here is the latest rundown of the most acclaimed rock and pop acts of all time...
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compiled using reviews from music critics around the world...i useful list to see who exactly is considered the best.....you wont agree on it all but i think its the most accurate .....give us your views on who is too high and who is too low.....i think the rolling stones are a bit too high and stevie wonder is too low but, in general , i admire most of the acts on this list...
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The Top 50 Artists of All Time



1 The Beatles

2 The Rolling Stones

3 Bob Dylan

4 David Bowie

5 Led Zeppelin

6 Prince

7 Bruce Springsteen

8 The Who

9 Elvis Presley

10 Radiohead

11 Jimi Hendrix

12 The Beach Boys

13 The Velvet Underground

14 Marvin Gaye

15 R.E.M.

16 The Clash

17 U2

18 Neil Young

19 Nirvana

20 Stevie Wonder


21 Pink Floyd

22 Bob Marley and The Wailers

23 Elvis Costello

24 The Smiths

25 Aretha Franklin

26 Talking Heads

27 Van Morrison

28 The Byrds

29 Public Enemy

30 The Doors

31 The Kinks

32 James Brown

33 Miles Davis

34 Beastie Boys

35 Michael Jackson

36 Sex Pistols

37 Johnny Cash

38 Otis Redding

39 Sly and the Family Stone

40 Creedence Clearwater Revival


41 John Lennon

42 Madonna

43 Pixies

44 Beck

45 Lou Reed

46 Roxy Music

47 Joni Mitchell

48 Kraftwerk

49 Sonic Youth

50 Blur
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www.acclaimedmusic.net

35. Michael Jackson - I'm sorry, but is this not a Top Rock and POP acts list? MJ totally dominated the 80's as far as POP goes. Nobody was in his league. How in the world is he number 35?

Who I see at #14?

Pretty good list, although I'd say REM is a little high. The Top 10 in particular looks right on the money.

Bishop31 said:

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it isnt based on sales...it is based on music critic's reviews of albums and songs ...jackson had the critic's choice of best album of 1982 with 'thriller' and the 3rd best album of 1979 with 'off the wall'.....'bad' got good reviews but nothing great...so michael jackson released 2 acclaimed albums and a couple of standout tracks in his career....not enough to get any higher than 35 i am afraid on this list ....i would have him higher personally but i DONT think he should be in the top ten....he may have sold millions but how many great albums did he release really ?.....
[Edited 1/27/10 14:12pm]

RKJCNE said:

I think this is based off the artists' most acclaimed albums. Guess Patti ain't that revered on that list.

Good to see Prince so high in the list.

They have 'the smiths' but no 'the cure'?

blur?? well at least they don't have Oasis

RKJCNE said:

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she is rated at 80 .....she had the 2nd best album of 1975 with horses...
19th best album of all time according to the critics...need to check that one out...

I'm actually shocked and pleased how many global lists Marvin made for his albums. He really was universally acclaimed.

Where is Fleetwood Mac? The Eagles?

SoulAlive said:

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fleetwood mac made number 87.....the eagles are at 101 in the all time list...
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www.acclaimedmusic.net

blackbob said:

U2 and Radiohead before Stevie Wonder.....

The doors Before Michael jackson...

A Laughable List, The person who created it must be on Crack

seeingvoices12 said:

I'd say the same thing but they based that on how many times an album is ranked. So some artists were ranked lower than others.

Timmy84 said:

If that's the case then its ok but still a laughable list

well i would have stevie higher as i said....radiohead deserve a high placing because almost all their albums have been well received by critic's...u2....well i think they are about right ....they have released some great albums.....this list is based on ALL the available reviews made from around the world....it isnt any one person's opinion... we would all change parts of it but i think it is a good list of the best artists of the rock era...

need to mention miles davis at 33.....of course he is a jazz artist but he made many 'best of' album lists on a few occasions so he is high on the list....he was brilliant....

I'd kick the sorry ass Beatles off the list if I had any say.

acclaimedmusic is the best site on the internet.

blackbob said:

Check horses out. NOW it is without a doubt the album that made me love music. it ripped me apart.

again

WHERE THE FUCK IS PATTI SMITH
80?
BULLSHIT!

31 Kinks
32 James Brown

Who made this list? And I like Prince, but number 6?

Miles Davis was one of the all time greatest musicians but he wasn't rock (more fusion) and definitely not pop, I would replace him with Ray Charles.

Other than that, I don't have a problem with this list

thatruth said:

I wanna know how they came up with the list?

The Who at number 8. For me they're one of the most overrated acts in rock history. Stevie Wonder should be in their place. I like The Rolling Stones but number 2... look how mediocre they became.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Not sure, to be honest, I was more referring to the artist who made the list, but you're correct, the listing is fucked when it comes to who's #1 and so on.

some random artists in no order Led zeppelin, Alice Cooper, The Doors, Pink Floyd, James Brown, Prince, Aerosmith, Jimi Hendrix, CCR, Van Halen, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Guns N' Roses, The Beatles, Deep Purple, Stevie Ray Vaunghan, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, Queen, The Red hot chili peppers, The Rolling Stones, Santana, ZZTOP,

thatruth said:

I can see why The Beatles are number 1. Personally they're not my cup of tea and i've have always found them way too twee for my liking but their position is justified. The Velvet Underground are also another band i've always found overrated. I mean can anyone name six great Velvet Underground songs?!

Yeah, I think there are few problems.

Stevie Wonder should be in the Top 10 and James Brown should be much higher.

I think perhaps this shows one of the flaws in this list. James Brown didn't have many acclaimed albums, but he has as much acclaimed music as almost anyone.

But overall, I think this list is way more objective than just about any other list I've ever encountered.

== Screw it ==
[Edited 1/27/10 21:01pm]

Brendan said:

True that.

SoulAlive said:

Co-Sign.
The Eagles should be Top Ten.
I don't know why Radiohead is in the Top Ten. OR the Stones #2 (But no EAGLES?)
My Top 20 may have to be listed . . . . .

With a little more effort, mebbe Elton John could crack the top 50...