Top 5 Greatest Recording Artists

[Historian]

Historian’s Top 5 Most Influential Recording Artists

NOTE: Recording artists are listed here in alphabetical order - NOT in terms of level of cultural impact.

Beatles
James Brown
Bob Dylan
Bob Marley
Elvis Presley

The Beatles: Without question, in my opinion, these four men from Liverpool are the most popular and influential recording artists in the entire history of popular music.

James Brown: This often unpredictable figure is one of the founders of funk, and probably the single most influential figure on American black music in the 1960s. His influence has impacted various genres in America as well as elsewhere.

Bob Dylan: Looking back at the 1960s, Bob Dylan had a remarkable impact on pop culture, on the hippy movement and even on the civil rights movement. Songs like “The Times Are a Changing” and “Blowin’ In the Wind,” in fact, became anthems of the black civil rights movement.

Bob Marley: It’s very difficult to overstate his impact on world music and culture. His appeal has certainly surpassed racial barriers and national borders, in the process impacting the lives of people from middle-class Europeans and North Americans to African freedom fighters like the ANC to Pacific groups like the Aborigines of Australia, and many more in between.

Elvis Presley: Along with the Beatles, Elvis Presley was unquestionably the most influential figure in rock ‘n’ roll history.

[HL]

The problem with lists like this-- is that there's always one (other) name that should be added.

No Michael Jackson!!??

[Rudi]

I would have skipped Elvis in favour of Michael Jackson. Otherwise can't argue with the other picks.

[Lazie]

I would have skipped Elvis in favour of Michael Jackson. Otherwise can't argue with the other picks.

Like you I agree the King of Pop should be there, but at the expense of Elvis? Not so sure about that Rudi.

[Stonigut]

Very interesting and as Rudi says very tough to make the chops but yours are very good.

I try not to look at it too much by their importance in their own time but more looking for timeless qualities than keep them somehow very real and relevant for many people over time.

Much as how Shakespeare was not considered the most influential literary figure of his time.
Here is my quick take.
200 years from now I still think Beatles, Marley and Jackson will have the longest lasting impact, not enough time to dig into it, just my take.

[Rudi]

Sorry. Can't drop the man who penned the lyrics" lay lady lay, lay accross my big brass bed". So Elvis got's to go. I see Historian like some slackness afterall.

[Gamma]

records sold you mean?

[Gamma]

i would be surprised if he didn't

[Rudi]

As an aside, heard this morning that Ravi Shankar died at the age of 92. He had a big influence on the Beatles mostly George Harrison. Also, he was the father of Norah Jones.

[Jangle]

A list like that without MJ is flawed.

[Historian]

Nope, Definitely No Michael!

The problem with lists like this-- is that there's always one (other) name that should be added.

No Michael Jackson!!??

I don’t think Michael Jackson belongs on the list of any “Top Five Most Influential” artist as far as impacting the direction of music or society is concerned. This is NOT a popularity list!

Michael was one of the most popular recording artists of all times, but I am not sure if there was any direct cultural impact (creating social tremors, so to speak) in the way that, for example, Bob Dylan or the Beatles did.

I might even put Kurt Cobain ahead of Michael, because Kurt and his group Nirvana impacted rock to its very core!

[Historian]

Thanks, but....

Here is my quick take.

200 years from now I still think Beatles, Marley and Jackson will have the longest lasting impact, not enough time to dig into it, just my take.

Thanks, Stoni, but here’s the crux of the matter: Just what impact will Michael have years from now?

[Islandman]

If impact or direction of the music is the criteria then I tend to agree.

Music videos now is a different thing. He made that medium what it is.

[Assasin]

I think you are wrong. Mike inflence is still very obvious as the Hushers and Chris Browns of today tell the tales. Many of the R&B singers of today is influenced by Mike. The Off the Wall and Thriller album transformed the way how we dance to music, every man had them Jerry Curl, and ghetto youths breakdancing and it up the tempo of many other songs and a thumbing baseline.

[Historian]

You could be right, but....

I think you are wrong. Mike inflence is still very obvious as the Hushers and Chris Browns of today tell the tales. Many of the R&B singers of today is influenced by Mike. The Off the Wall and Thriller album transformed the way how we dance to music, every man had them Jerry Curl, and ghetto youths breakdancing and it up the tempo of many other songs and a thumbing baseline.

Possibly I’m wrong, ‘Sass . I’ve been wrong before, most notably (in my opinion) in amazingly omitting Sly Dunbar from my list of “Top 5 Greatest Jamaican Drummers” a year or two ago! Despite this, as far as this present list is concerned, I’m not sure if Michael Jackson had the impact that James Brown did, or if he actually is among the five most impactful.

It’s easy, I think, to confuse the issue with popularity. On the other hand, I could be very wrong for omitting Michael. When all is said and done, though, it’s a nice topic for discussion, and I enjoyed the comments in this thread.