*NEW* VH1 100 Greatest Artists of All Time

[Ciccone's Cheeks]

whats troubling is every hot act from today isnt worthy of coming anywhere near that top 20 or top 40 lol. Beyonce, Britney, JT, X-Tina, GaGa are all wannabes of ALL of the TOP 20 - the real legends and innovators. Just shows the contrived, shit for talent thats out there now.

[Ugly Hecty]

What sucks about this list is that a majority of my favourite male artists (or groups) are synth-poppy electronic acts who will most likely be ignored due to this being an uber-macho straight male list. But I shouldn't be surprised, VH1's been like this since the mid-1990's.

Impressive for M being the highest female in a completely testosterone male top 20, proving that not even in 2010, women & men are deemed as equal in music as they should be.

I'm guessing Tina Turner, Janis Joplin, and Aretha are somewhere in the top 40.

[Guest nothingfails0603]

What sucks about this list is that a majority of my favourite male artists (or groups) are synth-poppy electronic acts who will most likely be ignored due to this being an uber-macho straight male list. But I shouldn't be surprised, VH1's been like this since the mid-1990's.

Impressive for M being the highest female in a completely testosterone male top 20, proving that not even in 2010, women & men are deemed as equal in music as they should be.

I'm guessing Tina Turner, Janis Joplin, and Aretha are somewhere in the top 40.

with Queen, Bowie, MJ and Prince all ranking top 20, I don't think it's THAT uber-testosterone. Those are all artists you are called a fag for liking in high school.

[HolidayGuy]

The full list is out. Whitney is at 60 and Mimi Carey at 94- neither made the 1998 list. Journey is right near Mimi- non-critical hits-hits coming together.

Beyonce is at 52.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/michael-jackson-the-beatles-bob-dylan-led-zeppelin-and-the-rolling-stones-top-vh1s-100-greatest-music-artists-of-all-time-list-101454764.html

VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time" List:

TOP 5, IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

1. The Beatles

2. Bob Dylan

3. Michael Jackson

4. Led Zeppelin

5. Rolling Stones

NUMBER 6 – 11, RANKED

6. Jimi Hendrix

7. Prince

8. Elvis Presley

9. James Brown

10. Stevie Wonder

11. Bob Marley

12. David Bowie

13. The Who

14. Nirvana

15. The Beach Boys

16. Madonna

17. Queen

18. Pink Floyd

19. U2

20. Marvin Gaye

21. Bruce Springsteen

22. The Clash

23. AC/DC

24. The Velvet Underground

25. Chuck Berry

26. Neil Young

27. Aretha Franklin

28. Elton John

29. Radiohead

30. Aerosmith

31. John Lennon

32. Black Sabbath

33. Guns N' Roses

34. Tina Turner

35. Johnny Cash

36. Paul McCartney

37. Fleetwood Mac

38. Sly & The Family Stone

39. The Kinks

40. The Police

41. Van Halen

42. Metallica

43. Ray Charles

44. Joni Mitchell

45. Al Green

46. Ramones

47. Jay-Z

48. Rage Against The Machine

49. Parliament-Funkadelic

50. Sade

51. Billy Joel

52. Beyonce

53. Little Richard

54. Public Enemy

55. Peter Gabriel

56. KISS

57. Iggy & The Stooges

58. Cheap Trick

59. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

60. Whitney Houston

61. Cream

62. Genesis

63. Notorious B.I.G.

64. Talking Heads

65. The Doors

66. Justin Timberlake

67. Coldplay

68. Otis Redding

69. Tupac Shakur

70. Def Leppard

71. R.E.M.

72. Janis Joplin

73. Van Morrison

74. The Cure

75. Rush

76. Run-D.M.C.

77. Lynyrd Skynyrd

78. Judas Priest

79. Eminem

80. Mary J. Blige

81. ABBA

82. Steely Dan

83. Earth, Wind and Fire

84. Curtis Mayfield

85. The Band

86. N.W.A.

87. George Michael

88. Bee Gees

89. Beastie Boys

90. Elvis Costello

91. Green Day

92. LL Cool J

93. Pearl Jam

94. Mariah Carey

95. OutKast

96. Journey

97. Pretenders

98. Depeche Mode

99. Hall & Oates

100. Alicia Keys

Tidbit: Contemporary artists like Beyonce, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Eminem, Coldplay and Green Day are in the Top 100. However, current headliners Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Lil' Wayne and The White Stripes failed to make the cut

[Ugly Hecty]

I will never understand why the entire music industry kisses Justin/Beyonce's asses all the time.

