My biggest and most consistent go-tos:

Me'Shell N'Degeocello
Bjork
PJ Harvey
Chaka Khan
Smashing Pumpkins
Tori Amos
Lone Justice/Maria McKee
Brand New Heavies
Lucious Jackson
Radiohead


I'll get to the "why" later
[Edited 4/13/07 12:56pm]

1. MICHAEL JACKSON/J5

Mikes my man. I have been wit him since i was a fetus. so thats 20 years right there.

2. STEVIE WONDER

I have always respected him and his craft, altho he suffers a lil from over exposure right now { how many award shows u gonna perform at? lol} i love and his humor

3. TTD

Genius. I love how he's under the radar cuz i feel cool for liking him. I would love to colaborate with him and bring him back out to the public if he wanted to be. who am i to talk?

4. SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE

Another genius. I love this guy.

5. DIANA ROSS/SUPREMES

I love the whole sound. the whole era. girls were so "innocent" back then{ yea right!}

6. TEMPTATIONS

I always loved these fellas.

7. JANET JACKSON

Love her too.

8. SELENA

I really love her. dont know what the fuck she saying but she's real cool.

9. NEW EDITION

Got into them after i left my own boy-group in high school.I bet they have a good movie in them.

10.THE BEATLES { I GUESS...just started gettin into them, i only play SGT. PEPPERS like crazy now, but i been spinning them alot recently}
[Edited 4/13/07 13:06pm]

1. EWF
2. Miles Davis
3. Marvin Gaye
4. Stevie Wonder
5. Tupac
6. Incognito
7. Michael Franks
8. Parliment
9. Fred Hammond
10. Erykah Badu

Because I like diversity in my music

I could list any number of jazz and rock greats to reinforce my 'cool Miles' image, but the truth is evident on my other posts

In no particular order -

James Brown - the Once and Future Grandmaster of Funk - no-one funkier ever lived to tell the tale
Elvis Presley - The best white soul and gospel singer ever imo
The Beatles - A boring answer maybe, but I'm being honest - great songs and great production I never tire of.
John Lee Hooker - Deeper than deep - THE bluesman to me, and an underrated guitarist and singer imo
Brian Wilson/ Beach Boys - Wilson is the greatest living pop composer/ producer imo
Jimi Hendrix - one of the main Axis points for rock, blues, soul, funk, jazz and general 'outthereness'.
Radio Tarifa - a Madrid-based band who specialise in their own fusion of medieval Arab/ Spanish music with other, more modern World Music elements - it's better than it might sound, I promise. Intense, soulful music.
Frank Zappa - Master modern composer, musical magpie, over-rated satirist and the best lead guitarist after Hendrix.
Johnny Cash - The voice of experience.
Miles Davis - He stayed the same really, only the backing track changed. A spare, elegant bluesman.

And honourable mentions for P-Funk, Santana, Duke Ellington, Zeppelin, Ali Farka Toure, Dylan, Bowie, TTD and Kate Bush. Actually, I'm more 'establishment' than I think I am from that list

I wish there were more living/ under 50 people on there, but the future of music is lost in its past for me right now. They don't seem to make 'em like they used to.
[Edited 4/13/07 13:26pm]

Beck
Adam Green/Moldy Peaches
Sananda
The White Stripes
The Raconteurs
Outkast
Xavier Naidoo
Cody ChesnuTT
Bilal
Mark Owen (just the solo stuff)

Jimi Hendrix - first love regarding music, without listening 2 him it's unlikely i'd listen 2 Prince et al.
Bob Dylan- THE lyricist, u got an emotion he's got a song 4 it
Thin Lizzy- fantastic rock band that were also capable of beautiful soft songs 2. as Lynott said they have "the leeway to do some head songs as well as balls songs".
Eagle Eye Cherry- Desireless is a brilliant album and i listen 2 it a fair deal
Norah Jones- it relaxes me basically plus i'm a bit vain with her cos i think she's gorgeous both physically and vocally

Them and Prince are the only artists i listen 2 regularly regarding other groups i go through phases. At d moment, i'm listenin 2 a bit of electronica, Vitalic and Rochelle. And people do the synth-only debate on it, at the end of the day if it sounds good it doesnt necessarily matter how the sounds got there.
[Edited 4/13/07 13:40pm]

Really great new spin on an old org favorite thread. Love reading this.

