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+--- Thread: The best artist who ever lived? (/showthread.php?tid=5482)
The best artist who ever lived? - Jerome - 05-07-2011
Music Head Wrote:damn!
![[Image: 5.gif]](http://bestsmileys.com/crying/5.gif)
Another classic!
The best artist who ever lived? - gryphon - 05-07-2011
I think I have to disagree SteveO...............I think that music is a communication of emotion, whilst you six points are interesting and maybe intellectually defensible , they are cerebral and good music is not just cerebral it is emotional first and then we think about it. As you say you have seen Macca and Dylan and your emotions told you that Macca was the man................I don't feel that you sat and reasoned it out and then decided!
The best artist who ever lived? - rfleming342 - 05-07-2011
I'd have to say Mr. Billy Joel.
The best artist who ever lived? - SteveO - 05-07-2011
Hi Gryph,
Thanks very much for your critique on my detailed and justified post, I didn't just simply say ....oh the best is Paul McCartney and that's it.... maybe I should have ... lol
I think I thought about it and pondered on it for the last 40 years, seeing McCartney live was the selling point !!! I know what you're saying. Emotionally speaking Bowie has touched me and Leonard Cohen at times ....and countless other artists ! I should have just stated what Jerome said ....I'll pass on this one !!! My music brain changes constantly. At the moment I am listening to all TRAFFIC !!!! I feel like listening to them today !!! Tomorrow it may be Stravinsky ??? Last night I listened to John Lee Hooker. Earlier today it was Bruce Hornsby ! When the dust settles, it's Paul McCartney for me !!!...think about it carefully and long !!!!
I chose McCartney over Dylan, Wonder and Presley because my favorite group overall are the Beatles of which the global populus knows Paul was a member of. Of all the concerts I've seen live in person, McCartney moved me the most emotionally!!! I was doing a critique from an objective viewpoint in hindsight. I used the 6 point guideline to justify being deemed thee "best". It was a RECIPE of sorts to put "teeth" into such a bold statement as the "best". You should backup bold statements like best female singer, rock band, country artist, etc... I guess I looked at it academically for print in an encyclopedia. If it was published in a reputable music publication I don't think they'd say McCartney is the best artist of all time ,,,just because, they'd have some sort of "yardstick " to justify the artist's "best" moniker.
McCartney writes songs and sings them, it adds to my appreciation emotionally of the artist !! in an odd sort of way..but it's my way ! Sorry that's my perception of greatness.... not the "best" ..greatness. I'm sure there are a few members of the Rock Hall of Fame that people wonder about...why are they in there ....just for the numbers or are they worthy of " fame " ?
I don't believe in " THE BEST " in entertainment...music, sports, film, etc. or the arts....sculpture, literature, painting, ballet, plays, etc... The only time I use the word is refering to my wife, ...you're the best wife in the world !!! I can't use the word "favorite " ... lol
Interesting that no one mentioned a female artist !!!!?????
The best artist who ever lived? - jazzboCR - 27-11-2014
SteveO Wrote:Hi Gryph,
Thanks very much for your critique on my detailed and justified post, I didn't just simply say ....oh the best is Paul McCartney and that's it.... maybe I should have ... lol
I think I thought about it and pondered on it for the last 40 years, seeing McCartney live was the selling point !!! I know what you're saying. Emotionally speaking Bowie has touched me and Leonard Cohen at times ....and countless other artists ! I should have just stated what Jerome said ....I'll pass on this one !!! My music brain changes constantly. At the moment I am listening to all TRAFFIC !!!! I feel like listening to them today !!! Tomorrow it may be Stravinsky ??? Last night I listened to John Lee Hooker. Earlier today it was Bruce Hornsby ! When the dust settles, it's Paul McCartney for me !!!...think about it carefully and long !!!!
I chose McCartney over Dylan, Wonder and Presley because my favorite group overall are the Beatles of which the global populus knows Paul was a member of. Of all the concerts I've seen live in person, McCartney moved me the most emotionally!!! I was doing a critique from an objective viewpoint in hindsight. I used the 6 point guideline to justify being deemed thee "best". It was a RECIPE of sorts to put "teeth" into such a bold statement as the "best". You should backup bold statements like best female singer, rock band, country artist, etc... I guess I looked at it academically for print in an encyclopedia. If it was published in a reputable music publication I don't think they'd say McCartney is the best artist of all time ,,,just because, they'd have some sort of "yardstick " to justify the artist's "best" moniker.
McCartney writes songs and sings them, it adds to my appreciation emotionally of the artist !! in an odd sort of way..but it's my way ! Sorry that's my perception of greatness.... not the "best" ..greatness. I'm sure there are a few members of the Rock Hall of Fame that people wonder about...why are they in there ....just for the numbers or are they worthy of " fame " ?
