Who do you think influenced music more than anyone?

MikeTimbers said:
The guy who hit a rock with a bone back in - oh, when was it, the Stone Age. But seriously folks, if we're doing "Pop" music of the 20th Century onwards, it can only be Robert Johnson. There really can be only one.
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A good call - probably one of the most cited influences of the 20th century's biggest bands. I seem to remember reading recently a guitar of his was/is being auctioned for $6,000,000!!
 
elroberto said:
Sorry, but you're wrong. He was an extremely talented musician but we never really had a wave of hendrix copycats in his wake. Clapton and Page had more of an influence (especially Page) as people have tried to emulate their sounds in thousands of bands and you still hear stuff coming out to this day that bears their influence. This isn't about who's the better musician (that's an altogether different argument, although with similar results), it's about who people took their cues from.
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And doesn't that speak volumes, people couldn't copycat Hendrix as they were too busy trying to figure how the hell he did what he did.

His styles and compositions actually I would argue are incorporated into a lot more music and production techniques then Clapton and Page, it's just that his reach extended over such a broad range that when you listen to other music you don't tend to say "hey that's a hendrix lift" as much as say the licks of Clapton and Page.
 
Gilly said:
Its not fact. Elvis took black music and made it popular
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Gilly, if you can only talk in over-simple cliches about something of which you know little, then don't. I know about Elvis. In my game I need to. But I also accept where people over-estimate his importance.

After the war years people needed a release. Crooners like Bing Crosby just didn't cut it anymore. Glen Miller's music got people dancing. Along comes Bill Haley and by taking it a step further changed the world forever. Elvis wasn't a rebel. He was a mummy's boy who liked old country music. He got his break by taking some pretty dismal old blues tunes and "countryfying" them. The problem with Bill Haley was that he looked like one's Dad. Elvis was eye-candy. He was the full package. The problem comes when you ask the Rock and Roll generation what they were dancing to. The answer I usually get is Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. Sure, everybody loved Elvis, but the dance halls were rocking to Jerry, Richard, and Buddy Holly.

With regard to influences, John Lennon said that it was Elvis who made Lennon what he wanted to be. Sure, he wanted to be as big as Elvis, but musically they're chalk and cheese. Elvis' music was so diverse that there is not one particular style that sums him up, so it is difficult for a contempory artist to claim him as a musical influence.

Elvis' influence is important in a particular regard: he was the original pop idol. He was also good at singing other peoples songs better than the original artist did. For example:

Something (Beatles)
Yesterday (Beatles)
Proud Mary (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
You Don't Have To Say You Love Me (Dusty Springfield)
American Trilogy (Mickey Newbury)
Words (Bee Gees)
Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond)
My Way (Frank Sinatra *not the original but you get the idea*)
You've Lost That That Loving Feeling (Righteous Brothers)
Promised Land (Chuck Berry)
Solitaire (Neil Sedaka)
Impossible Dream (Broadway Musical number)

Etc etc.

So, back to influences, I believe that, musically at least; Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Buddy Holly and Johnny Cash were more influential in those early days.
 
ElvisFan said:
The main ones for that would be Queen.
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How on earth can I take your following post seriously when you've said this?

ElvisFan said:
Gilly, if you can only talk in over-simple cliches about something of which you know little, then don't.
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Why not? Someone was doing the same about every other musical act, ever.

Don't patronise me please.
 
rayer said:
The first caveman who banged a bone on an object and liked the sound ;)
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Original :) If only someone hadn't already said it.

Congrats on reading the thread though
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I'm surprised nobody mentioned The Smiths as i think in an NME :( poll of bands some years ago voted them most influential band with the Beatles 2nd.

Other mentions should be:

Led Zeppelin and The Beach Boys
 
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