Top 5 Greatest Musical influences in the History of popular music?

Question

Which artists would you consider to have a big influence on music that artist look up to in today's music scene? They may even still be very much active in the music scene today.

Answer 1

1) The Beatles
2) Bob Dylan
3) Elvis Presley
4) The Rolling Stones
5) Chuck Berry
6) Jimi Hendrix
7) James Brown
8) Little Richard
9) Aretha Franklin
10) Ray Charles
11) Bob Marley
12) The Beach Boys
13) Buddy Holly
14) Led Zeppelin
15) Stevie Wonder
16) Sam Cooke
17) Muddy Watters
18) Marvin Gaye
19) The Velvet Underground
20) Bo Diddley
21) Otis Redding
22) U2
23) Bruce Springsteen
24) Jerry Lee Lewis
25) Fats Domino
26) The Ramones
27) Nirvana
28) Prince
29) The Who
30) The Clash
31) Johnny Cash
32) Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
33) The Everly Brothers
34) Neil Young by Flea
35) Michael Jackson
36) Madonna
37) Roy Orbison
38) John Lennon
39) David Bowie
40) Simon and Garfunkel
41) The Doors
42)Van Morrison
43) Sly and the Family Stone
44) Public Enemy
45)The Byrds
46) Janis Joplin
47) Patti Smith
48) Run-DMC
49)Elton John
50) The Band

Answer 2

1. Elvis Presley - Introduced Rock and Roll to popular culture
2. The Beatles - Revolutionized what Elvis brought to the table
3. Bob Dylan - Brought social awareness to music, turned it into more than entertainment.
4. Jimi Hendrix - Reinvented the electric guitar. Turned it into a true art form.
5. Led Zeppelin - Gave rise to modern metal. Plus, it's hard to find an artist today that doesn't take something from The Zep.

I think arguments could be made for The Velvet Underground, Chuck Berry, Frank Zappa, Michael Jackson, Muddy Waters, Miles Davis, Buddy Holly, Pink Floyd, and Johnny Cash as well.

Answer 3

@ Fear of the Mask, actually a lot illmatics best tracks were out since 92, so 36 Chambers should be put in the same boat of influence as Illmatic I agree with Pac about having OutKast on the list @ Fear, actually the majority of 36 Chambers were recorded in 92 Illmatic only had 3 tracks recorded in 93 which were Life's A B*tch, Represent, and The Genesis(which is really just a short intro so...) also some of the verses on the album date back to 91

Answer 4

Sorry I had to put seven (not in order) and I could have put so many more (see below)

Elvis Presley – The King of Rock and Roll changed music forever.
Garth Brooks – The consummate showman who completely changed Country music
The Beatles – Led the “British Invasion" into the United States
Metallica – Brought Metal to the Mainstream with the Black Album
Michael Jackson – The King of Pop. One word says it all, Thriller
James Brown – The Godfather of Soul (Nuff said)
Run DMC – The first Rap Group to make the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. They influenced most of the rap and hip-hop artist of today and their collaboration with Aerosmith changed the perception about rap music/musicians

Additional:
Nirvana, Tu Pac, Jimi Hendrix, The Buggles, Black Sabbath, Led Zepplin, etc...

Answer 5

1. Beatles--Started the British Invasion
2. Chuck Berry--Turned Blues into Rock
3. Led Zeppelin--Turned Rock into Hard Rock
4. AC/DC--Turned Hard Rock Popular without losing its edge.
5. Jimi Hendrix--Proved that a black guitar player can revolutionize the way the instrument is played, and no one on earth has ever matched him.

Answer 6

Buddy Holly
Chuck Berry
The Yardbirds
Jimmi Hendrix
Les Paul

Answer 7

Buddy Holly
Beatles
Ray Charles
Byrds
Kurt Cobain
Pink Floyd
Jimi Hendrix

Answer 8

well there was all the r n' b guys back like Muddy Waters in the 50s and 60s who influenced all the english bands like the stones, the who, and all those, and those bands aswell the the r n' b guys who influenced hendrix, who influenced EVERYONE!(nearly!)

and then there was all the prog rock (alot of syd barret floyd), who in a way influenced all the glam rock

and then im sure all the heavy metal bands and punk music influenced alot of the 'rock' music today..

aaaaand the beatles!

Answer 9

Elvis
The Beatles
Led Zeppelin
Michael Jackson
Frank Sinatra

Answer 10

I think it would be very hard to just give five.

I think a lot of the jazz, and blues musicians infulenced music vastly. They are both pretty much are defining for many musical genres. I think there is a difference between the most infulencial, and the most popular.