The 100 Greatest Musical Artist of the last Century 60-41

Hubbers first and foremost I would like to thank you one and all for the positive response and comments that I have recieved on the past two segments of my series here. I have Immensely enjoyed putting together this list for you and I find it gratifying that all of you are enjoying my presentation.

As I have mentioned previously this was a difficult list to assemble , and I have had countless additions and omissions as I have plodded along piecing the list together. But for me the previous 40 artist have had a great Impact on modern music that you and I now enjoy. And my criteria has been based on what I feel is originality and innovation. There are many great bands that I enjoy who while great I just did not consider original. But lets not belabor the point. Lets continue to delve into music history and keep examining the best of the best ! Here we go.

60.- Burt Bacharach - I mean what can I say about Burt Bacharach ? This man has penned so many awesome songs I probably would run out of space trying to list them all here. And I as a hard rock and alternative rock guy have no problem saying I am a huge fan ! How about " Raindrops Keep fallin on my head " from Butch Cassidy and the sundance Kid soundtrack. Or how about the great song " Do you know the way to San Jose ? " as sung by Dionne Warwick. Or " What the World needs now "

Or how about " The Look of Love " ? He also did a great collaboration of " Ill never fall in love again " with Elvis Costello in one of the Austin Powers movies. Think Mike Myers knows a legend when he hears one ? I could go on and on ! Suffice to say I am a Burt Bacharach nut !!! And the legacy of all the legendary songs he wrote with Hal David are firmly implanted in any hall of fame of music !

59-.Herbie Hancock- One of the legendary Jazz pianists ever ! Herbie Hancock played with the Chicago symphony by the time he was 11 years old ! Is that crazy or what ? But the mans legend also includes work with the uber jazz legend Miles Davis . He also recoreded some of his own work including two awesome albums " Empyrean Isles " and " Maiden Voyage ". If you are a jazz fan " The essential Herbie Hancock " is a must !

58.- Etta James- A legendary Blues artist who is already in the Grammy Hall of Fame. Etta James came onto the scene in 1955. Then she went over to Chess Records. The in 1961 she put out what is definitely her crowning jewel " At Last ". That song has to be one of the most awesome I have ever heard.

57- Run DMC - Now you may think this an unusual choice and you may be asking RUN DMC. And here is why Rap - Hip Hop and all its associated music of that Genre have been around for 25 years now. And RUN DMC put out their first album in 1984 when the rap scene was merely a fledgling artform. This is a series about the Innovators of music. And I feel RUN DMC put rap on the map and definitely belong here. They have 3 albums that have been certified platinum. Three of them were merely Gold records. I think you see why I put them on this list !

56.-Bruce Springsteen- I do not believe that I should have to explain why " The Boss " belongs on this list. This Long Branch New Jersey native has put out some of the most moving and Influential songs that we have ever had the pleasure of listening too. Starting with " Greetings from Asbury Park " in 1973 to his legendary 3rd album but Iconic tune " Born to Run " the Boss has been around for almost 40 years on the music scene now. 20 Grammys a Golden Globe and an Academy Award are also on his mantel. And you know who sounds like The Boss and the E Street band ? No one thats who !

Totally original as well as legendary !

55.- Cole Porter - Now the younger readers of this hub who is pretty much anybody besides me , might be wondering , who the heck is Cole Porter ? Well I will be more then happy to tell you. Cole Porter happens to be one of the classic American songsmiths of all time. Cole Porter was playing the violin at age 6 , the piano at age 8 , and had written his first operetta by age 10. Interestingly enough he was also a member of the French foriegn legion. In 1928 he hit his stride with " Lets do it ! Lets fall in love " and from that moment he continued to pen some of the greatest songs ever. Including " I get a kick out of you " and " You're the top ! ". And a recognized classic " I've got you under my skin ". From the years 1916 to 1958 he penned many broadway classics and had collaborations with Ethel Merman because he loved her voice. This American living in Paris is an undisputed legend !

