Music: Who Are Your Top 11 Musicians of All Time?

[Nemesis Prime]

1 - James Hetfield
2 - Mark Tremonti
3 - Eddie Van Halen

The rest in no particular order

Paul Gilbert
Joe Perry
Chris Cornell
Nobuo Uematsu
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Alan Jackson
Matt Heafy

 

[crump]

Django Reinhardt
Charlie Parker
Miles Davis
Jimi Hendrix
Robert Wyatt
Steve Howe
Chet Atkins
John Mclaughlin
Chick Corea
John Coltrane
Mike Oldfield

 

[Elvis P]

I am going with the one I think is the most talented American artist of the last 50 years: Stevie Ray Vaughn, but music is subjective, he was only mentioned once so far in this thread and there are a ton of people that have been that I think couldn't touch him as a musician. Again, only my opinion.

Although I didn't list him, because I was including singing and songwriting, I agree. I have him as one of my top 3 Blues guitarists of all time which is the highest praise I have for any musician.

 

[Pavelski2112]

Chuck Schuldiner
Luc Lemay
Phil Tougas
Mikael Akerfeldt
Nobuo Uematsu
Masami Ueda
Koji Kondo
Masafumi Takada
Shoji Meguro
Shinji Hosoe
David Wise

Dude **** yea

 

[Habsfunk]

I went with individuals only and solely by how much I enjoy how they play their instruments:
- Keith Richards
- Miles Davis
- Eddie Hazel
- Tony Iommi
- Bernie Worrell
- Chuck Berry
- Jerry Lee Lewis
- Neil Young
- Lee Moses
- Dave Shannon (Cheater Slicks)
- Ron Asheton

 

[left hand path]

Django Reinhardt
Charlie Parker
Miles Davis
Jimi Hendrix
Robert Wyatt
Steve Howe
Chet Atkins
John Mclaughlin
Chick Corea
John Coltrane
Mike Oldfield

django is the greatest guitarist of all time imo. just unreal

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Something about Stevie Ray Vaughan's music puts me off. Personally, I've always thought of greatness as having a helluva lot more to do with sense than talent anyways, so a guy being a super physically talented musician doesn't really mean a whole lot to me.

But in a thread for someone's top 11 musicians, being a super physically talented musician might just work in one's favor?

 

[Jacques The Mayor]

No Prince so far? Huh

 

[Babe Ruth]

Elvis Presley..

I like Elvis, he's in my top 11.
Also like, and respect, Glenn Danzig a lot. He did punk, metal, and movie scores/classical arrangements. My opinion, he's been a very prolific, versatile creator.

Ray Manzarek & Jim Morrison (The Doors)
Robert Johnson
Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains)
Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, Audioslave)
Prince
Kurt Cobain
James Hetfield
Greg Ginn (Black Flag)

 

[OzzyFan]

Here are mine and why.

Randy Rhodes. While mostly known as Ozzy's guitarist. Randy also played 12 string acoustic classical music. About a month or so before he died he did a performance where it was just him and his 12 string.

Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart. 40 years of Rush and so many different styles

Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Jeff Beck--I put these guys together in one bunch

Yngwie Malmsteen some of his lesser known stuff is his best

Jimmy Page, Hendrix, Clapton--all belong in the same category

Willie Dixon, BB King, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker--Without those four --most of the guys mentioned above would not have existed

Gatemouth Brown(saw him play when he was 75--still blowing away guys 1/2 his age), Lightening Hopkins. Son House(if you can get his recordings from the 30s/40sthey will blow your socks off. Elmore Lenard.

Robert Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Lead Belly,

those are just the Guitarists--will do other spots later

I'm just curious, when I see a list like this, why didn't you incldue Paul Gilbert or Chris Impellitteri? (obviously in the 2nd group, arguably over Vai/Satriani) I'm just looking for an answer, your opinion is right/fine.

I mean, if we want to talk skill/writing/emotion as purely guitar work, Buckethead always makes my top 10. Any reason for not including him? HM maybe worthy to you?

