Most Influential Rock Artist Ever

Forward To Death · 03-14-2012, 03:10 PM

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.

**Janszoon** · 03-14-2012, 03:31 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, 03:37 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, 03:42 PM

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

blastingas10 · 03-19-2012, 06:11 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, 10:22 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."

Forward To Death · 03-20-2012, 12:15 AM

That's a nice cliche, but Elvis influenced pretty much every rock act that came immediately after, and continues to do so today. His popularity just made him even more influential. However, influence is not quantifiable, so I can't really go beyond that.

blastingas10 · 03-20-2012, 02:37 AM

I didnt say they had to be as popular as Elvis.

The beatles sold millions of records and inspired more than 10,000 bands. The VU did as well but the Beatles were more influential And they inspired plenty of great bands. I love the VU and they are pretty overlooked in the mainstream, especially in their time, but the Beatles made quite a bit bigger impact.

**Janszoon** · 03-20-2012, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forward To Death

That's a nice cliche...

Cliche? In what way? Do you deny that artists can be extremely influential without being the number one sellers of their time?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forward To Death

...but Elvis influenced pretty much every rock act that came immediately after, and continues to do so today. His popularity just made him even more influential. However, influence is not quantifiable, so I can't really go beyond that.

I'd love to hear some examples of this influence which can be specifically attributed to Elvis as opposed to, say, Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, Carl Perkins, Ike Turner or Little Richard.

**Janszoon** · 03-20-2012, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blastingas10

I didnt say they had to be as popular as Elvis.

I didn't say you did. I was just making the point that "not as popular as Elvis" is not the same thing as "unknown" as you seemed to be implying.

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

03-20-2012, 02:37 AM	#498 (permalink)
blastingas10 Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2,126	I didnt say they had to be as popular as Elvis. The beatles sold millions of records and inspired more than 10,000 bands. The VU did as well but the Beatles were more influential And they inspired plenty of great bands. I love the VU and they are pretty overlooked in the mainstream, especially in their time, but the Beatles made quite a bit bigger impact. Last edited by blastingas10; 03-20-2012 at 02:54 AM.

03-14-2012, 03:10 PM	#491 (permalink)
Forward To Death Trolier Than Thou Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,336	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.

03-14-2012, 03:37 PM	#493 (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, 03:42 PM	#494 (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, 06:11 PM	#495 (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.

03-20-2012, 12:15 AM	#497 (permalink)
Forward To Death Trolier Than Thou Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,336	That's a nice cliche, but Elvis influenced pretty much every rock act that came immediately after, and continues to do so today. His popularity just made him even more influential. However, influence is not quantifiable, so I can't really go beyond that.