It makes me feel kinda like an outsider, though... just cuz my taste in music is so varied and different.

I find it trouble getting into artists these days because they don't stick around for more than one or two albums...

At least here, I feel like I'm more at home because Prince is the ultimate and I'm able to have lengthy conversations w/people here because we see things the same way.

I've always been an individual when it comes to music and Prince keeps assuring that outside of the boards... but I'm cool with that because I know I'm sticking by a great guy.

Parliament/Funkadelic/Horny Horns/Parlet/The Brides, etc....-Cause it makes my soul dance

Joni Mitchell-She's a SICK guitar and piano player, and her songs move my spirit

Bob Dylan-People always speak of Bob's lyrics (and rightly so), but his songcraft is grossly undervalued

Miles Davis-The dictionary definition of cool. And a fantastic bandleader, arranger, player...The best!

Ahmad Jamal-My favorite piano player. Check out his 'Awakenings' album and 'Outertimeinnerspace' if you can find it. A HUGE influence on Miles

XTC-Genius songwriters who got better with every album...Every time I hear them, it reminds me of high school

Youssou N'Dour-The greatest singer in the world. His 'Joko' album is a MUST hear

Fela Kuti-The voice of a repressed nation of people...Partially responsible for the end of the Nigerian civil war, and a muthafu@$a of a player.

Stevie Wonder-So much joy

Grateful Dead-So many people hate on the Dead without ever hearing them...They were sick SICK musicians, and GREAT songwriters. I would check out the 'Reckoning' or 'Blues for Allah' albums before hating on them.

But with only ten slots, how can I leave out Curtis Mayfield, Sly, the Staple Singles, the JB's, the Bad Plus, McCoy Tyner, Kate Bush, the Beatles?! And the Beach Boys?! Not fair.

well, I've been on a Prince binge since I went to Vegas in January, but my other favorites include:

The Rolling Stones
Lenny Kravitz
Kiss
Springsteen
Pink Floyd
Boston

plenty of 80's rock/hair metal mix CD's always around. And I'm a sucker for sappy 70's music.

oh, and an obscure favorite that's always with me is a band called God's Child; their album "Everybody" is something I always go back to. "Milk" is one of my top favorite songs of all time.

Well let's see .... I don't listen to anything on a regular basis but here are some of my all time faves to listen to ...

Jimi Hendrix - classic psychodelic guitar rock baby
The Stones - they just kick my ass
Michelle N'degeocello - the bass
Chaka Khan - the voice
Led Zeppelin - classic rock guitar + Bonzo on drums ...
Red Hot chilli Peppers - eh no reason I just like em', oh and Flea kicks my ass on bass and John Frusciante plays so pretty (glad he got himself together).
Parliment/Funkadelic - need you ask?

Of course I have others in my collection but when I just need to hear some music other than P, these are the people I turn to most often or who don't get the click when they come on the radio.

My response was


MILES - I tend to go back and listen to the bands with Coltrane and also the Shorter Hancock Willliams Carter quintet, but lately I've really been digging the live material form the 80s.

JIMI - BOG and ELECTRIC LADYLAND get played a lot

SLY - I've always played STAND! a lot, but now that I've got the remasters boxset I'm going more into the preceding albums: LIFE and DANCE TO THE MUSIC.

PFUNK - More into the first 3 FUNKADELIC and first 3 PARLIAMENT and OSMIUM

STEVIE - His classics from the 70s represent perhaps the most profound musical statement I've encountered.

STEELY DAN - AJA and GAUCHO are always faves.

WEATHER REPORT - Love Zawinul's keyboards and Shorter's sax and compositions.

LIVING COLOUR - STAIN and VIVID are my favorites

PAT METHENY - Always a thrill in the Group and his other projects

JOHN COLTRANE - A giant of modern jazz


I always come back to WHAT'S GOING ON? and also a lot of Isleys and Curtis Mayfield.

