I would never argue Hendrix's influence or that off 100 other artists, including Clapton. The Beatles and Elvis are in a league of their own though through the criteria listed in the OP and many other things though.... imo.

Child please, both are great technicians, but they aren't influences. They extended the zietgiest, but they didn't revolutionize it. No noticeable segment of the population wakes up wanting to dress, create, eat, live, play like them, not on the level of the Beatles and Elvis. Madonna and Lady Gaga are frankly ahead of them on those terms, though they're still behind the big two.

The argument has really been worn out on VH1, countless classic rock message boards, and thousands of dorm rooms, so to hold to a point that one is greater than the other is redundant. But as long as there is acknowledgment that these bands were also profoundly influential I'm happy.

LMAO

But... but... he revolutionized... something... in like a handful of years!

Where does Ziggy stardust fit in?

I'm sorry, I didn't realize we were discussing fashion influences... I thought this was influence from a musician's perspective.

It's just a simple internet poll on one little site. It's not meant to change the world.

If we are talking about influential in society then these two are neck and neck... if we are talking inspiring to other musicians then they again both are near the top... if we are talking genuine influence on music and pushing genres forward neither breaks the top 10, nor the top 20, The Beatles may sneak into the top 50... maybe... if we limit the criteria to the 20th century.

FTR I left "influence" undefined on purpose so it could mean influence on other musicians, influence on the path of music that followed, influence on the public, influence on the way music is perceived... any kind of influence.

#3

Influence=change so I vote Elvis.
I didn't really care that much for Elvis, and the Beatles dominated the music scene in my teen years all the way to my 20s.
The Stones had a bigger influence with my crowd.
Never was that big of fan of the Beatles, preferred bands like Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, Grand Funk and Steve Miller Band.

How can I not mention "Ten Years After?"

In true retrospect, "The Boxtops" had the biggest early influence on me.

The discussion has great value. If I wouldn't have had these types of discussion when I was younger I would be oblivious to hundreds of periphery bands who had or were influenced by some of the better known bands.

What I don't like to see is younger generations saying that "the Beatles are the greatest band of all time," yet are unable to name 5 other bands from the 60's. Heck, even older folks can stand to learn something through this type of discussion.

Completely agree.

I certainly hope you don't view 'younger' people who say that the Beatles are the 'greatest' [leaving aside the issue of what influence means] as universally, or even preponderantly, unaware of other bands of history. I STILL know 10x more about the late 60s, early 70s, than I do the past 10 years. I've been fervently musically engaged from about 83 on.

Bob Dylan and the Stones have to be up there.