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I have another question for you all today.
For some it may be easy to list them off right away then it is for others. I already can hear the gears in my head whirring as I try to think of my own.
What are your top five musical artists, and why? Have they helped to shape your own personal music? Or, instead -- what are the top five artists that had the biggest impact on your own music and its development?
Last edited by Ember - PG Music; 04/11/18 06:49 AM.
Cheers,
Ember
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I predict the replies on this thread will be quite generational.
I have to give you six.
The Beatles captured me with their composition.
Bob Dylan is on the list for his lyrics.
Jimi Hendrix is there for his use of electronics and innovation.
Chicago is there for their horn arranging.
Pink Floyd is there for their production.
Styx is there for their ensemble vocals.
Bonus pick:
Todd Rundgren is there for his "all of the above".
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Elvis Presley
The Beatles
Bob Dylan
Billy Joel
Leonard Cohen
Chris
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1) Stan Getz (T.Sax) for his lyrical sense of melody
2) Stanley Turrentine (T.Sax) for the way he shapes his notes
3) Mark Murphy (Vocals) for his inventiveness and phrasing
4) Dave Brubeck (Piano) for his excellent use of dissonances
5) Jeff Beck (Guitar) for his mastery of the entire guitar (not just the strings).
Only five is difficult.
6) George Martin for is arranging ability to take very good but vanilla Beatles songs and make artwork out of them
7) Sergei Prokofiev for his contemporary symphonic composition
8) Lalo Schifrin for his contemporary jazz band arranging
9) Danny Elfman for movie scoring
10) Bernard Purdie for his ability to make fantastic, driving drum grooves, most often without calling attention to the drums
I could go on.
Insights and incites by Notes
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I predict the replies on this thread will be quite generational.
I have to give you six.
The Beatles captured me with their composition.
Bob Dylan is on the list for his lyrics.
Jimi Hendrix is there for his use of electronics and innovation.
Chicago is there for their horn arranging.
Pink Floyd is there for their production.
Styx is there for their ensemble vocals.
Bonus pick:
Todd Rundgren is there for his "all of the above".
That's the exciting part for me -- seeing when and how preferences came in to play. Whether it has to do with genre, generation, from playing the same instrument, or if it's the things those specific artists were really great at that were traits you wanted to exemplify. Or, any other reasons anyone might have, really!  You've got some awesome choices in your list! I dig it.
Cheers,
Ember
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Elvis Presley
The Beatles
Bob Dylan
Billy Joel
Leonard Cohen
What about those five artists really resonate with you? I'm curious!
Cheers,
Ember
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1) Stan Getz (T.Sax) for his lyrical sense of melody
2) Stanley Turrentine (T.Sax) for the way he shapes his notes
3) Mark Murphy (Vocals) for his inventiveness and phrasing
4) Dave Brubeck (Piano) for his excellent use of dissonances
5) Jeff Beck (Guitar) for his mastery of the entire guitar (not just the strings).
Only five is difficult.
6) George Martin for is arranging ability to take very good but vanilla Beatles songs and make artwork out of them
7) Sergei Prokofiev for his contemporary symphonic composition
8) Lalo Schifrin for his contemporary jazz band arranging
9) Danny Elfman for movie scoring
10) Bernard Purdie for his ability to make fantastic, driving drum grooves, most often without calling attention to the drums
I could go on.
Insights and incites by Notes Five is really difficult! There's a reason I haven't posted my own list up yet.  I'm still trying to figure out who my top five are. I definitely don't blame you for adding another five! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Last edited by Ember - PG Music; 04/12/18 05:30 AM.
Cheers,
Ember
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Styx is there for their ensemble vocals. Eddie - While I realize it's not the original line-up (pre-Tommy Shaw), nor their heyday line-up (Tommy Shaw, Dennis DeYoung, etc), I'm looking forward to seeing Styx this Saturday in concert (they're playing with REO Speedwagon and Don Felder - former Eagles guitarist - on the ticket). Last time I saw them was back in 1980 (almost 40 years ago).
