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I'd say Zappa is more influential than Etta slightly, less popular (even though Etta didn't have that much chart success initially) and acclaim is hard to tell, Etta's prolly #2 most acclaimed female vocalist in rock behind Aretha and Zappa's acclaim is more encompassing, production, composing, guitar playing, etc.

Chicago I'd say only had good musical impact during Terry Kath era after that they were seen more as sellouts. I obviously agree with some sort of Chicago bump for reasons you mentioned but I would not have them side by side with Joel either just like old Brian's list kept some distance between the two. Chic I'd say takes influence over them clearly and, for all the shit disco got, Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards went on to become widely respected figures overall; Talking Heads, the Cure and the Smiths I'd say win out both acclaim and influence clearly as well.

Not really related to any placement but it's funny to me how it's controversial to label rap artists as a part of rock or even Stevie Wonder as rock yet huge variety of artists gets grouped together under one Latin music genre label.