Off the top of your head, most iconic musician from each decade (1960s-2010s)

[Omar 382]

By most iconic, I don't necessarily mean the most records sold (though it would hard to be iconic without being up there in music sales I think). But basically, the question is; for each decade, which music artist do you think of?

The only criteria is that only the music released in that decade counts. So, for example, Bob Dylan isn't any more iconic in the '60s because of music he released in the '70s or later. Also, post your list first without looking at music sales.

Here's my list:

1960s- The Beatles

1970s- Led Zeppelin

1980s- Michael Jackson

1990s- Whitney Houston

2000s- Beyonce

2010s- Ed Sheeran

Here is the list of the top sellers each decade. I didn't look at this list before creating mine.

Spoiler

1960s-
1: The Beatles
2: Elvis Presley
3: The Rolling Stones
4: Bob Dylan
5: The Beach Boys

1970s-
1. Elton John
2. The Rolling Stones
3. Pink Floyd
4. Abba
5. Led Zeppelin

1980s-
1. Prince
2. Madonna
3. U2
4. Michael Jackson
5. Bruce Springsteen

1990s-
1. Mariah Carey
2. Madonna
3. Celine Dion
4. REM
5. U2

2000s-
1. Eminem
2. Madonna
3. Britney Spears
4. Coldplay
5. U2

2010s-
1. Taylor Swift
2. Adele
3. Justin Bieber
4. Eminem
5. Drake

Sources- List of best-selling artists of the 2010s in the United States - Wikipedia
Who were the most successful artists of each decade?

 

[Indrid Cold]

'60s - Hendrix
'70s - Led Zep
'80s - Ozzie
'90s - Nirvana
'00s - Coldplay (unfortunately)
'10s - Drake

 

[Omar 382]

'60s - Hendrix
'70s - Led Zep
'80s - Ozzie
'90s - Nirvana
'00s - Coldplay (unfortunately)
'10s - Drake

I originally had Nirvana for the '90s, changed it at the last minute for Houston (neither are even in the top 5 in any decade) . I don't know a whole ton about Nirvana, but I thought they only had 1 or 2 big albums (Nevermind IIRC).

 

[Omar 382]

I also almost went with Elton John for the '70s. He's number 1 in record sales FWIW.

 

[Omar 382]

'60s - Hendrix
'70s - Led Zep
'80s - Ozzie
'90s - Nirvana
'00s - Coldplay (unfortunately)
'10s - Drake

Also, didn't Hendrix only release his debut in the '60s, and that's it for that decade? I don't see how he's bigger than The Beatles by any measure

 

[Cyder]

By most iconic, I don't necessarily mean the most records sold (though it would hard to be iconic without being up there in music sales I think). But basically, the question is; for each decade, which music artist do you think of?

The only criteria is that only the music released in that decade counts. So, for example, Bob Dylan isn't any more iconic in the '60s because of music he released in the '70s or later. Also, post your list first without looking at music sales.

Here's my list:

1960s- The Beatles

1970s- Led Zeppelin

1980s- Michael Jackson

1990s- Whitney Houston

2000s- Beyonce

2010s- Ed Sheeran

Here is the list of the top sellers each decade. I didn't look at this list before creating mine.

Spoiler

1960s-
1: The Beatles
2: Elvis Presley
3: The Rolling Stones
4: Bob Dylan
5: The Beach Boys

1970s-
1. Elton John
2. The Rolling Stones
3. Pink Floyd
4. Abba
5. Led Zeppelin

1980s-
1. Prince
2. Madonna
3. U2
4. Michael Jackson
5. Bruce Springsteen

1990s-
1. Mariah Carey
2. Madonna
3. Celine Dion
4. REM
5. U2

2000s-
1. Eminem
2. Madonna
3. Britney Spears
4. Coldplay
5. U2

2010s-
1. Taylor Swift
2. Adele
3. Justin Bieber
4. Eminem
5. Drake

Sources- List of best-selling artists of the 2010s in the United States - Wikipedia
Who were the most successful artists of each decade?

IN the 70's I'd include Billy Joel. He put out several albums (Piano Man, Streetlife Serenade, 52nd Street, The Stranger, Turnstyles) and had as many hits as anyone.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

60's - Beatles
70's - Pink Floyd
80's - Did Not Listen
90's - Reruns of Floyd
'00's - Did Not Listen
10's - Ditto

 

[Indrid Cold]

I originally had Nirvana for the '90s, changed it at the last minute for Houston (neither are even in the top 5 in any decade) . I don't know a whole ton about Nirvana, but I thought they only had 1 or 2 big albums (Nevermind IIRC).

They only had 3 studio albums total and "Bleach" was released by Sub Pop, an indy label. They still came to mind first for the '90s because they had such a monster impact on the music industry...I first learned about them from a 1991 Sub Pop compilation CD called "The Grunge Years" and that title indicates that they thought grunge had already been played out. It was just getting started and probably lasted a lot longer than it was worth...
Nirvana had a song called "Dive" on that CD and I thought it was pretty great. I happened to see that they were coming to Detroit (I lived in Farmington Hills at the time) and I corralled a buddy into heading down with me to check them out. I was mystified that nobody was waiting in line to buy tix and was informed by a really snotty little guy that they had sold out weeks ago and we were pretty stupid for not noticing that. I had no idea that "Nevermind" had come out and was building up steam...the jackass turned away from us and we both sauntered over towards the doors, anyway. The runt ran over in front of us, put a hand on one hip, and pointed very dramatically to the exit with the other. This guy was so insufferable that I thought about throwing him quickly into a wall and running in, but figured there was no way I could have gotten away with it.
Once we got outside, my buddy said his first thought was to attack the guy, too...and we sure didn't make a habit of getting into fights.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

I was mystified that nobody was waiting in line to buy tix and was informed by a really snotty little guy that they had sold out weeks ago and we were pretty stupid for not noticing that.

