Ultimate Guitar pick the ten greatest pop artists of all time.

[Towelie]

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/ug_news/top_10_greatest_pop_artists_of_all_time.html

10. Elvis Presley
It's interesting how one King got to open the list, and the other one got to close it. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, give it up for the King - Mr. Elvis Presley!


9. Stevie Wonder
Up next is the king of Motown. His music covers multiple genres, and pop is definitely one of them. It's the one and only Stevie Wonder!


8. The Beach Boys
Whatever you do, do not discard the Beach Boys as "surf rock crap" or "lightweight pop crap" or whatever. With "Pet Sounds" alone, the boys have secured their spot in the pantheon, and they actually have quite a bit of other quality
efforts to show off too. Anyhow, a No. 8 spot it is.


7. Bee Gees
If "Stayin' Alive" doesn't give you an urge to jiggle your booty, you're either forcing it or not human. But before epitomizing disco with falsetto vocals and all, the Bee Gees presented some quality albums way back in the '60s, just check out stuff like "Odessa" or "1st."


6. Prince
In the words of UG user LiveToRock86, "Only makes sense on this site to go with a pop star that shreds guitar." Also, a neat fact from a few months ago - at this moment, Prince has enough unreleased music in his legendary vault to release an album a year until sometime in the 22nd century.


5. ABBA
Cracking the list in half, Swedish icons ABBA have established themselves not only as pop superstars, but also as skilled musicians and gifted songwriters.

4. David Bowie
David Bowie is without a hint of doubt one of the most diverse musicians of all time, and pop realm is quite prominent in his eclectic repertoire.

3. Elton John
Fetching the bronze this week is Sir Elton John. His early work is more than enough to rank him among the titans, just take a listen to "Honky Chateau," "Tumbleweed Connection," or "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road."


2. The Beatles
Consider them rocker, but The Beatles were key figures in the birth of modern pop in so many ways that a spot higher up on the list is inarguable. A silver medal for the Fab Four, they were beaten only by the King of Pop himself.

1. Michael Jackson
Hardly surprising, the King still reigns supreme.

Edited May 22, 2015 by Towelie

[realpoti]

Decent list.

[MEXzilla]

MJ 1? Really? Over Elvis, Stevie, David Bowie? Heck even Elton John is better. It freaks me out how a singer like MJ can be so overrated.

[bacardimayne]

MJ over the Beatles is questionable. My list would probably be

1. Beatles

2. MJ

3. Elton

4. Beach Boys

Edited May 22, 2015 by bacardimayne

[Towelie]

MJ number one.

Prince number two.

[Len Cnut]

Dont let Fat Bono hear them say Pop

Elton Johns an overrated little fat bald poof. He reminds me of my big toes. Small with a couple of little hairs hairs growing out of em

Edited May 22, 2015 by Len B'stard

[Nosaj Thing]

Great list.

MJ will always be #1.

[sweetness]

Hall and Oates deserves to be in this conversation, way more than the fucking Bee Gees.

[Gackt]

Bowie below Elton?

Fuckin rigged

[Chewbacca]

Great list. I voted for MJ on this one.

[Johnny Drama]

Hall and Oates deserves to be in this conversation, way more than the fucking Bee Gees.

The Bee Gees should be higher if anything.

[DieselDaisy]

A lot rests on the utter confusion between the terms, 'pop' and 'rock'. 'Pop' is probably the most misunderstood term in music

[wasted]

No Stones, Madonna or Eminem?

[Johnny Drama]

A lot rests on the utter confusion between the terms, 'pop' and 'rock'. 'Pop' is probably the most misunderstood term in music

Go on then.

[The Black]

Decent list.

Thank god they didn't mention any boy or girl bands.

[DieselDaisy]

A lot rests on the utter confusion between the terms, 'pop' and 'rock'. 'Pop' is probably the most misunderstood term in music

Go on then.

Up until the 1970s the terms, pop and rock, were used interchangeably. It was common to hear the Stones and Hendrix described as 'pop acts'; conversely, you could hear The Beatles labelled, 'rock'. Prevalent afterwards it has become a term used to describe a distinctly commercial and 'light' genre. This was heightened more so since the onset of the 1980s.

[Len Cnut]

Rock is pop, its just lately its unpopular pop. Anything that came up through the charts is pop music, classical, blues, jazz, stuff like that aint pop music. Its just people equate it to Britney Spears and all that bollocks but the term existed before that.

Bands like The Who, The Stones, The Beatles, these are pop group and were referred to as such in their time. Pop aint even really a style necessarily its just popular music, just so happens the listening habits of the public at large have a certain consistency so the verse chorus verse structure become synonymous with pop but then rap music at large is pop music now too so its not exclusive to the older formats no more.