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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Making me pick just 5 is cruel! So, I picked 6 My list is constantly changing, so I picked 6 for me that have stood the test of time. These are all artists that I've listened to regularly and been inspired by for many, many years now. These are by no means who I consider the most relevant artists of all time - they are just music artists I love a lot and have a special spot in my heart. Radiohead - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LlfGrP4n6EI absolutely love these guys. One of my favourite aspects to them is that they have so much variety in their discography. They have albums like "The Bends" and "OK Computer" that are basically just straight rock with a hint of an alternative edge. Then they have albums like "Kid A" and "Amnesiac" that are borderline experimental, and draw more heavily from electronic sources than rock. No matter my mood, I can count on Radiohead for providing something to please the ears. Aphex Twin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihyQf8mww3oAphex Twin is an absolute beast of a producer. He revolutionized electronic music, and it is very understandable why. He created new techniques to make music that at the time were unheard of. Nearly all of the sounds you hear in his songs he created himself with a synthesizer. No guitars, no pianos, and no keyboards. The sounds that aren't synthesized, he recorded bizarre things to make a part of the song. For example, the percussion in the attached song "Alberto Balsalm" is made by rolling lighter flint and banging on a metal pipe. Due to the nature of his art, some of his songs are quite experimental and almost noise - but when he gets it right, boy does he ever. Aesop Rock - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T10AqDxsE6EThis guy is a rapper and producer from New York, and he's been making hip hop music with the most dense lyricism you can imagine since the mid 90's. Much of it borders on being nonsense, and his songs go by so fast it can be tough to pick up on all the intricacies of what he's saying without reading into the lyrics. Aesop Rock is a strong contender for my favourite lyricist of all time. When I discovered his music, every new song I discovered made my mind melt just due to the lyricism alone. When you add in the perfectly textured beats he raps over - I fell in love with his art. Sigur Ros - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAVgeCRKHXAThese guys put on the best live performance I've ever been lucky enough to see. They are an Icelandic band who make some of the most beautifully haunting music my ears have ever graced. Their songs are typically slower, and have these pulsing string sections that swell with such beauty they will easily make you forget about all the problems in your life. The raw, destructive power to their music is a force to behold, especially live. The attached song is one of their slowest, but also one of my favourite by them. When the falsetto harmonies kick in in the second verse, I melt every time. Pink Floyd - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fku7hi5kI-cI probably don't need to explain why they are great. They revolutionized music, we all know. I've been listening to these guys since I was like 5 or something, because they are one of my dad's favourite bands. I remember when I was 13, my dad gave "Animals" to listen to as a birthday present. He told me I was at the right age to fully appreciate it. So, I sat in a dark room with nothing except that album playing. He was right, and to this day I listen to Pink Floyd on a nearly daily basis. "Animals" in particular holds a warm place in my hear. El-P - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNMFRyVfVI0Disclaimer - I am not talking about Emerson, Lake & Palmer. El-P is a New York rapper and producer. And he is one of my favourite producers of all time, in any genre. He fits into the category of "rappers who swear more than they should" but I still absolutely love his music, and attached one of his instrumentals to avoid sharing some crude material. The thing that attracts me to his music is the instrumentation of what he creates and raps over. To this day, I haven't found anything quite like his debut solo album, "Fantastic Damage." The songs here are so dense, abstract, and heavy that they almost sound like they are going to just fall apart suddenly. A lot of it borders on noise, and is so dense that it can be abrasive on the ears. Not for everybody, but man do I ever love it. Well, that is it. I could go on with many, many more but I will stop now. Very, very intrigued to hear other people's favourites!
Last edited by Deryk - PG Music; 04/12/18 06:22 AM.
Cheers,
Deryk
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eddie1261
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While I realize it's not the original line-up (pre-Tommy Shaw), nor their heyday line-up (Tommy Shaw, Dennis DeYoung, etc), I'm looking forward to seeing Styx this Saturday
The guy who plays keyboards and sings now is Larry Gowan, from Canada. In 1987 the band I was in got a call to go open for his band of the time, simply named Gowan. We didn't get to meet him but we DID fire up his audience! I saw Styx with Kansas opening about 5 years ago and they sound exactly like they did back in their day. They can still sing well and the replacement players are top notch. The old bass player came out and did one or two songs with them too.
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eddie1261
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Deryk, THIS is exactly why these threads are good. Of your list, I have heard OF Radiohead but never heard them. Of course Pink Floyd is familiar because they are from my years, but all those other bands you mentioned I have never heard of. I will listen to them now, but until this point I never heard of them. I don't listen to the radio and have no desire to go to concerts with people 45 years younger than me, so outside of threads like this, I still live in the 60s and 70s.
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No jazz people here yet. My picks;
John Coltrane
Bill Evans
Miles Davis
Herbie Hancock
Chick Corea
Plus there are many more who belong on this list.
Last edited by raymb1; 04/12/18 07:01 AM.
