Greatest Rock Artists Of All Time (Revision Version)

[pauldrach]

I've edited the current revision version into the first post of this thread and Brian's original post into the second.

I've also corrected one spelling error (Rickie Lee Jones), added an apostrophe to The B-52's, made a few artist names consistent with the way they seem to be handled now whenever one entry encompasses both a solo artist and a band (Diana Ross/The Supremes, Smokey Robinson/The Miracles, Curtis Mayfield/The Impressions, George Clinton/Parliament-Funkadelic, Frankie Valli/The Four Seasons, Frank Zappa/The Mothers of Invention, Iggy Pop/The Stooges, Chaka Khan/Rufus, Patti LaBelle/Labelle), deleted a few The's where they don't belong (Beastie Boys, Four Tops, Eurythmics) and added a few backing bands (Bruce Springsteen (& the E Street Band), Elvis Costello (& the Attractions), Dick Dale & the Del-Tones).

I wasn't sure whether Crazy Horse should be added in brackets after Neil Young since they also made somewhat significant recordings as a standalone act. I also think it may be good to add at least Utopia to Rundgren's entry (adding Nazz and Runt as well may be too nitpicky even for me) but wanted to check back.

I'm also not sure how frequently I will manage to update the first post but will try to do so regularly. I'm also not sure I'll catch every little edit so tell me about any obvious oversight on my part.

The list in the first post is formatted with BBCode, which makes adding new acts somewhere in the middle a little easier.

[ManPerson]

1. Gene Vincent & the Blue Caps
2. Toots & the Maytals
3. Jimmy Buffett
4. UB40
5. Lou Reed
6. Huey Lewis & the News
7. Ohio Players
8. Warren Zevon

I suggest we first look at/insert this group.

This is what I came up with:

1. Lou Reed
2. Gene Vincent & the Blue Caps
3. Toots and the Maytals
4. Warren Zevon
5. UB40
6. Ohio Players
7. Huey Lewis and the News
8. Jimmy Buffett
Last 4 were pretty hard to order, though.

[Tim]

I guess I agree with the top three and see the #4-8 in roughly the same range on this list. My first attempt at inserting them.

240. Massive Attack
241. MC5
242. Hüsker Dü
243. Jackson Browne
244. Phil Collins
245. Sade
246. Lou Reed
247. Ariana Grande
248. Nicki Minaj
249. Hall & Oates
250. Boyz II Men
251. Pet Shop Boys
252. Alanis Morissette
253. Future
254. War
255. Chaka Khan/Rufus
256. Eurythmics
257. Salt-N-Pepa
258. Peter Gabriel
259. The Righteous Brothers
260. Jethro Tull
261. Soundgarden
262. George Harrison
263. Electric Light Orchestra
264. The (Young) Rascals
265. T.I.
266. Gene Vincent & the Blue Caps
267. The Marvelettes
268. Joe Tex
269. The Prodigy
270. Johnny Ace
271. Lloyd Price
272. Cher
273. R. Kelly
274. The Lovin' Spoonful 
275. The Spinners
276. Barry White
277. Weezer
278. The Shadows
279. Emerson, Lake & Palmer
280. Erykah Badu
281. Gary Numan/Tubeway Army
282. Television
283. Todd Rundgren
284. 50 Cent
285. Boston
286. Buffalo Springfield
287. Justin Bieber
288. Journey
289. John Mellencamp
290. ZZ Top
291. The Moonglows
292. Duane Eddy
293. Alice in Chains
294. Heart
295. Bryan Adams
296. Tina Turner
297. Patti LaBelle/Labelle
298. Steve Miller Band
299. The Dells
300. Tyler, the Creator
301. INXS
302. The Doobie Brothers
303. Moby
304. The Chemical Brothers
305. Jan & Dean
306. Boogie Down Productions
307. The B-52's
308. Ritchie Valens
309. Dick Dale & the Del-Tones
310. No Doubt
311. Gloria Estefan/Miami Sound Machine
312. Anita Baker
313. Mary Wells
314. Jeff Buckley
315. Tori Amos
316. Blue Öyster Cult
317. Tracy Chapman
318. Ice-T/Body Count
319. Toots & the Maytals
320. Shirley & Lee
321. The Hollies
322. Judas Priest
323. Giorgio Moroder
324. Fugazi
325. Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew
326. Queen Latifah
327. Screamin' Jay Hawkins
328. Dead Kennedys
329. Black Flag
330. Laura Nyro
331. X
332. Foreigner
333. System of a Down
334. Peter Frampton
335. Carly Simon
336. The Roots
337. The Pointer Sisters
338. Jack Scott
339. Larry Williams
340. Kurtis Blow
341. Warren Zevon
342. Kansas
343. Robbie Williams
344. UB40
345. Aphex Twin
346. Grand Funk Railroad
347. Dave Matthews Band
348. Ohio Players
349. Huey Lewis & the News
350. Bachman-Turner Overdrive
351. The Chiffons
352. Big Mama Thornton
353. Jimmy Buffett
354. Bonnie Raitt
355. Annie Lennox
356. Sarah McLachlan
357. Yellow Magic Orchestra
358. Melissa Etheridge
359. Rickie Lee Jones
360. Joan Armatrading

