Music's Mount Rushmore

[Sighclone Fan]

The podcast about ISU's Mount Rushmore got me thinking what my Mount Rushmore of music would look like..

If you had to choose 4 artists, not bands, that are most essential to you - who would you choose?

For me..

John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and Kevin Parker

 

[Gonzo]

For me:

Paul Westerberg
Morrissey
Stephen Malkmus
Waylon Jennings

 

[StratCY]

This is tough, but it would look something like:

Duane Allman
Jimi Hendrix
Bob Dylan
John Lennon

Almost made the cut: Jackson Browne, Derek Trucks, Johnny Cash, Eric Clapton, Eric Johnson, SRV, James Taylor, George Harrison, Paul McCartney.

 

[Doc]

The podcast about ISU's Mount Rushmore got me thinking what my Mount Rushmore of music would look like..

If you had to choose 4 artists, not bands, that are most essential to you - who would you choose?

For me..

John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and Kevin Parker

TIL who Kevin Parker was.

 

[Clonefan32]

Banking off the most essential to you (rather than music history), I would go:

Hendrix, Lennon, Jack White are the easy three.

I like quite a bit of hip-hop and rap, but I'm struggling to think of a rapper I would put on my "Rushmore". Same with country, but to a lesser extent.

 

[Sighclone Fan]

TIL who Kevin Parker was.

Good, he's one of most talented out there! Not sure what music you are into.. but Tame Impala is my favorite newer band. First album is psychedelic rock and the latest album is bit more dancy.

 

[CYCLNST8]

Bach
Duke Ellington
John Williams
Quincy Jones

 

[AmesHawk]

Since you specified "essential to you" and I don't have to come up with picks that speak for music in general I'll go with:

Clapton
SRV
Jonny Lang
4a. David Gilmour
4b. Steve Winwood

This list is a whole lot harder than a band one.

 

[JimmyChitwood]

Robert Johnson
Chuck Berry
John Lennon
Johnny Cash

 

[3GenClone]

Paul Simon
Rivers Cuomo
Billie Joe Armstrong
David Bowie

 

[Doc]

Good, he's one of most talented out there! Not sure what music you are into.. but Tame Impala is my favorite newer band. First album is psychedelic rock and the latest album is bit more dancy.

Nice, I will give that first album a shot!

 

[Angie]

Oh crap. This is hard.

Um...

1. David Bowie
2. Jack White
3. Keith Richards
4. Thom Yorke, maybe?

Others:
Lou Reed
Bob Dylan (but screw his son, Jakob)
Keith Moon
Michael Jackson
Jay-Z
Dave Grohl (minus late Foo Fighters)

 

[Rural]

This is really going to be age related.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Gioachino Rossini
Max Steiner
Miles Davis
Paul McCartney

 

[Farnsworth]

Dylan
Dylan
Dylan

and......

Dylan, becauase he spits hot fire.

 

[CycloneTJS]

Tom Petty
John Mellencamp
Ted Nugent
Jimi Hendryx

 

[DeftOne]

Stevie Ray Vaughn
Layne Staley
Josh Homme
Maynard James Keenan

 

[CYCLNST8]

How bout my Rock n Roll All Star team?

Freddie Mercury
Eddie Van Halen
Flea
Neil Peart

I doubt that lineup would gel very well, but a boy can dream...

 

[jcyclonee]

Paul Simon
Bono
Tom Petty
Eric Clapton

Honorable Mention:
Elvis
Michael Jackson
Michael Stipe
Paul McCartney

 

[SWCy13]

I honestly could only speak for a country and rap Mt. Rushmore as those are the two genres that I've extensively listened to.

Country was extremely difficult for me...I do want to have the disclaimer that my interest pretty much starts only with the Outlaw movement as that's the music my dad listened to when I was growing up, so no Hank, Rodgers, Acuff, etc..I landed at:

Johnny Cash - Arguably could be on the Mt. Rushmore of any music list
Waylon Jennings - Self explanatory
Willie Nelson - For the character he is just as much as his music
George Jones - Greatest pure singer in country music history

Rap was easy for me:

2Pac - Self explanatory
Eminem - Best lyricist ever IMO
Dre - I think he has to be on here due to his producing resume, time with NWA, etc.
Kendrick - May be a bit too early, but you can't deny his greatness in an era when rap is just so overwhelmingly terrible in general