We've done lists of artists, albums, and songs, often restricting the criteria to certain genres and/or eras. However, I don't know if I remember us ever having a thread about lists of artists particular to specific decades. So, fellow listmakers, I went about the task of determining my top 10 artists of each decade of interest for me, based on volume and quality of output and its relevance. So, have at it!

Here are my lists:

1960s:

1. The Doors
2. The Velvet Underground
3. Jimi Hendrix
4. Nico
5. David Bowie

I only really like 5 60s artists.

1970s:

1. David Bowie
2. Blondie
3. Stevie Wonder
4. Roxy Music
5. Lou Reed
6. Kraftwerk
7. Parliament/Funkadelic
8. Donna Summer
9. The Doors
10. Joy Division

1980s:

1. Prince
2. Eurythmics
3. The Cure
4. Madonna
5. Janet Jackson
6. New Order
7. Depeche Mode
8. The Smiths
9. Blondie
10. Grace Jones

1990s:

1. Björk
2. Madonna
3. Prince
4. Annie Lennox
5. Janet Jackson
6. Kylie Minogue
7. David Bowie
8. Depeche Mode
9. Deee-Lite
10. Salt 'n Pepa

2000s:

1. Kylie Minogue
2. Björk
3. The Strokes
4. Missy Elliott
5. Franz Ferdinand
6. The Cure
7. Annie
8. Busta Rhymes
9. Aaliyah
10. !!!

60s

1. Jimi Hendrix Experience
2. Beatles
3. Janis Joplin
4. Sly & the Family Stone
5. Shocking Blue
6. Astrud Gilberto
7. Mothers of Invention
8. Nancy Sinatra
9. The Who
10. Jefferson Airplane

70s

1. David Bowie
2. Giorgio Moroder
3. Electric Light Orchestra
4. Donna Summer
5. Olivia Newton-John
6. Meco
7. Frank Zappa
8. Talking Heads
9. Betty Davis
10. Patti Smith

80s

1. Prince
2. Talking Heads
3. Bauhaus
4. Love & Rockets
5. The Cure
6. Eurythmics
7. Ministry
8. David Bowie
9. The Cramps
10. Pixies

90s

1. Prince
2. Bowie
3. Bjork
4. Nirvana
5. Hole
6. NIN
7. Sonic Youth
8. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
9. Beastie Boys
10. Deee-Lite

00s

1. Bjork
2. Bowie
3. Prince
4. Peaches
5. !!!
6. Princess Superstar
7. Sonic Youth
8. The Decemberists
9. CocoRosie
10. Dungen

In no particular order...

60's
-Aretha
-Beatles
-Ronnettes
-Supremes
-Janis Joplin
-Velvet Underground/Nico
-Jimi Hendrix
-Rolling Stones
-Willie Nelson
-Johnny Cash

70's
-Gram Parsons/Flying Burrito Bros
-Emmylou Harris
-Joni Mitchell
-Carole King
-Stevie Wonder
-Carly Simon
-James Taylor
-Linda Ronstadt
-Donna Summer
-Dolly Parton

80's
-Prince
-Madonna
-Cyndi Lauper
-Janet Jackson
-The Smiths
-MJ
-Paula Abdul
-Thompson Twins
-Blonde
-U2

90's
-Emmylou Harris
-Sarah McLachlan
-Melissa Etheridge
-Madonna
-Mariah
-Prince
-Janet
-Radiohead
-Tori Amos
-Lucinda Williams

00's (pretty much 90's cont.)
-Prince
-Madonna
-Emmylou Harris
-Lucinda Williams
-Coldplay
-Bjork
-Ryan Adams/Whiskeytown
-Shooter Jennings
-Fleetwood Mac (really got into their catalog this decade)
-P!nk
[Edited 4/18/07 13:55pm]