There's always a lot to debate on pure guitarists lists. lol

 

[daver]

All around musician (singing, songwriting, playing) - Neil Young/Bob Dylan

Best musicians (music writing and playing)- Jimmy Paige/David Gilmour

 

[Shareefruck]

But in a thread for someone's top 11 musicians, being a super physically talented musician might just work in one's favor?

It's a factor, but I don't see it as the defining, or even necessary factor. To me, your standing as a musician depends on how well you contribute to great music and how much good sense/taste/execution you have working towards it, and not raw physical talent/impressiveness, which I see as merely a tool that allows someone to possibly, but not necessarily do that and I don't see as a requirement. I'm always a little weary about considering the ultra-talented guitar-god types as the top musicians of all time, for this reason. I don't know if this is an unpopular opinion, but I've always felt that a person shouldn't get to be considered the top musician of all time unless they've played a part in creating some of the most effective music of all time. I've always felt that Buckethead, for example, is an example of a guy who can pull off incredible feats, but hasn't really made music that's incredible.

I said that in reaction to this, which I took as implying that Stevie Ray Vaughan deserves to be ahead of most of these choices because of his superior talent.

I am going with the one I think is the most talented American artist of the last 50 years:

Stevie Ray Vaughn

but music is subjective, he was only mentioned once so far in this thread and there are a ton of people that have been that I think couldn't touch him as a musician. Again, only my opinion.

Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but that would be my reasoning behind it.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

It's a factor, but I don't see it as the defining, or even necessary factor. To me, your standing as a musician depends on how well you contribute to great music and how much good sense/taste/execution you have working towards it, and not raw physical talent/impressiveness, which I see as merely a tool that allows someone to possibly, but not necessarily do that and I don't see as a requirement. I'm always a little weary about considering the ultra-talented guitar-god types as the top musicians of all time, for this reason. I don't know if this is an unpopular opinion, but I've always felt that a person shouldn't get to be considered the top musician of all time unless they've played a part in creating some of the most effective music of all time. I've always felt that Buckethead, for example, is an example of a guy who can pull off incredible feats, but hasn't really made music that's incredible.

I don't disagree, and thanks for clarifying for me.

I will come back and say, though, that the notion that technically proficient players can't and/or don't also play with taste/soul/etc has been a popular one for as long as I've been reading about music (which is not to say you are specifically suggesting this), and I believe that position to be bunk.

 

[Elvis P]

No Prince so far? Huh

As an all around artist I have him in my top 30. As a guitarist he's in my top 35. I like that Page pic. It looks like his upper and lower body are on a different plane or disconnected.

 

[Shareefruck]

I don't disagree, and thanks for clarifying for me.

I will come back and say, though, that the notion that technically proficient players can't and/or don't also play with taste/soul/etc has been a popular one for as long as I've been reading about music (which is not to say you are specifically suggesting this), and I believe that position to be bunk.

I agree. I don't think that it's a rule that they can't, but my experience has personally been that alot of the ones that don't have some brilliant, revered album (or at least songs) or band that makes great albums attached to their name, and instead seem to be revered mostly for their technical prowess, have a tendency to fall under that category for me. I don't think just a general display of soul and emotion is enough, either, personally.

For the ones who satisfy both, the technical prowess is entirely secondary to me, and is only relevant in so far as the effect that they had on the music (which in theory, could have equally been effective if approached in a way that required less talent). Most of the time, it barely even enters my mind that they have god-like physical gifts. I only care about the role that they had in making the music great.

 

[Ben Matlock]

1. David Bowie
2. Tom Petty
3. Phil Lynott
4. James Honeyman-Scott
5. Mike Campbell
6. Neil Young
7. Roger McGuinn
8. David Gilmour
9. Ric Ocasek
10. Ace Frehley
11. Clem Burke

Hm: Benmont Tench, John Fogerty, Jimi Hendrix, Chrissie Hynde, Benjamin Orr, Mick Ronson etc.

 

[Behn Wilson]

1.Michael Schenker
2.Ritchie Blackmore
3.Dave Mustaine
4.Tony Iommi
5.Alex Skolnick
6.Geezer Butler
7.Cliff Burton
8.John Bonham
9.Jimi Hendrix
10.Jimmy Page
11.Eric Clapton