The New Icons of Music

[millerdog]

Slowly but surely we are losing are music Icons. Johnny Cash died. While I was not really into his music I repsected him as an artist and for his legacy.
Question: who are the next Icons of music. Let's not get too obscure here.
I was talking to my friend and we both commented on how there are no more "superbands" and rock stars. Not limiting myself to rock, I don't know what to make of the Jazz section at Tower/Borders either.
Who do you think are the next Icons of whatever style of music you listen to?

 

[THOR]

U2?

Metallica?

 

[boostcrazy]

Originally posted by THOR
U2?

Metallica?

i think u2 is one of the most overated bands of all time! i don't know what people see in them.

 

[THOR]

Well I feel the same about many bands but whether or not a band or an artist becomes an icon or not is not up to us individually to decide but the general public and media and in the eyes of the public and media they have probably achieved "Icon" status.

 

[Wireworm5]

I can see Yanni being an Icon. My vote goes to David Arkenstone however.
Just recently became a fan of Metallica. Haven't heard a lot of their stuff. The ones I heard my favorites are 'Nothing Else Matters' ,'Unforgiven', 'St. Anger' and 'My World'. Thinking of getting their newest dvd next month. Is it any good? Which would you recommend.
Have the U2 dvd Elevation. Didn't like it a first but I got use to their style. My favorite song, New York.

 

[Andyman]

Originally posted by millerdog
I was talking to my friend and we both commented on how there are no more "superbands" and rock stars. Not limiting myself to rock,
Who do you think are the next Icons of whatever style of music you listen to?

Geez, I've been lamenting the lack of enduring artists for years. when I think of the awesome talent i grew up with in the 50s, 60s and 70s, and then look at the stuff today, I feel saddened for my children.
I mean really, are there any talents that came on the scene since 1980 that have even endured as well as John Mellencamp???? There sure as hell aren't any Chuck Berrys, Jerry Garcias, Neil Youngs, Janis Joplins, Miles Daviss, etc, etc, etc,;the list could go on for pages/volumes

 

[Dr. No-No]

Perhaps when Mr. Cash died.....was the day the music died.

Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie.......drove my chevy by the levy...

Regards,

joe

 

[moondog]

I'm with Andyman on this one. Not many too look up to IMHO either. It's almost like politicians. :worried: Most all of them leave me cold.

As for some of the others mentioned...
U2 - Never got it... Never will.
Metallica? PLEASE!!! uke:

Johnny Cash... Now that was a Man true to himself & his belief's. He will be missed for a long, long, time to come. :sigh:

mOOn

 

[millerdog]

James Taylor anyone?
I liked U2's Rattle and Hum movie though I admit I only have two of their cds.
Andyman, Neil Young is still amongst us. I just heard his latest and it's on my list.
This is pretty sad. Seems music is becoming more of a trend than anything else. No wonder I shop more at Goodwill than Towers.

 

[Johnny]

Hmmm, how about Areosmith. Still have the Rolling Stones out there doing whatever it is they do. Madonna maybe. Regardless of whether you like Metallica or not, they are most certainly icons, ditto U2.

I agree the state of music today is pretty dang sad. I go cd shopping and just shake my head. Still a few gems out there, but finding them is hit and miss at best, and rather expensive. Sick of buying cds or albums that have 1 or 2 decent songs on them and the rest is CRAP.

I think AC/DC may qualifiy. Just to bad their last 5 albums were mostly blah.

Jeez, this is depressing to think about

J

 

[grumpy]

Metelergica SUCKS !!!!! specially their new crap.
U2 I liked their first and the song they did with BB king
Aerosmith sold out long ago along with the stones. They both forgot where they came from and got seriously lost on the way to becoming mutimillionares. Think steven tyler needs to go back on drugs to realize the music they have turned out over the last decade has been SHIT.


Looking at other types of music there are some really great artist but none that stand out like some of the old timers. Sad.....

The state of the music industry is pathetic at best. Take a freaking plastic moron and make them the new latest greatest "Pop Star" when these no talent idiots are not even qualified to make me an order of fries. Sorry to get off topic but this in the reason for the Poor quality of music we are constantly subjected to.

