Most important artist/band of the past 30 years?

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The CBC (which is Canada's version of the BBC) just played a program in which they argued that U2 is the most important band of the past 30 years. Hmmm.

What do you think?

PS: Haven't had much time to think about it myself, but some ideas: Kool Herc, Kraftwerk, maybe the Ramones...

― Jack L., Tuesday, 13 September 2005 18:35 (twenty years ago)

Kraftwerk seems like a good choice to me

― Robin Goad (rgoad), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 18:38 (twenty years ago)

Silversun

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 18:42 (twenty years ago)

Or maybe Headswim.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 18:42 (twenty years ago)

Anyone who nominates a non-rap artist should probably be laughed at.

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 18:42 (twenty years ago)

From 1975 to now?

The Clash

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 18:42 (twenty years ago)

Enya

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 18:44 (twenty years ago)

Anyone who nominates a non-rap artist should probably be laughed at.

Violent J

― Confounded (Confounded), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 18:45 (twenty years ago)

Let's compare.

Rock 1975: BIGGEST GENRE IN THE WORLD
Rock 2005: At least the Hold Steady and the White Stripes are good

Punk 1975: Beginning of a revolution in self-made music and a valiant attempt to throw out the rulebook
Punk 2005: Green Day power ballads

Hip-hop 1975: A handful of dudes combining early '70s pre-Philly International disco aesthetic with Jamaican soundclashes; strictly regional
Hip-hop 2005: BIGGEST GENRE IN THE WORLD

(xp: a non-rap artist or a "comedy" choice, I shoulda said. LOL JUGGALOS OMG shut up.)

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 18:47 (twenty years ago)

Kraftwerk, that should be obvious - directly responsible for both hiphop and dance music.

― Siegbran (eofor), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 18:52 (twenty years ago)

Kraftwerk is directly responsible for a brief strain of rap music, maybe, from 1982-1985 or so. And Moroder had just as much to do with being directly responsible for electronic dance music; that's not Kraftwerk's doing alone by a long shot.

I mean the Clash and Kraftwerk and the Ramones are awesome but c'mon. Most important baseball player 1915-1945 =/= Grover Cleveland Alexander; most important abstract artist 1930-1960 =/= Paul Klee; most important martial arts film star 1970-2000 =/= Sonny Chiba.

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 18:55 (twenty years ago)

Hmm, disco violence, you make a good point. Allow me to change my pick:

The Sex Pistols

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 18:55 (twenty years ago)

King Tubby -- responsible for dance, hip hop, and anything involving studio manipulation. [not really but if you're gonna say Kraftwerk is...]

― oops (Oops), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 18:56 (twenty years ago)

No Hiphop group has the sustained prolific career of Kraftwerk.

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 18:56 (twenty years ago)

Okay dv, let's level then. Who do you think the most important hip-hop artist of the past 30 years is?

But that brings up the question: are we looking for the most influential artist of the last 30 years (e.g. someone who popularized synths or looping breakbeats or something) or simply someone who produced the most amazing body of work?

― Confounded (Confounded), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 18:56 (twenty years ago)

# of bands on the pop charts that wouldn't have existed without Kraftwerk: a couple, maybe
# of bands on the pop charts that wouldn't have existed without Herc/Bam/Flash/etc: welcome to a world where Silverchair still reigns supreme

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 18:57 (twenty years ago)

No Hiphop group has the sustained prolific career of Kraftwerk.

No hip-hop group has had a sustained career that lasted the same period of time as the time elapsed between Kraftwerk's debut and "Tour de France" -- roughly, er, 12 years? Come on.

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 18:58 (twenty years ago)

Well, you're right. You only need one great single to be the most important band of the last 30 years. That single would probably by "Rebel Without a Pause". But Kraftwerk were an influence on that.

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 18:59 (twenty years ago)

Give it to the 'werk. Their biggest period of influence was during the fallow years.

― everything, Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:00 (twenty years ago)

What hiphopper has lasted 12 years???

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:00 (twenty years ago)

Now this is coming from someone who has a copy of Trans-Europe Express lovingly displayed on his living room wall: You have got to be fucking kidding me.

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:02 (twenty years ago)

xp Maxwell: here's a hint -- he likes weed and Eminem's popularity is somewhat his fault

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:02 (twenty years ago)

LL, Eric Sermon, Kool Keith off the top of my head. Not that it matters.

― oops (Oops), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:03 (twenty years ago)

I wouldn't laugh if someone said Michael Jackson (though it's not obvious how you'd connect him to hip-hop).

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:03 (twenty years ago)

http://www.chineseamericanprincess.com/pics/drepeeps.jpg

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:03 (twenty years ago)

Hiphop was a slow evolution. No one invented it. Is Snoop the answer? Perhaps. LL, Eric Sermon, Kool Keith? You want to nominate them?

