A Poll: The Most Famous _______

In My Humble Opinion
1

Please reply to the OP before looking at other responses.

This is less about your own preferences and more about your perception of “What is the Most Famous such-and-such?” How you choose to establish “most famous” is your own affair.

That said, what do you believe is the Most Famous

  1. Painting
  2. Piece of Sculpture
  3. Instance of Classical Architecture
  4. Instance of Medieval Architecture
  5. Instance of Modern Architecture
  6. Piece of “Classical” Music (the genre, not the period)
  7. Piece of Jazz Music
  8. Piece of “Pop” Music
  9. Piece of Rock Music
  10. Piece of Blues Music
  11. Piece of Folk Music (English language)
  12. Piece of Latin Music
  13. Novel
  14. Poem
  15. Movie
  16. Stage Play – Drama
  17. Stage Play – Musical
  18. TV Drama Series
  19. TV Comedy Series
  20. TV News Program

After you’ve answered all 20 and Submitted your answers, go ahead and see how closely your picks are to those of the other Dopers who have replied.

2

1) Painting - The Mona Lisa
2) Piece of Sculpture - I’m going to go with the Venus de Milo
3) Instance of Classical Architecture - Toss up, here, either the Great Pyramids at Giza, or the Parthenon
4) Instance of Medieval Architecture - The Tower of London
5) Instance of Modern Architecture - Gaudi’s Cathedral in Barcelona
6) Piece of “Classical” Music (the genre, not the period) - Bach’s Toccata and Fuge in D Minor
7) Piece of Jazz Music - No Clue - No Credit
8) Piece of “Pop” Music - Michael Jackson’s Thriller
9) Piece of Rock Music - Stairway to Heaven
10) Piece of Blues Music - No Clue - No Credit
11) Piece of Folk Music (English language) - Yankee Doodle
12) Piece of Latin Music - Guantanamera (sp)
13) Novel - Harry Potter
14) Poem - Dulce et Decorum Est
15) Movie - The Godfather
16) Stage Play – Drama - Hamlet
17) Stage Play – Musical - Phantom of the Opera
18) TV Drama Series - No Clue - No Credit
19) TV Comedy Series - I Love Lucy
20) TV News Program - 60 Minutes

3
  1. Painting - Mona Lisa
  2. Piece of Sculpture - Venus de Milo
  3. Instance of Classical Architecture - Acropolis
  4. Instance of Medieval Architecture - Notre Dame Catherdral, Paris
  5. Instance of Modern Architecture - TWC
  6. Piece of “Classical” Music (the genre, not the period) - Beethoven’s 9th Symphony
  7. Piece of Jazz Music - Take Five (Dave Brubeck)
  8. Piece of “Pop” Music - Mack the Knife
  9. Piece of Rock Music - Stairway to Heaven
  10. Piece of Blues Music - Goin’ Down to the Crossroads
  11. Piece of Folk Music (English language) - Blowin’ in the Wind
  12. Piece of Latin Music - La Bamba
  13. Novel - The Three Musketeers
  14. Poem - Leaves of Grass
  15. Movie - Cassablanca
  16. Stage Play – Drama - 12 Angry Men
  17. Stage Play – Musical - Oklahoma
  18. TV Drama Series - Gunsmoke
  19. TV Comedy Series - MASH
  20. TV News Program - 60 minues

Gear idea, it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

4

I’m taking something of an internationalist approach to the concept of “famous”. I haven’t looked at any other responses.

1) Painting
The Mona Lisa

2) Piece of Sculpture
Rodin’s Thinker

3) Instance of Classical Architecture
The Acropolis

4) Instance of Medieval Architecture
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris

5) Instance of Modern Architecture
Empire State Building

6) Piece of “Classical” Music (the genre, not the period)
Beethoven’s 9th

7) Piece of Jazz Music
Take Five, Dave Brubek Five

8) Piece of “Pop” Music
Like a Virgin, Madonna

9) Piece of Rock Music
Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen

10) Piece of Blues Music
Folsom Prison Blues, Johnny Cash

11) Piece of Folk Music (English language)
The Wild Rover

12) Piece of Latin Music
Depending on what you mean by “Latin”:
Overture, Carmina Burana, Carl Orff
or
The Lambada

13) Novel
Great Expectations, Dickens

14) Poem
If, Rudyard Kipling

15) Movie
Titanic (known and seen in the most countries, IMO)

