Which acts have encapsulated popular culture in your lifetime?

[Guest NGOG]

The early 90s were definitely still GNR territory coupled with Tupac fronting the powerful hip hop scene. Nirvana completely took over mid-way through the decade and this lasted right up until around 1999 when Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails briefly became the it genre. The new millenium propelled Oasis as its big name but since the demise of Noel and Liam's relationship nobody has really took over the role of defining this thoroughly uninteresting decade in music.

Edit: Maybe Kanye

Edited May 19, 2013 by NGOG

[PappyTron]

The Spice Girls.

[Randy Lahey]

You forgot about Eminem. He's the biggest musical icon since MJ.

[Guest NGOG]

You forgot about Eminem. He's the biggest musical icon since MJ.

I agree with you. I would definitely include Eminem as representing the better cultural phenomenon of the 2000s along with Oasis. I'm actually going to see Slim Shady in late August.

[Randy Lahey]

And as much as I love Tupac, I'd have to say it was Dre and Snoop who really brought that West Coast G-Funk to the masses.

You forgot about Eminem. He's the biggest musical icon since MJ.

I agree with you. I would definitely include Eminem as representing the better cultural phenomenon of the 2000s along with Oasis. I'm actually going to see Slim Shady in late August.

Oasis was more 90's. I consider Noel and Liam to be the last real rock stars to come along.

Edited May 19, 2013 by Randy Lahey

[Guest NGOG]

And as much as I love Tupac, I'd have to say it was Dre and Snoop who really brought that West Coast G-Funk to the masses.

No way. Then and in hindsight Tupac is the greater cultural icon. He is categorically the face of 90s hip hop culture. Dre may at a time have been the clinical brain and Snoop was for a moment covered in glory; but Pac ain't pursuing silly headphone pawns or dueting with Katy Perry.

Oasis was more 90's. I consider Noel and Liam to be the last real rock stars to come along.

Oasis musically were the 90s definitely. But they only really became cultural icons at the turn of the century.

[Randy Lahey]

And as much as I love Tupac, I'd have to say it was Dre and Snoop who really brought that West Coast G-Funk to the masses.

No way. Then and in hindsight Tupac is the greater cultural icon. He is categorically the face of 90s hip hop culture. Dre may at a time have been the clinical brain and Snoop was for a moment covered in glory; but Pac ain't pursuing silly headphone pawns or dueting with Katy Perry.

Oasis was more 90's. I consider Noel and Liam to be the last real rock stars to come along.

Oasis musically were the 90s definitely. But they only really became cultural icons at the turn of the century.

Dre was the one who put Tupac over the top when he gave him California Love. Tupac wouldn't be nearly as big as he is without California Love. Tupac may be the bigger icon because he died, but Dre is far more important. He helped give us NWA, Snoop and Eminem.

[Guest NGOG]

Dre was the one who put Tupac over the top when he gave him California Love. Tupac wouldn't be nearly as big as he is without California Love. Tupac may be the bigger icon because he died, but Dre is far more important. He helped give us NWA, Snoop and Eminem.

Then you could say Elton John put him over with Ghetto Gospel because it's the other song the sheep can rhyme off. Dre didn't give Pac anything. He personifies 90s hip hip because he was nothing short of a visionary. The death thing does come into play because it vindicates his claim to being a gangster rapper.

I value the talent over the scout. I can't bring myself to dig non-strung out Eminem. He has released two terrible last albums. Snoop has become a parody of his former self with the whole lion gimmick. He's obviously realized how far his trayed from his 90s status by hooking up with names like JT and Pharrell. Pretty boys.

[Randy Lahey]

Dre was the one who put Tupac over the top when he gave him California Love. Tupac wouldn't be nearly as big as he is without California Love. Tupac may be the bigger icon because he died, but Dre is far more important. He helped give us NWA, Snoop and Eminem.

Then you could say Elton John put him over with Ghetto Gospel because it's the other song the sheep can rhyme off. Dre didn't give Pac anything. He personifies 90s hip hip because he was nothing short of a visionary. The death thing does come into play because it vindicates his claim to being a gangster rapper.

I value the talent over the scout. I can't bring myself to dig non-strung out Eminem. He has released two terrible last albums. Snoop has become a parody of his former self with the whole lion gimmick. He's obviously realized how far his trayed from his 90s status by hooking up with names like JT and Pharrell. Pretty boys.

I agree with what you said about Snoop and Eminem. But again, they lived, and have gotten older. Tupac will always be young and at his peak. If Snoop had died after Doggystyle, and Eminem after the Marshall Mathers LP, they too would be viewed in much the same way as Tupac is.

Tupac wasn't nearly as big before he went to Death Row and put out All Eyez on Me. Dre gave Tupac his biggest hit. California Love was originally intended for Dre's followup to The Chronic. If you take California Love off of All Eyez on Me, it doesn't sell anything close to what it did.

Edited May 19, 2013 by Randy Lahey

[pepsicoca]

i agree with randy... in europe, tupac was unknown until california love, whereas dre and snoop were already very popular.

daft punk has been very important in the last 15 years in terms of encapsulating popular culture.

Edited May 19, 2013 by pepsicoca

[Guest NGOG]

If Snoop had died after Doggystyle, and Eminem after the Marshall Mathers LP, they too would be viewed in much the same way as Tupac is.

Tupac wasn't nearly as big before he went to Death Row and put out All Eyez on Me. Dre gave Tupac his biggest hit. California Love was originally intended for Dre's followup to The Chronic. If you take California Love off of All Eyez on Me, it doesn't sell anything close to what it did.

