October 22,2005 | NEW YORK -- Sorry Johnny, Oprah and Madonna -- you just missed the cut. Variety ranks the top 10 entertainment icons of the century in a new commemorative issue marking the trade publication's 100th anniversary. The Beatles were dubbed the no. 1 icon in the issue, currently on newsstands.

Following the Fab Four, the top 10 is rounded out by Louis Armstrong, Lucille Ball, Humphrey Bogart, Marlon Brando, Charlie Chaplin, James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Mickey Mouse and Elvis Presley.

Variety also lists 90 more icons, though not ranked. It includes Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, Bob Dylan, the Marx Brothers, Johnny Carson, Oprah Winfrey, Madonna and others.

Bugs Bunny did not make Variety's list, but Pac Man did. The most contemporary choices were Kurt Cobain, Tupac Shakur and Quentin Tarantino.

The lone animal named an icon? Lassie, much to Alf's dismay.

http://www.salon.com/wire...1E1O0.html

Stax said:

I'm glad to see Pac Man got respect. Long overdue.

SquirrelMeat said:

Cloudbuster said:

Bugs was robbed.



[Edited 10/23/05 17:25pm]

Gosh, how many more years of this Beatlemania?

That was a given. Cause they are..


too bad suckas

ThreadBare said:

Beatlemania forever!! They will live on just like Mozart, Bach and Beethoven. No doubt about it. They'll still be talking about Bob Dylan 200 years from now too.

kisscamille said:

Beatles Schmeatles!!

beatles music is fkking b.s they give a streetcorner brick the worth of a diamond

the most overrated band of all time

fkkking racists they only put their white heroes in the top ten

THEKINGOFMUSIC said:

Right, like Louis Armstrong--#2

THEKINGOFMUSIC said:

I think the only racist here is you buddy.

Yeah but he is THEKINGOFMUSIC. His username suggests we should all bow down
[Edited 10/25/05 17:49pm]

HAHAHA

I just looked at that cats profile..


looks like someone wanted Michael to be "icon of the century"


I got news for you.. that man is white

Sdldawn said:

I dont know who THEKINGOFMUSIC is, but i liek him. He sounds funny

ThreadBare said:

Indeed.

thesexofit said:

Yes quite funny, due to being so serious about it..

Moonbeam said:

Well, they are talking about the last 100 years, not the last five.

andyman91 said:

Yes, but it's time they were dethroned and a worthy champion was crowned.

I'm still convinced that all the Beatles hatas out there aren't really very well acquainted with their music. However, this whole obsession with ranking everything is getting out of hand; it's not like the people who make these lists are any sort of definitive authority or that it would really matter if they were (which they couldn't be).

jacktheimprovident said:

How many Beatles songs does someone have to hear and hate before it is a foregone conclusion? I've heard at least 50 and hated them all.

Moonbeam said:

I pick Menudo.

Moonbeam said:

First of all there's more than 200 Beatles songs and even diehard Beatle fans dislike most of their early stuff. Secondly, "hearing" songs and having a prejudicial inimical reaction is one thing, having really delved deep and listened to actual albums is another. I had a friend who'd probably heard tons of prince songs and hated all of them until he listened carefully and actually listened to whole albums, then his opinion changed.

jacktheimprovident said:

I know I'll never like the Beatles. This is for a number of reasons that applies to more than just Beatles music (pre-70s music in general perhaps):

1. I don't like their vocals. I can't stand the sound of their voices or their harmonies- they are perhaps too twee or sing-along, which is probably precisely why they are revered.

2. The style/production. I don't like the "wall of sound" approach so much, or the "tinny" sounding production. If they beefed up the bass, I could perhaps appreciate it more.

3. The band members themselves. John and Paul in particular have personalities that irritate the heck out of me. It's hard to connect to the music of an artist who turns your stomach in interviews/etc.

4. Some genre restrictions? I remember hearing Strawberry Fields Forever in a computer lab a few years ago and I could hardly stomach it. This in no way means that the songs are bad- I just didn't like their brand of psychedelia.

5. Admittedly, the hype. Unfortunately, we live in a world where anything less than complete adulation of The Beatles is simply unacceptable. Most (not all) Beatles fans I have encountered completely balk when they hear I don't like them and act as if I don't have ears. They are quick to dismiss my opinion or my taste (which I have never claimed was "good" in the first place!) without even hearing my stance. This reaction has had a negative effect as well- not as a reflection of the songs themselves, but as a reflection of the Beatles community at large.

