Just wanna see where you guys stand on stuff.

C

chuckberry

Member
These are the artists that are my favorites that I consider (if I were asked to judge) the greatest of all time (at least of the rock era starting with the Beatles). Not trying to say in any way that this is any more than my subjective viewpoint, please remember this.

top echelon - The Beatles

2nd echelon - Stones, Zep, Who, Floyd, Nirvana, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Stevie Wonder, Elton

everybody else below that starting with Dylan, Springsteen, Sex Pistols, Bowie..

Now my question to you is this, is there in your opinion any rock or pop since Nirvana that belongs in the 1st or 2nd echelon?
 
You really need to expand your horizons and you wouldn't be asking this question. There are tons of great bands out there. You just won't hear
them getting airplay.
 
I don't see how you can set levels - I know the Beatles, but they'd not be a favourite - you can sort of respect the music but not like it? In your second tier - Elton, Stevie Wonder and Floyd would be in my list - the others absolutely not. I used to love Stevie Wonder but don't any longer. Nirvana and the Who I always hated (clearly good musicians - but not for me). Bob Dylan always comes up in lists, but why, I have no idea?
 
rob aylestone said:
I don't see how you can set levels - I know the Beatles, but they'd not be a favourite - you can sort of respect the music but not like it? In your second tier - Elton, Stevie Wonder and Floyd would be in my list - the others absolutely not. I used to love Stevie Wonder but don't any longer. Nirvana and the Who I always hated (clearly good musicians - but not for me). Bob Dylan always comes up in lists, but why, I have no idea?
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I have to laugh. Our bass player once said Dylan was the first singer who couldn't sing. I have been know to say Heavy Metal is classical music without the class. That can be taken two different ways.
 
rob aylestone said:
I don't see how you can set levels - I know the Beatles, but they'd not be a favourite - you can sort of respect the music but not like it? In your second tier - Elton, Stevie Wonder and Floyd would be in my list - the others absolutely not. I used to love Stevie Wonder but don't any longer. Nirvana and the Who I always hated (clearly good musicians - but not for me). Bob Dylan always comes up in lists, but why, I have no idea?
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well what would be yours, everybody can play?
 
Yeah, there are great groups out there...

Gov't Mule
Pearl Jam
U2
Dream Theater
Van Halen

Some you will hear on the radio, others are just stupendous musicians that have very big followings but fly under the Top 40 radar. They are at least the equal of people like the Who and Neil Young (he's not a big favorite of mine) in terms of ability, and in some cases have created significant trends in music. I NEVER listen to Dylan doing Dylan songs, they are best left to others to reinterpret.

I would say that some current artists like Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, John Meyer and Ed Sheeran are as much top 2 echelon artists as the Stones/Who/Springsteen realm. They may not be artist that I listen to, but that's because I'm an old fart. I grew up listening to Beach Boys, Beatles, Hendrix, The Who, etc. so I'm more "comfortable" with those folks.

One might say that nobody topped Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Bing Crosby, the Mills Bros, and Ella Fitzgerald. You were probably born in the 1930s. I heard a lot of those records, because they were in my parent's record collection. Mom loved Floyd Cramer. In their eyes, all the rock and roll acts are nowhere near as significant as those folks. But for anyone born after 1950, it all sounded so "old".

Music is very much a generational thing. The big difference is that the distribution of music has changed, to the point that it's available to everyone at any time. In the 50s, you might have 2 dozen albums total, and you listened to what was played on the 5 or 6 radio stations. In the 60s, records became more widespread, and radio blossomed, especially with FM becoming prominent. Today, with all the streaming options, anybody can pull up anything at any time. It's tough to stand out in the crowd. Still you can see the artists that have staying power.
 
TalismanRich said:
Yeah, there are great groups out there...

Gov't Mule
Pearl Jam
U2
Dream Theater
Van Halen

Some you will hear on the radio, others are just stupendous musicians that have very big followings but fly under the Top 40 radar. They are at least the equal of people like the Who and Neil Young (he's not a big favorite of mine) in terms of ability, and in some cases have created significant trends in music. I NEVER listen to Dylan doing Dylan songs, they are best left to others to reinterpret.