I don't think Snoop could ever have been immortalized even in premature daeth. There wasn't the same level of innovation, social awareness, mysteria. I would agree with you in saying that had Eminem OD'ed in the immediate aftermath of MMLP he could have been the biggest symbol of popular culture ever. That's why I agreed with you in saying he's a major part of 21st century popular culture regardless of being alive or not.

i agree with randy... in europe, tupac was unknown until california love, whereas dre and snoop were already very popular.

daft punk has been very important in the last 15 years in terms of encapsulating popular culture.

There were bigger songs on All Eyez On Me. Hip hop didn't really implode in Europe until both 2Pac and Biggie were dead. We've only really properly embraced the culture in hindsight.

I was going to include Daft Punk, I think that's a very strong argument to capture the rise of dance. I'm waiting to see what Avicii has left to say though.

Edited May 19, 2013 by NGOG

[wasted]

Snoop is the Frank Sinatra of the 90s.

Edited May 19, 2013 by wasted

[JKKDARK]

You forgot about Eminem. He's the biggest musical icon since MJ.

No bigger than Madonna, U2, Mariah Carey and 2Pac.

[arnold layne]

Yeah U2 hit it big again around 2004 with the release of HTDAAB.

Green Day's American Idiot was huge that year too.

[Deepest Shame]

You forgot about Eminem. He's the biggest musical icon since MJ.

No bigger than Madonna, U2, Mariah Carey and 2Pac.

Mariah Carey lol, she's always been one of those people that has success but never really... have an impact.

[JKKDARK]

You forgot about Eminem. He's the biggest musical icon since MJ.

No bigger than Madonna, U2, Mariah Carey and 2Pac.

Mariah Carey lol, she's always been one of those people that has success but never really... have an impact.

Tell that to Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Nelly Furtado, Leona Lewis, Brandy Norwood, Pink, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott and other tons of well known artists.

[MB.]

You forgot about Eminem. He's the biggest musical icon since MJ.

No bigger than Madonna, U2, Mariah Carey and 2Pac.

Mariah Carey lol, she's always been one of those people that has success but never really... have an impact.

Tell that to Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Nelly Furtado, Leona Lewis, Brandy Norwood, Pink, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott and other tons of well known artists.

Agreed.

[Guest Len B'stard]

Dre was the one who put Tupac over the top when he gave him California Love. Tupac wouldn't be nearly as big as he is without California Love. Tupac may be the bigger icon because he died, but Dre is far more important. He helped give us NWA, Snoop and Eminem.

Then you could say Elton John put him over with Ghetto Gospel because it's the other song the sheep can rhyme off. Dre didn't give Pac anything. He personifies 90s hip hip because he was nothing short of a visionary. The death thing does come into play because it vindicates his claim to being a gangster rapper.

I value the talent over the scout. I can't bring myself to dig non-strung out Eminem. He has released two terrible last albums. Snoop has become a parody of his former self with the whole lion gimmick. He's obviously realized how far his trayed from his 90s status by hooking up with names like JT and Pharrell. Pretty boys.

I agree with what you said about Snoop and Eminem. But again, they lived, and have gotten older. Tupac will always be young and at his peak. If Snoop had died after Doggystyle, and Eminem after the Marshall Mathers LP, they too would be viewed in much the same way as Tupac is.

Tupac wasn't nearly as big before he went to Death Row and put out All Eyez on Me. Dre gave Tupac his biggest hit. California Love was originally intended for Dre's followup to The Chronic. If you take California Love off of All Eyez on Me, it doesn't sell anything close to what it did.

Cali love and u cant c me were meant for a collab album dre and cube were gonna do along with natural born killaz.

[DieselDaisy]

Well up to the mid-90s it was Michael Jackson and Madonna in the world of pop. In terms of cheesy pop, I would say Take That and The Spice Girls. Nirvana for the face of rock music from 1991 onwards. And then in 1994 in Britain Oasis signalled the Britrock movement. My knowledge of hip hop and rap can be written on a postage stamp but I believe Eminem is the last icon of Jacksonesque proportions.

[Deepest Shame]

You forgot about Eminem. He's the biggest musical icon since MJ.

No bigger than Madonna, U2, Mariah Carey and 2Pac.

Mariah Carey lol, she's always been one of those people that has success but never really... have an impact.

Tell that to Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Nelly Furtado, Leona Lewis, Brandy Norwood, Pink, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott and other tons of well known artists.

Huh?

[MB.]

You forgot about Eminem. He's the biggest musical icon since MJ.

No bigger than Madonna, U2, Mariah Carey and 2Pac.

Mariah Carey lol, she's always been one of those people that has success but never really... have an impact.

Tell that to Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Nelly Furtado, Leona Lewis, Brandy Norwood, Pink, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott and other tons of well known artists.

Huh?

Mariah influenced most of them, so she had a impact (she and Withney). I disagree with a few names though.

Mariah was huge early 90s, every single went straight to nr.1. She influenced many current female singers.

[Deepest Shame]

You forgot about Eminem. He's the biggest musical icon since MJ.

No bigger than Madonna, U2, Mariah Carey and 2Pac.

Mariah Carey lol, she's always been one of those people that has success but never really... have an impact.

Tell that to Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Nelly Furtado, Leona Lewis, Brandy Norwood, Pink, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott and other tons of well known artists.

Huh?

Mariah influenced most of them, so she had a impact (she and Withney). I disagree with a few names though.

Mariah was huge early 90s, every single went straight to nr.1. She influenced many current female singers.

Yeah, she has 18 #1's but I doubt anyone but herself and huge fans would be able to name them all, she got some of them through little tricks and such. When I say impact, I mean, she's not someone that instantly springs to mind; such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, Whitney Houston etc. She's always sort of... been there, like Celine Dion.