There's not really anything opinion-based about "most influential". It's pretty much the Beatles, who completely revolutionized the way music is made...not to mention that black metal/goth rock constitutes only a small portion of 20th century music. The ONLY chance a group really has to be more influential than the Beatles would be if the group came before them*. There is no artist since them to have such a sweeping impact, not only on the music itself, but also on how music is made, and how it is thought of.
By Leviathan on Thursday, August 16, 2001 - 12:55 pm: Until you break it down into it's own context, a band's influence can't really be measured. The Beatles are the most influential for their time period without a doubt. However if you look throughout music history you'll find that it is not one band that sparks a new genre. Musical trends have to do with the culture they relate to. One way to look at the success of the Beatles is to say they were in the right place at the right time.
Here's just a few names that might be in the same company as the Beatles. Just don't let all the hype fool you into thinking they're without a doubt the cream of the crop.
Other influential music: Mozart, Bach, Beathoven, James Brown, Elvis, Jimi Hendrix (the guitar god by the way), Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Beach Boys, NWA, Nirvana, Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, the Ramones, Johny Cash, Miles Davis, the Doors, U2, Santana, Talking Heads, Run DMC, Black Sabbath, I could go on, but you should be getting the point by now.
The beatles were the most influential in one genre of music - Pop/Rock. That's it. They didn't inspire Metal, Punk, Funk, Rap, Country, Disco, Classical, Blues, Techno, Etc... They're just the most Popular. Say it with me now "pop music". They _were_ as big as Jesus and that's pretty cool. I just don't think you can say because they're the most popular that they're the most influential. Music evolves. How many times can you really listen to Sgt. Pepper's backwords?
By Crovax, the Cursed (Crovax) on Thursday, August 16, 2001 - 06:06 pm: The Beatles were a lot more than your simple Pop/Rock. Sure, in the beginning they did start out with hits like "I Want To Hold Your Hand" which is just pop, but as time progressed, so did the Lennon/McCartney songwriting, and the Beatles evolved into a lot more than those lovable mop-tops. Songs like "Strawberry Field Forever" and "A Day In The Life" are a lot more than just pop/rock, they're classic, masterpiece, gems.
A lot of artists have had influence, but remember that music is cumulative - it builds on the past. If there was no Michael Jackson, Run DMC would probably have never broken into MTV with "Walk This Way", and if there was no MJ, black artists wouldn't be where they are today.
Elvis definetly has to be one of the most influential (he influenced the Beatles, Stones, and a lot more).
I think the Beatles were influential in they established the prototype rock group who wrote/made their own music, even convincing the Stones to do the same. Other than that, they magnified pop music onto a global scale (something never done before, not even by Elvis), and besides selling more than a billion albums worldwide and having 20 US #1 singles, they also showed how a band can be a microcosm, so to speak, that progress and evolves with time.
Leviathan, the Beatles were not "in" with the current trend - they "made" that trend, and other bands (the British invasion) followed suit. That's the major difference.
By Zakaelri on Thursday, August 16, 2001 - 07:26 pm: The beatles were most definitely the most influential. Sure, they were influenced by those before them, but the music they created effected most of the music industry. They basically created the pop streak. They were also one of the first bands to implement synthesized sounds in thier music. Their influence went far beyond the realm of the music industry as well. Movies like Help, The magical Mystery Tour, and The Yellow Submarine influenced the Movie industry, and certain members of the group (mostly George and John) provided financial aid to many movie producers. George provided aid to many places in need, especailly bangaledesh and India. Both John and George were members of the Krishna Consciousness Movement. They were crusaders forging a new path through the prejudices formed during the world wars. 3 out of 4 of the beatles (all but Ringo) were vegetarians. John fought political issues for reform. He began reform programs that influenced immigration laws in both the US and the UK. George influenced numerous Folk Music Groups by introducing Eastern instruments (such as the sitar) into the music. Paul McCartney has produced a Symphony. John published several books and was in a published series of lithograph prints. George was the driving force behind Handmade films. They made greats such as Time Bandits and Executively Produced Life of Brian.
Then again, the most influential might be N*SYNC....Not.
Zachary "Zakaelri" Jensen
By the rat on Thursday, August 16, 2001 - 09:09 pm: i think either the beatles or elvis were the most influential. my personal favorite is guns n roses cuz no one has ever walked off stage cuz someone threw a lighter at him and he caused a riot. well, no one to my knowledge...axl rose has got to be one of the most memorable temper tantrumes ever. i can't spell so dont mind me. well that is my input.
the rat
By Crovax, the Cursed (Crovax) on Thursday, August 16, 2001 - 11:42 pm: speaking of n'sync, their newest album apparently flopped. sure, its 1st week sales were good (1.8+ million, 3rd fastest-selling in the world), but in its 2nd week, it got kicked out of the No. 1 spot by "Now 7", only selling something like 420,000 copies......that's seriously a major dr(fl)op. its good to know that substance counts for something.