The Beatles - c'mon now

Otis Redding - Sounds sooooo sad and sorrowful....sadly he makes me tear up at times...reminds me of how I feel at times...

Lenny Kravitz - mostly 5 and b4...too cool...if I wasn't me I'd BE lenny kravitz...I'm scared he might be related tho cuz he was linked to Romeo Blue who is Linked to Mazarati...

Eric Clapton - He actually speaks an actual Language with his guitar

Jimi - See Above...completely different language....strangly, no need for a translator

Stevie - He's wrtitten the coolest song ever written, how can U not be cool with him...Supersition....hands down, the COOLEST song of ALL time...

Sly & The Family Stone - this is gonna sound strange...but I always feel a whole lot blacker when I'm done with a Sly session.

The Bee Gees - scared to admit this one...but they write some great tunes....

The Rolling Stones - what else can U listen to when U play pool at a bar with a beer in your hand...also they near the end of the list for a reason...but hey...they're still on the list.

Booker T & The MG's - these dudes were cool enuff to have written Superstition, but they didn't...Plus, a mixed Band from the south...that's a damn near deffinition of me. They'd be further up the list but it's hard to get instrumentals played.





edit:
damn...I listen to too much old shit...I need to change that....it's hard...someone told me it was because I'm a music snob that it hard to add to my playlists....i unno...
[Edited 4/13/07 15:00pm]

1) Miles
2) Sly
3) Lewis Taylor
4) Praxis
5) Funkadelic
6) Coltrane
7) Buckethead (solo)
8) Zappa
9) Martin, Medeski and Wood
10)Bill Laswell

I'd say these get the most regular rotation:

Sam Cooke
Stevie Wonder
P-Funk
George Michael/Wham!
Sade
Everything But the Girl
JJ Fad
Lily Allen's latest cd

I don't have the budget to buy a lot of cds so for most non-Prince related, I generally have 1 or 2 "best of" cds from each person/band. I also have a few compilation cds that I play a lot:

Malcolm X soundtrack
Mastercuts: Bar Social (2 discs of old school stuff like De La Soul, Grace Jones, Roy Ayers, Tribe, Pharcyde, Grandmaster Flash, etc.)
What It Is: Funky Soul & Rare Grooves


Why those artists? Because I'm kinda old school and I like funk. I grew up having 3 radio stations to choose from and on Saturday nights, the most popular one had a show called Solid Gold Saturday Night so I know and love a lot of those songs from the late 50s through the 70s (girl groups, motown, etc.).

The Beatles - Experimental, cutting edge rock and roll that still stands up 40 years later. AND some of the best pop songs ever written.

Depeche Mode - One of my favorite bands from college. Violator was THE alubum! Currently reliving it all with their new double-disc remaster series. Prince? Are you listening?

David Bowie - Bowie keeps changes his style just enough to stay relevant but manages to keep that core element that makes it uniquely Bowie.

The Flaming Lips - They also have their own unique style. Like Prince, they're not afraid to blend different influences to come up with a sound that's uniquely their own.

U2 - Like Prince, they're not afraid to take risks and experiment with new musical styles. But at the same time they still manage to write music that is still very accessible.

Coldplay - Best described as "the next U2". And although I'd say they've done their Joshua Tree they need to pull off an Achtung Baby before fully earning that title.

Duran Duran - The first two tapes I ever bought were Purple Rain by Prince and Arena by Duran Duran. So call it nostalgia. And although people tend to lump them into the "boy band" category I think it's important to remember that they wrote all their own songs, played all their own instruments and kept their careers going for over 20 years.

Enya - Her music is so otherworldly, it just takes me away from stress and work and whatever's bothering me.

Sting - A lot of his solo material seems very "adult contemporary" compared to his work with the Police, but if you listen closely it has a lot of depth to it. There’s a lot going on in the background you don't notice until you've heard it a couple of times. It's like every time I pull out a Sting album I discover something new so his music never gets old for me.

