The Most Influential Music Icons
Today, we will be looking at four of the most influential musicians and how they changed music as we know it today.
The Beatles
You can’t deny that the Beatles have been a phenomenon in the music world. The two-headed monster of Lennon and McCartney gave us songs such as Strawberry Fields Forever, Blackbird, and A Day In The Life. Not to mention the unmatched musicianship of George Harrison and Ringo Starr, the Beatles had a band that managed to transcend time. Their music spanned a number of genres: Rock’n’roll, psychedelia, even Indian music, opening the doors for pop music that hadn’t ever been closed.
David Bowie
Art Rock star David Bowie was a master at confronting what wasn’t discussed: sexual nonconformity with androgynous looks. Bowie had personas that are unmatched in the world of rock and roll (a glam rock alien named Ziggy Stardust and a nobleman named the Thin White Duke) sparked inspiration in others, leading to put-together fashion, theatre, and performance art with pop music. He put out a final album, Blackstar, which was released right before he died of liver cancer.
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson is known as the pop music icon, as he’s a triple threat: singing, dancing, and a legend in showbiz. He started out fronting the Jackson 5 as a Motown child star. From there, he skyrocketed to fame, establishing himself as an influential musician with his debut solo album Off The Wall. He grew in popularity with the release of in 1982, which quickly became a classic hit and a global bestseller. He redefined what it meant to be a pop star, moving the genre of music into a new era.
Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder is another Motown legend famous for innovating music. Taking a page out of the Beatles book, this songwriter used a synthesizer to change up the sound of soul music for the better by throwing in funk, jazz, gospel, and even reggae. Stevie Wonder produced incredible music, overcoming his visual impairment and planting himself as an innovator and an all-around triumph over adversity in pop music.
Originally published at https://jondavidheindel.com.