By Anxiety (Anxiety) on Friday, August 17, 2001 - 01:02 am: The Beatles started the pop trend? Writing own music? Let's be perfectly honest here, if modern influence is what we are looking for:
Bill Haley and the Comets
After all, the Rock and Roll era is generally considered to have started in 1955 when "Rock Around the Clock" hits #1 on Billboard's charts. It was Bill Haley and the Comets, NOT the Beatles that starts the whole genre.
Besides, I think that most people who praise the Beatles for their influence are missing some important things.
As mentioned above, the Beatles did not influence many types of music. A lot of professors and experts on modern music list New Order as one of the most influential groups post-70's. On the academic newsgroups all these Doctors, professors, and practicioners keep arguing back and forth between New Order and Nirvana for modern music's most influential award.
The Temptations are just as influential on R&B as the Beatles were on mainstream.
On another note, these "Off Topic" posts sometimes veer far off the beaten path. I am considering making a post entitled -
"Exceedingly Off Topic - Do these pants make my ass look fat?"
-Anxiety
By gary from london on Friday, August 17, 2001 - 09:57 am: all rock and pop originated from black blues so you need to mention mississippi bluesmen like robert johnson without who there would be no beatles or rolling stones. other influential groups from here in england include sex pistols and radiohead.
my own favorite band would have to be the jam with singer/guitarist paul weller going on to make great solo records to this day.
mozart is recognised as the greatest music-maker ever.
By Anxiety (Anxiety) on Friday, August 17, 2001 - 10:34 am: gary - that is very true, and we could start pointing back further. My point was not to particularly name any one group or person. No one would really suggest Bill Haley was it, but to show that music is too much of a continuum to allow for such questions as who is most influential.
-Anxiety
By Matt on Friday, August 17, 2001 - 09:32 pm: "The beatles were the most influential in one genre of music - Pop/Rock. That's it. They didn't inspire Metal, Punk, Funk, Rap, Country, Disco, Classical, Blues, Techno, Etc... They're just the most Popular."
No, that's not true. The Beatles really did have the most influence on many of those genres you list, including metal, punk, rap, funk, disco, and, to a slightly lesser extent, country. But this influence wasn't always a musical one (though it certainly was for punk, I don't know why you listed that there). The Beatles were the first band ever to have the popularity to demand their way and get it as far as record production goes. Before the Beatles, very few artists wrote their own songs, and every artist was at the whimsy of their label. The Beatles changed all that. They changed the way musical artists of all genres were viewed - not to mention that they almost single-handedly are responsible for introducing the idea that rock music could be viewed as artistic, rather than just songs for a prom. That in itself has had a major effect on every genre since, including metal, punk, and several others. Beatles had a huge impact musically, launching the British Invasion and inspiring virtually every rock artist since then, but even this is overshadowed by their biggest influence, which has shaped how we, as a society, view music of all genres, as well as virtually redefining the music business. THAT is why the Beatles are the most influential musical artist of the last 80 years.
By Matt on Friday, August 17, 2001 - 09:38 pm: And to defend my statement against this...
"all rock and pop originated from black blues so you need to mention mississippi bluesmen like robert johnson without who there would be no beatles or rolling stones"
What you say is true, the black bluesmen of the 40's and 50's did influence the Beatles a great deal. However, it is a fallacy to claim for them the accomplishments of the artists they influenced, because every artist is influenced by some who came before. If you were to go this route, you would have no choice but to claim that the most influential musician of any given time period was the one who came first. Uh, no.
By the rat on Friday, August 17, 2001 - 10:09 pm: quote
I'm doing an article for a local newspaper here in Washington, and I just want some perspective on what music group people think has had the greatest impact/been the most influential/been the most popular of the 20th century?
key wording being 20th century. now what is all this talk bout mozart????? im just jokin but come on.
the rat
By blindof3 on Saturday, August 18, 2001 - 02:58 am: well to start im a musition. personaly i have been influencedby red hot chilli peppers nervana and,.... third eye blind. neway. if you trace nervanas influences you have to mention punk (sex pistols, pixis ect.)punk starts w/ the stones the stones elvis, elvis buddy holly(my bigest influence), buddy to chuck barry the man of rock. yes every thing goses back to, chuck
ohh ya and dylon. dylon dylon dylon i cant say his name in prase enof. dylon dylon dylon. just promis me you'll remember dylon.
By Zanethian on Monday, August 20, 2001 - 07:00 am: I've had a rethink, and i would personally tie "the most influential band" with....