Well, atleast Depeche Mode, ABBA, and Sade are in the top 100.

[HolidayGuy]

I went through the 1998 list and this one. Here is the 2010 list, with 1998 rankings in parentheses; if the act didn't place in the 1998 list, a () indicates that.

Non-ranked Top 5

The Beatles (1)

Bob Dylan (5)

Michael Jackson (40)

Led Zeppelin (4)

Rolling Stones (2)

6. Jimi Hendrix (3)

7. Prince (18)

8. Elvis Presley (8)

9. James Brown (6)

10. Stevie Wonder (11)

11. Bob Marley (24)

12. David Bowie (7)

13. The Who (9)

14. Nirvana (42)

15. The Beach Boys (13)

16. Madonna (86)

17. Queen (33)

18. Pink Floyd (19)

19. U2 (29)

20. Marvin Gaye (14)

21. Bruce Springsteen (27)

22. The Clash (31)

23. AC/DC (-)

24. The Velvet Underground (74)

25. Chuck Berry (26)

26. Neil Young (30)

27. Aretha Franklin (21)

28. Elton John (17)

29. Radiohead (-)

30. Aerosmith (79)

31. John Lennon (16)

32. Black Sabbath (-)

33. Guns N' Roses (-)

34. Tina Turner (80)

35. Johnny Cash (89)

36. Paul McCartney (62)

37. Fleetwood Mac (22)

38. Sly & The Family Stone (28)

39. The Kinks (56)

40. The Police (10)

41. Van Halen (48)

42. Metallica (-)

43. Ray Charles (12)

44. Joni Mitchell (32)

45. Al Green (37)

46. Ramones (88)

47. Jay-Z (-)

48. Rage Against The Machine (-)

49. Parliament-Funkadelic (99)

50. Sade (-)

51. Billy Joel (78)

52. Beyonce (-)

53. Little Richard (36)

54. Public Enemy (-)

55. Peter Gabriel (53)

56. KISS (67)

57. Iggy & The Stooges (Iggy Pop- 83)

58. Cheap Trick (-)

59. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (43)

60. Whitney Houston (-)

61. Cream (52)

62. Genesis (-)

63. Notorious B.I.G. (-)

64. Talking Heads (66)

65. The Doors (20)

66. Justin Timberlake (-)

67. Coldplay (-)

68. Otis Redding (35)

69. Tupac Shakur (-)

70. Def Leppard (-)

71. R.E.M. (50)

72. Janis Joplin (42)

73. Van Morrison (25)

74. The Cure (-)

75. Rush (-)

76. Run-D.M.C. (-)

77. Lynyrd Skynyrd (96)

78. Judas Priest (-)

79. Eminem (-)

80. Mary J. Blige (-)

81. ABBA (-)

82. Steely Dan (57)

83. Earth, Wind and Fire (60)

84. Curtis Mayfield (75)

85. The Band (81)

86. N.W.A. (-)

87. George Michael (-)

88. Bee Gees (76)

89. Beastie Boys (-)

90. Elvis Costello (38)

91. Green Day (-)

92. LL Cool J (-)

93. Pearl Jam (-)

94. Mariah Carey (-)

95. OutKast (-)

96. Journey (-)

97. Pretenders (69)

98. Depeche Mode (-)

99. Hall & Oates (-)

100. Alicia Keys (-)

This new list was not kind to Motown and older acts. But, they're surveying music industry people, artists, etc., so it's bound to change.

Acts from the 1998 list who do not appear in the 2010 list (and their 1998 rank):

Eric Clapton (15)

The Eagles (23)

Buddy Holly (34)

Miles Davis (39)

The Jackson 5 (44)

Crosby, Stills and Nash (45)

The Sex Pistols (46)

Creedence Clearwater Revival (47)

Roy Orbison (49)

B.B. King (51)

Grateful Dead (54)

The Byrds (55)

Sam Cooke (58)

Bo Diddley (59)

Smokey Robinson (61)

Sting (63)

Frank Zappa (64)

James Taylor (65)

Allman Brothers (68)

Stevie Ray Vaughan (70)

Rod Stewart (71)

Simon and Garfunkel (72)

Mudy Waters (73)

Devo (82)

T. Rex (84)

Carole King (85)

Santana (87)

Tom Waits (90)

Gladys Knight and the Pips (91)

The Temptations (92)

The Four Tops (93)

Diana Ross and The Supremes (94)

Robert Johnson (95)

Fats Domino (97)

Traffic (98)

Paul Simon (100)

[Guest nothingfails0603]

The new list is a joke designed to rope in younger viewers. Nothing against Beyonce or Justin but seriously top 100 at this point, when Madonna wasn't seen fit to rank higher than #86 15 years into her career? I think she in 1998 had accomplished far more than Beyonce or Justin today.

