Which was most influential

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

The Beatles or Elvis Presley. Debergs prog rock thread started me thinking and I thought it was a fairly easy choice until I talked to a few others about it and looked up some numbers. Now it seems like a toss up... although I know what my original gut feeling was.

The Beatles...
Best selling band in history... roughly 1 billion 600 million units sold
22 #1 singles world wide
7 grammys
10 films

Elvis Presley
Best selling solo act in history... roughly 1 billion 600 million units sold
36 #1 singles
3 grammys
33 films

Of course there is plenty of other criteria. What say you though?

[AustinChief]

Originally Posted by Dr. Johnny Fever

I'll disagree about The Beatles there. Their early stuff was literally just pop fodder but their later stuff... Sgt. Peppers, I Am The Walrus etc was pretty ground breaking.

Hence why I said it could be argued "as they matured"... although by that time they weren't really pushing an envelope that hadn't already been pushed by bands like The Beach Boys with multi-track recording and Phil Spector with his wall of sound. Even Paul McCartney admits that a ton of what came out on Sgt Peppers was inspired by Good Vibrations.

They simply weren't very ground breaking. Again, top 50 in the 20th century in that regard... maybe.

[Bump]

I think music just evolves. There has always been music. Great musicians come along and it just evolves naturally.

First the Beatles, I mean they pretty much have to be at the top. No other music group has produced a more solid and diverse library in such a short amount of time. They defined 60's culture.

The you have Miles Davis and Elvis Presley changing the game the way it's performed.

Then Bob Dylan comes along and makes it about sending a message.

Then you got Chuck Berry rocking out the guitar

The Rolling Stones of course.

Michael Jackson is def the most influential in pop culture.

Then of course Nirvana evolving rock for the whole 90's

Then Nickelback being the top 2000's band, making people think that music is dead and making people really appreciating 90's and older rock.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

To expand on my post.. i would put guys like Charlie Parker, Dave Brubeck, Stan Getz and Duke Ellington above both. If we limit it to pop/rock then Buddy Holly jumps far ahead of both... so does Duane Eddy or Booker T. And of course the Beach Boys.

I'm a big fan of both the Beatles and Elvis but neither did a huge amount to push the envelope. It can be argued that the Beatles did as they matured but again, not nearly as much as so many others.

Yeah, influence is quite subjective, and has to relate to the time period I would think. Charlie Parker and Buddy Holly yes, oh hell yes when it comes to influence.

[-King-]

Elvis literally stole his entire act so I'll go with the Beatles.
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[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

Hence why I said it could be argued "as they matured"... although by that time they weren't really pushing an envelope that hadn't already been pushed by bands like The Beach Boys with multi-track recording and Phil Spector with his wall of sound. Even Paul McCartney admits that a ton of what came out on Sgt Peppers was inspired by Good Vibrations.

They simply weren't very ground breaking. Again, top 50 in the 20th century in that regard... maybe.

I saw the rest of your post. I pretty much just wanted to further the debate heh.

While I appreciate what they did...... God I hate the Beach Boys. Just passionately hate them. Sorry.

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Originally Posted by -King-

Elvis literally stole his entire act so I'll go with the Beatles.
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Stole from...?

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by Bump

I think music just evolves. There has always been music. Great musicians come along and it just evolves naturally.

First the Beatles, I mean they pretty much have to be at the top. No other music group has produced a more solid and diverse library in such a short amount of time. They defined 60's culture.

The you have Miles Davis and Elvis Presley changing the game the way it's performed.

Then Bob Dylan comes along and makes it about sending a message.

Then you got Chuck Berry rocking out the guitar

The Rolling Stones of course.

Michael Jackson is def the most influential in pop culture.

Then of course Nirvana evolving rock for the whole 90's

Then Nickelback being the top 2000's band, making people think that music is dead and making people really appreciating 90's and older rock.

There's simply too much great music out there (and way more crapola) to break it down into simple statements like your's above. When you've been a fan of rocknroll for as long as I have and have listened to as much music as I have over the years (and seen as many live performances) it just is not that simple.

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by Dr. Johnny Fever

Stole from...?

well Forest Gump of course!

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Originally Posted by Tombstone RJ

well Forest Gump of course!

[In58men]

He's one of my favorite artists'. The guy has 59 #1 songs. It's crazy what he has done for country. Mr George Strait.


