NDRU said:

Yeah...that's more than glaring...JB is top 5 for sure (I think that's a slip up on their part)....But that's no hate on PE...They are certainly in my top 50...Just not that high

This list is based on critical acclaim, people. Nowhere on the website does Henrik (the site owner) claim that the list represents the best artists, albums or songs- just the most acclaimed after exhaustively compiling thousands upon thousands of lists.

murph said:

yeah, I think even PE themselves would be embarassed by that

REM is okay, but they really stand out to me as too high on this list!

I'm not sure which is more laughable, the inclusion of the Beastie Boys or the exclusion of Joni Mitchell.

I love REM, but #12? Puhleeeeze. Neil Young is also too low, IMHO. I appreciate and love Nirvana, The Clash and Radiohead, but Neil has had a far greater impact than any of those bands.

Joni Mitchell ranks at number 45.

Again, this list does not claim to be a list of the greatest artists of all time. It is simply an attempt to list the most critically acclaimed artists based on critics lists ranking songs and/or albums. That's all!

Here is the full top 100:

1 The Beatles
2 The Rolling Stones
3 Bob Dylan
4 David Bowie
5 Led Zeppelin
6 Bruce Springsteen
7 Prince
8 The Who
9 Elvis Presley
10 Jimi Hendrix

11 The Beach Boys
12 R.E.M.
13 The Velvet Underground
14 Marvin Gaye
15 U2
16 The Clash
17 Nirvana
18 Radiohead
19 Neil Young
20 Stevie Wonder


21 Pink Floyd
22 Elvis Costello
23 Bob Marley and The Wailers
24 Van Morrison
25 Aretha Franklin
26 Talking Heads
27 The Smiths
28 The Byrds
29 Public Enemy
30 The Doors

31 Miles Davis
32 James Brown
33 The Kinks
34 Beastie Boys
35 Creedence Clearwater Revival
36 Otis Redding
37 Michael Jackson
38 Beck
39 Sex Pistols
40 Sly and the Family Stone

41 Roxy Music
42 Johnny Cash
43 John Lennon
44 The Pixies
45 Joni Mitchell
46 Blur
47 The Ramones
48 Madonna
49 Lou Reed
50 Sonic Youth

51 Simon and Garfunkel
52 Joy Division
53 Oasis
54 OutKast
55 The Band
56 New Order
57 Ray Charles
58 The Police
59 Kraftwerk
60 Al Green

61 Steely Dan
62 John Coltrane
63 PJ Harvey
64 Björk
65 Massive Attack
66 The Jam
67 Chuck Berry
68 The Stooges
69 Tom Waits
70 The White Stripes

71 Eminem
72 Frank Sinatra
73 The Cure
74 Parliament/Funkadelic
75 AC/DC
76 Metallica
77 Brian Eno
78 Buddy Holly and the Crickets
79 Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band
80 Frank Zappa/Mothers of Invention

81 Black Sabbath
82 Fleetwood Mac
83 Guns 'n Roses
84 Nick Cave
85 Primal Scream
86 Pavement
87 Missy Elliott
88 Patti Smith
89 Little Richard
90 Pulp

91 The Eagles
92 Paul Simon
93 Elton John
94 Run DMC
95 Blondie
96 Leonard Cohen
97 Grateful Dead
98 Nick Drake
99 The Temptations
100 Pet Shop Boys

Moonbeam said:

i know, but it's just kind of funny. Wouldn't you feel silly publishing the following:

41 Roxy Music
42 Johnny Cash

66 The Jam
67 Chuck Berry

71 Eminem
72 Frank Sinatra

79 Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band
80 Frank Zappa/Mothers of Invention

NDRU said:

Why should anyone be ashamed of Roxy Music?

Moonbeam said:

They shouldn't, that's not what I meant. I only meant them in relation to Johnny Cash (& The Jam to Chuck Berry, etc.) I just don't think Roxy Music is greater than Johnny Cash. They may be better to some, but greater? That's hard to argue, unless the list is just about English pop.

I could understand if it's purely record sales. Maybe Eminem's sold more than Sinatra. But you said it's about acclaim. I don't think he's quite proven himself to be one notch greater than Sinatra yet.

Again, it's not the choices, just the order. And it doesn't bother me, it's just sometimes I think people make these lists just to start arguments, and it works.

