ICONS: Mojo Magazine lists the 100 greatest music stars of all time!

The british music magazine Mojo released a special limited edition issue listing the 100 greatest music icons of all time. Tell me what you think!

Here's the list:

100. Debbie Harry
99. John Lee Hooker
98. Buddy Holly
97. Björk
96. Dusty Springfield
95. Courtney Love
94. Snoop Dogg
93. Paul Weller
92. Anthony Kiedis
91. Ringo Starr

90. Siouxsie Sioux
89. Janis Joplin
88. Billie Joe Armstrong
87. Pete Doherty
86. Tom Waits
85. Lou Reed
84. Beyoncé
83. Frank Black
82. Eric Clapton
81. Elliott Smith

80. Marilyn Manson
79. Frank Sinatra
78. Jerry Dammers
77. Brian Wilson
76. Angus Young
75. Polly Harvey
74. Simon Le Bon
73. Ray Charles
72. Gram Parsons
71. Jeff Buckley

70. Sly Stone
69. Chuck Berry
68. Keith Moon
67. Slash
66. Phil Lynott
65. Chris Martin
64. Robert Smith
63. Ian Curtis (see Piddzilla's avatar)
62. Joey Ramone
61. Aretha Franklin

60. Nick Drake
59. Stevie Wonder
58. Ozzy Osbourne
57. Elvis Costello
56. Shane MacGowan
55. Iggy Pop
54. Prince
53. Jimmy Page
52. Christina Aguilera
51. Jim Morrison

50. Lemmy
49. Richey Edwards
48. James Brown
47. Missy Elliott
46. Pete Townshend
45. Axl Rose
44. Dave Grohl
43. Marc Bolan
42. Neil Young
41. Michael Jackson

40. James Hetfield
39. John Lydon
38. Justin Timberlake
37. Jack White
36. Ian Brown
35. 50 Cent
34. George Michael
33. Britney Spears
32. Rod Stewart
31. Marvin Gaye

30. Syd Barrett
29. Kate Bush
28. Elton John
27. Sid Vicious
26. Bruce Springsteen
25. George Harrison
24. Michael Stipe
23. Noel Gallagher
22. Thom Yorke
21. Kylie

20. 2Pac
19. Jimi Hendrix
18. Robbie Williams
17. Mick Jagger
16. Freddie Mercury
15. Eminem
14. Paul McCartney
13. Liam Gallagher
12. Johnny Cash
11. Morrissey

10. Bob Dylan
9. Joe Strummer
8. Bob Marley
7. Bono
6. Madonna
5. Kurt Cobain
4. Keith Richards
3. David Bowie
2. Elvis Presley

1. John Lennon

__________________
The novelist does not long to see the lion eat grass. He realizes that one and the same God created the wolf and the lamb, then smiled, "seeing that his work was good".

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They had temporarily escaped the factories, the warehouses, the slaughterhouses, the car washes - they'd be back in captivity the next day but now they were out - they were wild with freedom. They weren't thinking about the slavery of poverty. Or the slavery of welfare and food stamps. The rest of us would be all right until the poor learned how to make atom bombs in their basements.

There's something wrong when idiots like these:
Britney Spears
Christina Aguilera
Robbie Williams
50 cent
Justin Timberlake
beat out the talents of Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Robert Smith and Janis Joplin, just to name a few. I think this list blows.

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Ya got me feelin' hella good so let's just keep on dancin'

Idiots or not... They are icons.

Am I the only one thinking that Michael Jackson would be a lot higher up on the list if not because of certain circumstances?

And where is Nick Cave? And Glenn Danzig?

I don't think so. If you've ever watched MTV ICON, you'd see that there are basic principals to being a bonafide ICON. On the show, other muscians do a musical tribute of your music. It means your music is so timeless and inspiring that other artisits can do their "version" of your greatest hits. Who's gonna do a "tribute" of Britney Spears's music? I can just see the likes of Dave Matthews Band or Coldplay fighting over who gets to do their rendition of "Oops, I Did it Again".

I have never watched MTV ICON, no. But if there's any place where Britney, Justin and Christina are all icons, it's on MTV and for today's MTV generation. I'm not letting MTV decide my preferences for what an icon is anyway... And Chris Martin of Coldplay is on the list too, so maybe it will be Justin singing "The Scientist" instead...