Not In Order

60’s
Nico
Jimi Hendrix
James Brown
Simon & Garfunkel
The Rolling Stones
Van Morrison
Bob Dylan
Smokey Robinson
The Beatles
The Kinks

70’s
Jackson 5/Jacksons
Ronnie James Dio
Patti Smith
Led Zeppelin
Black Sabbath
Neil Young
The Stooges/Iggy Pop
Stevie Wonder
Pink Floyd
Quincy Jones

80’s
Van Halen
Metallica
Anthrax
Hüsker Dü
Accept
The Smiths
Metal Church
Prince
The Pixies
Faith No More


90’s
Megadeth
Life of Agony
Toadies
Stone Temple Pilots
Nirvana
Alice In Chains
Biohazard
Soundgarden
Pantera
Bjork

00’s
Arcade Fire
Lewis Taylor
The Knife
Shakira
R.Kelly
The Neptunes
Kanye West
Fat Joe
Paris
Jay-Z
[Edited 4/19/07 22:05pm]

TonyVanDam said:

same. cool idea.

Anx said:

Where's the 'lab and StEt?

60's:

1. Miles Davis
2. Rolling Stones
3. Beatles
4. James Brown
5. The Doors
6. Joni Mitchell
7. Cher
8. Jimi Hendrix
9. The Ronettes
10. Nina Simone

GangstaFam said:

Moonbeam said:

What can I say? They have more songs I like.

GangstaFam said:

I always thought you liked The Doors more.

Moonbeam said:

I might have at one point. But all of the Beatles stuff is from the 60's.

GangstaFam said:

So you don't anymore?

60's:

1) The Beatles
2) Bob Dylan
3) The Zombies
4) The Velvet Underground
5) Jimi Hendrix
6) The Beach Boys
7) Miles Davis
8) Sly & The Family Stone
9) The Byrds
10) John Coltrane

70's:

1) Stevie Wonder
2) John Lennon
3) Curtis Mayfield
4) Al Green
5) Parliament/Funkadelic
6) The Clash
7) Elton John
8) The Jacksons
9) Bob Dylan
10) Joni Mitchell

80's:

1) Prince
2) Michael Jackson
3) Joy Division
4) Beastie Boys
5) George Michael
6) New Order
7) Terence Trent D'Arby
8) Janet Jackson
9) Talking Heads
10) Tom Waits

90's:

1) Terence Trent D'Arby
2) Michael Jackson
3) Radiohead
4) Prince
5) Beck
6) Outkast
7) Sigur Ros
8) Bob Dylan
9) Bjork
10) Beastie Boys

00's:

1) Radiohead
2) Sufjan Stevens
3) Bebel Gilberto
4) The White Stripes
5) TV On The Radio
6) Saint Etienne
7) Outkast
8) Vive La Fete
9) Hot Chip
10) Nouvelle Vague


60's and 00's were the easiest.

In no order

50'S

1. Elvis
2. Little Richard
3. Buddy Holly
4. Richie Valence
5. The Big Bopper
6. Fats Domino
7. Santos and Johnny
8. The Drifters
9. Jerry Lee Lewis
10.Carl Pekins


60's

1. The Beatles
2. The Rolling stones
3. The Mama's and Papa's
4. The Doors
5. The Supremes
6. The Ronnets
7. Tina Turner
8. The Animals
9. The Turtles
10.The Who


70's

1. Fleetwood Mac
2. ABBA
3. Cat Stevens
4. Elton John
5. Queen
6. Billy Joel
7. Tom petty
8. Heart
9. Bad Company
10.Aerosmith

80's

1. Prince
2. Journey
3. Pat Benatar
4. Blondie
5. John Mellencamp
6. Bruce Springsteen
7. Terence Trent D'arby
8. Cheaptrick
9. U2
10.Inxs

90's

1. Lenny Kravitz
2. Sheryl Crow
3. Alanis Morresette
4. Goo goo dolls
5. Train
6. Nine inch nails
7. Savage Garden
8. Collective soul
9. Hole
10.Chris Issac

