The ten greatest of music

I don't know -- if a composer's influence doesn't extend outside of his genre, is he really that influential? 

Some are easy calls -- almost all music theory today points back to BMW 846-893 for example. 

Others are tougher, Haydn basically invented the modern symphony, but his own compositions aren't widely considered particularly original in terms of the symphonic tradition as a whole.

Few students of classical music would  have spent much time with Purcell and the English school of Baroque music, as another example, but almost all of Rock music and a great deal of modern Jazz is influenced by Purcell thanks to The Who being big fans. 

Right - the BMW 846-893 series was produced in Leipzig in the 1730s, and was famous for its innovative style combined with meticulous attention to detail. The sound of the motor was legendary ("Well-tempered"), whether one was slowly cruising the back streets of Leipzig looking for errant choirboys, or racing down the 18th century autobahn to try out the new organ in Weimar.

Bach was so impressed with the series that he made sure to compose his 48 preludes and fugues at exactly the right time so that they could later be classified as BWV (Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis) 846-893, a fitting tribute to those magnificent automobiles which he had so loved.

Thanks for the list, Kingpatzer!

Interesting. I don't know much about the influence of those early guys but I'd add to that: Schoenberg, Stockhausen, Pierre Schaeffer, The Velvet Underground, Neu! (had a massive influence on Punk, Post Punk, Disco, ambient and any "motorik" music) and Kraftwerk (who formed the basis for all dance and hip hop to come, although admittedly they weren't quite alone in this).

While I may be wrong and in 200 years everyone will still be performing Kraftwerk songs to audiences of thousands, I somehow doubt it. 

Well they are the most sampled band in music history.

True. And perhaps that entrenches them into music history. I'm just not sure about it. 

Listen to their "Computer World" album (made in 1981) for example. Nothing was being made like that at the time or for years afterward. And so much modern dance music mimics it (although not much compares IMO).

Wow... Sigur rós !! Icelandic music !! Hey, Ásgeir Trausti is a new musician in Iceland, his songs are on youtube.. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12OWbh2HLVo       

Here is one song but they are all good! 

It's more fun playing live chess when you got som music on!

Thank you very much! That was a pretty song, skakmadurinn

I don't actually like much of what the Beatles did, but they helped to lead rock n' roll out of the mindless 50's. Same w/ Floyd, I appreciate the songs more than I actually listen to them.

I approve of this list.

sure to check these out later !

I listened to the Beatles over and over until I got tired of them! I still listen to Dark Side of to Moon on a regular basis.

I've been trying to think of a list for classical composers, and here's what I've settled upon(in no particular order):

Verdi

Debussey

Mahler

Dvorak

Arvo Part

Henryk Gorecki

Gershwin

Beethoven

Liszt

Bernard Herrmann

Hi trysts, long time! Hope you are well. 

I like Reggae and of course, who else than Bob Marley!! 

Hi, SandyJames! Do you want to list the ten best, because I am completely ignorant about Reggae music(though I do know who Bob Marley is)?

Procol Harum

My pleasure, cauliflowery! It was fun to make a list of classical composers. That was a good idea you had