A lot rests on the utter confusion between the terms, 'pop' and 'rock'. 'Pop' is probably the most misunderstood term in music

Go on then.

Up until the 1970s the terms, pop and rock, were used interchangeably. It was common to hear the Stones and Hendrix described as 'pop acts'; conversely, you could hear The Beatles labelled, 'rock'. Prevalent afterwards it has become a term used to describe a distinctly commercial and 'light' genre. This was heightened more so since the onset of the 1980s.

Leave it to Dies' to put it better than me

[dalsh327]

An all time list means factoring everything in pop music history.

Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Ricky Nelson, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Everly Brothers, Paul Simon (and S&G), ELO, Olivia Newton-John, The Mamas and the Papas, Isley Brothers, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Sam Cooke, Three Dog Night, The Rascals, The Fifth Dimension, The Platters, The Drifters, The Hollies, The Four Seasons, Tommy James and the Shondells, Frankie Lymon, Whitney Houston, Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, The Carpenters, Van Morrison, The Kinks, Marvin Gaye.

Diana Ross, Bette Midler (she also put Barry Manilow on the map), Rolling Stones, Linda Ronstadt, Brenda Lee, Bobbie Gentry, Wanda Jackson, The Shirelles, Cher (including Sonny and) , The Righteous Brothers, Tina Turner, Andrews Sisters, Ink Spots, Mills Brothers, Johnny Ray, Carly Simon, Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin, Annie Lennox, Smokey Robinson, Foreigner, Rod Stewart, Journey, Blondie, Gwen Stefani (No Doubt and solo), Pink, The Monkees, Hermans Hermits, Dave Clark 5, Chic, Sly and the Family Stone, Shakira, Madonna, Fleetwood Mac, Eagles, Donna Summer, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, John Lennon, Ringo, The Byrds, Beyonce, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bob Seger, The Association, Tony Orlando and Dawn, James Taylor, Carole King, CSN, The Who, T-Rex, Glen Campbell, Paul Anka.

Billy Joel, Sam and Dave, The Turtles, Doobie Brothers, Tom Jones, Kylie Minogue, INXS, Cliff Richard, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Ella Fitzgerald, Doris Day, Perry Como, Pat Boone, Frankie Laine, Vera Lynn, Spike Jones, Lonnie Donegan.

Rick James, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Usher, Justin Timberlake, Lovin Spoonful, Mariah Carey, Cyndi Lauper, Queen, Aerosmith, Neil Diamond, Bon Jovi, Celine Dion, Kenny Loggins, Janet Jackson, Chicago, Dolly Parton, Bryan Adams, Earth Wind and Fire, Gloria Estefan, George Michael, Little River Band, Debbie Gibson, Shania Twain, Depeche Mode, Erasure, Duran Duran, TLC, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Amy Winehouse, Lionel Richie (with Commodores and solo), Bruno Mars, Daft Punk, Eric Clapton, Shangri-Las, Badfinger, Cheap Trick, KISS, Foo Fighters, Bruce Springsteen, Split Enz, Crowded House, Manfred Mann, 10cc, Supertramp, Adam and the Ants, and Slade.

Edited May 23, 2015 by dalsh327

[Len Cnut]

An all time list means factoring everything in pop music history.

Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Ricky Nelson, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Everly Brothers, Paul Simon (and S&G), ELO, Olivia Newton-John, The Mamas and the Papas, Isley Brothers, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Sam Cooke, Three Dog Night, The Rascals, The Fifth Dimension, The Platters, The Drifters, The Hollies, The Four Seasons, Tommy James and the Shondells, Frankie Lymon, Whitney Houston, Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, The Carpenters, Van Morrison, The Kinks, Marvin Gaye.

Diana Ross, Bette Midler (she also put Barry Manilow on the map), Rolling Stones, Linda Ronstadt, Brenda Lee, Bobbie Gentry, Wanda Jackson, The Shirelles, Cher (including Sonny and) , The Righteous Brothers, Tina Turner, Andrews Sisters, Ink Spots, Mills Brothers, Johnny Ray, Carly Simon, Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin, Annie Lennox, Smokey Robinson, Foreigner, Rod Stewart, Journey, Blondie, Gwen Stefani (No Doubt and solo), Pink, The Monkees, Hermans Hermits, Dave Clark 5, Chic, Sly and the Family Stone, Shakira, Madonna, Fleetwood Mac, Eagles, Donna Summer, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, John Lennon, Ringo, The Byrds, Beyonce, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bob Seger, The Association, Tony Orlando and Dawn, James Taylor, Carole King, CSN, The Who, T-Rex, Glen Campbell, Paul Anka.