16) Stage Play – Drama
The Mousetrap

17) Stage Play – Musical
Les Miserables

18) TV Drama Series
ER

19) TV Comedy Series
Mr Bean

20) TV News Program
BBC World 24

5

  1. Painting - The Mona Lisa

  2. Piece of Sculpture - Venus de Milo

  3. Instance of Classical Architecture - The Parthenon

  4. Instance of Medieval Architecture - Cologne Cathedral

  5. Instance of Modern Architecture - Empire State Building

  6. Piece of “Classical” Music (the genre, not the period) - Beethoven’s Fifth

  7. Piece of Jazz Music - When the Saints go Marching In

  8. Piece of “Pop” Music - Hey Jude

  9. Piece of Rock Music - Stairway to Heaven

  10. Piece of Blues Music - Mannish Boy

  11. Piece of Folk Music (English language) - Scarborough Fair

  12. Piece of Latin Music - Dies Irae from Mozart’s Requiem

  13. Novel - War and Peace

  14. Poem - To a Mouse

  15. Movie - Gone with the Wind

  16. Stage Play – Drama - Hamlet

  17. Stage Play – Musical - Evita

  18. TV Drama Series - Doctor Who

  19. TV Comedy Series - Fawlty Towers

  20. TV News Program - BBC Six o’clock news

6

1) Painting - The Mona Lisa
2) Piece of Sculpture - Venus de Milo
3) Instance of Classical Architecture - Pyramids
4) Instance of Medieval Architecture - Notre Dame
5) Instance of Modern Architecture - Sydney Opera House
6) Piece of “Classical” Music (the genre, not the period) - Bethoven’s 5th (at least the first 4 notes :wink: )
7) Piece of Jazz Music - Take 5
8) Piece of “Pop” Music - Like a Virgin
9) Piece of Rock Music - I can’t get no satisfaction
10) Piece of Blues Music - Bom Boom Boom Boom
11) Piece of Folk Music (English language) - Scarorough Fair
12) Piece of Latin Music - Girl from Ipanema
13) Novel - 1984
14) Poem - If
15) Movie - Gone with the Wind
16) Stage Play – Drama - Romeo and Juliet
17) Stage Play – Musical - Phantom of the Opera
18) TV Drama Series - ER
19) TV Comedy Series - Monty Python
20) TV News Program - 60 Minutes

7

Oh I see what you mean now - La Bamba, then.

8

I should have been more descriptive of the category. I find it interesting how that’s being interpreted. I really meant the Latin American (Spanish and Portuguese language) genre, but the Classic Latin works as well.

9
  1. Painting - Mona Lisa
  2. Piece of Sculpture - Statue of Liberty
  3. Instance of Classical Architecture - The Parthenon
  4. Instance of Medieval Architecture - St Peter’s, Rome
  5. Instance of Modern Architecture - Sydney Opera House
  6. Piece of “Classical” Music (the genre, not the period) - Beethoven’s 5th Symphony
  7. Piece of Jazz Music - Take Five
  8. Piece of “Pop” Music - Thriller
  9. Piece of Rock Music - Bohemian Rhapsody
  10. Piece of Blues Music - I Just Wanna Make Love To You
  11. Piece of Folk Music (English language) - Scarborough Fair
  12. Piece of Latin Music - Girl From Ipanema
  13. Novel - The Count of Monte Cristo
  14. Poem - If
  15. Movie - Gone with the Wind
  16. Stage Play – Drama - The Mousetrap
  17. Stage Play – Musical - Hello, Dolly!
  18. TV Drama Series - The Forsyte Saga
  19. TV Comedy Series - Monty Python’s Flying Circus
  20. TV News Program - News At Ten
10

Since the questions seem to be posed from a Western perspective, I’ve tried to assume the same for judging fame.