But there is no definitive list, unless it's pure sales. Anything else is opinion, so I'm not saying they're wrong, just that I don't agree.

NDRU said:

Again, the site doesn't purport to claim that Eminem is better or greater than Sinatra. It merely is an opinion (and a thoroughly researched and statistically exhaustive one at that) that Eminem's songs and albums have garnered slightly more critical acclaim than Frank Sinatra.

I can see your point, but this is really a measure of critical acclaim, not greatness.

That's some total bullshit. Where is Madonna, who is not only probably one of the Top 40 artists of all time, but still cranks them out (although a lot slower now...)

Moonbeam said:

Thanks for that info.

Moonbeam said:

I see what you're saying. It's a quantified thing based on positive reviews, etc (though the original post did say "greatest")

Actually, if it's done literally by the amount of praise in the media, newer stars would almost surely get it faster than the older ones. There couldn't have been too many music mags or web sites in Sinatra's heyday. And, sure the older stars get mentioned even in Rolling Stone, but nowhere near as much as the ones that are hot right now.

Any list that has the terms MUSIC and ALL TIME (ridiculous unless the world will end in the next hour) and does not include Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington isn't worth the pixels they're populating.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

theAudience said:

I agree with you about the "all time" business.

The website has only recently incorporated non-rock lists, so artists like The Duke and Satch aren't nearly where the should be. The owner recognizes this and is in the process of seeking out lists of jazz and world music to even it up more.

Will somebody please explain to me how in god's name the fuckin Beastie Boys are ahead of Michael Jackson I have alot of problems with this list but that one really stand's out

Moonbeam said:

Thanks Moonbeam, that's good to know.

I see things like that current list, and although I should know better, there's an immediate knee-jerk.....flame-on mode.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

Nobody's getting the message!

It's critical acclaim people, not greatness that's being assessed in this list!

Michael Jackson loses to the Beasties probably because he doesn't have as much material. Beyond Off the Wall and Thriller, his material hasn't garnered much love from the critics, whereas the Beasties have allured the critics throughout their careers.

theAudience said:

If you come across jazz or world lists that you think should be included, feel free to let the site owner know! He'd be thrilled to have more, as long as they are critics lists.

From the websites FAQ:

Is Acclaimed Music the final word of the best albums and songs in rock history?

There is no final word. We all have our own favourites, and our musical taste changes over the years. The Acclaimed Music lists will also change when new critics lists are included.

The list is fluid, people. If you don't like it, you can change it by finding lists that support your biases.

can somebody please explain exactly what makes people like rundmc and eminim be considered as all time greatest artists? i mean i like run/dmc but i dont consider any rapper as an all time great, and eminim makes the list because????

murph said:

It's the truth, and you know it

FuNkeNsteiN said:

Made a mistake on my post homie...I was getting at Lowkey for saying Aretha Franklin didn't belong high on this list...
[Edited 12/22/06 8:13am]

lowkey said:

Because hip hop music is one of the biggest and most important artfoms to come out of America over the last 30 years...Shit, there's plenty of genres of music I don't like such as country...But I understand the impact and influence of specific artists like Johnny Cash, Hank Williams and Willie Nelson...And Run DMC stands as the hip-hop genre's most important group...I got no beef with them on any list...

FuNkeNsteiN said:

VoicesCarry said:

(Before agreeing you should know I made a mistake...My statement was about people hating Aretha Franklin for being on the list...AKA Lowkey)
[Edited 12/22/06 8:12am]

FuNkeNsteiN said:

And by the way...My statement was about someone saying Aretha Franklin didn't belong on the list...My bad homie...
[Edited 12/22/06 8:10am]

Does Critical acclaim extend to include awards receive by artists? Like Grammys, for example?

I guess U can set any criteria you want to generate the list that suits your own musical tastes.

Anyways....any list of top 100 artists that does NOT have EWF or Pfunk on it really is a joke, irrespective of musical taste.

Bands like these are still revered and loved and infuential to this day, whether in music, stage show, providing musical samples for whoever. Their music turns up in movies....and they continue to be mentioned very highly amongst current artists, Jazz or otherwise are some of their primary influences.

Where's Pulp?!


Yeah this list is really predictable.

badujunkie said:

Isn't everyone a "has-been" though?