With Prince starting his "Hit n' Run" tour in the United States, I thought it'd be fun to chop it up with you guys on this topic. The question is very simple: "Who's on your Rushmore of Pop Music?" To help get things started, here's my personal list:

1. James Brown: No list would be complete without the Godfather of Soul. He was, simply, ahead of his time, combining an intensity that bordered on anger with an incredible sense of showmanship that would have fit in any era. He could simply do it all and expected everyone to perform at a high level.

2. Stevie Wonder: When I think of sheer artistry, I think of Stevland Hardaway Morris. He continually reinvented his sound and stayed fresh. His body of work, particularly during the '70s, was so prolific that Paul Simon once said during his Grammy speech, "Most of all, I'd like to thank Stevie Wonder who didn't make an album this year."

3. Michael Jackson: Perhaps no artist in the modern era has been as polarizing as Michael Jackson. His personal issues have fueled his detractors while his supporters praise his accomplishments with near-religious zeal. If you ask me, MJ did what everyone else on this list could do – create timeless music and bring it to life onstage – arguably better than anyone.

4. Prince: It's almost impossible to define Prince, as an artist or as a person, but he deserves a spot on this list. People may have an issue with his fashion choices, cryptic behavior, and fight against the Internet. However, when it's all said and done, he is music's definition of a chameleon that plays by his rules.


How do you feel about the list above? Who's on your personal Mount Rushmore of Music? GO!

[Edited 3/9/15 18:15pm]

That's a Mount Rushmore of funky pop music- you ignore all other genres! We'd need the fucking Himalaya to portray all the great rock and jazz and classical and world musicians!
But okay, I'll play along. I'll go for James Brown, Bob Dylan, Miles Davis and Aretha Franklin (because we can't have only men.)
[Edited 3/9/15 16:11pm]
[Edited 3/9/15 16:19pm]

ChrisLacy1990 said:

With Prince starting his "Hit n' Run" tour in the United States, I thought it'd be fun to chop it up with you guys on this topic. The question is very simple: "Who's on your Rushmore of Music?" To help get things started, here's my personal list:

1. James Brown: No list would be complete without the Godfather of Soul. He was, simply, ahead of his time, combining an intensity that bordered on anger with an incredible sense of showmanship that would have fit in any era. He could simply do it all and expected everyone to perform at a high level.

2. Stevie Wonder: When I think of sheer artistry, I think of Stevland Hardaway Morris. He continually reinvented his sound and stayed fresh. His body of work, particularly during the '70s, was so prolific that Paul Simon once said during his Grammy speech, "Most of all, I'd like to thank Stevie Wonder who didn't make an album this year."

3. Michael Jackson: Perhaps no artist in the modern era has been as polarizing as Michael Jackson. His personal issues have fueled his detractors while his supporters praise his accomplishments with near-religious zeal. If you ask me, MJ did what everyone else on this list could do – create timeless music and bring it to life onstage – arguably better than anyone.

4. Prince: It's almost impossible to define Prince, as an artist or as a person, but he deserves a spot on this list. People may have an issue with his fashion choices, cryptic behavior, and fight against the Internet. However, when it's all said and done, he is music's definition of a chameleon that plays by his rules.


How do you feel about the list above? Who's on your personal Mount Rushmore of Music? GO!

The fact is those guys on your list are absolutely my favourite artists but it's just too inclusive. If the '1990' in you name is indeed your year of birth, Well i commend you for digging artists that peaked before you were even born. Awesome. You are a rarity.

.

We'll never know but will people really be listening to MJ or Prince in a few hundred years time? or just be living in an alternative dream state or having sex with sexy robots all the time? Hmm.

.

I could however just as easily pick Johann Strauss II, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven or even movie composer John Williams. I'd say they're more worthy and will be forever timeless. 'Pop' in their time.

.

