Top 5 Artist of All Time?

[Chunin]

I know it's hard if you're a lover of music, but if you absolutely had to, who would be your Top 5 favorite artists? Any genre across the board.

It's not based on sales, or academic acclaim, who's YOUR favorite 5?

 

[Kargo Warrior]

1)Mozart

2)Dvorak

3)Chopin

4)Beethoven

5)Ralph Vaughn Williams

 

[The Chairman]

1. Sinatra
2. Springsteen
3. The Beatles
4. Elton John
5. The Rolling Stones

 

[Jake Cassidy]

1. Jeff Buckley
2. Freddie Mercury
3. Ray Davies
4. Chris Cornell
5. Tom Scholz

 

[Paroxysm]

1. Type O Negative
2. The Smiths
3. Nine Inch Nails
4. The Prodigy
5. Rage Against The Machine

 

[The_Vision]

1. The Rolling Stones
2. Aerosmith
3. Led Zeppelin
4. The Beatles
5. Black Sabbath

 

[Moridin]

No order:

Metallica
Tool
Led Zeppelin
Joe Satriani
Christy Moore

 

[ttotheusher]

No order:

The Ramones
The Clash
The Jam
The Kinks
Daft Punk

 

[Motown Marvel]

beatles
velvet underground
bob dylan
the white stripes
the stooges

 

[E-Man]

1. 112
2. Marvin Gaye
3. Sam Cooke
4. Jaheim
5. John Coltrane

 

[Mr.Webs]

1. The Beatles
2. The Kinks
3. Wilco
4. The Avett Brothers
5. Johnny Cash

 

[darkseid26]

Led Zeppelin
King Crimson
The Beatles
The Mars Volta
Jack White <or any band he has been with>

 

[Genesis 1.0]

(1.) The Rolling Stones

(2.) Michael Jackson

(3.) Johnny Cash

(4.) Metallica

(5.) Eminem

 

[LegendaryCaleb]

My favorite is a strange variety
1. Jack White(WS, DW, or Raconteurs)
2. Coldplay
3. Kanye West
4. Kid Cudi
5. I'm tied here.... Walkmen or Arcade Fire...eithers good.

 

[SpideyInATree]

SpideyInATree's top five bands of all time (as of April 2010):

1. MetallicA

2. Dream Theater

3. Iron Maiden

4. Megadeth

5. Foo Fighters

This was pretty tough for me as I listen to a TON of music but this is the stuff I've been listening to a lot lately.

Lots of notable mentions that plague my playlists:

The Beatles
The Rolling Stones
King Crimson
Camel
Spock's Beard
AC/DC
Led Zeppelin
Aerosmith
Alice In Chains
Black Sabbath
Blue Oyster Cult
Joe Satriani
Steve Morse
The Moody Blues
Queen
Ozzy Osbourne
Queensryche

There is many, many more and it's so tough because on a month to month basis I jump from loving one band to another. Lots of great music out there and I hope younger generations can discover some of the amazing classics that make todays modern rock music look like amateurs.

 

[Genesis 1.0]

Older doesn't automatically equal better. I promise you there were those that grew up in the 50s saying the same thing about the bands you and I hold in such high esteem.

I suppose I'm one of the few people that don't feel that music from one era is so much better than more modern incarnations seeing as the music and the industry is evolving and the base is growing and changing as well.

 

[E-Man]

Older doesn't automatically equal better. I promise you there were those that grew up in the 50s saying the same thing about the bands you and I hold in such high esteem.

I suppose I'm one of the few people that don't feel that music from one era is so much better than more modern incarnations seeing as the music and the industry is evolving and the base is growing and changing as well.

It's like Luc Sante said:

[Nostalgia] can be generally defined as a state of inarticulate contempt for the present and fear of the future, in concert with a yearning for order, constancy, safety, and community—qualities that were last enjoyed in childhood and are retroactively imagined as gracing the whole of the time before one's birth. [Low Life, xi]

People always look back on the past with glamor as it if were an awe inspiring perfect time that got messed up along the way into the present.

 

[SpideyInATree]

Older doesn't automatically equal better. I promise you there were those that grew up in the 50s saying the same thing about the bands you and I hold in such high esteem.

I suppose I'm one of the few people that don't feel that music from one era is so much better than more modern incarnations seeing as the music and the industry is evolving and the base is growing and changing as well.

No, older doesn't mean better. That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that there are a lot of gems out there that can be discovered in the past. While there are some good new bands coming up it's hard to discover them through the sea of mediocrity that gets pumped out.

I love the assumptions people come to. t:

 

[Mr.Webs]

You see, the difference between the Sixties/Seventies and today is the fact that, back then, the BEST, most enlightening music was also the most mainstream. The Beatles/The Who/The Stones/Queen/Pink Floyd were all house hold names with major record sales.

Now? There is an astonishing array of incredible music but you can't turn on the TV or radio and hear it. You have to go searchin' for it. The Avett Brothers, Brandi Carlile, Locksley, The Redwalls, all are brilliant artists that a lot of you probably haven't heard of. We have some amazing talent out there...it's just behind the curtain, waiting to be peaked at.