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:05 (twenty years ago)

What about Prince? Nirvana? REM? Fuck Kraftwerk. As Eminem said, nobody listenst to techno.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:06 (twenty years ago)

Dance music was a slow evolution. Is Daft Punk the answer? Perhaps. Aphex Twin, Cybotron, Orbital? You want to nominate them?

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:06 (twenty years ago)

I suppose one could argue that Jackson was important in breaking down racial barriers on the pop charts, which helped pave the way for hip-hop's later success. He also helped to cement the importance of the music video.

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:07 (twenty years ago)

xpost: you have swiss cheese for brains, childe.

― Old School (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:07 (twenty years ago)

Can I say Prince instead?

haha xposts

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:07 (twenty years ago)

I suppose if we need a figurehead, Run-D.M.C. -- who were easily the gateway to hip-hop for most Americans outside NYC.

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:08 (twenty years ago)

Haha Old School, that xp could be about anyone

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:08 (twenty years ago)

RAMONES, you dolts.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:08 (twenty years ago)

Correction: U2 is the most self-important band of the last 30 years.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:09 (twenty years ago)

Kraftwerk is directly responsible for a brief strain of rap music, maybe, from 1982-1985

no way- just look at Missy's Lose Control to see their are obvious Kraftwerk (in that case via Cybotron) influences happening. But I'd be even more expansive to give Kraftwerk a great deal of credit for more then that.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:10 (twenty years ago)

Best hip-hop records of last 30 years: Rick Rubin

― Confounded (Confounded), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:11 (twenty years ago)

"of last 30 years" heh

― Confounded (Confounded), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:11 (twenty years ago)

"Lose Control" isn't widely representative of how rap sounds now -- well, fuck, wait, I just remembered what crunk sounds like. I guess that's Kraftwerk's fault, too. Goddammit.

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:11 (twenty years ago)

Basically DV, I'm waiting for your nomination. I say Kraftwerk, and there are myraid refutation to that, as there are to anyone.

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:11 (twenty years ago)

Is this the worst thread of the past 30 years yet?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:11 (twenty years ago)

Madonna?

― M. V. (M.V.), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:11 (twenty years ago)

How are we defining "important"? The same way we usually define "influence"?

I was just thinking that, with all the extra-curricular stuff he's done, Peter Gabriel might be a pretty good candidate, as might David Byrne if most Luaka Bop stuff wasn't retarded.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:12 (twenty years ago)

I'm sorry I got involved. ABORT THREAD!!

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:13 (twenty years ago)

Again, I like the Ramones, but I would not feel crushed in the least if bands that sounded like them ceased to exist after 1985.

xp: like I said (albeit with probably-incorrect punctuation): Run DMC.

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:13 (twenty years ago)

If it makes anyone feel better, I'd put Kraftwerk and Moroder in a tie for 2nd.

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

I nominate Mayo Thompson.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

Obviously the correct answer is Jean-Michel Jarre.

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

Run DMC is a defendable answer, but I had thought their influence was mostly in terms or mass recognition and popularization. Those are not the most valuable things, I think, in the long term.

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

I'm willing to take Madonna more seriously as an answer than a lot of others mentioned on this thread if only for her impact on what a Huge Pop Star could get away with.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

RUNDMC brought hiphop to a lot of people who only sort of cared.

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:16 (twenty years ago)

(And Prince/Jackson tied for third. And the Ramones top ten, though seriously, fuck Screeching Weasel.)

(xp)

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:16 (twenty years ago)

Roxy Music

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:17 (twenty years ago)

Again, I like the Ramones, but I would not feel crushed in the least if bands that sounded like them ceased to exist after 1985.

Without the Ramones = no Clash, no `Pistols, no hardcore, no Oi, no Punk, no Hardcore, no Post-Punk, no fucking U2, no "alternative", no Grunge, no Nirvana, etc. etc. etc.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:19 (twenty years ago)

that xp could be about anyone
indeed. nobody listens to eminem.

― Old School (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:20 (twenty years ago)

The Pistols were doing fine and progressing rapidly when "Blitzkrieg Bop" came out.

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:20 (twenty years ago)

You think Kraftwerk created techno overnight out of thin air or something?

― oops (Oops), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:21 (twenty years ago)

So it's settled: Diplo

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:21 (twenty years ago)

'Werk's influence on techno/house vs. RunDMC's influence on rap? No contest.

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:22 (twenty years ago)

Grunge aside, most of that stuff went roughly downhill by the end of the '80s. Hip-hop's outlasted punk in terms of commercial impact, cultural impact and creativity. ("No fucking U2" and -- Nirvana and maybe Mudhoney aside -- "no grunge" are really not arguments that'll have me shaking my head rapidly and gasping "by god you're right".)

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:22 (twenty years ago)

but you miss the point re: Kraftwerk's influence on rap. and pop. and new wave. and a thousand other micro-genres that aren't techno or house.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:23 (twenty years ago)

Those are a very, very rich frosting on the cake.