I'd liken Prince and MJ to say, Charlie Chaplin or Laurel and Hardy. Very important cultural figures in their time and respective art forms, but really, any teens searching for Chaplin these days? Is there that much interest now? I'd hazard a guess probably not. In my country they were shown on TV even up to the 80's, but now? No. I have some on DVD but only because as a kid in the 70s they got shown on TV and i loved them. Times change.

.

Individual 'Pop' artists appeal to relatively few people on the planet anyway. They have a shelf life. Even somebody like Michael. 'Thriller ' might be the biggest selling album ever but only a tiny percentage of people on Earth own it. I suspect 'Billie Jean' will stand the test of time as will his name. Prince's legacy, like it or not will eventually just be 'Purple Rain' and that will be pretty much it.

.

Same with the Beatles and Elvis. Alongside Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and James Dean, they'll just be brands forevermore. People will by things with pictures of them on and not know anything about that person. It's already like that.

.

I asked a girl with a Rolling Stones 'lips' logo T-shirt what her favourite song was by them. A confused "eh?, I just lie the T-shirt" was the response. Not a clue.

.

Sorry for the depressing answer.

[Edited 3/9/15 17:33pm]

Marrk said:

ChrisLacy1990 said:

With Prince starting his "Hit n' Run" tour in the United States, I thought it'd be fun to chop it up with you guys on this topic. The question is very simple: "Who's on your Rushmore of Music?" To help get things started, here's my personal list:

1. James Brown: No list would be complete without the Godfather of Soul. He was, simply, ahead of his time, combining an intensity that bordered on anger with an incredible sense of showmanship that would have fit in any era. He could simply do it all and expected everyone to perform at a high level.

2. Stevie Wonder: When I think of sheer artistry, I think of Stevland Hardaway Morris. He continually reinvented his sound and stayed fresh. His body of work, particularly during the '70s, was so prolific that Paul Simon once said during his Grammy speech, "Most of all, I'd like to thank Stevie Wonder who didn't make an album this year."

3. Michael Jackson: Perhaps no artist in the modern era has been as polarizing as Michael Jackson. His personal issues have fueled his detractors while his supporters praise his accomplishments with near-religious zeal. If you ask me, MJ did what everyone else on this list could do – create timeless music and bring it to life onstage – arguably better than anyone.

4. Prince: It's almost impossible to define Prince, as an artist or as a person, but he deserves a spot on this list. People may have an issue with his fashion choices, cryptic behavior, and fight against the Internet. However, when it's all said and done, he is music's definition of a chameleon that plays by his rules.


How do you feel about the list above? Who's on your personal Mount Rushmore of Music? GO!

The fact is those guys on your list are absolutely my favourite artists but it's just too inclusive. If the '1990' in you name is indeed your year of birth, Well i commend you for digging artists that peaked before you were even born. Awesome. You are a rarity.

.

We'll never know but will people really be listening to MJ or Prince in a few hundred years time? or just be living in an alternative dream state or having sex with sexy robots all the time? Hmm.

.

I could however just as easily pick Johann Strauss II, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven or even movie composer John Williams. I'd say they're more worthy and will be forever timeless. 'Pop' in their time.

.

I'd liken Prince and MJ to say, Charlie Chaplin or Laurel and Hardy. Very important cultural figures in their time and respective art forms, but really, any teens searching for Chaplin these days? Is there that much interest now? I'd hazard a guess probably not. In my country they were shown on TV even up to the 80's, but now? No. I have some on DVD but only because as a kid in the 70s they got shown on TV and i loved them. Times change.

.

Individual 'Pop' artists appeal to relatively few people on the planet anyway. They have a shelf life. Even somebody like Michael. 'Thriller ' might be the biggest selling album ever but only a tiny percentage of people on Earth own it. I suspect 'Billie Jean' will stand the test of time as will his name. Prince's legacy, like it or not will eventually just be 'Purple Rain' and that will be pretty much it.

.

Same with the Beatles and Elvis. Alongside Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and James Dean, they'll just be brands forevermore. People will by things with pictures of them on and not know anything about that person. It's already like that.

.

