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

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  • thispureamericanriotthispureamericanriot California Posts: 514
    Robert Johnson
    I had to go with Bob Dylan.
    He influenced even the Beatles.
    ... and Robert Johnson influenced Dylan. So subjective on this one. :|
  • OffSheGoes35OffSheGoes35 Posts: 3,487
    Bob Marley
    Would Billie Holiday be a good female choice? 
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,592
    Robert Johnson
    The answer for me personally is Bob Dylan.  When I heard "Like as Rolling Stone" for the first time, I was smacked out of my adolescent music phase like someone being shaken out of a coma.

    But as far as music in the modern western world in general (and its far reaching influences), I'd have to go with Robert Johnson.  His blues style is the foundation rock and roll and much of popular music. 

    Louis Armstrong is a close second.  He introduced the extended solo and his style revolutionized jazz.  And because jazz is the greatest and arguably the only true cultural invention to come from the United States, Armstrong's influences are huge.
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • OffSheGoes35OffSheGoes35 Posts: 3,487
    Bob Marley
    Or Aretha Franklin?
  • Missing the Beatles. They are the 1
  • Tim SimmonsTim Simmons Posts: 6,865
    Elvis Presley
    But they are a group, not a single artist
  • But they are a group, not a single artist
    That makes sense lol. What an idiot I am 
  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    Robert Johnson
    I thought of a few women, Aretha Franklin, Billy Holiday, Whitney Houston, even Gwen Stefani...
    I think that the music industry has downplayed, destroyed, subverted, and mostly constrained and controlled female artists for it's entire history and that's why it's hard to come up with such an iconoclastic example as Dylan or Marley.

    It should be noted that I was buzzin' when I created this thread so it's just a fun little thing.  Bill Monroe was the thought train that spawned the idea for a poll.
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,592
    Robert Johnson
    But they are a group, not a single artist
    That makes sense lol. What an idiot I am 
    I wouldn't worry either way because the Beatles were not real.  What was know as the "Fab Four" was actually "The Fabricated Four".
    (I don't really believe this but it makes for fascinating reading!)

    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • Cool article. Thanks for posting 
  • Tim SimmonsTim Simmons Posts: 6,865
    Elvis Presley
    I would have chosen Robert Johnson given his massive influence on the Blues and what would be comes R&B and Rock, but he only became widely known after rock musicians like the Stones and Clapton and Jimmy Page talked him up. While his impact was big in one respect, I think you need to consider other types of impact as well. Thats why I went with Elvis on this list. I think success also factors in and elvis has run the spectrum. A much wider spectrum than Dylan. 


  • thispureamericanriotthispureamericanriot California Posts: 514
    Robert Johnson
    I would have chosen Robert Johnson given his massive influence on the Blues and what would be comes R&B and Rock, but he only became widely known after rock musicians like the Stones and Clapton and Jimmy Page talked him up. While his impact was big in one respect, I think you need to consider other types of impact as well. Thats why I went with Elvis on this list. I think success also factors in and elvis has run the spectrum. A much wider spectrum than Dylan. 


    I think the IP made the right call on the trifecta: Dylan, Elvis and Robert Johnson. All three probably equal in my book. Bob Marley certainly the most influential Jamaican musician of all eternity. Now if I had to pick the best songs from these artists, I'd go:

    Dylan - "It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)"
    Elvis - "That's All Right Mama"
    Johnson - "Hellhound On My Trail"
    Marley - "Redemption Song"
  • Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    Bob Dylan
    rummy said:
    I thought Vanilla Ice broke white guys into the rap game?
    Nah. 1986....Run DMC and Aerosmith (along with Beasties) was the game changer.
    I was taking the piss :wink:
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  • Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    Bob Dylan
    Ashamed to say I never heard of Robert Johnson until this thread.
    Checking out some songs on YouTube.
    Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014
  • Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    Bob Dylan
    Wow I never knew They're Red Hot is a Robert Johnson song, heard it on a RHCP album.
    Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014
  • HobbesHobbes Pacific Northwest Posts: 6,377
    Elvis Presley
    See the source image
  • 23scidoo23scidoo Thessaloniki,Greece Posts: 18,413
    Robert Johnson
    And Johnny Cash..
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  • 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.
    Bessie <3
  • thispureamericanriotthispureamericanriot California Posts: 514
    edited July 2018
    Robert Johnson
    Ashamed to say I never heard of Robert Johnson until this thread.
    Checking out some songs on YouTube.
    Bob Dylan, Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin all worshiped Robert Johnson. He's original Club 27 member too.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Johnson