54.- Neil Young - There is one thing that can never be denied about Neil Young and that is the fact he marches to his own drummer and all of us are the beneficiaries of his doing so. Neil Young has been so diverse on so many of his albums from basic folk to a smattering of electronic that I believe to call him an artists is an understatement. This Toronto Canada native has been on the scene since 1966 when he came on board with Stephen Stills in the band " Buffalo Springfield " and then did a collaboration with Crosby Stills and Nash with the album " Deja Vu " which for the younger ones amongst is just awesome ! And of course his solo efforts with his band " Crazy Horse " are fabulous.

And " Heart of Gold " happens to be one of my all-time favorite songs so I could be a bit biased. But anyone who knows anything about music knows Neil Young belongs on this list !

53.- The Jackson 5 - And the reason should be obvious on this one. The reason for the boy bands we had in the late 90s and early 2000s is because of the Jackson Brothers who hailed from Gary Indiana.

And I have no problem saying I still love the song " ABC ". I believe it to be one of the all time best popsongs ever created. The dance routines and catchy hooks the Jackson 5 created have been copied in style . But none of the boy bands are others who have tried can ever duplicate the originality that and excitement these guys created starting in 1969 when I saw them on " The Ed Sullivan Show "

52.- Aerosmith - When a hard rock band has been churning away since 1973 and went from DOA to runaway success again you know they are doing something right ! And Aerosmith is an American Institution that has gone global with their own " Guitar Hero " game and so many good songs I do not have enough space here to name all of them. I will say this " Toys In The Attic " and the uber great album " Rocks " are a must for any rock fans collection ! And the song " Living on the Edge " and " Cryin " from the 90s were awesome ! Not to mention " Love in an Elevator " is great  ! And I was hooked the first time I ever heard the guitar riffs on " Sweet Emotion ". Oddly enough my favorite song was on the Rocks LP called " Combonation " I go ape thinkin about that guitar riff ! I am playin air guitar now and typing at the same time !

51.- Nat King Cole - Have you ever heard the song " Unforgettable " ? If you listen to that song even once you will be a guaranteed hardcore Nat King Cole fan for life ! I know I am . And he also has one of my favorite Christmas songs ever , it was on my Christmas hub. The Mongomery Alabama native came to prominence as a jazz pianists. But obviously his fame came from that ultra silky baritone voice of his. He also had his own TV show in 1956 on NBC. How big is his legend ? Inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame in 2000. And he even got his own US Postage stamp in 1994. By the way his daughter Natalie got the singing gene too , shes pretty darn good ! Suffice to say this man is a musical treasure.

50.- Tammy Wynette -  Virginia Wynette Pugh who we know as Tammy dominated the country charts in the 1960s through the 1970s Once she burst onto the country music scene in 1966 she was an Instant legend. She wrote her monster hit  " Stand by your Man " in 15 minutes as she was recording that album. She also wrote the song D-I-V-O-R-C-E that is not only a country classic but an all time music classic when that was a really dirty word. Tammy kind of had some rebel in her and as you know I love a rebel ! I personally love the song " Till I get it right " . Tammy Wynette without a doubt has earned her place on this list !

49.-Alice Cooper- Before the legendary KISS or any of the hairbands that were trying to look like girls or for that matter any rock band that wore make up , there was one guy that did it first and that was the ultra legend Alice Cooper ! And on top of that not only was he first to do that he was also the first to introduce the elaborate stage show to the rock concert world. Alice Cooper is the guy who basically was the first performer to do everything ! And on top of that you know what ? Alice Cooper and his band made some of the greatest rock and roll we have ever had the pleasure to hear. " Schools Out " is still the mega anthem of every high school teen today 40 years later ! Can anybody question the Impact this man has made on modern music ? Alice Coopers legend is firmly secure on this list and the rock and roll hall of fame !

48.- Billie Holiday - Billie Holiday is one of those rare artists who is so Iconic that she has had a movie based on her life. She is considered the first name in women who sings the blues. But truthfully Billie Holiday was primarily a jazz artist. But whatever category you may want to put her in , her contribution to modern music is without question ! Billie Holiday was inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame in the year 2000. She was inducted into the jazz hall of fame in 2004.She is also listed in the national recording registry in the Library of Congress. How is that for an Impact !? And if I may say give a listen to the song " Embraceable You " it is breathtaking . The woman is not only a great artist , she is a legend and an Icon !

