EWB's Fifty Influential Musical Artists

[DMN in the House]

Personally, I'd have a hard time putting Motorhead over someone like Metallica or Slayer, but that probably has a lot to do with personal preference.

[Skummy]

I think that's the problem, obviously what you listen to shapes a lot of what you consider important, and you're going to be more inclined to look to the bands that influenced what you're into...it's a tricky one, but it's what makes this interesting. But personally, I'd say Metallica wouldn't have happened without Motörhead; they're an acknowledged huge influence on the band, especially Lars, and they've recorded a few 'Head covers. And as for Slayer, I imagine they'd have sounded rather different without Motörhead essentially laying down the groundwork for thrash throughout the '70s. While Slayer and Metallica have probably directly influenced more bands or influenced more kids to pick up guitars or what-have-you, Motörhead's influence runs deeper, I feel.

[VerbalPuke]

Another one of the big thrash metal bands that can cite Motorhead as influence are Sodom as well, while not as big as Slayer or Metallica on the grand scale, they still had a pretty large following in the vein of a Celtic Frost.

An interesting thing to note about Motorhead is that they (or Lemmy specifically) felt more camaraderie with the punks as opposed to metal fans. In a sense they sort of fall under that category that I cited for Venom, a band that bridges the gap between two genres, with fans of metal and punk tracing their influences back to Motorhead.

[lari]

Chuck Berry (rock'n' roll guitar)

Elvis Presley (the king)

The Beatles (Beatlemania)

James Brown (the grandfather)

Led Zeppelin (Plant, Page and Bonham all hugely influenced how rock music would be performed in the years after)

Black Sabbath (heavy metal)

David Bowie (I was going to put KISS here, but I think Bowie had a bigger influence on glam... or maybe T-Rex)

Michael Jackson (the music video era, dance moves)

two more... eh

Bob Marley (for all the potheads)

The Shirelles (the vocal group thing that came big again in the 90s - see boy/girl bands)

[Max.]

1. Bob Dylan

2. Nirvana

3. The Beatles

4. David Bowie

5. The Clash

6. Pixies

7. Sex Pistols

8. Black Sabbath

9. Massive Attack

10. Public Enemy

[Benji]

Closing this on the 31st of March, so any votes intended, go for it now. I'm going on what I perceive as pure direct influence on musicians/music as a culture.

1. The Beatles

2. Led Zepellin

3. The Rolling Stones

4. The Ramones

5. Nirvana

6. Queen

7. Bob Dylan

8. Elvis Pressley

9. Pink Floyd

10. Jimi Hendrix

[GoGo Yubari]

LIST VERSION TWO

1. Chuck Berry

2. The Beatles

3. The Velvet Underground

4. Louis Armstrong

5. Sister Rosetta Tharpe

6. Grandmaster Flash

7. Link Wray

8. Black Sabbath

9. Miles Davis

10. The Ramones

[Benji]

LIST VERSION TWO

1. Chuck Berry

2. The Beatles

3. The Velvet Underground

4. Louis Armstrong

5. Sister Rosetta Tharpe

6. Grandmaster Flash

7. Link Wray

8. Black Sabbath

9. Miles Davis

10. The Ramones

Edit your original list to cancel it out, lest I forget by accident and ignore your votes for voting twice

[thuganomic]

1. Elvis Presley

2. Ray Charles

3. The Beatles

4. Queen

5. Little Richard

6. The Clash

7. Michael Jackson

8. The Ramones

9. Radiohead

10. Run DMC

[GoGo Yubari]

I obliterated my first list instead. Does that count?

[Benji]

I obliterated my first list instead. Does that count?

Perfectly acceptable wrasslin'!

[METALMAN]

1. The Beatles

2. David Bowie

3. Jimi Hendrix

4. Bob Dylan

5. Michael Jackson

6. Prince

7. The Sex Pistols

8. Public Enemy

9. James Brown

10. Madonna

I don't necessarily like all these artists. I just went for ones I feel have had a large influence on mainstream music.