The Unsung Heroes' Weekly Poll - Week 7 - Music Icons and Artists

[Matt W.]

Welcome to Week 7 of The Unsung Heroes' Weekly Poll!

With last week's poll focusing on your favorite comic company. DC won (regretably ) with 6 votes. Marvel came in second with 4 while Dark Horse and the ultimate Duo Company of CV and Vanny tied for third.

____________________________________________________________


This week's poll will be about which musical icon made the biggest impact on society. What artist do you feel made the biggest impact on society?
____________________________________________________________


Elvis

Elvis

____________________________________________________________

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson

____________________________________________________________

John Lennon

John Lennon

____________________________________________________________

Kurt Cobain

Kurt Cobain

____________________________________________________________

Marshall Mathers

Marshall Mathers

____________________________________________________________


Small Poll. But very few made it as big as these five. The impact they had on society was massive. Who do you think made it bigger?


Vote It!

[Captain Falcon]

This one was close in terms of their pure music.  But when you factor in the totality of their public image, Michael Jackson is the clear choice (for me).

[Christopher J. Lawton]

Lennon.

For a decade, the Beatles determined what direction rock music went, and people followed it religiously. But, it wasn't just a fad or brainwashing. Lennon remained, up until his death, one of the most diverse and talented songwriters.

Even today, few songwriters can match his ability to move from incredibly complex progressions within simple keys to simple progressions within complex keys to simple progressions within simple keys to complex progression within complex keys. Genius.

At least three of the other artists on this list owe a lot of their success to the groundwork the Beatles laid. The only exception MIGHT be Elvis, because he came before. But, he didn't write his own stuff.

[Keith G.]

I would agree that MJ had the biggest overall, but he had a long time to it in.  I chose Lennon though because of the impact he made with the Beatles and as a solo artist and activist.  He made a massive impact, but was cut short because of a bastards bullet.

It goes either way, it just depends on how you think about it.  Jackson had a long drawn out career to impact with.  Lennon, Cobain, Elvis - they all died before they could get any bigger, but their initial impact was massive.

[Captain Marvel]

Elvis. If is wasn't for The King, none of the others listed would have come about.

"Nothing really affected me until I heard Elvis. If there hadn't been an Elvis, there wouldn't have been the Beatles." - John Lennon

[Matt W.]

Elvis. If is wasn't for The King, none of the others listed would have come about.

"Nothing really affected me until I heard Elvis. If there hadn't been an Elvis, there wouldn't have been the Beatles." - John Lennon

Yes. However that doesn't mean they didn't make a bigger impact than Elvis as an individual. Sure, he inspired them, but that's not the question. Unless you're saying Lennon's impact itself is an impact of Elvis. That's different though.

[Captain Marvel]

No, I'm saying that Elvis's impact was so great that without him, none of the others would have ever come about. He influenced everyone that came after him. Here are more quotes about him:

Elvis was the king. No doubt about it. People like myself, Mick Jagger and all the others only followed in his footsteps. - Rod Stewart

He was a unique artist… an original in an area of imitators. - Mick Jagger

There have been a lot of tough guys. There have been pretenders. And there have been contenders. But there is only one king. - Bruce Springsteen

Elvis is the greatest cultural force in the twentieth century. He introduced the beat to everything, music, language, clothes, it's a whole new social revolution… the 60's comes from it. - Leonard Bernstein

Elvis had an influence on everybody with his musical approach. He broke the ice for all of us. - Al Green

Before Elvis, there was nothing. - John Lennon

Ask anyone. If it hadn't been for Elvis, I don't know where popular music would be. He was the one that started it all off, and he was definitely the start of it for me. - Elton John

None of us could have made it without Elvis. - Buddy Holly

[Matt W.]

Ok. Those are musical impacts. What about on standard society? The people, rather than other musicians.

[Keith G.]

Yeah, thats why I chose Lennon.  I agree, Cap, that Elvis was the big time music influence and I give him his dues, but as far as an impact on people and society in general, I give it to Lennon.

[Captain Marvel]

As you well know, music and sex are the two driving forces of society. Elvis (and his handlers) knew this, which is one of the reasons Elvis was so controversial in the 1950's. He and his music was one of the driving forces that gave birth to the '60's.

[Matt W.]

There's no doubt Elvis mad an impact. However, I never seen crowds around him and ladies crying their eyes out like they did MJ.

Eminem made a massive impact himself, too. I mean he's not even that old and almost every set of grandparents I know like him. He's changed a lot of stuff simply because of the fact that he was a white man in the rap industry. I've seen him win awards on BET and he wasn't even there.

[Christopher J. Lawton]

There's no doubt Elvis mad an impact. However, I never seen crowds around him and ladies crying their eyes out like they did MJ.

Then you haven't been watching the right videos. Both Elvis and the Beatles did this long before MJ. In fact, the Beatles stopped performing live, because the music was drowned out by screaming, hysterical fans.

Eminem made a massive impact himself, too. I mean he's not even that old and almost every set of grandparents I know like him. He's changed a lot of stuff simply because of the fact that he was a white man in the rap industry. I've seen him win awards on BET and he wasn't even there.

Plus, he was the first hip-hop artist to win an Oscar. That does say something for his talent.

[Captain Falcon]

Elvis has had massive impact and he was the pioneer for the others on that list, including Eminem actually.

And I agree; girls were falling out over Elvis and the Beatles long before anyone else.

[Matt W.]

Then you haven't been watching the right videos. Both Elvis and the Beatles did this long before MJ. In fact, the Beatles stopped performing live, because the music was drowned out by screaming, hysterical fans.

I know the Beatles did. But did Elvis have as many like that?

Plus, he was the first hip-hop artist to win an Oscar. That does say something for his talent.

Yea man.

[Keith G.]

I know the Beatles did. But did Elvis have as many like that?

They didn't call him Elvis the Pelvis for nothin'.