Greatest Band Round #1

[Fan_For_Life]

They are on my list. U.S's version of the Sex Pistols. Joan Jett has a cover of Blitzkrieg Bop, she played it last year when I saw her perform.

[MikeA]

The tally is coming along with 5 lists submitted. There are several very unsurprising entries with 5 votes so far. And for the most part, I can make justification for all 5 of those as being huge contributors to modern music. It's going to be really interesting to see who makes the top 40.

When all lists are in (Monday Morning) I will provide a tally sheet with all the bands that were submitted that got votes along with how many votes they got.

[luvthelighthouse]

Alice Cooper
Alman Bros
BB King
Beach Boys
Bee Gees
Bob Dylan
Bob Marley
Bruce Springsteen
Byrds
Chuck Berry
Creedence Clearwater Revival
CSNY
David Bowie
Elvis Presley
Eric Clapton
Fleetwood Mac
Grateful Dead
Janis Joplin
Jimi Hendrix
Joni Mitchel
Led Zeppelin
Little Richard
Lou Reed
Madonna
Michael Jackson
Nirvana
Otis Redding
Pink Floyd
Poco
Prince
Ramones
Rolling Stones
Simon & Garfunkle
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Stevie Wonder
U2
Van Halen
Van Morrison
Velvet Underground
WHO

[luvthelighthouse]

That was NOT easy! Also, again, I almost think popularity has to play into this somewhat. It reminds me of a local band I used to see play... someone did a write up and I quote, "the greatest band you've never heard".

To me, that's what some of this game seems like. Yes, some artists might be great, but if you've never heard of them how can they hold mass appeal?

In any case, thanks Mike for running this. I'm enjoying it so far and I know it's only going to get better.

[MikeA]

I can see a potential problem in cutting the field to 40 entries with this first elimination. It is likely that there will be a tie for the last position which will leave two choices: #1 would be to take the first number that in total would be less than 40 which might leave us well short of 40 entries tied with one or two votes.

But to keep this "fair" I think I shall use the method employed by those running "golf tournaments". I will take the top 39 plus all ties for 40th. That might be an academic "rule" though. There may well not be 40 "different" groups or individuals that got at least ONE vote. If that is the case, we will go with how ever many entries got any votes.

However, if the "field" each gets at least one vote leaving a tie for 40th so that none are eliminated, we will eliminate those with ONE vote even if it leaves us with less that 40 entries for our TOP 40.

Does that sound fair? We should be making a significant cut with this phase of the exercise so I propose that we just wait for the results and see what sounds fair to everyone. Possibly we will have to have a secondary round consisting ONLY of those who got the fewest votes to pick the one for the lowest position on the Totem Pole.

Obviously, my pain killers are kicking in this morning and my brain isn't functioning on all 1.5 cylinders <LOL> because I'm rambling. Then, what else can you do when it is hot enough to make omelets IN THE GRASS outside!

Anyway, be thinking of the best way to get our field cut in half or as close to half as we can get it.

[MikeA]

That was NOT easy! Also, again, I almost think popularity has to play into this somewhat.

ABSOLUTELY LTLH. POPULARITY does have to play a role. It is up to the individual to determine their justification for weighing that in with everything else to decide which band has had the greatest influence on Popular Music.

Consider: A band that has contributed "nothing" unique other than great vocals and great instrumentation and great presentation has to be considered to have had influence on the Industry. Even if that means that other bands see how popular they are, how much money they are making and decide to follow that pattern for themselves.

I think maybe instead of separating Solo Acts from Groups, I might should have broken the "contest" into two "award groups". One for the "Most Entertaining" and one for "Most Contribution".

"Most Entertaining" is definitely a measurable quantity based strictly on concert attendance (sic Aerosmith maybe?) or record sales (Fleetwood Mac possibly).

That would leave the grouping that I personally intended this to unveil and that would be the group or artist who no mater how popular, contributed significantly to the evolution to Rock Music. That was "My Bad" in not being clear as to what I intended.