I don't believe in " THE BEST " in entertainment...music, sports, film, etc. or the arts....sculpture, literature, painting, ballet, plays, etc... The only time I use the word is refering to my wife, ...you're the best wife in the world !!! I can't use the word "favorite " ... lol
Interesting that no one mentioned a female artist !!!!?????
You cannot have a "Best" when talking about such disparate artists--even talking about an artist in a limited category (Operatic Tenors) subjects you ridicule and possible fist fight (opera lovers are passionate people). It approaches the silly when talking about such a personally-qualitative subject--who's the best depends on who you are and what you expect/respect/enjoy.
For the record, may I nominate Joan Baez and Janis Ian? I'll let their wikis tell their stories.: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janis_Ian and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Baez << If nothing else, there are a lot of women who went into music because of these 2.
My nominee is Bruce Hornsby with Elvis Costello, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan as close seconds. Coming up on the outside are Leon Russell and Paul MccCartney. The common bond? So good in so many different ways and ceaselessly hunting for ways to extend themselves and their art. Special mention to Ruben Blades on the Latin side.: http://www.latina.com/entertainment/music/best-latin-singers-pop-stars-all-time#43
The best artist who ever lived? - Bob - 27-11-2014
A nearly impossible question to answer because of the many great talents over the history of Music. From Glen Miller to the Beatles. Probably Presley deserves some credit for opening the door to many who followed in rock and roll. Most folks might say there would be no Beetles, Beach Boys or Rolling Stones (etc.) if there was no Elvis to kick that door open for all who followed.
The best artist who ever lived? - Big Ears - 27-11-2014
The Oxford English Dictionary has 'best' as an adjective and adverb, as you would expect, and the definition as '...Of the highest excellence, excelling all others in quality....' On this basis, it is difficult (for me) to choose a musical artist who is definitively the best, although I can choose many who are among the best.
From the above discussion, one of the things that strikes me is that there is a difference between being influential and being the best. Elvis Presley, for example, was a big influence on Lennon and McCartney, but I can take him or leave him. Jimmy Page for argument's sake (really Led Zeppelin), influenced most of my favourite groups, but I would not describe Plant or Zeppelin as the best. Presley in turn was inspired by blues and country musicians, such as Arthur Crudup and Bill Monroe (thank God!).
Being a great musician is often the result of a team effort. McCartney had The Beatles plus Martin, Emerick, Epstein, Linda Eastman and others. Most significant was probably Lennon, who could adjust his songs and vice versa. Nor did The Beatles work in a vacuum, but drew on Fleetwood Mac, The Byrds, The Beach Boys and others. Squire and John Entwistle are the best bassists, and Emerson and Wakeman are the best keyboardists, for my money, but they all are/were in great bands. Without their respective groups no-one would've heard of them.
Jimi Hendrix combines various elements as one of the best rock guitarists. He was fantastically fast, played with feel, was a showman, innovated in the studio, great on record and live, was a multi-instrumentalist and influential, but he was not the best artist for me, because how do you compare him to other instrumentalists (pianists), groups, writers, styles and genres, . . . like The Beatles?
Among the best, because I have lots of bests, often in, or as, groups are: Jimi (guitar), The Beatles (group), Lennon and McCartney (songwriters), John Entwistle (bass), Johnny Cash (singer-songwriter/country/rockabilly), and the list goes on . . .
The best artist who ever lived? - jazzboCR - 27-11-2014
As this is in the General Music Thread: Duke Ellington His piano playing wouldn't qualify him but he hired the best, contracted for or wrote the best and covered every aspect of American non-Classical music including sacred music.
Andre Previn should also be given special consideration (10 Grammys and a Lifetime Achievement Award alone should qualify him).
The best artist who ever lived? - SteveO - 28-11-2014
THE BEATLES
The Beatles were so big that it's hard for people not alive at the time to realize just how big they were. There isn't a real comparison with anyone now. I suppose Michael Jackson at one point, but it still doesn't quite seem the same. They were so big that to be competitive with them was impossible. I'm talking about in record sales and tours and all this. They were huge... They certainly were not a great live band. Maybe they were in the days of the Cavern, when they were coming up as a club band. I'm sure they were hilariously funny and all that. And they did have this really good onstage persona. But as far as the modern-day world, they were not a great performing band. But... (t)hey were the Beatles. They were this forerunning, breakthrough item, and that's hard to overestimate.
- Mick Jagger, 1995
The best artist who ever lived? - James Otto Sweet Heart - 28-11-2014
Male-James Otto
Female-Alison Krauss
God bless you and them always!!!
Holly