NPR

After watching the Bob Marley biopic was talking to a friend about who could conceivably be considered an icon in the same league as him. When looking at all factors - songwriting, musicianship, commercial success, global reach, body of work, political and humanitarian significance and longevity - I can only really put John Lennon in the same category.

Marley and Lennon's (combining his Beatles numbers and solo stuff) discography are without peer in my estimation. They have a range of everything from catchy pop songs, romantic songs, autobiographical stuff, political numbers and everything in between.

Next in my book would be Michael Jackson and Prince who were phenomenally talented and successful but I feel like they lack the depth of a Marley or Lennon. As a random piece of trivia its interesting to note that they both died within six months of one another - December 1980 and May 1981.

Actually Bono would be my third choice but I feel like he is not as universally loved and admired as either Marley or Lennon. It probably doesn't help that he has been around forever, old age (and wealth) have surely dimmed his appeal.

Bowie

Guy Smiley wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 8:18 amBowie

This, Bowie. More an icon than a musician

Elvis, surely?

Bob Dylan.

Prince

Niles Rogers

Brazil wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 8:51 amElvis, surely?

Good call!

Bowie.

Always evolving, always experimental, prescient about the future of music in many ways. Still producing phenomenal music up to the last year of his life. Blackstar is tremendous

boere wors wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 9:00 am

Brazil wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 8:51 amElvis, surely?

Good call!

Elvis arrived and blew everyone's doors off, just absolutely reset the world...

and kinda stopped there.

Bowie went genre hopping and bending for 50 years.

I've been getting back into some older Prince stuff every now and then and he was / is some stupendously talented freak of a man who played pretty much everything and in a huge range of styles... I don't think he actually gets the recognition he deserves to be honest and I know there are those who worship him...

but Bowie just overshadows him. Prince the better musician, Bowie the supreme artist and entertainer.

Not a huge fan of his but Kurt Cobain probably deserves a mention, in the sense he was the pinup boy of the 90s grunge music scene.

Elton John as well

For the ladies:

Tina Turner
Cher

Jay-Z, there's no denying hip-hop's influence around the world, you hear it in many languages now, and he's possibly the most prominent purveyor of rap. I'm more a Chuck D man myself, but he doesn't have the same high profile.

Tichtheid wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 9:14 am Jay-Z, there's no denying hip-hop's influence around the world, you hear it in many languages now, and he's possibly the most prominent purveyor of rap. I'm more a Chuck D man myself, but he doesn't have the same high profile.

Personally I would have Tupac lightyears ahead of Jay Z, followed by Biggie and NWA.

But then again I plain just don't like Jay Z or his music, so I'm biased.

Freddie Mercury

Guy Smiley wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 9:10 am

boere wors wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 9:00 am

Brazil wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 8:51 amElvis, surely?

Good call!

Elvis arrived and blew everyone's doors off, just absolutely reset the world...

and kinda stopped there.

Bowie went genre hopping and bending for 50 years.

I've been getting back into some older Prince stuff every now and then and he was / is some stupendously talented freak of a man who played pretty much everything and in a huge range of styles... I don't think he actually gets the recognition he deserves to be honest and I know there are those who worship him...

but Bowie just overshadows him. Prince the better musician, Bowie the supreme artist and entertainer.

If you're defining it in terms of musical output as well (which I accept Hugo is here), then yes, Bowie is right up there. I can't think of an artist who has a run of consistently good albums as he did from Man Who Sold the World through to Scary Monsters. Elvis was and remains the Rock N Roll Icon though, his impact was so massive. Like Lennon said - "before Elvis there was nothing" (which is a bit dismissive of Big Momma Thornton, Little Richard, Jerry Lee, etc, but he had a point).

Michael Jackson would have been right up there as well, but then the whole diddling thing meant anything other than Jackson Five stuff was rendered unplayable.

Actually, Tracy Chapman's surprise appearance at the Grammy's last week was a great example of how some artists really are held in deep regard...

thinking about what being iconic means and some of the names being floated here, how many of them generate that degree of affection?


EDIT pure accident me posting about affection so quickly after Brazil mentioned Michael Jackson.


Honest.

troglodiet wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 9:49 am Freddie Mercury

Jesus, forgot about him!
Definitely in the top tier of icons.