Mika - He's probably just the flavor of the month but I love the fact that he writes the kind of fun, upbeat pop songs that haven’t been heard since the days of Queen and the Bee Gees. And I appreciate the face that unlike so many of todays other pop stars he actually writes and produces his own material.

Rick James
Cameo
The Barkays
Roger and Zapp
Lakeside
Con-Funk-Shun
The Isley Brothers
Midnight Star
Brick
Fatback

And lots of others. I don't really single too many artists out though. I'm constantly listening to various artists. Why, my choices? Because it's funky and ass-shakeable.

I can't say artists because that would be silly, I haven't limited myself like that since I was in my 20's.

1) Funk
2) Blues
3) Jazz
4) Motown
5) Stax Soul
6) New Wave
7) Classic Rock
8) Baroque
9) Metal
10) Newer Pop


Oh yeah, I forgot to answer why...because music touches me emotionally and I can find every emotion within this list...not to mention as a musician I can listen to a song 15 times and learn something new on every listen...it's why I'm alive

oh yeah - edit
[Edited 4/13/07 16:22pm]

My all time favorite band is WAR, because I love the way they blend different grooves and rhythms. Songs like Slippin Into Darkness and Four Cornered Room have great depth. They're raw and funky and Lee Oskar is phenomenal! my other regulars are...

Sade...The lady's voice and style are unique. Her songs are meaningful and she is the epitome of grace.

Pfunk...no explanation needed.

Jackson 5...The sound of my youth, wonderful songs, quality music and great performances.

Journey...beautiful songs, great musicians, I'm in love with Perry's phrasing.

Martin Luther...I'm in love with his voice and the personality he gives his songs. Excellent guitar player.

Mint Condition...Stokely and Odell.

Damien Marley...IMO the one who seriously has Bob's gift
.
The Isleys...soul, soul and more soul.

George Michael...beautiful, beautiful voice, excellent songwriting.


I also love old school gospel, classical music, Bollywood songs, and chants of all types.




I forgot to give my reasons edit.
[Edited 4/13/07 16:53pm]

D'Angelo, Maxwell, Joss Stone, Robin Thicke. Anastasia - they have a lot of soul, good vibe and just makes my day when I lissten to them.
There r others, but not on regular basis.
I like: Maroon 5, Byonce, U2.

This is very difficult for me to answer.
I think that Prince is the only artist that I consider myself a real fan of.

I tend to regard anyone else on a song by song basis.
And while there are some acts that have a bunch of songs that I love (Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc.) no act has ever come close to matching P's numbers & creativity for me.
These days when I go back to another artist for some music, I usually go to whatever "best of" compliations I have or tend to skip thru at least half of whatever album of theirs that I'm spinning at the time. Prince is the only one who has certain albums that I tend to listen all the way thru.


As I get older,
I don't spend too much time anymore listening to stuff that I just like,
or to an artist who might have a style & a message that I like, but songs that are just okay ( I sometimes wonder how much an artist's style/message tends to gets blurred by the actual quality of the individual songs).


What it basically comes down for me is this:
I don't want to waste any more time on stuff that are okay or that I like.
I don't even want waste any time on stuff that I really like.

I want to spend whatever little life-energy/time that I have left here on this planet on stuff that I love.
And that includes my music.

Life isn't just short.
Sometimes,
it turns out to be shorter than we think.
So just in case,
I wanna be prepared enough to say,
"Hey, it might've shorter than I thought,
but damn,
I sure made sure that I did what I could to make it fun."

Can't say that I really listen to anyone on a regular basis anymore. Frankly, these days, I find most music either silly (at best) or harmful (at worst). That said, these would be the 10 other artists I listen to most (in no particular order):


1. Springsteen - I find his post-Born in the U.S.A. lyrics to be among the most sophisticated out there. Check out Tunnel of Love, Human Touch and Lucky Town.

2. Paul Simon - One of pop's deepest thinkers.

3. Lou Reed - Again, sophisticated writing. And he tells it like it is (See "Good Evening, Mr. Waldheim").

4. Madonna - I like quite a bit of her later work. I think she's a very smart woman. A good example of what I like about her is "Nobody Knows Me".

