Best musician of all time?

Question

Not sure if it's Tupac, or John Lennon.

Answer 1

Those are also my two favorite artists...Didn't think anyone else got that connection...

The only thing that makes it a hard choice is that both made music about empowerment to the underdog (i.e "Working Class Hero" and " Me Against the World") and preached messages of love ("All You Need Is Love" and "Keep Your Head Up (Baby, Don't Cry))...

Between them, the answer is Lennon...He's the better songwriter and formed The Beatles...The biggest musical sensation that will ever exist. Over time he has and will continue to be more associated with musicians and social and political activism...

If rap weren't so looked down upon by most of the world, Tupac could easily take the cake...

Great question.

Answer 2

What's a Tupac?

If you're limiting the choices to that or John Lennon, then I'd say the latter.

Sheesh.

Answer 3

John lennon.

Answer 4

John Lennon, definately.

Answer 5

john Lennon

Answer 6

what!!!!!! tupac in the same sentence as lennon..lennon stands at the top looking down on everyone else trying to be like him or write like him

Answer 7

You said "best musician," not "biggest musical celebrity/icon," so I am going to have to give it to either Dan Swano or Devin Townsend. I will try to search some sources on them so you can find out more about them, if you are interested. Off the top of my head, those two artists (who are definitely "musicians," much more so than Tupac, John Lennon, and Elvis put together) have the most un-surpassable talent.

*Added later:
Ooo, we have a mention of an actual "musician," Randy Rhodes! That is the only one I've seen so far that answers your actual question! (*Added later, again: Ah, I see Jimi Hendrix there as well... Don't agree, but he was definitely a "musician")

Dan Swano: Writes all music (all parts) for his diverse variety of musical projects (metal, progressive, pop/rock, jazzy rock, etc), and also plays all instruments from drums to guitar and has one of the best voices I have ever heard:
1. "Nightfall Overture" (metal) Dan on guitar/vocals: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAUz2sWi4fs&mode=related&search=
2. Drums: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLFjuZSe1Wo
(Sorry for the bad quality and limited examples)
3. Wiki entry on Dan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Swan%C3%B6

Devin Townsend: Again, writes, plays, sings, has had a hugely diverse career and can't seem to produce or perform any music that's not simply mind-blowing. He can be less approachable at first than Dan, but he's still a contender for "best musician" in my opinion:
1. "Life" by Devin Townsend Band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlE6PSp-qkM
2. "Love" by Strapping Young Lad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyuMUAFUDSM
3. Devin's vocal debut (at age 19) on Steve Vai's Sex & Religion, song is "In My Dreams with You": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIdEP590Rc0
4. Wiki entry on Dev: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devin_Townsend

Both of these artists need extensive time and study before it will finally "click," but then eventually it will hit you that anything these guys touch somehow turns out to be pure musical gold!

Answer 8

Johan Sebastien Bach. The guy was a freakin genius, like beyond the level that can be understood today. There's something like 2 or 3 thousand pieces of music we have today that were written by him, and supposedly he wrote 3 or more times that many in his life but were destroyed by fire (a travesty, I know). He lived for 65 years, thats over 100 pieces a year, and that includes operas and symphonies...pretty impressive

Answer 9

John Sebastian Bach

Answer 10

John Lennon for sure!!! (but i would be gonna say Paul McCartney!)