I would say that some current artists like Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, John Meyer and Ed Sheeran are as much top 2 echelon artists as the Stones/Who/Springsteen realm. They may not be artist that I listen to, but that's because I'm an old fart. I grew up listening to Beach Boys, Beatles, Hendrix, The Who, etc. so I'm more "comfortable" with those folks.

One might say that nobody topped Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Bing Crosby, the Mills Bros, and Ella Fitzgerald. You were probably born in the 1930s. I heard a lot of those records, because they were in my parent's record collection. Mom loved Floyd Cramer. In their eyes, all the rock and roll acts are nowhere near as significant as those folks. But for anyone born after 1950, it all sounded so "old".

Music is very much a generational thing. The big difference is that the distribution of music has changed, to the point that it's available to everyone at any time. In the 50s, you might have 2 dozen albums total, and you listened to what was played on the 5 or 6 radio stations. In the 60s, records became more widespread, and radio blossomed, especially with FM becoming prominent. Today, with all the streaming options, anybody can pull up anything at any time. It's tough to stand out in the crowd. Still you can see the artists that have staying power.
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I truly hate Ed Sheeran. I wish he was never born. ha ha
 
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chuckberry said:
So Neil's not too popular here either, eh?
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Neil hasn't ever really been *that* popular. He sells records, and did tours. But he was never at the level of the other artists in that second echelon.

Doesn't really matter if you like Rush, they're between the first and second echelon on any 'best rock bands' list just based on their career and impact on the music made by everyone else since about 1980. In 50 years there will still be Rush fans, how many Neil Young fans will there be? [spoiler alert - possibly none]
 
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BTW, to answer your actual question -- I can't think of any modern bands worthy of inclusion on this list. Maybe someone like Lady Gaga, who has chart and objective critical success. Someone mentioned Pearl Jam, U2, Dream Theater, Van Halen... Dream Theater peaked on their second album, but like Rush might have the level of relevance due to their impact on prog and metal. Pearl Jam also peaked early, and while they have 'survived' I wouldn't say they're stadium sellout popular and not particularly cutting edge. U2 and Van Halen peaked long before Nirvana came on the scene in 1991. U2 being the strongest case of the four overall though since they are still a huge act on tour even if their music has mostly been a disappointment for the past 30 years. But their significance and reason for that popularity is almost entirely driven by their pre-1991 successes.
 
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chuckberry said:
top echelon - The Beatles

2nd echelon - Stones, Zep, Who, Floyd, Nirvana, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Stevie Wonder, Elton

everybody else below that starting with Dylan, Springsteen, Sex Pistols, Bowie..

Now my question to you is this, is there in your opinion any rock or pop since Nirvana that belongs in the 1st or 2nd echelon?
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That is not unreasonable. Don't agree with all of it though.
I was a big beatles fan, when they took off.
Then a big Sweet fan.
My likes have widened a bit since, and am always open to something new.

Watched a DVD last night about Marc Bolan, and on it was a clip of Bolan jamming with Ringo and Elton.
 
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chuckberry said:
These are the artists that are my favorites that I consider (if I were asked to judge) the greatest of all time...
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So that's your list and that's cool. I have mine as well but there are different ways to measure "greatest of all time."

1. Record sales or # of streams
2. Song writing
3. Live performance
4. Most influential
5. Musicianship/technique
6. Other

My list would have Jeff Beck at the top and measured by #4 and #5 (IMO).
 
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Oh, and by the way, if you're talking about sheer influence and talent, I would definitely put ... ahem ... Chuck Berry in the second level.

Granted, most youngsters have no idea who he is, but the man was a force to be reckoned with. Truly a quadruple threat: singer, songwriter, guitar player, and entertainer. He possibly revolutionized the guitar on a grand scale more than anyone pre-Hendrix (although a case could be made for Charlie Christian as well), and his influence was far-reaching, to say the least.

Of course, you did say "anyone since Nirvana," so it's not exactly what you were asking. But, regardless, you can't deny the indelible mark he made on rock 'n' roll.
 
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