Miles Davis
Dylan
Can
Kraftwerk
Bob Marley
Sex Pistols

 

[Iam]

and justice for all was one of the biggest selling albums (as in top three) in 1987

Link?

Top (UK) Albums of 1987
1 Michael Jackson Bad
2 U2 The Joshua Tree
3 Whitney Houston Whitney
4 Various artists (EMI/Virgin/Polygram) Now That's What I Call Music 10
5 Fleetwood Mac Tango In The Night
6 Various artists (CBS/WEA) Hits 6
7 Rick Astley Whenever You Need Somebody
8 T'Pau Bridge Of Spies
9 Original Cast The Phantom Of The Opera
10 Level 42 Running In The Family

http://www.everyhit.com/chartalb4.html

 

[nick1181]

There's a list here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_albums_in_the_United_States

But this is sales, not influence. The Velvet Underground didn't sell a lot, but their influence was collosal

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Since when does 'biggest selling' equal 'most influentiual.'

Juan Atkins was incomparably more influential than Bon Jovi, even though he's never sold remotely as many albums.

 

[smokedout]

it was a combination of nirvana and the grunge scene and beavis and butthead as i recall that killed metal

i was there man, it was my scene at the time and i saw it go down

luckily i took a little white pill a couple of years later that made everything alright again

 

[Flashman]

In no particular order:

Dylan
Bowie
Kraftwerk
Elvis
The Beatles
The Velvet Underground
The Smiths
James Brown
Run DMC
Kate Bush

 

[nick1181]

Pardon the C&P

1 Eagles - Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) (1976, Asylum) - 29 times platinum
2 Michael Jackson - Thriller (Epic, 1982) - 27 times platinum
3 Led Zeppelin - [[Led Zeppelin IV] (Atlantic, 1971) - 23 times platinum
4 Pink Floyd - The Wall (Columbia) - 23 times platinum
5 AC/DC - Back in Black (Atlantic, 1980) - 21 times platinum
6 Billy Joel - Greatest Hits, Vols. 1 & 2 (Columbia, 1985) - 21 times platinum
7 Shania Twain - Come on Over (Mercury, 1997) - 20 times platinum
8 Garth Brooks - Double Live (Capitol, 1998) - 20 times platinum
9 The Beatles - The Beatles ("The White Album") (Apple, 1968) - 19 times platinum
10 Fleetwood Mac - Rumours (Warner Bros., 1977) - 19 times platinum
11 Boston - Boston (Epic, 1976) - 17 times platinum
12 Whitney Houston - The Bodyguard (Arista, 1992) - 17 times platinum
13 Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill (Maverick, 1995) - 16 times platinum
14 Hootie and the Blowfish - Cracked Rear View (Atlantic, 1994) - 16 times platinum
15 Elton John - Greatest Hits (Polydor, 1976) - 16 times platinum
16 The Beatles - 1967–1970 ("the Blue Album") (Capitol, 1973) - 16 times platinum
17 Garth Brooks - No Fences (Capitol, 1990) - 16 times platinum
18 Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti (Swan Song, 1975) - 16 times platinum
19 Eagles - Hotel California (Asylum, 1976) - 16 times platinum
20 Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon (Capitol, 1973) - 15 times platinum
21 The Beatles - 1962–1966 ("the Red Album") (Capitol, 1973) - 15 times platinum
22 Bee Gees - Saturday Night Fever (soundtrack) (RSO, 1977) - 15 times platinum
23 Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction (Geffen, 1987) - 15 times platinum
24 Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A. (Columbia, 1984) - 15 times platinum
25 Santana - Supernatural (Arista, 1999) - 15 times platinum
26 Backstreet Boys - Backstreet Boys (Jive, 1997) - 14 times platinum
27 Metallica - Metallica ("the Black Album") (Elektra, 1991) - 14 times platinum
28 Simon and Garfunkel - Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits (Columbia, 1972) - 14 times platinum
29 Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell (Epic, 1977) - 14 times platinum
30 Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time (Jive, 1999) - 14 times platinum
31 Garth Brooks - Ropin' the Wind (Capitol, 1991) - 14 times platinum
32 Journey - Greatest Hits (Columbia, 1988) - 14 times platinum
33 Backstreet Boys - Millennium (Jive, 1999) - 13 times platinum
34 Steve Miller Band - Greatest Hits (1974–1978) (Capitol, 1978) - 13 times platinum
35 Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston (Arista, 1985) - 13 times platinum
36 Prince and the Revolution - Purple Rain (soundtrack) (Warner Bros., 1984) - 13 times platinum
37 Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - Live/1975-85 (Columbia, 1986) - 13 times platinum
38 Forrest Gump (soundtrack) (Epic, 1994) - 12 times platinum
39 Kenny Rogers - Kenny Rogers' Greatest Hits (1980) - 12 times platinum
40 The Rolling Stones - Hot Rocks, 1964–1971 (London, 1972) - 12 times platinum
41 Shania Twain - The Woman in Me (Mercury, 1995) - 12 times platinum
42 Kenny G - Breathless (Arista, 1992) - 12 times platinum
43 Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II (Atlantic, 1969) - 12 times platinum
44 Pearl Jam - Ten (Epic, 1991) - 12 times platinum
45 matchbox twenty - yourself or someone like you (Atlantic, 1996) - 12 times platinum
46 The Beatles - Abbey Road (Apple, 1969) - 12 times platinum
47 Boyz II Men - II (Motown, 1994) - 12 times platinum
48 Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet (Mercury, 1986) - 12 times platinum
49 Dixie Chicks - Wide Open Spaces (Monument, 1998) - 12 times platinum
50 Phil Collins - No Jacket Required (Atlantic, 1985) - 12 times platinum

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

I would include Faith No More. (95% of that dreadful nu-metal-rap stuff that's been around in recent years was FNM influenced (bot not nearly as good)

 

[smokedout]

Top (UK) Albums of 1987
1 Michael Jackson Bad
2 U2 The Joshua Tree
3 Whitney Houston Whitney
4 Various artists (EMI/Virgin/Polygram) Now That's What I Call Music 10
5 Fleetwood Mac Tango In The Night
6 Various artists (CBS/WEA) Hits 6
7 Rick Astley Whenever You Need Somebody
8 T'Pau Bridge Of Spies
9 Original Cast The Phantom Of The Opera
10 Level 42 Running In The Family

thats a uk list id suggest

unless now thats what i call music (which only had uk releases was really one of the biggest selling worldwide albums throughout the 80s)

any other ridiculous claims you'd like to make in your ongoing quest to be crowned the most clueless person ever to post in the urban music forum?