I asked a girl with a Rolling Stones 'lips' logo T-shirt what her favourite song was by them. A confused "eh?, I just lie the T-shirt" was the response. Not a clue.

.

Sorry for the depressing answer.

[Edited 3/9/15 17:33pm]

Really enjoyed your answer. I think that's the "gift and curse" about lists like these: no list will be definitive because a case can be made for any great artist, band and/or composer (loved the John Williams namedrop by the way).

Now I will admit that I'm no Charlie Chaplin expert; however, I do respect him because MJ was heavily inspired by him.

A small part of me died on the inside reading your story about the chick in the Rolling Stones T-shirt. That's a situation I find myself in quite often. I'm only 25 but I'm a fan of the music from the past (as early as Cab Calloway up to David Bowie). It's hard to find people as passionate about music as I am so I came here to the Org because people such as yourself enjoy listening/talking about great music.

Sorry for the long and elaborate response but thank you for your comment. Hahaha!

SuperSoulFighter said:

That's a Mount Rushmore of funky pop music- you ignore all other genres! We'd need the fucking Himalaya to portray all the great rock and jazz and classical and world musicians! But okay, I'll play along. I'll go for James Brown, Bob Dylan, Miles Davis and Aretha Franklin (because we can't have only men.) [Edited 3/9/15 16:11pm] [Edited 3/9/15 16:19pm]

Perhaps I should have been more specific in my Blog Title by saying "pop music." If we were to go down the avenue of rock, jazz, classical, and world then my list would be vastly different (e.g. Chuck Berry, Yanni, Miles Davis, Satchmo, etc.) would be mentioned. Hahaha!

Love that list you gave me, especially Aretha Franklin. While we're on the topic of women, Rosetta Tharpe is another phenomenal talent!

Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney and Mick Jaggar.

Jaggar is close in my book as Madonna is right there on his heels but I am going with Jaggar

Marrk said:

ChrisLacy1990 said:

With Prince starting his "Hit n' Run" tour in the United States, I thought it'd be fun to chop it up with you guys on this topic. The question is very simple: "Who's on your Rushmore of Music?" To help get things started, here's my personal list:

1. James Brown: No list would be complete without the Godfather of Soul. He was, simply, ahead of his time, combining an intensity that bordered on anger with an incredible sense of showmanship that would have fit in any era. He could simply do it all and expected everyone to perform at a high level.

2. Stevie Wonder: When I think of sheer artistry, I think of Stevland Hardaway Morris. He continually reinvented his sound and stayed fresh. His body of work, particularly during the '70s, was so prolific that Paul Simon once said during his Grammy speech, "Most of all, I'd like to thank Stevie Wonder who didn't make an album this year."

3. Michael Jackson: Perhaps no artist in the modern era has been as polarizing as Michael Jackson. His personal issues have fueled his detractors while his supporters praise his accomplishments with near-religious zeal. If you ask me, MJ did what everyone else on this list could do – create timeless music and bring it to life onstage – arguably better than anyone.

4. Prince: It's almost impossible to define Prince, as an artist or as a person, but he deserves a spot on this list. People may have an issue with his fashion choices, cryptic behavior, and fight against the Internet. However, when it's all said and done, he is music's definition of a chameleon that plays by his rules.


How do you feel about the list above? Who's on your personal Mount Rushmore of Music? GO!

The fact is those guys on your list are absolutely my favourite artists but it's just too inclusive. If the '1990' in you name is indeed your year of birth, Well i commend you for digging artists that peaked before you were even born. Awesome. You are a rarity.

.

We'll never know but will people really be listening to MJ or Prince in a few hundred years time? or just be living in an alternative dream state or having sex with sexy robots all the time? Hmm.

.

I could however just as easily pick Johann Strauss II, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven or even movie composer John Williams. I'd say they're more worthy and will be forever timeless. 'Pop' in their time.

.

I'd liken Prince and MJ to say, Charlie Chaplin or Laurel and Hardy. Very important cultural figures in their time and respective art forms, but really, any teens searching for Chaplin these days? Is there that much interest now? I'd hazard a guess probably not. In my country they were shown on TV even up to the 80's, but now? No. I have some on DVD but only because as a kid in the 70s they got shown on TV and i loved them. Times change.

