A rather eclectic list in no particular order:
Thelonious Monk
Bob Dylan
Lee Perry & The Upsetters
JS Bach
Nikhil Banerjee
You need something for every mood, right?!
Michael Hedges, Jimi Hendrix, SRV,
Any blues based band who can play their own music live and not suck.
Pink Floyd, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Peter Gabriel, The Police, Genesis, Fleetwood Mac, Kate Bush, Yes, Prince, Devo
Honourable mentions:
Porcupine Tree, David Bowie, Alice Cooper, Roxy Music, Talking Heads
As for my favorite of all time, well, my username might give you a bit of a clue, in a sort of roundabout way. Why? Because every artist making music today, in nearly every genre, owes an immense debt to this band and their producer.
After them, others would be Led Zeppelin, Midnight Oil, R.E.M., Prince, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Black Sabbath, Public Enemy, and The Smiths/Morrissey, because they have all spoken down deep to my very soul at various different eras of my life, and still continue to do so.
My very very favorite? Simon and Garfunkel, both as a duo and as solo artists. there are a lot of musicans I love, most of whom have been mentioned, but for me, it’s a no-brainer.
My top 3 would be the three B’s – Beatles, Bach, and Bird.
Rounding out the top 20 would be King Crimson, Who, Stones, Doors, Led Zep, Miles Davis, Dylan, Howlin’ Wolf, Gong, Handel, Bowie, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, Eno, Dead, Strawbs, and Kinks.
But there are so many so close behind… Hendrix, Cream, VU, Airplane, Van Morrison, Jim Kweskin, John Lee Hooker, Ella Fitzgerald, Tchaikovsky, Byrds, Moody Blues, Allman Brothers, … OK I’ll stop now.
- The Police
- Counting Crows
- Sting ( solo career )
- Def Leppard
- U2
- Madonna
- Prince
- Pink Floyd
- Doobie Brothers
- Cure
- Smashing Pumpkins
- Tangerine Dream
- Men at Work
- Fleetwood Mac
- Matchbox 20
- Supertramp
- A Flock of Seagulls
- Aerosmith
- Loverboy
- 38 Special