Exactly how is Beyonce more important than Little Richard, one of the founding fathers of rock music, or The Doors, Tom Petty, etc...? Same with Justin, proving there's life after NSync makes you higher than R.E.M., Janis Joplin, The Cure, Rush...? His first album was all-Pharrell, second all-Timbaland, when he can prove he has this talent without being a producers' butt-boy, then I'll be more convinced he's one of the music gods.

Glad to see Sade and Depeche Mode make the cut this time though.

[Skin]

I dont think the list is bad. For the most part I can say that I least respect most of the names listed, with only a few dumb choices thrown in.

[Guest nothingfails0603]

I dont think the list is bad. For the most part I can say that I least respect most of the names listed, with only a few dumb choices thrown in.

Yea, I don't mind the Justin, Beyonce additions because they are easily two of the most important stars of the past ten years, I just think they rank too comparatively high above legends who have done far more in their careers, especially considering this same list walked on eggshells in 1998 and only put Madonna in at #86 because they weren't sure how she 15 years in truly stacked up with the rest. Beyonce and Justin should've been in the 95-100 range at best IMO.

[HolidayGuy]

^Remember that it's not the same people voting for the list- it's always featuring different contributors.

[Ugly Hecty]

when he can prove he has this talent without being a producers' butt-boy

[Skin]

Yea, I don't mind the Justin, Beyonce additions because they are easily two of the most important stars of the past ten years, I just think they rank too comparatively high above legends who have done far more in their careers, especially considering this same list walked on eggshells in 1998 and only put Madonna in at #86 because they weren't sure how she 15 years in truly stacked up with the rest. Beyonce and Justin should've been in the 95-100 range at best IMO.

I would agree with that. Beyonce and Justin would be a few of the dumb choices I was talking about. And I know she is hailed as being wonderful but I would throw Alicia Keys in with them also just because I think her music sucks.

Ill be nice and let Mariah stay. I can at least admit she has made her mark....Even if it looks like a shit stained skid mark.

[debord]

ONE female in the top 25? What a load of old shit.

[XXL]

Good ranking

: - ))

[lasky]

anybody could tap the madonna section would be great!

[Kyoko]

FYI: This is not some technical billboard chart list with points and rules. It's simply the greatest artists, so you can vote for folks like Beyonce & Michael Jackson while considering their careers as a part of a group. I keep seeing comments all over the web that Beyonce only has 2 or 3 albums. No! She WAS Destiny's child and any critic considering her greatness should take that into consideration.

FTR: I STILL think she's ranked WAY too high.

Where is Janet, Streisand, Diana Ross??????

[Nikki]

Madonna has a respected place there. The first female. I hate how this list is full of testosterone.

Queen deserves to be higher on that list, seriously.

Beach Boys... really?

nirvana has to be one of the most annoying and overrated bands EVER. and yet still,every single year in the most "serious and respected" greatest songlists of all time they make it to the top 10 with their tiresome cheerleader clip.

[Guest]

Shouldn't Mariah, Janet etc... be higher than Beyonce? What has beyonce done thats soo innovative and worthy of such a rank?

[albertogerard]

Beyonce "greater" than Little Richard, The Stooges? WTF ever. Beyonce wouldn't be on this list if she weren't so closely associated with Jay-Z, whom critics adore. Before "Crazy In Love", I can honestly say I was completely indifferent to her. Her being higher than other far more influential acts is laughable. That being said, I'm amazed & thrilled that Madonna is so high, considering this list was made by other artists.

[HolidayGuy]

It's possible some thought of an act's work with a group- but, Paul McCartney and John Lennon have their own entries outside of The Beatles, for example.

Beyonce is a strong overall entertainer/performer. "Crazy in Love" is one of the most ACCLAIMED tracks of the last decade. Also, "Irreplaceable" and "Single Ladies" garnered some, as well. Her albums really haven't been big critical hits, though. In any event, I agree that she's ranked too high.

[Ugly Hecty]

HolidayGuy, you're way too obsessed with the word "ACCLAIMED". Ever heard of liking things for yourself?

[Guest nothingfails0603]

HolidayGuy, you're way too obsessed with the word "ACCLAIMED". Ever heard of liking things for yourself?