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:23 (twenty years ago)

I thought you were arguing against kraftwerk there.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:27 (twenty years ago)

The influence of Kraftwerk on hip hop is one of the more overstated, misdirected contentions in music history.
I'd have a problem with just about any nominee for this. It's a dumb question and a simplistic, biased way to view things. Good for selling magazines and not much else..

― oops (Oops), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:27 (twenty years ago)

So, hip-hop didn't influence new wave (see: Blondie/Tom Tom Club), pop (see: every R&B artist of the last 10 years), and techno/house (see: Chemical Brothers and big beat? And jungle? And COUNTRY? We've got a Big & Rich but I don't think we have anyone doing some sort of robot cowboy thing unless you count Neil Young's Trans.

I mean, shit, I'll grant that it's a pretty close call, but The Tenuously-Attributed Inventor and/or Popularizer of Rap has to come out by almost every standard.

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:29 (twenty years ago)

come out on top, I mean. DAMN IT CANADA WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO US

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:29 (twenty years ago)

I don't know, I hear Kraftwerk in lots of hip-hop, especially when so much hip-hop seems to draw on bass/electro, which is Kraftwerk by proxy. I'd say the Golden Era has the least Kraftwerk influence though, with the reliance on sampling. As much or more credit to dancehall, I suppose, but I'd rather overstate the influence then understate.

Hip Hop did not influence new wave to the degree that Kraftwerk or say, Roxy Music did.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:32 (twenty years ago)

George Clinton and Kraftwerk getting together inna elevator, bitches.

― Old School (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:34 (twenty years ago)

Wait, James Brown released some albums in the past 30 years, right? HE WINS. LOCK THREAD.

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:34 (twenty years ago)

moroder must've been taking the escalator.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:35 (twenty years ago)

Holy shit, a lot of replies.

The more I think about this, the more I think Oops is right. For a whole host of reasons, it's a dumb question. If it annoyed anyone, I apologize. I'm new to this ILM thing.

The main thing I was wondering in asking this was whether I was missing anyone as a sort of "clear" or "obvious" choice. Turns out I wasn't.

― Jack L., Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:35 (twenty years ago)

J Brown's vital period wuz pre 76

― Old School (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:38 (twenty years ago)

Next thread: Which religion is the one true faith?

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:38 (twenty years ago)

if u open it up to last 35 years, David Bowie and James Brown getting together in an elevator seems the proper mode of transport.

― Old School (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:39 (twenty years ago)

Haha, they'd come to blows over that whole "Fame"/"Hot (I Need to be Loved, Loved, Loved)" thing. Carlos Alomar would have to pull 'em apart.

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:41 (twenty years ago)

I think there's a tendency to overrate the importance of Kraftwerk by giving them credit for every time an artist or band uses a blippy futuristic sound in one of their songs. These sounds existed before Kraftwerk - they are a natural by-product of the technology. Now perhaps Kraftwerk were one of the early & recognizable faces of that sound - and a convenient touchstone in that they embraced that sound and made it part of their image - but I think it's overly generous to think those sounds wouldn't have happened without them.

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:43 (twenty years ago)

Hip-hop's outlasted punk in terms of commercial impact, cultural impact and creativity.

Oh please. Hip Hop ran out of things to say about a decade ago.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:43 (twenty years ago)

xpost: BOWIE caught in actually being the originator for once SHOCKAH

― Old School (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:44 (twenty years ago)

Last 20 years, yeah, probably someone in hip-hop.

Last 35 years, there are a few dozen potential nominees in the first 12 years of that period, and fewer than a handful who match up since, to my ears.

― I.M. (I.M.), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:44 (twenty years ago)

my thoughts exactly, o.nate.

― oops (Oops), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:46 (twenty years ago)

Oh please. Hip Hop ran out of things to say about a decade ago.

I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's home to me and I walk alone

I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
and I'm the only one and I walk alone

I walk alone
I walk alone

I walk alone
I walk a...

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone

Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Aaah-ah,
Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah

I'm walking down the line
That divides me somewhere in my mind
On the border line
Of the edge and where I walk alone

Read between the lines
What's fucked up and everything's alright
Check my vital signs
To know I'm still alive and I walk alone

I walk alone
I walk alone

I walk alone
I walk a...

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone

Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Aaah-ah
Ah-ah, Ah-ah

I walk alone
I walk a...

I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk a...

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone...

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:46 (twenty years ago)

Don't you see how easy it is to say "someone in hip-hop" and think you have a good answer when you really have none?

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:46 (twenty years ago)

Kool Herc. There. OK? Shit.

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:48 (twenty years ago)

Though neither an artist nor band as such, this man was as important to the development of music in the last 30 years as Kraftwerk:

http://www.seamusonline.org/Robert_Moog.jpg

xpost: thanks, oops

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:48 (twenty years ago)

errr, public enemy?

― chris andrews (fraew), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:48 (twenty years ago)

The answer is obviously U2!

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:50 (twenty years ago)

:'(

― disco violence (disco violence), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:50 (twenty years ago)

These sounds existed before Kraftwerk - they are a natural by-product of the technology.