  1. Painting
    The Mona Lisa
  2. Piece of Sculpture
    Michelangelo’s David
  3. Instance of Classical Architecture
    Parthenon, Athens
  4. Instance of Medieval Architecture
    Notre Dame, Paris
  5. Instance of Modern Architecture
    The Eiffel Tower
  6. Piece of “Classical” Music (the genre, not the period)
    Beethoven’s Fifth (if just a few notes count), otherwise Pachelbel’s Canon
  7. Piece of Jazz Music
    “So What” - Miles Davis
  8. Piece of “Pop” Music
    “Beat It” (Michael Jackson)
  9. Piece of Rock Music
    “Satisfaction” (Rolling Stones)
  10. Piece of Blues Music
    “Crossroads Blues” (Robert Johnson)
  11. Piece of Folk Music (English language)
    “Blowin’ in the Wind”
    single verse: variant of “The Country Lovers” which starts off “Roses are Red”
  12. Piece of Latin Music
    Adeste Fideles
  13. Novel
    Crime & Punishment
  14. Poem
    Homer’s Odyssey
  15. Movie
    Casablanca
  16. Stage Play – Drama
    Hamlet
  17. Stage Play – Musical
    The Sound of Music
  18. TV Drama Series
    Baywatch
  19. TV Comedy Series
    I Love Lucy
  20. TV News Program
    CNN Newsroom
11

Good observation. It really didn’t occur to me to try to be more universal in the list.

It might make for a good follow-up thread to specify Non-Western as the chosen universe.

12

That said, what do you believe is the Most Famous

  1. Painting: Mona Lisa
  2. Piece of Sculpture: ** Venus de Milo **
  3. Instance of Classical Architecture: Pantheon
  4. Instance of Medieval Architecture: ** St. Peter’s Basilica **
  5. Instance of Modern Architecture: Empire State Building
  6. Piece of “Classical” Music (the genre, not the period): ** Symphony No. 5 in C minor by Beethoven ** Tough One.
  7. Piece of Jazz Music: Rhapsody In Blue
  8. Piece of “Pop” Music: White Christmas
  9. Piece of Rock Music: Stairway to Heaven
  10. Piece of Blues Music: Cross Road Blues by Robert Johnson
  11. Piece of Folk Music (English language): This Land is Our Land
  12. Piece of Latin Music: ** "Black Magic Woman by Santana** :wink:
  13. Novel: The Lord of the Rings
  14. Poem: **The Odyssey **
  15. Movie: The Godfather
  16. Stage Play – Drama: MacBeth
  17. Stage Play – Musical: ** West Side Story**
  18. TV Drama Series: ER I am lost on this one, it could be Gunsmoke.
  19. TV Comedy Series: MAS*H Not the best, but the most famous I think.
  20. TV News Program: 60 Minutes
    Jim
13
  1. Painting Mona Lisa
  2. Piece of Sculpture Rodin’s Thinker
  3. Instance of Classical Architecture The Acropolis
  4. Instance of Medieval Architecture Notre Dame Cathedral
  5. Instance of Modern Architecture Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Waters
  6. Piece of “Classical” Music (the genre, not the period) 1812 Overture (by sound if not by name)
  7. Piece of Jazz Music Rhapsody in Blue
  8. Piece of “Pop” Music Imagine
  9. Piece of Rock Music We Will Rock You
  10. Piece of Blues Music Hound Dog
  11. Piece of Folk Music (English language) Bridge Over Troubled Waters
  12. Piece of Latin Music I almost said “Carmen” but I guess that doesn’t count. Er, "La Vida Loca"
  13. Novel A Tale of Two Cities
  14. Poem Song of Solomon
  15. Movie Casablanca
  16. Stage Play – Drama Hamlet
  17. Stage Play – Musical The Sound of Music
  18. TV Drama Series ER
  19. TV Comedy Series MAS*H
  20. TV News Program 60 Minutes
14

I guess I should have said “The Parthenon” to make in an “instance.”