AGH!!
I'm not letting MTV decide my definition of an ICON, I was simply showing you that this magazine's list falls short of even MTV's standard of ICON, which like you say, is pretty shallow. I just found it insulting to the craft of making music that those artists I listed were ranked higher than real talent.

Yes, I understand that. But the list isn't measuring talent, but rather star quality or icon status or something. I mean, Sid Vicious couldn't even play his instrument... and I think everyone can agree on that he is without a doubt an icon.

Just thought about another guy I really miss on the list: Andre 3000.

Interesting list, Pidz. I think you're right that Jackson's many mugshots have watered down his icon-appeal. It's good to see Joe Strummer up in the top 10.

You know, Nick Cave is a god among musicians, but as an icon he's little-known in the US. If Mojo Magazine is based here, that might explain his omission. He's certainly had his influence here, but like Bob Mould, he's known more by the music community.

One thing I do have to take issue with though: Prince is at mid-list? That's crazy-talk!

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Review: Cabin in the Woods 8/10

I love how magazines continue to fill their pages with useless lists like these, rather than doing some work and actually putting together an article. Don't even get me started on Rolling Stone.

Yeah, Strummer in top 10 was a nice surprise. Am I the only one questioning Bono's top 10 status? Maybe 10 years ago, but today??

The magazine is british, which I think you could almost figure out by looking at it (Ian Brown, the Gallagher Bros., Paul Weller, Jerry Dammers and so on). Here in Europe Nick Cave is really respected and well known and has quite a devoted following. And that together with his druggy rock'n'roll background and a-lot-talked-about relationship to PJ Harvey (on spot 75, btw) made me think he had a secure place on the list.

Btw, nice to see The Man in Black high up on the list as well.

Prince at mid-list.. Well, just like with guys like Stevie Wonder who are musical prodigies but live relatively quiet lives, you almost have to have had a recent hit to end up high on these lists. And talking about Prince, again I have to say how strange it is that Andre 3000 of Outkast is not on the list. At least here in Sweden he is considered to be something like "the new Prince".

Now, now... The issue I am talking about is a special limited edition and not an ordinary issue. And there are longer articles on several of the artists on the list and comments and recommendations of albums and stuff.

Agreed. It's insulting the way the editors must assume we care about their order of talent---excuse me, "star quality". Most of the people that are in the top 50 people are tools of the industry. Britney Spears is nothing but a puppet and her star quality goes about as far as 12 year old girls who want to grow up and "sing" and "dance" like Brit.
Meh.

"Earlier this year, the music-loving public were invited to nominate their rock'n'roll icons. Via thousands of emails, text messages and votes cast via the O2 website, the nominations were collated and the final 100 stars are presented and counted down in this special edition magazine"
(The Editors, 2004)

This is an excerpt from the Foreword in the special edition magazine. In other words, it's not the taste of the editors but of the readers (i.e. ordinary people) that you find so offending. Secondly, it says "special edition magazine", which means it is just that: a special edition magazine - a special edition released in addition to the standard edition. Which means: if you are not interested in lists, you don't buy this special edition. Or read this thread.

Someone has a problem with people having different tastes in music---excuse me, "bonafide ICONS".

well I don't want to argue with you. I just find the list to be a little lacking in real recognition, that's all. I stand corrected on the editor thing. So you made your point there. I'm willing to admit when I've jumped to conclusions.
Also, you're right...I didn't have to read the thread, but I'm a fan of music...(who's not a fan of music?)
....so it interested me. I don't even know if I'm going to make a point against you this time around, so hooray for you and "boo" to me.

Yes, hooray for me!!

smarty pants.

You made my icon list!

Based on talent? Or star quality?

Since you can't sing, dance or write songs like Christina - I would say, definately based on star quality. Did I mention my list has 1000000 names on it? You're number 999736.

My favorites are those insipid "98 Ways to Max Out Your Moxie!!" type lists invariably advertised on every cover of Cosmo. I've never bothered to read the lists but I find it hard to imagine that each issue is able to find a new 23 (or if you prefer insert some other random number here) 'definitive sexiest pleasure zones' or whatever it is.

Have them send some female reporters over to my house. I bet if we look real hard we'll find at least 21 or 22.