# RESOLVED: Neil Young best artist of 20th century **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 24, 2002, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516 "2002-11-24T19:47:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2002, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/41 "2002-11-25T22:07:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dinsdale \* > I think your “for starters” might be a bit of a disservice, cause I doubt we could get anything near consensus on doubling that list. Now that I’ve thought about it, I have to agree with you. I can find another dozen that **I** think belong there. But there would be fewer consensus picks in the group. > [@](#): > > Who else? Oh yeah - Petula Clark! Petula Clark…man, how the heck did _she_ sneak in here? I remember listening to her stuff back when it was originally on the radio! ::looks up:: Ah yes, **Michael Ellis** put her in the same list as Rachmaninoff, Coltrane, and Aretha. Who else, seriously? Bowie, Springsteen, the Doors, Hendrix. I’ll see who else I can come up with. > [@](#): > > But if you take your list and factor in duration of career and sheer volume of output, it gets short indeed. Well, I’d _want_ to keep career duration and sheer volume out of it, because it opens up the field too widely. Neil Diamond, the Bee Gees, Chicago, Barry Manilow, and Lord knows how many others have had long careers that, like Neil Young’s, have been extremely productive in terms of the number of albums released. YMMV, but I have to start by weeding out the stuff that was bad, or even merely ordinary. (For instance, I’m a big Moody Blues fan, but in considering any claim of theirs for greatness, I’ve got to toss out all but four or five songs they’ve done since _Seventh Sojourn_ was released thirty years ago. Sheer quantity doesn’t add anything, IMHO.) ---
**Author:** ![EchoKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@EchoKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EchoKitty)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2002, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/42 "2002-11-25T22:17:19Z")
Neil Young? Petula Clark? Let’s try to put things in perspective. The wisest words ever written in rock ‘n’ roll: “I know it’s only rock ‘n’ roll, but I like it.” That’s all. Like it for what it is. Very little of it can be called great. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2002, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/43 "2002-11-25T23:10:43Z")
Better than **Sinatra**? You’ve got to be kidding! I wonder what your standard is! A few other performing artists that are worth considering: Pavoratti, Caruso, Minnie Ripperton, Little Richard, Maria Callas, Nellie Melba ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/44 "2002-11-26T00:38:05Z")
Neil Young isn’t even in the top 50. Off the top of my head, in no particular order. (The numbers are just so I can keep track of how many I’ve listed) 1 John Lennon 2 Paul McCartney 3 George Harrison 4 Bob Dylan 5 Tom Petty 6 Jimi Hendrix 7 Jim Morrison 8 Carol King 9 Elvis Costello 10 Frank Sinatra 11 Mick Jagger 12 Keith Richards 13 Stevie Wonder 14 Ray Charles 15 Annie Lennox 16 Pete Townsend 17 Sting 18 Shawn Colvin 19 Johnny Cash 20 Joe Walsh 21 Pavoratti 22 Billie Holiday 23 Roy Orbison 24 Buddy Holly 25 Ringo Starr 26 John Sebastian 27 David Bowie 28 Bruce Springsteen 29 Jean Pierre Rampaul 30 Jimmy Webb 31 Tom Waits 32 Brian Wilson 33 Graham Nash 34 Paul Simon 35 Carl Perkins 36 Jewel 37 Tori Amos 38 Michelle Branch 39 Carlos Santana 40 Willie Nelson 41 Roy Clark 42 Emmylou Harris 43 Yoyo Ma 44 Glen Miller 45 Benny Goodman 46 Louis Armstrong 47 Miles Davis 48 Charlie Parker 49 Elton John 50 Gene Krupa. Also, any time a Neil Young song comes on the air I feel the wax start to flow out of my ears. His voice sucks. ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/45 "2002-11-26T00:49:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by photopat \* > \*\*Neil Young isn’t even in the top 50. > Off the top of my head, in no particular order. (The numbers are just so I can keep track of how many I’ve listed) > > 1 John Lennon > 2 Paul McCartney > 3 George Harrison > 4 Bob Dylan > 5 Tom Petty > 6 Jimi Hendrix > 7 Jim Morrison > 8 Carol King > 9 Elvis Costello > 10 Frank Sinatra > 11 Mick Jagger > 12 Keith Richards > 13 Stevie Wonder > 14 Ray Charles > 15 Annie Lennox > 16 Pete Townsend > 17 Sting > 18 Shawn Colvin > 19 Johnny Cash > 20 Joe Walsh > 21 Pavoratti > 22 Billie Holiday > 23 Roy Orbison > 24 Buddy Holly > 25 Ringo Starr > 26 John Sebastian > 27 David Bowie > 28 Bruce Springsteen > 29 Jean Pierre Rampaul > 30 Jimmy Webb > 31 Tom Waits > 32 Brian Wilson > 33 Graham Nash > 34 Paul Simon > 35 Carl Perkins > 36 Jewel > 37 Tori Amos > 38 Michelle Branch > 39 Carlos Santana > 40 Willie Nelson > 41 Roy Clark > 42 Emmylou Harris > 43 Yoyo Ma > 44 Glen Miller > 45 Benny Goodman > 46 Louis Armstrong > 47 Miles Davis > 48 Charlie Parker > 49 Elton John > 50 Gene Krupa. > > Also, any time a Neil Young song comes on the air I feel the wax start to flow out of my ears. His voice sucks. \*\* WOW. I wouldn’t put Young as number 1 of all time. But listed behind John Sebastian? Jewel? Jimmy Webb? Joe Walsh? Shawn Colvin? Roy Clark? Tori Amos? Michelle Branch? hummm. One of the first list shows VH1 did was greatest rock act of all time. I think Young came in at #30. Not that these lists mean all that much. But, imho, 30 is about right? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/46 "2002-11-26T02:22:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bernse \* > \*\*It’s too late for us to get married, isn’t it? \*\* Alas, between your wife and my husband, we’ll just have to admire each other from afar. ::heavy sigh:: ---