Billy Joel, Sam and Dave, The Turtles, Doobie Brothers, Tom Jones, Kylie Minogue, INXS, Cliff Richard, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Ella Fitzgerald, Doris Day, Perry Como, Pat Boone, Frankie Laine, Vera Lynn, Spike Jones, Lonnie Donegan.

Rick James, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Usher, Justin Timberlake, Lovin Spoonful, Mariah Carey, Cyndi Lauper, Queen, Aerosmith, Neil Diamond, Bon Jovi, Celine Dion, Kenny Loggins, Janet Jackson, Chicago, Dolly Parton, Bryan Adams, Earth Wind and Fire, Gloria Estefan, George Michael, Little River Band, Debbie Gibson, Shania Twain, Depeche Mode, Erasure, Duran Duran, TLC, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Amy Winehouse, Lionel Richie (with Commodores and solo), Bruno Mars, Daft Punk, Eric Clapton, Shangri-Las, Badfinger, Cheap Trick, KISS, Foo Fighters, Bruce Springsteen, Split Enz, Crowded House, Manfred Mann, 10cc, Supertramp, Adam and the Ants, and Slade.

See people slag off pop music but quite frankly 80% of the people up there represent some of the best music I've ever heard in my life. Lets face it, as snobby as people get about music and pop music and selling out, unless you're the son of a fuckin' composer or something we're all raised on the pop music of our day, aren't we, it's our introduction into music and if it was all a bag of shite but default then we wouldn't develop an interest in music.

[wasted]

If it's just what's popular isnt the best way to see who sold the most for a general idea? That's who the best pop act is?

[dalsh327]

I'd factor in how many hits the album had, how many of those songs are still covered, sales figures, how long the artist was able to keep the momentum up. I could have listed another 100 names. Boys II Men had 2 record setting hit songs.

What branched out of New Edition alone should have put them in the top 10. Easily.

[arnold layne]

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/ug_news/top_10_greatest_pop_artists_of_all_time.html

10. Elvis Presley

It's interesting how one King got to open the list, and the other one got to close it. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, give it up for the King - Mr. Elvis Presley!

9. Stevie Wonder

Up next is the king of Motown. His music covers multiple genres, and pop is definitely one of them. It's the one and only Stevie Wonder!

8. The Beach Boys

Whatever you do, do not discard the Beach Boys as "surf rock crap" or "lightweight pop crap" or whatever. With "Pet Sounds" alone, the boys have secured their spot in the pantheon, and they actually have quite a bit of other quality

efforts to show off too. Anyhow, a No. 8 spot it is.

7. Bee Gees

If "Stayin' Alive" doesn't give you an urge to jiggle your booty, you're either forcing it or not human. But before epitomizing disco with falsetto vocals and all, the Bee Gees presented some quality albums way back in the '60s, just check out stuff like "Odessa" or "1st."

6. Prince

In the words of UG user LiveToRock86, "Only makes sense on this site to go with a pop star that shreds guitar." Also, a neat fact from a few months ago - at this moment, Prince has enough unreleased music in his legendary vault to release an album a year until sometime in the 22nd century.

5. ABBA

Cracking the list in half, Swedish icons ABBA have established themselves not only as pop superstars, but also as skilled musicians and gifted songwriters.

4. David Bowie

David Bowie is without a hint of doubt one of the most diverse musicians of all time, and pop realm is quite prominent in his eclectic repertoire.

3. Elton John

Fetching the bronze this week is Sir Elton John. His early work is more than enough to rank him among the titans, just take a listen to "Honky Chateau," "Tumbleweed Connection," or "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road."

2. The Beatles

Consider them rocker, but The Beatles were key figures in the birth of modern pop in so many ways that a spot higher up on the list is inarguable. A silver medal for the Fab Four, they were beaten only by the King of Pop himself.

1. Michael Jackson

Hardly surprising, the King still reigns supreme.

[dalsh327]

Jackie Wilson and Sam Cooke loom large in the birth of modern pop music.

[wasted]

I'd factor in how many hits the album had, how many of those songs are still covered, sales figures, how long the artist was able to keep the momentum up. I could have listed another 100 names. Boys II Men had 2 record setting hit songs.

What branched out of New Edition alone should have put them in the top 10. Easily.

But it's what's popular not most influence?

Oasis are more popular than The Stone Roses. Not saying better or had more influence.

If they had hits it should translate to sales. You have hits but not sell that many copies. Maybe factor that in once you've got the biggest selling acts in the top 20. Then look at these things, but it's hard to objectively prove Beatles had more influence than Elvis or MJ?

We're kind of in that sphere now with Lady Gaga or Taylor Swift. I'm not sure they are crushing it sales wise but presence and exposure might be huge I don't know.

Madonna and MJ same to me.

[nickzark]

Υes MJ will be 1 for ever,i agree