Big Star
Nirvana
PJ Harvey
Radiohead
X-Ray Spex
Belly
Neutral Milk Hotel
Aphex Twin
The Beatles
Leonard Cohen
Richard Thompson
Tom Waits
Tim Buckley
*Yes, Rush, Jayhawks, Jeff Buckley *only to mention a few. Most others as well, but whats the point of listing our CD collection?
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Nanci Griffith, and the Gin Blossoms. I will forever grieve the short creative life of the Gin Blossoms…
Damn, like many people I could go for dayyyyys. Showing a little self-control, though:
Wilco
Bright Eyes
Okkervil River
Spoon
Aphex Twin
Modest Mouse
Pavement
Yeah, that’d do for a while.
My brain hurts trying to pick because we’re so blessed with musicians.
The Beatles - because of their diverse sound and number of hits.
Pink Floyd - rock opera genius
Lead Zeppelin - same reason but second to Floyd
Jimi Hendrix - best nuanced timing in blues/rock
Stevie Ray Vaugn - following in Hendrix’s footsteps - would like to have heard his later stuff
Buddy Guy - for his style of music and or inspiring SRV.
John Lee Hooker - too many blues legends to list - liked his younger and older voice
Patsy Cline and Roy Orbison for their exceptional voices
Michael Hedges - for abusing a harp guitar
Santana - a musical classification by itself
Benny Goodman, Glen Miller, Duke Ellington - it’s all good
Benny Green Trio - 3 piece jazz with a piano - how can anyone not like a piano
ZZ Top - Texas blues
AC/DC - lots of energy
It’s almost cruel to ask for a list.
Oh Boy, an opportunity to self-indulgently list my comfort music:
Barenaked Ladies
Flaming Lips
Neko Case
ABBA
Otis Redding
Pink Floyd
Terry Callier
Holst/Planets
Reverend Horton Heat
Regina Spektor
I’m happy somebody recognised it! 
koeeoaddi you are so not alone, I love ISB, I was wondering when you were going to come back because hadn’t seen you on the board for aggggggges, or maybe I’m just blind, I dunno. I really like Koeeaddi There but my ultimate favourite ISB song has to be The Iron Stone, the version from this album http://www.amazon.co.uk/Introducing-Incredible-String-Band/dp/B000GINI2S/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&qid=1286112654&sr=8-21 it’s a bit more “polished”?
And love Empty Pocket Blues. Also favourite album is Earthspan, phew so happy to finally write that.
Interesting! That’s a very underrated album. I love “My Father Was a Lighthouse Keeper.”
Very underrated, wrongly so. The Actor is a work of genius in my opinion, also didn’t anyone realise The Pet Shop Boys ripped off The Sailor and the Dancer beginning for Go West? I mean, Neil Tennant didn’t even acknowledge that did he? I know he’s fan…but it kind of makes me angry people love that song without knowing The Pet Shop Boys just stole the melody.
Bach, Händel, Mozart, Beethoven, Ellington, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy, and Bill Evans.
Metallica, Misfits, Guns & Roses, Nirvana, Nine Inch Nails, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Eagles, Alan Jackson, Patty Loveless
Just a few:
The Beatles
John Lennon
Paul McCartney
George Harrison
Ringo Starr
The Who
The Rolling Stones
Led Zeppelin
The Eagles / Don Henley
The Doobie Brothers
Abba
Jim Croce
Olivia Newton-John
The Bee Gees
Elton John
Barry White
The Stylistics
The Spinners
Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
Hall and Oates
Carpenters
Jackson Browne
Gordon Lightfoot
Paul Simon
Art Garfunkel
Neil Daimond
James Taylor
Billy Joel
Carly Simon
Carol King
Kris Kristofferson
Heart
Alan Parsons Project
John Barry
Jerry Goldsmith
John Williams
Judging by the frequency of songs by particular artists appearing on my mp3 list:
Everly Bros.
Elvis
The Drifters and Ben E. King
Brenda Lee
Fleetwood Mac
Gene Pitney
Judy Collins
Linda Ronstadt (Including the Trio songs)
Mamas & Papas
Roy Orbison
The Shirelles
Simon & Garfunkel
The Beatles
Yes, I am old.
I forgot:
Frank Zappa
“Weird Al” Yankovic
Beethoven
Brahms
Tchaikovsky
Debussy
Glenn Miller
Buddy Rich
Chicago
Johnny Cash
Dave Brubeck
Roger Miller
Scott Joplin
Itzhak Perlman
Eric Clapton
Nicky Hopkins
Given the OP’s reference to “singers and bands,” it’s unclear whether or not composers are also included. If they are, I’d have to add to my list: Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Dvorak, Schumann, Prokofiev, Handel, Mahler… and many more. If I could have actual performances by these people, so much the better (at least in some cases)!
R.E.M., The Kissers, The Moody Blues, Flogging Molly, Bad Religion, The Offspring, and Mercury Rev. It’s a very hard question, though; I’m a piecemeal listener, and there are songs by artists I’m otherwise only okay with that I’d want on a desert island.
The Beatles
Mozart
Bach
U2
Beethoven
The more I read this thread, the more “favorite artists” I realize I forgot to list.
Queen, Boston, Journey, Steely Dan, Hall & Oates, Bee Gee’s, John Denver, Fleetwood Mac, Chicago, Earth Wind Fire, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Taylor Dayne, Maynard Ferguson, James Taylor, Steve Winwood, J.S. Bach, Jackson Browne, Beach Boys, Dan Fogelberg, Sheryl Crow…I could go on…
Neil Young
Steve Earle
Robin Trower
Hendrix