[Tim]

Next:

Captain Beefheart
Cheap Trick
Crystals
The Fall
Megadeth
New York Dolls
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Pavement
PJ Harvey
Randy Newman

[ManPerson]

I'd say Lou Reed takes acclaim and popularity over MC5 and Husker Du, as well as acclaim and influence over Sade and Phil Collins.

Toots and the Maytals seem a bit low considering their significant influence. I'd say they're more acclaimed and clearly more influential than most artists in the Bieber/Journey/Mellencamp/Heart/Bryan Adams range of the list. I think I'd have them back to back with Gary Numan, since I'd argue that influence is fairly close, popularity goes to Numan and acclaim goes to T&tM.

[ManPerson]

Next:

Captain Beefheart
Cheap Trick
Crystals
The Fall
Megadeth
New York Dolls
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Pavement
PJ Harvey
Randy Newman

This is what I came up with:
1. New York Dolls
2. Captain Beefheart
3. Cheap Trick
4. The Crystals
5. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
6. PJ Harvey
7. Pavement
8. Randy Newman
9. The Fall
10. Megadeth

[ManPerson]

Also, do we want to include Sugar with Husker Du?

[Tim]

Different from what I came up at first.

1. Crystals
2. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
3. PJ Harvey
4. Randy Newman
5. Captain Beefheart
6. New York Dolls
7. Cheap Trick
8. Pavement
9. Megadeth
10. The Fall

Crystals another vehicle for Spector's wall of sound influence, three legendary singles, noted for occasionally handling mature themes in their lyrics which made them stand out among the girl groups of early '60s. Nick Cave & PJ Harvey both among the most acclaimed singer-songwriters to came out of the post-punk era. Newman occasionally had success with his '70s work and film scores, plus highly idiosyncratic style and stellar writing, including for other artists. Beefheart despite firmly being in the underground huge influence on all sorts of experimental/art rock, think prog, punk, even post-punk, Trout Mask Replica widely considered a masterpiece nowadays. Dolls another widely influential band, influence found in punk, glam rock/metal, even hard rock, a brief but critically acclaimed career. Cheap Trick bridged the gap between hard rock and power pop with a great popularity, in Japan especially, cited as influence on alt & modern power pop. Pavement may be the leaders of 1990s indie rock, not the most prolific but certainly highly acclaimed, even some success with Cut Your Hair. Megadeth, Dave Mustaine metal legend, one of thrash metal's Big 4, The Fall highly acclaimed brain child of Mark E. Smith, one of the post-punk pioneers.

[Tim]

Also, do we want to include Sugar with Husker Du?

Seems a stretch with Grant Hart also playing an important role in Hüsker Dü creatively.

[Tim]

I wasn't sure whether Crazy Horse should be added in brackets after Neil Young since they also made somewhat significant recordings as a standalone act. I also think it may be good to add at least Utopia to Rundgren's entry (adding Nazz and Runt as well may be too nitpicky even for me) but wanted to check back.

I'd lean towards considering Crazy Horse to be primarily a Young's backing band ergo added to his entry. Not opposed to Utopia addition as well.