I almost completely agree here.

I think up to and including Thriller he did some great stuff for the most part (always thought most of his and the Jackson's attempts at ballads sucked though).

The one thing that is irritating is how people credit him with so much of the songwriting yet he did little songwriting before Thriller and when he did write the results were varied. I seem to remember Quincy Jones relating how Jackson would sing a few melodies and present the lyrics and Quincy Jones would put together the entire arrangement before going back into the studio and directing the sessions.

After Thriller most of his stuff was excruciatingly bad (no pun intended). His best was behind him yet he continued to sell variable quality material by the millions. I think he is a great example of how image is everything and it allows you to polish a turd.

In retrospect he really does seem a very creepy and disturbing character. I find it disturbing that he paid off one accuser of child molestation to the tune of $20 million after the strip search confirmed that his accusers description of his penis was accurate; but then he got accused a second time and it wasn't so much that he was found innocent, but that the jury found that there was not enough evidence. Some of the things that came up during those trials made me shudder, particularly in the light of his fans being dismissive and/or having very short memories.

I always think of "Thriller" as a Quincy Jones album that Jackson sang on.

It certainly wouldn't have been the album it was without Quincy Jones. Similar with Off the Wall - wouldn't have been the same album without him, and the songwriters that were involved.

Agreed - I have tried hard to get into Zappa and think what he was trying to do was cool but his music mostly bores me apart from maybe a couple of tracks. Same with Beefheart tbh apart from bits of TMR, and The Beatles too. Jackson I can't stomach though, I neither like or respect him as an artist.

Zappa had his good and bad moments for me, but I do respect him for his attitude and approach, although I think there's little chance he and I would ever have got along in life.

Beefheart I do like, but he seems like he was a real nasty, controlling asshole according to musicians he worked with.

The Beatles I liked - soundtrack of my very early life, and I find a lot of enjoyment in both the composition and lyrics from the perspective of playing the songs myself. McCartney seems like a real knob, but the rest of the band always seemed like decent guys (Lennon could be a twat from time to time though).

Jackson just always seemed to be a triumph of style over substance once he moved away from the group thing. Early Jacksons material is great Motown material, but the move into disco was just the dissolving of any artistry that was once there.

I have respect for ANYone earning dollar one in music, regardless of talent, genre or persona.

That said, I will admit that the first, and only, name that came to mind when I saw this thread was Buckethead. I think the guy's an incredible and versatile player. Not of fan of the genre, but he has a lot of work out there that does speak to me. But the reason he's on my list here is because of the whole bucket/mask gimmick. Just don't get it. Completely unnecessary.

Got some time for some of the sillier Zappa, and prefer the bluesier Beefheart to the more off the wall stuff. Both control freaks, though.

Other lauded artists Ive never really 'got' myself but respect the reputation they've got : Radiohead, Flaming Lips, Beck.

Post 60's Rolling Stones

Springsteen

Rush

Madonna

Todd Rundgren

Joe Jackson

Jon Bon Jovi

Kiss

Paul McCartney

The Finn brothers

Nick Lowe

Sting



Anyone who survives the music business and remains standing gets my respect. Especially, those cats who never became arena acts but still keep going, continuing to write, record, and/or produce music that fans appreciate. Heck, surviving in any part of the entertainment business for the proper span of a career is worthy of respect.

I was never a big fan of Queen but dammit i miss Freddie Mercury. He was just so.......Freddie Mercury nuff said.

Incredible entertainer though. Only saw them gig once and without a doubt he was the most charismatic frontman of any band I ever saw live.

He did have one of the greatest voices in rock/pop, and was the penultimate showman.

One thing about Queen - of the 70s/80s bands, they have held up remarkably well. I have teenagers, and Queen is still popular, and at the very least well-respected.

Than there's this Brian May. What do you do after Queen? Get a PhD in Astrophysics and become the Chancellor of a university. He's like a poster-child for "The Incredibles" - some people ARE special

His voice did start falling apart a bit towards then end, but a lot of that was to do with how hard he pushed his voice.

But when you listen to how he harmonized with himself on record it's incredible - pitch, timing, intonation - all so good, but amazing when you consider what it takes to make those multiple overdubs and get them to sound so perfect.

never paid one bit of attention to her until the YouTube duet with Tony Bennett: Lady Gaga

I think he's actually someone who tries to positively use his fame - which people rightly or wrongly claim is a mental illness, but not a particularly good voice - even though his nickname from his youth claims the opposite: Bono vox

Can't say that I have listened through a single one of his songs, but his Saturday Night Live performance from a couple years ago proved to me that he can sing on-pitch with power while doing incredibly difficult dance moves - which is a talent in it's own right: Justin Bieber. Bruno Mars sort of falls into this category for me as well.

Because he actually made me think about the words to the Scientist by Coldplay as a little more than pop-fluff: Willie Nelson (Youtube of the Chipotle TV commercial - for those of you that haven't heard/watched it; kind of messes with your head in many ways)

Because he somehow made trumpets and other orchestral/band instruments AND crap casio-tone synths sound appropriate in folk songs: Sufjan Stevens

Jordan Rudess' embracing of the iPad as an input device impresses me even though I know he's making money off of it - still cool to watch this guy play whatever is placed in front of him in musical ways; not always enjoyable but - respect.

Seems pretty full of himself (except for that youtube video where he's doing Mac tech support for his dad over the phone - hilarious), has high-fame criteria A-list girlfriends, but the dude CAN play the blues: John Mayer

Because he is the man in black - though I own none of his music: Johnny Cash. He's more punk rock than just about anyone imaginable. Props to the whichever Phoenix sibling who played him in the movie as well.

Riffing on actors playing famous musicians; Jamie Foxx for learning some of Ray Charles' chops in Ray.

OK, I'm done, but great thread topic and responses.

I think you meant 'ultimate' showman, no?

He was good in 'Ray', but it amazes me how shitty almost everything else he does is.