Those should not be about pop fame or money. This should be the ones you like the most and why. If you cannot rank them above or below say so and list them. My number 1 is Peter Gabriel. Holy shit I love everything he does. He is poetic, spiritual, exploratory, and even able to churn out some pop hits. He incorporates different instruments. He has different stages. Hist style is clear and noticable, and even his voice is beautiful. His concerts pergormances added to his music with visuals that were more than just flashy lights. He thought about the stage presentation and performance to go along with the lyrics, music, stage design, and even the technology. His Music videos were exciting and progressive. 2 for me would be Pink Floyd. The beatles wont make my list, but I consider this band my Beatles. Their songs and work have a philosophy that has inspired and influenced mine. even going back to their more cynical bob dylan blues comedy days they were creative and fun, but also melencholy and even disturbing when they wanted to be. from concept albums to single hits, and pop rock classics they are just monsterous. They make such a great insightful statement on life and spirit in all it's forms from positive to negative. Then there is number 3, Billy Joes. I call him simple, but thast is really a poor use of the word. He has his awesome style. He catches the mood of the area I grew up, at the time I grew up in it. It is like you refined white New York Style through an artist. He has a classic library full of songs that represent life. There are a lot of songs in there everyone knows because they resound with everyone. Maybe simple is not the word,m but rather common would be more the term. Then I love Yes and Styx and #4. Even though they are two different bands with their own style, I like them for the same reason in the same way. They are like twins but different in their own way. They are bright, fantastic, very synthesized. Songs like come sail away and starship trooper are aqually inspiring. For the fifth one I would say Counting Crowes. Poetic, melencholy, exciting, sand triumphant songs are all in their library. When Mr. Jones is your low end song you are really awesome. Mrs. Potter is better, but you also have songs like murder of one, round here, and accidentally in love. August and everything after just hit at the perfect time to be the soundtrack to that youthful 20s in the mid 90s. This is probably the most dated of my choices, and it might not have been the same if I was not who I was at the time that I heard it.
U2 - I can name over 40 U2 songs that I think everyone should here without really dabbling in deep album cuts. That's on the order of twice what I could name for almost any other act. And that with a sort of "lost decade" in which I didn't find very much appealing. ELO - the more I listen to those songs over again the more remarkable Jeff Lynne's genius shines through Bob Seger - my musical hill to die on is this: Seger >>>> Springsteen. In his prime he and the SBB were the equal of anyone when it came to live performance. Even though Bob himself was not a "mover" his stuff was just so much better when preformed live than in the studio. Queen - we're getting now into the territory where I have to choose between several acts for whom I have similar affection, but I don't see how I can make this list without them. At this point I'm shuffling through a lot of acts that gave me something absolutely classic, but the peak moments rise above a lot of other stuff that's good, sometimes quite good, but not quite legendary. AC/DC for example, or the Alan Parsons Project, probably close to a dozen more. Filtering through all that I come down to two that i can't cut from the list so I'm gonna cheat and call this a tie: Billy Joel - all through the 70's he churned out very-good-but-maybe-not-GREAT material and he deserves a lot of praise even for that. Scattered through this period were songs that *were* great. And he probably peaked with Allentown which is practically perfect. "A Matter of Trust" is wildly underrated and of course there's "We Didn't Start the Fire" Pink - admittedly I'm not a big fan of the early Dance Club stuff (except for the team-up cover of Lady Marmalade) but from "Don't Let Me Get Me" through "Try" she has an incredibly 10 year peak in which almost every single was a indispensable classic for the era. And not a few keepers since. Also, probably the best live performer of her generation. Weird thing is that as of around 2010 or 2011, I had never knowingly heard one of her songs until a friend introduced me to "Glitter in the Air" at a Christmas party and was floored when I said "Who is THAT?" All my time being super-christian put a huge gap in my knowledge of the best current stuff - and the most popular which was often not at all the same thing. I'm pretty familiar with mid-late 90's country but what was going on in pop/rock mostly passed me by. Pink was part of that 10-15 year gap. But I got caught up.
Pink Floyd will always be my #1. It brings out the kid in me that was fearless and unapologetic and immediately takes me back to a time when life was simple. Otis Redding. I am a terrible singer and generally stay quiet when I’m listening to music, but for Otis I literally can’t help but sing along. Kings of Leon. Because of the Times was stuck in the cd player of my Jeep for over a year, so I have a sort of intimate connection with the whole album. Fiona Apple/Belly/Tori Amos. They just get me in the feels. Nathan Evans - Wellerman. My three year old LOVES this song and sings it constantly. There’s nothing better than her face beaming with pride while she belts it out in Hobby Lobby and all the old ladies stare at her.
Not exactly matching the paramaters of the OP but these five are usually in my most listen to list: Tangerine Dream Jean-Michele Jarre Klaus Schulze Tomita Jerry Goldsmith
I like U2, but there is something about them and I think it is Bono that turns me off. I cannot even say why. Their music is well done and powerful. Given the time of my life when I was exposed to them, I think it probably has something to do with the people around me that liked them, but it is strange because I felt the same way towards GnR and got over it and love their old stuff. I do not even know what it is with U2 because I really do not know anything about them. I just have a negative opinion of them and I wish I understood it. ELO is great. I can see why. I think I just missed Queen by being a bit to young. I know I heard them later, but I had not realized who they were at the time Live Aid was going on, and his death kept them from being on my radar because they were not releasing new stuff. It wasn't until I was older that I would get into queen and really see their awesome power. Bob Seger is another powerful classic bar rock giant. I wanted to really cut the top off of this. I was thinking three to get an insight into people's tastes, but 5 and a little cheating was more interesting for discussing. I would say The Bridge would be the collapse of the wave. Didn't Innocent Man and Keepin the Faith come out after nylon curtain? I will say the river of Dreams Album did have some great songs that never got play. Really, Pink? I had not looked that deep into her library. It is not that I dislike her, but I had other music. I am going to have to check that out. Any recommendations?
