110 artist(e)s that helped shape my musical taste

71.
Melanie Safka - Beautiful People

Wouldn't expect much love on here for this one .... (a) she's a folk singer, (b) her voice is definitely polarising and (c) many that have heard of her likely dismiss her because of her biggest hit Brand New Key but for me there is an honesty and vulnerability in her performances that just resonates with me.

72.
Michael Jackson - Rock With You

Another artist that needs no introduction. Many would probably cite his next album as his highpoint but for me it was Off The Wall and this particular track is simply faultless imo.

73.
Motörhead - Stone Dead Forever

Motörhead never pretended to be an overly complex band and that's part of their charm, it was heavy, it was raw, uncompromising, certainly an assault on the senses live, tight musically, briliant.

74.
New Order - Everything's Gone Green

This was a band I approached with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation, it was after all simply Joy Division plus one but with the figurehead sadly gone. Thankfully I had no cause to worry as whilst the first single definitely showed their roots (the tracks were JD tracks after all) the first album contained both enough similarity to ease the transition yet enough differences to make it clear this would be no JD2 but the start of a completely new musical journey ... and it was a journey that gave electronic music another new direction.

75.
Nina Simone - Tomorrow Is My Turn

Mixing gospel, soul, blues and jazz Ms. Simone was very well received in our house and quickly became a favourite of mine. It wasn't until a few years later that I discovered the paucity of commercial success in terms of chart hits she had enjoyed and that still saddens me as she deserved far better.

76.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Statues

Another band that helped mould one direction in which electronic music could potentially go and for me their earlier output up to and including Architecture & Morality is the best as it's generally more melodic even in some of the earlier experimental stages.

77.
Pink Floyd - Money

No disrespect meant to other bands but Floyd always struck as one of the most intellectual rock outfits around, their music is clinical in a way but not necessarily without conveying emotion and they are rightly lauded and revered. Dark Side Of The Moon and this track in particular became the de-facto music for setting up quadraphonic in our house and it wouldn't be surprising to have the album repeat three of four times in a row - allegedly to 'double check' the set-up every so often

78.
Platters, The - I'm Sorry

It was a toss-up as to whether to include The Ink Spots or this group in this list, I decided to go with the latter purely as the quality of recording is generally so much better but both were heard regularly in my youth and I am still very fond of the harmonies of both groups to this day.

79.
Police, The - Don't Stand So Close To Me

A group that interested me from the opening bars on first hearing Roxanne - how that song, Can't Stand Losing You and So Lonely all went pretty much unnoticed on their original release is a mystery. Their musical fusion was naturally of interest to me and it was fascinating how they pared some of their songs right back so effectively. In some ways they reminded me of 10cc in the way they built a composition at times.

80.
Pretenders, The - Brass In Pocket

Still one of my top three favourite Pretenders songs despite countless listens over the years. Ms. Hynde may have an unusual and somewhat unique style to her vocal delivery but it's always one that has made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up given the right song. Sadly not all their material was up to standard imo but enough of it was that they became a favourite of mine.

81.
Queen - Tie Your Mother Down

I had friends that were obsessed with Queen, the first thing they would do with a new album was read the notes to make sure the usual disclaimer that no synths had been used in the making of it was there (a note that died with The Game). There was no obsession like that for me but Mr. Bulsara was yet another natural showman leading a group that often had a wonderful sense of the theatrical in their music.

82.
Rolling Stones, The - Live With Me

Another showman leading a group that needs no introduction and surely it's not humanly possible to dislike everything they've done .... even my mother liked some of their output

83.
Roxy Music - In Every Dream Home A Heartache

The rock act that most of all laid the groundwork for New Wave imo before then remodelling themselves into the smoothest and most seductive 'lounge' act ever.

84.
Sam Cooke - You Send Me

One of the earliest soul singers who sang with such clarity and a wonderfully effortless delivery, another that was sadly lost to the world far too early.

85.
Sex Pistols, The - Pretty Vacant

The group that figure-headed the explosion of punk that quite simply was such a joy to the likes of me and such a cause of concern to my father. My generation's rock 'n' roll.

86.
Simon & Garfunkel - The Boxer

A masterful duo of songwriting, instrumentation and vocal harmony - no further comment required imo.

87.
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Happy House

One of my favourite bands of all time they seamlessly transitioned from punk through post-punk and beyond taking myself with them. I did consider putting up something a little more obscure of theirs but to me this is probably their signature track and like most of their output one I will never tire of hearing.

88.
Smiths, The - How Soon Is Now?

The combination of Morrissey and Marr was very fresh and different and pretty irresistible to me both in terms of lyrics and sound.