2000's

1. Dido
2. Norah Jones
3. Dandy Warhols
4. The Calling
5. Tal Bachman
6. Five for fighting
7. Fastball
8. 3 doors down
9. Linkin Park
10.Life house

50's
1-Elvis Presley
2-Johnny Cash
3-John Coltrane
4-Jerry Lee Lewis
5-Little Richard
6-Chuck Berry
7-Ray Charles
8-Buddy Holly
9-Fats Domino
10-Frank Sinatra


60's
1-The Beatles
2-The Rolling Stones
3-The Doors
4-Creedence Clearwater Revival
5-Bob Dylan
6-Hendrix
7-The Beach Boys
8-Velvet Underground
9-Cream
10-Otis Redding


70's
1-David Bowie
2-Aerosmith
3-The Rolling Stones
4-Roxy Music
5-Led Zeppelin
6-Iggy Pop / The Stooges
7-Blondie
8-Santana
9-Kiss
10-Allman Bros.


80's
1-Prince
2-U2
3-Madonna
4-Depeche Mode
5-Michael Jackson
6-Metallica
7-Pixies
8-The Police
9-Public Enemy
10-The Smiths


90's
1-Beck
2-Depeche Mode
3-Suede
4-The Cranberries
5-Moby
6-Bjork
7-Pearl Jam
8-Nine inch nails
9-Marylin Manson
10-Guns and Roses


00's
1-Bob Dylan
2-Bruce Springsteen
3-Norah Jones
4-Nine inch nails
5-Arcade Fire
6-White Stripes
7-Peaches
8-Eminem
9-Iron Maiden
10-Muse
[Edited 4/19/07 4:35am]
[Edited 4/19/07 4:37am]

60s:

1. The Velvet Underground
2. The Beatles
3. The Doors
4. Jimi Hendrix
5. Patsy Cline
6. Sly And The Family Stone
7. Dusty Springfield
8. The Rolling Stones
9. James Brown
10. Johnny Cash

70s:

1. David Bowie
2. Stevie Wonder
3. T.Rex
4. Siouxsie And The Banshees
5. The Sex Pistols
6. Prince
7. Heart
8. Sly And The Family Stone
9. Blondie
10. Kiss

80s:

1. Prince
2. Siouxsie And The Banshees
3. Janet Jackson
4. Jesse Johnson
5. Book Of Love
6. Wendy And Lisa
7. We've Got A Fuzzbox & We're Gonna Use It!!
8. The Cure
9. Bauhaus
10. Fields Of The Nephilim

90s:

1. Tori Amos
2. Prince
3. Janet Jackson
4. Lush
5. Rosetta Stone
6. Cranes
7. Curve
8. Mors Syphilitica
9. Björk
10. PJ Harvey

00s:

1. Goldfrapp
2. Deadsy
3. Aterciopelados
4. Rasputina
5. The Pipettes
6. Sing Sing
7. Faith And The Muse
8. Scarling
9. PJ Harvey
10. Tori Amos

70's I don't know
80's Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson
90's Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Missy eliot
2000's Britney Spears, Madonna

TotalAlisa said:

Gee, thanks for that.

sextonseven said:

sextonseven said:

to be honest... when i was growing up in the 90's... I really didn't watch TV, I didn't listen to the radio until like 1998, and I didn't watch videos until 1998.... (with the exception of MICHAEL JACKSON.. i was always allowed to listen to him) so the 90's as far as music and most of the culture... is a blurr to me... I don't know a lot about the 90's cause as a child... i was worried about playing outside at the park, riding bikes, fishing and playing with family and friends....