-The Beatles
-The Velvet Undeground
I completely forgot TVU, i guess thats what happens when you buy too many CD's.
(No TVU, No Sisters.... :P)
btw, the Sisters are much more than just a goth band, its just what they are always going to be remembered as, no-one is gonna remember the work they do for Amnesty International, or all the chemestry work they do.
//Zanethian
By Raoul (Raoul) on Monday, August 20, 2001 - 02:10 pm: pop rock commercial music: influental bands, persons:
50's: chuck berry, little richard
60's: the beatles, the rolling stones, bob dylan
70's: led zeppelin, frank zappa, hendrix, genesis (with peter gabriel)
80's: genesis (without peter gabriel), madonna, michael jackson (yiikes),depeche mode
90's: NIRVANA (helped indy music into the charts), peter gabriel, metallica (early 90's),lenny kravitz, red hot chilli peppers
By J. Walker on Monday, August 20, 2001 - 05:48 pm: I have to agree with Raoul on most everything except that he left an '80s band out. I know most of y'all are gonna laugh, but I happen to think that this band was at least mildly important during the 80s:
Dire Straits.
By Psycho, the Horned God (Psycho) on Monday, August 20, 2001 - 07:36 pm: Should't we add U2 to the eigthies too?
And yes, The Beatles are definitely the most influential band of the century in a general manner ( their music, their attidudes, their movies, ...)
If Lennon was still alive, he would be making Techno (not joking, he was like that)
By Leviathan on Monday, August 20, 2001 - 08:01 pm: I thought you were talking about musical influence not just influence in general terms, sorry.
If they were still alive...
Lennon, Hendrix, Moon, Garcia, Zappa, Cobain, Marley (no-one even mentioned the ganga king) etc... they're all dead.
Just a few more influential bands: Kraftwerk, Brian Eno, Danny Elfman (of oingo boingo) Prince, Beastie Boys, Black Flag, Jane's Addiction, Pink Floyd, Dr. Dre...
I think the beatles shouldn't be given too much credit. Like the post saying Robert Johnson should get the credit, it's all about cashing in at the right time. The beatles certainly were in the right place at the right time. I don't think their intention was to be the most influential. It just turned out that way.
By The Maxx,. the Guru of Foolishness (Maxx) on Tuesday, August 21, 2001 - 12:06 am: Everyone seems to miss a point. Just as you say the influences of the Beatles can't be creditted for being the most influential, you can't give the Beatles credit for the influence of those that they influenced. That needs explanation, so here goes. Any influential force in music can only proceed one or two generations before it is a completely different animal.
While I agree that the Beatles were influential, their influence, like any other stops once the people it influences become influential.
I am a musician, and I of course acknowlegde the Beatles influence on MOST (read: not all, as most people seem to think) guitar music. I however can't stomach more than 15 minutes of the Beatles. John Lennon was the least insufferable of them all.
I reserve the right to say this is not by any means a hard rule, as some stragglers in every generation will always skip past their predecessors, and listen to the previous masters.
And the Beatles' forays into movies and business mean exactly squat in terms of musical influence. Let's keep this off topic post on topic, people. 
The Maxx
By Zanethian on Tuesday, August 21, 2001 - 03:16 am: Heh...
"I hate Genesis, they need to be shot.. them, and Abba"
- Sioxsi out of The Banshee's.
By Raoul (Raoul) on Tuesday, August 21, 2001 - 11:29 am: don't know who sioxsi is, but genesis with peter gabriel was one of the must innovative, talented and influental pop groups of all time IMO.
to mention them in one sentence with abba is like comparing kurt cobain to ricky martin or britney spears, a big insult.
and even after gabriel left genesis, they were a solid, good pop band until phil collins left them. now they are "§$%&/&%
By Leviathan on Tuesday, August 21, 2001 - 05:26 pm: What's everyone's favorite Beatles song?
I know the Beatles had an influence on Manson with Helter Skelter... a great beatles tune.
Have you seen the little piggies
Crawling in the dirt
And for all the little piggies
Life is getting worse
Always having dirt to play around in
Have you seen the bigger piggies
In their starched white shirts
You will find the bigger piggies
Stirring up the dirt
Always have clean shirts to play around in
In their styes with all their backing
They don't care what goes on around
In their eyes there's something lacking
What they need's a damn good whacking
Everywhere there's lots of piggies
Living piggy lives
You can see them out for dinner
With their piggy wives
Clutching forks and knives to eat their bacon
By gary from london on Wednesday, August 22, 2001 - 07:13 am: slightly off subject , its interesting how the beatles continue to be more highly revered by young americans than people in modern britain . over here people are obsessed with trying to get in on the next big thing, such as the white stripes from america and the other new detroit bands.
back to topic , yeah, germany's kraftwerk, also house music from chicago which still influences all club music twenty years on. louis armstrong, john coltrane, hank williams, elvis, johnny cash, any more , anyone ?
