Most Influential Rock Artist Ever

**Janszoon** · 03-14-2012, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forward To Death

Elvis Presley, from as objective a POV as possible. No one's ever towered over music like he did in the 50s. The Beatles, Velvet Underground and The Stooges are also very influential on the artists that followed, but Elvis popularized rock. Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and others were very good, but Elvis dwarfed everyone else in popularity.

Popular and influential aren't really the same thing though.

Forward To Death · 03-14-2012, 02:37 PM

Rock owes a debt to that popularity. He put the genre on the map and influenced a wave that followed. Why do you think pretty much every rock artist ever has cited him as a influence? In this case, popularity is influential, as is the case with Michael Jackson. He was so popular that the music industry changed from then on. The Beatles can't touch the impact Elvis had on rock. Thats why he's The King.

Forward To Death · 03-14-2012, 02:42 PM

Also, no Black Sabbath? Pretty much every heavy music artist is heavily influenced by Sabbath.

~~Cuthbert~~ · 12-03-2012, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forward To Death

Also, no Black Sabbath? Pretty much every heavy music artist is heavily influenced by Sabbath.

Good point and totally agree.

I can't help but feel The Beatles are disgustingly overrated. I've heard Revolver and Sgt. Pepper and although catchy, I find them both bland. They aren't that interesting or good in terms of rock.

It seems to me that it's been said so much that they are the best band of all time that people these days just believe it. I can name about 5 bands I think make better music and I only started listening to rock music about a year ago.

Rock N' Roll Clown · 12-03-2012, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smegma covered bell-end

I only started listening to rock music about a year ago.

Maybe that's the reason you think that way about Beatles.

Back on the topic, let's accept that Elvis and Chuck Berry aren't on that list, because they aren't "rock" but "rock n' roll". Otherwise, the battle would be between the two of them. They are much more influential than any of the artists mentioned (James Brown isn't "rock", too, but so isn't Bob Dylan, so I think JB should be on the list, too).

So, if we accept that this is only about "rock" artists influencing the "rock" genre, we immediately exclude some of the options. For example Dylan (his influences spread from political movements to the birth of the hippie movement, and so on, not that much for the rock music itself), Hendrix (he was more influential for the metal genre), and so forth. Even The Beatles, because (although I may be attacked) they had as much influence on the pop music as on the rock music itself. So, between the choices left, I'd choose The Who, because their biggest influence was on pure "rock" bands like Led Zeppelin and Queen.
Another topic is that each one accepts differently terms like "rock", "hard rock", "rock n' roll" and so on, so excuse me if you got me wrong about something.

~~Cuthbert~~ · 12-03-2012, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rock N' Roll Clown

Maybe that's the reason you think that way about Beatles.

Back on the topic

Beatles are in the poll, that was on topic no

Just saying that most of the artists in the poll I've listened to and been impressed, The Beatles are as bland and non threatening as you like. Revolver sounds like something that could be sang on a school bus by all the kids.

Rock N' Roll Clown · 12-03-2012, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smegma covered bell-end

Just saying that most of the artists in the poll I've listened to and been impressed, The Beatles are as bland and non threatening as you like. Revolver sounds like something that could be sang on a school bus by all the kids.

That's pretty much what I'm saying. You haven't been impressed by the Beatles, because you haven't listened to enough music (I'm not insulting you in any way, you said yourself that you have listened to rock music only for an year). When you listen to more music I think you will understand how important, unique and amazing they were in the 60s. Their songs sound to you that childish-catchy style, because their melodies and songwriting style have been so influential and used by many pop musicians and sounds kinda cliched. The person above me said it very well: like it or not, they are the most influential (and what is more, they were also the greatest songwriters of all time), which actually makes them the greatest artist of all time.
P.S. Don't think that I'm a blind Beatles fan, there are more than 10 bands which I like much more.

Nic671 · 01-25-2014, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christian Benteke

Beatles are in the poll, that was on topic no

Just saying that most of the artists in the poll I've listened to and been impressed, The Beatles are as bland and non threatening as you like. Revolver sounds like something that could be sang on a school bus by all the kids.

You can honestly picture a group of kids singing "Tomorrow Never Knows" or "For No One" on a school bus?

blastingas10 · 03-19-2012, 05:11 PM

Well a popular artist is more likely to influence a large amount of people than an unknown artist. If an artist is unknown and nobody has Ever heard of them, how are they going to be influential?

I disagree with the notion that The Beatles can't touch Elvis. Elvis did put it on the map but the Beatles were so huge that they are comparable with Elvis. They're two of the biggest names in music.

I think Sabbath belongs on the list as much or more than the Who and The Kinks.

**Janszoon** · 03-19-2012, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blastingas10

Well a popular artist is more likely to influence a large amount of people than an unknown artist. If an artist is unknown and nobody has Ever heard of them, how are they going to be influential?

Just because someone isn't as popular as Elvis doesn't mean they're unknown. And influence isn't just about the total number of people listening to the person in question, it's about who those people are. As the famous quote goes, "The first Velvet Underground album only sold 10,000 copies, but everyone who bought it formed a band."

View Poll Results: The Most Influential Rock Artist
The Rolling Stones	12	3.74%
The Beatles	152	47.35%
The Who	12	3.74%
Led Zeppelin	28	8.72%
The Kinks	4	1.25%
Bob Dylan	41	12.77%
Jim Hendrix	37	11.53%
The Velvet Underground	35	10.90%
Voters: 321. You may not vote on this poll

03-14-2012, 02:37 PM	#2 (permalink)
Forward To Death Trolier Than Thou Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,336	Rock owes a debt to that popularity. He put the genre on the map and influenced a wave that followed. Why do you think pretty much every rock artist ever has cited him as a influence? In this case, popularity is influential, as is the case with Michael Jackson. He was so popular that the music industry changed from then on. The Beatles can't touch the impact Elvis had on rock. Thats why he's The King.

03-14-2012, 02:42 PM	#3 (permalink)
Forward To Death Trolier Than Thou Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,336	Also, no Black Sabbath? Pretty much every heavy music artist is heavily influenced by Sabbath.

03-19-2012, 05:11 PM	#9 (permalink)
blastingas10 Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2,126	Well a popular artist is more likely to influence a large amount of people than an unknown artist. If an artist is unknown and nobody has Ever heard of them, how are they going to be influential? I disagree with the notion that The Beatles can't touch Elvis. Elvis did put it on the map but the Beatles were so huge that they are comparable with Elvis. They're two of the biggest names in music. I think Sabbath belongs on the list as much or more than the Who and The Kinks.