1950's

Little Richard
Chuck Berry
Jerry Lee Lewis
Elvis Presley
Buddy Holly
Richie Valen
Ray Charles
Nat King Cole
Big Mama Thorton
Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers

1960's

The Beatles
James Brown
Jimi Hendrix
Aretha Frankin
The Beach Boys
The Rolling Stones
Smokey Robinson
The Temptation
The Supremes
Sly & The Family Stone

1970's

Stevie Wonder
Donna Summer
Parliament/Funkadelic
The Jacksons
Led Zeppelin
KISS
Earth Wind & Fire
ABBA
The Isley Brothers (3+3 line-up)
Kraftwerk
.....TOO MANY great artists from the 70's that could have been in the Top 10 are being left out of everyones list!!!!

1980's

Michael Jackson
Prince
Madonna
Daryl Hall & John Oates
Kool & The Gang
Janet Jackson
Guns N' Roses
Duran Duran
New Edition
RUN DMC
.....TOO MANY artists from the 80's are left out on many lists too!!!


.....now comes THE HARD PART, concerning 2 of the worst decades by far!

1990's

Shania Twain
Janet Jackson
2pac
Public Enemy
Boyz II Men
TLC
The Spice Girls
The Proligy
The Chemical Brothers
Nirvana

2000's (2000-2007)

Kylie Minogue
OutKast
Usher
Jay-Z
Eminem
Linkin Park
Christina Aguilera
BT
Daft Punk
The Pussycat Dolls

EDIT: I had second thoughts
[Edited 4/19/07 17:51pm]

TotalAlisa said:

Apart from 90-93, you didn't miss too much of 90's music. Everything was slowing going downhill right after 1993.

In no order(to all)

1940s

1.Billy Eckstine
2.Billie Holiday
3.Lionel Hampton
4.The Ink Spots
5.Duke Ellington
6.Count Basie
7.Earl Hines
8.Art Tatum
9.Erroll Garner
10.Big Joe Turner

1950s

1.Charlie Parker
2.Dizzy Gillespie
3.Ray Charles
4.LaVern Baker
5.Big Mama Thornton
6.Big Maybelle Smith
7.Ruth Brown
8.Dinah Washington
9.Sarah Vaughan
10.Little Jimmie Scott

1960s

1.Aretha Franklin
2.James Brown
3.Nina Simone
4.Ike & Tina Turner
5.Dionne Warwick
6.Bettye Swann
7.Miles Davis
8.The Temptations
9.Gladys Knight & The Pips
10.Ben E. King

1970s

1.Chaka Khan
2.Donny Hathaway
3.Stevie Wonder
4.Marvin Gaye
5.Shirley Brown
6.Minnie Riperton
7.The Emotions
8.Deniece Williams
9.Patrice Rushen
10.Syreeta Wright

1980's

1.Phyllis Hyman
2.Prince
3.Angela Winbush
4.Stephanie Mills
5.MJ
6.Anita Baker
7.Kashif
8.Sade
9.Luther Vandross
10.Zapp

60s

1. Rolling Stones
2. Jimi Hendrix
3. Bob Dylan
4. The Doors
5. The Who
6. The Beatles
7. Aretha Franklin
8. Moody Blues
9. Cream
10. Black Sabbath


70s

1. Led Zeppelin
2. Queen
3. Ramones
4. Earth Wind and Fire
5. Fleetwood Mac
6. The Cars
7. Sex Pisotls
8. The Clash
9. Rod Stewart
10. Alice Cooper


80s

1. The Smiths
2. Prince
3. The Cure
4. Talking Heads
5. Kate Bush
6. R.E.M.
7. Dead Kennedys
8. Dire Straits
9. New Order
10. Siouxie and the Banshees
11. Cheap Trick


90s

1. Tori Amos
2. Madonna
3. Bjork
4. Nirvana
5. DeeLite
6. Air
7. The Misfits


00s

1. Radiohead
2. Arctic Monkeys
3. Goldfrapp

Moonbeam said:

huh?

GangstaFam said:

You no longer like The Doors more than The Beatles?

Moonbeam said:

Overall, no. Probably not.

GangstaFam said:

You used to!