(these are my interpretations but a lot of her stuff is pretty clear) Don't Let Me Get Me - about how rough you can be on yourself when you're an outsider, overcoming depression and similar themes Just Like a Pill - Banger. About an addictive, seeminly toxic, inability to quit a relationship Stupid Girls - a somewhat less harsh take on cliche culture and people who think they are better than others when they are obviously not Who Knew - a heartbreaker, seemingly about a lover or very close friend who OD'ed. Can make you weep. Dear Mr. President - Message to Bush about Iraq War So What - about her turbulent relationship with the man she eventually married Sober - probably top 3 or 4 among her songs, reflections of someone who quit the drinking/party cycle Please Don't Leave Me - again about her relationship Funhouse - banger, in my head I picture this as a song by Harley Quinn getting away from the Joker Glitter in the Air - Magical, and if you can get the video where she performs it live at an awards show. Amazing stagecraft Fuckin' Perfect - censored for the radio, arguably her best song ever and also one where you want the official video to flesh out what she's feeling and saying. Overcoming depression and suicidal thoughts to claim your vision in life Try - also a top 3 from her discography, moving on from a broken relationship and refusing to be broken in spirit What About Us - another sort of political song A Million Dreams - a song used for the movie "The Greatest Showman" from an album that had big names doing a version of all the songs in the movie Walk Me Home - not profound or anything, just a very pleasant listen All I know So Far - a song to her daughter Sage
I scored a best-of Billy Joel double CD at Goodwill or somewhere and, as many I've liked from hearing on the radio, there's some good stuff that I hadn't heard, or didn't pick up the lyrics enough to realize how good they are. "The Downeaster 'Alexa'" probably tops the current list of songs that my brain locks onto like a bulldog when it comes on. "Leningrad" and "You're My Home" are worthwhile too. But like Tererun says, he can resonate with everyone. The only Pink song I know is the "I'm still a rockstar" one which is fun.
Yeah, that's "So What" She moves pretty easily from fun to profound. One thing I'll never forget about Billy Joel is the official video for "All for Lena" which is a creepy ass stalkerish song in it's own right but his facial expressions really sell the idea that the dude in the song is an absolute lunatic.
I've always liked P!nk but don't own any of her music. She was part of the best concert I ever shot, though, opening for Lenny Kravitz 20 years ago.
Nightwish Pat Metheny [Group] Steven Wilson/Porcupine Tree Billy Joel and Elton John (ranked the same because I attended their collab concert ) Oooh do I choose Queen or Sinatra...
For creepy Billy I always loved Laura. It is not stalkerish, but really damaged. Way out of his normal sound, but so were a few songs on Nylon Curtain.
I got so lucky with Face to Face. I got an armband to show up for opening sales at the ticketmaster in the mall near me. They never did that. So I got base price for 8 tickets in the medowlands in jersey. Good floor seats too. That same summer I also saw Floyd's division bell under the full moon right next to the pig, and The Eagles in the medowlands. However, there is nothing like seeing Billy in MSG. Of course, everyone there thought SFaIR was their song.
1a. Simon & Garfunkel. We all know who they are. They were my favorite even when I was a child who was disinterested in playing favorites. 1b. Carbon Leaf. So much of their work just perfectly vibes with me. They are rock, yes, but I think the Celtic influence might help keep them from being too overbearing about it. Variety of music, variety of topics, and through it all, happy or sad or philosophical, there's a sense of 1) not blaming anyone and 2) there's gonna be a tomorrow and I'll make it. There are a lot of, shall we say, introvert-friendly songs and some heartwarming coming-together/emotionally connecting songs and good lyrics. They're the only group I buy by the album at sticker price. Their pre-2001 albums and Five Alive aren't recorded too well, but everything else is good. They've headed more into folk territory since going fully indie but that's fine with me. My favorite is "Lake of Silver Bells", and I don't think that's an unpopular opinion, but Indian Summer has the highest number of their S-tier songs. ( It doesn't hurt they've used butterflies in their branding. ) 3. The Inner Banks. They were putting out an album every four years for a short while. The second-worst thing to happen in 2016 was their breaking that streak. I think they just sound so good. The instruments sound so good, their energy is just right, "Rockets" is one of the only songs I've ever really sat and listened to and thought "I'm not sure how much I like this, it's too much to process in one sitting, but I know I want to hear it again immediately". "Come Back" is gorgeous. The first album is almost entirely instrumental, but lyrical songs are a higher percentage in the later two albums. They aren't on Youtube much, but they should still be on Spotify. 4. Gonna be a nerd and cite Jennifer Wang, Rob King, etc. for their work on the Might and Magic 6 soundtrack. This is my happy music. If this were an actual band it would be #3. It cheers me up whenever I play it. Any of it. Scary, creepy, adventurous, sad, it's all gorgeous and embedded in my heart. I also have 7's soundtrack, with the same leading names on it, and it's got some great music but it's much less inspired. 5. There are no more actual bands on my shortlist, sorry. So: Descent 1 music is still something I play a lot, either the official .mp3s or fans' de-midification efforts. I used to start up the game just to bounce the automap around the screen and listen to the music. So good.
Just sticking with rock groups and leaving off solo artists and other music genres… 1. The Beatles 2. Queen 3. Led Zeppelin 4. Metallica 5. Depeche Mode I actually listen to all sorts of music from various genres, countries, and decades but I figure most folks here are mostly into rock so stuck with the traditional rock bands. Favorite individual artist of all time would be 2Pac.
