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View Full Version : Biggest/Most influential rock artist of this decade?

mickill
08-22-2006, 04:12 PM
'50s = Elvis Presley/Chuck Berry/Buddy Holly
'60s = Bob Dylan/Jimi Hendrix
'70s = David Bowie/Neil Young/Joni Mitchell/Van Morrison/Elton john/Frank Zappa
'80's = Prince/Elvis Costello
'90s = Kurt Cobain?
'00's = ?

I wanted to mention Brian Eno, but he's not entirely a household name or anything. Same with Gram Parsons. Lou Reed was more influential than big. Likewise, people like Noel Gallagher and Thom Yorke have had a lot of influence and are/have been quite massive, but that's more on account of the popularity of their respective bands and not so much because of them. I think Cobain kinda existed as his own separate entity from Nirvana, though. I guess. I don't know. I'm not really a fan, anyway. I can't really think of many post '80s rock artists that've had much of an impact. All I can say is that the '70s was very competitive; I was trying to narrow it down to 3.
mickill
08-22-2006, 04:13 PM
Hard to say for the '00s. I think that Jack White has had a pretty big hand in influencing the direction of rock in this decade so far. And both of his bands have been quite popular.

I also want to say Pharrell Williams, but he's obviously more of a pop artist.
Lyman Zerga
08-22-2006, 04:28 PM
james blunt!
mickill
08-23-2006, 09:46 AM
Excellent choice.
saz
08-30-2006, 05:58 PM
some of the aforementioned aren't really rock, ditto some of mine, but meh who cares

50s-chuck berry/elvis/buddy holly
60s-dylan/lennon/mccartney/harrison/brian jones/syd barrett/hendrix/jeff beck/otis redding
70s-bowie/jimmy page/marriott/frampton/neil young/joni mitchell/marvin gaye/gram parsons/roger waters
80s-michael jackson/prince/ian curtis/ian brown
90s-cobain/anton newcombe/jason pierce
00s-thom yorke/jack white
Reginald
08-30-2006, 06:28 PM
Radiohead
mickill
08-31-2006, 11:43 AM
some of the aforementioned aren't really rock, ditto some of mine, but meh who cares

50s-chuck berry/elvis/buddy holly
60s-dylan/lennon/mccartney/harrison/brian jones/syd barrett/hendrix/jeff beck/otis redding
70s-bowie/jimmy page/marriott/frampton/neil young/joni mitchell/marvin gaye/gram parsons/roger waters
80s-michael jackson/prince/ian curtis/ian brown
90s-cobain/anton newcombe/jason pierce
00s-thom yorke/jack white
I kinda think that Radiohead/Thom Yorke were both bigger and more influential in the '90s. Hard to say, though. I guess Kid A is from this decade. That album upset a lot of people initially. And then everybody suddenly started falling in love with it. It was a ballsy move for them.

If MJ is being noted, I'm thinking Kanye and Pharrell do deserve consideration then. Even though I don't particularly like Kanye. His influence and popularity are undeniable.

Madonna too.
DroppinScience
08-31-2006, 12:51 PM
I guess Kid A is from this decade. That album upset a lot of people initially. And then everybody suddenly started falling in love with it. It was a ballsy move for them.

I loved Kid A, but you had to work for it to fully feel its virtues. It's not instant love like OK Computer or The Bends, but it worked.