.

Individual 'Pop' artists appeal to relatively few people on the planet anyway. They have a shelf life. Even somebody like Michael. 'Thriller ' might be the biggest selling album ever but only a tiny percentage of people on Earth own it. I suspect 'Billie Jean' will stand the test of time as will his name. Prince's legacy, like it or not will eventually just be 'Purple Rain' and that will be pretty much it.

.

Same with the Beatles and Elvis. Alongside Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and James Dean, they'll just be brands forevermore. People will by things with pictures of them on and not know anything about that person. It's already like that.

.

I asked a girl with a Rolling Stones 'lips' logo T-shirt what her favourite song was by them. A confused "eh?, I just lie the T-shirt" was the response. Not a clue.

.

Sorry for the depressing answer.

[Edited 3/9/15 17:33pm]

I agree with most of your answer. I think Prince's songs are already having some trouble standing the test of time. He really hasn't written a What A Wonderful World, Imagine, Somewhere Over The Rainbow, or Take The A Train type song that will be remebered for generations to come by all. I disagree with your idea that the Beatles will be forgotten. I'm born in '70 and much more of a Prince fan but I believe the Beatles have written many Row Row Row Your Boat, melodic, sing along, type songs that are simply revered and will be loved and cherished forever. I own a restaurant now and have a lot of 20 somethings working for me. I'm amazed that most all of them not only are familiar with the Beatles but REALLY enjoy when I play whole albums by them straight through. It's kind of unreal. I mean, that music was made 50 years ago. That's the equivilant of masses of youth in Prince's heyday listening to music from the late 30's and 40's. NOT HAPPENING. I know . I was there. So I think the Beatles and possibly James Brown, will stand the test of time. Concerning MJ, I know whenever I put MJ on in my restaurant, the whole energy of the room changes. EVERYBODY starts smiling and moving. Again, I am much more a Prince fan than an MJ fan. Always have been. But you drop Don't Stop Til You Get Enough or Shake Your Body Down To The Ground on and everything changes. 5 year olds who have no idea who MJ was start smiling. Can't say the same for WDC or PR. Plus, you can't play a whole Prince album in a public place because of all the swearing and dirty talk. I believe this more than anything else will severely hurt his legacy. Many times I've wanted to play the entire 1999 album in my place. I think the staff would get a kick out of it. But I can't have my staff or my guests hear lines like 'I sincerely want to fuck the taste out of your mouth . . . ' Probably get me sued!

[Edited 3/9/15 20:18pm]

[Edited 3/9/15 20:28pm]

chrisslope9 said:

..... But I can't have my staff or my guests hear lines like 'I sincerely want to fuck the taste out of your mouth . . . ' Probably get me sued!

[Edited 3/9/15 20:18pm]

[Edited 3/9/15 20:28pm]

Especially in a restaurant.

chrisslope9 said:

Marrk said:

The fact is those guys on your list are absolutely my favourite artists but it's just too inclusive. If the '1990' in you name is indeed your year of birth, Well i commend you for digging artists that peaked before you were even born. Awesome. You are a rarity.

.

We'll never know but will people really be listening to MJ or Prince in a few hundred years time? or just be living in an alternative dream state or having sex with sexy robots all the time? Hmm.

.

I could however just as easily pick Johann Strauss II, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven or even movie composer John Williams. I'd say they're more worthy and will be forever timeless. 'Pop' in their time.

.

I'd liken Prince and MJ to say, Charlie Chaplin or Laurel and Hardy. Very important cultural figures in their time and respective art forms, but really, any teens searching for Chaplin these days? Is there that much interest now? I'd hazard a guess probably not. In my country they were shown on TV even up to the 80's, but now? No. I have some on DVD but only because as a kid in the 70s they got shown on TV and i loved them. Times change.

.

