Lists

And the Most Influential Band in the World Today Is…

The British love their lists, no matter how subjective or slanted they may be.  Keep that in mind as you look through this “Most Influential Artist in Music Today” feature published by the NME, an entity that needs to generated controversy to maintain web traffic (hence the damned slide show) and sales of their rapidly declining print version.

Surprisingly absolutely no one, the magazine placed Radiohead at the top of their list.  Other highlights from the Top 50 include:

  • David Bowie (3)
  • The White Stripes (4)
  • The Flaming Lips (6)
  • The Smiths (10)
  • The Clash (14)
  • Velvet Underground (16)
  • Hole (21)
  • Nirvana (25)
  • Pixies (28)
  • Depeche Mode (34)
  • Kraftwerk (37)
  • Led Zeppelin (41)
  • Death from Above 1979 (49)

See what I mean about controversy?  Where, for example, are The Ramones? Not in the Top 50. They didn’t even make the Top 100. Yet The Gun Club (7) did?

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 39311 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

One thought on “And the Most Influential Band in the World Today Is…

  • DFA 1979 should be on a who gives a crap list. Not top 50 influential list…

    Reply

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