There's loads -

Elvis
Prince
Bowie
Dylan
Mick & Keith
Queen
MJ / J5
Miles Davis
Chuck Berry
James Brown
Waters & Gilmour
Yorke & Greenwood
Noel Gallagher
Dre
Snoop
Most of whom are pre 90's - there'll be bucket loads more from then and since if I just sat down to think

Others I'm not mad about personally but definitely qualify
U2
Madonna
Beach Boys
Eagles
Coldplay
Jay-z
Beyonce
Taylor Swift
(and many more)

Guy Smiley wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 8:18 amBowie

This was the first name that sprung to mind. A musical chameleon over several decades.

Brazil wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 8:51 amElvis, surely?

Elvis was my first thought, changed everything.

Fucking Bono?

Brazil wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 8:51 amElvis, surely?

Not a bad call at all.

Jimi?

In 70 years who will be better remembered, Bowie or Elvis

Beethoven or Mozart. I'd say Beethoven but both have a huge impact

The Boss.

Slick wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 10:50 am

Brazil wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 8:51 amElvis, surely?

Elvis was my first thought, changed everything.

Fucking Bono?

No matter how annoying you might find him, he definitely meets all of the criteria in the OP.

Jimi and Bruce definitely good mentions
Aretha too.

Speaking of, Hal David and Burt Bacharach would be very top tier.

Ian Curtis

Calculon wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 11:18 am In 70 years who will be better remembered, Bowie or Elvis

Difficult question. I'd guess culturally Elvis and musically Bowie. But if you'd asked that about Mozart and Salieri when they were alive, you would have given the wrong answer, so who knows.

The Marmite of the music industry, you either love them or hate them, but their influence and musicality cannot be denied.

ABBA

troglodiet wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 1:27 pm The Marmite of the music industry, you either love them or hate them, but their influence and musicality cannot be denied.

ABBA

I would be of the later persuasion but you're right.

To throw a few dance music artists into the mix (they don't register on the macro scale):

Prodigy
Chemical Brothers
Tiesto
Armin Van Buren
Avicii (from my early 20s at least anyway)

Jim Lahey wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 2:06 pm

troglodiet wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 1:27 pm The Marmite of the music industry, you either love them or hate them, but their influence and musicality cannot be denied.

ABBA

I would be of the later persuasion but you're right.

To throw a few dance music artists into the mix (they don't register on the macro scale):

Prodigy
Chemical Brothers
Tiesto
Armin Van Buren
Avicii (from my early 20s at least anyway)

Daft Punk

KLF

Jim Lahey wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 2:06 pm

troglodiet wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 1:27 pm The Marmite of the music industry, you either love them or hate them, but their influence and musicality cannot be denied.

ABBA

I would be of the later persuasion but you're right.

You know the saying.....

There are only two types of people: those who love ABBA.

And those who pretend they don't like ABBA



The older I get the less ashamed I am for admitting I'm a huge fan.

PornDog wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 12:57 pm

Slick wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 10:50 am

Brazil wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 8:51 amElvis, surely?

Elvis was my first thought, changed everything.

Fucking Bono?

No matter how annoying you might find him, he definitely meets all of the criteria in the OP.

Jimi and Bruce definitely good mentions
Aretha too.

Speaking of, Hal David and Burt Bacharach would be very top tier.

I don't really have an opinion on Bono to be honest. Liked their music for a while but find it a bit meh now. Just don't think he has had an impact anything like most of the other names mentioned on here.

For Iconic - are we talking about a figure head of their genre?

If So:

Dave Grohl
Nick Cave
Mariah Carey
Whitney Houston
Celine Dion
Cliff Richard
Jimi Hendrix
Angus Young
Freddie Mercury
Jimmy Page/Robert Plant
Daltry/Townsend and Moon
Aretha Franklin
David Hasslehoff
George Michael
Elton John
Debbie Harry

Man - there are so many

Thor Sedan wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 5:07 pm For Iconic - are we talking about a figure head of their genre?

If So:
David Hasslehoff

Which genre is he the figure head of?


Shitty music? If so, Bieber might want a word with you.

New kid on the block whose name should be on lists like these in 10+ years from now:

Ren

From my taste in electronic music
Daft punk
Chemical brothers
Aphex twin
Squarepusher
Goldie
Jeff mills
Juam Atkins

I quite enjoy Latin American/Spanish music so I'd throw the following in for their genre:

Carlos Vives
Mana
Soda Stereo
Juan Luis Guerra
Luis Miguel (cheesy but good)
Manu Chao
Shakira

Kraftwerk