2009 Academy of Country Music Artist of the Decade
2009 Grammy Awards Best Country Album - Troubadour
2008 Country Music Association Album of the Year - Troubadour
2008 Country Music Association Single of the Year - "I Saw God Today"
2007 Country Music Association Album of the Year - It Just Comes Natural (Two Trophies: Artist, and Producer)
2007 Country Music Association Song of the Year - "Give It Away" (Awarded to Songwriter Jamey Johnson)
2006 Country Music Hall of Fame Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame
2006 Honorary Doctoral Degree Doctor of Humane Letters presented by Texas State University–San Marcos
2005 Country Music Association Musical Event of the Year - "Good News, Bad News" (with Lee Ann Womack)
2003 Special Award National Medal of Arts
2003 Academy of Country Music Special Achievement Award (in recognition of 50 No.*1 Songs)
2003 CMT 40 Greatest Men of Country Music Ranked No.*9
2002 Country Weekly Favorite Collaborative Song - "Designated Drinker" (with Alan Jackson)
2001 Country Music Association Song of the Year - "Murder On Music Row" (Awarded to Songwriters)
2000 Country Music Association Vocal Event of the Year - "Murder On Music Row" (with Alan Jackson)
2000 Country Weekly / TNN/CMT Music Awards Album of the Year - Always Never The Same
2000 Country Weekly / TNN/CMT Music Awards*** Entertainer of the Year
2000 Country Weekly / TNN/CMT Music Awards Male Artist of the Year
2000 Country Weekly / TNN/CMT Music Awards Single of the Year - "Write This Down"
2000 Country Weekly / TNN/CMT Music Awards Impact Artist of the Year
1999 Country Weekly / TNN/CMT Music Awards Album of the Year - One Step At A Time
1999 Country Weekly Golden Pick Awards Favorite Enteratiner
1999 Country Weekly Golden Pick Awards Favorite Male Artist
1999 Country Weekly Golden Pick Awards Favorite Video Enteratiner
1999 Country Weekly Golden Pick Awards Favorite Line Dance Song - "I Just Want To Dance With You"
1999 Country Weekly Golden Pick Awards Favorite Song - "I Just Want To Dance With You"
1998 Radio & Records Best Male Vocalist
1998 American Music Awards Favorite Country Album - Carrying Your Love With Me
1998 American Music Awards Favorite Country Male Artist
1998 Country Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year
1996 Billboard Most Played Artist (All Genres of Music)
1997 Radio & Records Best Male Vocalist
1997 Radio & Records Best Album - Blue Clear Sky
1997 Academy of Country Music Album of the Year - Carrying Your Love With Me
1997 Academy of Country Music Top Male Vocalist
1997 American Music Awards Favorite Country Album - Blue Clear Sky
1997 Country Music Association Album of the Year - Carrying Your Love With Me
1997 Country Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year
1997 TNN/Music City News Album of the Year - Blue Clear Sky
1996 Billboard Top Country Artist
1996 Radio & Records Most Valuable Performer
1996 Radio & Records Best Male Vocalist
1996 Radio & Records Best Single - "Check Yes Or No"
1996 Academy of Country Music Album of the Year - Blue Clear Sky
1996 Academy of Country Music Top Male Vocalist
1996 Country Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year
1996 Country Music Association Album of the Year - Blue Clear Sky
1996 Country Music Association Single of the Year - "Check Yes Or No"
1996 Music City News Country Single of the Year - "Check Yes Or No"
1996 TNN/Music City News Album of the Year - Lead On
1996 TNN/Music City News Single of the Year - "Check Yes Or No"
1996 TNN/Music City News Video of the Year - "Check Yes Or No"
1995 ASCAP Voice Of Music Award
1995 Academy of Country Music Single of the Year - "Check Yes Or No"
1993 ACM Tex Ritter Movie Of The Year - Pure Country
1991 American Music Awards Favorite Country Male Artist
1990 Radio & Records Country Performer Of The Year
1990 Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year
1989 Special Presidential American Success Award
1989 Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year
1989 Special Connie B. Gay Award
1989 Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year
1988 Academy of Country Music Top Male Vocalist
1987 Billboard Top Country Artist
1986 Billboard Top Country Artist
1986 Country Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year
1986 Music City News Country Male Artist of the Year
1985 Academy of Country Music Album of the Year - Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind
1985 Academy of Country Music Top Male Vocalist
1985 Country Music Association Album of the Year - Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind
1985 Country Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year
1984 Academy of Country Music Top Male Vocalist

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Originally Posted by Inmem58

He's one of my favorite artists'. The guy has 59 #1 songs. It's crazy what he has done for country. Mr George Strait.

Ya know we have a country music repository thread here and it celebrates that kind of stuff. You should drop in now and then.



King George leads the world in #1's. Conway Twitty is a close second.

[-King-]

Originally Posted by Dr. Johnny Fever

Stole from...?

Chuck Berry and other black rock and roll artists. Elvis was the product of Sam Philips taking the "black sound" and marketing it to a white audience.

[AustinChief]

Originally Posted by milkman

It was their innovation that changed the direction of music.

A song like "She's Leaving Home" was groundbreaking and introduced the idea that musical instruments just making noise is music.

Now it's all just ****ing noise.

Well I certainly disagree about that song being "noise" but nothing on that song was innovative. Maybe it was the first example you know of, but it certainly wasn't unique to popular music at the time.

That same year you had the Moody Blues album Days of Future Passed... before that you had (as already mentioned) the Beach Boys and Phil Spector pushing this sound.

You also had "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" by the Walker Brothers... a number of hits by The Zombies and one of my favorites.. The Left Banke.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

Hence why I said it could be argued "as they matured"... although by that time they weren't really pushing an envelope that hadn't already been pushed by bands like The Beach Boys with multi-track recording and Phil Spector with his wall of sound. Even Paul McCartney admits that a ton of what came out on Sgt Peppers was inspired by Good Vibrations.

They simply weren't very ground breaking. Again, top 50 in the 20th century in that regard... maybe.

Google the story about how Rubber Soul drove Brian Wilson.

And I see your differentiation between influence and innovation, I can't credit the Beach Boys with widespread influence as, aside from an era of surf music that they influenced and were influenced by, they pretty much stand on an island alone. You'd be hard pressed to come up with a large list that you'd label 'Beach Boys 2.0,' or 'Beach Boys of 80s/90s/some other subgenre' If something sounds like the Beach Boys, 9 times out of 10 is IS the Beach Boys, or offshoot project.

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Originally Posted by -King-

Chuck Berry and other black rock and roll artists. Elvis was the product of Sam Philips taking the "black sound" and marketing it to a white audience.

Is that what he was doing when he started as a country artist? Elvis just had soul.