Individual 'Pop' artists appeal to relatively few people on the planet anyway. They have a shelf life. Even somebody like Michael. 'Thriller ' might be the biggest selling album ever but only a tiny percentage of people on Earth own it. I suspect 'Billie Jean' will stand the test of time as will his name. Prince's legacy, like it or not will eventually just be 'Purple Rain' and that will be pretty much it.

.

Same with the Beatles and Elvis. Alongside Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and James Dean, they'll just be brands forevermore. People will by things with pictures of them on and not know anything about that person. It's already like that.

.

I asked a girl with a Rolling Stones 'lips' logo T-shirt what her favourite song was by them. A confused "eh?, I just lie the T-shirt" was the response. Not a clue.

.

Sorry for the depressing answer.

[Edited 3/9/15 17:33pm]

I agree with most of your answer. I think Prince's songs are already having some trouble standing the test of time. He really hasn't written a What A Wonderful World, Imagine, Somewhere Over The Rainbow, or Take The A Train type song that will be remebered for generations to come by all. I disagree with your idea that the Beatles will be forgotten. I'm born in '70 and much more of a Prince fan but I believe the Beatles have written many Row Row Row Your Boat, melodic, sing along, type songs that are simply revered and will be loved and cherished forever. I own a restaurant now and have a lot of 20 somethings working for me. I'm amazed that most all of them not only are familiar with the Beatles but REALLY enjoy when I play whole albums by them straight through. It's kind of unreal. I mean, that music was made 50 years ago. That's the equivilant of masses of youth in Prince's heyday listening to music from the late 30's and 40's. NOT HAPPENING. I know . I was there. So I think the Beatles and possibly James Brown, will stand the test of time. Concerning MJ, I know whenever I put MJ on in my restaurant, the whole energy of the room changes. EVERYBODY starts smiling and moving. Again, I am much more a Prince fan than an MJ fan. Always have been. But you drop Don't Stop Til You Get Enough or Shake Your Body Down To The Ground on and everything changes. 5 year olds who have no idea who MJ was start smiling. Can't say the same for WDC or PR. Plus, you can't play a whole Prince album in a public place because of all the swearing and dirty talk. I believe this more than anything else will severely hurt his legacy. Many times I've wanted to play the entire 1999 album in my place. I think the staff would get a kick out of it. But I can't have my staff or my guests hear lines like 'I sincerely want to fuck the taste out of your mouth . . . ' Probably get me sued!

[Edited 3/9/15 20:18pm]

[Edited 3/9/15 20:28pm]

I agree with this. However I think prince may get a longer lesson than we would imagine if people start cover versions of his when he pops his clogs. I dont mean of his existing hits I mean trawling through all his music, e.g. nothing compares to you. Prince has loads of music that would work brilliantlu in other peoples hands

IMHO

I love Prince but...No

My definate 2 would be...

James Brown (Prince and MJ come under his influence so they wouldn't be on my mountain together)

and

Stevie Wonder - I can't think of anyone with his prodigy like talent as a musician, piano, drums, harmonica vocals amazing songwriter producer civil rights activist on top of being blind. Who can touch Stevie Wonder?

I have no idea who would fill the other 2 slots. Too many other pioneers to consider...

B.B. King

Little Richard

John Lennon / Paul McCartney

Rolling Stones

Bob Dylan

Bob Marley

Jimi Hendrix (Prince also comes under his influence - look at some of the pictures of Jimi, from the ruffle shirts to the hair to the psychadelic themes, whether Prince acknowledges it or not, Jimi influenced Prince Big Time)

Ray Charles

Robert Johnson

Nat King Cole

Otis Redding

Way too many to consider...

ChrisLacy1990 said:

4. Prince: It's almost impossible to define Prince, as an artist or as a person, but he deserves a spot on this list.

.

Nonsense. Prince = 70% Sly Stone, plus Jimi, Santana, James Brown, George Clinton,...

