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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,772
Over the last couple of years (including being immersed in one now, Moon, by Tony Fletcher), I read some really fine books relating to The Who. A couple of them pointed out something that fascinates me which is that one of the things that made The Who unique was that you had a guitar player who played his instruments like a drum, a drummer who played his kit like a guitar, a bass player who played his bass like a lead guitar, and a singer whose singing style changed and evolved along with Townshend's writing. In that way (and others, like creating rock operas), they made a huge impact on rock music.
That got me to thinking about which bands or musicians made greatest impact on rock and I decided to try to come up with five (and five only) who made the biggest impact. I came up with:
Elvis Presley. Elvis didn't really so much create new things in music, as he did stage presentation utilizing with his charismatic stage presence.
Bob Dylan: By melding folk with rock and writing extended narrative songwriting, and poetry, Dylan expanded the scope of rock.
The Who: As above.
Jimi Hendrix: Hendrix not only changed the sonic quality of guitar playing and influenced countless players after him, but also melded blues, r&b, early rock, and psychedelia in new ways. And the Experience was, though not the first, probably the most visible early integrated band.
The Sex Pistols: A hard 5th choice (the Clash and Ramones are strong considerations) because I really don't think the Pistols were either the first nor the best punk band, but they were the most visible and prototypical punk band.
Bob Dylan: By melding folk with rock and writing extended narrative songwriting, and poetry, Dylan expanded the scope of rock.
The Who: As above.
Jimi Hendrix: Hendrix not only changed the sonic quality of guitar playing and influenced countless players after him, but also melded blues, r&b, early rock, and psychedelia in new ways. And the Experience was, though not the first, probably the most visible early integrated band.
The Sex Pistols: A hard 5th choice (the Clash and Ramones are strong considerations) because I really don't think the Pistols were either the first nor the best punk band, but they were the most visible and prototypical punk band.
I fully expect (hope, actually), others will have differing takes on this idea. Let's see what you come up with- hopefully with some reasoning for choices, and not just mere lists.
“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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Elvis - Elevated its popularity
The Beatles - Defined its dominance and pushed its sound
The Ramones - Gave it teeth
Nirvana - Probably too on the nose for a forum with a foot firmly in the era, but I'd argue they elevated the underground to the mainstream, proving all aspects and sounds of RnR could have a chance at being viable commercially and sonically.
The list really could be long, right?! I decided to make it a short list figuring it would add some variety to the responses.
The five you listed are major movers, for sure.
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Hey, that's cool. A little bit of an unusual list, but I'm open to it!
"For better or worse", lol, good one!
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I think only a few have done things to "change" music and the landscape that can not be argued with.
Muddy Waters- Everyone stole from him and vice versa? There were other guitarists but everyone always sites him as an influence.
Pete Seeger- He brought folk music to the masses and wrote songs you probably didn't realize he wrote like "Hammer song" and "Turn Turn Turn.
Hank Williams sr- Americas first Rock Star. His music was everywhere. He sold out wherever he went and partied hard when he did. Died at only 29. Way before social media and television, Hank Williams became a national star.
Elvis Presley- If you get banned from the waist down on TV you were doing something right, lol. He hit the world like a hammer. He made women faint. What he did was crazy.
The Beetles- A band that changed the way in recording w layering and harmonies. A band so big that they stopped touring and only made studio albums.
Jimi Hendrix- He has a sound so unique that is all his. The greatest and to me, most influential guitarist of all time.
Black Sabbath- 4 guys from Birmingham, England that sung dark lyrics and played power chords to the delight of many a fan and birth of metal.
Sex Pistols- The Ramones were first but the Pistols made everyone aware of punk.
Van Halen- It was more for Eddie VanHalens playing style than the band itself. EVH would dummy wires in his guitar so people couldn't mimic the sound. The second most influential guitarist of all time.
Grand Master Flash- One of the fathers of the birth of hip-hop. Run DMC may have been bigger but if not for him and the Furious Five there is no rap future. They even coined the term hip-hop.
Nirvana- Janes addiction was gaining a lot of traction but Smells Like Teen Spirit was the song that overnight took over the radio and MTV and gone were the awful hair bands polluting the airwaves.
Daft Punk- Bringing in DJing to another level. The Chemical Brothers were packing stadiums but it was Daft Punk that had the image w their space helmets and auto tuned voices that captured the audiences. EDC wouldn't be around if not for a band like Daft Punk.
Linkin Park- Brought EMO music to a whole other level. They were so big Jay-Z wanted to do an album w them. That's huge. They wrote songs about pain and angst for the people who couldn't fight and told their stories that were their own.
I wanted to mention Minor Threat for their staple on the Straight Edge movement and writing an X on your hand. To this day Straight edge is still around and they are very much the reason for it in the first place. It's a smaller movement than any of the above but it definitely sparked other bands.
I wouldn't say they're top 5, but both Beastie Boys & Faith No More always did things their own way & definitely kicked in a lot of doors for rock music.
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles fused thrash hardcore and metal together.
Tom Waits (just because he plays a barn door and I want more)
Not Led Zeppelin (I like them but feel they borrowed too much from blues musicians)
Rolling Stones were pretty innovative (use country blues and rock well) and gave credit to those they borrowed from
Mitch Rider (sp) and ...
Gave the happy dance tunes a sweaty gritty edge. Almost punkish. Recently picked up a tape and love it
Ramones just because they did what they wanted.
That's all for now.
Fun to think about
Culturally there are no bigger influences in rock music history (frankly just music history) than these 2.
Malcolm McLaren was the precursor to Lou Pearlman.
I was going to go with one of the 5 bands like MC5 or Jackson 5 actually.
I still think I'd have to list Carole King, Janis Joplin, or Patti Smith before Alanis. Also, No offense to the fine singer, but I kind of doubt Alanis will be seen so much as a major innovator in the long run. Maybe too soon to tell.
Rush - birth of Prog-metal
The Damned - Birth of Goth Rock
Husker Du - melodic hardcore
Johnny Cash - the legend