 

[Wesley Dodds]

Hard one... Uhhhhhh...

Tom waits

neutral milk hotel

the smiths

the beatles

pixies

I'm probably gonna want to amend this list as soon as I post it but... Yeah.

 

[SpideyInATree]

You see, the difference between the Sixties/Seventies and today is the fact that, back then, the BEST, most enlightening music was also the most mainstream. The Beatles/The Who/The Stones/Queen/Pink Floyd were all house hold names with major record sales.

Now? There is an astonishing array of incredible music but you can't turn on the TV or radio and hear it. You have to go searchin' for it. The Avett Brothers, Brandi Carlile, Locksley, The Redwalls, all are brilliant artists that a lot of you probably haven't heard of. We have some amazing talent out there...it's just behind the curtain, waiting to be peaked at.

EXACTLY!

And with CD sales basically not meaning crap anymore it's difficult for certain artists and bands to catch a break. It's really about the artist doing it all themselves, or by oneself.

I look at a lot of todays rock bands, which is overrun too much with this "emo-like" sound, and all it reminds me of is the 80's and early 90's with the hair metal bands. You steal the formula from one band and then everyone else does it to make a quick buck.

Same thing happened in the late 90's and early 00's with the "Nu-Metal" movement.

A trend gets started from one ground breaking band and it gets beat into the ground over and over again. And what happens? The really good stuff goes unnoticed because eventually people get burnt out and apprehensive about trying something new.

What is popular now are these guys who have their bangs hung in their face like a bunch of metrosexual weirdos and singing that really whining tone to their voices. In the background though there are a ton of new and upcoming progressive rock bands such as Wobbler or Magic Pie that are helping the state of music have some kind of future.

 

[Mr.Webs]

Agreed. I think it really started with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Two crazy amazing bands that sold out arenas...and then, what happened? The big execs saw how much money they were making, and pushed heavily other similar bands that didn't have the heart/talent. Making music became less about being an art form and more about an astonishing money making scheme.

Now, I know being a musician is a job, a way to make ends meet. But, looking at some of the greats, you don't need to sacrifice artistic integrity to make yourself money. Damn it....the men in the suits screwed everything up.

 

[venom892]

My top 5 in no order

Michael Jackson
Daft Punk
Lupe Fiasco
Queen
Metallica

 

[Webley]

Los Straitjackets

Dirtbag Surfers

Monsters From The Surf

The Ghastly Ones

the Mummies
---------------------

[notable mentions]