Maybe the two groupings would end up with the same Bands or Individuals as the winning. I don't think so. But it is possible. Consequently, what we are doing here is prone to becoming a statement of which band or individual pleases those casting their opinions rather than an objective exercise in researching the backgrounds on 80-frickin-2 Bands <LOL>.

For instance....There is no question in my mind anyway that Fleetwood Mac and Led Zeppelin would by far run away with "Most Popular". The "numbers" don't lie. And, BTW, I am just a little surprised that Zep has received 6 votes as of this morning and Fleetwood Mac only 3. To me that sounds like (no pun intended!) that people casting votes really are thinking about contributions and not just which band is the most popular.

I myself listed Fleetwood Mac simply because of the Unbelievable Success they had. That HAD to have carried a lot of influence in subsequent bands and certainly bolstered the popularity of their kind of Pop-Ballad type music. Besides, I've always been halfway in love with Stevie Nicks <evil grin>.

But it is much more difficult to dig out which band or group, no matter how obscure, has had the most influence in making Popular Music what it is today.

I can "justify" contributions for the first half of my selected 40, but my second 20 of that number is strictly "gut". Subjective. That's why I stated that I really had trouble clearing my conscious about that last 20 I listed.

[sodascouts]

Al Green
Aretha Franklin
BB King
Beach Boys
Bee Gees
Bob Dylan
Bruce Springsteen
Buddy Holly
Byrds
Chuck Berry
Creedence Clearwater Revival
CSNY
David Bowie
Dire Straits
Dolly Parton
Doors
Elton John
Elvis Presley
Eric Clapton
Fleetwood Mac
Heart
Janis Joplin
Jimi Hendrix
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers
Joni Mitchell
Led Zeppelin
Little Richard
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Madonna
Marvin Gaye
Michael Jackson
Nirvana
Otis Redding
Poco
Queen
Rolling Stones
Simon & Garfunkel
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Supremes
U2

[EagleLady]

Aerosmith
Al Green
Alice Cooper
Alman Bros
Aretha Franklin
BB King
Beach Boys
Bee Gees
Black Sabbath
Bob Dylan
Bob Marley
Bon Jovi
Boston
Bruce Springsteen
Buddy Holly
Byrds
Chuck Berry
Cream
Creedence Clearwater Revival
CSNY
David Bowie
David Crosby
Def Leppard
Dire Straits
Dolly Parton
Doors
Elton John
Elvis Presley
Eric Clapton
Fleetwood Mac
Frank Zappa
Graham Nash
Grateful Dead
Heart
Janis Joplin
Jimi Hendrix
John Mayal's Bluesbreakers
Joni Mitchel
Journey
Kansas
Kiss

[sodascouts]

John Mayall....I have most of his definitive works and while they are good Blues, they are nothing to write home about. And, he wasn't particularly popular with the record buying audience. But man, did that guy ever lay the foundations for the supergroups of the 60's and that carried on through subsequent history!

But even with all that said, Mayall isn't my #1 pick. He's up there though. Really high up there as having contributed more to Rock Music than most anyone...anytime.

Also, John McVie of Fleetwood Mac got his start in the Bluesbreakers. He was an original member, but left the band to join - you guessed it! - Fleetwood Mac with Peter Green and Mick Fleetwood. Trivia: Peter Green named his group Fleetwood Mac BEFORE John McVie joined. McVie was initially reluctant to leave the Bluesbreakers, and Green hoped he could lure McVie into his group by incorporating his nickname into the band name!

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Aerosmith
Allman Bros
Aretha Franklin
BB King
Beach Boys
Bee Gees
Bob Dylan
Bruce Springsteen
Buddy Holly
Byrds
Chuck Berry
Creedence Clearwater Revival
CSNY
David Bowie
Doors
Elton John
Elvis Presley
Eric Clapton
Fleetwood Mac
Frank Zappa
Grateful Dead
Heart
Janis Joplin
Jimi Hendrix
Joni Mitchell
Led Zeppelin
Madonna
Michael Jackson
Nirvana
Pink Floyd
Prince
Queen
Ramones
Rolling Stones
Simon & Garfunkel
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Stevie Wonder
Supremes
U2
Who