47.- Black Sabbath - Yes that is right Ozzy and the boys definitely belong on this list ! During the end of the love and flowers era along came Black Sabbath who went the exact oppisite direction to the dark and macabre. And as far as I am concerned they are officially the first band that fell in the genre of " Heavy Metal ". And from that point created a brand of music that every teenage kid blasts to the max and plays air guitar too. Any band who plays Heavy Metal for a living owes the roots of their music to Black Sabbath plain and simple ! Blue Cheer from the 1960s was arguably the first metal band with the song " Summertime Blues ". But Black Sabbath put metal on the map !

46.- Neil Diamond - Come on man who does not love Neil Diamond ? The Monkees hit in the 1960s " Im a Believer " yup Neil Diamond wrote it ! At last check in 2001 Neil Diamond had sold 115 million records and now we are talkin 9 years later. What do you think those figures are now ? Who does not love the song " Sweet Caroline " ? How about " Cherry Cherry " or " Kentucky Woman " ? My personal favorite is a song called " Do you know what I mean ". The ending on that song is so dramatic and well orchestrated it gives me chills when I hear it ! Yup I am a big fan of Neil Diamond ! And do I really have to explain why he belongs on this list ?

45.- The Clash - In the 80s these guys were called the only band that matters and they were right ! I saw the Clash in 1980 when they were doing a tour for the great album " Give Em Enough Rope ". And it stands as one of the best shows I have ever been to at this late date still ! The Clash live was a very powerful experience. And of course they started with the Punk movement of the mid to late 70s but far transcended punk to become one of the Iconic bands of all time. And Rolling Stone magazine has their album rated in the top 20 of all time rock records. The Clash has a firmly secured place in music history forever.

44.- David Bowie - Before Annie Lennox or any other artist were doing the androgony thing in music or make up on a man or any other borrowed gimmick in todays music David Bowie came on the scene in 1970 with " Space Oddity " in a space alien kinda made up comic book character. And he also made some of the greatest music we have ever been privileged to hear. " Ziggy Stardust " ranks as one of the best albums ever made. And David Bowie not only made great songs he made great albums. And in a day when the modern artist leans on their hit , Bowie has a history of a body of work that is unparalelled ! " Modern Love " and " China Girl " and also his great collaboration with Queen on " Under Pressure ". I mean what else can you say about this guy ? A total all timer , thats all I gotta say.

43.- Joni Mitchell- Of all the women of the late 60s early 70s hippie era to me Joni Mitchell ranks as one of the best singer/songwriters that has ever graced us . The album " Blue " from 1971 has been ranked as one of the best ever. My personal favorite was " Court and Spark " with the song " Help Me " her singing was devine on that ! Or how about the song " Big Yellow Taxi " or "Free Man In Paris " ? You know who wrote the theme song from the epic rock event " Woodstock " yup Joni Mitchell ! I can not say enough about her without gushing all over myself ! Artists who claim her as an Influence , Annie Lennox , Tori Amos , Morrissey, Madonna , Cindy Lauper , Fiona Apple , think she made an Impact on music ?

42.- The Bee Gees- Before I get into this let me say I hated disco ! But this is about the artist who made an Impact and the Bee Gees definitely have to be given their due ! And the thing is the Gibbs brothers were already a great vocal group prior to their foray into disco. " How do you mend a Broken Heart " is a great tune. And I gotta confess I even liked " Jive Talkin " . And I really liked the song " Lonely Days Lonely Nights from the early 1970s too. But the Bee Gees will always be associated with Disco and their Impact on music without question !

41.- Diana Ross- You have to Include The Supremes as well on this one. And without a doubt Diana Ross is without question one of the greatest singers we have ever had. " Reflections " to me is one of the Supremes best songs ever. But can't you say that about at least 15 other songs she recorded with them ? Diana Ross along with being another one of the legendary acts at Motown Records was also the Secretary at the little office in Detroit. How crazy is that ? But I do not believe that I have to elaborate or convince you why Diana Ross belongs on this list. Her music will do that !