I'd never argue that electronics didn't exist, and wouldn't even argue that they didn't exist in a pop context, everything from the Silver Apples to "Popcorn" show that, but its the entire aesthethic and philosophy. And within the reinventions, their influence. They weren't the first to mix disco and electronics, or funk and electronics, but Trans-Europe Express, Numbers/Computer World and Tour De France alone have entire genres built on a single song.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:51 (twenty years ago)

Richard Hell.

― A|ex P@reene (Pareene), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:54 (twenty years ago)

The man tore his t-shirts, people.

― A|ex P@reene (Pareene), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:55 (twenty years ago)

Influencing ummm...Right Said Fred?

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:56 (twenty years ago)

well 'blank generation' IS one of the best records of all time (and in my opinion, better than 'marque moon'), but it think that's probably pushing it

― chris andrews (fraew), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:56 (twenty years ago)

Though making it a mesh muscle shirt was a clear innovation.

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:57 (twenty years ago)

along with Moog: Tadao Kikumoto, creator of the 909 and 303

― oops (Oops), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:58 (twenty years ago)

WHO INVENTED MUSIC?

― Old School (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 20:00 (twenty years ago)

CHUCK BERRY

― A|ex P@reene (Pareene), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 20:03 (twenty years ago)

ihttp://www.sugarbushsquirrel.com/642346.html

The beatnuts, obviously.

― deej.., Tuesday, 13 September 2005 20:03 (twenty years ago)

oops.
http://www.effedi-prod.ch/mediac/400_0/media/beatnuts~pix.jpg

― deej.., Tuesday, 13 September 2005 20:05 (twenty years ago)

The contribution Kraftwerk has made to hip-hop, R&B etc is not just restricted to a bunch of the old-skool crews rapping over Trans-Europe Express and everyone ever since using things that go "bleep". Every individual sound on those 70's albums is sculpted and manipulated as part of the composition process, rather than being written for playing on existing instruments. This way the themes and emotions of the music is strongly conveyed not just through the lyrics (which can be pretty throwaway) but through the whole vibe of the song. This is Kraftwerk's principle contribution to techno, hip-hop, R&B etc.

― everything, Tuesday, 13 September 2005 20:08 (twenty years ago)

WHEN I POP THE TRUNK
HIT THE DECK
http://www.penaltyrecordings.com/images/photo2.jpg

― deej.., Tuesday, 13 September 2005 20:08 (twenty years ago)

I judge by the lack of responses that you are all cowering under the weight of my perfect summation of the past 30 years of music history.

― deej.., Tuesday, 13 September 2005 20:17 (twenty years ago)

I agree with Michael Jackson as far as being a very successful black pop artist and creating a sort of pop niche. I think a lot of what I consider Top 40 Pop today in some way can be traced back to MJ. Though maybe influence on the Top 40 is beside the point, but I doubt it.

― Dave Maher (Dave M), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 20:19 (twenty years ago)

James Brown + Disco = MJ

― everything, Tuesday, 13 September 2005 20:21 (twenty years ago)

Fair enough.

― Different Cinematography (Dave M), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 20:31 (twenty years ago)

There were lots of successful black pop artists before MJ - I know he always portrays himself as some trailblazing figure in his documentaries/bios, but that should be taken with as many grains of salt as Vanilla Ice's claim that he is responsible for bringing hiphop to the charts again.

― Siegbran (eofor), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 20:53 (twenty years ago)

Why quote Green Day at me? Did I hold them up as some sort've paradigm?

They still have more to say than the Ying Yang Twins, though.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 22:06 (twenty years ago)

hip hop IS popular music today. the majority of young kids i know- they listen to hip hop. i mean, punk went through its "second coming" like 15 years ago. its not like its bringing any new ideas to the form. alternative, indie- these forms are all about rehashing the ideas of 40 years ago. i'm a big electronic music fan myself, but i don't think like it's a form that's got its due yet. props for at least a mention to cybotron though. daft punk? as if. my nomination goes to chic. disco was a radical step forward for music which was emulated by african-americans, caucasians, everyone. sure, it was played out...but we're still hearing it, to this day.

― viborgu, Tuesday, 13 September 2005 23:11 (twenty years ago)

http://www.nolifetilmetal.com/images/stevenrundmc.jpg

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 23:15 (twenty years ago)

They still have more to say than the Ying Yang Twins, though.

Wait 'til you see Mike Dirnt.

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 23:20 (twenty years ago)

Was the musical future specifically predicted by Kraftwerk and James Brown?

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 23:26 (twenty years ago)

Sex Pistols

― Burr (Burr), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 00:52 (twenty years ago)

The most self-important band of the past blahblah is indeed U2 !

And, Viborgu OTM : Nile Rodgers/Chic, counting what Nile did for Madonna/Diana/Bowie/Duran Duran etc etc.

