The Top 10 Popular Music Legends

Elvis Presley

The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley shook the music establishment in the mid-1950s, and, yes, his pelvic gyrations were considered obscene by many. When he joined the Army, though, Elvis won over conservative America. Overshadowed by the Beatles for much of the 1960s, Elvis made a triumphant televised comeback in 1968. Sadly, his final years were blighted by weight problems, before his death in 1977 at the age of 42. Elvis Presley's Las Vegas shows, in the early 1970s, launched a raft of imitators in white Elvis suits and Elvis wigs.

Frank Sinatra

Along with Elvis, Frank Sinatra was probably the most important male singer of the 20th Century. Ol' Blue Eyes was a good actor, too, and won a Best Supporting Actor in 1953, for his role as Maggio in From Here to Eternity. There have been stories about Sinatra's links with the Mafia, but, as often happens with celebrities, the bad stories seem to have emerged more since Sinatra's death in 1998. My Way was a song made for him, and he knew how to have a good time with Rat Pack buddies Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop.

The Beatles

No group has come close to toppling the Beatles from their lofty perch as the greatest pop and rock band. For those who weren't around when the Beatles were in their pomp, think of how famous U2 are now and double or treble it. In the early days of the Beatles fame, there was more of a concentration on the fact that they were four appealing guys rather than the music itself. By the mid-'60s, they were being compared to great classical composers by the British literati. Genius is a word which is overused, but the Beatles had three in the shape of John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison, and a producer with leftfield ideas who was a genius too, in George Martin. Put the songwriting, playing, singing, Martin's production and beloved drummer Ringo Starr (possibly the most beloved pop star) all together and who couldn't love the Beatles? Yeah, we'll forget about the KKK for now...

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson's death in 2009 created a media frenzy similar to that of John Lennon's death in 1980, and Elvis Presley's death three years earlier. As with Lennon, the death of Jackson was more painful to fans because he was on the comeback trail. As with Elvis, Jackson's health had been under scrutiny for some time. Always in the media spotlight, since being a ball of energy child star in the Jackson 5, unsavory allegations about Michael Jackson's personal life maybe damaged the singer, psychologically, more than we'll ever know. Jackson's Thriller video shows him at his best as a singer, dancer and performer.

Bing Crosby

Three big claims to fame for Big Crosby. He was music's most famous crooner of the pre-World War Two era, he sang the most popular Christmas song, White Christmas, and he was one half of one of movies most famous duos, with Bob Hope. Crosby, like Sinatra, showed his acting credentials, too, and won a Best Actor Oscar, when playing a priest in the the 1944 film Going My Way. Crosby mourned the death of Elvis, and died just two months after him.

Ella Fitzgerald

Probably the greatest female singer of the 20th Century, Ella Fitzgerald was among a number of great female black singers, such as Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday, who appealed to both black and white audiences. Her beautiful and smooth rendition of the George Gershwin classic, Summertime, displays her vocal qualities at their zenith. Ella won an amazing thirteen Grammy awards.

Madonna

It'd be hard to pick out any Madonna song which will be popular in a few decades time, but Madonna has been an inspirational figure for many young women. I'm not a fan, but I have to concede that Madonna's a talented singer and songwriter, and, particularly early in her career, was very innovative. The conical bras and lurid movies have often taken the attention away from her talent. Her inclinations have changed like the breeze, but, along with Michael Jackson, she is the most iconic music figure to have emerged in the last forty years.

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan made folk music trendy in the early 1960s, but it was his songwriting which is his real legacy. He inspired the Beatles, among others, as to how music could be used to promote a humane message and a call for change. His songs were feasted on by a number of great artists in their own right, including long-time lover Joan Baez and the Byrds.

Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong was, initially, known as a great jazz trumpeter, but he also became known for his moving gravelly voice. Very late in his career, Armstrong made famous recordings of the songs Hello Dolly, What a Wonderful World, and the theme song, We Have All the Time in the World, from the James Bond movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Louis Armstrong is probably the most famous jazz musician of them all.

Al Jolson

The first great star of the age of the talkies, Al Jolson was called "The World's Greatest Entertainer". The affected black man voice, mannerisms and even the black makeup can seem offensive now, but, with songs such as My Mammy, Jolson was the first great popular music star of the last century.

N.B. Speaking as a Brit, I don't think anyone can argue that the Beatles should be included. I'll leave you to decide which order you think this list should be in, though. When thinking about who to include in this article, I've chosen artists who were primarily singers and musicians, otherwise movie stars such as Judy Garland and Fred Astaire would have possibly sneaked in. There's no one born under fifty years ago on this list. But it takes time to become a legend.

Sources

Rat Pack Show: Frank Sinatra Biography

1953 Academy Awards Winners and History

The Internet Movie Database: Bing Crosby Biography

The Official Web Site of Ella Fitzgerald

Swing Music Net: Louis Armstrong Biography

Broadway: The American Musical . Stars Over Broadway . Al Jolson | PBS

Personal Knowledge