I mean in terms of creating original music which isn't ripped off.
If someone is influenced or gets ideas from others that is o.k as long as they don;t directly steal(which I HATE).

I think Hendrix was damn orginal.
Prince
Guns 'n roses
Bowie?

Damn sure aint Diddy

I'll say Brian Mcknight

DanceWme said:

diddy isn;t an artist

After this thread dies, let's start one on "Who makes the most original threads?"

Prince
P-Funk
Mint Condition
Peter Gabriel
Bjork
Rachael Ferrell
George Duke
Mile Davis
Stevie Wonder
Donnie Hathaway
Lalah Hathaway
Harry Belafonte
Chuck Berry
Duke Ellinton
Nat King Cole
Louis Jordan
James Brown

mikek1 said:

Hendrix stole most of his shit from BB king, Buddy Guy, Albert King, Muddy Waters,Cornell Dupree,all the usual cats that inspire guitarist,
what defined his genuis is he used recording techniques such as phasing and steriophonics to influence live playing, taking some ideas from Jeff Beck, who at the time was playing with guitar harmonics and Frank Zappa who introduced Hendrix to the Wah Wah pedal,
Musically hendrix was prone to use old Blues standards and psyche the shit out of them, like Hey Joe, a cover of a folk hit by Tim Rose, and Killing Floor, by Howlin Wolfs.
Hendrix was a performance guy, was prone to gimictry which he also stole from guys like Little Richard and Elvis Presley, T-Bone Walker and the infamous Chuck Berry.
As a song writer he wasn't that strong, but that didnt matter
he envisioned a new type of music,
its no different with any other ground breaking musician

creativity to a musician is taking old concepts and mixing them with new concepts

Cocteau Twins definitely had a unique sound. Kate Bush Portishead I've been on a Portishead kick lately. ) B52's Yma Sumac. Booker T & the MG's who else?

Frank Zappa; especially (for me) during the early Mothers days...
I'd also mention Joy Division.

Anck, these Cocteau Twins... what album shall I get for a start? I have them in my mind since some time now, but I still did not buy an album...

Louis Armstrong: Influenced everybody and EVERYBODY tried to copy his phrasing and musicianship.

Lady Day: Nuff said.

Betty Davis: She was truely ahead of her time. Madonna and Janet couldn't keep up with her.

Gladys Knight: Her voice is different than anybody I ever heard,,,I know a Gladys song when I hear one, even if it was sung by another person.

Chaka Khan: They used to compare her with Aretha when she 1st came out(if she was white, you know they wouldn't do that),,,but she's eartheir and more uninhibited IMO. Like Billie, she improvises her phrasing like a horn,,,once she opens her mouth, you don't know where she'll take you.

Sade: Like Gladys, her tone is really different.

Nina Simone: She caried the "stylist" torch after Billie Holiday died IMHO. Another musician who's ahead of her time.

Prince himself was ridiculed for showing his influences too brightly.

Harlepolis said:

This is the truth.

I don't know nearly as much about older artists, but I'd say from the 70's that Kiss are somewhat original

SenseOfDoubt said:

You listed Joy Division, so you'd probably like Cocteau Twins. My personal favorite is Treasure.....I would say that it's their most varied compared to the other albums. Their first album Garlands stands alone too because it doesn't sound like any of their other albums....it's a lot darker. They make use of the drum machine on this album too. I would try to find the extended version with "Hazel" on it. It's one of my favorite songs by them. So yeah, I would start off with either Treasure or Garlands (if you want something dark).

Prince
Andre 3000
Bowie
Annie Lennox
Little Richard

Mos Def

irrisistableB said:

add kate bush and Cinnie C n u got my vote

EmbattledWarrior said:

Hendrix WAS very orginal as far music. I don't mean the style; i mean his actual songs. He created three classic albums with LOTS of orginal stuff.

yes he did do a few covers and he got the idea of using pedals, effects from others but there's nothing wrong with that.

EmbattledWarrior said: