Most influential Individual in Music

[writerchick]

Taylor Swift I know you're the most influential musician in music ever and I'ma let you finish, but Robert Johnson had some of the most influence of all time!

[Your Sister in Islam]

Bach, Mozart and all those other guys with the funny wigs.

[pai]

Son House, he played a huge role on Robert Johnson's playing, and by doing so he has played a huge role in all blues musicians.

[soccerluva]

If you're going to put Jelly Roll up there, how about Scott Joplin? He was an extremely influential figure in the shaping of 20th century music and, at least from the sound of his music, a direct influence on Jelly Roll.

[Lovely Bride]

If they're pop, then the beatles would be also and another thing influentiality and skill are two totally different things.

[Paige]

T'was taking the piss...

[tonuprocker]

mamas and the papas and the beatles have different sounRAB and connceted to a different group of people. both banRAB sound like pop banRAB now yes.. but back then they were considered to be rock banRAB.. before all the heavy banRAB.. DUH!

[curious rose]

It go with Paul McCartney, cause the way I see it, The Beatles are the most influential group/artist ever, and he was on of the main songwriters to most of their songs, he also sang lead to a lot of them, and unlike Lennon who was always trying to find an excuse to break the band, he was the one who kept them together for the last few years.

[XxlolxX]

Hank Williams, Chuck Berry, and Charlie Parker.

[need computer help]

^^^I pretty much agree that the most influential person or group preceded anyone that we even know. But, in terms of more contemporary influence, say last half of 20th century, and Western influence since this forum has a Western bias, I believe:
Velvet Underground had most early influence on rock.
Beatles had most early influence on pop.
Bessie Smith, Robert Johnson, and Muddy Waters had most early influence on blues; Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong had most influence on jazz vocalists; and Robert Johson had most early influence on blues rock.
Thelonius Monk and John Coltrane had most early influence on instrumental jazz and Miles Davis had most influence on later jazz and jazz fusion.
Kraftwerk had most early influence on techno/house.
Janis Joplin had most early influence on all female rock artists (probably later female pop, too).
Youssou N'Dour had most early influence on world music and introducing non-Western sound to Western music.
Hank Williams had most influence on country.