― blunt (blunt), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 01:23 (twenty years ago)

quoting Green Day

"For some young people, their first experience ever hearing punk rock music was playing the Green Bay Packers on Madden." - Billie Joe Armstrong

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 01:42 (twenty years ago)

NWA

― internet comedy novice (Matt Chesnut), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 01:49 (twenty years ago)

Lets assume there are three signifciant trends in music over the last 30 years, which seems would fit into the ILM mindset:

- Punk, and everything that came after it
- Hip hop and everything that came after it
- House, and everything that came after it

obviously these were all influencesd by a number of players:

Punk - ramones, NY dolls, Bowie, Roxy, etc...
Hip Hop - Herc, Grandmaster F, James Brown, G Clinton, etc..
House - Disco (American and Euro), Kraftwerk, etc...

So my point is, house has the the strongest single influence in the form of Kraftwerk, whereas the other 2 have a wider variety of influences and therefore are harder to pin down 1 single player.

Of course, its a silly question, but that never stopped this type of debate before..

And the 'nobody listens to techno' argument is only valid in the US - in Europe, house/techno had a bigger influence than hip hop

― Robin Goad (rgoad), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 10:19 (twenty years ago)

Hip-hop 2005: BIGGEST GENRE IN THE WORLD
Did you want to write Los Angeles?

― zeus, Wednesday, 14 September 2005 10:50 (twenty years ago)

Let's see that's 75on...

Beat Happening

― csd, Wednesday, 14 September 2005 20:02 (twenty years ago)

seven months pass...

Kraftwerk started in the late 1960's. They put out an album under a different band name called "Tone Float." Then Ralf and Florian left that band and formed Kraftwerk. In 1971 Kraftwerk 1 was realeased. In 1972 Kraftwerk 2 was realeased. Both of those albums sound NOTHING like the way they sound today. The first one didn't have any synths, and the second one was the first commercial album to use a drum machine. But it was all early early early experimental stuff. They were part of the original SYNTH movement, not the techno movement. Over time they made what is now techno. They didn't start out as robots, they turned into robots later.

I would have to say kraftwerk. They're one of the first bands to use synths for stuff that wasn't classical. And now, everyone uses synths...

BTW: Early kraftwerk is awesome.

-Roy.

― roytron, Thursday, 27 April 2006 20:29 (nineteen years ago)

No mention of Can? Are you people out of your cottonpickin' minds?! Was there any great band from '77-'83 who weren't influenced by them?

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Thursday, 27 April 2006 20:38 (nineteen years ago)

AC/DC close 2nd.

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Thursday, 27 April 2006 20:39 (nineteen years ago)

dave matthews band, judging by thread-length

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 27 April 2006 20:54 (nineteen years ago)

The Beatles

― J.W. (musically), Thursday, 27 April 2006 21:06 (nineteen years ago)

Whoever the first to really nail the elevator/soft rock sound...

― QuantumNoise (Justin Farrar), Thursday, 27 April 2006 21:16 (nineteen years ago)

Air Supply vs REO Speedwagon

― viborgu, Thursday, 27 April 2006 22:28 (nineteen years ago)

dave matthews band, judging by thread-length
-- latebloomer (posercore24...), Today 2:54 PM. (latebloomer)

or Momus, judging by threads.

― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Thursday, 27 April 2006 22:34 (nineteen years ago)

air supply!

― QuantumNoise (Justin Farrar), Thursday, 27 April 2006 22:43 (nineteen years ago)

I think Kraftwerk's a pretty perfect answer, with Run-DMC also being pretty accurate too. Really, I don't see how this can be gauged without letting personal preference get in the way a little.

― Harrison Barr (Petar), Friday, 28 April 2006 01:37 (nineteen years ago)

Boney M!

― Rodney's motives are beyond the comprehension of men (R. J. Greene), Friday, 28 April 2006 04:28 (nineteen years ago)

Kool G Rap

― Siah Alan (Siah Alan), Friday, 28 April 2006 07:53 (nineteen years ago)

I'd stick it in for kraftwerk for introducing programming to pop which before they existed was pretty much the confines of purely experimental music and done with little aesthetic regard. whereas now there are fairly few commercial pop records without some sort of carefully assembled programmed sounds as the basis. they're closely followed by nile rodgers/bernard edwards for their influence on pop songwriting and dancefloor structure. off the top of my head I can't think of another production/songwriting team from the disco era who were the primary musicians as well. all other extended mixes seemed to be re-edits. they released extended dancefloor jams which they actually wrote from scratch for the disco.

― simon 803 (simon 803), Friday, 28 April 2006 08:25 (nineteen years ago)

I'd have to say Grandmaster Flash & Afrika Bambaataa & their various rappers - they brought everything together in a way that influenced everything that came after. Sure, they didn't invent a lot of the stuff they became famous for: Herc pioneered DJing, Grand Wizard Theodore invented scratching, Kraftwerk presaged electro, The Furious Five weren't the first rappers, etc. But Bam and Flash (and Melle Mel, Soul Sonic Force, etc.) made all that stuff add up in a way that still resonates today. Surely the music of last 30 years is more about synthesis than uniqueness?

