Most Influential band of our generation

[knifeandfork]

nirvana (im 26) came first to mind so i guess im just like alot of others. then i went towards chili peppers, sublime, greenday, davematthews, phish, eminem,sara m,(i dont think "soloists" should be excluded). a little before me i like the sexpistols, tom waits, and my favs the violent femmes although the femmes and tom probably not big influences. guns and roses, and metallica may deserve mention as they were huge in their day also.

[Hulk Hogan]

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In terms of sheer influence, there's basically only a few bands/artists that have had an enormous influence on music.

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I believe you mean "popular music." Most of your list are pop/rock artists, and even then, you missed plenty of influential artists in each field. You have no country artists. You have one hip-hop group. Rap and country are important (and similar) parts of music.

The Pixies were very influential, just as REM were (and just as the Smiths were before them and Velvet Underground before them...)

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Of course I mean popular music. Wtf is the point of discussing influences on unpopular music?

No country because I don't know it, though I would think Johhny Cash would be in the mix.

[Fishwhenican]

OK, I KNOW he is not a "band" but he did have a band for a while.

If you are talking about influence you have to look back and look at pioneers and bands whose music has held up over the years and/or truly influenced people. You can't look at popular or a band who had a huge album and nothing after that which was worthwhile.

A well-known producer and recording artist, Todd Rundgren has long been recognized as an innovator in both music and new media. With more than 30 group or solo albums to his credit, Todd has written or recorded with some of the best-known artists in the business. His record producer credits include Hall & Oates, Grand Funk Railroad, Patti Smith, XTC, and Meatloaf. In 1978, he hosted the world’s first interactive concert, broadcast live from the Warner/QUBE system in Columbus, Ohio. He developed the first digital paintbox program for the personal computer – the Utopia Graphics Tablet – marketed in 1980 by Apple Computer, Inc. Todd, was doing things in different directions WAY before most other bands or musicians even thought of them.

After Todd you have to look at other bands and musicians who pass the test of time, whose music still holds up and actually influenced other musicians.

Here is a short list:
Rolling Stones
Aerosmith
Nirvana
Pink Floyd
Garth Brooks

There is a ton of great and/or popular bands and great/popular musicians out there. But if you really look at influential, that is a whole different thing!

[srvollmer]

Whose generation?
Mine - The Pixies, Pavement, NWA.
Others:
The Clash - mixing business with politics. See U2.
Kraftwerk - electronic. see 1995-1999
The Velvet Underground - see Eno, Jonathan Richman
The Smiths - Father of modern Britpop
My Bloody Valentine - Any band that considers themselves "experimental" surely looks up to these guys.

Of All time:
The Beatles
Led Zeppelin