**Author:** ![I\_am\_Sparticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@I\_am\_Sparticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_am_Sparticus)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/47 "2002-11-26T02:32:49Z")
Francis Albert Sinatra Reinvented singing by introducing his phrasing emphasis technique. And he could sing as well as any of his contemporaries, including Bennett, Torme, Crosby, or his own favorite, Como. Dancing: he could dance well enough to keep up with Gene Kelly Acting: he could go mono y mono with Marlon Brando (Guys and Dolls) and come out looking good (i.e. not having Brando steal their scenes). So as far as entertainment goes, even though I’m not happy with his lifestyle choices (other than Democrat), I think that Sinatra blows away another suggestion so far in this thread. But there are many other artistic fields that require mentioning: Architecture (my 20th cen fav is Frank Lloyd Wright), Painting – Picasso, Playwriting – O’Neil, Sculpting – Rodin (some in 20th century including Gates of Hell), composition – Stravinsky, popular song writing – Irving Berlin, General weirding us out: Heisenberg/Bohr tie ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/48 "2002-11-26T02:35:52Z")
Anybody espousing Neil Young’s superior genius should be forced to buy and listen to _4 Way Street_, so they can hear how much better his songs sound when you add in Crosby, Stills, and Nash. Then they should be forced to buy and listen to _Deja Vu_, so they can discover that every other contributer to the album wrote songs that hold up to “Helpless”, which is far and away the best thing Young ever wrote. Nyah. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![I\_am\_Sparticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@I\_am\_Sparticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_am_Sparticus)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/49 "2002-11-26T02:48:07Z")
Best thing Young ever wrote was Rockin’ in the Free World. And it was very damn good. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/50 "2002-11-26T04:46:39Z")
It’s funny that the people with the most stridently negative opinions seem to have the least amount of evidence to base them on. **notcynical** pretty much said it all for me, though. Neil’s had his ups and downs (who hasn’t, and his career spans what, five decades now?) over the years, but he’s been able to do a wider range of things legitimately and sincerely than pretty much anyone, ever. The CSNY stuff, the rockin’ _Freedom_ stuff, alt-country (?) through to real country _Neil Young_ and _Comes a Time_, the classic and enduring songs of the _Decade_ era, the ingenuity and originality of _Lucky 13_ and _Trans_, the blues of _This Note’s For You_ and the throwback rock of _Everybody’s Rockin’_, the fact that he was able to keep up with the times and release the tragically, tragically underrated _Mirror Ball_, the absolute genius of _Sleeps With Angels_, and everything in between. It’s completely absurd to argue that he’s not incredibly talented. ---
**Author:** ![Kalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Kalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalt)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/51 "2002-11-26T06:19:31Z")
“Rockin’ in the Free World” and “Heart of Gold” (which was his only #1 hit) are two of Neil’s worst songs. Leave it to radio to screw him over. “Harvest Moon” is one of the greatest songs of all time, and the entire \*Harvest Moon [i/]album is simply flawless and brilliant. Crosby, Stills, and Nash are minimum-talent hacks who don’t deserve the honor of tuning Neil’s guitars. All their best songs were written by Neil - which are infinitely better when he does them by himself. Ditto for buffalo springfield. Listen to the Springfield “Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing” - it’s friggin horrible. Then listen to neil do it by himself - with nothing other than his guitar - and it’s simply amazing. It’s mindblowing that it’s even the same song. Anyone who thinks neil can’t sing or play guitar needs to go watch his “Silver and Gold” DVD. If that doesn’t prove to ya that Neil is the best, then you have serious problems 🙂 Of course, considering the music that’s popular today, it seems a vast majority of people have serious problems. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/52 "2002-11-26T06:57:05Z")