I agree

Its a known fact many critics are paid to write glowing reviews anyways. Over on the org (Prince board), they were recently making light of this over a 20 year old Entertainment Weekly review for Prince's "Graffiti Bridge" album that gave it an A+ and said it was the strongest album of his entire career even though the review didn't even name-drop specific songs that made the album superior to Sign O' The Times, Purple Rain and 1999. If it was the greatest thing he recorded to that point, then why 20 years on is Graffiti Bridge seen as one of his first stumbles artistically?

I think personal taste should always matter more than "the correct critical" taste because one is liking what appeals to you and the other is following a bandwagon and liking something because it makes you look cool.

[Niitsitapi]

I think Beyonce is a great performer but even with Destiny's Child she shouldn't be that high on the list. She shouldn't be on the list at all. It's not like Destiny's Child were some groundbreaking group. Say what you want about Janet Jackson but she has made a much bigger impact on music than Beyonce has. And what about Diana Ross? There would be no Beyonce without Diana Ross/Tina Turner.

[Guest nothingfails0603]

I think Beyonce is a great performer but even with Destiny's Child she shouldn't be that high on the list. She shouldn't be on the list at all. It's not like Destiny's Child were some groundbreaking group. Say what you want about Janet Jackson but she has made a much bigger impact on music than Beyonce has. And what about Diana Ross? There would be no Beyonce without Diana Ross/Tina Turner.

this is true. Destiny's Child/Beyonce is really just this generations' Supremes/Diana Ross. She was cast the part in Dreamgirls (which was essentially The Supremes story) for that very reason.

[Ugly Hecty]

Yes, but Diana's solo material far outweighs Beyoyo's duff singles material bar "Crazy In Love".

And I'm including the much maligned "Muscles" in my statement.

[Guest nothingfails0603]

Yes, but Diana's solo material far outweighs Beyoyo's duff singles material bar "Crazy In Love".

And I'm including the much maligned "Muscles" in my statement.

true. I like Beyonce's stuff, but Diana is the muthaphuquin' boss! Her album with Chic towers over anything Beyonce's done thus far IMO.

The Wiz is coming out on Blu-Ray in November

[HolidayGuy]

Where have I ever indicated that I like all ACCLAIMED works? My personal tastes have nothing to do with reporting on a track's acclaim- does that get lost in the translation? If I were to discuss my personal tastes, that's another story. Just because something is ACCLAIMED doesn't mean I'm a big fan of it myself. My tastes- or any other non-critic's- have nothing to do with a track's level of critical acclaim. BTW- it was another poster who "coined putting that word in all caps, as a liht mocking of my following that stuff- I just had no problem with it.

RE "Crazy in Love," I do like it. But, I like "Irreplaceable" better. "Single Ladies"? Totally overrated, IMO. It's not THAT good.

[Guest nothingfails0603]

well, regarding critical acclaim. David Lee Roth said many years ago when critics were always tearing Van Halen apart (and the irony is that 30 years later their first album is now regarded as a classic by those same critics) that critics were so enamored with Elvis Costello because they looked exactly like him

I am interested in reading what critics have to say but don't put all my stock into it. I was watching the documentary on the making of Blade Runner the other night and they talked about how Roger Ebert wrote a scathing review of Blade Runner that likely hurt its potential box office, yet even though it was critically shred in 1982, today it's almost universally regarded as one of the all-time sci-fi greats alongside 2001, Alien and Star Wars, and even Ebert came back to the movie 25 years later and called it a masterpiece. That alone IMO shows the importance of a review because Ebert ripped the movie to shreds and yet today its viewed as one of the ultimate classics in its genre.

[Pera]

She's the only live/relevant act that's still selling a lot of records there (top 20)

[peter]

I am interested in reading what critics have to say but don't put all my stock into it. I was watching the documentary on the making of Blade Runner the other night and they talked about how Roger Ebert wrote a scathing review of Blade Runner that likely hurt its potential box office, yet even though it was critically shred in 1982, today it's almost universally regarded as one of the all-time sci-fi greats alongside 2001, Alien and Star Wars, and even Ebert came back to the movie 25 years later and called it a masterpiece. That alone IMO shows the importance of a review because Ebert ripped the movie to shreds and yet today its viewed as one of the ultimate classics in its genre.

Slightly off-topic here, but ... Yeah, sometimes critics do get things wrong... There's actually a one-page item in this week's Entertainment Weekly that's about what review a couple of their critics would most like to change. One of them said his review of Moulin Rouge -- he gave it a "B-" back in the day; today, he would give it an "A" and it would have been his movie of the year (edging out Memento). He explains what put him off on the first viewing, but... I still don't get how he could have given it a "B-" -- it was a great film. Love it!