The Top 50 Influential Music Artists Of Our Times

[DudeAsInCool]

In commemoration of Rock & Roll turning 50 (July 5th, 1954 -- the day Elvis Presley recorded "That's All Right" at Sun Studio in Memphis), Rolling Stone canvassed a panel of top musicians on the most influential artists of our times. Rolling Stone then asked these musicians to tell us how they influenced their work...

Interesting reading:

1) The Beatles by Elvis Costello

2) Bob Dylan by Robbie Robertson

3) Elvis Presley by Bono

4) The Rolling Stones by Steven Van Zandt

5) Chuck Berry by Joe Perry

6) Jimi Hendrix by John Mayer

7) James Brown by Rick Rubin

8) Little Richard by Little Richard

9) Aretha Franklin by Jerry Wexler

10) Ray Charles by Van Morrison

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/_/id/5939214

[Cerebral_Assassin]

What about Bud Weiser and Jim Beam, both those guys have "influenced" me on many occasion.

[DudeAsInCool]

What about Bud Weiser and Jim Beam, both those guys have "influenced" me on many occasion.

Each are waiting for your elegant tribute

[method77]

Jack Daniels and Havana Club are my biggest influences

[rainbowdemon]

Do I really need to point out the glaring omission in this list?

[Kooperman]

Jerry Lee Lewis was under the influence just about every day...

[KiwiCoromandel]

Do I really need to point out the glaring omission in this list?

i agree.......where is frank zappa on this list??...... <_>

[DudeAsInCool]

Here is the second part of the list - 5 thru 100 ...

I think Kiwi and RB should add their own tributes to Queen and Zappa, as the list feels incomplete

[KiwiCoromandel]

i`ll work on it sir...it will be a tributary tribute.... :bigsmile:

[AnalogKid]

Do I really need to point out the glaring omission in this list?

I've got it covered Rainbow.

[Jim Colyer]

I looked over the 50 top influentials, and it's like "yes, no, yes, no, yes, no." I never did agree much with Rolling Stone Magazine. We agree on Elvis & The Beatles. From there, I either left them or they left me. I do not see Aretha Franklin being #9. Her only big record is Respect. It was written by Otis Redding. But by the mid-60s, women's lib had come along. and it sounded more authentic to hear a woman demanding respect. Men had gotten centuries of respect. Aretha may be the forerunner of female vocalism, the ranginess of moderns like Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. She may be #9 because Rolling Stone Mag feels compelled to put a black woman in its top 10. I am okay with that but I would choose Donna Summer over Aretha. Donna Summer had a plethora of hits from 1975 to 1983 and has periodically returned. Rolling Stone no doubt has a problem with Donna being billed as the Queen of Disco. The music industry grew bent on labelling disco as a fad even though it produced anthems like I Will Survive and YMCA. Donna Summer had some great offerings: Love To Love You Baby, Last Dance, Bad Girls, Hot Stuff, She Works Hard For The Money. She remained true to the song. It has not been her goal to see how many octives she could slide up and down while tearing the song all out of shape. This is a problem with modern female vocalists. A friend in Nashville refers to it as vocal acrobatics. They do not sing. They yell, squeal and scream. Donna Summer may ultimately be a white man's black woman, but that is not why I put her above Aretha. I simply think she made better records.

I did not even see ABBA on Rolling Stone's Top 50 which totally blows me away. And that Bob Marley is where he is, is unexplainable. All I know is that he wrote I Shot The Sheriff and did something about Red Wine. I have no clue whom he has influenced. I have followed music since rock & roll began and have written 400 songs of my own.

Rolling Stone Magazine does not care about my opinions. It cares about its own opinions. A magazine is a corporation. They reflect everyone while reflecting no one. They are entitled to have their say as I am entitled to have mine and everyone else is entitled to have theirs in this great country we live in.

Edited May 19, 2005 by Jim Colyer

[Jim Colyer]

Jerry Lee Lewis should be higher than 24. I remember seeing him on TV around 57 or 58. He was WAY ahead of his time. His blonde locks fell down around his shoulders as he pounded his piano. His hair was longer than The Beatles' hair in 64. I was probably 12 when I heard Great Balls Of Fire on the radio. It was like electricity went through me. Whole Lot Of Shakin' Going On, Great Balls Of Fire and Breathless summed up the sex act. There was no place to go after that except to have kids. Rock and roll quieted down in 59. It settled into Doo Wop which was really a 40s revival with a rock and roll influence. Jerry Lee Lewis was there at the beginning with Elvis Presley, Little Richard and Chuck Berry.

http://www.jimcolyer.com

Edited May 19, 2005 by Jim Colyer

[slum_goddess]

i love jerry lee lewis; unfortunately the puritanical amerikans tried to make quick work of his career cause they disapproved of his private life. morons!

[Jim Colyer]

I can only speak for myself. But I wrote 400 songs, and these are the artists who influenced me. http://www.jimcolyer.com/music/

1 ABBA

2 The Beatles

3 Elvis Presley

4 Shania Twain

5 John Lennon

6 Little Richard

7 Agnetha Faltskog

8 Burton Cummings

9 Ricky Nelson

10 Credence Clearwater Revival

11 The Bee Gees

12 Chuck Berry

13 Jerry Lee Lewis

14 The Guess Who

15 Bob Seger

16 Del Shannon

17 Ace Of Base

18 The Eagles

19 Roxette

20 Donna Summer

[DudeAsInCool]

I do not see Aretha Franklin being #9. Her only big record is Respect.

I agree, but 'Freeway of Love' was pretty good.

Everyone has their own lists--mine is simply one big group in no particular order.

[Mister Spong]

8) Little Richard by Little Richard

You've gotta love the humility with which he conducts himself!

Edited May 27, 2005 by Nath

[Jim Colyer]

I am not sure how much of Little Richard's persona is real and how much is an act, but he is telling the truth when he calls himself the "Architect of Rock & Roll." Richard was my first favorite singer, 1956-58, when I was 10, 11 & 12. I bought his records and liked him more than Elvis. Even today, to hear Little Richard cut loose is the most exciting thing in music. James Brown can not touch Little Richard.

Edited May 27, 2005 by Jim Colyer

[DudeAsInCool]

James Brown can not touch Little Richard.

Sacrelidge!