Which single artist has had the biggest impact on music ever?

rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
Monkey Driven, Call this Living?

Which single artist has had the biggest impact on music ever? 28 votes

Bob Marley
10%
CServantBLACK35OffSheGoes35 3 votes
Bob Dylan
35%
fifelolobuggvitoThoughts_ArrivejoberschlakeSuziemayPJ_Soulrummydrakeheuer14PJWGIII 10 votes
Robert Johnson
21%
2-feign-reluctanceLukinFanbrianluxrgambs23scidoothispureamericanriot 6 votes
Bill Monroe
0%
Elvis Presley
32%
ledveddermandarwinstheoryYefaDewieCoxTim SimmonsHesCalledDyerMedozKHobbestempo_n_groove 9 votes
Tupac
0%
Eminem
0%
Louis Armstrong
0%
«1

Comments

  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    Robert Johnson
    Marley is a close second, he single handedly brought reggae into the world.
    Bill Monroe practically created bluegrass music...
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  • Tim SimmonsTim Simmons Posts: 6,865
    Elvis Presley
    Probably Elvis. He was massive. Tuned white dudes onto black music. Sold a shit ton of records/shows/films.

  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,489
    I have no clue how to answer that. 
  • vitovito Chicago Posts: 1,434
    Bob Dylan
    Dylan lyrically alone for me is so far ahead of the field it's staggering
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  • drakeheuer14drakeheuer14 Posts: 4,368
    Bob Dylan
    Is eminem on the list just because he is a white rapper? He isn’t exactly groundbreaking in any way besides that
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  • deadendpdeadendp Northeast Ohio Posts: 10,434
    I have no clue how to answer that. 
    +1
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  • Spiritual_ChaosSpiritual_Chaos Posts: 28,867
    What did Tupac do?
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • OffSheGoes35OffSheGoes35 Posts: 3,487
    Bob Marley
    You are going to get so much shit for this list, rgambs. You're a brave soul. Thank you for the Bob Marley option.
  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    Robert Johnson
     drakeheuer14 said:
    Is eminem on the list just because he is a white rapper? He isn’t exactly groundbreaking in any way besides that
    He's on the list because he broke rap/hip hop into the mainstream like nobody had done before.  His skin colour is certainly a factor in that, but his flow is utterly unique and his skills are at the highest level.
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,755
    Elvis Presley
    I honestly would have gone with Chuck Berry or even Buddy Holly. Of the ones listed, Elvis.
  • 2-feign-reluctance2-feign-reluctance TigerTown, USA Posts: 23,090
    Robert Johnson
    I honestly would have gone with Chuck Berry or even Buddy Holly. Of the ones listed, Elvis.
    I was wondering why Holly wasn’t included myself. 
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  • thispureamericanriotthispureamericanriot California Posts: 514
    Robert Johnson
    It's tough - those first two plus Elvis...man! But I don't think any of it happens without Robert Johnson.
  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    Robert Johnson
    I think Holly is immensely overrated because he died so young.  His impact wasn't any greater than Berry, JL Lewis, Little Richard, etc.  Ray Charles would be a much better candidate than Holly, maybe a rival to Elvis.
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  • Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    Bob Dylan
    What did Tupac do?
    Got shot, went to jail, came back with a double album and got shot again lol
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  • Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    Bob Dylan
    I had to go with Bob Dylan.
    He influenced even the Beatles.
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  • This is such a matter of perspective. I don't see how anyone can really answer this on a deep level and the question is vague. Music is so alive and constantly evolving. I guess from this list Louis would be my choice.
  • PJWGIIIPJWGIII Chicago, IL Posts: 806
    Bob Dylan
    Dylan - and it's not even close.
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  • tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 38,852
    Elvis Presley
    Why isn't chuck Berry on this list?

    Lead Belly?

    Most of the artists listed stole from these two...
  • tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 38,852
    Elvis Presley
    To have Tupac and not Biggie is silly...

    Run DMC, PE or the Beastie Boys had more influence than Em...
  • Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    Bob Dylan
    What about female artists?
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  • tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 38,852
    Elvis Presley
    So with the artists to choose from obviously it is Elvis.

    Choosing Dylan before Elvis is foolish...

    Elvis was banned from the waist down on TV.  Dylan was criticized for going electric...
  • HesCalledDyerHesCalledDyer Maryland Posts: 16,416
    Elvis Presley
    Some neanderthal who beat the backs of his fallen foes with mammoth bones.
  • Spiritual_ChaosSpiritual_Chaos Posts: 28,867
    rgambs said:
     drakeheuer14 said:
    Is eminem on the list just because he is a white rapper? He isn’t exactly groundbreaking in any way besides that
    He's on the list because he broke rap/hip hop into the mainstream like nobody had done before.  His skin colour is certainly a factor in that, but his flow is utterly unique and his skills are at the highest level.
    Not true enough to have had the biggest impact.

    Hip Hop was already in the mainstream when he came around.
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    Bob Dylan
    I thought Vanilla Ice broke white guys into the rap game?
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  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    Robert Johnson
    To have Tupac and not Biggie is silly...

    Run DMC, PE or the Beastie Boys had more influence than Em...
    Yeah, I put Tupac up there just to be emblematic of the early days of rap, it could have been Biggie or Snoop, but I don't think any one rap artist from that era can win out against the competition.
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  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    Robert Johnson
    rgambs said:
     drakeheuer14 said:
    Is eminem on the list just because he is a white rapper? He isn’t exactly groundbreaking in any way besides that
    He's on the list because he broke rap/hip hop into the mainstream like nobody had done before.  His skin colour is certainly a factor in that, but his flow is utterly unique and his skills are at the highest level.
    Not true enough to have had the biggest impact.

    Hip Hop was already in the mainstream when he came around.
    No, it wasn't.  As a Midwestern white kid in middle school at the time, I can assure you it wasn't lol 
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • Spiritual_ChaosSpiritual_Chaos Posts: 28,867
    rgambs said:
    rgambs said:
     drakeheuer14 said:
    Is eminem on the list just because he is a white rapper? He isn’t exactly groundbreaking in any way besides that
    He's on the list because he broke rap/hip hop into the mainstream like nobody had done before.  His skin colour is certainly a factor in that, but his flow is utterly unique and his skills are at the highest level.
    Not true enough to have had the biggest impact.

    Hip Hop was already in the mainstream when he came around.
    No, it wasn't.  As a Midwestern white kid in middle school at the time, I can assure you it wasn't lol 
    So you had not seen, let's say "California Love" by Tupac, any Fugees singles or Will Smiths singles etc on MTV or mainstream radio before Eminem?

    Eminem making (white) kids in your midwestern school wear long white tshirts in the early 00s doesn't make him having "the biggest impact" on music ever. Or being close to it.
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    Robert Johnson
    Why isn't chuck Berry on this list?

    Lead Belly?

    Most of the artists listed stole from these two...
    Robert Johnson didn't steal from Leadbelly and most consider his early impact to be larger...Elvis stole from everybody, but he had a massive impact nonetheless! 
    It's tough, I probably should have had Berry up there.  Not Holly though lol
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • OffSheGoes35OffSheGoes35 Posts: 3,487
    Bob Marley
    What about female artists?
    Thought about that question myself. I couldn't think of one to put forth as a suggestion really. Bessie Smith? I know she influenced Janis Joplin. That's a hard one.
  • rummyrummy British Columbia, Canada Posts: 4,345
    Bob Dylan
    I thought Vanilla Ice broke white guys into the rap game?
    Nah. 1986....Run DMC and Aerosmith (along with Beasties) was the game changer.
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