McInfluential Music Acts 1

Here I go again with my lists. I’ve attempted to list my Top 10 Most Influential Music Acts. What do I mean by this? These acts, whether solo, duo or group, created music which helped defined my taste in music. One way or another, their songs make up the soundtrack of my life.

I divided it into two lists: [1] duo or group; [2] solo acts.

Duo or Group

[10] New Order
The band formerly known as Joy Division was a major influence in the kind of direction dance and electronic music took during the 90s. I loved the way they marry cold and hard electronic sounds with the tortured singing of Bernard Sumner. Quintessential favorites: Love Will Tear Us Apart Again, Fine Time, Regret.

[9] Fleetwood Mac
It’s the dynamics between ethereal Stevie Nicks, California rocker Lindsey Buckingham, and cool, breezy Christine McVie which makes Fleetwood Mac’s repertoire of songs an interesting mix. Together, they create pop gems that have their personal stamp as well as an unmistakable Mac-mark. Quintessential favorites: Gypsy, Tusk, Go Your Own Way

[8] The Police
Sting’s whip-smart lyrics combined with the very tight interplay between him, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland equals some of the smartest rock music in the 80s and early 90s. Quintessential favorites: Message In A Bottle, Every Breath you Take, King Of Pain

[7] Paul McCartney & Wings
Growing up I listened to the Beatles, so when they broke up I naturally followed the solo careers of John, Paul, George and Ringo. Paul was the most successful of the four; he was also my favorite Beatle. Sir Paul may be faulted for writing too many “silly love songs”, but he’s also proven to be capable once in a while to pull a more substantial pop song or two. Quintessential favorites: Listen To What The Man Said, Live And Let Die, Tug Of War

[6] Pet Shop Boys
Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe spoke of gay men’s concerns masked (at first) in a hetero-ambiguous way. But their electronic music couldn’t mask their fey and gay spirit. I also like how Neil’s lyrics became more substantial without losing the smart play of words. Quintessential favorites: What Have I Done To Deserve This?, So Hard, I Don’t Know What You Want But I Can’t Give It Anymore

[5] BeeGees
Starting as a gentler Beatles-wannabe in the 60s, the quintessential disco act of the 70s went on to make elegant pop music in the 80s and 90s as well. I remember biking home in a terrible rush because I heard the song “You Should Be Dancing” playing in our neighbor’s TV. Their songs have such elegant arrangements, it’s no surprise even their dance songs are backed by an orchestra. Now that’s disco music with strings attached. Quintessential favorites: Don’t Forget To Remember, If I Can’t Have You, You Win Again

[4] Electric Light Orchestra
An outgrowth of my love for Beatles music (especially during their “Magical Mystery Tour” era) is my fascination with another Beatles-wannabe group. Taking the rock-and-roll-band-with-strings-section one step further, Jeff Lynne had a whole string section backing his band up. Even during the disco era, ELO made danceable rock music. On later albums Jeff Lynne stripped down his sound, but his melodies and arrangements still sounded suspiciously like the Fab Four’s. Quintessential favorites: Don’t Bring Me Down, Don’t Walk Away, Endless Lies

[3] Abba
Why not? ‘Nuff said.
Seriously, it’s Swedish kitsch plus flawless tunes equals timeless pop classics. Quintessential favorites: Knowing Me, Knowing You, The Name Of The Game, The Winner Takes It All

[2] U2
The boys from Ireland have helped pushed the envelope for modern rock and roll. Dabbling in electronica, hip-hop, classical and other diverse musical influences, U2 was never afraid to push their music in brave directions, to go where the streets have no name. That they continue to rock on and reinvent is a testament to their staying power. Quintessential favorites: Pride (In The Name Of Love), Numb, Discothèque

[1] The Beatles
Hello, obvious ba? The earliest memory I have of any song is their Obla-di, Obla-da. With the album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”, the Beatles did for pop music what Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 did to classical music: they burst the genre wide open and moved it in directions unheard of then. Ground-breaking, record-breaking, life-changing—they weren’t called the Fab Four for nothing. Quintessential favorites: too many to mention

Runners-up (in alphabetical order):
The Carpenters – The brother-and-anorexic team of Richard and Karen made music that, in a way, defined the 70s for me. Theirs was the music I’d hear on AM radio stations during afternoon siesta, usually with our Bisaya maid singing haphazardly along to it.
Daryl Hall & John Oates – They reached their peak in the 80s, with top 5 hits one after the other. Their songs are part of my 80s soundtrack, as are the songs of…
Duran Duran – Another quintessential 80s band. Their songs make up my soundtrack, while their videos define that era’s images.
Queen – Long before I realized Freddie Mercury played on my team, I already liked his band’s music. They made hard-rocking tunes that were irresistibly sing-alongable. Plus their set in Live Aid was one for the books.

Next time, the solo acts.