5. David Baerwald - His promo CD Baerwald on 'Triage' is one of my prize possessions. A smart, smart guy.

6. Mick Jagger - An honest dude who has little time for most of the bullshit most "artists" spew.

7. Tom Waits - I share his obsession with "grim reapers". Blood Money tends to find it's way back to my CD deck.

8. Bob Dylan - As full of shit as Dylan can be (and he can really be full of shit), occasionally he'll write something like "Highlands" and I'll remember why I find him interesting.

9. Don Henley - Again, 's'all 'bout the lyrics. It's a shame the music is so absolutely horrid on Inside Job, 'cause the words are excellent.

I couldn't even come up with ten.

My list

1) Jimi Hendrix-Probably the best three album stretch (Are You Experienced, Electric Ladyland, Axis) in Rok History. A very compelling figure.

2) Davis Bowie-My musical trinity (Prince, Hendrix and Bowie) is completed with this guy. I don't fit the demographic of the regular fan associated with Bowie, but the music and personae (Ziggy, Alddin Sane, Thin White Duke, etc)are intriguing.

3)MJ-Scandals aside, he is one of the greatest performers ever.

4) The Rolling Stones-IMHO, better than the Beatles (remember it is my opinion)

5) Queen-I love the theatrics and songs by this group. Campy at times, but still a first rate rock group.

6)Bob Marley-I grew up listening to his music (part of my cultural DNA) amd the power of his convictions and words are moving.

7) Ice Cube/Public Enemy (circa 1988-1994)-Controversial as hell, but I liked what Chuck D and Ice Cube had to day on SOME issues back in the day.

8) George Michael-Laugh if you want, but an excellent pop musician

9) Lenny Kravitz-He gets dogged alot, but he is what he is. I dig him though.

10) Madonna-Grew up listening to her stuff, so she cracks the top 10

Maybe I'll fill the 10-spot with Warren Zevon. Again, a good lyricist.

In no particular order what I've been listening to lately anyways...

1) U2
2) Sade
3) Corrinne Bailey Rae
4) Norah Jones
5) John Mayer
6) Bob Marley
7) Public Enemy
8) A Tribe Called Quest
9) Jack Johnson
10) Ben Harper

i love threads like this....

1. Terence Trent D'Arby
2. Michael Franti and Spearhead
3. Me'Shell
4. Genesis
5. Steve Winwood
6. Stevie Wonder
7. U2
8. James Brown
9. Sting
10. David Bowie

I started a thread about everyone's favourite artist after Prince and TTD came out second.
[Edited 4/13/07 17:42pm]

1.Michael Jackson-changed my life, period. He was the FIRST singer I knew about. Picked up the Thriller vinyl one day at the age of 2 and the rest is history.His music made me in2 the person I am today Admire the music AND the man(yes, I respect him!)

2.Prince-didn't get harcore in2 Mr. Nelson until 2002 when I was 14 and fed up with current music. Since then, my perspective on music and life(well, music IS my life) has changed....all because of this short, rude, skinny muthaf"""a with the good perm....and that's why he's one of my heroes

3.George Michael and Wham!- All I can say is DAYUM! George's music hit me like a ton of bricks and I went fucking crazy. My response after hearing "Ladies and Gentleman"...."GEORGE.....MICHAEL.....IS.....AWESOME" I got every album I could find. His work is help molding me into being a better songwriter

4.Pharrell-where I can begin.....I won't...I'll just say.....ultimate cool

5.Gym Class Heroes-just found them and immediately filled the void in my world of music addiction....these bitches nearly made me OD

6.New Edition-my favorite R&B Band...with or without Bobby.....Fuck Whitney

7.Kelis-the production(with the Neptunes), the voice, the bold effort to be "genreless". She's the female Prince of this time

8.Ms.Dynamite

9.Stevie Wonder

10.Wookie

honorable mentions:
David Bowie
James Brown
John Mayer
Tupac
Nicolay/Foreign Exchange
Fall Out Boy
Elton John
Tevin Campbell
Queen
Outkast
Craig David
K-Os
Shalamar
The Time

I hear ya.