10 Most Influential Musicians
Published in Entertainment at April 13th, 2017 at 11:51 AM
Whether you listen to hard rock, or pop music, there will always be those legendary artists and performers who will inspire a new generation to go on to do what they love. Here is a look back on 10 of the most influential musicians in music today.
David Bowie
One of the more recent losses in the world of music, David Bowie was something special as his music is essentially timeless.The sheer breadth and scope of his career from the music-hall roots to his glam explosion, plastic soul period and krautrock experiments –has provided countless modern acts with their impetus to plug in and play. His music is so memorable that even if you don’t know David Bowie, Odds are you’ve probably heard one of his songs and have liked it without realising it was from him. Bowie was one of the pioneers of the industry thanks to his uniquely odd style and sound as well as how creatively minded he was with lyrics, album covers and music videos. He even managed to turn his death it to a work of art which i know sounds crazy but he kept his illness a secret and wasn’t revealed until after his death. 2 days before hand, he released what would be his final record “Blackstar” on his birthday along with a music video for his new single “Lazarus” which features Bowie laying on a deathbed throughout the video. He wanted to go out with bang and he did just that.
Janis Joplin
Originally starting out as the lead singer for the band “Big Brother”, Janis Joplin found solo success after splitting with the band in 1968. Her vocals were something completely different at the time as not only did she have such a unique sounding voice but her vocal range was incredibly powerful, Making her songs sound so much more emotional. She was considered by many to be the premier female blues vocalist. To put it into perspective, She was able to shine in a genre that at the time had artists such as Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. She was so successful in fact that after her death, many comparisons were made between her and Elvis Presley which in itself is a pretty big compliment if you ask me.
Michael Jackson
It’s hard not to include the king of pop on this list. Yes he’s had his fair share of incidents, there’s no denying that, however if there is one thing you can’t deny, it’s his illustrious music career. Michael got his start in the industry in what would become one of the most famous acts on the planet at that point in time, The Jackson 5 along with 4 of his other brothers. After the original Jackson 5 split, Michael would then move on to his now legendary solo career that not only set the bar when it came to performing at live shows, but his presence both live and in his music was something that had never been seen prior to his solo career. Whether it was the moon-walking or the elaborately created music videos like smooth criminal and thriller, he easily earned his title as the King of Pop.
Nirvana
Nirvana was an American Rock Band from Seattle that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in 1988. Nirvana went through a succession of drummers before settling for now one of the world's most popular musicians thanks to his success in Nirvana and the continued success in new band Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl, who joined the band in 1990. With the release of their second album “Nevermind”, The band saw mainstream success thanks to their more “Sludgy” and Thick guitar tones that would accompany lyrics that would take on themes such as social alienation, Apathy and Social Prejudice. Despite popular belief of “Nirvana inventing the Grunge genre”, They didn’t as the genre existed before the band was even formed. That being said however, Nirvana was the band to bring the genre to mainstream popularity in the 1990s.
The Beatles
If you don’t know The Beatles, Then odds are you’re either a child who has no previous knowledge of influential knowledge or you’ve just been living under a rock for the last 50 years. The Beatles are arguably the most influential Rock Band to exist. Originating from Liverpool, England the band consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. They are one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music. In the UK, The Beatles released more than 40 different singles, albums, and EP’s that reached number one. This commercial success was repeated in many other countries. It was estimated that their record company, EMI had sold over one billion discs and tapes worldwide by 1985. The Beatles have gained critical acclaim from many different magazine publications and large companies within the music industry including awards such as being the best-selling Musical Act of all time in the US by the RIAA, They were ranked #1 on its list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time In 2004 by Rolling Stone magazine.
Tupac and Biggie Smalls
So instead of you all biting my head off by choosing one artist over the other, We decided it would be best for us to include both artists for their contributions to the Rap genre because arguably without these two, the genre wouldn’t be as big as it is today. They’re both referenced by other artists in interviews and their own music to the point of sounding cliché. Now yes Tupac is an incredible artist who was ahead of his time but he didn’t have the same kind of snazzy style that Biggie Smalls did. When it came to subject matter he was decidedly apolitical and dispassionate and concerned with his own well-being and that of his immediate circle instead of the ills of society. Now partner this up with biggie’s godlike “flow” and you’re sure to have a hit single. However it must be said that Tupac’s contributions to the genre shouldn’t mean any less as tupac had a very distinct voice and personality when it came to his music as well as the fact he had crossover appeal. Before Tupac hit the scene, only LL Cool J was really seen as being a rap artist who "crossed over." with the only other real example at the time being Vanilla Ice who only had a fraction of the crossover appeal that both Tupac and LL Cool J had. You can pretty much argue who was the better artist for years, however it all comes down to personal preference. Either way, without these two, Rap music may not have gained mainstream success.
Elvis Presley
Who doesn’t know Elvis? This guy was literally the King of Rock and Roll from the late 50s to his death in 1973. Elvis Aaron Presley was an American Singer, Musician and Actor. He is a Cultural Icon who gained that title through his legendary music career. Presley began his career as one of the first performers of Rockabilly before becoming apart of Sun Record’s Million Dollar Quartet that featured artists such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins. Elvis Released such classics as Hound Dog, All Shook Up and Heartbreak Hotel just to name a few. His music was almost universally loved by everyone and anyone throughout his career. We would list off some of his awards given to him by magazines but he’s recieved so many that we would literally be sitting here for days reading them all off. That’s how accomplished he is. Long live the king!
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English Rock band that were on of the pioneers of Psychedelic music, and, as they evolved, became more well known for their progressive rock music. They are known for philosophical lyrics, Sonic Experimentation, innovative Album Cover Art, and elaborate live shows and are widely regarded as One of rock music’s most successful acts. As so popular that it spent 741 consecutive weeks on the USA-based Billboard 200 album chart, the longest duration in history. It is also the Fifth Highest-Selling album Globally of all time with more than forty million units sold.
Black Sabbath
Possibly the precursor both heavy metal and psychedelic rock and roll, Black Sabbath formed in 1968 but didn’t really see commercial success until 1970 with their first hit album “Black Sabbath”. With this release, they brought themes which hadn’t been heard in music before such as such as doom and the devil. The one thing however that set Sabbath apart from other bands is their sound. Instead of the upbeat lively sound you’d hear from artists like Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles, Sabbath had a much darker sound with more brooding and doom like tones to their lyrics.The original band line up of Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Terence “Geezer” Butler (bass), and Bill Ward.Black Sabbath remain a dominant influence in the heavy metal genre they helped create.
Queen
When rock music is mentioned, One of the first bands people think of is Queen. Sure their music isn’t “Heavy” you simply can’t deny the impact they’ve had on the genre as a whole. Queen are an English Rock band formed in 1970 in London by guitarist Brian May, lead vocalist Freddie Mercury, drummer Roger Taylor, and bassist John Deacon who ended up joining the band the following year after forming. Queen rose to prominence during the 1970s and are one of Britain’s most successful bands of the past four decades. Whether it was Freddie Mercury's vocals or the fact that all instruments were layered perfectly to create a musically diverse, there is no way you can deny the impact they’ve made on music as a whole.