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Friday, 28 April 2006 16:28 (nineteen years ago)

I think it is hardly to list just one act the way you may with The Beatles and Elvis for the time before 1970.

Kraftwerk has been an important influence on techno, synthpop and some new wave/new romantics, but hardly on anything else (like, for instance, U2)

James Brown has been an important influence on funk, disco and hip-hop, but hardly on any "white" music.

If there is one natural act to name, then it would be David Bowie, but even his influence seems rather irrelevant on today's music.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 28 April 2006 17:21 (nineteen years ago)

I'd have to say Grandmaster Flash & Afrika Bambaataa & their various rappers - they brought everything together in a way that influenced everything that came after

Exactly how are the following acts influenced by rap:

Nirvana
Pearl Jam
Oasis
Britpop-era Blur
Pulp
Travis
Coldplay
Keane
Franz Ferdinand
Arctic Monkeys

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 28 April 2006 17:22 (nineteen years ago)

Keane's got mad flowz

― Mr. Silverback (Mr. Silverback), Friday, 28 April 2006 18:13 (nineteen years ago)

I think that Geir and Disco Violence should be locked in an elevator and forced to make out.

― js (honestengine), Friday, 28 April 2006 18:37 (nineteen years ago)

bowling for soup WHAT

― ath (ath), Friday, 28 April 2006 18:38 (nineteen years ago)

I think it is hardly to list just one act the way you may with The Beatles and Elvis for the time before 1970.

The question is loaded in the first place; thrity is an arbitrary number of years. Had they said 40 years, then we all know who the candidates would have been: Beatles, Dylan, James Brown. The question implies broad, popular influence. Anthem creation. Springsteen was the last artist who strived for and was groomed for all that. But it becomes impossible as pop starts endlessly subdiving into generes in the mid-seventies. The acts that come closest in my mind, The Clash and Public Enemy, didn't hold it together very long. They've got legacies built on just a few albums spread over about 4 years. But the real subtext of the question is "Why hasn't there been another Beatles in the last 30 years? Cause I can't relate to anything after 1975..."

― bendy (bendy), Friday, 28 April 2006 20:15 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.sociology.mmu.ac.uk/graphics/driftnet13.jpg

― Washable School Paste (sexyDancer), Friday, 28 April 2006 20:27 (nineteen years ago)

I think Madonna is the answer to, and negation of what David Bowie stood for.

― fandango (fandango), Friday, 28 April 2006 20:30 (nineteen years ago)

I think Madonna and Bowie are cut from the same (excellent) cloth. The times in which they emerged makes it seem like they stand for different things.

― bendy (bendy), Friday, 28 April 2006 20:38 (nineteen years ago)

I haven't thought this through enough to prevent a mauling by popists so... I'm just going to agree (I sort of do, but not 100%).

― fandango (fandango), Friday, 28 April 2006 20:54 (nineteen years ago)

Geir, you are aware that the Arctic Monkeys repeatedly talk in interviews about the influence British rap has had on their music, and t o be honest, if you can't hear the Skinnyman/Jehst stuff going on in there, you probably shouldn't be writing about music.

"; )"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 28 April 2006 21:17 (nineteen years ago)

I DOWNLOADED 36 CHAMBERS OFF GEIR ON SLSK

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 28 April 2006 21:26 (nineteen years ago)

Geir Hongro: "Leave in a hearse? He did worse"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 28 April 2006 21:33 (nineteen years ago)

The acts that come closest in my mind, The Clash and Public Enemy, didn't hold it together very long.

And Public Enemy influenced just one genre.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 28 April 2006 21:33 (nineteen years ago)

Well, maybe two if you count contemporary R&B as a genre of its own.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 28 April 2006 21:34 (nineteen years ago)

With Stones it is the pre-"Aftermath" period and 1967 that are controversial. Who likes the former usually will not like the latter and the other way round.
In the case of their "classic" 1968-1972 output plus "Aftermath" there will not be a lot of disagreement other than dedicated Stones-hated (plus personally I find "Exile..." overrated). In the case of 1973 onwards I think most people agree that, with the exception of the odd track and maybe odd album, the quality is considerably lower.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 28 April 2006 21:37 (nineteen years ago)

Oops. Wrong thread

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 28 April 2006 21:37 (nineteen years ago)

why havent we talked more about madonna?

― anthony easton (anthony), Friday, 28 April 2006 22:26 (nineteen years ago)

I liked the idea of kraftwerk, until I noticed that Stockhausen fell under the 30 year umbrella. Espically if you listen to kraftwerks first album you could totally show that kraftwerk wouldn't be around if it wasn't for tape / synth experimenters, and stockhausen is arguearbly the most important of them.

― andrew b (klik99), Friday, 28 April 2006 22:37 (nineteen years ago)

Anthony OTM. As a matter of fact, I would count Madonna as the most influential act, at least of the past 20 years.

