Top 5 Artist of All Time?

[\S/JcDc\S/]

First the 2 most important entertainers/singers happen to be a couple of kings:

1. Elvis Presley- I find those that say he stole from black music to be racist. He was also influenced vocally by Dean Martin and a host of C&W artists as well. He managed to blend his different styles into Rock n Roll.

2. Michael Jackson- As important to the 80's as Elvis was to the 50's. Icon. People argue his vocals, but I find his to be unique, and along with the music itself, transformational to popular music.

3. John Lennon- Imagine could be the greatest song of all time. Yep, it is that good to me. I prefer his solo work actually.

4. Tupac Shakur- Authenticity in his rap that I've yet to hear matched. Call it gangsta if you want, but his imagery in music was astonishing.

5. Jimi Hendrix- He changed the scope of lead guitar parts imo. He also invented a method of guitar feedback that changed music as well.

 

[Bunker]

Lupe Fiasco
The Rolling Stones
The Beatles
A Tribe Called Quest
Rage Against the Machine

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Prince
The Doors
Bob Marley
Pink Floyd
John Lennon

 

[Genesis 1.0]

I'll take Johnny Cash over Elvis in the talent department whereas Elvis had raw charisma, but I can understand Elvis being on the list.

 

[redfirebird2008]

1. Led Zeppelin
2. Guns N' Roses
3. Bob Dylan
4. Pink Floyd
5. The Beatles

 

[\S/JcDc\S/]

I'll take Johnny Cash over Elvis in the talent department whereas Elvis had raw charisma, but I can understand Elvis being on the list.

Elvis had a pretty amazing voice though. I can't believe some of his 60's ballads Smooth like the best crooners. The performances were also pretty amazing in the 50's imo.

 

[Sloth7d]

My top 5 Artists of the Decade-
-Pogo
-Epica
-Hed P.E.
-Linkin Park
-Eminem
(no order) HM: Sarah Brightman

 

[The Man]

1. Bob Dylan
2. Tom Waits
3. Captain Beefheart/Frank Zappa
4. Håkan Hellström
5. Miles Davis
6. Bukka White
7. Robert Johnson
8. John Coltrane
9. Thelonious Monk
10. Cole Porter/Hank Williams

 

[Chris Wallace]

1. Michael Jackson
2. Prince
3. Stevie Wonder
4. The Temptations
5. Lalah Hathaway

 

[Chris Wallace]

2. Michael Jackson- As important to the 80's as Elvis was to the 50's. Icon. People argue his vocals, but I find his to be unique, and along with the music itself, transformational to popular music.

This may be the most profound comment I've come across regarding Michael's music.

 

[Art_of_Crime]

Tom Waits

The Beatles

Beck

Mike Ness

Robert Johnson

 

[Chris Wallace]

1, 4 & 5 I have never heard of.

 

[Art_of_Crime]

that's a shame
Tom Waits is a blues/jazz/rock/spoken word/gutter punk influenced musician. Bit of an acquired taste
Mike Ness is the lead singer of Social Distortion. He put out a few outlaw country albums on his own, but very rock influenced
Robert Johnson is one of the best blues guitarists I have ever found. He supposedly went down to the crossroads and sold his soul to the devil to play that well.

 

[redmarvel]

In no particular order, today it's:

Nickleback
Gowan
The Nylons
Queen
The Beatles

Tomorrow it will probably be:

Pink
Pat Benatar
Beyonce
U2
Bon Jovi

and the day after that it will change again...

There is no way to pick 5.

 

[bored]

No particular order:

The Beatles
Ornette Coleman
Tom Waits
Led Zeppelin
Pearl Jam

 

[Surfer Rosa]

Pearl Jam
Pixies
Alice In Chains
Sonic Youth
The Smiths

 

[Astrø]

1. Muse
2. Red Hot Chili Peppers
3. Death Cab For Cutie/Postal Service
4. Radiohead
5. Lovedrug

 

[david icke]

The Doors
Syd Barrett
The Rolling Stones
Air
The Stooges

 

[Bad Superman]

In no particular order

1-Michael Jackson
2-Elvis Presley
3-The Doors
4-Prince
5-The Beatles

 

[Astrø]

In no particular order, today it's:

Nickleback
Gowan
The Nylons
Queen
The Beatles

Tomorrow it will probably be:

Pink
Pat Benatar
Beyonce
U2
Bon Jovi

and the day after that it will change again...

There is no way to pick 5.

There is only two on your list that I don't like, but you have a nice taste in music I think.

 

[OctaviusINC]

No Order:

Michael Jackson
The Beatles
Johnny Cash
Bob Dylan
Elvis Presley

 

[Mazrim Taim]

Eminem

Michael Jackson

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Kiss

Mobb Deep

 

[terry78]

Any list with a lack of MJ in the top five is an instant fail. That's right, I said it.

 

[Kurosawa]

Not my 5 favorites, but I think the 5 most important (pop/rock):

Beatles
MJ
Elvis
Stones
Sinatra

The other acts I think a big case could be made for is Hendrix and Zep. Maybe Nirvana. I'm too ignorant about rap/hip hop to pick someone from that genre. My favorite soul singer was Marvin Gaye (MJ was a pop singer by design, although of course he did some soul records along with rock records and all kinds of stuff).

My personal top 5:
Who
Beatles
Yes
Beach Boys
Deep Purple

 

[The Chairman]

Not my 5 favorites, but I think the 5 most important (pop/rock):

Beatles
MJ
Elvis
Stones
Sinatra

Replace the Stones with Dylan and you'd have my top picks (though not in that order) as far as importance goes.