What are the top twenty most INFLUENTIAL bands and artists in music history in your opinion?

Question

Try to include founding fathers and mothers of some but not all genres.

My top twenty

1 Elvis Presley
2 The Beatles
3 The Eagles
4 Arethra Franklin
5 Frank Sinatra
6 The Bee Gees
7 TLC
8 Shania Twain
9 Kenny G
10 Barry Manilow
11 Air Supply
12 Mariah Carey
13 Beach Boys
14 BabyFace
15The Temptations
17 George Strait
18 John Denver
19 Mary J Blidge
20 Michael W. Smith

Answer 1

If you mean mid twentieth century forward, popular music, then here's my list in no particular order:

1. Elvis Presley
2. The Beatles
3. Pink Floyd
4. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5. Led Zeppelin
6. The Who
7. Aretha Franklin
8. Bruce Springsteen
9. Billy Joel
10. Stevie Wonder
11. Eric Clapton
12. The Ronettes/any group produced by Phil Spector
13. The Doors
14. R.E.M.
15. Michael Jackson
16. U2
17. Bob Marley
18. Madonna
19. Elton John
20. Elvis Costello

Answer 2

In no particular order of magnitude a million) Woody Guthrie- 2) Bob Dylan 3 ) Simon & Garfunkel 4)The Byrds 5)The Beatles 6 ) Chuck Berry 7) Little Richard 8) fat Domino 9 )chum Holly 10 ) The Funk Brothers- they performed the track on all those Motown hits 11) Smokey Robinson 12) Mary Wells 13) Elvis Presley 14)George Jones 15) Loretta Lynn sixteen) Tammy Wynette 17) Patsy Cline 18 ) Johnny funds 19) The Carter relatives 20) Led Zeppelin 21) John Coltrane 22 ) Miles Davis 23) Aretha Franklin 24) BB King 25) The Lettermen

Answer 3

In no special order of importance
1) Woody Guthrie-
2) Bob Dylan
3 ) Simon & Garfunkel
4)The Byrds
5)The Beatles
6 ) Chuck Berry
7) Little Richard
8) Fats Domino
9 )Buddy Holly
10 ) The Funk Brothers- they played the music on all those Motown hits
11) Smokey Robinson
12) Mary Wells
13) Elvis Presley
14)George Jones
15) Loretta Lynn
16) Tammy Wynette
17) Patsy Cline
18 ) Johnny Cash
19) The Carter Family
20) Led Zeppelin
21) John Coltrane
22 ) Miles Davis
23) Aretha Franklin
24) BB King
25) The Lettermen

Answer 4

1. Bob Dylan
2. The Clash
3. Chuck Berry
4. The Rolling Stones
5. The Beatles
6. James Brown
7. Neil Young
8. David Bowie
9. Stevie Wonder
10. REM
11. The Who
12. Chrissie Hynde
13. Van Morrison
14. Tom Waits
16. Bob Marley
17. The Beach Boys
18. Elvis Costello
19. Joni Mitchell
20. Elvis Presley

Answer 5

Your list needs some improvement like getting rid of Kenny G and TLC. I don't feel that these are influential, just original to some extent. I'm really not a fanilow either, but my sister was named after Mandy, so it was influential. I would have picked George Jones over Strait. Patsy Cline over Shania Twain. I have two questions for you why Air Supply and who is Micheal W. Smith? You didn't choose anyone from early 1900's either like Etta James. And why not include Beethoven or Mozart? Are these not artists? I do agree with your top 6, I'll give ya that.

Answer 6

The Beatles
Yes
The Beach Boys
The Rolling Stones
Led Zeppelin
Nirvana
Elvis Presley
Johnnie Cash
The Clash
Sex Pistols
Ramones
Willie Dixon
Chuck Berry
Aretha Franklin
Temptations
The Doors
Janis Joplin
Jimi Hendrix
Beethoven
Black Sabbath (don't laugh...look it up)

Answer 7

Johann S. Bach, The Beatles, Howlin Wolf, Merle Haggard, The Art of Noise, Nat King Cole, Duane Eddy, Wolfgang(Amadaus) Mozart, Muddy Waters, Elvina Reynolds, 50 cents, Primus, Booker T. & The M.Gs., Lawrence Welk w/out Joe Feeny, John Forgerty, Handel, Dream Theatre, Chopin, John Williams, Carmen Dragon, Henry Mancini, Bob Dylan(Robert Zimmerman), Woody Gunthrie, Slim Pickens, Jose Jose, Roger Wittiker, Smokey Robinson, Barry White, "Poppa" John Creech, Doug Kershaw, Susie Quatros, Lita Ford, Maria Callas, Beverly Sills, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Piss Wizards,MEAT LOAF, The 1st 2 in Place the rest in no particular order----ALSO RANS -----The Rolling Stones, James Brown and The Fabulous Flames John & Bonnie Ryatt , Eric Clapton, Stevie Winwood, Blind Boys of Alabama, Nikkelback, Wagner, Jim Stafford, Leslie Gore, Loretta Lynn, The Browns, Brownsville Station, Redbone, Phish, REM, Ella Fitzgerald, "Scatman" Cruthers, Ravi Shankar, Sound Garden, Dick Dell and the Deltones, The Ventures, Butthole Surfers, Matchbox 80, Sex Pistols, AC/DC, Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, The Infectious Grooves, Rage against the Machine, Tracey Chapman, Frank Sinatra, Bobby Rydell, 4 non Blondes, The Atomic Rooster, 10 c.c., John Philip Sousa, Rodgers & Hammerstien, Little Feat, Doc. Hook & the Medicine Band, Paulina Rubio, Charlotte Church, Enya, Shakira, Charo, Savatage, John Sabastion, Pete Seeger, ==================And so many many more. Contact me to turn me on to someone else. Lov Y'all Oremor

Answer 8

Off the top of my head, mine would be, in no particular order:

The Beatles
Elvis Presley
The Carpenters
Frank Sinatra
Bee Gees
ABBA
Madonna
Michael Jackson
The Rolling Stones
Elton John
Nirvana
U2
Bob Marley
Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Aerosmith
Metallica
Queen
Mariah Carey
Whitney Houston
Tom Jones

Answer 9

K-ci&Jojo- R&B soulful brothers...brought a taste of everything
Luther Vandross- Certainly one of the most romantic voices
Brian McKnight- multi-talented; plays piano, writes poetry, sings
The Temptations- My girl and many #1 hits
India Arie- displays her beautiful talents worldwide
Natalie Cole- her duet with Nat King Cole was classic
Larry Graham-one voice, a million emotions
Mark Anthony-who said salsa can't be universal?
Jodeci-they brought what few have; the looks, the voice, the soul
Aretha Franklin-gotta give her RESPECT
Jesse Powell-one hit was all it took "you"
Stevie Wonder-no voice quite like his
Kirk Franklin-the Lord's male angel in human form
Donnie McClurkin-feel his echoing voice
Bob Marley- perhaps a Jamaican Ghandi, he brought peace through his music.

Answer 10

Roger Wittiker