I mean, just look at the amount of female singers in the hitlists from the 50s until the mid 80s, compare it to the amount today, and note how quickly the amount increased during the mid to late 80s.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 28 April 2006 23:37 (nineteen years ago)

I would still say Kraftwerk brought Stockhausen's ideas into popular music. The same way Procol Harum wrote themselves into rock history by bringing old classical musical ideas into popular music. So Kraftwerk are important.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 28 April 2006 23:53 (nineteen years ago)

Which ideas of Stockhausen's did they bring into popular music?

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 28 April 2006 23:54 (nineteen years ago)

Using electronics for starters.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 28 April 2006 23:54 (nineteen years ago)

I'm glad that Stockhausen had that idea. Otherwise, where would we be?

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 28 April 2006 23:58 (nineteen years ago)

please dont be so snarky tim (although that was a funny comment) have you heard kraftwerks first album? The idea of exploring the relationships of noises, and the music concrete ideas of bring sounds of life into music.

Kraftwerk, in their early and pop stuff, were all about being the folk musicians of industrial society. You know like, folk musicians used whatever instruments they had around them and could make easily and kraftwerk used that to be the new generation of folk, which paved the way for hip hop being such a populist music. It's an intresting evolution of musical ideas.

― andrew b (klik99), Saturday, 29 April 2006 00:04 (nineteen years ago)

Aside from using electronics, there wasn't a lot of Stockhausen left by the time of the "Autobahn" album though.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 29 April 2006 00:05 (nineteen years ago)

The thing is, there were tons of artists/bands coming out of rock music that were interested in musique concrete and whatnot. If Kraftwerk had not become huge later on, nobody would be making grand statements about how "Kraftwerk brought Stockhausen's ideas into popular music" (based merely on the fact that they were an experimental group early on). They would just be another of the hundreds of artists/bands who had an interest in contemporary modern electronic music.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Saturday, 29 April 2006 00:25 (nineteen years ago)

And I apologize for snarkiness.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Saturday, 29 April 2006 00:26 (nineteen years ago)

ergo, more need to nominate stockhausen as most important artist of the last 30 years!

That is true about kraftwerk, they didn't nessicarly influence a lot of people more than just showing that it's possible, and it was enevitably going to happen / was happening already.

of course probably in 200 years there will be someone who is discovered that only recorded in his basement and never played his music to anyone and will be the most important artist of our time to them.

― andrew b (klik99), Saturday, 29 April 2006 00:31 (nineteen years ago)

If we're going to pick a hip hop artist then Rakim is the most influential by far. Vocal stylings on all coasts still owe debts to him.

― ramon fernandez (ramon fernandez), Saturday, 29 April 2006 04:28 (nineteen years ago)

Surely Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five would take precedent waaaay ahead of Rakim. Influencing vocal technique in one genre hardly makes you the most important artist of a 30 year period.

― Rodney's motives are beyond the comprehension of men (R. J. Greene), Saturday, 29 April 2006 08:05 (nineteen years ago)

My point was that Flash and Bam et al brought about this sort of "use whatever ingredients you've got at hand" thing to populat music, and that has been sort of the definitive thing in music ever since, beyond rap. Maybe they didn't influence some of the more straight rockers mentioned by Geir, but I don't thing rock has been that important during the last 15 years or so.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Saturday, 29 April 2006 08:13 (nineteen years ago)

I've just decided to change my answer to brian eno.
my reasoning is thus:
popularised the idea of the studio and recording technology as an instrument which was in effect a precursor to (though admittedly not a direct influence on) hip hop and electronic music. so that can be that strand of the above argument tied in.

had a hand in the popularisation of african music (through talking heads and the eno/byrne album) which led to the world music vibe of the early and mid 80s. the heavy sampling of eastern sources on my life in the bush of ghosts could also be seen as an influence on the same sources being used in hip hop.

worked on the bowie albums which were ultimately responsible for new romantic in the 80s.

was heavily involved in u2 albums up to the point when they were still relevant (and to a lesser extent beyond) which ties in the overblown coldplay aesthetic...

championing of no wave and compiler of it's defining compilation.

windows opening sound.

I feel I should mention muzak as a negative influence he has had but it's still been an influence...

― simon 803 (simon 803), Saturday, 29 April 2006 19:36 (nineteen years ago)

Seriously, how about New Kids On The Block?

Sure, I know teenyboppers existed before them too, but NKOTB represented the start of a trend where managers would arrange auditions and then put together a band of good looking boys based just as much on looks, charisma and dancing skills as on actual musical talent. Without NKOTB, there would have been no Take That, no East 17, no Backstreet Boys, no Boyzone, no *N'Sync, no Westlife, no Blue, and probably no Spice Girls either.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 29 April 2006 20:26 (nineteen years ago)

"Surely Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five would take precedent waaaay ahead of Rakim. Influencing vocal technique in one genre hardly makes you the most important artist of a 30 year period."