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Okay, so before I respond to some of the other posts in here, I had to contribute some from my own list here. I debated with myself for a bit over what I would share. I went through a pretty angsty teen phase where I listened to some more pop-punky music that I am not entirely proud of, but I still love to this day. I still listen to metal and punk, but I'm way more picky about it then I used to be. I decided not to post them, and instead decided to post some of my other favourites: Passenger is pretty high on my list. He tends to play live, completely alone with just his guitar. Passenger - Things That Stop Your DreamingI saw him live randomly with a friend. She bought the tickets and told me she thought I would like him. I never heard any of his music before, and didn't listen to it on the train ride to his concert at the Phoenix Theatre in Toronto. It was a small show, and at the time his following was under 10k. We saw him again the next year and he had exploded to 200k follows. His following is much larger now. Another artist I really like is Oh Land. I noticed I don't actually have a lot of female vocalists I listen to. I'm not sure why that's the case, but Oh Land is lovely. She has a string quartet version of one of her songs that is really lovely. Oh Land - Head Held HighAnd then the one I mentioned about it being live with the string quartet (which is insanely beautiful): Oh Land - Lean (Live with String Quartet)And a small nod to symphonic metal. I really like Epica because of how diverse their sound is. Yes, they play metal music. But the female vocalist can sing beautifully, and she also experiments with operatic vocals. They do have a few growlers, so if you're not a fan of that style of vocals maybe not the right kinda music to sample: Epica - Holographic Principle AlbumBut for those who are curious, The Used (anything newer then In Love and Death), Red (favourite album is Of Beauty and Rage) were some of the more angsty ones I mentioned that I still love to this day. I also rather enjoy Ludo as well. I also really enjoy Twenty One Pilots. Twenty One Pilots - Message ManI have heard Twenty One Pilots has made it on to the radio recently. Music seems to always be evolving.
Last edited by Ember - PG Music; 04/12/18 08:50 AM.
Cheers,
Ember
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@Deryk --
I am going to have to write these all down and check them out later. I've heard you mention them a few times but have never thought to look them up (obvious exception being Pink Floyd and Radio Head).
Last edited by Ember - PG Music; 04/12/18 08:55 AM.
Cheers,
Ember
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1) The Ventures - Because of Mel Taylor's fabulous drum playing.
2) The Beatles - Because they made music exciting again.
3) Hank Thompson - Because his songs introduced me to the Western Swing music genre. I played drums at the time and it was much more fun playing drums on Western Swing tunes than on traditional country tunes.
4) Hank Williams - He felt my pain.
5) Everybody else.
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My eclectic list: Glenn Miller Band - I just think he embodies the big band era Billy Joel - more wonderful original songs than you can shake a stick at Little River Band - oh those harmonies Burton Cummings - both with The Guess Who and solo artist. I love the sound of his voice and his piano style. Maynard Ferguson - from his early days to the more pop oriented songs, have always enjoyed his music, but also the music of his various band members along the way (I think I'm probably one of two people that bought Stan Mark's album).
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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The Beatles
Elton John
Diana Krall
Peter Nero
Bob James
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This is a hard one for me to answer as there have been so many musicians that influenced me over the years. So I will go with the earliest that influenced me:
The Ventures for playing instrumental versions of top songs of those days.
Duane Eddy for playing lead guitar on the bass strings.
Chuck Berry for his lead work.
Albert King for his blues.
Bill Black for his Bill Black Combo's instrumentals and his bass work for Elvis.
All of these were back in my greaser days and prior to my hippy, jazz and new age days!
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
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Elvis Presley
The Beatles
Bob Dylan
Billy Joel
Leonard Cohen
What about those five artists really resonate with you? I'm curious! Elvis came on the stage when I was about 11 or so, just starting to want a hairstyle and tight jeans. There were two types at school, Pat Boone fans and Elvis fans. Pat Boone didn't make it with me Coming from near Liverpool, The Beatles opened up a whole new world for us and gave the north of England a new place in the music world. London's dominance was over. (For a while at least) I was a huge folk music fan, unplugged before there were plugs to unplug. Bob Dylan brought poetry and a modern content to folk music and paved the way for a multitude of brilliant artists. Leonard Cohen accompanied me through my depressed years. I guess most folk go through a phase like that, but he was a great comfort. Billy Joel combined a jazzy rock and roll music with texts right out of everyday life, echoing what was going on all around me. There are of course many more musicians and artists who have influenced me and my music, Django Reinhardt ( echoes the gypsy in my soul) Manitas de Plata (got me interested in flamenco) Paco de Lucia (guitar god supreme) Tommy Emmanuell (guitarist and showman, puts the fun into guitar playing) John Renbourn (together with Bert Jansch got me fingerpicking in the 60's) Bert Jansch Tom Jones (The Voice, say no more) to name but a few.
Chris
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Deryk, THIS is exactly why these threads are good. Of your list, I have heard OF Radiohead but never heard them. Of course Pink Floyd is familiar because they are from my years, but all those other bands you mentioned I have never heard of. I will listen to them now, but until this point I never heard of them. I don't listen to the radio and have no desire to go to concerts with people 45 years younger than me, so outside of threads like this, I still live in the 60s and 70s. I 100% agree, Eddie! I'm always looking into finding new artists to fall in love with, and discussions like these are what allow for that to happen
Cheers,
Deryk
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Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
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Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
- The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
- Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
- SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
- SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
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