 

[N_igma]

yes it was

who are you mel b?

No Mel C actually.

If you think the Girl Power movement was nothing more than a tabloid fad then you don't know what you are talking about. Read up on it's cultural impact.

 

[Iam]

At least I've gone to have a look.

Unlike randomly pulling "facts" from my overactive arsehole, like you're doing.

Fuckwit.

 

[jasoon]

stevie wonder

 

[smokedout]

At least I've gone to have a look.

well done, yes you did

but then again i was right and didnt resort to calling you clueless

i dont need google mate, i know my music

 

[smokedout]

stevie wonders good, but who to replace, spectre?

 

[clandestino]

'm not saying metal wasn't big at the time, but I think the the idea that Nirvana slew metal is a little on the mythical side. It went through a period of popularity, and then it moved out of the mainstream again. It was back around 2001 (albeit not in its hair-metal form) for a bit.

Precisely. To say metal was killed off is laughable. It's always been around, happily selling tons of records and packing out stadiums. I saw Aerosmith headline Donnington in 1994 and they didn't look like a band on their knees. They looked like what they've always been - a major league rock group on an endless world tour for evermore.

And to call Metallica a hair metal band...well...really...I don't know where to begin.

Velvets, though - good call!

 

[clandestino]

In no particular order:

Dylan
Bowie
Kraftwerk
Elvis
The Beatles
The Velvet Underground
The Smiths
James Brown
Run DMC
Kate Bush

By jove, I think he's got it. Looks like a fair crack at the proper ten to me. Kate Bush is a particularly good call.

 

[blinky_bill]

Moroders got a case, but i think spectre wins out, he pioneered the sound and the vibe

Out of the list so far moroder still has a direct influence on modern music. Spectre has been replaced by SAW.
They both should stay.
Hate to say it but get rid of marley. Sadly reggae's not been a big influence.

 

[Iam]

Precisely. To say metal was killed off is laughable. It's always been around, happily selling tons of records and packing out stadiums. I saw Aerosmith headline Donnington in 1994 and they didn't look like a band on their knees. They looked like what they've always been - a major league rock group on an endless world tour for evermore.

And to call Metallica a hair metal band...well...really...I don't know where to begin.

Velvets, though - good call!

Didn't Aerosmith's biggest selling single and album come in the mid/late 90s, with Cryin' and... whatever album it was off of?

If that's the case, not bad for a dead band.

Flash's list is decent, though.

 

[Flashman]

By jove, I think he's got it. Looks like a fair crack at the proper ten to me. Kate Bush is a particularly good call.

It's not bad, but I don't think there's a correct answer. Buddy Holly almost made it too maybe baby he should have. Interesting thread but.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

bob marley and the wailers

influential?

I can see others, like the Beatles, you can hear their influence in later years in music by other bands, but Bob Marley? You just hear Bob Marley himself played everywhere. You don't hear other stuff and think 'Ooh, that's very Bob Marley-esque', or at least I certainly don't.

Iconic. Yes. Unique, Certainly. But influential? Nah.

 

[clandestino]

It's not bad, but I don't think there's a correct answer. Buddy Holly almost made it too maybe baby he should have. Interesting thread but.

Yes, Buddy Holly's an excellent call too. Your list is missing rock/metal, and Bob Marley should really be on there. So, alas, The Smiths would have to go...but I reckon your ten plus Buddy Holly, Bob Marley and Black Sabbath probably does a cool top 13.

 

[smokedout]

Hate to say it but get rid of marley. Sadly reggae's not been a big influence.

i hear you, but then ska ... madness... the clash ... ordinary boys (ok, but its still here) and the cultural/political impact of reggae was enormous

flash, seems a bit eurocentric to me, doesnt take into account of rock n roll (where we started) soul, motown, disco, cant agree, again looks like a list of favourites to me

can we establish consensus about elvis

apart from the fact he didnt write much of his own music he was entirely derivative of the black r'n'r scene that was happening and was about as influential as vanilla ice

 

[clandestino]

influential?

I can see others, like the Beatles, you can hear their influence in later years in music by other bands, but Bob Marley? You just hear Bob Marley himself played everywhere. You don't hear other stuff and think 'Ooh, that's very Bob Marley-esque', or at least I certainly don't.

Iconic. Yes. Unique, Certainly. But influential? Nah.

I know what you mean - except that it could be argued that Marley brought reggae to the mainstream. So that, effectively, when you hear a reggae influence nowadays, you're tacitly hearing a Bob Marley one.

 

[Flashman]

Yes, Buddy Holly's an excellent call too. Your list is missing rock/metal, and Bob Marley should really be on there. So, alas, The Smiths would have to go...but I reckon your ten plus Buddy Holly, Bob Marley and Black Sabbath probably does a cool top 13.

Yeah I missed Metal. Sabbath or Zep? I know Zep were Rock n Roll but Jimmy influenced metal a fair bit. I'm not that up on the genre tbh.