EL SANTO
The Coasters
Eddie Cochran
Delfonics
SQUILAX BLADE
Ricky Nelson
Duane Eddy
Gene Vincent
The Crickets
Link Wray
Kaiser George
Roy Orbison & The Teen Kings
Carl Perkins
The Collins Kids
'Little' Jimmy Dickens
Ronnie Dawson
Eddie Cochran
Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys
The Ventures
Kim Lenz & Her Jaguars
Josie Kreuzer
The Amazing Royal Crowns
Hillbilly Hellcats
Go Go Graveyard Rockin'
Los Gatos
Horrorpops
Chubby Checker
The Moon-Rays
Zacherley
Surf Trio
The Cramps
The Bon Airs
The Mel-Tones
The Boss Martians
The Supertones
The Volcanos
The Coffin Daggers
The Penetrators
The Apemen
Footstompin Trio
Dick Dale
Beach Boys
Bobby Fuller Four
Areth Franklin
Tommy Roe
The Drifters
Eddie Fontaine
Marvin Gaye
The Gentrys
Mickey Gilly
The Johnny Burnette Trio
Blues Magoos
The Supremes
Cascades
The Four Seasons
Stevie Wonder
The Soul Survivors
The Flamingos
The Chantays
The Four Tops
Bill Doggett
Dion & The Belmonts
Devil Doll
Pep Torres
Rory Justice
The Woggles
The Rocketz
The Tremors
Sue Moreno
Roy Kay Trio
Rumblejetts
Lee Rocker
SPF-4
The Struts
Sam Cooke
The Bamd
Left Banke
Standells
Hank Ballard
The Beatles
Shangri-Las
The Turtles
James Brown
Mel Carter
Jimmy Riviers
Harpers Bizarre
The Rip Chords
THE BOX TOPS
The Who
Fabulous Harmonaires
Reverend Horton Heat
Devil Doll
Phantom Cruisers
Fevers
Koffin Kats
THE ANABOLICS
HORROR STORY
Throw Rag
Pep Torres
The Brimstones
The Hell Caminos
SKANK
CLUB AU-GO-GO
THE MAPES
TOMBSTONE BRAWLERS
Slip and the Spinouts
CREEPING CRUDS
Wild Wax Combo
FLYING SAUCER RECORDS
Uncle****er
The Rocketz
BANG BANG BAZOOKA
The Hi-Q's
Dr. Steel
THE CHOP TOPS
BLOODSHOT BILL
Blue Suede Bombers
The Verbtones
THE TREMORS
Casey Sisters
DANNY B HARVEY
THE GREEN LADY KILLERS
DP
THE NEBULAS
Three Bad Jacks
Sue Moreno
Roy Kay Trio
GORE GORE GIRLS
HORRORPOPS
Rumblejetts
The Cobra-Matics
Lee Rocker
Memphis Morticians
THE CREEPSHOW
The Dead Rocks
THE FLAKES
MONKEY
HOT ROD HEARSE
The Del Lames
The Struts
Drop Dead Beats
The Rawcats
The Wanderers
garagekid
the husbands
The Raging Teens
Los Rhythm Rockets
HER & Kings County
THEE SPECTORS
Mr. California
The Marauders
The Scuzztones
The LUCKY DEVILS
THE WRECKING DEAD
Los Magnificos
TELEKRIMEN
Lost In Tyme Fanzine
Atomic Mosquitos
The OffRamps
JASON JAMES
THE RIPPERS
t.h.e. Modfather
Los Derrumbes
SFINTERS
THE HANGEE V
THE COSMIC VAMPIRES
Los Santísimos Snorkels
Unknown Hinson
The Pyronauts
THE SPACE AGENCY
the Moon-Rays
MUSTANG LIGHTNING
The Blasters
The Exotics
Witches In Bikinis
Cocktail Preachers
Los Elasticos
Rosie Flores
Surfing Guitarist
Surf Nazis Must Die
The Strange Tones
Nicotyna
The Goo Men
Southern Culture on the Skids
THE PEA*****
Psychobilly Meeting
THE KNOCKOUTS
THES SINIESTROS
Tijuana Bibles
The Booze Bombs
Kristine Mirelle
The Mutants
Carol Dee
Rebel Cats
The Bop-Tones
coffin lids
Cromosoma 3
Sun Trash
Los Mustang 66
The She Creatures
The FIENDS
Santos Furtado
Orchestra L'Pow!
LOS EXPLOSIVOS
Suzy Q & Her Be-Bop Boys
Buddy Dughi
The Stags
MACH SHAU
Tom Twist
The X-Ray Harpoons
The Lightning Rods
Webb Pierce
The National Hot Rods
LOST ACAPULCO
The 3-D Invisibles
ROCKET TO MEMPHIS
Joe Buck
Sinitus Tempo
THE PINK FITS
THE INVISIBLE SURFERS
THE HEAD CAT
Built 4 Speed
Sludge
Janis Martin
Blue Fox
The Mad Daddy
Heptown Records
The Pepper Pots
The Medallions
The Reach Around Rodeo
HONEST MARQUEE
THE GO-GO CAGE
Tweed Speedo
Surf ****s
The Car Crash Nightmares
Eddie Angel
Surf Riders
Trash Hombres
The Knuckledusters
the monsters
THE ARCHERS
Wilson Pickett
Rot Gut Likker
Schuman the human
Link Wray
The TakeOffs
PHIL RIZA & FRIENDS
DEMENTIA 13
The BIG RED ROCKET
Thee Swingin Creeper
Sometimes Nate!
BOOZE PARTY
Jackson Milicia
The Greyhounds
the giant leeches!
The Treblemakers
Gorehound
Rocky Velvet
Rock-A-Billy Record Co.
The Ronettes
The Thunder Chickens
The Pigmalions
Luis & The Wildfires
Los Gatos
THE CONDYLOMAS
Shawn Supra
The Veloras
Voodoo Hit Squad
The Scoundrels
Barneys Boogie Train
Pulp 45
The Millen Sisters
The Open Mind
The Birds
Tomorrow's Caveman
The Racketeers
Cathouse Thumpers
CIA (instro-surf promo)
JWW and the Prospectors
The Juke Joint Pimps
Psychobilly Cadillac
Wolf Man and the Nards
Slick Brothers
THE BUGS!!!!EDDIE MCGEE
Cuatro Gangsters 4
Shakees
SR BIKINI
Los PLankton
The Pussycat’s killers
Sonic Nightmares
13SINNERS
h2o
The Triplettes
TIKI RADIO MONGOL
The Beasts
The Villainares
Haunted Garage
American Horror Story
The Sugar Skulls
The Surfin’ Burritos
Dr.Gringo
THE BAD ATTRIBUTES
Los Rocket Munsters
The SurfEssentials
MUJERCITAS TERROR
The CelebRetards
The Rhythm Shakers
Tuff *******
CATHOUSE THUMPERS
Kitty in a Casket
GARAGE PSYCO
The Mind Magnets
WILD PINK HORSE
THE TIME SHADOWS
THE OTHERS
Fort Worth Teen Scene
THE TWINKLE ARROWS
Shonen Knife
FUJIYAMA MONSTERS
TIMEBOMB RECORDS
THE FLAVORS
THE GRAVEDIGGER FIVE
Mahalia Jackson
THE SEVENS
The Naked Saints
MUCK AND THE MIRES
THE JUNE
The Black Stripe
Zakary Thaks
The Inmates
Secret Syde
Glass
the Invisible Eyes
The Three Sixties
Dum Dum Boys
TOM TOXIC und die HOLSTEIN ROCKETS
BUTTSHAKERS
The Cripplers
Los Peyotes
Dewey Cox
Frank Zappa
Konfettura The Black Knights

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Prince
The Doors
Bob Marley
Pink Floyd
John Lennon