[http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/mus.htm](http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/mus.htm) “greatest performer of the 20th century” An interesting approach shows Bing Crosby and Doris Day as the two most successful entertainers in history. Each had more albums, movies, awards, and popularity in their era than the other top performers put together!(ie:Elvis,Beatles,Stones etc) My own opinion…hmm, Seems like Paul McCartney’d kick the shit out of Young when it comes to BEST anything. BUT, I still like Willie best…🆒 ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/53 "2002-11-26T13:22:54Z")
> [@](#): > > Better than Sinatra? You’ve got to be kidding! I wonder what your standard is! Y’know, at least \*Nsync _tried_ to write their own songs. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/54 "2002-11-26T14:04:09Z")
Good post, **White Lightning.** I also got a chuckle out of **photo’s** list. besides the obvious comments, anyone else remember as late as **The River** when it was still common for people to say they would like Bruce but they couldn’t stand his voice? 😉 RTF - I still have to put in my plug for duration. Especially when you compare how high he is on the many other tests we’ve identified. Then, realize that he was huge in the 60s. Then he was huge with another generation in the 70s. Then he was huge with his previous fans’ younger siblings and children with FarmAid and “This Notes for You.” Then in the nineties a whole new generation became aware of him through grunge. Whereas, Neil Diamond and Barry Manilow have not “reinvented” themselves - instead they age along with their fan base. I found **Shakey** an interesting read, tho leaning towards hagiography. Led me to read 3 other books recently about NY and CSNY. And check out much of his/their output. Guy must be frustrating as all hell to work with. Don’t think you can accuse him of selling out. Of course I disagree with the OP’s **best artist.** And I don’t know how many rock/pop artists would make the top fifty “musical figures” of the 20th century. But in the rock/pop genre, I maintain Neil’s place is among a select few at or very near the top. ---
**Author:** ![Swampwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Swampwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swampwolf)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/55 "2002-11-26T14:30:47Z")
Sorry–I’m firmly in the “Neil Young’s voice blows goats” camp. I’ve got respect for him as an artist, but not _that_ much respect. I can think of dozens of more talented musical artists in the last forty years. [sub] Oh, and **Photopat:** Ringo? Seriously?[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/56 "2002-11-26T14:33:04Z")
Y’know, I think I’d rank Richard Thompson ahead of Young in every way: better songwriter, better guitarist (by far), better singer (though neither is going to take prizes there.) And Thompson’s overall output over the last 30 years has been much more consistent than Young’s. ---
**Author:** ![Lazlo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lazlo/32/9678_2.png) [@Lazlo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lazlo)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/57 "2002-11-26T14:52:33Z")
Hey **photopat** , You forgot **Debbie Gibson**! _Shake your love, I just can’t shake your love… Shake your love, I just can’t shake… your love…_ ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/58 "2002-11-26T18:52:14Z")
Okay, maybe not Ringo, and maybe not Roy Clark, (although he is/was an exceptional guitar player) but the point is that…well, those are all people I’d rather hear than Neil Young. Debbie Gibson? Nah, unless she’s nude she’s not in the top 400. Tori Amos though, definitely far and away better than Neil. ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/59 "2002-11-26T19:03:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kalt \* > \*\*" > “Harvest Moon” is one of the greatest songs of all time, and the entire \*Harvest Moon [i/]album is simply flawless and brilliant. > \*\* A radio station I used to listen to actually got a bomb threat phoned into them that if they played “Harvest Moon” one more time the station would face consequences. Someone other than myself actually hated that song something fierce. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516/60 "2002-11-26T19:49:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by photopat \* > **…the point is that…well, those are all people I’d rather hear than Neil Young.** Isn’t it possible to discuss/debate/appreciate artistic merit without resorting to personal preference? NY is certainly not one of my personal faves - tho I do not particularly mind him. I never bought one of his albums (tho I inherited a few of my wife’s). But I find the volume and quality of his output impressive - in fact - nigh unequalled. And he certainly was - and arguably continues to be - an “important figure” in the history of American rock. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-neil-young-best-artist-of-20th-century/138516.md?page=4)