Ranking greatness, while more often associated in the sports world, has been a preoccupation of other endeavors and music has long been one; Billboard magazine is an example of it. To add to all that Gibson Guitars released on December 12 2010 their selected list of the Top 50 Most Revolutionary Artists of the Past 100 Years.
"In the history of music...there are those who transcended mere greatness to become something even bigger," a Gibson.com press release said in announcing the completed top 50 on Dec. 12, 2010. "These are the game-changers, the ground-breakers, the explorers, the visionaries. These are the artists who took a look at the state of music and wondered, “Why can’t it be this way?” These are the people and the groups who revolutionized music."
Bob Dylan Top Revolutionary Music Artist, Beats Beatles
There is no need for the winners to have played Gibson guitars, or be a guitar player, and the editorial staff, writing staff and readers who voted could also vote for bands. In the number one spot is folk rock singer Bob Dylan, followed in the top ten by The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley, Les Paul, Miles Davis, Chuck Berry, John Coltrane, George Gershwin and Muddy Waters.
Their website includes bios of all artists that made the list and Gibson's says it is "...unfathomable to imagine music without Dylan’s game-changing approach to songwriting." The "poet-laureate" of rock was a maverick and Gibsons points out how Dylan's stream of consciousness manner of putting songs down was something that hadn't been done and which influenced others, including the band in the number two spot, The Beatles.
Ground Breaking Musicians Make List
The Beatles were revolutionary from the the songs they wrote, the melodies and the way they played those songs, right down to their hair and what they wore upon their feet. They lead the British invasion to North America and in the process changed music. Jimi Hendrix went from the U.S. to the U.K. and of him Gibsons says that "...no other guitarist in history has been more copied, emulated, admired and name-checked than Hendrix."
Presley made rock dangerous and Les Paul, among other accomplishments, is credited with creating the electric guitar. The rest of the top ten were all innovators and while some may argue for others to be in that list it's hard to argue that Miles Davis, Chuck Berry, John Coltrane, George Gershwin and the legendary bluesman Muddy Waters from Jugs Corner, Mississippi, were anything but innovative superstars.
List of Revolutionary Music Artists 10-50
The rest of the list includes what you'd expect though some perhaps in a different spot than you may feel they should be. Certainly Frank Zappa (11), David Bowie (13) should be on the list but it's arguable each is ranked high. Is Eddie Van Halen (34) a real revolutionary? Meanwhile Robert Johnson (18), Michael Jackson (33) and Charlie Parker (48) seem low.
Hank Wiiliams is there (12), Brian Wilson (14), Buddy Holly (20), Bob Marley (21), Nirvana, (24), The Sex Pistols (25) and the only solo female, Madonna, at (26) and Jimmy Page at 40 and Louis Armstrong at 45. Some innovators who did not make the list include Pete Townsend, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter Jacobs and Chick Corea.
Most Revolutionary on Gibson List also Popular
In a related story, Bob Dylan is popular with music memorabilia collectors, too. A piece of paper that he wrote the lyrics to The Times They are A-Changin' upon sold last week for $422,500 (a couple from New York he knew years ago did the selling). Making a wad of dough off of rock music doesn't sound too revolutionary, does it?
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