This encapsulates my whole problem with the entire Grunge movement: too many snotty little guys with bad attitudes and an overabundance of sarcasm

 

[Indrid Cold]

Also, didn't Hendrix only release his debut in the '60s, and that's it for that decade? I don't see how he's bigger than The Beatles by any measure

Jimi died in late 1970, all of the Experience albums came out in the '60s.
I take your point about the Beatles, but Hendrix just screams '60s to me...the whacked out music, crazy hair and clothes, Woodstock, even the way he died. In comparison, the Beatles seem only a small step away from a '50s crew cut to me...in all fairness, I'm sure more young people in the US wore crew cuts than wild hair for the '60s as a whole. The '70s were when the rebellion of the '60s was transmuted into the commercialism of selling people pointy collared shirts, bell bottoms, and perms and long hair and wild clothes went mainstream.

 

[Indrid Cold]

This encapsulates my whole problem with the entire Grunge movement: too many snotty little guys with bad attitudes and an overabundance of sarcasm

He was so proud of himself because Kurt flipped him off before the show!
Honestly, from what I have read and watched about Cobain, he probably wasn't too far from that dude. I know he could be thoughtful and generous at times, but he really seemed to be a guy who got picked on and ignored a lot and was getting his revenge at heart.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

The '70s were when the rebellion of the '60s was transmuted into the commercialism of selling people pointy collared shirts, bell bottoms, and perms and long hair and wild clothes went mainstream.

I hear ya.

We're talking about "iconic" artists, and usually I don't go in for whomever is the mainstream artist of the period because EVERYbody is into that artist and it's all you hear. Sometimes I might go back and "discover" an artist that I avoided when they first came out

 

[PolarVortex]

50s Elvis
60s Dick Dale
70s Willie Nelson
80s Prince/Madonna/Steve Earle
90s Mark Arm/Garth Brooks
00s Amy Winehouse
10s G.O.A.T. and Your Mom

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

60's) Dylan

70's) Bowie

80's) Springsteen

90's) Tupac

00's)

10's)

 

[blindbaby]

Since no specific genre was mentioned, I'm going to defer to jazz:

50's - Miles Davis/John Coltrane (tie)
60's - Wes Montgomery
70's - Weather Report/Mahavishnu Orchestra/Return To Forever (tie)
80's - Pat Metheny/Spyro Gyra (tie)
90's - Mark Whitfield
00's - Adam Holzman
10's - Snarky Puppy

 

[Clayton]

Not my favorites but I think these are the icons.

50s - Elvis
60s - Beatles
70s - Zep
80s - Michael Jackson
90s - Eminem
00s - Beyonce
10s - Adele

And yes, Eminem was late 90s-early 00s but he is definitely a turning point in popular music.

 

[Edonidd]

When I hear 50's I think Elvis
When I hear 60's I think Beatles
When I hear 70's I think Woodstock, I think Hendricks
When I hear 80's I think Michesl Jackson and Madonna
When I hear 90's I think early 90's and MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice
When I think 00's I think Britney
When I think 10's I think Kanye and a bunch of other annoying twits.

 

[Raw_Bee808]

60's: The Beatles
70's: Rolling Stones
80's: Michael Jackson and Prince
90's: Nirvana
00's: hmmm...maybe Beyonce or Eminem, I don't know...
10's: ???

 

[shopson67]

Since you asked for musician (an individual, not band):

60s: Jimi Hendrix
70s: David Bowie
80s: Michael Jackson
90s: Garth Brooks
00s: Eminem
10s: Beyonce

 

[DragonfromTO]

They only had 3 studio albums total and "Bleach" was released by Sub Pop, an indy label. They still came to mind first for the '90s because they had such a monster impact on the music industry...I first learned about them from a 1991 Sub Pop compilation CD called "The Grunge Years" and that title indicates that they thought grunge had already been played out. It was just getting started and probably lasted a lot longer than it was worth...
Nirvana had a song called "Dive" on that CD and I thought it was pretty great. I happened to see that they were coming to Detroit (I lived in Farmington Hills at the time) and I corralled a buddy into heading down with me to check them out. I was mystified that nobody was waiting in line to buy tix and was informed by a really snotty little guy that they had sold out weeks ago and we were pretty stupid for not noticing that. I had no idea that "Nevermind" had come out and was building up steam...the jackass turned away from us and we both sauntered over towards the doors, anyway. The runt ran over in front of us, put a hand on one hip, and pointed very dramatically to the exit with the other. This guy was so insufferable that I thought about throwing him quickly into a wall and running in, but figured there was no way I could have gotten away with it.
Once we got outside, my buddy said his first thought was to attack the guy, too...and we sure didn't make a habit of getting into fights.

I remember having a VHS copy of "The Year Punk Broke" but I don't know where it went. It probably ended up with the old pron tapes that I know my mom tossed out.

Just because your kids are old and only visiting doesn't mean that they want to take days off from jerking it, goddamnit woman!