Grumpy

 

[grumpy]

Oh yeah so to answer your question there are NO new Icons deserving of the title.

 

[Andyman]

Originally posted by millerdog
Andyman, Neil Young is still amongst us. I just heard his latest and it's on my list.
This is pretty sad. Seems music is becoming more of a trend than anything else. No wonder I shop more at Goodwill than Towers.

MD:

I didn't notice that all the others were gone; I know Neil is still around. Just look at last summer's schedule from your local outdoor music theatre; there's probably more older acts than newer ones!

You can add Jeff Beck, John Mayall, BRUCE!!, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie, Joni Mitchell, BB King, Willie Nelson, and many many others to the list.

Sadly, today's "music" is really the flavor of the month club.

How are the "boy" bands doing this week??? (See what I mean!!)

Betcha Eminem is a trivia question in two years, or is he already???

 

[VinylHanger]

WireWorm, try Ride the Lightening. It is perhaps, in my opinion, one of the greatest rock albums made. If you want to know Metallica, just listen to that one. Of course any of their older stuff is great, I am just not a fan of the newer stuff that came out with and after Enter Sandman, though it still is heads above most of the "New Rock" junk out now.
As for new Icons, I have to agree, there just isn't anyting out there that I think would qualify. Though, there wasn't much in the 80's either....Mellencamp is great, but not on the level of Hendrix or Johnny Cash, or Roger Miller, or Glen Miller for that matter. I just think that there is too much money in music now and the only ones who get pushed on the public overwhelm the smaller, doing it for the music writers and singers. I have been listening to a lot more College and NPR music stuff.......even though the politics of those channels leaves me ticked off most of the time. The music is so much better, and there is stuff that should be on the mainstream stations, but with Clearchannel and it's rivals gobbling up all the smaller local channels, there is no space for anything new and innovative. Hence, there is no room for somebody to change music and become an icon.

 

[moondog]

Ya know I don't really think there's any way you could actually predict the NEXT generation of icons. In most cases it takes decades to achieve icon status. Although some of the most famous icons only lasted a few years... Jimi, Janis, Morrison, etc... There just hasn't been anyone around like that in a long, long, time IMO.

I do agree with Andyman on most of his icon list though.
Here's a few others I would add as well...

Brian Wilson
Pete Townshend
Eric Clapton
Aretha Franklin
Buddy Guy

mOOn (feeling old)

 

[Andyman]

VH:

My Mellencamp reference was to make a point. He's good, not great, but there aren't any new artist's that even approach Mellencamp, much less the huge talents I grew up with.

Well, maybe Dave Matthews. I don't know his music, but he's been around more than 20 minutes

I listed a few without trying; more thought would generate pages and pages of names. But before I go, I'll list a name that never achieved the huge commercial successes of many, but is definitely a treasure from our time:

The Irish Bard, Van Morrison

 

[millerdog]

I forgot all about the "Boss!" While I have no idea what it's like to live in an urban setting, Springsteen's tunes touch me.
Carlos Santana? He still freakin rocks.
Bot, Elvis Costello rocks too. And hey! I like John Mellenstomach Cramp (Grumps nomenclature!).
I am not depressed anymore. Seems like a new list of icons is evolving.

 

[moondog]

Carlos! How could I forget him!!! That man as an amazing soul & spirit that not many musicians on this planet possess these days IMHO.

 

[grumpy]

Guys

Sure Carlos and Neil along with other old timers ( Say pre early 1970's ) mentioned here are indeed Icons but where are the new ones ? Pretty slim pickens is ya asked me..

 

[D-Zyne]

Most of the guys you're naming were innovators, doing things that had never been done before when rock was still young...so here's where I go into the big "everything's been done already" speech....hell, I'm a musician myself and I think it's incredibly difficult to be truly original anymore.
I also think the newer generations attention spans have grown so short that no new artists CAN have staying power. Notice that you don't see any 10+ minute rock anthems anymore?




The true rock star is a thing of the past...it's a terrible thing.