Who are they and what makes them so influential?
Brian Eno
He has mastered and mixed and produced dozens of albums from artists like David Bowie, Talking Head, Peter Gabriel and more.
Additionally, he technically invented Ambient Music as a genre.
His own musical works have influenced artists from Laurie Anderson to the Sex Pistols.
His work is generally not mainstream, and yet has contributed a steady subtle influence on Rock, alternative and popular music for nearly 50 yrs.
I know who Brian Eno is and I’m not even a big music buff… so, by definition, it’s virtually certain he’s the wrong answer.
I would guess the answer is probably a major movie studio executive or producer who stays in the shadows. How many people know who Avi Arad is?
I know who he is, from a crossword puzzle.
JohnT
March 20, 2014, 3:17am
5
Assuming we’re not choosing executives but talent, I would say that Max Martin ranks up there in the “powerful but obscure” category.
The opening to his Wiki article lays the case:
Since 1999, he has written and co-written 17 Billboard number-one hits (most of which he has also produced or co-produced), including “So What” and “Raise Your Glass” by Pink; “I Kissed a Girl”, “Hot n Cold”, “California Gurls”, “Teenage Dream”, “E.T.”, “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”, “Part of Me”, “Roar”, “Dark Horse”, “The One That Got Away” and “Wide Awake” by Katy Perry; “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” by Taylor Swift; “My Life Would Suck Without You” by Kelly Clarkson, “…Baby One More Time”, “3”, “Hold It Against Me” by Britney Spears, and “One More Night” by Maroon 5. Top-10 singles co-written by Martin in the same period include “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz, “DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love” by Usher, “Whataya Want From Me” by Adam Lambert, “F**kin’ Perfect” by Pink, “Beauty and a Beat” by Justin Bieber, and, “I Knew You Were Trouble” by Taylor Swift.
Here’s his discography. Pretty impressive list of big-selling songs: Max Martin production discography - Wikipedia
And I know Brian Eno from many, many crossword puzzles.
In music, one of the heavy hitters that the general public knows almost nothing about is Desmond Child. His nearly-35 year career is impressive as hell; the average American prolly knows a couple dozen of his songs by heart but will have never heard of him.
For nearly three decades, songwriter/producer Desmond Child has reigned as one of music’s most successful creative forces. His list of accolades includes Grammy awards, 70 Top 40 singles, and songs that have sold over 300 million albums worldwide. His collaborations include Bon Jovi, Bonnie Tyler, Selena, Aerosmith, Sakis Rouvas, Scorpions, Ricky Martin, KISS, Kelly Clarkson, Dream Theater, Steve Vai, Cher, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Roxette, Tina Turner and Alice Cooper. “Desmond’s a chameleon”, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler told Rolling Stone. “The first time we met, we wrote “Angel” in about an hour and 45 minutes - and I’m not bullshitting. The guy’s a fucking genius.”
](Desmond Child - Wikipedia )
Lobot
March 20, 2014, 7:34am
8
I don’t personally like her songs, but Diane Warren would have to be up there.