As I mentioned, a lot of my reasons could be extended to a number of acts from that era. The only pre-70s rock music that I have explored and liked consists of: The Velvet Underground, Nico, The Doors, The Stooges, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin. I suppose I can deal with James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone as well, but much beyond that and I can deal without it, although I understand its impact.

I don't want this to sound like an "I hate The Beatles and they are so completely overrated" rant. It would be simply ignorant to deny their impact. But I can't force myself to like what I hear and conform to some preconceived notion of acceptable taste standards.

Moonbeam said:

1. The sing-songy accusation really only aptly applies to their early music, there's plenty of gritty, heavier vocal stylings on their later songs.

2.They didn't really use a "wall of sound" style of production, in fact it was pretty stripped down compared to phil spector or motown or the beach boys, and as far as the "tiny" sound issue, I really don't see what you're talking about, sure a lot of "classic" era pop music sounds less "full" or loud than more contemporary stuff, but you kinda have to listen past that to appreciate it, though I find it refreshing and makes the music feel much more "raw" than the overproduced crap that's been all over the place since (hell turn the volume up more or boost the bass and see what how it sounds).

3.Certain things about John and Paul's personalities bug me too. Same with Prince, James Brown, Miles Davis and TONS of other artists I like, to me an artist's work and their music are separate, but I guess not everyone looks at it that way.


4. I can see not digging strawberry fields the first time you hear it becaue it is very weird, but it's hardly the beginning and the end of Beatles psychedelia, try "Tomorrow Never Knows".

5. Disliking something just because everyone else likes it is a trap I've fallen into many times, but there's plenty of things I've changed my mind drastically about after giving them repeated chances. I do know how irritating it is when people impugn your taste just because everybody else disagrees with you and I'm not trying to do so now; challenging an opposing viewpoint is just part of how I understand opinions that I disagree with e.g. forcing people to defend themselves so I know where they're coming from. Furthermore, I just find it weird how whenever the Beatles are mentioned you feel the need to jump in and reiterate that you don't like them, just as thsexofit makes a point to tell everyone how he doesn't like stevie wonder whenever someone brings him up. Not that you don't have a right to do so but it just seems kinda silly. When I see a thread about an artist I dislike or am indifferent too I just ignore it.

6.Last thing I'll say, is that I went from hatred of the Beatles when I was younger for most of the same reasons as you, to later being indifferent to them, and now they're one of my favorite acts because I really got into them, initially motivated just by the desire to understand their influence and why so many people think they're so great. Just as I got in to prince simply because I was so into michael jackson and my brother said "prince is much better" and I had to find out why he would say that even though I didn't think it could possibly be true. Just my
[Edited 10/26/05 20:33pm]

jacktheimprovident said:

The sing-songy part yes, although I've heard people chanting "Yellow Submarine" ad nauseum. But their grating melodies are fairly ubiquitous in the songs I've heard. I just don't like their vocals.



It sounds tinny and hollow to me. I'm not saying that it's their fault- but it does affect how their music sounds. I would probably appreciate their music more if it were remastered properly.



I can separate the art from the artist in cases where I'm already a fan of the music. I certainly don't stand by everything Prince says and does either. But I was a fan of the music first. With the Beatles, I've been unimpressed with the music. Reading interviews and seeing other comments of theirs makes me less apt to explore their music. I suppose that's a double standard in a sense, but I can't help the fact that among the first things I think of when it comes to the Beatles is that I don't like their personalities.



That's why I put a question mark there. I'm not so naive as to think that album necessarily encapsulates their whole psychedelia phase, but I do know that I didn't like that album partly because of its genre.



As I said, it is much more of a reflection on the community as a whole than on the music itself. But that dogmatic, intrusive approach is only a deterrent. As for my comments, I try to be good about expressing my opinion where it is called for or where the issue of not liking them is brought up. Perhaps I've been too vocal.



I have gone through that with other artists as well, but the Beatles just aren't one of them. I won't claim to have the most varied taste on here- not even close. But I have opened up a lot in the past 5 years to different styles and eras that I once ignored.

'The Beatles dubbed Icon of the Century'

Damn right they are !!!!
Forget the first two albums and the early singles ('For Sale' was also a less album), but from that on it's getting better all the time

Not Azure Skies or Synapscape?

Moonbeam said:
How many Beatles songs does someone have to hear and hate before it is a foregone conclusion? I've heard at least 50 and hated them all.[/quote]

Then I guess you're not as happy as I am

"Let me take you down, 'cause i'm going to Strawberry Fields..."