This makes certain assumptions I don't necessarily buy. ILMers tend to elevate production over vocals, but it was 'vocal technique' moreso than scratching or sampling that made hip hop into the world's number one genre. GM Flash is certainly respected, but hardly all that influential anymore, while Rakim is constantly cited by current rappers as their main influence and as the GOAT MC. Listen to how rap sounded before and after Paid in Full. That may not make him the most important artist of the past 30 years, but, as I said, if Hip Hop is the defining genre of those decades (obviously not everyone agrees on this) then Rakim is a better choice to represent it than, say, Run DMC.

― ramon fernandez (ramon fernandez), Sunday, 30 April 2006 04:14 (nineteen years ago)

1st level

Ramones
Kraftwerk
Public Enemy

2nd level

Prefab Sprout
My Bloody Valentine
Neil Young

― antonio, Sunday, 30 April 2006 04:36 (nineteen years ago)

Hmm, do you really think so? I'd say it is more likely hip hop's production techniques that have made it the number one genre in the world, especially in non-English speaking countries where people don't pay as much attention to the lyrics. How else would you explain that the hip hop sound has spreaded over to other genres that aren't based on rapping? Also, I'd say one more reason to hip hop's worldwide success is the whole idea of it, it's seeming easiness, i.e. you don't need that much traditonal musical knowledge or technique to produce rap, which is why in so many local scenes (like in Finland) it still is a medium of the lower classes. But this (which in the end might be the socially most important aspect of hip hop) is also something that was brought about by the old school pioneers. I don't want to put production above vocals, but I think it's different to say Rakim has been quoted as an influence by current rappers than to say he's more important than Bambaataa or Flash or the Furious five - sure he's better remembered today, but without Bam or Flash or Melle Mel there is no Rakim.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Sunday, 30 April 2006 08:24 (nineteen years ago)

Good points, but there is the fact that, yes, hip hop production has spread worldwide because that's the part of hip hop that's easy to duplicate. Until Grime and possibly Reggaeton came along, the struggle has been for any non-US hip hop artist (yes I know most Reggaeton artists are from the US) to come up with a vocal style that wasn't almost completely wack. Even in non-English speaking countries American hip hop is more popular than the native brand mostly because of the US rappers' personas and voices. And in the US, aside from a few big names, producers are only known to the wonkier fans. Yes, its wonderful that Tortoise or whoever uses DJing on their records but I'd like to see them try to rap.

The question though is: are we picking the people who started things, who influenced more artists, or who were the best? DJ Premier may not have invented anything & his style is far from prevelant on the radio today, but I'd pick him as the best hip hop producer.

― ramon fernandez (ramon fernandez), Sunday, 30 April 2006 09:03 (nineteen years ago)

The most important band of the past 30 years are the K-Riggers, who released one album on the Amsect label in 1984, Agents of the K, and two groundbreaking singles. Just because none of you fuckers have ever heard of them, no canadian TV guys have ever heard of them don't matter a bitch. They unarguably are the greatest, no debate possible.

― josef k, Tuesday, 2 May 2006 11:09 (nineteen years ago)

ergo, more need to nominate stockhausen as most important artist of the last 30 years!

But he's been rubbish for the past 30 years

No mention of Can? Are you people out of your cottonpickin' minds?! Was there any great band from '77-'83 who weren't influenced by them?

Ridiculous. It'd be quicker to name the bands that were influenced by them. That is if you could provide an adequate explanation of what you mean by "influenced by" (i.e. not just that they'd owned a few of their records.)

― You'll Never Put a Better Bit of Butter On Your Knife (Dada), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 13:09 (nineteen years ago)

i have a problem with the adjective 'important' being applied to music. You may conduct 'important climate change research,' for instance, but playing your single on TOTP is not really that important, is it? however, appending the word 'self' to it encapsulates U2 perfectly

― dr x o'skeleton, Tuesday, 2 May 2006 13:14 (nineteen years ago)

"And Public Enemy influenced just one genre."

'I'm the epitome/ of Public Enemy...'

(And of course, I'll say that the Beatles only influenced one genre; two if you wanna count pop and rock as separate.)

― js (honestengine), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 14:42 (nineteen years ago)

And of course, I'll say that the Beatles only influenced one genre; two if you wanna count pop and rock as separate

That would be wrong though. For starters, you'd have to ignore Dominican bachata and Cuban songo/timba (or whatever early Los Van Van was doing).

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 15:15 (nineteen years ago)

"Important" can be used internally to a particular discipline, which I think is how it's being used here. Whether or not music is as important as climate change research, some artists are arguably more important within music itself than others are.

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 15:21 (nineteen years ago)

(And I make these points because I'm a little bored.)

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 15:25 (nineteen years ago)

Neil Young.the King.
Especially beacuse of the fact that after almost 40 years, he still makes great records, like "living with war", that young artist should and do admire.
(Greater than the pathetic Stones for sure.)

― no arguement, Tuesday, 2 May 2006 16:18 (nineteen years ago)

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