Paul Fannin
Well-Known Member
1...."Rock Around the Clock" Bill Haley and his Comets
The first major rock and roll hit, a song so big that it literally changed the course of popular music, hastening the end of the big band era and the orchestraic pop of the time. Music has never been the same since.
2...."Heartbreak Hotel" Elvis Presley
Elvis' first national hit making him the first and greatest rock superstar. It also changed Country music. (See #14)
3...."Shop Around" Miracles
The first gold record from the Motown machine. Motown gave soul music a bouncy feel and broadened it's appeal without betraying it's roots. With the emergence of Motown, R & B was no longer the exclusive property of the urban, independent Soul stations (although thank Heaven for them). It also created a stable of superstars that would become household words. With Motown, not only were the songs big, but so were the stars.
4...."I Want To Hold Your Hand" Beatles
The first US hit for the Beatles. It ushered in Beatlemania, the first British Invasion, and saved Rock and Roll. A quick look at the charts from that era showed that rock was fizzling and the King had abdicated his crown for cheesy movies. The Beatles and their British countrymen were influenced by the American masters of R & B and Rockabilly.
5...."Eve of Destruction" Barry McGuire
While the folk movement couched social and political messages subtly, Barry McGuire (formerly of the New Christy Minstrels) used Bob Dylan-type acoustics coupled with the harmonica but conveyed a pointed anger seldom seen in pop music. By the time "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield broke two years later, political hits were frequent. Artists as diverse as the 5th Dimension and Marvin Gaye and Merle Haggard were making direct statements. Before, as Peter, Paul and Mary sang, "...but if I really say it, the radio won't play it, unless I lay it between the lines."
6...."Strangers In the Night" Frank Sinatra
Frank and his other contemporaries proved that 40-50's style tunes could receive mass acceptance amidst all the others. The emergence of Adult Contemporary music was taken over later by the Carpenters, Bread, and Barry Manilow, and later Air Supply and Christopher Cross.
7...."Ramblin Man" the Allman Brothers Band
maybe the first mega-smash that fell under the term "Southern Rock." The emergence of this genre paved the way for Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Kansas, Atlanta Rhythm Section, and .38 Special. More significant is that this style of music was the forerunner of today's Country music....Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, Montgomery Gentry, etc.
8...."Rock the Boat" Hues Corporation
This one is highly debateable. "Rock the Boat" may not have been the starting point of the fusion of dance rhythms, power pop, and traditional R&B that became Disco, but it's an effective line of demarcation. Disco ruled pop music for at least 10 years.
9...."My Sharona" the Knack
A very good song, but distinguishable because it stood out in the Disco era. It marked the beginning of the end of Disco dominance.
10..."Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" Michael Jackson
Michael was hardly unknown when the song exploded, but it brought him back as a solo-artist from the shadows of his brothers, who as a group had faded considerably since their unprecedented start. This song launched the most sensational superstar of the 80's and the MTV craze which came later along with....
11..."Don't You Want Me" Human League
Surprised? This great dance song with the techno sound ushered in the 2nd British Invasion that dominated the top of the charts during the early to mid-eighties. This song helped others like mega-stars Duran Duran and Culture Club. Along with Michael Jackson, the 80's British Invasion WAS the video craze of it's time.
12..."Walk This Way" RunDMC
Run DMC was not the first act to have a rap hit, but this song brought rap to the broadest audience it had ever enjoyed. To a lesser historical extent, but significant nonetheless, it brought Aerosmith, the first truly, mass appeal heavy metal American band back into the light.
13..."Gangsta's Paradise" Coolio
Again not the first Gangsta, mass appeal hit, but a hit of such dramatic and monumental success that Gangsta rap became established as a viable mainstream product. Then coming out of the shadows were P Diddy, Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, and others
14...Conspicuous by it's absence is a Country Song. Try as I might, I simply cannot pinpoint any one Country Song that broadened the appeal of Country Music. But one man stands out: Chet Atkins. One of the greatest guitarist that America has ever produced, his influence on Country Music is far more significant. When Elvis emerged with his broad appeal rockabilly, R&B, Country style, Chet Atkins realized that if Country music were to survive the Elvis onslaught, it would have to tweek it's musical stylings. Before Chet Atkins, a Country song seldom featured drums. That began to change with Chet Atkins and the new "Nashville Sound." His influence also helped make Country more melodic making artists like Marty Robbins, Jim Reeves, Floyd Cramer, and the great Eddy Arnold playable in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, as well as Memphis, Dallas and Phoenix. The "Nashville Sound" succeeded at this while not betraying the true Country feel.
15...No song here...Led Zeppelin changed many minds in music. Led Zeppelin proved the importance of the LP, and unique in their approach, they didn't need a top 40 hit to have monster sales, rowing against the prevailing waves of the times.
16...Honorable Mention, not a song. There are two artists who, to me, stand out as ones who cannot be correctly labeled, making them a must to mention. I speak of Ray Charles and Johnny Cash. To call Ray Charles an R&B artist is infinitely correct and yet woefully falls short. While he funked away with "Hit the Road Jack" and "Busted," his biggest hit is the Hoagy Carmichael standard "I Can't Stop Loving You" which is featured on an LP titled, "Modern Sounds In Country & Western Music." I think Ray Charles is simply terrific.
Now, before Johnny Cash ever hooked up with Rick Rubin, he had always bucked the trend. He recorded songs composed by Dylan and John Sebastian (The Lovin Spoonful). On his wonderful TV show, he brought Dylan, Sebastian and Neil Young to national TV audiences on what was ostensibly a Country music show. I once saw on his A&E Biography that from 1968-1972, one in every 5 albums purchased in the US was a Johnny Cash record. I know we contibuted here at 34 Manor.