15
  1. Painting - Mona Lisa
  2. Piece of Sculpture - David
  3. Instance of Classical Architecture - Parthenon
  4. Instance of Medieval Architecture - Some…church…in England?
  5. Instance of Modern Architecture - Sydney Opera House
  6. Piece of “Classical” Music (the genre, not the period) - Beethoven’s 9th
  7. Piece of Jazz Music - Take Five
  8. Piece of “Pop” Music - “Beat It”
  9. Piece of Rock Music - “Freebird”
  10. Piece of Blues Music - “Crossroads”
  11. Piece of Folk Music (English language) - ?
  12. Piece of Latin Music - La Cucaracha :slight_smile:
  13. Novel - “Tom Sawyer”
  14. Poem - “The Raven”
  15. Movie - “The Wizard of Oz”
  16. Stage Play – Drama - ?
  17. Stage Play – Musical - “Cats”
  18. TV Drama Series - “Law & Order”
  19. TV Comedy Series - “Seinfeld”
  20. TV News Program - “60 Minutes”
16
  1. Painting – the Mona Lisa
  2. Piece of Sculpture – the Thinker
  3. Instance of Classical Architecture – Parthenon (Athens)
  4. Instance of Medieval Architecture – Chartres
  5. Instance of Modern Architecture – Sydney Opera House
  6. Piece of “Classical” Music (the genre, not the period) – Beethoven’s Ninth
  7. Piece of Jazz Music – Rhapsody in Blue
  8. Piece of “Pop” Music – Yesterday
  9. Piece of Rock Music – Satisfaction
  10. Piece of Blues Music – ???
  11. Piece of Folk Music (English language) – Greensleeves
  12. Piece of Latin Music – Oye Como Va
  13. Novel – War and Peace
  14. Poem – Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
  15. Movie – Casablanca
  16. Stage Play – Drama – Death of a Salesman
  17. Stage Play – Musical – Cats
  18. TV Drama Series – Hill Street Blues
  19. TV Comedy Series – Cheers
  20. TV News Program – 60 Minutes

NB: All answers fundamentally Pavlovian

17

I’m not sure about some of these categories, to be honest. But I’ll do my best at gut reaction…
What do you believe is the Most Famous:

  1. Painting - Mona Lisa
  2. Piece of Sculpture - Venus de Milo
  3. Instance of Classical Architecture - The Roman Colisseum
  4. Instance of Medieval Architecture - Notre Dame
  5. Instance of Modern Architecture - Eiffel Tower
  6. Piece of “Classical” Music - Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”
  7. Piece of Jazz Music - God Bless the Child (is this jazz or blues??)
  8. Piece of “Pop” Music - Dancing Queen (ABBA)
  9. Piece of Rock Music - Stairway to Heaven
  10. Piece of Blues Music - God Bless the Child (is this jazz or blues??)
  11. Piece of Folk Music (English language) - This Land is Your Land
  12. Piece of Latin Music - La Cucaracha
  13. Novel - War and Peace
  14. Poem - Trees by Joyce Kilmer
  15. Movie - Psycho
  16. Stage Play – Drama - MacBeth
  17. Stage Play – Musical - Les Miserables
  18. TV Drama Series - ER
  19. TV Comedy Series - The Simpsons
  20. TV News Program - ???
18

That said, what do you believe is the Most Famous

  1. Painting
    da Vinci’s Mona Lisa

  2. Piece of Sculpture
    Michaelangelo’s David

  3. Instance of Classical Architecture
    The Parthenon in Athens

  4. Instance of Medieval Architecture
    Notre Dame de Paris

  5. Instance of Modern Architecture
    Er… the World Trade Center

  6. Piece of “Classical” Music (the genre, not the period)
    Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony

  7. Piece of Jazz Music
    Er… Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue
    I’m not sure any one piece of jazz music is ‘famous’, exactly

  8. Piece of “Pop” Music
    Impossible to say… too many choices

  9. Piece of Rock Music
    Maybe the Rolling Stones’ Satisfaction

  10. Piece of Blues Music
    No idea…

  11. Piece of Folk Music (English language)
    ’We Shall Overcome’

  12. Piece of Latin Music
    Ricky Martin’s ‘Livin’ La Vida Loca’, if that counts

  13. Novel
    Joyce’s Ulysses is very famous, though mostly unread

  14. Poem
    In English? Maybe something by Frost or ‘The Jabberwocky’ from Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass

  15. Movie
    Casablanca

  16. Stage Play – Drama
    Hamlet

  17. Stage Play – Musical
    Either Oklahoma! or Les Miserables (or maybe ALW’s Joseph)

  18. TV Drama Series
    Very difficult… ER or the CSI franchise, currently, I guess

  19. TV Comedy Series
    The Simpsons

  20. TV News Program
    In the US, maybe Fox News or CNN - I know these are networks not shows, but that’s news these days…

19

This was fun! Eager to see how close I am to everyone.

  • indicates picks that I would be surprised if anyone picked something else.

? indicates I am not 100% sure these are the right category…are they?

20

Wow! Not a Star Wars in the bunch yet.

I enjoy your threads Zeldar,thanks for another fun one!