By Zakaelri on Thursday, August 23, 2001 - 01:13 am:
Quote:And the Beatles' forays into movies and business mean exactly squat in terms of musical influence. Let's keep this off topic post on topic, people
Hey Maxx, where does it say in the first post that the influence had to pertain strictly to the music industry? I don't see it...
Quote:I'm doing an article for a local newspaper here in Washington, and I just want some perspective on what music group people think has had the greatest impact/been the most influential/been the most popular of the 20th century?
What is it they say about those that assume? Ah, hell, I have no clue. I still stand by my previous post...
By h. on Thursday, August 30, 2001 - 01:28 am: The Beatles. Just listen to the White album, and you have every genre up to the current scene. Honestly.
( Maybe not pure rap perse, but rap isn't so much a genre as a style and a cultural thing. I would put rap closer to square dancing than music if that makes any sense to you. )
but as far as my favorite: Deftones, Soulfly, Slipknot...believe it or knot, Slipknot is more than Kiss for 2001. They have actual talent that I would compare to TOOL. Too bad rip offs like Mudvayne and Mushroomhead have to sit on the shelves...
By the way, Limp Bizkit sucks. They're pop. Don't get them confused with metal.
By Matt The Great on Friday, August 31, 2001 - 01:28 am: While I admit that I haven't sat through an entire slipknot record, I still find it nigh-incredible that you could compare them to Tool. Ah, fun with hyperbole.
By Carlos on Tuesday, September 04, 2001 - 02:13 am: I'm not entering this big conversation. I'm just amking my favorite bands known...
Staind
Linkin Park
Jagged Edge
Santana
Celia Cruz
Gorillaz
Afroman (I LOVE THAT SONG)
I was gonna clean my room...
By apren on Tuesday, September 04, 2001 - 09:25 pm: "I know the Beatles had an influence on Manson with Helter Skelter... a great beatles tune.
Have you seen the little piggies..."
That song is piggies ¬¬
i love beatles, and they were the most influential bands. but...
WHY THE HECK NO ONE HAS MENTIONED QUEEN?
Anyway, its right, Strawberry Fields is really a masterpiece!
i agree with h. The white album has a lot of genres.
The beatles were genious.
even songs like I am the walrus have sense
I am the eggman wooo!
They are the eggmen woo!
I am the walrus
The walrus is a sign of death, and the eggmen are a sign of life.
a band that have influentied the '90 is Metallica.
or maybe its just me. i dont want to start a flame war, but i dont see why maxx cant stomach more than 15 mintutes of beatles. i love them!!!
This is the thread for me, belive me.
Open mind for a different view
Aprentice
By gary from london on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 07:33 am: i cant believe so many people are missing the point...
By corykan on Friday, September 07, 2001 - 09:26 pm: Beatles, unquestionably. My fav, though: BARENAKED LADIES, YEAH!
By The_Rat (The_Rat) on Saturday, September 08, 2001 - 09:10 am: corykan must be from canada...
way up there you peeps were talkin bout bands of the eighties and how u forgot some bands...where does guns n roses come in there??? i do recall reading an article when the rock in rio 3 thing happened a couple months back that this guy known as kurt loder asked the new bands of the nineties like papa roach, etc. and he asked the lead singer from papa roach on how he thought of guns n roses(gnr was performing at the time from a long overdue appearance) he said they were the one of the most influential musicians of the late eighties and early nineties. if a guy that has already made the top of the charts has said that gnr is influential, i think they need to be up there. gnr were a bunch of bad dudes that didn't give a fuck what happened. nowadays there isn't any bad attitude here except for eminem(we all know who he is) and who else??? noone. i think these artists today are a bunch of pussies. cept for eminem...he's fuckin harsh...
the bands that weren't put on the 80's list that should be on there is gnr and u2(although i hate them with every inch of my body) they deserve to be on the list.
90's has to be nirvana(another band i can't stand), metallica but mainly in the eighties, in the nineties they are pussies too and sell outs.
as for the new millennium, there hasn't been any big influence. the beatles were not the most influential band of all time...i dont know who had that song that first started rock n roll, but whoever it is, they are the most influential as far as im concerned cuz they started an entire new genre of music. the beatles just came later and made rock n roll a little bit bigger.(i too can't stomach the beatles, not even for 5 seconds) AND I AINT GOT JACK SHIT UP IN MY EARS CEPT MY BRAIN AND I GUARANTEE YOU MY BRAIN IS NOT A WASTE OF SPACE...hehe
the rat