    PS - Bob Dylan's famous Bringing It All Back home album cover depicts Robert Johnson famous King Of The Delta Blues Singers on the cover (see red arrow). Trippy!

    Post edited by thispureamericanriot on
  • lolobugglolobugg BLUE RDGE MTNS Posts: 8,175
    Bob Dylan

    Robert Johnson/Leadbelly/Woodie Guthrie are all up there.

    Dylan just took it to an unbelievable next level. 

    Elvis had a massive influence too in turning white kids on to the blues... or his watered down version of it.

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  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    Robert Johnson
    Woodie Guthrie should have made the list!
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • RS151862RS151862 Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2,622
    Ike Turner - Rocket ‘88 ... influenced them all. 
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  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 49,473
    edited July 2018
    Bob Dylan
    rgambs said:
    I thought of a few women, Aretha Franklin, Billy Holiday, Whitney Houston, even Gwen Stefani...
    I think that the music industry has downplayed, destroyed, subverted, and mostly constrained and controlled female artists for it's entire history and that's why it's hard to come up with such an iconoclastic example as Dylan or Marley.

    It should be noted that I was buzzin' when I created this thread so it's just a fun little thing.  Bill Monroe was the thought train that spawned the idea for a poll.
    I think Billy Holiday, Aretha Franklin, or Ella Fitzgerald are every bit as iconoclastic as Dylan or Marley. But yeah, generally, the music industry is terrible to female artists, and it's oddly become worse in many ways over the years, not better. 
    Post edited by PJ_Soul on
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    Bob Dylan
    Ashamed to say I never heard of Robert Johnson until this thread.
    Checking out some songs on YouTube.
    Bob Dylan, Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin all worshiped Robert Johnson. He's original Club 27 member too.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Johnson

    PS - Bob Dylan's famous Bringing It All Back home album cover depicts Robert Johnson famous King Of The Delta Blues Singers on the cover (see red arrow). Trippy!

    Cool.
    Well done spotting that.
    Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014
  • pjhawkspjhawks Posts: 12,171
    Beethoven or Mozart
  • DewieCoxDewieCox Posts: 11,411
    Elvis Presley
    I gotta say Elvis. There have been tons influenced by Dylan and Johnson, but all the great 60s and 70s artist namechecked Elvis.
  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    Robert Johnson
    pjhawks said:
    Beethoven or Mozart
    Considered both, but thought JS Bach would be a better option than either.  Both Beethoven and Mozart were brilliant, but they didn't change the landscape or create new genres.  Bach was much more influential, but they all had contemporaries doing the same thing they were, and the best options I thought of were doing something novel.
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • MedozKMedozK Tennessee Posts: 9,209
    Elvis Presley
    Missing the Beatles. They are the 1

  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,592
    Robert Johnson
    Ashamed to say I never heard of Robert Johnson until this thread.
    Checking out some songs on YouTube.
    Bob Dylan, Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin all worshiped Robert Johnson. He's original Club 27 member too.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Johnson

    PS - Bob Dylan's famous Bringing It All Back home album cover depicts Robert Johnson famous King Of The Delta Blues Singers on the cover (see red arrow). Trippy!

    Ha!  Excellent!  I'd never noticed that.  Good eye!
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,592
    Robert Johnson
    MedozK said:
    Missing the Beatles. They are the 1

    I'll bet Neil Young would very possibly go along with your pick!  "The king is gone but he's not forgotten."
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













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