Marrk said:

ChrisLacy1990 said:

With Prince starting his "Hit n' Run" tour in the United States, I thought it'd be fun to chop it up with you guys on this topic. The question is very simple: "Who's on your Rushmore of Music?" To help get things started, here's my personal list:

1. James Brown: No list would be complete without the Godfather of Soul. He was, simply, ahead of his time, combining an intensity that bordered on anger with an incredible sense of showmanship that would have fit in any era. He could simply do it all and expected everyone to perform at a high level.

2. Stevie Wonder: When I think of sheer artistry, I think of Stevland Hardaway Morris. He continually reinvented his sound and stayed fresh. His body of work, particularly during the '70s, was so prolific that Paul Simon once said during his Grammy speech, "Most of all, I'd like to thank Stevie Wonder who didn't make an album this year."

3. Michael Jackson: Perhaps no artist in the modern era has been as polarizing as Michael Jackson. His personal issues have fueled his detractors while his supporters praise his accomplishments with near-religious zeal. If you ask me, MJ did what everyone else on this list could do – create timeless music and bring it to life onstage – arguably better than anyone.

4. Prince: It's almost impossible to define Prince, as an artist or as a person, but he deserves a spot on this list. People may have an issue with his fashion choices, cryptic behavior, and fight against the Internet. However, when it's all said and done, he is music's definition of a chameleon that plays by his rules.


How do you feel about the list above? Who's on your personal Mount Rushmore of Music? GO!

The fact is those guys on your list are absolutely my favourite artists but it's just too inclusive. If the '1990' in you name is indeed your year of birth, Well i commend you for digging artists that peaked before you were even born. Awesome. You are a rarity.

.

We'll never know but will people really be listening to MJ or Prince in a few hundred years time? or just be living in an alternative dream state or having sex with sexy robots all the time? Hmm.

.

I could however just as easily pick Johann Strauss II, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven or even movie composer John Williams. I'd say they're more worthy and will be forever timeless. 'Pop' in their time.

.

I'd liken Prince and MJ to say, Charlie Chaplin or Laurel and Hardy. Very important cultural figures in their time and respective art forms, but really, any teens searching for Chaplin these days? Is there that much interest now? I'd hazard a guess probably not. In my country they were shown on TV even up to the 80's, but now? No. I have some on DVD but only because as a kid in the 70s they got shown on TV and i loved them. Times change.

.

Individual 'Pop' artists appeal to relatively few people on the planet anyway. They have a shelf life. Even somebody like Michael. 'Thriller ' might be the biggest selling album ever but only a tiny percentage of people on Earth own it. I suspect 'Billie Jean' will stand the test of time as will his name. Prince's legacy, like it or not will eventually just be 'Purple Rain' and that will be pretty much it.

.

Same with the Beatles and Elvis. Alongside Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and James Dean, they'll just be brands forevermore. People will by things with pictures of them on and not know anything about that person. It's already like that.

.

I asked a girl with a Rolling Stones 'lips' logo T-shirt what her favourite song was by them. A confused "eh?, I just lie the T-shirt" was the response. Not a clue.

.

Sorry for the depressing answer.

[Edited 3/9/15 17:33pm]

I agree 100%mexcept for the Beatles. They will undoubtedly be remembered. They changed everything. The general public might forget them, but they chick with the Rolling Stones shirt doesn't know shit about Tchaikovsky, either. I can promise you that.

BartVanHemelen said:

ChrisLacy1990 said:

4. Prince: It's almost impossible to define Prince, as an artist or as a person, but he deserves a spot on this list.

.

Nonsense. Prince = 70% Sly Stone, plus Jimi, Santana, James Brown, George Clinton,...

I'm not sure about how you've broken it down, but I agree. There is nothing particularly mysterious about Prince as an artist and who he is or is not as a person is irrelevant to the question at hand. Bart wins.

No he doesn't. No matter how many influences you name, there still is something unique about Prince that's bigger than the sum of its parts. Could Sly ever have written If I Was Your Girlfriend? Does Carlos Santana sing in falsetto? Etc...etc...

80's pop music Mount Rushmore? Prince.

.

Just Prince.