Tell me what you think....
The first major rock and roll hit, a song so big that it literally changed the course of popular music, hastening the end of the big band era and the orchestraic pop of the time. Music has never been the same since.
2...."Heartbreak Hotel" Elvis Presley
Elvis' first national hit making him the first and greatest rock superstar. It also changed Country music. (See #14)
3...."Shop Around" Miracles
The first gold record from the Motown machine. Motown gave soul music a bouncy feel and broadened it's appeal without betraying it's roots. With the emergence of Motown, R & B was no longer the exclusive property of the urban, independent Soul stations (although thank Heaven for them). It also created a stable of superstars that would become household words. With Motown, not only were the songs big, but so were the stars.
4...."I Want To Hold Your Hand" Beatles
The first US hit for the Beatles. It ushered in Beatlemania, the first British Invasion, and saved Rock and Roll. A quick look at the charts from that era showed that rock was fizzling and the King had abdicated his crown for cheesy movies. The Beatles and their British countrymen were influenced by the American masters of R & B and Rockabilly.
5...."Eve of Destruction" Barry McGuire
While the folk movement couched social and political messages subtly, Barry McGuire (formerly of the New Christy Minstrels) used Bob Dylan-type acoustics coupled with the harmonica but conveyed a pointed anger seldom seen in pop music. By the time "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield broke two years later, political hits were frequent. Artists as diverse as the 5th Dimension and Marvin Gaye and Merle Haggard were making direct statements. Before, as Peter, Paul and Mary sang, "...but if I really say it, the radio won't play it, unless I lay it between the lines."
6...."Strangers In the Night" Frank Sinatra
Frank and his other contemporaries proved that 40-50's style tunes could receive mass acceptance amidst all the others. The emergence of Adult Contemporary music was taken over later by the Carpenters, Bread, and Barry Manilow, and later Air Supply and Christopher Cross.
7...."Ramblin Man" the Allman Brothers Band
maybe the first mega-smash that fell under the term "Southern Rock." The emergence of this genre paved the way for Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Kansas, Atlanta Rhythm Section, and .38 Special. More significant is that this style of music was the forerunner of today's Country music....Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, Montgomery Gentry, etc.
8...."Rock the Boat" Hues Corporation
This one is highly debateable. "Rock the Boat" may not have been the starting point of the fusion of dance rhythms, power pop, and traditional R&B that became Disco, but it's an effective line of demarcation. Disco ruled pop music for at least 10 years.
9...."My Sharona" the Knack
A very good song, but distinguishable because it stood out in the Disco era. It marked the beginning of the end of Disco dominance.
10..."Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" Michael Jackson
Michael was hardly unknown when the song exploded, but it brought him back as a solo-artist from the shadows of his brothers, who as a group had faded considerably since their unprecedented start. This song launched the most sensational superstar of the 80's and the MTV craze which came later along with....
11..."Don't You Want Me" Human League
Surprised? This great dance song with the techno sound ushered in the 2nd British Invasion that dominated the top of the charts during the early to mid-eighties. This song helped others like mega-stars Duran Duran and Culture Club. Along with Michael Jackson, the 80's British Invasion WAS the video craze of it's time.
12..."Walk This Way" RunDMC
Run DMC was not the first act to have a rap hit, but this song brought rap to the broadest audience it had ever enjoyed. To a lesser historical extent, but significant nonetheless, it brought Aerosmith, the first truly, mass appeal heavy metal American band back into the light.
13..."Gangsta's Paradise" Coolio
Again not the first Gangsta, mass appeal hit, but a hit of such dramatic and monumental success that Gangsta rap became established as a viable mainstream product. Then coming out of the shadows were P Diddy, Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, and others
14...Conspicuous by it's absence is a Country Song. Try as I might, I simply cannot pinpoint any one Country Song that broadened the appeal of Country Music. But one man stands out: Chet Atkins. One of the greatest guitarist that America has ever produced, his influence on Country Music is far more significant. When Elvis emerged with his broad appeal rockabilly, R&B, Country style, Chet Atkins realized that if Country music were to survive the Elvis onslaught, it would have to tweek it's musical stylings. Before Chet Atkins, a Country song seldom featured drums. That began to change with Chet Atkins and the new "Nashville Sound." His influence also helped make Country more melodic making artists like Marty Robbins, Jim Reeves, Floyd Cramer, and the great Eddy Arnold playable in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, as well as Memphis, Dallas and Phoenix. The "Nashville Sound" succeeded at this while not betraying the true Country feel.
15...No song here...Led Zeppelin changed many minds in music. Led Zeppelin proved the importance of the LP, and unique in their approach, they didn't need a top 40 hit to have monster sales, rowing against the prevailing waves of the times.
16...Honorable Mention, not a song. There are two artists who, to me, stand out as ones who cannot be correctly labeled, making them a must to mention. I speak of Ray Charles and Johnny Cash. To call Ray Charles an R&B artist is infinitely correct and yet woefully falls short. While he funked away with "Hit the Road Jack" and "Busted," his biggest hit is the Hoagy Carmichael standard "I Can't Stop Loving You" which is featured on an LP titled, "Modern Sounds In Country & Western Music." I think Ray Charles is simply terrific.
Now, before Johnny Cash ever hooked up with Rick Rubin, he had always bucked the trend. He recorded songs composed by Dylan and John Sebastian (The Lovin Spoonful). On his wonderful TV show, he brought Dylan, Sebastian and Neil Young to national TV audiences on what was ostensibly a Country music show. I once saw on his A&E Biography that from 1968-1972, one in every 5 albums purchased in the US was a Johnny Cash record. I know we contibuted here at 34 Manor.
Tell me what you think....
