Porcys' 150 Greatest Artists of All Time

[HolidayGuy]

For list fans, here's one from Polish music publication PORCYS.

rateyourmusic.com/list/PORCYS_com/porcyss_guide_to_pop__150_esencjonalnych_wykonawcow_muzyki_rozrywkowej


150. Depeche Mode
149. Galaxie 500
148. The United States of America
147. Throbbing Gristle
146. Animal Collective
145. Mouse on Mars
144. Slayer
143. Jefferson Airplane
142. Hüsker Dü
141. Snoop Dogg
140. Beck
139. 2Pac
138. The Human League
137. Black Flag
136. Fairport Convention
135. Prefab Sprout
134. Matthew Herbert
133. Scott Walker
132. Slint
131. Spacemen 3
130. Boards of Canada
129. Autechre
128. Goldie
127. Cluster
126. Pet Shop Boys
125. Built to Spill
124. Jay-Z
123. Sam Cooke
122. ABC
121. U2
120. Scritti Politti
119. The Modern Lovers
118. Suicide
117. Yes
116. Tortoise
115. Robert Wyatt
114. OutKast
113. The Jesus and Mary Chain
112. Björk
111. Tom Waits
110. Run-D.M.C.
109. Massive Attack
108. A Tribe Called Quest
107. Electric Light Orchestra
106. Genesis
105. Van Morrison
104. Metallica
103. T. Rex
102. The Cure
101. Jackson 5
100. Frank Zappa
99. R.E.M.
98. Manuel Göttsching
97. Serge Gainsbourg
96. The Replacements
95. Stereolab
94. DJ Shadow
93. Lee Scratch Perry
92. Sex Pistols
91. Buzzcocks
90. Caetano Veloso
89. N.W.A
88. Bob Marley
87. The Flaming Lips
86. The Fall
85. The Police
84. Dinosaur Jr.
83. Guided by Voices
82. Curtis Mayfield
81. Blur
80. Otis Redding
79. Fela Kuti
78. Beastie Boys
77. Buddy Holly
76. Public Image Ltd.
75. Ramones
74. Paul Simon
73. Chic
72. Tim Buckley
71. MC5
70. Al Green
69. Nas
68. De La Soul
67. Wu-Tang Clan
66. Fleetwood Mac
65. Fugazi
64. Ray Charles
63. Nick Drake
62. Leonard Cohen
61. Love
60. Aretha Franklin
59. The Byrds
58. Elvis Presley
57. Joni Mitchell
56. Public Enemy
55. The Notorious B.I.G.
54. Elvis Costello
53. The Supremes
52. George Clinton
51. Stevie Wonder
50. Giorgio Moroder
49. The Kinks
48. Television
47. Nirvana
46. Johnny Cash
45. Kate Bush
44. The Doors
43. NEU!
42. Steely Dan
41. Wire
40. Michael Jackson
39. King Crimson
38. Chuck Berry
37. Neil Young
36. Joy Division
35. Madonna
34. Cocteau Twins
33. ABBA
32. The Stooges
31. Aphex Twin
30. Captain Beefheart
29. Sly Stone
28. Black Sabbath
27. Talk Talk
26. Gang of Four
25. Sonic Youth
24. The Who
23. Pixies
22. Pavement
21. Marvin Gaye
20. Can
19. XTC
18. Jimi Hendrix
17. Prince
16. The Smiths
15. Radiohead
14. Led Zeppelin
13. Talking Heads
12. James Brown
11. The Clash
10. Brian Eno
9. My Bloody Valentine
8. The Rolling Stones
7. Kraftwerk
6. Pink Floyd
5. Bob Dylan
4. David Bowie
3. The Velvet Underground
2. The Beach Boys
1. The Beatles

[BlueSwan]

Well, at least Pet Shop Boys makes an appearance although they're 125 places too far down the list.

[WotUNeed]

Kind of a misleading title, considering the article from which it came specifically says that this is not supposed to be an endorsement of these artists as being in any way the best and also acknowledges that it was only trying to cover the scope of popular music of the rock era, hence intentionally omitting early influences, jazz artists, etc. This is actually intended to be a beginner's guide to popular music, i.e., the 150 artists with whom anyone wanting a good overview of popular music of the rock era should familiarize themselves.

[HolidayGuy]

^Thanks for the translation. I don't speak Polish, and someone who had posted it elsewhere described it as such.

So, how would you title it, in fewer words than you listed? :) Something like "Essential Artists"? Since it is a ranking, they must be ranked using some criteria? Looks like what Porcys views as "greatest," no?

[Epic Fail]

I can't at this list. It's just too all over the place.

[HolidayGuy]

It looks to be indie-oriented, outside of the big-name/essential acts in rock/pop music.

[$uperb@tDuDe]

Michael Jackson #40? WTF

[WotUNeed]

Nov 20, 2010 14:34:34 GMT -5 HolidayGuy said:

^Thanks for the translation. I don't speak Polish, and someone who had posted it elsewhere described it as such.

