Pop music as we know it has been around for more than 70 years. Stars have succeeded each other over time, and some have left resounding soundwaves across generations. This is a list, in no particular order, of those we think have had and still have the most influence on pop music as we know it today.
Madonna
Now, it would not be a pop icon ranking without mentioning the “Queen of Pop” herself, the legendary Madonna.
Born in 1958, Madonna is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress that has been active since 1979. With over 300 millions records sold and 7 Grammy Awards to her name, she is known for her willingness to change and reinvent herself as trends move throughout the decades. She established herself as the best-selling female recording artist of her time, and still to this day, she is the inspiration for multiple contemporary artists.
She has had, and continues to have, a tremendous impact on culture through her fashion, music videos, and song themes that are often seen as controversial.
Some of her most well known songs are “Like a Virgin,” “Vogue,” and “Material Girl.”
Michael Jackson
Over all of the rankings we have consulted in the making of this article, there were two people that were without fail in each of the lists. One of them was Madonna, as mentioned earlier, and the other was, understandably, the “King of Pop” himself, Michael Jackson.
Born in 1958 and deceased in 2009, Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer who transformed what visual performance–in music videos and on stage–should look like in pop music. In total, he has sold over 350 millions records, about 70 million of which were from his best-selling album, “Thriller.” He has also won 13 Grammy Awards.
Micheal Jackson helped popularize street dance moves such as the moonwalk, the robot, and the anti-gravity lean. His musical achievements also helped break American racial barriers.
Some of his most well known songs are “Thriller,” “Beat it,” and “Smooth Criminal.”
The Beatles
You have probably heard a thousand times already about the influence of the Beatles on modern and contemporary pop music.
Formed in 1960 in Liverpool, England, The Beatles were active for a decade, right until 1970 when the four members–John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr–seperated. During their career as a group, they won 7 Grammy Awards and managed to have twenty of their singles at the #1 in the US singles chart between 1963 and 1970. They were known for their vocal harmonies and their willingness to experiment with different lyrics, sounds, and studio techniques.
This experimentation with studio techniques is what influenced and revolutionized pop music, making it the genre we know it as today.
Some of their most well known songs are “Hey Jude,” “Let It Be,” and “Yesterday.”
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley, the “King of Rock n’ Roll,” started his career as a singer and actor in 1953 and quickly rose to fame. He ended his career in 1977 with over 500 million records sold and 3 Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
He was known for his sexually provocative and controversial performance style that drew inspiration from popular black culture. He helped popularize this style worldwide and greatly influenced how performances would be.
Some of his most known songs are “Jailhouse Rock,” “Hound Dog,” and “Love Me Tender.”
Beyoncé
Beyonce, or Queen B, was born in 1981 and started her music career in 1990. She was first part of the girl group Destiny’s Child, one of the world’s best selling girl groups of all time, as the lead singer before pursuing her solo career. On top of being a singer and a songwriter, she is an actress and a business woman.
Beyonce currently holds the record of the most Grammy Awards won with a total of 32, which is about 18 times the average number of Grammys won by an artist. She has also sold over 200 million albums as of today. In 2018, she became the first black female headliner at the music festival called Coachella.
She is well known for her powerful vocal and visual performances, as well as innovative visual albums. Her most popular songs are “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” “Halo,” and “Crazy in Love.”
Taylor Swift
Whether you like it or not, most people, if not everyone, has at least heard of Taylor Swift, from her “Eras’ Tour” to the controversy regarding her husband.
Born in 1989, Swift is a singer-songwriter active since 2003. As of today, she is the highest grossing live music artist, the wealthiest female musician, and one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Swift has won 14 Grammy Awards and has sold over 200 million records. She is also the first artist that has occupied the entire top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time.
She is most well known for her narrative songwriting and her ability to craft catchy melodies and relatable lyrics, making her one of the most prominent contemporary pop artists.
Some of her most well known songs include, but are not limited to, “Shake it Off,” “We Are Never Getting Back Together,” and “Lover.”
Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston was born in 1963 and started her music career in 1977. Her most notable achievements, other than being one of the most awarded artists of all time, include winning 6 Grammy Awards and having her song “I Will Always Love You” stay at the #1 spot for 14 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, making the song the best selling record by a female artist of all time.
Her popularity was due to her incredible vocal technique and her ability to convey deep emotions. This influenced the following generations in their vocal interpretations all around the globe.
Her musical achievements helped break down the gender and racial barriers that surrounded the music industry.
During her career and after her death in 2012, she has sold over 220 million records worldwide. Her most popular songs are “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” “Greatest Love of All,” and, of course, “I Will Always Love You.”
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga, born in 1986, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress known for her powerful vocals and theatrical performances. Her “trade mark” is rooted in her flamboyant fashion, diverse musical output, and provocative musical artistry.
Her career started in 2000 and is still ongoing to this day. With 16 Grammy Awards to her name, Gaga is also famous for her activism and her advocacy for queer rights and mental health.
Some of her most popular songs include “Poker Face,” “Abracadabra,” and “Shallow” from the movie A Star is Born where she played one of the main characters.
Prince
Prince was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and most importantly, a multi-instrumentalist. In total, he was able to play 127 different instruments.
From 1975 to 2016, Prince was known not only for his prowess with instruments, but also for his wide vocal range and his innovative recording techniques. He has won 7 Grammy Awards and has sold over 150 million records worldwide.
He also pushed the boundaries of music genre and visual presentation through his bold expression of identity and artistry, and his experimentation with multiple instruments in a single album.
Some of his most well-known songs are “Purple Rain,” “When Doves Cry,” and “Kiss.”
David Bowie
David Bowie was active from 1962 right until 2016. His influence reached all artists, not just singers. His chameleonic ability to constantly reinvent himself in search for new creative ways to share his music is what made him rise to popularity.
Every few years, Bowie would create a new character, experiment with new fashion and music style, only to abandon it and create a new one again. One of his most notable characters was Ziggy Stardust. At the peak of his popularity then, Bowie decided to retire him and start in a new direction. He encouraged artists to take creative risks, rather than following trends.
His performances would blend music genres, fashion, theatre and visual arts, creating unique shows that would draw everyone in. He pushed the boundaries of music, fashion, and identity through his art and creativity.
Some of his most popular songs include “Space Oddity,” “Heroes,” and “Lets Dance.”
Writer: Mia Bouchard; Editor: James Beaupré; Picture: essaysthatmakeyouthink.blogspot.com