So, how would you title it, in fewer words than you listed? :) Something like "Essential Artists"? Since it is a ranking, they must be ranked using some criteria? Looks like what Porcys views as "greatest," no?

They titled it "150 Essential Pop Music Performers." They don't specify much as to the rankings, but I'd assume it's something to the degree of, "If you know nobody else from popular music, you should be familiar with The Beatles" and then so on down the line.

[neverduplicated]

Wow, another male-centric list. I only counted 8 females on the entire list, although there are about 20 or so acts towards the bottom of the list I've never heard of and couldn't be bothered to look up.

[WotUNeed]

I'm seeing these as the acts with prominent female members:

143. Jefferson Airplane
138. The Human League
135. Prefab Sprout
120. Scritti Politti
112. Björk
66. Fleetwood Mac
60. Aretha Franklin
57. Joni Mitchell
53. The Supremes
45. Kate Bush
35. Madonna
34. Cocteau Twins
33. ABBA
25. Sonic Youth
23. Pixies
13. Talking Heads
9. My Bloody Valentine
3. The Velvet Underground

Roughly 12%. Is that really so disproportionate with the percentage of potential artists? Rock and roll has long been a male-dominated field.

[HolidayGuy]

Thanks, Wot.

Yes, music - like the world, I guess- is male-centric. At Acclaimed Music, I made a comment about how posters' lists of favorite acts followed typical critical consensus, with males dominating. That's just the way it is. Maybe males in general make more "challenging"/not-so-catered-to-the-masses music overall than women, and that's appreciated more? Some of the best mainstream acts do have music that pleases mainstream audiences, but something sets/set them apart from the very crowded pack.

[abc]

Nov 20, 2010 21:56:32 GMT -5 WotUNeed said:

I'm seeing these as the acts with prominent female members:

143. Jefferson Airplane
138. The Human League
135. Prefab Sprout
120. Scritti Politti
112. Björk
66. Fleetwood Mac
60. Aretha Franklin
57. Joni Mitchell
53. The Supremes
45. Kate Bush
35. Madonna
34. Cocteau Twins
33. ABBA
25. Sonic Youth
23. Pixies
13. Talking Heads
9. My Bloody Valentine
3. The Velvet Underground

Roughly 12%. Is that really so disproportionate with the percentage of potential artists? Rock and roll has long been a male-dominated field.

Where is Mariah?

[neverduplicated]

Nov 20, 2010 21:56:32 GMT -5 WotUNeed said:

I'm seeing these as the acts with prominent female members:

143. Jefferson Airplane
138. The Human League
135. Prefab Sprout
120. Scritti Politti
112. Björk
66. Fleetwood Mac
60. Aretha Franklin
57. Joni Mitchell
53. The Supremes
45. Kate Bush
35. Madonna
34. Cocteau Twins
33. ABBA
25. Sonic Youth
23. Pixies
13. Talking Heads
9. My Bloody Valentine
3. The Velvet Underground

Roughly 12%. Is that really so disproportionate with the percentage of potential artists? Rock and roll has long been a male-dominated field.

Clearly I did miss quite a few, some I hadn't heard of and some I must've just skimmed over accidentally. Although I would hardly count The Velvet Underground. Yes, they had a female drummer and Nico sang on a couple of their songs, but it was a male-driven band with male front members. Same goes for Talking Heads. I couldn't find much info on Scritti Politti but it seems they are a male-fronted band as well.

But besides the nitty gritty, I understand what you are saying about the amount of potential acts out there. But if no one who makes these types of lists attempt to rewrite history and shed some light on some of the greatest women artists out there instead of constantly rehashing the same male rockers and rock bands, then who will?

Nov 20, 2010 23:36:45 GMT -5 abc said:

Nov 20, 2010 21:56:32 GMT -5 WotUNeed said:

I'm seeing these as the acts with prominent female members:

143. Jefferson Airplane
138. The Human League
135. Prefab Sprout
120. Scritti Politti
112. Björk
66. Fleetwood Mac
60. Aretha Franklin
57. Joni Mitchell
53. The Supremes
45. Kate Bush
35. Madonna
34. Cocteau Twins
33. ABBA
25. Sonic Youth
23. Pixies
13. Talking Heads
9. My Bloody Valentine
3. The Velvet Underground

Roughly 12%. Is that really so disproportionate with the percentage of potential artists? Rock and roll has long been a male-dominated field.

Where is Mariah?

Critical acclaim blah blah blah. Also, Mariah's still too current. This list is for the older folks.

[HolidayGuy]

^How is Mimi too current? She's been around for 20 years- hardly a newbie. And, anyhow, there are acts that debuted after her that are on this list.

As you said,the "blah blah blah" reason is part of the reason for her absence on a lot of these things. Also her work is regarded as kinda light, so that's another reason- that doesn't mean it's not good for what it is and her capabilities, but it often doesn't result in the most revered of acts/music.

[Deleted]

Elvis all the way down at 58? That's the real WTF here.